First Bloggers

Your Own Radio Station

This is one cool site. Create your own radio station for free.

http://www.pandora.com/

After a few songs you have to register but it is free. Have fun.

Pumpkin Patch Kids

We took Bodie and Jett to a farm North of Spokane when they were here and picked pumpkins from the fields. It was a little cold but we had fun. I chose a lovely pumpkin that Bodie and I carved on Halloween. Ty picked a subpar melon and carved it badly.

Signs

I think this is near Provo.

Juris Duticus

Being the pillar of the community that I am, I have been called for jury duty. I reported to the Federal Courthouse in Moscow, Idaho today and it turned out to be a huge waste of my time. First a 90 mile drive then waiting around for three hours in a room with 40 other people. We watched a 20 minute video aimed at informing the complete idiot about jury duty. One big point was don't feel bad if your not selected. Really, I thought it was a popularity contest. Then they left the room for hours while the judge and attorneys were trying to work out some details, they didn't say what it was but I suspect that a plea was being negotiated. Well, it didn't happen and the judge finally came in and said to go home and check back on Wenesday to see what was up. Holy crap. Some people had drove from Bonners Ferry which is 150 miles from Moscow.
Mostly what I got out of it was a renewed sense of disgust for my fellow man. Looking around at this bunch of ass clowns for hours will do that to you. Honestly I tend to be a bit of a people hater, and I sat near some auto-parts salesman that could not for the life of him shut up for more than 20 seconds. He would talk about anything with anyone, horrible small talk that was eating my brain. Its like he feared that being alone with his thoughts for more than a minute would cause him to burst into flames. By the way if you want a diverse jury pool don't come to North Idaho, 40 people and we were all delightfully white as a Nephite. It was the dirty white boys or nothing. ( well, about ten women where there too ) Anyway, after three hours my loathing was keen as a weasel. I hope I don't have to go back and I'm sure they don't want me.

Getcha Yer Head Out

Bryant surprised me the other day when he asked if we had a basketball. In 17 years that would be the first time he wanted a sports related item of any kind. I told him to look in the garage. He comes back in with it and starts dribbling and whipping it around, decides its not good enough and heads to the store for a new one. What in the f.........?
Turns out he is in the school play "High School Muscial" and has a singing and dancing number called 'Get Yer Head In The Game' that requires a basketball and some dribbling and passing. Ahhh, makes sense now. Gotta love the Boo.

Lookout Lovenest Lovefest

I recently procured a reservation at another old firelookout in the Couer d'Alene Forest. Little Guard Lookout is ten miles up the mountain from the CDA River. Lisa agreed to go with me and we had a great time. The lookout was originally built in the early 1900's and the present structure has been there since 1950 something. It is in great shape and even had the Osburn Fire Finder still in the center of the room. It was a beautiful sunny fall day and we enjoyed the drive up. We kicked back and enjoyed the scenery. Towards evening we cooked up a delicious dinner of chicken and wild rice. We read the guest book comments for entertainment and took a walk at sunset around the peak. A storm moved in and the wind blew and rain fell all night.. At dawn I raised the stars and stripes and went downstairs and made a huge breakfast. The rain continued but we didn't care. We finally packed up and headed home. Can't wait to do it again we had a lot of fun.

Nuevo Laredo Part Tres

.........if you actually read this crap start at the first one down below.........

So now I have taken care of myself by seeing the good doctor I head back in the direction of the border. I stop at an open cantina for some much needed refreshment and rest. I get hit up some more for money by different people including a young girl who looked so tired that she could barely stand up. Breaks your heart to see that, I gave her some money and she wandered out into the street, I hoped someone was looking out for her. I watched the street scene in Nuevo Laredo for about 45 minutes, it was interesting. I walked toward the border and stopped at some small shops to look for some trinkets for the family. I saw a knockoff of a Louis Vitton purse and couldn't resist getting it for Lisa as a joke. I call it the Lewis Vitin bag. (she laughed but won't actually use it) I also bought Boo a Nacho Libre wrestling mask, I knew he would get a kick out of it. Got em both on a package deal for 20 bucks. Also grabbed some perfume and a bottle of Aquila Los Cosinozes. Had enough for one night and head to the bridge. I walk past the Mexican customs without a second glance from anyone and head out onto the bridge. As I walk across the bridge towards the U.S. Port of Entry I get a little nervous about my pharmaceuticals, I mean what is the worse that can happen. Arrest, jail, a vigorous beating I don't really know. So I grab the small package and toss it over the bridge I hear a faint splash as my precious purchase hit the black waters of the Rio Grande. Feeling safer now I approach the US gate, there is one guy there and no line whatsoever. He says hello, asks me if I have ID, I show him my drivers license he yawns and asks what I'm doing in Laredo. Once again I don't really know, he smiles and waves me through. Should have known I could get across the border with anything. I look like Howdy Doody and I'm sporting short pants and a Idaho drivers license and carrying a bag with a purse and a Nacho Libre wrestling mask. Good God I could have had 2 kilos of heroin in my underpants and walked through there and only gotten some bored looks from the border patrol. Oh well back in the USA at last. I miss Mexico terribly but sadly have nothing with which to deal with the pain.

