Orlando, FL

We've had thunderstorms these past two afternoons. Not long rains, just an hour or so. We might be getting more rain soon - Katia was supposed to reach hurricane strength today.

Fay keeps telling everyone she is "burned out" from working with the walk-ins. She is taking Friday off and she can't wait. She wanted to take all of next week off for vacation, but I reminded her that next week is the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association Show. So, she is only going to take Tuesday and Wednesday off next week.

This evening we had ham steaks with steamed vegetables. Buddy is scraping the bottom of his food barrel, and our freezer and shelves are starting to look bare! Good thing I get paid tonight! We will get some more food this weekend.

Orlando, FL

Back to the grindstone... another day of aggravation and unwarranted urgency.

The day seemed to pass quickly though - we were fairly busy with the phones and emailed requests.

I had a box of butternut squash soup and a small salad for lunch. After lunch the skies clouded up really dark and it looked like it was going to rain. In fact, there was some thunder, but it never rained at the office.

Bob worked on sanding his "new" grinder stand today. I left the hand sander and some sand paper for him to take out on to the balcony and sand the plywood down with.

For dinner we had a red chili with corn muffins.

Buddy took his last sulfa antibiotic tablet this evening. We are supposed to do the ear wash with him twice a week until the end of September.

Orlando, FL

FER ended the week with lackluster sales. We didn't even make our expenses! But after we pulled down almost $2M last month, it kind of evens out.

This weekend was exhausting! We ate breakfast in both days. We went to the storage unit and worked on the stand for the low-speed grinder and grinding jig that Bob is getting for his birthday.

When we came home, we took the grinder and the jig out of their boxes and read the installation instructions. The grinder had a bad wobble on the left wheel and I spent half an hour carefully adjusting the shoulder washers and moving them 1/2 inch at a time until the wobble was minimized. Cheap Chinese.

Today we went back to the storage unit and cut a top for the stand. We brought the stand and the top back home with a palm sander and some 220 grit and 320 grit sand paper. Bob is going to coarse sand the entire stand to get rid of the rough fibers, and then he is going to course and fine sand the top. We will apply four or five coats of clear polyurethane to the top before we mount it on the stand - probably next weekend.

For dinner we simply boiled some hot dogs, cut them into inch long pieces, poured a can of pork and beans over the drained hot dogs, and enjoyed "beanie weenie".

Now we are finishing up our weekly house cleaning chores. Last week of the month! We will go grocery shopping next weekend.

Orlando, FL

Today was windy with occasional rain. Irene is spinning her way up the East Coast!

Generally, today was an unremarkable day. Fay and Craig went out to lunch with someone from Darden and I stayed in and ate the lunch Bob packed for me.

Bob took the truck today because he volunteered at the SPCA in the afternoon. Temps were mercifully cooler today because of the hurricane low pressure affecting our weather.

Bob brought some Iams dog biscuits home from the shelter, but just as we predicted, he really did not care for them. He only eats the ones given out at the front desk because his "friends" are giving them to him!

I am reading The Fourth Turning now. It will probably take me most of next week to read all of it.

Hopefully, with cooler temperatures this weekend, I should be able to get Bob's birthday present finished up.

Orlando, FL

To avoid the slow and often stopping school busses, I took I-4 to work this morning.

Today was a typical day. There were no outstanding assholes on the phone and no confrontations in my email. A rather agreeable day.

Before the news even put it on, I started to see comments in Facebook about the east coast earthquake this afternoon. A magnitude 5.9 centered near Mineral, VA. It was felt as far south as the Carolinas and as far north as Toronto, Canada.

In the afternoon it clouded up, thundered, and then began a slow steady rain.

This evening Bob had baked ham steaks and steamed veggies ready for dinner. After walking Buddy we enjoyed some nice cold Jello with fruit cocktail suspended in it.

Orlando, FL

This was a good Monday - I didn't get yelled at by dealers and I did not have a fight with the area vice-president!

Today was the first day back to school for Orange, Osceola, and Volusia Counties. I got stuck behind a school bus this morning - the handicapped school bus. It took over 10 minutes to get the child loaded and settled down. Traffic backed up for a mile behind me!

I took leftover vegetable soup with me to heat up for lunch.

