Cold weather blues....

Wayne update.....
Last night Linda came by with an update on Wayne's condition. He is in intensive care....sedated to the hilt. Same as they did to him 6 months ago. Not a word on what happened to him. I have a bad feeling bout this.

Ain't no use sit'n here writ'n a big ol' long blog post this morn'n. I ain't did nuttin worth writ'n bout. But I don't feel alone as most the blogs I follow are in the same "shut down" mode......nuttin to write about. Now don't be get'n me wrong. I ain't say'n everybody is just sit'n round do'n nuttin 'cause I read some blogs wheres they make old Billy Bob feel like a bump on a log. I rekon we all have our days....don't wanna do nuttin, ain't got no silly stories to tell or feel they are spinn'n wheels. That where I'm at....spinn'n wheels....stuck...ain't no tow truck for miles. "Well damn Billy Bob, get off yer ass an' do something".

Speak'n of get'n off yer ass, I don't know what happen, but the last 3, 4 or 5 days, I ain't been feel'n so good. I rekon it's the weather since it's too cold to do anything outside (29 degs last night). And ya know what can happen when ya sit inside "da house" all day all cooped up like a chicken gonna lay a egg....ya get lazy, cantankerous, grumpy an' don't give a flip one way t'other. But as you know, those days pass....usually long bout spring time after the snow melts.

 

"pesky neighbor" Wayne

As you may have notice in one my previous posts, Wayne's oxygen level had dropped to dangerous levels. This morning he is back in the hospital with breathing issues, low oxygen level and low blood pressure. Will update his condition as I receive further news. No visitation allowed at this time.

It was cold again this morning, but less the howling winds of yesterday. Now I ain't one to be caught complain'n bout nuttin, but....damn, winter sucks. I suppose that if there was no winter, the Mississippi river would eventually dry up, the Gulf of Mexico would become so saline all the delicious little shrimps would die, humanity would cease to exist due to dehydration an' starvation and this world would  revert back to the land of dinosaurs. That could happen ya know.

I done come to the conclusion that....people are different. No, not talk'n bout different from other species of living flesh, but different from one another humans. Our likes an' dislikes are different. Our ways of life are different. We don't see eye to eye on stuff. We are all unique in our own way and the things we do fits our personal uniqueness. Ya get'n the picture yet? My xxwife used to get all in a wad 'cause I didn't like the same things she did. Or I didn't do the things she suggested....or demanded. Then she wouldn't talk to me for a week....thank God. I've found that to be the case in my entire life, people try'n to impose their way of life on mine. I'll admit that I'm just a little bit "redneck" in many ways, but I like my life as it is, do'n what I like when I like, with out changing into someone I ain't gonna like. I done try that a few times an' weren't happy.

I were read'n a blog yesterday bout introverts and extroverts. Never know what they was till I read this guys blog. I rekon I must be a extrovert since I got to be around people to be happy. And I got to have a dawg for company and companionship. Now there was a time when I didn't like people....but I liked dawgs. I could go up to the mountains and camp out for weeks and never give a thought to what's go'n on in town. I were by myself....'cept'n for my dawg. I weren't lonely an' never bored. I rekon I was an introvert. Is one better than the other? Hell, I don't know.

Relat'n to the two items above, I am back at odds as to "winter destination". Everything has been weighed and "da slabs" seems the better choice of the two possibilities. Although I do love south Texas, being from there. Yeah I'm a freak'n Texan liv'n in New Mexico and go'n to California for the winter. Well, last night I were think'n bout all them fishes in south Texas say'n..."Billy Bob, cast over here". Then I got to remember'n bout all them cold northers what cut through me like a knife an' them cold ass blow'n winds....rain an' stuff what happen every year. "Damn Billy Bob, make up yer mind".

Ok....who the hell is butterbean and Sue? Have ya ever read a comment and it sticks with ya? Make ya think...."who the hell is this"? I been try'n to put 2+2 together try'n to figger out who "butterbean" may be an' comes up with a 3. It seem he know me or he wouldn't have challenged me to a game of pool in Rockport. I thought about rvsue here in New Mexico, but give up that notion. Thought bout my nephew Joseph, but he don't know how to spell butterbean. Who the hell is butterbean an' Sue??? This is fun ya know.

I got this piece of wood. It all dirty an' gray color....just a old root I pick up somewheres.

