Misplaced

Our next door neighbor works on cars. He loves working on cars, as many people do. Of course, he doesn't limit it to cars. He drives a large Dodge pickup with a huge tow hitch and a lumber rack. He modified both the Dodge (and at least one of its predecessors) and their family Jetta to take biodiesel. As a contractor, the Dodge comes in handy, but he also owns at least a couple of other vehicles, including a dump truck and a little bobcat. We often joke when he shows up with something new. Yesterday, when we came home there was a big-rig tractor in front of his house, with the hood open. A new toy? No, he's just helping a friend work on it.

Around 10:30 last night, as Dawn, Darryl & I were finishing watching something we heard the loud clang of a large piece of metal falling on the ground. I said "Good night, X", and went out to tease him about it.

He commented that he hoped the truck wasn't as loud as his (the aforementioned Dodge, which can typically be heard from at least a block away), to which I replied that I couldn't imagine that hope being anything but badly misplaced.

Geographically Challenged

I have known for a long time, thanks to my mother, how the Federal Interstate Highways are numbers. The major cross-country routes running East-West are numbered 10 to 90, counting by 10, with their numbers increasing South to North, so 10 runs from L.A. to FLA and 80 from S.F. to N.Y. Meanwhile, the major North-South routes are numbered from 5 to 95, also counting by 10, with numbers increasing from West to East, so 5 runs from through California, Oregon and Washington, while 95 runs up the East coast.

This may seem like a non-sequitur, but stick with me.

My wife's cousin's family, including her uncle, are getting ready to move from Grand Junction, CO to Oklahoma City, OK. It sounds like a great opportunity and it is wonderful that Uncle John is going to be living with Jill, Schuyler and their 3 great children. I only wish they were moving toward us instead of further away.

One of the comments I made to Jill was that I don't think I've ever been to OKC. By now, I'm sure I haven't, but at the time I mentioned that if I-80 went through it, then I've been through as my family and I drove across the country on 80 when I was a kid, more than once. Now, if I had remembered, or though about, the fact that Oklahoma is immediately to the North of a chunk of Texas, I could easily have figured out that it's not 80 that goes through OKC, but I-40.

Perhaps I better relearn some of my basics before Rachel gets to them in school!

Oh, the Irony

The FBI raided the Office of the Special Counsel today as part of an investigation into misconduct and the intimidation of whistle-blowers within said Office. One of the Special Counsel's primary responsibilities is, of course, protection of government whistle-blowers.

Simply Awesome

Now, that is sportsmanship.

One Word Worth a Thousand Pictures?

"How'd Barry Zito do?"

"Horrible!"

I Think I'll Go for a Walk

Dawn wanted to go for a walk tonight, so we paused the very good (surprisingly) Giants game, and went for a walk, with her brother and my brother. Darryl brought his mini-dachsund, Daisy. And my cat Tom decided to follow us. We didn't walk long, but he stayed near us the whole time. Did I mention he's bigger than Daisy?

And Speaking of Random...

Some poor sucker in Berlin deposited his stolen coins in just the wrong bank.

Naked Olympics?

This article discusses a new Speedo swimsuit that is helping its wearers shatter records like crazy, as well as affecting (easing) their access to the Olympics. The article mentions 36 records, some of them simply obliterated it seems, in the last couple of weeks alone. I don't know about you, but as soon as I read that the suit "aids streamlining and reduces skin vibration and muscle oscillation", I think it shouldn't be allowed. Perhaps it is time for the Olympics to return to their naked roots?

Some of my friends may comment that I have distinctly mixed feelings about the current steroid scandals with respect to baseball. I think using them is wrong, for a variety of reasons, but I may not care as much in baseball. This is particularly true because current/recent players are being excoriated for it and people are claiming it taints recent stats compared to the past. I think that's disingenuous because there have been other substances used in eras past. Think of speed, coke, etc.

Amen, Sister

I have the same feeling from time to time!

The Wise One

Rachel and two friends, while playing after school one day:

Kelly (can't find something): My mom's going to kill me if I can't find it!

Emma: I don't think she's actually going to kill you.

Rachel: It's just an EXPRESSION, Emma!