bikes and skill sets...

Skill sets are very important in ones day to day work place and at home....I often have to learn many things in order to maintain both my house and cars.Os of this past weekend my 4 yr old has no need of training wheels. I went and bought him a used bike off of Craigslist and a great deal - Schwinn for $20. Granted it needed a little brake work and well to be truthfully I have not really worked on a bicycle in over 20 years. I actually bought a book to walk me through the paces of wires and hubs.... Not too bad. I'm going to list some skills that I have as well as things I really want to learn how to do. Maybe I'll take classes (when/if time allows!!!).

Drive stick, Cook and grill, fix the basics on a motor cycle, ride a motor cycle, maintain a car, do an oil change on a car, change a tire and jump a car, install a basic outlet for a celling fan, Basic wiring, change plugs in a car, install a faucett, install an new toilet, make beer, install a new radio/cd player, know the difference between many wines, make killer ice cream, sew enought to keep clothing longer, butcher an animal, Basic medical care including emergency child birth, how to shoot a hand gun properly, archery (target not hunting), basic knots for scouting, tae kwon do (no black belt but 4 years worth), astronomy

These are things that I would love to learn how to do/make if I had the time and or money....

Dance, swim, scuba, work copper pipe for plumbing, write FLASH, cook chinesse food, learn more languages, moorse code, HAM radio, how to make a stained glass window, build a fighting robot, better woodworking  (small items), metal craft, gun smithing, skydiveing, how to draw better. There are many many more and in truth I woule love to do more with the time that I have. I guess you do really know what you do not know until you realize that you do not know it.....

****More bike updates.... A week ago I drove over my other sons bike. Crushing the wheel and goose neck. I looked at replacing the parts but a wheel for the bike ran $35 and the goose neck was about $25. FRACK the whole bike only cost $100. Craigslist to the rescue. I found a girls bike the same size for $5. Yes $5. My master plan was to take the rim and goose neck from the girls bike and replace my sons. HA... The rim fit with out problem. The goose neck was 2mm too big. So there went that idea. That alone ran me 20 minutes to undoing. So, I replaced the girls with tires with my sons black ones, the white peddals swapped for black ones, flower stickers removed, cable brakes removed, plush pink seat swapped for a black one, bike then taped and painted purple and black. So what was supposed to be a 20 minute fix wound up running me about 3 hours plus drying time to "man up" his girls bike to a boys bike.   He like it and for a $5 bike it both runs and looks great....

PEACE

Moving day, again....

Yesterday I helped a friend of mine move to a new house. I'm too old to be
doing this any more. Today my hands, back and legs are sore. From lifting,
tilting, sliding and walking up stairs. Even 10 years ago I had standards
in mving people; no jars of pennies, no weight sets and no cinder block
furnutire (sure this was pre- IKEA. Moving some one out or in there is
always dust that gets in your eyes and nose. In many cases that person is
not packed or not packed well and I always wind up taking something home.
This time it was 3 gasoline cans. 2 1 gallon jugs and 1 5 gallon jug, need
one? He moved out of a 1 bed room apt to a small house. That small apt
helt lots of crap..... Ahhhhhh!
I have moved ALL of my friends at one time or another. Boxes, tables,
bags, plants pictures, liquor, pots and pans, old computers and even food.
I always wind up tired and beat up. I think I'm done with helping friends
move. No mas. Of course this will change once I fell better an get some
rest. ...

I'm Batman

Dog Daze......

I'm online the other day and I noticed that I always have a Friend with me.
Its my dog. She is awesome! In dead silence while I read my comics she will
just lay there and relax. While I watch my bad sci-fi or cheezy horror
movies - she is there. Granted every now and then she spooks me. When there
is a dog barking on the TV or a chirp of the tele she will bark. That at 2
am will scare the bejesus out of me. She knows my routine when I decide to
go to bed. - Hard drives off, computer off the the basement light. I think
she can tell as I start to turn off the hard drives. She knows when bed
time is happening. In the morning the kids the both dogs out and once they
are done they sprint back upstairs to finish up their sleep time....
So here to you my best of friends.....Ms. Kona and Nixon.

