It's been a while; Water cooler was ok; 5% of people

Well, it has been quite while since my last post. Almost 2 weeks, in fact. My sister had surgery, so I hadn't felt like posting cause I was so worried about her recovery. So, I didn't want to get too involved in doing posts cause I tend to lose track of time on here and miss the time in which it would be probable that she would feel like saying hi. Then once I got on the phone with Brian or David or whoever was in Dar's hospital room or at her house once she got home, I would get the details of her day and she was pretty sick, so I didn't get to talk to her. Her surgery was on the 12th of June, a Tuesday. She was discharged from the hospital the following Sunday and the ride home was extremely hard on her. Her post op discharge instructions included "no riding in a car". Now the hospital is in Shreveport, Louisiana which is over 2 hours driving time from my sister's! Now how in the world can No riding in a car be part of your discharge instructions when you live that far away? So Monday night she was really sick. She told Brian (who I was on the phone with) that she wanted me to come down and be her nurse. She would even buy my plane ticket! So, my mind starts trying to figure out how I can juggle some vacation time to go take care of her! Tuesday morning, she calls my cell phone and she just sounds like her old self! I was happier than a tornado in a trailer park! So little by little, she got better day by day. Brian was there through the week and Dave was there on the weekends! So, this past weekend she felt so good that she didn't have anyone stay with her on Sunday or Monday night! I talked to her on Sunday and she really sounded wonderful! We laughed and talked for a good while. Then, today I get a phone call from Shan (Dave's wife) and says that Dar is back in the hospital, that she had extreme pain and was throwing up this morning, the day she was supposed to go for her first post op check up. So they take her to the hospital in Hope and they think she has a blockage. They transfer her by ambulance to the hospital in Shreveport. Bariam Swallow, cat scan, and there is a blockage in the small intestine. So, they are going to try to make it pass without having to do another surgery. Keep your fingers (and toes, and eyes) crossed.
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In my last post, I told you about the water cooler going on the fritz. Turns out, that the new one leaked too! I was devastated! So, I call Tyler water and the tell the girl that this one leaks too. She told me she thought we had a bottle that leaked, not the machine and to take the bottle off of the machine and see if the water level in the resevoir depleats and I end up with water on the floor. It didn't by the end of the day, so I left it overnight, and no water on the floor in the morning either, so I put a different bottle on the machine and we have been fine and dandy ever since! Just thought I'd share that with ya!
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On my radio's morning show this morning, they were giving statistics on what people do. Did you know?.............
That 75% of men do NOT use the opening in their briefs or boxers to pee? Who would have thought?
That 90% of people do not tie or untie there shoes to put them on or take them off?
24% of licensed drivers do not use turn signals? (yeah, and I usually end up behind 15% of them!)
5% of people do not make their beds everyday? Now, how can you get back in a messed up bed? I know, some people say "Why make it in the morning? I'm jsut going to get back in it tonight!" I am sorry, but, I have to make my bed every day. Even if I am late for work, I make my bed. If I am running super late, I will leave it and either Dean will make it when he gets home from work, or I will. But it gets made up before I have to get back in it. I cannot stand getting back in a mussed up bed! The sheet's not right, the comforter's all crooked. I can't stand it. It takes 2 minutes. Make the bed! Have you ever had a guest stay with you and they think it's a damn hotel and they don't make their bed? Uggghhhhh. There's no maid service. Your bed won't magically get made up and new towels appear in the bathroom when you go sightseeing or to run an errand. Be a good guest and make the bed!
Now, that I've gone off on that tangent, I know there were more of those statistics, but those are the ones that stuck in my head. The first one I think, because it had to do with men and their penises or laziness or something. The second one because we all know how badly I get road rage. And the third one because I thought, oooooh. How can people do that? Oh, I know another one! I forget the percentage, but do you know there are people that don't do their dinner dishes after dinner? They let them in the sink until the next morning! Super ooooooooooh. Gross!

