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Saturday, November 28, 2015

Still kick'n....grouchy as hell

In an attempt to upgrade to Windows 10....for bout the 14th time. I'm on the old laptop as I type.
Then on thee old laptop, I cain't access my mail. Something bout the password not be'n right. Damn!!!

Holy cows, it's been a while since I talk to you folks. But I ain't really had nuttin to talk bout that ain't already been said.

We had a couple 27 degs nights last week, but that didn't last too long. The two electric heaters kept me pretty cozy. Fired up the Mr Heater on low a couple times just to make sure I didn't freeze slap to death. Good move. The front curtain thingys work just fine to keep the heat inside.

I think I done tole you bout me cancell'n my last doctor appointment. I was pretty sick that day an' sides that, I don't like that doctor. But, I'm think'n I need to make another appointment. He may have the results on my visit to another doctor I went to see. Remember the endoscopy an' the colonoscopy? I know what the nice lady doc tell me but that's all I know. Somebody need to tell me something.

My last post bout work'n on the boat.....'member that....I was gonna paint the boat bright hot pink? Well today an' the last 3 days I been apply'n the final coat of polyurethane. The old Billy Bob is right on the edge of give slap up. The spray thingy Robert buy me was no good. Leaved some bubbles an' it spurted little globs....all of which had to be quickly removed. I upgraded to Helmsman spray spar urethane. No matter how careful I am, I still get me some dust particles. Ya cain't see 'em with the human eye float'n round in the room, but as soon as you apply some spray poly, them dust particles come out the woodwork an' land on the boat. Yes I have another sanding job in my future. But I'm git'n close to a perfect finish. 

The decals have been installed an' in my book, they look pretty dad gum good. I'm happy with that. But....when I spray over the decals with poly......up jumps the devil....dust.
I'm not able to upload any pics from the laptop. Won't recognize the card thingy. When I back on the other computer, I'll see what I can do. it's still updating to Windows 10. 

Hope to have better news in a few days. Damn dust!!!

Sunday, November 22, 2015

the "dirt road"....named by Billy Bob

Let me tell ya bout that dirt road. I named that roar ya know...."dirt road". An' that's the only dirt road in the US that has the name "dirt road". Back in January 2002, me an' first mate Vickie Lynn took off for California in my Tiffin Open Road motorhome. Vickie Lynn named her "Alice".
We was headed west out of San Antone Texas on hwy 90 an' we comes to a junction in the road. Big Bend....so many miles to the south. We too that road an' spended bout 6 days just look'n round, build'n camp fires, sit'n round drink'n up coffee an' shoot'n the breeze. Walked a hunnert mile or so. That's what ya do when you're newly retired.
On our last day in Big Bend we visited Santa Elena Canyon.

The Rio Grande river runs through that canyon.

We had two choices to head west, a paved road an' a washboard dirt road. I was a adventurer, so's we took the dirt road....for the next 3 hours with one stop along the way. Luna's Jacal.


Traveling 14.5 miles on a washboard road is a adventure all in it's self. 35 mile a hour was tops an' even that was too fast. The only other travelers we seen was this nice little spider.

Swored I would never take that "dirt road" again as long I live. But I did it again the next year with first mate Dee Dee. She just HAD to see, an' ride on it, the road I had named.
The other end of this dirt road ends up in Study Butte, Texas....just up the road a very short piece from Terlingua, Texas.

Decals arrived yesterday. Well shoot, they too big. By too big I mean they gonna take up most of the stern. Now I have to make the decision, do I install them or do I spend another $15 to have another set made up just a bit smaller. Here's what I'm talk'n bout......
Whatcha think???? I'm think'n left but DAMN....another $15???