I done this before, strip off the outer skin and reveal the beauty of that piece of wood what lays below. Been gonna work on this for two year now but ain't never got to it.....'cause it were lost. Fount it up under a seat with a bunch of other crap.....what was lost too. Not say'n how long it gonna take to get started skinn'n this prize, but stay tuned. Ya may have to remind me.

Play'n pool

I were play'n pool one night. Probably ahead a couple or five hunnert dollar. I were "hot" that night. But I were also drunk'er an a skunk. Stumble up to the table, look at them balls through one fuzzy eye an' let 'er rip.

Ya see, it were like this....We was play'n our yearly pool championship tournament in La Marque, Texas.  This was a yearly event brought on by some hi roller pool players out of Houston. They brung their best. Side bets averaged bout five hunnert to a thousand a game on two tables. The place was packed. Money chang'n hands. I was assigned to table #2 at the beginning of competition and held that position till I could barely stagger to the table four hours later.

Play'n the same player over and over and over became boring, so we start show'n off....trick shots and stuff, two bank 8 ball shots an such....with a grand bet on the side. By midnight I were tired....never wanna see another pool ball long as I live. After the last game was finish we tally up our winnings....me and that guy from Houston. I were $5 ahead, cain't stand up and bout to puke up all that rot gut beer they was pour'n down me. Jump in my old pick'em up and drive home do'n 20 mile a hour. The following night drinks were on the house for the Billy Bob.

I don't play pool no more 'cause I freak'n can't see the balls. Last time I play was back in 2003 at a local bar in Port Aransas. I were drink'n fresh brewed Colombian hi octane coffee. It were a weekly "buy in" tournament for wanna-be pool sharks. Tak'n my choice of crooked house sticks off'n the wall, I proceeded to knock some balls around the table. Some go in, some don't. I were rusty like a nail. By nights end, I come in second place....weren't no way I could beat that guy.....he good.
Yes, I love pool and Colombian hi octane coffee.

And then there were the time.....bro in law get all dress up, big ol' cowboy hat, boots, western cut trench coat or what ever, foo foo juice an' all that girlie stuff. Had his own stick an' alligator leather carry case.....little knocker thingy in his pocket for the tip.We was go'n to town for a night at the pool hall in Corpus Christi.  Don't get me wrong now....he were purty damn good for a wanna be cowboy. But old Billy Bob stomp a mud hole in him right off the bat....all night long. By nights end I were ahead by 3 to 1. That's excellent odds if'n ya play'n for money...what we weren't.

Now let me tell ya bout the time I weren't so good. We was play'n a pool game call "golf" on a snooker table at the local billard hall in Huntington, West by God Virginia. Were six of us play'n. The game of golf is one of the hardest games to play on a pool table. Especially on a 5x10 foots play'n surface. The pockets and the balls are smaller than regulation pool so ya gotta poke 'em just right. I lines up my shots with position for the next shot in mind. BAM....I swaks that ball an' here it go down the table a hunnert mile a hour, hit the cushion an' jump slap on the floor. Didn't matter how hard I think, I miss shots, hit wrong balls, make someone elses ball....I suck. Then we switch over to 9 ball on a regulation table. Damn....I lose a hunnert dollar just like that. Never see that nine ball one time. All in all of play'n for 20 years, I would guess I broke close to even.
Wanna shoot a game fer a dollar???

Cold front blowed in this morn'n. Howl'n winds all night long keep me awake. Temp didn't drop much but it's cold out there....54 degs., windy and no sunshine to brighten my day. This is the beginning of winter in Deming. With that being said, it's almost time for old Billy Bob to hit the road to warmer climes. I been toss'n it around for the last couple month bout where I gonna go this winter. Toss up between south Texas and southern Calif. Well, southern Calif. has won out. Billy Bob is go'n to "da slabs" for the 4th year in a row. Catch me up some rainbow trout at "da pond" in Yuma.

Better late than never....

Well shoot, I were think'n this morning that I need to post something. But there was nuttin to write about. Didn't do a damn thing yesterday and today was no different. So what do ya write about??

Old "pesky neighbor" Wayne had a bout with his oxygen level last night. Was down to 74. Just 2 days ago it was 94 to 96. Off to the doctor he went and they gonna put him back on oxygen again. Sure am glad his shoes don't fit me.

