A trip to town.....

Well, I read bout a hunnert blogs this morn'n, got my "drama" kick from Facebook and read all the news from around the world. Now I suppose I should spend a few minutes and write something on my own blog. Pass on some "drama" to all my friends and update ya on news at home..."Sally da house".

Me an' Sadie Mae loaded up in "that jeep" an' headed to town. We was on a mission. To make a doctors appointment an' get a prescription refill for my blood pressure meds. Been run'n high for the last few days. Appointment was set for October 2. Holy cows, that's still a long ways off. I had planned to be "out of Dodge" by that time. Nice receptionist at the doctors office was kind enough to call in my prescriptions to Walmart for 30 days.

We went right on past the propane sell'n place bout a hunnert mile a hour on the way to town. I were gonna stop an' look see if'n they have a 2 1/2 gallon aluminum propane tank for the Weber grill. But if'n I would'a push the brakes go'n that fast, I would'a put skid marks all over the brand new highway.

This used to be a two lane full of pot holes an' "natures" speed bumps. Now it are brand spank'n new 4 lane smooth as owl poop.

We pass a couple or three used car places. Go out of the way to check out a couple more. Hmmmm, ain't no used Jeep Cherokee Sports in none of 'em. Yeah, I still look'n. Drive by the new car dealerships....they ain't got none neither.

On the way back to town, we whip into the Deming cemetery. That where the dead people hang out ya know. I got relatives in that cemetery....now where the hell are they at. I been here before, but it was 6 years ago. I ain't lost my mind as bad as I was think'n, drove right up to 'em in a round bout way.
These photos are from my Grandma's side of the family....Birchfield. They was popular well knowed ranchers in Deming an' the surrounding area. Everbody knowed William Perry Birchfield and the famous KIL ranch.The KIL consisted of the home ranch, 5 homesteaded branch ranches and 30'000 acres of leased BLM land. It were big.

The Birchfield plot...

My Grandma....rest her dear soul. Left this world during birth of Uncle Luke.

William Perry Sr., rancher/miner.
Many years ago, Pancho Villa says to my Grandpa Victor....."Piepmeier is a good man, Birchield is a sum beech". William Perry was a "hard"man. But ya had to be in Indian territory an' the Indians still kill'n people, steal'n cattle an' stuff, an' scar'n hell out little boys an' girls.

Did I ever tell ya bout the time....was at the home ranch, the KIL. One the Indian chiefs (what the hell was his name) sneek down to the horse correl think'n he was gonna steal GreatGrandpa Perry's horse "Snorter". He climb up on Snorters back an' was bout to depart for higher ground. Well, Snorter was a trained horse. GreatGrandpa whistle a secret message to Snorter. Snorter rare up on his back feet an' that Indian chief hit the ground, feets go'n a hunnert mile a hour into the brush. Damn, what was that Indians name???

Then I hit Walmart. Gonna pick up a half gallon milk an' a loaf of bread. $62 dollar, an' a couple hours later we gonna go eat some Mexican food. Hot damn, that is bout the best salsa I eat in a hunnert years. I order a plate of sizzl'n fajitas. Hot damn, them are bout the best sizzl'n fajitas I eat in a hunnert years. But......the tortillas suck. Paper thin an' hard like a freak'n rock. An' I tell the nice lady too. Tell her they need to go to Walmart to buy tortillas. I'll not be go'n back. The ways I see it, if'n the food is perfect, the tortillas should be also.

Oh Oh....here come old "pesky neighbor Wayne". Be back in a few minutes or not.

He didn't stay long....rain was get'n on him an' it 68 degs out there....big sissy.

Well shoot, there was something I had on my mind to tell ya, but it's gone....poooof, just like that. Be damned to old age.
Laters....





 

Inside chores...2 down an' 20 to go

So it was cold. And it rained all day. But that's OK, it's been cold an' rainy before. I break out a heavy long sleeve shirt...old Billy Bob ain't gonna be cold. Then last night I break out a 'lectric heater....old Billy Bob ain't gonna be cold.

When I waked up yesterday morn'n I was think'n,...."I got lots to do today". Just little piddle stuff ya know, but something to keep me busy. Well, I sure as hell weren't gonna be do'n nuttin outside....that for sure. It all started off as a little shower, and it lasted for the rest of the day, never shut'n down for lunch or nuttin. There was little ponds all over the park. Could'a go fish'n.

Inside I look at my "to do list". I grabs holt to some heavy duty hand tools...screwdrivers, hand saw, portable drill an' a bunch of screws. An' a big ol' hammer an' some duct tape. A new propane monitor has been installed.

A new light has been installed over the stove so's I can see what the hell I'm cook'n.

