Saturday

I woke up at an amazing 8:30 AM on Saturday. I knew I was tired, but…

I fixed a cup of coffee and posted the Blog entry. It was almost 11:00 AM when I finally shaved and showered. Damn! I’m burning daylight, here!

I had just made some soft-boiled eggs for breakfast when Jake called. We chatted for a bit and hung up. Then I ate breakfast.

I headed out for the weekend errands. I went to Westborn and bought two beautiful filet mignons (I’m serious, here. The lady helping me and I went through about 12 of them, deciding on the perfect ones. I love Westborn!)

I also got eight ears of sweet corn, some heavy cream and, as an impulse buy, a tub of spinach dip and water crackers.

Then I went to the Wine Palace and bought a pint of cognac. I told the owner that I wanted something “good” but not “great” since I was using it for cooking. He recommended Courvoisier VS, so I bought that.

Back home, I put everything away and changed into my shorts. I stuck the sweet corn in a stockpot filled with water. I checked my email and had to deal with a few issues, but then headed outside.

I went back to the black walnut tree sod removal. I got another section done before my back started screaming. Note: I brought that on myself. I overloaded the wheelbarrow so I didn’t have to make too many trips! Dumb.

I took a long deserved nap. It was totally weird when I woke up. I had the Food Network on the TV when I went to sleep. When I woke up, the show Pizza Cuz (never heard of it before) was on and they were at the original Buddy’s Pizza in Detroit!

Speaking of food, I was hungry. So, I lit a piece of newspaper under the charcoal starter. When the coals were ready, I roasted the sweet corn. I pulled them off when they were done and grilled another package of hot dogs.

Back inside, I diced up a first-in-season (at least around here) Vidalia onion. I had a hot dog with mustard and onions and two ears of sweet corn for my dinner.

I went to the bathroom around midnight and the security floodlights came on. So, I watched and two young raccoons came into view. They were running around like children playing tag! Cute…

Finally Friday (I know, I keep saying that)

Sidebar: Did you know it was National Hamburger Month in America? I did not…

Moving along, it was another beautiful day in Redford. But, the wind was from the East-North-East and strong.

Now anybody who lives on the east “coast-line” of Michigan knows that an ENE wind (or “eneey” as we call them) results in a cool breeze off the lakes. But, it did reach 80 degrees here in Redford.

Speaking of the lakes, it had always bothered me that when they talk about the “Great Lakes” that they completely forget about Lake St. Clair. Now, granted, it’s shallow and not that big, but it’s out there, dammit, and has a neat history. They are still finding old Model T’s that went through the ice driving liquor from Canada during Prohibition, for example.

I went home at lunch after stopping at Kroger’s for some supplies. I also stopped at the gas station and filled up my gas can with two gallons of regular gas, Nothing was done on the shed, but I attribute that to the wind. It is a little tough to roof in the wind.

Sidebar: Back in the day, I was the cabinetmaker at Ehler’s construction. I was pulled off my job to help roof a house they were building in the winter. My job, on the tri-level house, was to sweep off the snow that was building up due to the storm that had moved in. It was a little unsettling to be standing that high above the ground, in a snowstorm, sweeping off the roof with a push broom!

So, I forgave them.

Back at home after work, I changed clothes and tried to start the lawn tractor. The battery was dead! I didn’t even bother with the charger. I put some pants on, went over to O’Reilly’s, and bought a new one. They checked and my warranty had expired (that’s where I bought the last one) so I just manned-up and bought a new one.

I put it in the tractor, filled it up with gas and headed out back. With great difficulty, I got most of it cut. The grass was almost 8-inches tall in places and I just cut it last week!

Sidebar: Avoid double fertilizing your lawn at all costs!

When I finished with that, I dragged out the push mower. I cut the front lawn and then went out back and cleaned up everything I couldn’t reach with the tractor. I almost put the push mower in the shed (with the tarpaper and shingles) but I couldn’t get past my “security concerns.”  I put the push mower back in the garage and buttoned everything up for the night.

It was 8:37 PM! I warmed up two hot dogs and a can of Bush’s Grilling beans and ate that for dinner. I watched some TV but went to sleep early. I was tired…

Facebook rant

Now, I ain’t trying to make any enemies here. I’ve driven motorcycles most of my young life. I had a Moto Guzi, a Harley 350 cc TT racer and a Suzuki 250 cc dirt bike. I’ve also driven a 550 Suzuki road bike and one of the first Kawasaki 750’s (scared the shit out of me!)

And I have no problem with “knowledgeable” riders doing whatever the hell they want to do. Go for it!

But, today I was heading home on the Expressway and was passed by a crotch rocket. It was driven by a guy who I would guess had just got his license. His passenger was a chick I would peg at 13 years old (Geezer Alert: everybody looks younger than they are at my age.)  She was wearing a tank top, shorts and flip flops! And, neither one was wearing a helmet.

Again, I have no problems whit the new helmet law. My brother in-law, Terry actually went to Lansing to protest them (he drives a killer Harley that has yet been unbeaten at the drag strip).

But, trust me, I went up against a stump I didn’t see, off road, and damn near lost my leg (I would have except for a an ex-army doctor just home from Vietnam who claimed he could save it. He did…)

But I’ve had two knee replacements since and a whole lot of pain. Which brings me to my next question: WTF you gonna do if you have to lay that bike down?

I knew a guy (old dude, as he had a gas station my brother Peter worked at) who had to lay his Harley down because of a car/truck accident. He was wearing full leathers and steel toed boots, and yet looked like a bad case of road rash for half a year later.

So, as cool as it is to feel the wind in your hair, for Christ’s sake, if you haven’t been doing this for 30 some years, put a goddam helmet on!

You want to talk about head injuries, just ask my daughter, Amy.

I’m done now…