Now let me tell ya, polyurethane sucks. I sanded the stern with 1200 grit wet or dry sandpaper to get rid of a few bubbles an' a dad gum scratch an' a fingerprint. Added a thinned down coat of poly. Holy crap....that's perfect. Yeah, until 20 minutes later it's full of little bitty bubbles. Removed that application an' spray some can Urethane on it. Looks pretty dad gum good. That is until I open the door to let in some fresh 51 deg air. Wind was blow'n in "da house". Dust was float'n round in "da house". The wet urethane says..."hey dust, come check this out". Grrrrrrrr.....!!!! I'm bout to give slap up an' paint the boat bright pink.

For the last two days I been sicker an' a dad gum old dog. Stomach issues. Remember that "heavy" chicken an' swiss cheese sammich I ate the other day? That's when it all started. I missed the early Thanksgiv'n dinner 'cause I was too sick to eat. Today is a bit better....I eated me up a big fat taquito full of fried taters, chopped up ham an' a couple scrambled eggs.....with a bunch of salsa. Yum yum boy howdy.

Friday, November 20, 2015

Just hang'n in there....not much go'n on

Ok, I know this ain't gonna be much, but I'm gonna post something.
"So where ya gonna start Billy Bob....since ya ain't been do'n nuttin"?

Health issues are bout the same. Been eat'n just fine as long as it ain't no heavy stuff like a double meat Whopper an' fries. Then I'm in trouble. Like today. Yesterday I says to hell with it, I'm gonna eat me up a big ol' chicken an' swiss cheese sammich. Mistake. I still tasted that thing early this morn'n even after puk'n last night. Ha ha, I love say'n puke. Brings out the redneck in everbody.

Still ain't got it figgered out why when I sleep in my bed, I wake up with back aches in the morn'ns. Sleep in the recliner an' I don't hurt so bad. Something bout numbers confuse me (Number bed). Took me a couple 500mg aspirins an' took care of that.

Dad gum doctor office call the other morn'n....I got a appointment. Far as I know, it was a follow up. Hell, I don't know 'cause I cancelled it. I was sick an' had a case of the squirts....LOLOLOLOL....that's funny.

Robert is off all next week, so we gonna go to the DMV an' transfer the "billy jeep" into his name. That will relieve me of a bunch of stress. An' no more freak'n Texas safety inspections on it. Now if'n there was only a way to transfer "Sally da house" to the state of Georgia, that would also relieve a bunch of stress. Anyhows......!!!!

Boy howdy is this boat ever piss the old Billy Bob off. Ya see, ever time I put a coat of polyurethane on it, it either bubbles or gets some dust on in. I'm using hi grade foam brushes an' I'm figger that may be the problem.....dust embedded in the brush. That's just a thought. Well guess what. My wonderful son bought me a spray thingy from Home Depot. Operates on a charge of CO2 good for 16 oz. in the little bottle thingy. This will be tryed on the two final coats. Gonna shine like a sun-a-gun.....or else.
Well, it do shine that way now, it's just them little bubble or dust thingys stick out like sore thumbs....Grrrrrr. Up close you can see 'em plain as day.
Sure do wished you could see the same shine that I see.

See them bubble thingys at the front seat? That's what I'm talk'n bout. After this pic was took, the deck was resanded an' another coat of poly applied. With 137 less bubbles. Hope that spray works good.
You may have notice I installed the stainless trim an' hinges on the engine compartment hatch doors.  Well, it ain't really stainless, but buffed out with Braso, it look just like stainless. Man boy howdy, you talk bout a tedious job. Drill all them tiny holes with a big needle an' a hammer.
 

Decals should arrive tomorrow (Saturday), but don't know when I'll stick 'em on. The boat is ready, but am I???? The last time I sticked a decal on, I screwed it up. Dad gum wrinkles an' bubbles. "Read the instructions Billy Bob". Ha ha, men don't read directions unless it don't work. Reminds me the time girlfriend tell me to stop an' ask directions. We was now on a dirt road.....lost.
 Don't need no stink'n directions...just head west.


Saturday, November 14, 2015

Yup, I'm feel'n better...a little

Wow, time flys. Here I was think'n today was Wednesday an' it's freak'n Saturday already. This has been one faaaassst week at Billy Bob's house.