This would usually be a 1 hour job, consider'n all the freak'n tools I brung in "da house".  I had everthing except the table saw. Bout 3 hours later, I'm finished...and a pile of tools lay'n on the floor yet to be put in their proper place.

Scratch 2 items off'n the "to do" list....yee haw!!!

Then old "pesky Wayne shows up on "da porch". He needs help find'n a part for the lawn tractor. I scoured that tractor from top to bottom look'n for numbers....any numbers, but mostly the model number. It ain't there. So  I spent the next 4 hours search'n the internet. Walla, I find the part number, but still no model number.

Have ya ever weed a garden? With a hoe? If'n ya have, ya know it's kind of like a little hand held bulldozer move'n dirt all over the garden. Well, some feller come up with a neat device called a "hula hoe".

It cuts through the dirt like owl poop, chop them weed slap off underground an' leave the dirt in place. I know 'cause I use one. That answers the question from Joey..."what the hell is a hula hoe"?

Another day of nuttin.....I like that

Holy cows, I didn't do nuttin yeterday. Well, I did, but nuttin productive. That is unless clean dishes sit'n on the counter an' a fresh sweeped floor is productive. My god, why does it take so long to do dishes an' sweep a floor???

We was sit'n out there on "da porch". I decides I'm gonna swak me up some golf balls. You know bout the new driver I picked up bout a month ago, right? Well, I tees up a ball, rares back am let 'er fly. Holy cows, that ball go a hunnert mile. I hits some more. They all lay'n out there in the desert not more than a couple feets apart. That's accuracy. Look out Barney, I'm gonna be in the fairway for a change. 

Speak'n of golf. I been somewhat skeered to be swak'n golf balls 'cause of my back. Most ever time I play a round, I pay for it with leg cramps that night. Last night I didn't have none....sleep all night long. Although, I am a mite stiff this morn'n. Anyhows, I may head on down to the local golf course here in a couple days....swak 'em up good. That is if'n the rain ever stops.

Travel'n man says to the old farmer standing out in a rainstorm...."ya think this rain will ever stop"??
Farmer says...."it always has".
Farmers are short on words.

Went outside an' grab holt to a hula hoe yesterday. There dad gum goat head stickers all over the place....in "da house" too. Ya ever step on a goat head in the middle the night on your way to the bathroom? I mean to tell ya, you gonna wake slap up in a hurry. Like bout in a half a second. Ya probly gonna say a few obscenities too. I know I do.

My god, you should'a see that BLT. I throw me bout 6 slices bacon on the grill, slice me up a mater, a bunch of lettuce....yeah boy howdy....Dagwood would'a been proud. When I brew me up a sammich, I brews me up big 'uns. Sucker weigh bout a pound.

Well shoot, I'm just flat lost for something to write bout this morn'n. I'm gonna leave it at that.....I'm done. Laters.  

A little bout nuttin

Somebody git'n wrong ideas bout the old Billy Bob an' the "clean'n lady". All I'm want'n is to get "Sally da house" cleaned, that's all. None that hanky panky stuff y'all been suggest'n. But then, with a purty lady do'n the clean'n....an' me sit'n back watch'n.....well, I can appreciate that I betcha a dollar.

Trouble....I done did a bunch of research in the last two years on laser back surgery. It's not all it's cut out to be as advertised. Too many bad stories, law suits an' such....not many good stories, or recommendations by real doctors. An' the costs??? Holy cows!!! Not sure if'n Medicare covers laser surgery an' my secondary, BCBS, may not neither. Hell, I don't know. 

Hot damn....I jump on the "billy bike" yesterday an' take me a little ride. Just head up the dirt road a piece. "I ain't gonna make it back to "da house". My legs feel like somebody was beat'n hell out them with a stik. I didn't even know I had muscles in some them places....hurt like hell I mean to tell ya. I park that sucker right now, go sit on "da porch". But.....only had one leg cramp last night an' this morn'n my back don't feel too bad. Exercise???? Who knows?

I ain't do'n worth a poop on that "to do" list. I sit out there on "da porch sip'n up a cup read'n all them little chores I got wrote down an' I get all wored slap out an' stuff just think'n bout 'em. A good eraser would take care of most of 'em an' I would feel much better bout the whole thing.

Holy crap, I went look'n for another blanket last night. I waked up bout 4am an' I had little goose bumps on me. It surely ain't winter already is it? Nope, false alarm....it's 80 degs outside at 10am.
I ain't ready for winter yet ya know. 'Specially into the first week or so of September.

I rekon I ought to run down to Doctor Fronkinstein's office an' make me a appointment....git me another year supply of drugs. I'm bout out ya know. Sit an' listen to him rant an' rave bout smok'n an' stress tests. I'm think'n I need a brand spank'n new heart doctor. Like one in Corpus Christi, Texas. That's my new home base again ya know.