Not Motel 6; the sheer inconvenience;two tune tuesday

So, it's been a while since ol' Shar's gone off on a tangent and stood on the sopabox. So here goes.
When you think of Hilton, what comes to mind? Beautiful 4 and 5 star hotels all over the world? Maybe you think of Elizabeth Taylor's marriage to the Hilton tycoon back in the day. Or does the first thought pop into your head--Paris? Not the French city which is home to the Arc de Triumph and Eifle Tower, but the heir to the hotel fortune? Well, they arrest Paris Hilton. Put her in jail and then let her out for an undisclosed medical disorder. Why? The medical disorder? CLOSTERPHOBIA!! She can't handle being cooped up in that tiny jail cell. Give me a freakin' break! Yeah, yeah, whine whine. How about some cheese with that whine, Paris? She is used to having a penthouse in any Hilton Hotel in the world, she has her own sprawling palatial mansion, and has never known any boundaries in her entire life! The rich (in her case, super rich) don't have to abide by the same rules and consequences as the average joe. That is a fact. I think that Daddy bought her way out of jail. So, they come up with closterphobia as a medical disorder which deams her release and she is fitted with the ankle bracelet and confined to her home for 45 days and then her sentence is considered served! What I think really happened? She threw such a hissy fit in her "cell" that the doctor was called, Daddy was called and doc and Daddy made a deal. But, for some reason (public outcry, I gather) Miss Hilton is back in jail to serve her 6 week sentence that was originally 3 months. Now, from what I understand, the jail she was/is in is a "special" one in LA/Beverly Hills or wherever for celebrities and turned bad law enforcement specialists (cops). It might not be a penthouse in the Hilton of Beverly Hills, but I am sure it ain't Motel 6 either!

Well, it seems that our water cooler in the office has bitten the dust. I went into work Thursday morning and there is a pond on the floor that has originated from the water cooler, uh water dispenser, I guess I shoud say since we can get cold and hot water out of it. You've seen the type I am talking about. Polar water/Dean's Water/Tyler Water with the five gallon bottle that goes on the top of it? So, I clean up the water. And glance over at it all day(it sits in the corner right near my desk) to see if any more appears on the floor. Nothing. So I figure it's a freak thing. Friday, I come into another pond of water, but this one has headed under my printer stand and into the area where I sit while at my desk. Luckily, the floor isn't level, and it flowed away from my computer, which sits on the floor under the printer stand! So, after I make my (instant) coffee with the hot water, I unplug the dispenser. I figure that there is something wrong with the heating element and the water in the hot water reservoir had gotten too hot and boiled over or something, sort of like the radiator does in your car when it gets too hot and comes out the overflow. So, No pond Monday or today, but I couldn't use the hot water dispenser to make my coffee yesterday or today. I had to use tap water (oh my god!) and heat my water in the lunchroom microwave! (The lunchroom is probably 30 feet away from the office) What an inconvenience! lol. Luckily, right after I made my coffee this morning, the Tyler water guy came and switched out our dispenser for a new one. Yea! Normal coffee tomorrow!

