May June July
2003 

7 June 2003

Cool and rainy today.  Enough rain already.

This week was pretty uneventful.  Just scraping and sanding on the house.  The ladder I have to use is so heavy it's actually hard to handle.  Wish me luck in not killing myself.

Duncan's brother is coming up today.  He works at a granite finishing factory and he's made us a granite counter top for almost nothing and he's actually driving 12 hours to install it.  While I've actually become quite close to the rest of his family, until a couple of months ago, I had never even seen him.  He was the black sheep of the family and never came to the family events.  Supposedly he is trying to turn himself around so it'll be interesting to get to talk to him this weekend.  Now maybe I can talk Duncan into going to Pittsfield.

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7 June 2003 ... Later ...

Even with the rain we made it out to the highest body of water in Massachusetts.  Berry Pond may be the cleanest water I've ever seen.  Kaleb decided to pee somewhere else to celebrate.

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8 June 2003

Duncan's brother and sister-in-law Scott and Kim have come and gone.  Our new granite counter looks great in our otherwise ugly kitchen.  The rest of the kitchen work will have to wait until I get some work done on the outside of the house. That will start Tuesday as tomorrow as I have to finish installing the sink hardware and new garbage disposal along with a lot of cleaning because the counter cutting of the sink made a lot of mess.  I also got to know Kim and Scott a little better during their quick visit.

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11 June 2003

Watch Rick on top of the ladder scraping the molding between the porch roof and the wall.  Suddenly, a bumble bee appears so he swats it away and continues.

Bang, bang, bang.
Scrape, scrape, scrape.
Sand, sand, sand.

Then 5 or 6 more appear.  On top of his ladder, he swats at them gets off his ladder and returns with Kaleb's hand flea and tick killer.

Spray, spray, spray.

After the spraying, he seamed to get rid of the pesky varmints. (though they're not really a varmint)  He continued to scrape.  Everything seemed fine so he moved the ladder to the next section and started again.

Bang, bang, bang.
Scrape, scrape, scrape.
Buzz, buzz, buzz.

The bees were on the move, in attack mode.  Rick, still on the ladder fights them off barely missing getting stung.  He struck himself, ramming his glasses into his eye leaving a bruse thing that is still there 24 hours later.  Rick is mad now.  He cusses and plots his revenge out loud in the back yard.  He talks to himself as Carl (Bill Murray) did in Caddyshack plotting to get rid of the gofers.  "The bees must die", he said.  "Wait until I get home."

Rick is now at the grocery store.  In the insecticide aisle, he once again talks to himself. He laughs and thinks of the pleasure he will get taking out those who have caused him pain and embarrassment.  He drives home, giggling with pleasure.

Rick pulls into the back yard and doesn't even go into the house.  He knows what he must do.  The instructions have been read.  He did that while he was at the store.  The bees are nowhere to be found.  From 15 feet away he stood and aimed.  He sprayed.  He is happy with joy as he continues to talk to himself.  "It's all over you fucking sons of bitches."  The whole crack between the roof and the molding where they live is now covered with a shaving cream like substance.  "I know you're in there assholes."

It's quiet now.  The bees have not been seen since.  They are gone.  Hee, hee, hee...

Bang, bang, bang.
Scrape, scrape, scrape.
Sand, sand, sand.

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13 June 2003

Happy Friday the 13th.  An 80 year old woman dies after an altercation between her and her 45 year old son.  He and his girlfriend then put her in a garbage can for two years while they continued to sign and cash her social security checks.  They face a maximum 2 to 7 years for each forgery charge (granted there are many) and only a maximum of 1 to 4 years for the homicide charge.  It was a year before anyone started investigating.  Not until the neighbors called the police and told them they had not seen her in a year did anyone ask any questions.  The possible one year for the homicide is one thing, but it's a little said that no one noticed her gone for a whole year.  No link on this story because the Schenectady Gazette has started charging for it's online edition.  I wouldn't pay for it even if I thought it was worth while.  Instead of just the stories online, they have the actual paper; pictures, ads and all.  Click on a story and it comes up.  There is a tour of the new edition and when you click on the story, it takes forever to navigate.  I guess there's always the Times-Union.

...and where're my boots?

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13 June 2003...Later

Dry ice on the sidewalk, and I would've gotten away with it too if it weren't for those meddling kids.

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21 June 2003

Why have some people taken the habit of wearing sneakers with no back?   I've seen them on men and women and they must be some of the most God awful things I have ever seen on a foot.  Keeping in mind,  I have a  foot fetish so you would think I would like to see a little extra  foot every now and then.  Is it a lazy thing or do some people think these things look good?  I don't know.  I have a friend who wears them and I love you, BUT LOSE THEM, OK!

Another day of rain in Schenectady and it is keeping me from working on the house.  No painting, no scraping, no sanding, no rebuilding of the porch.  Why am I complaining?

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24 June 2003

Summer is finally here bringing the hottest weather of the year, though really not that hot.  I've spent the last couple days working harder than I have certainly worked in quite a while.  The old porch railings are gone (OK, they're really sitting in the backyard) and the new porch railings are there to take their place.  It really didn't surprise me that they looked good but more so that they are so stable.  Now picking paint colors, buying lots of it, slapping it on the house, and sitting back and and watching it look good.

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29 June 2003

If you look up sometimes, you can notice a whole different world going on up there.  The squirrels around this place seem to exist in great numbers.  They use the power wires as a road system and travel a long way to get from one place top another.  It's very interesting to sit back and just watch them go.  I take Kaleb for a walk every morning and when at home unrestrained, she can chase them and they know who's boss.  On a leash walking on the sidewalk, she has to just look up and pretend she doesn't hear them.  The squirrels up here have to contend with some tough winters and therefore, they are some tough looking creatures who don't seem to have a fear in the world.  I've seen them on the front porch carrying a slice of pizza and half a loaf of Italian bread.  In the south, they can get food most anytime.  I doubt they put as many nuts away for the winter.

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According to the Chinese Zodiac, available on all Chinese restaurant menus, no matter if it is a dive or if is super fancy, Duncan is my perfect mate.  I am a Snake and he is an Ox.  It also says we like the Cock.  Hummm.

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Tonight for the first time in many days, my body seems to be free of paint.  I will sleep now.

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