Called the upholstery guy this morn'n chack'n to see if'n he split the country with the deposit money I gave him. Nope, he still around, but gave me some off the wall sob story bout why the material ain't arrived yet.  Something bout his grandmama died, his cousin Raymundo Gonzales was sick and his truck was in the shop. Ok....that sounds logical....I think.

Received a much anticipated email from Amazon that my 500 watt sound system has been shipped. Boy howdy can hardly wait. Shake some winders an' piss off the neighbors.......yeah!!! In case ya ain't seen what I got com'n by UPS, here is a pic....again.

The last system I had of this caliber was a 400 watt system what I blow slap up.....big ol' smoke cloud come out that thing, scare hell out me. Don't get me wrong now. It ain't like I'm skeered of smoke or nuttin like that, but this thing was on fire, mak'n all kind "crackle" sounds and stuff. Turn off a circuit breaker all by it self.

There's a story I would like to tell ya, but don't know if it's appropriate or not. Oh hell....why not? There was this lady....dare I say lady, what moved in the park. Feeled sorry for her husband. They got throwed out the last park they was in for attempt'n to take over and set park rules for the residents. She were one them anti smoke kind of people....any kind of smoke. Her first ploy was to inform all residents that smoking of any kind would no longer be allowed. HUH??? Not even the park owner dare tell us that.

She caused an old 86 year old man, what could hardly walk, to be kicked out of the park for burning weeds and such in a burn barrel. That what they for ya know. Said the smoke make her sick an' stay awake at night. She kept after that old man till he almost had a seizure....or something like that. Turn a water hose on him one time he light up his pipe. He finally moved after a couple months of her harassment. Sad to say, but I think he's dead now.

Then she start up on old Billy Bob, wrong move, complain'n that his bbq'n had to cease because of the smoke from my blackened an' charred chicken caused her headaches an' kept her awake at night. Now she start in on the wrong feller when she start in on old Billy Bob. That smoke were no way near her site. It were all on my porch in a big ol' smoke cloud.....flames an' stuff. Take a water hose put it out. Well, after a couple weeks of her complaints, old Billy Bob done had enough of these nonsense daily complaints. Gonna smoke her ass slap out the park.....that what I gonna do. I cuts up some old 2x4's an' every night I throw some in the blaz'n hot grill. When the wind come out the north, that 2x4 smoke go right to her house. If'n there weren't no north wind, I used a big fan. Good thing I weren't cook'n nuttin with them sticks or it would have been burn slap up.  Didn't take long with her complaints to the office staff, what ignored her daily complaints, before they was hook'n it up. Thank God for invent'n 2x4's.

Now what????

Now that the solar panel project is complete, I don't know what I'm gonna do next. That "to do" list is get'n shorter so maybe I can take a day off. What ya think?

Cole Front come by for a visit late last night so we gonna sit in "da house" today, sip a cup and jaw a bit.

This work'n stuff sure do tell ya how "tuff" ya are. Well old Billy Bob ain't as tuff as he thought he was. I mean I got hurts on top hurts. I need to take a few days off and "do nuttin". If'n ya ain't been pay'n attention, I ain't let up for 2 weeks fix'n stuff an' upgrading what already there. Remodeling. Fix'n broke stuff. Toss'n stuff to the dumpster. Tote'n big old heavy stuff up an' down ladders. Blow'n up expensive meters. Billy Bob is tired....wored slap out.

And then I got to think'n bout why I do all this stuff. Time is run'n out. I ain't gonna be able to do this stuff much longer. Travel'n is get'n to be too much work an' not enough adventure. ("Life without adventure is just an experience") Just yesterday I was a year older than I was a year ago. Slow'n down an' hurt'n more. But....would I be happier to sit down and never get up again? Never start the engine again??? Well hell no....don't think I would.

For Andrea:
Ain't gonna take time to rewrite history this morn'n. Here is a link to 500 MPH Winds. Hope you enjoy. For those what commented on hurricanes, old Billy Bob been through quite a few.....liv'n on an island (Galveston, Texas and Port Aransas, Texas) and all. Some was intentional....hurricane party ya know. None were life threatening as I may have made it sound like. Most time the hurricanes were far enough away that only strong winds, rain and tide surges were an issue. (Winds bout a hunnert mile a hour, rain by the bucket full and tide surge anywheres from 4 to 8 foots). It's easier to sink a boat than it is to drown the Captain.

Progress???