Ok, got to get outside an' sit on "da porch" Beautiful weather out there ya know. Read my "to do" list again.....then take a nap.

Deming New Mexico update....grrrrrr

Whoa boy howdy.....

I had me one night of good sleep only to be replaced with a terrible one the next night. The good night was after the brakes on "Sally da house" was fixed. But they still in question until I do a road test. Down the road an' back ya know.

Then I got to think'n bout that bolt thingy. Got all stress out again an' don't sleep worth a crap. Stay up till 2:30am watch'n some stupit stuff on the TV an' get all work up over a freak'n bolt.....drink'n coffee an' smok'n little cigars.

I done made the decision I ain't gonna do nuttin with my back in Deming. There ain't NO back doctors in Deming. If'n there was, I wouldn't trust 'em anyhows. I don't even trust my cardiologist. All he do is whine bout my "little cigars" an' bitch an' moan 'cause I refuse to subject my body to a freak'n stress test. That's just me, that's the way I am an' I ain't gonna change.

The first day I arrived in Deming, I started me a little "to do" list. I do that all the time ya know, so's I don't forget stuff what needs done. Now I have a list 14 items long of yet to do stuff. Little stuff. No projects....just fix stuff.

I'm already think'n bout where I'm gonna go after it gets cold in Deming. I ain't got no idea. But I can assure ya one thing, it ain't gonna be anywhere's I got to fire up the Mr Heater. I'm think'n golf course an' a lake near by since that's all I can do anymore. Bike ride'n is probly out of the question. Jump on that thing the other day.....damn, my legs hurt like hell. "Think electric Billy Bob....a 'lectric bike". I purty much give up on that idea too. Before anybody says "gasoline" power, I ain't tote'n no damn gas can around with me. Catch fire an' burn down "da house".

I was think'n maybe somewheres 'round Comfort Texas for the golf courses, but it's still hot in Deming. Del Rio is definitely on  my travel list. Maybe catch me up a big ol' bass out of Lake Amistad.

Oh, did I mention the Rio Grande river? Don't remember if'n I did or not. When I cross it in Las Cruces, the damn thing ain't got no water in it. The widest point I could see was bout 30 feet wide an' the flow was at a standstill. This is the mighty Rio Grande....where the hell all the water?

Gonna have us some nice weather next week. In the low to mid 80's day time an' low 60's night. Actually, it been in the 60's at night for the last week.

An update on my memory foam topper I tole ya I was gonna do. I should'a have me one these things years ago. I'm sold. I climbs in bed, my body sinks down in that thing an' I ain't got no pain. Sleep good...unless I'm think'n bout bolts an' stuff.   

Build me a pizza bread last night. French bread, actually Italian bread, sausage, pepperoni, maters, bell pepper, mushrooms an' a bunch of cheese.  Fire up the Weber to 400 degrees an' throw that thing in there. On my cast iron griller skillet thingy of course. Damn, that tastes pretty dad gum good for a rookie. Didn't catch a fire or nuttin like that.

 Forgot the onions an' jalepenos.....shoot!!!

Got me a clean'n lady I been think'n bout hire'n for a deep clean on "da house". But she "purty". Don't know if'n the two of us could be in the same room at the same time. I ain't dead yet ya know. Dang, I like "purty" wimmins.

Ok.....got  things to do. Laters....
 

Sit'n still, I got brakes

Old "pesky neighbor" Wayne look'n good. 

After a tiring an' long day, I think I got brakes. Not road tested mind ya, but they feel soooo much better than a few days ago when they didn't work worth a crap. Could'a kill myself ya know....maybe somebody else too.

In case ya wanna know, I was patient. I waited for Mark.

Ya see, it's like this....after I finish my first mug of coffee an' get both eyes wide open, I climbs up under "Sally da house"....just to take a look see. Need a part number. My gosh, they install all that brake stuff way up there in a tiny little space bout 4 inches wide. I cain't see the hydroboost to get a part number off'n it. It's hid behind this chunk of metal with a hunnert bolts through it. But I can see the bell crank what Mark is gonna work on today.

Speak'n of Mark, here he come with a big ol' tool box an' a piece of carpet for lay'n on the ground. We got them goat head stickers ya know. We sit on "da porch" an' discuss the brake pedal what is no longer binding up an' stuff like that. We run a hydroboost brake booster test an' pass with fly'n colors. Or we think we passed anyhows. The decision was made to proceed with our original plan, disassemble the bell crank and related brake operator levers what could be binding. Mark goes to work. Nut's an' bolts fly'n all direction. The bell crank is removed. "It's rather tight don't ya think Mark"? (Hard to turn). Took it apart, cleaned and greased 'er up....slick as owl poop, ready to reinstall. Mark finds a machined bolt thingy what is froze stifffer an' a board. Won't turn, an' it supposed to...pivot point for the hydroboost lever.