Neuvo Laredo II

continued:

So I wandered up the street in Mexico and was attracting a lot of attention. Finally a young guy jumps in front of me and wants to know what I'm looking for. Women? Weed? Coke? Fireworks? What? I tell him no each time and he holds out his hands and says, what are you doing here? That's a good question, I'm starting to wonder myself. I go on by and walk up a couple more blocks stopping once to give a little girl some money, she was begging for her mother who was sitting on the sidewalk. I don't see anything worth stopping for and finally turn around and head back down the other side of the street. The little girl hits me up again and when I tease her about already giving her some money she smiles so cute that I give her a few more dollars.
Then the guy that stopped me before spots me and runs over, okay he says, what are you looking for. Nothing I say just looking around. Come on he says, I have women, massages, heroin, pain pills - he notices my hesitation at that one. I just drove 2300 miles I do have some pain. But I have no prescription senor. No problemo we see doctor, 10 dollars. Follow me.
So off me and my new amigo Marcos go, off the main street, past dark seedy shops, people in the shadows watching, he points to a few places - dentist, lawyer, pharmacy - all open at 11:00 at night. Just as I'm starting to think I'm being led into the barrio to be robbed and killed for fun we come to a small alley. Very dark, very narrow, not a place you would ever walk down. So we walk down it and come to a door and by this time I am starting to kind of get a fatalistic kick out of the whole thing and I don't hesitate to walk right in.
It is here in a small room with a bare light bulb hanging over a beat up metal desk that I meet Dr. Jose Antonio Cerra Quintero a real humanitarian. Dr. Quinn turns out to be a taciturn fellow wearing a ballcap that says Hurley on it. Marcos converses with him in Spanish and I start to tell him about my arthritic hip and lower back pain and so forth. Turns out that even if he could speak English he doesn't give a rip. I am offered a chair and handed a menu like I have walked into a cafe. I puruse the list of medicines carefully, pretty much anything you can think of was there and plenty I have never heard of. Like all good menus the price was also clearly marked, quite frankly I felt the prices were steep considering where I was. I felt obligated to buy something, that is only good manners I suppose. I finally settle on 10 percodans for 20 bucks. Cash please, plus ten for the Doc and five dollar tip for good old Marcos. I produce the bills and another cat comes in (Segundo).
After some agitated conversation Marcos informs me that they don't have any on hand but that Segundo can go get some but will need to take the cash. Sure fine, as long as this is all on the up and up what can go wrong. So we wait, me and Marcos joke around for a bit but the conversation lags and Doc Quin just sits there staring straight ahead. I'm pretty much resigned to the fact that my forty bucks is gone but what the hell it had entertainment value. But Segundo comes back and he has the medication. It is packaged professionaly and they tell me that I can take it across the border with the prescription I've been given as long as the package is not opened. Somehow I doubt this..........

to be continued.

Nuevo Laredo Mofo

I recently drove a truck with a drill rig mounted on it to Laredo Texas. It was a 2300 mile drive from Elko Nevada. It took three days and I saw a lot of country, some of it real familiar and some of it new. I spent one night in Delta, Utah another in Gallup, New Mexico and even one in the hell hole they call Ft. Stockton, Texas. My most interesting night was spent in Laredo, Texas. I rolled into town in the late afternoon.
I had an air brake leaking like a sumbitch and was in danger of locking it up in the middle of traffic. I stopped and got it fixed by some very cool Mexican mechanics. It was like getting it fixed in the rest of the U.S. except it was done right, real fast, real cheap and they were very nice. They even gave me a map to the Customs faciclity where I dropped the truck off as it was going to the companies operations in Mexico.
From there I took a taxi, I told the driver I wanted to go to a hotel close to the border so I could walk over. He winked and said you want some women eh? No senor, but I do want to check it out. He took me to an old tower hotel right on the friggin border overlooking the Rio Grande and one block from the bridge that takes you into Neuvo Laredo. The place once was very nice, although the room was huge and was decent with a huge floor to ceiling windows looking at the river the building was now in sad shape. The elevevator was scary as the doors only opened about eight inches and you had to pry them apart. It took forever for it to get anywhere and I finally gave up on it and walked to my room on the fourth floor.
I ate dinner in the lobby bar / restaurant and was the only one there. The food was excellent 2 enchiladas a burrito and tres coronas for 12 bucks. I then walked to the border bridge and Nuevo Laredo.
I walked across the bridge looking down at the river below, it was about 50 yards wide and had a lot water flowing. If you were to swim this at night it wouldn't be that fun. I entered into Mexico without a second glance from anyone, easy to get in I think. I head up the main street there and things look immediately different. For one,I am without exception the only white boy in the whole freakin place.

The Right Thing

I find myself one night recently at a WalMart in Fort Stockton, Texas. ( I know, this sounds like the start of a horror story ) I use the ATM to get some cash. I push the button for 80 bucks, four bills shuffle on out and I glance at the twenties quickly just to see if there is four of them. Later that night as I'm buying pork rinds and cerveza at seedy little convience store I notice that one of the bills is a fifty. Crap. Bad Karma, I don't like it. I don't have time for this bullshit. But seeing how my integrity is worth more than 30 bucks the next morning before I leave town I stop and go in the store to tell them that the machine gave me too much money. Turns out WalMart owns the machine but nobody wants to hear about it. The nice Mexican girl who is in charge of the place at this early hour clearly thinks I'm insane. I try to give her my name and number just in case but she doesn't want it.
I tell Lisa about it on the phone and she says if they don't want it back to just give it to charity. I decide she's right.
That night when I get to Laredo Texas I do my duty and get thirty single dollar bills. I go to a club and find a nice stripper named Charity and give them all to her. I have to admit doing the right thing does make you feel better.