Report back from the stomach clip'n samples autopsy or what ever the hell it's called. Lookie here, I don't have no cancer in them samples.

Now, 'member them pills I was tak'n? The ones that put a coat'n on my innards so's acid don't get to eat up more of my stomach. I ain't took none in almost a week now 'cause I hate constipation an' horseness of breath. LOL....spell'n police gonna find that. You ain't gonna believe how good I feel. I still ain't got no energy though. I'm gonna rekon that the time I was on them pills, there was some heal'n to the old belly. I ain't got the urge to puke or loud ass burps ever time I eat. Ha ha ha, gross gross....my poop is back to normal.
Yes I'm gonna get back on  them....just not today.

We talk'n gross stuff here....I'm gonna git them damn hemorrhoids took care of. Ha I said that 10 years ago too. But 10 years ago I didn't know bout rubber bands. That's what they gonna do.

Did my appointment with the back doctor a few days ago. Just a follow up. Due to insurance rules, the radiofrequency ablation can not be done until February. I been do'n pretty good with the stuff they injected in SI, so's I rekon I can live with a couple more months of these low rate pains. Bout a 4 to 6. Ha, much better that 7 or 8 to 16.
  
In the meantime, I done a little work on the boat project. One side was sanded an' a coat of poly applied. The bottom was sanded an' 3 coats of metallic vintage copper paint was applied. Then the masking tape an' paper was removed. Holy crap, now I got a raised paint edge to repair. Wrong kind of masking tape....grrrrrrr!


 I'm think'n it looks pretty dad gum good. Sadie Mae do too.

I emailed Callie Graphics in Magdalena, New Mexico. Sended her pics of the rose an' the image of the name....along with a image of the stuff on the stern of the boat. She says..."no problem". Sometime next week I should receive the decal, along with a couple Chris Craft decals. How bout this....$15 delivered.  
 
Boy howdy, it were some kind of cold last night....right bout 35 degs. More of the same tonight....Brrrrrrr. Then the temps will be back in the 40's at night.....along with some more rain in a few days. This sucks. But, last night I was snug as a bug in a rug. Even sleeped a full 8 hours with only 1 pee. To wake up with a very sore an' painful back. Damn that Number bed.

Since my last posting, that damn cat Leonard has been on a diet at least 14 times. He eat too much an' his big belly shows it. He ain't quite the same size of Sadie Mae, but if'n he keeps eat'n like he does, it won't be long. Ha, Sadie Mae still tell him...."Leonard, I'm gonna beat yer ass if'n you don't git away from me". Poor Leonard wants sooo bad to play cat games.

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

How long does a hunnert dollar bill last? Long time I hope

Ha, I don't usually make a post after the midnight hour, but that's just what I'm gonna do tonight.
Ya see, I got me bout 8 hours sleep for the last 2 nights an' I ain't a bit sleepy tonight.

Good news first...along with a bit of not so good news. Let's start with the not so good first.
Saturday night I was blocked up an' it hurted like hell. I panicked...was skeered as hell... an' called son Robert to come sit with me while the laxative thingy did it's thing. A hour later I tells him he can go back to bed. What a relief.

The next day I decided to NOT take them pills what cause constipation, harsh voice an' queezy belly. Then today I didn't take them again. I feeled like a hunnert dollar bill today. So....I brews up a big pot of beef stew soup...taters, onion, mixed veggies, wide noodles an' 2 1/2 pound beautiful beef. Hot damn, it come [this] close to perfect. Although I did add just a tad too much of my secret ingredient.
None of my soups contain water as a brew'n agent.   

Yo mama come down from the house for a nice visit. We talk bout all kinds of stuff..."why don't you do dishes Billy"? So's she did 'em. No way did I try to talk her out of that chore. I hate warsh'n dishes. She even tossed that watermelon what's been in the fridge for a couple months. I wondered what the odor was.

Ok, I spended a hunnert hours search'n for a picture of the perfect Texas yeller rose. I fount one.

