Captain Dumb Ass

Thank the Lord for my neighbors, who are looking out for me, which is needed on a daily basis because I made an appearance this afternoon as Captain Dumb Ass Ass Ass Ass.

After having cut up a bunch of pallets a couple weeks ago, We have been enjoying lots of fires in the fireplace. That means lots of fireplace clean up. 

I cleaned out the fireplace after getting home from work and then went on about my other business of sitting around and avoiding doing stuff. I didn't bother to notice that the ashes were still hot when I put them in my garbage can packed full of dry leaves.

Hence the pretty picture.

My neighbor behind me rang the bell and alerted me to the situation. My water faucets were still turned off for the winter so it was a mad dash to find some water. 

Fortunately, it smoldered for a long time but never really took off, which could have been disastrous for the garage.

The garbage can is a total loss. I wonder what the city is going to ding me for that.

Update: March 28th, 2014, 10:05AM: I just got off the phone with the Solid Waste Department and they said they would get a new container out to me on Monday. I took total responsibility for the damaged receptacle but they did not indicate that I would incur a penalty or fee.

Big Weekend Roundup

I've been trying to post here all last week and it just never happened. So here I am, late on Sunday evening with the big Weekend Roundup.

It's the first week of the NCAA Basketball Madness and so we were all wrapped up in keeping track of our various brackets. One of the venues for Round Two games was here in Spokaloo. That means Susan had to work Thursday night and a good chunk of Saturday.

As for me, I'm unemployed on the weekends other than the income I can earn living off my wiles. 

My big accomplishments of the weekend include a little yard clean up and that's about it.

And then I skied on Sunday.

Vernal Gets Gassy

I had the evening to myself because the NCAA Tournament is in town and that means Susan is working at the Arena, which is the same place where the NCAA Tournament is taking place.

I bought myself a nice thick lean piece of sirloin to put on the barbeque to celebrate the arrival of my good friend, Vernal Equinox. I fired up the barby and waited for it to get good and hot. 

Whilst I waited, I played a little piano and started a load of laundry. It's important to pay attention and not confuse these activities. Getting soap in the piano makes my playing sound even worse and I totally screwed up the washer when I tried to tune it.

The steak went on the hot grill over indirect heat and began it's short trip to warm rare. I had it in there about 20 minutes but flipped it every four minutes.

Just as I was about to remove the steak there was a stern knocking, pounding really, at the front door. I opened the door to a fireman and suddenly noticed that there were fire engines parked all over the place.

They must have rolled up in stealth mode because I never heard a siren. I had been pretty intent on my steak and watching the NCAA Tournament where Susan was working.

Apparently, there was a gas leak in the neighborhood. More specifically, in the alley behind the house. I was asked to evacuate to the park. I told the guy I had a steak on the que that needed to be removed. When I went to the deck to get the steak, that's when I smelled the gas.

I then spent the next 15 minutes standing around in the park and chatting with all my other neighbors who got evacuated. I think they went to every house around the block and asked everyone to get out.

By then, the smell of gas was in the air. 

I walked up to Cleveland street with my neighbor Lou and we scoped the situation out there. I saw some firemen draining fire hoses but other than that, there really wasn't anything to see there either.

As I walked back towards the house, I passed a group of fire persons who told me all was well. I returned to the house to replace my steak on the grill to warm it up. 

And it was worth the wait!

Halloween Clean Up

For some time now, since Halloween if you must know, I have been wanting to remove the post holders I pound into the ground for the Flying Ghost display. 

In the past, I have found it to be a most arduous task, causing sweating, cursing, beer drinking, shortness of breath, and back pain.

In the past, I have always removed them soon after Halloween.

This year, the remained skewered to the ground all winter. 

So now it is approaching four months that they have been out there and it is time for me to be a responsible home owner and remove this blight.

I went out with shovels and rakes and implements of destruction, but no beer. I'm on my Season of Lent South Beach Insanity Diet and that means no beer. I was anticipating a fight and a beer would have been nice.

I proceeded to input my multi-pronged plan.

Prong 1: Place a post in the sleeve and move it back and forth and side to side to help loosen the soil around the post holder.

Prong 2: Place the post on the ground and use it as a fulcrum in concert with my trusty shovel to (hopefully) easily lift the post holder from its moorings.

Prong 3: With no beer to steel my nerves, say a short prayer.

Prong 4: Raise post holder from ground with the shovel as a pry bar and my courage as a force to be dealt with.

Prong 5: Remove the reaming post holder with the same ease and flare while imagining how much better this all would have been if I had a beer.

Surprisingly, they all came out easily. I attribute this to all the rain we have gotten in the last week...close to an inch.

With that job out of the way, I felt it was time for beer. Doo!

A Snowy Spokaloo Sunday

I might have to consider writing a song that goes with today's header. It's probably a country song, kind of ballad like.

I have just taken this picture and it is not a clear indication of how much it is snowing right now.

It snowed a couple of inches last night and I didn't get around to clearing it until after church this morning.

So I went out about noon to tackle the snow. As I started up the snow blower, it began to snow again. By the time I finished clearing the driveway and sidewalk, it was coming down pretty good.

And now, three hours later, there's almost an inch on the ground. 

It continues as I write.

We were supposed to paint St Patrick's windows at a nearby Barber Shop today. But they were really busy and the gal who runs the place asked us to come back later.

We are kind of bummed that we didn't get this job out of the way. But I think we are both happy to have sudden unplanned time land in our laps. 

Susan is relaxing with her time. Well deserved, I might add. She had to work hockey the last two nights.

I'm going to try and get another coat of varnish on the mantle.

Let's see how I do!

5:04PM: I just went outside and stuck a tape measure in the snow. It came back cold so it must still be snowing. It has snowed 2 inches since noon.

10:00PM: I have just come in from shoveling a good three inches of snow from the front walk. 

We watched the Academy Awards tonight and it snowed for quite a while. I went out and brushed the snow off the cars and then cleared the front walk way and side walk. I may snow blow in the morning but I have to wait and see what comes down in the next few hours.

As I finished shoveling, a sleety wet snow started to fall. The forecast is calling for rain all week so I don't feel very compelled to get out there and get everything cleared. It will clear itself in a couple of days.