***Disclaimer*** All true except the last part.

Brother Bear

Went fishing yesterday on the Coeur d'Alene River, a rare event this summer. It was a beautiful late summer day, just a hint of fall in the air. The fishing was a bit slow, I caught some but not many, they just didn't seem very active. The day was saved by seeing a black bear up close for a few minutes. He came across the road in front of me and stopped: trying to decide whether to go back or not. I stopped my truck and watched him for awhile forgetting about my camera that was on the seat right next to me. He finally gave a little buck and romped off into the trees. They have a funny rolling gait when they run that looks comical to watch. I like bears, it's always good to see one. It reminds me that it is still a little wild out there and on any given day you just might run into Brother Bear.

How Sweet

She's a sweet gal and it was a nice effort, but she still has troubles with shapes, its supposed to be a heart, she has her good days and her bad days.

Greetings From The Oregon Coast

Showing my game speed

Hanging With My Shorties - Knockin Back Forties

Work

I have been working my ass off lately and it makes me wonder what the hell is going on. Just last year I was living the life of leisure. The contrast is startling. Here is last week in a nutshell. Friday I got a call that two drills needed to be moved out of an underground mine near Elko Nevada. I caught a plane to Reno the next morning and started working to "de-mobe" this site. The mine includes a huge pit operation that is bigger than Kennecott, I would drive to the bottom of this hell hole past the huge load trucks carrying ore, trying to remember to drive on the left side of the road like a damn Englishmen so the trucks wouldnt crush me like a bug. At the bottom of the pit it is about 120 degrees, the heat from the earth makes it even hotter than normal. There is a portal to the underground mine from there. One of the guys took me down in the mine about a mile just for the hell of it. I spent almost three days at this place getting all the equpiment up to the surface including two 16 hours days. Then I took off to SLC to pick up some equipment and then stayed in Dillon Montana and drove to Coeur d'Alene. I then started taking equipment up to a job site near Kellogg Idaho about an hour from here. I worked all week doing 12 and 14 hour days. I was supposed to have fri, sat and sun off but they needed me for some things and all I got was Sunday off. for the week I worked 97 hours and I got kinda tired. (a lot of hard physical labor) Now they put me in charge of 'Mobiization' which means my job just got twice as hectic and harder. More money please.

Old Timey Funny

Funny stuff, turn on sound.

Cutthroats

Just got back from a splendid outing on the upper reaches of the Coeur d'Alene River. Went to my favorite spots and had them to myself which is always nice. The road runs alongside the river for over 30 miles and I saw about 6 vehicles pulled off and people fly fishing on the drive there. Obviously I was concerned about the overcrowding. I once drove all the way to my most special spot and never saw anybody fishing on the hour long drive until I drove up to the pullout and there was a truck there. I pitched a little fit, swore some mighty oaths and was really torqued that it had Washington plates. But not today, I parked and put on my waders and strung up my rod and was fishing in just a few minutes.
I caught one nice one in the little run I always catch one in (unless I miss it) I worked my way upstream to the bend in the river where there is a huge log jam. Every year after spring runoff this log jam is a bit different but the huge logs are still there. This year it had changed quite a bit but was still loaded with fish, especially smaller cutts that seek shelter in the many spots that the trees provide. I caught so many little cutts that I got sick of it and would pull my fly away if I could see the little buggers coming. Catching a six inch cutt is fun the first five times and then you have enough of it. I did snag a few 12 inchers in there.
About this time I finally lost the elk hair caddis I had been using, I left it in a fish's lip. I tied on a new one and cast a few times and noticed the damn fly wasn't there. I pulled the leader in and tied a new one on, I snagged it on a branch in a deep pool and lost it right away. I'm a little ticked at losing three flies in five minutes but decide it's time for a sit down and tie on a new leader. I find a nice log in the river and kick back and have a drink and slowly tie up a new leader and fly, real nice like. I pick a really nice parachute Adams and apply floatant to it and puff the hackle up just right. I admire my handy work and relax for a few more minutes. I see a pretty nice fish rise just upstream from me so I stand up and cast to it. The cast is graceful the drift pure and the trout rises with confidence. I set the hook with skill, I feel the tug and then the fly pops out. The line shoots back at me and is heading for some branches so I haul forward quickly to prevent a snag. Quick thinking that results in a crack the whip effect and I hear a snap as my new leader and fly disappear in the great blue yonder. Son - of - a - bitch. All part of the game though and I get over it quickly.
I decide to head to my second most favorite spot a few miles downstream. As I got close to my truck I noticed a car pulled up next to it and two yahoos from Washington were standing there decked out like a couple of Orvis models, except the one guy was about five feet tall and weighed 300 pounds. He was testing the limits of an old pair of blue neoprene waders and had a big hat and a not so bright look on his face. I was casting nonchalantly as I walked back just letting the fly drift while I worked my way downstream. As luck would have it a beautiful 16 incher rose and I set up and landed it right in front of them. They were watching carefully and a few casts later I landed a fat little 12 incher that made a few jumps and fought the good fight. The fat little guy was cleary impressed and slapped his knee and shook his head admiringly. I crossed the river and got in my truck. The chubby dude had his foot on the bumper of his car trying to tie his wading boot and was wobbling around. As I pulled away I saw him with a bootlace in each hand as he slowly but surely went over backwards flat on his back with a thump. He lay motionless for a few seconds and as I looked in my rear view mirror as I drove off I saw his arm come up with the middle finger extended. Ten minutes later I quit laughing.