My country station, Froggy, has been playing (and playing and playing and playing and...you get the idea) the songs "Good Directions" and "All My Friends Say" during the work day. I keep my little radio on the window sill that is just over my right shoulder so I can hear it, but doesn't really disturb anyone else in the office. They are not country fans. Even though, my boss, Diane, and her friends had tried desperately to get tickets for Alabama's farewell tour when it stopped in Pittsburgh. I told her they were country. She said, no, they're southern rock. Ha! Don't tell them that. Southern Rock is Molly Hatchet, the Outlaws, Skynard, that type. Anyway, they all make fun of my Nascar and my country music, and my redneck ways. I digress. Now, these two tunes are cute little ditties that get your toes a tappin'. I like them both. They just play the hell outta them! But, today, I realized that in Good Directions, when the chick stops at the little country store with the old coke sign and asks Miss Bell for some of her sweet tea, That Miss Bell is the dude's mama and and she sends the chick right back there to him! Now, how cool is that? "All My Friends Say" is a great song. I love these lyrics:........
I got smoke in my hair; My clothes thrown everywhere. Woke up in my rocking chair, Holding a beer in my hand; Sportin' a neon tan. My stereo cranked up; (I) can't find my truck. How'd I get home from the club? Ain't got a clue what went down. Sooo I started callin' around. And all my friends say I started shootin doubles When you walked in. All my friends say I went a little crazy Seein' you with him. You know, I don't remember a thing, But they say I sure was raisin' some cain. I was a rock star, party hard, Gettin' over you comeback kid! Yeah, I must have did What all my friends say. Yeah, Yeah, Yeah.
I found my billfold; I cried oh no no. Good time Charlie got me, now I'm broke, But it was worth actin' like a fool. Yeah, girl, I must have really showed you Cause all my friends say I started shootin doubles When you walked in. All my friends say I went a little crazy Seein' you with him. You know I don't remember a thing, But they say I sure was raisin' some cain. I was a rock star, party hard, Gettin' over you comeback kid. Yeah I must have did What all my friends say Yeah, Yeah, Yeah.
I was Elvis rockin' on the bar; Workin' the crowd pourin' out my heart. And all my friends say I started shootin doubles When you walked in All my friends say I went a little crazy Seein' you with him. You know I don't remember a thing But they say I sure was raisin' some cain I was a rock star, party hard, Gettin' over you comeback kid. Yeah, I must have did What all my(all my) all my friends say Yeah, Yeah, Yeah. That's what all my friends say. Yeah, Yeah, Yeah. That's what all my friends say. Yeah, Yeah, Yeah. That's what all my friends say. Yeah, Yeah, Yeah.
I am hoping that the Gunslingers add it to there repitoire as one of the songs they cover, cause the first time I heard it, I thought the Gunslingers were singing it! It's a great drinking song too! And if you haven't figured it out by now, the Gunslingers like to party!

Well, this party girl's going to bed. It's been a day. Was on Pins and Needles all day waiting for word from one of my nephews about my sister's surgery today. It turned out fine. Nothing unexpected. We'll see how she feels tomorrow......................

Thank you, ought oh, I gonna gonna go bye byes, the truck project, rain racin'

We had Jordan for the weekend. He is getting so big. And he is so busy! He has a shape sorter ball, and he loves to dump out the blocks and put them back in through the corresponding shaped hole! He does it over and over and over. When he is done, though, it's not when he finished putting all the shapes back in, Oh No! It's when he's dumped them all out on the floor, lets them "bounce" and roll all over, then he moves on to the next toy of interest. That is usually the ring stacker toy. This is the toy that I swear his mother neve had as a child. She couldn't have. She never learned biggest on the bottom and smallest at the top. That's why my tupperware cupboard was always in disarray and all the stuff would tumble out when you opened the door. I was forever restacking the damn bowls and lids.
Anyway, Jordan jabbers away a mile aminute. Most of which you cannot understand. But when you hand him something, whether it be a toy, his sippy cup, or a bite of his grilled cheese sandwich for lunch, he says "Thank you!" It is the cutest thing! And it comes out plain as day. He other phrase that every kid says is ought oh. Drop something. Ought oh. knock over the sippy cup. Ought oh! the ball he tries to pick up rolls away from him. Ought Oh! It is so cool to watch.
Then he goes to the front door and reaches up and pulls the handle down. (we have a scrolled lever type door handle) As he does this, he looks over his little shoulder at me and says "I gonna gonna go go bye byes?" And yes, he says gonna and go twice. It is so funny! Now, he does a whole lot of jabberin' away the I don't know what he is saying. But I know he knows what he is saying because as I was getting his bath ready, he said what seemed like one sentence. I said"What did you say?" and he said exactly what he said the first time with same intonations and everything. I about peed my pants! I will post a few pics as soon as I down load them from my camera.