Then I opened up my trusty photo editor, Paint...everbody gots it on their computers. I went to work resiz'n that yeller rose. An' then I worked on some words in the little window thingy.
This is what I come up with....us'n the most god awful photo editor ever made.

Then I play with it some more an' I copy an' pasted it to the photo of the stern I posted the other day. Do ya think the rose is a bit to big??? Jist ask'n.

I'm think'n that looks pretty damn good for a "old as a rock" rookie photo editor feller. There will be no white in the decal. just in case you're wonder'n.
Now all I got to do is send my stuff to the decal lady in Arizona an' see what she say....see if'n she can make the decal in one piece from the files I'm gonna send/email her.

Other good news at Billy Bob's house is that Wednesday will be in the low 70's. The last couple days it's been in the low 50's all day long. Brrrrrr...that's cold.



Saturday, November 7, 2015

How ya do'n Billy Bob?

This is gonna be hard, but I need to let everbody know I'm still kick'n....just barely.

What ya never want to do, is ask a old fart how he's do'n. He's gonna tell ya.....for bout a hour or so.
Somebody asked me that question just a bit ago, so here we go.

Ya already know I survived my endoscopy an' colonoscopy with fly'n colors. By fly'n colors I'm talk'n bout, there weren't nuttin to it....the procedure. What they found while prob'n round inside me with that hose pipe an' little camera thingy is a different story. So don't be think'n I'm all fixed up an' ready to hit the road.....'cause I ain't. In fackt, I'm been in worser shape for the last week. I cain't eat solid food an' my stomach feel like a balloon no matter what I put in there. Be it a pot of homebrew chicken noodle soup or Campbells chicken noodle soup. Thank God for invent'n alka seltzer.

I'm on a medication that I take 4 time a day. It coats the problem areas in my belly system so's stomach acids don't make no contact with all them erosions an' stuff. Not ulcers. Some kind of heal'n medicine. But....it causes constipation. To combat the constipation, the nice doctor prescribed another pill. Ha, it causes severe stomach pains, gas, bloating an' the squirts. A laxative of some sort. Between the two, I ain't myself. Think'n I done lost me a few more pounds. That sucks.   

The ol' back an' hip is still do'n pretty good. I'm think'n bout half the pains I had a couple months ago. Ain't took no more 'an 10 or 15 aspirins in the last month. Appointment on the 11th....a follow up.

I ain't done squat on the boat project in so long I done forgot what I was build'n. Well it seems that way anyhows. Last night I was sit'n here an' got to think'n...."let's put a last coat of poly on the stern" (back end of the boat hull). Did a smidge of sand'n an' breaked out a brand spank'n new foam brush. An' I swab me some poly. Holy jump'n cows, that's the finish I'm look'n for. Think'n I could brush my hair in that mirror.

 An' that all I done to the boat. Next!!!

Oh....speak'n of boat, I still ain't 100% decided on a name yet...."damn Billy Bob, think". I did come up with another I like..."Wild Rose"/"Texas Rose", take yer pick. Cain't use "Yeller Rose" 'cause there ain't nuttin yeller on the boat. But...what if'n I put a yeller rose on the back under the name? Naming of the boat is a hold up on further construction. The decals need to be installed an' covered with 2 coats of poly before the buffing process. I'm go'n all the way since Robert buyed me a couple buff'n wheel thingys. Ha, all I need now is a finishing compound to buff.

Think'n I'm bout set up for a freez'n cold winter, although I would much better like be'n in south Texas for the winter. Water lines have been insulated. Got me plenty blankets to keep me snug as a bug. Both electric heaters work like a charm. Mr Heater is all hook up an' ready to make heat. Got me nice warm clothes to wear. What else could I want? Oh wait, I need a bigger portable propane tank. The tank in "da house" is slap empty an' I ain't break'n camp to go get it filled. If only a propane sell'n place would come to "yo mama's" to fill  it.

This is all I can think to write about. My life is at a stand still. An' that sucks.