Me and You & a Kid Named Boo

We took the driftboat on it's maiden 2007 voyage last weekend. Lisa even went on this one. Record breaking temperatures into the mid 90's were brutal but we went anyway. The problem with temps that hot this early in the year is that the water is still freezin ass cold. So, you can't jump in and you can't stay out. On a bright hot day the fishing was slow too but we had a good time. Not too many people on the river and it was a spectacular day. Throwing a nice tight loop out there felt good. We are going to run the Clark Fork next time, hell yea.

The Perfect Woman

She's pretty, smart, sexy, sweet, makes money and more. But now oh lordy I have hit the big time.... This is a picture of my little woman rowing my driftboat down the Coeur d'Alene River while I flyfish from the bow. It doesn't get much better than this folks.

Daily Affirmation

START EACH DAY WITH A POSITIVE OUTLOOK

1. Open a new file in your computer.
2. Name it "Hillary Rodham Clinton"
3. Send it to the trash.
4. Empty the trash.
5. Your PC will ask you, "Do you really want to get rid of "Hillary Rodham Clinton?"
6. Firmly Click "Yes."
7. Feel better.

Next week Nancy Pelosi

Bodie & Jett

Just got back from Kanab where I got to see my grandsons. As you can see they are the cutest kids on earth. We had a great time seeing everybody.

Spring In Coeur d'Alene

Spring has come to the area and damn it is beautiful. Green grass, leaves starting to bud and flowers blooming. Of course it is already green with all of the pine trees covering most of the land. The lakes and rivers are a shocking blue color that matches the sky sprinkled with bright white billowy clouds. Once again Im amazed at the beauty of this area, especially after being in Nevada for almost all of April. Tasha and I took a bike ride today along the trail that runs along Lake Coeur d'Alene, it has to be one the most beautiful bike rides in the world. The sun was out and the air is still a little chilly but after trying to keep up with Tash I was plenty warm. We had a great time and a good workout. Me and Boo mowed the lawn for the first time yesterday and it felt good to get out and work in the yard. We have been taking the dogs for walks at the trails everyday. Damnnation its good to be home.

Oh Dear Me

So this time at the Tonkin Springs camp was my last. I have been given a different job moving the drilling equipment around the country. Much better for me, more money, not stuck in one place, etc. The 22 days I did this last time were hell, there were 14 people there this time and when I was working someone was sleeping in my bed, this is called hot bunking and I'm pretty sure it is illegal.
I went into Elko on after my 15th day because I was out of food and also wanted to get the hell out the place for awhile. Six of us went in and stayed the night. They started out drinking and gambling at the Red Lion and ended up hitting pretty much every casino and bar in Elko. A mexican driller from Arizona named Edwardo got us kicked out the Stockmans for being too funny at the 21 table for the pit boss. We ended up in front of an establishment that had a neon sign that said "diddling and dancing" I kid you not. This is where I parted ways with the group. I got back to my room at 5:00 am and Im pretty sure I was the first one to sleep. I woke five hours later and looked out the window and saw one of the guys sleeping in the back of a truck in the parking lot. He was a crazy guy named Wild Bill who is 50 years old and really shouldn't be allowed to drink. I bought some food and headed back for 7 more days in paradise. The rest of the group staggered in just in time for work stinking of liquor and whores and wearing the badge of shame which lasted for about a day. One guy had spent 1900 bucks and was rubbing his head in pain. He is 25 years old and makes about 12 grand a month and spends pretty much about 12 grand a month. The only reason he felt bad was that he was too drunk to consumate the deal at the house of ill repute. I could say Im going to miss those guys but it would be a lie.

What the

After a few days of sleep and recovery I am now back in the real world. My previous post was a tad misleading I don't smoke and I'm not drinking whiskey at 6:00 a.m. and only horny as a regular billy goat. Tonkin Springs was a experience that no one needs to have. Have a nice day.

Drilled

I'm back. 23 straight 12 hour night shifts on a drill rig. Actually after 15 days I was able to get into town to buy some food and hang out with a drilling crew as they descended on Elko one crzy night I might write about later. The last night I was there I just about went head first off the back of a water truck that was parked on a 90 degree slope, I slipped on ice and mud and pitched off head first, I grabbed a pipe that was sticking up at the last second and was hanging upside down looking at the 15 foot face plant I just about did into the mud on top of a trash pump. Not sure if it would have killed me but it definetely would have messed up my pretty face. As for the rest of it it sucked, the trailers were crowded, dirty and boring. I watched the dvd of Turistas 5 times and it wasn't that good. I now drink whiskey at six a.m. smoke a pack a day and swear like a sailor. I did loose 25 pounds like mom predicted. I am mean, lean and horny as a two peckered billy goat. Other than that I still the same nice guy I've always been. My what a fine time.