On saturday, Dean and I unrolled the indoor/outdoor carpet for the camper and tried to clean it with the pressure washer, but there's something wrong with it and that idea didn't work. So we squirted the carpet cleaning solution on it, worked in with a long handled scrub brush, and the rinsed it with the garden hose. Then we hung across the deck so it would dry. The Dean decided that he wanted to wash the truck. Since I didn't know when Jordan would wake up from his nap, he went ahead and washed the truck while I relaxed on the couch. It wasn't too long and the little jabberer was jawin' away to the SpongeBob that is in his room. I think the thing is as big as he is! The SpongeBob is about 24" tall, sitting, then he has his legs and his hat that he wears while working at the Crabby Patty or whatever it's called.
So, I keep him entertained and then make his lunch. Then we play some more and Pap pap goes to the races. While Dean is at the races, I take Jordan outside to play for a while, then I plop him in his carseat and clean the windows of the truck, inside and out. He jabbered at me the whole time. What great company he was! I cannot wait till all that is actually words!
Sunday, Dean went to the grocery store and I gave Jordan his breakfast, got him washed and dressed and we went outside and I scrubbed the floor mats for the truck! Jordan thought he was going to get to play in the water! I don't think so! Then I washed his clothes so they were clean when he went back home. After putting the groceries away, we all got in the truck and took Jordan home.

I thought we would be home in time for the start of the Nascar race from Pocono, and we were. By a really really great margin. They had a rain delay (go figure), so a race that was supposed to start at 2 didn't start till 5. So, I put the time to good use. I got out the little green machine and cleaned the upholstery and carpets in the truck! It was bright and sunny here! Then we watched the rain shortened race. Sidebar: A nascar race is an official race after the first lap after halfway is complete. ie.: If the race is 200 laps, then the race is official and can end after lap 101. So the rains came at lap 104, they ran in caution mode for a few laps, and my man, Jeff Gordon came out the winner! Gotta love that pit/no pit strategy. You can get all the details at Nascar.com. So, the carpet and seats dried while we watched the race and had dinner. Then I put the mats back in, recleaned the inside of the windows, cause doofus here got overspray from the cleaner everywhere, then cleaned the dashboard and the rest of the surfaces. It almost looks as good as it did the day we bought it! Very cool. I love my Chevy Truck. Some body thinks I should get a Hemi. Phthhhhhhththththththth. We actually looked at Dodge Rams. But, none of the salesman must have needed to sell a vehicle that day cause they never approached us. They lose!