Yesterday is dead an' gone. When all is complete, I should have enough power to run my table saw, watch TV an' listen to my brand spank'n new 500 watt sound system at the same time. By the way, that new sound system will be here next week.....rattl'n neighbors winders an' stuff. Can hardly wait.

It was some time right bout September. Winds was kick'n up, seas were ris'n. It is hurricane season. Me an' fitst mate "Weird Wanda" was sit'n in the cockpit sip'n a "Coyote cooler" when she says to me..."there smoke com'n out the dock". Well yeah, there should be when the water is up to the top them boards and all the dock electrical is run under the dock.....get'n wet. She wants to go tell the harbor master that the dock is on fire. I says...."oh hell no, they'll turn off the power". So we just sit there wait'n for all hell to break loose when it blow up. What it did. Sound like big ol' firecrackers go'n off under there....steam and sparks fly'n every direction. And then, the big boom. Scare hell out me. Lights out.

Living on a boat without electricity is the pits. Especially when a hurricane is less than a hunnert mile away. It were a year of hurricanes all over the Gulf of Mexico....they was sprouted up like weeds do in Deming. I think this was the year they went through the alphabet an' start over.  Now if'n ya never live through a hurricane on a boat, let me tell ya...things get tight....if ya know what I mean. Preparation for such a storm take hours of painstaking measures to guarantee your safety. All dock lines are doubled up and adjusted to withstand the "surge". That when the water get over the docks by bout 4 feets or more. Anything lay'n on deck is stowed below so's it don't blow over on your neighbors boat an' break stuff.

Then it hits.....full bore. Hunnert mile a hour wind howl'n throught the strain'n masts. Rain pelts the decks, finding any conceivable entrance into the dry quarters below. Ya get wet, soaked to the bone. Coyote is bounc'n round in the water like a fish'n cork. Ya don't sleep. Ya just sit there and wait it out, fingers crossed....with a "Coyote cooler" in hand of course. Hours pass, what seem like days, and the storm finally passes leaving a wake of destruction behind. Fortunately, Coyote survives the storm with minimal damage...a blowed out cheap Walmart plastic tarp.

Get'n close to time for another hunnert trips up there on the roof to finish the solar panel installation. Some of ya might think that this project what I partook on my own is an easy job. But ya got to remember, old Billy Bob is 70 year old, an' that ain't no spring chicken by no account. I should be sit'n on my ass tell'n some young feller how to do it....whiles I sip a cup in the shade of "da porch".

Ok, I done talk myself into some porch time....go out there, sip me a cup an' do some think'n.

3:30pm.....
Project is complete. Well not exactly complete, I still got 6 little holes in the roof what need sealed an' disconnect that wire from the old panel. When I get it hooked up to the two new ones, I'll have 400 watts on an optimum sunny day. But that ain't gonna happen today.

Git'n tired

Holy craps.....old Billy Bob is get'n wore slap out. Don't know what got into me, but damn!!!

Don't this look a whole lot better than a few days ago? That why old Billy Bob is wore slap out. Still ain't decide what to do with that printer.

Yesterday was spent load'n trash bags with stuff and haul'n them off to the dumpster. Good stuff. Stuff I done bought and pay for with hard earned dollars. No longer will "Sally da house" be haul'n all over the country a couple three hunnert pounds of "stuff". But I ain't done yet. Next is the hallway humongous drawers where I keep stuff what ain't got nowheres else to live. Important stuff....like tape, glue, fuses, light bubs, empty shotgun shells, pieces of used wood, old dirty socks, a few tools (table saw, engine hoist, extension ladder....stuff like that) ......you know what I'm talk'n bout....junk. Toss it in a drawer and forget bout it.

Mr. UPS guy come by yesterday afternoon with the new solar panels. Boy howdy is old Billy Bob all excitis. I were so excitis I almost climbed up on the roof last night to remove the old panels. But here come old "pesky neighbor" Wayne and his "mama hen" sit'n on "da porch". Before ya get the idea that Wayne has some crazy woman liv'n with him, this lady live up the street with her husband Mark.

Did ya all see Barney's brand spank'n new boat? You can see it right here....OFM. One fine look'n craft.

Don't that look like he sit'n on a big ol' banana??? Is that a match'n life vest he wear'n.....hmmmmm?

Ok....it get'n late. Gotta take Wayne some stuff, jaw a bit and then climb up there on the roof. Will attempt a photo account of todays project.