Back to the Salt Mines

Or Gold mines as it were. I am heading back to the seventh circle of hell. In lieu of a serious industrial accident I will be gone for 20 days from the face of civilization as you know it. No newspaper, no internet, no phones, for a news junkie like me you have no idea how hard this is. If I do get injured (god forbid, maybe) sue, sue sue, I have been ill equipped, ill advised and non trained. Make em show you the money. So when you get down on your knees tonight and thank the Lord for his guiding light pray I'll turn out right thank god for kids.

Lisa

What is the hardest thing about going away for 20 days? Leaving my wife. Pretty, nice, sweet and very nice to sleep with. I missed her very much on my last hitch and will even more this time. When things are at there very worst in the shithole of mine camp Nevada thoughts of her brought me through. I love ya baby.

Inconvenient?

I finally watched the famous documentary "An Inconvenient Truth" (HBO) Not bad, some very disputable science involved but it had some great points. Al Gore himself is a bit of a vindictive host, a major portion is related to his gut wrenching loss to George Bush. Gore is a bit of a enigma, I remember liking him as a presidential candidate back in the late 80s . I think he genuinely cares about the environment but he also loves his pseudo celebrity status as well. Is the planet doomed with CO emissions? maybe, probably, might be a minor footnote to a nuclear winter. I do believe this, no matter what the USA does it will be negated by the human swarms in India and China. Nobody cares about CO2 emissions when they are hungry.
I don't like to be cynical about the enviortment but that is hard to do. Even this shit job I currently have is evidence of a civilization gone bad. Gold prices have sent the economies in Nevada into a tizzy. 600, 700 maybe 800 an ounce? Boom time. Little shit towns like Elko, Winnemuca and Battle Mountain are flush with money and specultation. Of course the gold isn't in found in nuggets in pituresque streams, it is in the ground, small veins or maybe not even noticeable to the naked eye. So they process millions of tons of ore, using cyanide to leach the gold from the earth.
Think your immune from the orgy? Do you have any gold yourself? chains, rings, coins, investments. The pretty little ring on your gal's finger. Yea, all guilty.
I have been watching the core samples being drilled from 1200' in Tonkin Springs Nevada, yea there is gold. The price is going up. Get ya some. The Earth weeps.

Internet Boosheet

See my post on Lincoln? apparently he never said that. Don't believe anything you read. There is a lot of information out there, some good, some bad.

10 Days

My 10 days off is going by much faster than the days in Tonkin Springs Hellvada. I will be heading back for at least one more hitch there. Hopefully it will be the last, I told them I wasn't a fan of the camp there. When I was packing to leave for the first time mom was up here, she came for a visit and to see Bryant in the play 'The Importance of Being Earnest' Bry was awesome as a snooty Englishman. The play was good and I saw the first two nights but had to miss the third night to pack. I wasn't sure what I needed for 20 days of work and didn't know if I could do laundry or where I was going for that matter. So I packed more clothes than I needed and left stuff that I should have taken, learning curve the first time. After the play was over I had everything laid out on my bed and was starting to pack it up. Mom came in and sat down and started making pithy comments that were not helpful. I was going away for a long time and was stressed out a bit. She came up with one liners like 'Don't you wish you had got your college degree?' or "I bet you wish you hadn't quit your propane job" Another gem was "Well maybe you can loose some weight" She offered this advice " Look at this as a grand adventure" Oh it was an adventure all right just not a grand one.
When I was working the 12 hour night shift there I would sometimes drive a water truck up on top of a mountain there where I would dump loads of water into some tailing ponds. It took about an hour for it to drain out and I would shut off the truck and lay on my back on top of the tank and look at the stars. The night sky was incredible, no moon, clear as a bell. I haven't seen the stars like that for a long time. Orion was prominent in the night sky and I was able to pick out many constellations, it was very peaceful and the cool nights of the high Nevada deserts were quite beautiful. On that shift I saw the sunset and the sunrise. It was tough at times and by the 7th night I got kinda tired, hit the wall so to speak. But I survived it, me and Orion.

Abe Speaks

Take Note: Name Change

Hell has been renamed it will now be known as Tonkin Springs Nevada. I just spent 14 days there in a mine camp isolated from society and working my bag ass off. The work was long and hard (12 hours shifts everyday, the last 10 at night) but that was the easy part of it. We lived in trailers with no running water except for the 'main' single wide that everyone used for the kitchen and bathroom. It was the most disgusting abode I have ever seen. Take a crew of ten drillers and helpers and turn them loose on one bathroom and you will see the depths of humane depravity. The other trailers were new 28 foot camp trailers which would be nice if you had the family out for a nice camping trip, instead take 3 grown men with all of their gear and food for 20 days and it is way too small for anything. Despite reports that there was satellite tv, internet and phone it turned out that none of these were available. Cell phones didn't work unless you had a booster antenna and drove to the top of the mountain and then maybe you could get a signal. The boosters were 300 bucks and of course not available unless you could get to town which was not possible unless you had a vehicle. The closest town was Carlin about an hour and a half away. The crew was an assortment of losers, assholes and meth addicts just a delightful bunch to work, sleep, eat and live with 24 hours a day. Luckily I have mellowed out since I got home and I am totally sugar coating this whole thing. More later.