Well, so much for that!.........Dude, I'm hardly a dude!.......and Porn star

The good times didn't exactly roll as I posted earlier! Dean and I worked on the camper all weekend. The floor that is in the "living room"/"bedroom" (the couches pull out that are on either side, come together and make a king size bed) had gotten wet and the man we bought the camper from had already replaced the floor once. It is 29 years old! But, when he replaced it, he used fiber board. Not the kind made of sawdust and glue, but big woodchips and glue. Never the less, when the glue gets wet, it breaks down. The wood never ever dries and if you keep walking on the floor, it sags. Well, we decided that the whole thing started when we first got the camper. This same man did not winterize properly and one of the water pipes had burst. When we got it, we hooked it up to the city water to flush the lines. Well, we get water gushing from under the one couch and it runs to the the middle of the floor. We get that cleaned up, the pipe repaired, and all seems well. Then one time after camping, we forgot to close the roofvent over this same area. You guessed it! A big storm with sideways rain and the floor got wet again, only we didn't know it for a couple of days! Now last summer, I noticed that there is a trickle of water that runs down the wall from the inside of the water inlet for the water tank which is located under the other couch. I don't know how long that had been happening before I saw it! So, this combination kept the floor damp at the least, softened and it got big divots in it and was very soft when we walked on it. So we knew we had to replace that part of the floor before we used it this year. So, I clean all the upper surfaces Saturday morning. Then we go to breakfast. While enjoying our weekly dining experience at our favorite little diner, we discuss the game plan for the floor repair and such. Come back and decide to tackle the floor. Since we don't know what we will find, we opt to tear out the floor, assess the damage, then go to Home Depot for supplies. Well, Not only did the man screw the board down, he glued it to the old linoleum that he didn't lift! So, we pried it up. Where it was wet was easy. It just came up in chunks. The part that stayed dry was a bear to get up! But we finnally did get it all, measured the space at least 3 times to be sure, then off to Depot! We bought a sheet of 1/2" wolmanized plywood, black and whited checkered tiles to replace what we took off, a bottle of drain opener (more on that later) and came back home. We had wanted the Depot guys to cut the plywood for us, but their saw was broken. So, Dean cuts the wood, we lay it in place and walk on it! Pretty good! But, not enough support in spots. So, I move some support wood where I think it's needed. We lay it down again and decide it is pretty good and it won't get much better without gutting that whole half of the camper. So, Dean screws it down, I start to put the tiles down, and he tries to unclog the bathtub. It had filled up with water when we flushed the lines this time. You have to flush the lines to get the antifreeze out of the lines so you can use your water and it not taste funny. The antifreeze that is used in RV's is not like that which is used in your car. This is non toxic and is a pink color. So, you flush it out by running city water through the lines and opening all your faucets and let it run. When you do this, the water that goes down the drains goes into what is called a gray water holding tank. There is also a black water holding tank that only the toilet empties into when you flush it. Well, the water does not drain out of the bath tub. So, Dean is convinced that there is a clog. First, he tries a plunger. No results. Then a plumber's snake, but it wont fit past the X in the top of the drain. So, he tries the drain opener. (it was Zep brand 10 minute drain opener) Let that sit while I finish applying the whole tiles to the floor and Dean cuts the pieces we need and I apply that to the floor. That takes well over the 10 minutes. Now, while we were at breakfast discussing the repairs game plan, I said to Dean as this thought crossed my mind "Maybe the gray water tank is filled and is backing up into the tub" I see the wheels in his brain as he realizes that this is a possibility. Which it is since the drain in the bath tub is the lowest drain in the camper, the gray water tank will back up into it first when it gets full. So, he had opened the drain gate that is on the outside of the camper to release the water. It doesn't move. So mush for that idea, even though it was a good one. So, he thinks if he gets a jab saw and cuts the X out of the drain, the snake will fit and he will be able to get rid of the clog. Then it's time to get ready for our dinner plans with Tom and Lisa. More on that later. So, Sunday we get up and get going on the camper again. He's working and working at it while I do other odds and ends. So, he asks me to go outside and see if I can hear the snake in the tank. Yes, I can. So, as I look at the "knob" that open the gates for the release of the contents of the tanks, I realize that the one for the black water is open and the one for the gray water is closed. So, I unlock it, pull on it, and whoosh!!!! all this water start flowing! and flowing and flowing and flowing. Well, Dean lets out a big "YEAH, BABY!!! and does the snoopy dance cause he thinks he fixed the clog! He comes out of the camper and then................I show him. He had the wrong gate open and that the tub would have never emptied if I hadn't opened that gate! Now we think there never really was a clog at all..............

The Camper


The area that needed repair


So, the water drains out and goes down the street to the storm drain like it's supposed to! So, we put everything back together and Dean scrubs out the tub while I get the Green Machine and clean the upholstery iln the camper. Then I get all the camper supplies out of the pantry and spare bedroom where we stored them over the winter, and put all that away in the camper. Then I clean the entire floor, let it dry, put the throw rugs down, put the blankets back in and oila! we are ready to go! First rip will be the weekend of the 22nd for Lisa's birthday celebration at the racetrack! We always have such fun!

Lisa is one of my best friends. Everytime I see the commercial where the mom is scolding the girl for all the text messaging on the cell phone bill and she says "Who are you texting 50 times a day?" and the girl answers "I D K (I don't know), my B F F Jill (best friend forever)" I always think of Lisa. we met at the races when Dean and I were first dating and then we camped together that one Pittsburgher in '05 and we have been really good friends ever since. We go see the Gunslingers together, they come to our house, we go to theirs, we camp together, It's fun. So, Saturday night we went to their house, then to dinner at a little restaurant near their house for italian cuisine. Huge portions and very good. Needless to say, I had leftovers for lunch Monday. Then we went to the club they belong to and had drinks. Another friend of ours, Jeff (who I call Chick) showed up so we could get his money for the upcoming camping and race at the end of the month. We had a really good time. I always seem to end up laughing so hard I cry when I am with Lisa (and Tom). We really have fun together.

I call Jeff Chick because at last year's Pittsburgher (our annual year end big race), Jeff and I were clowning around and he said :listen, dear.........." Well, I thought he said "Listen, Dude... and I said Dude, dude? Do I look like a dude?!! (as I motioned toward my upper female anatomy) and I said Listen, CHICK, I am hardly a dude!!! He said" I said Dear, I said Dear!" So, he is chick and I am dude.