"My god, I can see forever..."

I went to the eye Doctor yesterday. Its been awhile since I've gone.
Not because I'm afraid or don't want to wear glasses, I just do not have
time. I made time yesterday and had the whole show. The Dr looked , touch,
photoed and dilated my eyes to no end. Its official I'm getting old. I do
not need them yet bit I am on the verge of bi-focal. I'm starting to take a
minute for my eyes to focus on print. We are guessing 4-5 years from now
before they become a must. As of right now my eyes are healthy and doing
well. I ordered the new glasses and now I have to wait 7-10 days for them.
Ehhh At least they are covered by insurance.
I've been wearing glasses since fourth grade. Its been a pain in my
side. Of course I've tried contacts here and there but my eyes do not
produce enough tears to make them feel comfortable. So me, Lisa Loeb and
others are confined to having 4 eyes.... Its not so bad. At least I can see
clearly.

----------------------------------
Summer is about half way over and I have not done too much. Just
working. The company may send me back to Ohio to work for a week or two.
That would be fun. Cincinnati or Cleveland. I'd have to drive again,
because my friend/co-worker is unable to fly. No hes not on the "no fly
list" he just has issued with closed in places..... The last time I went to
Ohio I had Dominos and little fuggys on my birthday..... Wow there a
birthday to remember.

You can teach an old dog...

God I love a good hotdog. In Chicago and the near West Burbs when you order a dog it comes with fries.. Some chain places only sell you a dog. That pi$$es me off to no end. Its a tradition that hold had all the way from the lake shore to about rt 53 (about 25 miles West of the city) after that the rules fall apart. I'm even willing to forgive ketchup on a dog for adults as well as kids, but NO FRIES and still charge me $3.00 for a dog- your nutz....My own dog is a typical Chicago style -Pickle spear, relish, mustard, tomato, mustard, sport peppers and celery salt. I just can't do raw onion. I also do not mind 'kraut and mustard.
I did find a place near me that does give fries with the dog for $2.65 and they even go a very odd style dog- the GYRO dog. Bun, gyro sauce, tomato and onion, the wiener and gyro meat. I have to say it was not a bad dog. You can teach an old dog new tricks...
     So with this weekend being the Fourth of July , spark up the grill and get some dogs cooking.... Peace.

Reprinted with out permission from the Daily Herald. 7/2/08 ... (I'll be happy to remove if asked)


All dressed up

Mustard, relish, onion, tomato, pickle, celery salt and sport peppers. I learned that mantra my first day working at Fratello's, a now-closed hot dog stand in Palatine.

While fanatics continue to debate the merits of neon green relish versus the dark green variety and the necessity of poppyseeds on the bun, that lineup of garnishes tops an official Chicago hot dog.

Here's a look at how folks in other parts of this great land dress their dogs.

Atlanta: Buy a hot dog at Turner Field, home of the Atlanta Braves, and you'll end up with your dog topped with the usual condiments and a heap of coleslaw.

Boston: Ketchup, mustard, relish, picalilli and chopped onions are Beantown's most common toppings.

Cincinatti: The town's famous chili as well as mild cheddar, mustard and diced onion top dogs in this Ohio berg.

Kansas City, Mo.: You'll need mints after eating a hot dog served with sauerkraut and melted Swiss cheese on a sesame seed bun.

New York City: From downtown Manhattan to Coney Island, when you buy a hot dog in the Big Apple, it will come with steamed onions and a pale, deli-style yellow mustard.

The Rockie Dog: Served at Coors Field in Denver, the home of the Colorado Rockies, this footlong dog comes with grilled peppers, kraut and onions.

The Texas Dog: Chili, cheese and jalapenos make this a favored item in the Houston area.

- Deborah Pankey