Winnemucca and Me

The real estate career is now on hiatus. Due to fiscal constraints, karma and bad attitudes I have been forced to accept employment with a drilling company. This company drills core samples in solid rock for customers all over the west. Their customer list includes mining companies, contractors and goverment agencies. Because I have a commercial drivers license I will be driving a Kenworth with a drill rig on it to the cultural epicenter of Winnemucca Nevada. My what a dream come true this will be. I have checked out the official town website for current events and found this . After I am there I will be assisting the drilling crews and engaging in some of the worst manual labor that still exists in the world today and working 12 hour shifts for 20 straight days with half of them being night shift. A quick check of the weather there revealed that despite being a godforsaken colorless, treeless desert it is just as cold there as it is here in North Idaho. Super. I don't believe my room at the Valu In has internet service so any report from me may well be never. Ohhhh shit.

Physically Fits

So the scenario was bleak already, I took a job and needed a drug screen and physical. More on the job later but the trip to the doc was a rough start. First off they send me to one of the drive through health care shops for the drug screen, I decide to kill two birds and get my DOT physical at the same time and have them pay for it too. There were only a few people in the waiting area but I still waited for over half an hour. Finally I got to wizz in a cup and went through the whole process of verifying the sample and taping it shut and initialing everything in sight. This is the world of drug testing and I've done it many times so no big deal. Get it all done and the RN who was a little scatter brained realizes I didn't sign something that was already sealed up. So out it all comes and do it over. Then she realizes she didn't do some test that had to be done before it goes to the lab. So more urine was needed, I stepped up to the plate and delivered for the home team. All this probably contributed to me failing the blood pressure test. They tried 4 different times but it was 138 over 96, out the range for a DOT physical. They gave me a temporary card good for a year. I don't really believe in the junk science of blood pressure and cholesterol levels so I'm good.
The suspense of course was all about the hernia check, most docs in my experience don't do it or check on your lower stomach. Not Dr. Squeezer, made me drop 'em and then handled both of the boys. I'm still pretty upset about it. The entire visit was full of bad news, hassle and humiliation. Now I get to go to work. Yippee.

An Inconvenient Asshat

What's the difference between a real environmentalist and a poseur?

Conserve energy - you that is.

What a blowhard.

Birthdays Blow

Another one come and gone. What is the sense of even keeping track? Birthdays are for kids, after 21 no one really gives a frog's fat ass. But for all you out there -

Have one on me, cheers

El Presidente

The 2008 presidential elections are a long way off, but the campaign is already in full swing. I don't know what it is about our national candidates maybe we know too much about them, but holy crap is this the best we can do? Hillary Clinton, Rudi Guiliani, front runners, that is sad. I cannot even grasp the thought of a Hillary presidency but Guilani is too weird for me too. I just watched some old video clip of him in drag in some stunt with Trump hitting on him. Please, can we have some dignity in the Oval Office. McCain, don't like him -can't put my finger on it but it just isn't there, and he would be 72 when he takes office, and 76 at the end of his first term. No discrimination but that is too old for this high pressure, intense job. Barak Obama? light weight. Audacity of Hope? how about the reality of the world.
My pick at this early stage is Romney. He has some tangible success in business and in politics. A leader with the demeanor and communication abilities to take the office. Conservative but not one dimensionable. After watching George Bush muddle through his second term unable to communicate with and inspire his country it would be nice to see someone who can.
But can he win? Probably not, and for what. Religion. Just read an interesting article about polygamy in the Romney family tree, yikes. They aren't quitters they kept at it after the Mormon church banned it. His father was born in Mexico where his father and family were hiding from the feds. And his great great grandfather is Parley P. Pratt hisself.
Well all I can say is if the Evangelical Christians would rather back someone like Guiliani over Romney then they are so worried about theology that they are unable to think clearly. Moral high ground taken. All in all I just can't stop the horrible thought of Hillary taking the most powerful position in the world. The four horseman just might be saddling up.

Did You Know?

Click Here To See

SHIFT HAPPENS

Turn up your speakers - the song is awesome, from Last of the Mohicans
The info is scary and depressing.

A Ray of Hope

The sun came out the other day. It was shocking, I thought for a minute the house next door was on fire or something. But no, when I walked outside the glorious rays were beating down on everything in site. I could hardly see, I didn't know where my sunglasses were because I haven't used them since October 2006. Oh how good it felt though, and the rays delivered a warming sensation - I had forgot about that. I broke into song.

'Oh the sunshine blessed sunshine, where the peaceful happy moments roll'

Yes it was quite a time.

Oh course it is long gone. Today is cold, drizzly, gray and I know that the sun will probably never come out again. But I was glad I was there for that special day and partook of the life giving rays the day that the sun came out.