Me, Dean, Lisa and Tom at Winterfest at Nemacolin
in January (we went to see the Gunslingers play)

While we were at the club, Jeff accidently brushed against Tom's knee. (Tom was wearing jean shorts). (Sidebar: Tom has a desease, or genetic defect for lack of a better term, in which he has absolutely NO body hair. Not pubic--Dean asked him--not under arm, chest, no eyelashes or eyebrows, none on his head-he is shiny bald!) Jeff said, "man, you have smoothe legs!" Tom said "Because I'm a porn star!" Well, No one heard this except Lisa because Jeff was continuing his conversation with Dean. Lisa started laughing soooooooo hard. I asked her what Tom said and she tried to tell me, but couldn't get it out she was laughing so hard. After about ten minutes, she is finally able to tell me, and I start laughing as hard as she is! Tears were streaming down my face! I couldn't catch my breath. My stomach hurt. My cheeks hurt. Oh My God, it was the funniest thing. .............Maybe you had to be there. Say Goodnight, Gracie. Goodnight, Gracie.

It's finally Friday. I'm outta control, forget the workin' blues and let the good times roll!

Thanks to George Jones, the country great, tonight's post has a title! It was only a 4 day work week since Monday was the Holiday, but it sure seemed long! We had lots of running around going on this week, though. Tuesday, we just came home from work and didn't do much of anything, cause it's hard to go back after that 3 day weekend. Wednesday, Dean went and worked out, then picked me up from work, we went back and took the tarp off of the camper, then to the chiropractor (see earlier post about throwing my back out over the weekend) then to Arby's for the 5 for 5.95 deal! Then to the bank to deposit my paycheck. Gotta pay the bills, ya know. Then, Finally home. Last night we had the excitement of the big storm.Thunderboomers and lightning. Really heavy rain and hail the size of marbles. the small ones, not the shooters. So, when we uncovered the camper the other night, I went in and opened the kitchen and bathroom windows to let it air out after being closed up tight all winter. So, Dean worries all night that the whole inside is going to be soaking wet cause the rain is going to come in the windows since it was raining "sideways". Well, our windows open like jealousy windows on houses that were built in the 50' s and 60's, so for the rain to get in, it would have had to rain "up" and on a 45 degree angle. But he makes me promise that I will go back and check on it before I go into work this morning. All was fine. Dry as a bone.
I had taken him to the bus stop this morning so we didn't have to worry about getting his car today. He took the trolley to my work, took the truck and went and worked out. Then he came back to my work, hooked up the camper and when I was done work, we took it for inspection. We were home by 5:30. So, the camper is on the side street by the house. We are going to clean it tomorrow and see about replacing the floor. It seems that the man we bought it from had replaced the floor once, and he told us that when we looked at it to buy it, but he didn't tell us he used fiberboard! So, One time, Dean forgot to close the roof vent, and a bunch of rain got in. To compound the problem, the freshwater inlet dribbles when you fill the water tank. It dribbles down the inside wall and under my bed. Ponded and the floor just never was able to dry out, so it got really gushy and you can't walk on it much. So, we have our work cut out for us tomorrow after breakfast. I am going to attempt to get up early and clean the inside of the camper before we go to breakfast. Whoooo hooo. Hot fun in the ol' town tonight!
I talked to my sister. The boxes with my brother in law's personal effects came today. No surprises or anything, since she did help him pack to go to Iraq in the first place, so that was good. But I still think it was another emotional hurdle for her to get over. She sounded pretty whooped when I talked to her and her not feeling well doesn't help either, I 'm sure. I hope once she recovers from the surgery she has scheduled on the 12th of this month, that she will be so much better.
Well, this chick's tired. I am going to bed. I wish I hadn't had to wait till so late to do this post, but there was a partial cable outage in our area as a result of yesterday's storms, so I also had trouble getting (and being able to stay) on the internet. I can't wait till Verizon gets Fios up and running in our neck of the woods. Then it will be a Dish and DSL through them.
Well, th th th that's all folks!