That's the hydroboost lever there an' that bolt thingy is supposed to turn inside the lever.
Ain't no way we gonna ever get it out. I'm bout a hunnert percent....or so, sure this is where the problem lies with the brake pedal binding up. We make a modification.....that gonna work just fine.

Mark has everthing put back together....test time. Holy cows, that feel just like brand spank'n new. I fire up the 8.1 Chevy Vortec, the hydroboost kicks in, I push the pedal, it go down bout 4 inch or so an' come right back up when I take my big foot off the pedal. (Workhorse says 6 inch brake travel normal. So I beat normal by a couple inches. Yeee har!!!

A trip to Walmart....Deming New Mexico

Brake systems and repair seems to be the subject of interest. Can the old Billy Bob muster enough patience to wait for his mechanic Mark, or is he gonna climb under "da house" an' do it his self? Either way is acceptable.

Can I hurt myself? Well, I rekon there's always a possibility....like if the ground suddenly gave way an' da house" sinked on top of an old man just lay'n there look'n at stuff. Anybody, even a 5 year old, can loosen a few bolts an' remove a couple little parts. I don't need no stink'n chassis manufacturer (Workhorse) to do that....closest Workhorse repair facility is in Las Cruces, bout 60 miles. BUT....the last I heard, that facility no longer exists.

Is this a bug or is it a critter with teeth? I don't know, but when he landed on me, I bet ya a dollar I skeer him as much as he skeer me. My god, I jump 5 feets. I don't like bugs an' such do'n no land'n exercises on me ya know. There was also a pray'n mantis in "da house" too. Did ya know they eat a whole freak'n fly in less than 30 seconds? Legs an' all. Had a big 'un on "da porch" one time. Feed him flys an' stuff with a toothpick. He attack the humming birds. Probly would a got his ass whooped if'n he would a catched one. Bugs are cool.

I jump in "that jeep" an' head to town. Look out people in the Walmart park'n lot, here come the old Billy Bob. I start look'n round at stuff, plac'n a few little "cain't do without" items in my shop'n cart. Then I head off to the grocery department. "You're block'n the ****** aisle ladies". Now get this, I'm on the bread, coffee, coffee mate isle. I need 'em all. There's a cart parked in front the bread I want, nobody around....and a open purse in the cart. She's talk'n to her neighbor 10 feet away, blocking the aisle to all traffic com'n an' go'n. A simple "excuse me" gets the cart moved...and she go back to talk'n to her neighbor, right where my next purchase is sit'n on the shelf. Another "excuse me" moves them in front of the coffee. I'm out of coffee ya know. It's been like a hour an' I'm get'n a little pissed that these women wait till they get to Walmart for a good talk.....I hollers... "you're blocking the eff'n aisle ladies". And they was, nobody could get through. I suggest they spend the next 10 minutes over in the ladies wear department so's I can get my shop'n done. You would'a think I "B" slap the fat one across the mouth. Her lips was flap'n some kind of obscenities.....and she give me that look.
As I rounded the corner, there they are, still flap'n jaws. Just for the hell of it, I says to the nice lady that left her cart back there..."if that was your cart back there, I think some guy just took your purse". You talk bout break'n up a jaw'n session....yeah boy howdy, that lady could move.

Check out was no better, although there was no line to wait in. The checker girl was bend over the counter read'n a newspaper flyer or something like that. I says..."are you open"? I start fill'n up the automatic conveyer thingy an' it don't move. I says...."can you turn this thing on"? She puts her flyer down...flip the switch....and go back to her flyer. I ain't done yet, that flyer must have been interesting. She's bag'n my groceries....put a half gallon jug of milk in with my fresh bread. "Ya smashed my bread". Then I wait for a new loaf of bread. She goes back to her flyer. Finally after a five minute wait to replace my smashed bread... "That'll be $102 dollars" she pick up that damn flyer again while I'm swipe'n my card. This is probly a graduate from some local community college. This is Walmart. Ya gotta love Walmart employees.

I get back to "da house", tote my purchases inside an' go sit on "da porch....wored slap out. Still no mechanic. I read a few comments on the blog. Maybe I need to practice some patience. So I thought no more bout the damn brakes for the rest of the day. But I dream'n bout 'em. Here I are go'n down this long grade off the top a mountain. I'm push'n them brakes as hard I can. Go'n a hunnert mile a hour. I waked up with a leg a freak'n cramp.