Pharmacies Cause Pill Popping

Stopped at a pharmacy today to pick up a prescription for Lisa. Went to the drive-up which is nice and the order was pre-filled so it was only a 10 minute ordeal, a rare event indeed. From the drive-up window I could see the customers inside their faces grim, their eyes glazed over in the blank stare of the tormented. Some faces were fixed with a forced smile trying to hide the impulse to kill something, one had a very visible twitch that gave away the stress building up inside. I understood very well what was going on in there. Pharmacies are a cruel joke and another example of inept and insane business practice.

The concept is so simple it begs a quick painless transaction. You hand said white smocked person a little note that says your physician says to give you medicine. If you are in extreme pain this will be for 5 pain killers weaker than asprin. This should take all of about 2 minutes. Count 'em out ring 'em up. No, they look at you and say something like 'it's going to be 45 minutes'. What? Why? No, No No. There are five of you milling around back there and just me standing here - take care of it now. But instead it goes onto some weird ass waiting list and if you are actually sick at the time and waiting for it this does not seem right. But then it is part of our medical system so don't expect anybody to give a shit.

My advice, buy your drugs online from India, fill out a simple questionnaire that is reviewed by Dr. Hapu or his assistant helper monkey and in 10 days or less it will show up in your mailbox. Can't be worse. (don't ask me how I know this)

Send Laywers, Guns & Money

Who Said It

Here's my strategy on the Cold War: We win, they lose.

The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help.

The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant: It's just that they know so much that isn't so.

Of the four wars in my lifetime none came about because the U.S. was too strong.

I have wondered at times about what the Ten Commandment's would have looked like if Moses had run them through the U.S. Congress.

The taxpayer: That's someone who works for the federal government but doesn't have to take the civil service examination.

Government is like a baby: An alimentary canal with a big appetite at one end and no sense of responsibility at the other.

If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under

The nearest thing to eternal life we will ever see on this earth is agovernment program.

I've laid down the law, though, to everyone from now on about anything that happens: no matter what time it is, wake me, even if it's in the middleof a Cabinet meeting.

It has been said that politics is the second oldest profession. I have learned that it bears a striking resemblance to the first.

Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops Moving, subsidize it

Politics is not a bad profession. If you succeed there are many rewards,if you disgrace yourself you can always write a book.

No arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women.



Ronald Reagan

The Dog Whisperer

Rock chucking and the art of dog training as I know it. We have had Tasha's dog Etnie now for over a year. Etnie is a Australian Shepard mix and is a class 'A' little shit. She likes to run off, bark at people and generally make you want to get out a rifle and take careful aim. She hates the kennel we have with a passion and would not go in it unless you bribed her with food. Last winter I took her cross country skiing and when I got back to the truck she wouldn't come to me and some lady that was there had to catch her for me. Oh, I was mad that day.
This is all came to a head last July on the banks of the Clearwater River in Idaho. Me and Bryant were camped in a nice spot on the river next to a wooden bridge across the river for hikers and livestock. It went to a trail system that included a fire lookout 10 miles in. Because of the trail and bridge people would occasionally stop and walk out on the bridge. Every time they did Etnie would tear over there and bark at them. She was being her crappy little self and wouldn't come when you called and otherwise just look at you and take off. We stayed there three nights and every morning I was awakened by some jackass at 5:00 a.m. who jogged up the dirt road right next to our camp. It went like this - crunch, crunch, crunch, bark, growl, bark, screaming. Never saw the guy but he was a real pussy and scared to death of dogs. He always left off with a withering scream in the distance of 'control your dog!' I ignored this because as I have pointed out she ain't my dog.
So one fine day at the noon hour as I was eating lunch after a excellent morning of fishing for Clearwater cutthroats a car pulls up at the bridge and a family gets out. I was already trying to get hold of Etnie but she slipped away and started her usual bullshit. The family was unloading day packs and getting ready for a hike, one of the boys ran out on the bridge to have a look because it was a cool place. Etnie was behind him barking and wouldn't give it up. I walked over yelling at her but she didn't listen and was really started getting aggressive and growling and lunging at the kid and cutting off his escape route. He looked to be about 10 or 11 and was trying to be brave about it but she did look like she might bite. By this time I had all of her crap I could handle. I ran across the bridge toward her, she took one look at me and hauled ass to the other side. The poor kid took off back to his car and I continued on after the mutt. I got to the end of the bridge and called and whistled to her, she kept about 50 yards between us and wouldn't come back. So naturally I snapped. I picked up some rocks and took off, she realized the gravity of the situation and ran up the trail. I was throwing rocks and yelling, the rocks were pretty good size, about like a baseball, it was a long throw and I wasn't coming too close in accuracy. We carried on like this for about a quarter of a mile when we came to a switchback and I could see her running and had a view of the trail in front of her. I let loose with a rock and could clearly see the trajectory and hang time as she streaked up the trail. Dog and rock collided in a picture perfect moment I will never forget. She yelped long and hard and then realizing I wasn't freaking kidding she turned around with her tail down and walked straight back to me without hesitation. I was still mad but do not ever touch a dog that comes back to you. She walked right by my side all the way back, we passed the family and they didn't say much. Once we got close to camp she took off and hid under my truck. She is smart and laid low for awhile.
Ever since that day she has been really good for me, she will come when I call and will kennel up on command. She doesn't give me any trouble and if she starts all I have to do is bend down like I am picking up a rock and she toes the line in an instant. I probably should sell my new method of dog training and charge extra for a nice rock. I will call it 'Rock Your Dog's World' Not endorsed by the Humane Society but it works. As for Etnie she is a real character and despite myself I can't help but like the little shit.

Biloxi Blues

Here is a picture of Don Carney enjoying a smoke while waiting for the prostitute. This probably was a good play for the grandmas to miss. Bryant has stepped up to a PG-13 rating in his latest role. Seems strange to see him fake smoking (they had to tell him to slow it down, he looked like he was speed smoking) and using some mild swear words that I have never heard him say. (bullsh** ect.) But he is having a good experience in a very good play with a great cast. I have seen it 4 times and I really like it. Boo does a great job and he keeps adding to it each perfromance. This weekend is the last 3 performances I will probably catch one more before it is done. Come up and see it (not the grandmas)

Wonder Drug

To loose weight, for good digestion and to ease 'nerve strain' tobacco is the answer. Just ask all the doctors who smoke camels. The good old days, where ignorance was bliss. You died a lot sooner but there wasn't so much fuggin nerve strain.

The I Don't Give A Shite List

The following is a short list that is by no means complete of asshats I do not ever want to hear anything about again. I'm sick of them in the newspaper - on the teevee - on the computer. Even if you don't care about this kind of crap you can't escape it. They are trivial human beings that have been give some kind of weird status in this world that is by no means in line with their contributions to society.

Kevin Federline
Brittany Spears
Lindsay Lohan
Paris Hilton
Nichole Ritchie
Brad Pitt and his wives and kids and the whole damn thing
Any celebrity who goes to rehab (dont care)
Any celebrity who has a baby (dont care)
Any celebrity who gets divorced or married or splits up or cheats ( really really dont care)
And Nancy Pelosi

*Ty commented on two obvious choices left off. Trump and Rosie - equally repugnant.

Say Hello To My Leettle Fren

This squirrel has been hanging out at our house lately. He is pretty cool I guess. He plays the blues and sometimes makes me cry. I have named him Coltrain.

The Eagles Have Landed

The eagles are back in Coeur d'Alene. They come in droves this time of year to feast on the kokanee salmon in Lake Coeur d'Alene. The fish have spawned and are weakening and floating near the surface. The great birds dive and catch them in their talons, take them to a lofty perch in a pine tree and eat them, sushi style. They will not eat dead fish. Very cool to watch, just in the one bay of the lake there will be over 100 eagles flying around and in the trees. The spawn will be over in a few weeks and the ealges will be gone, except for the ones that stay here year round. Eagles are cool.

Ryhme This

The sky is in encased in a grey steel vault
The wind roars and the pine trees bend to the breaking point
The ground is rigid, frozen in time
The piles of snow decline and grow in a ceaseless dance of futility.
The air is cutting, frozen vapors hang in an icy claw.
The water is still, molecules silenced under the unrelenting ice.
The songbirds are silenced, the flower long gone.
Holy freakin shit this winter is long.

Resolution

My New Year's Resolution is to quit being so damn nice. No more Mr. Nice Guy. Like Thoreau said "If I apologize for anything it is my good behavior, what demon possessed me to make me act this way." I was going to loose some weight but this one is more important, I have started on it right away.

Happy New Year

2007 is here, much to the dismay of the end of the world crowd who get proved wrong on an annual basis. Predicting the end is a tricky thing, when you are proved wrong you act relieved and chalk it up to your prayers for deliverance. I have heard the end of the road crap going back to some of my earliest memories. Back when I was 11 or 12 the big play taking the Wastach Front by storm was Saturday's Warrior - gripping theater, preying on folks worst fears. Tearfull audiences resolving to get their shit together now - I really really mean it this time man. Catch up on tithing, store some beans and rice, get the home teaching done, forgive all the bastards that wronged you. Hmm... 30 something years ago. I remember sunday school and priesthood advsiors solemly predicting that we would not have families of our own but we might be able to squeeze in a mission if we were lucky. Even the Nostradamus prohpecies fell on their butt the last couple of years. Of course Iran, Korea and their lot are making an honest effort in that direction and give them a few years and nuclear holecaust could be the big hope. Natural disasters in my opinion are probably gonna do the most damage, a couple of big tsunamis, huge earthquake and a big ass hurricane all at the same time would cause some serious problems, maybe the beginning of the end. Maybe the the icecaps will melt and everyone in San Francisco will end up in Butte Montana and the culture clash will leave no one standing. For the record I do believe in storing food and supplies but you could get lucky and take a well timed trip to Costco in the pickup truck and stock up at the last minute much to the dismay of the people who's food storage is about to hit the expiration date. Still the main problem I have is there are a fair number who are not just wanting the end, they are counting on it and can't wait for the pagan bastards to get what's coming to them. The world is has a lot of evil, horrible stuff out there, bad people too. If you read much history it has always been that way and to tell you the truth some of the worst of it ain't happening now. People are mean to each other and that isn't going to change, not even in the last day of the last days, whatever that means. One good thing for the doom and gloomers - one of these days your gonna be right! I'm going to Costco. Peace.