It was hot as blazes outside and toward the end of the day we heard thunder and saw some threatening black clouds, but we did not see any rain today.

Bob made White Bean Chicken Chili for dinner. Yum!

After dinner I clipped Buddy's claws, fed him his antibiotic, and then harnessed him up for his walk.

It thundered more, but still no rain. Just oppressive humidity.

Weekend

This was a hot weekend. That's mostly what I remember about it.

On Saturday morning we got up, walked Buddy around the lake, and then we went to The Fairbanks Diner to get breakfast because we did not feel like cooking.

We went back home, and I dropped Bob off. Then I went to the storage unit to work on a grinder stand I am building for Bob's birthday. Oh yeah, he's getting a low-speed grinder, and a chisel grinding jig called "The Wolverine System" too. I worked for about two hours on this, cutting out the pieces of plywood with my circular saw. I did not wear a hat, and I ended up sunburning my scalp really good too!

I came home, took a shower, drank lots of cold water, and then read one of my new books. I also started a big pot of vegetable soup stock with mixed frozen veggies, chopped cabbage, and two quarts of tomato juice.

In the evening we ordered Chinese take-out from Szechuan Empire. We got the chicken chow mein meal with two egg rolls. This comes with lots of white rice, and crispy egg noodles. We only got one serving, but it's enough for both of us, with enough leftover for lunch the next day!

This morning I made cheese omelets, Canadian bacon, and coffee for breakfast while Buddy and Bob took their walk.

After breakfast was cleared away, I heated the vegetable soup stock up, got some quart jars into the dish washer, heated up a sauce pan to boiling and put the lids in it, and filled up the boiling water canner and put it to boiling. When the jars were finished I packed 8 quarts of soup stock in jars, processed them, and they are cooling on the counter now. We had maybe two more quarts left over. For dinner we sauteed some stew meat and tossed it into the soup for a good meal.

During the afternoon we went to the Ikea store to see what was new and browse. After that we went to Home Depot to browse and price things. Then we went to the storage unit to work on the grinder stand some more.

It was still very hot and we put my work table into the only spot of shade in the yard. We ran the sides across the router table to break the edges with chamfers. Then we pre-drilled screw holes into the sides and the vertical divider. Then we screwed the sides and divider together.

It's going to be a sturdy stand - just like the stand I built last year for the lathe.

When we came home I got the soup started for dinner and I called and talked to Mom for 68 minutes.

Buddy got his evening walk, and then we cleaned the house. We are ready for another week now. We are watching T.S. Irene closely because the current forecast has it coming right up the middle of peninsular Florida.

Orlando, FL

Bobby took the truck today so he could get his hair cut and then go to the SPCA to volunteer.

Work today for me was okay. Fay and Craig had a lot of stress as Kolpak ignorantly tried to get themselves thrown out of Olive Garden. It came right down to the last minute. As it is with so many things, greed and laziness were contributing factors in this.

Lunch today was left over Hamburger Casserole Ole. It was good for dinner last night, and it was good for lunch today.

Bobby promptly showed up at 5:00 with the truck. I put my hard drive back up to work, and then we all (Fay, Bob, and me) left the office at the same time. It was hot outside. Ugghhh.

When we got home, mojo marinaded chicken wings were baking and getting close to done. While we were eating it began to thunderstorm. Lots of loud thunder and bright bolts of lightning.

It continued to rain after dinner and we harnessed Buddy up for his walk. We put on raincoats and went down to the street, but it was monsooning. So, Buddy had to settle for a walk in the garage.

We are about to go lay down and read now. I am glad the weekend is here! These work weeks are exhausting!

Orlando, FL

The phone rang at 8:10 AM. "Vince, this is Fay. I am going to be in around 10:00. I have something I need to do this morning." Trying to sound unsurprised, I simply said, "Oh. Okay."

I really don't know what her mystery task was this morning. I never asked her. I really don't care.

It was sunny most of the day, but it did cloud up and rain a little after lunch.

The FedEx delivery man dropped off Bobby's birthday present this morning, so during lunch I had to run to my storage unit and put that stuff away.

This evening we enjoyed Hamburger Ole for dinner. Then Buddy started panting and shaking, so we put his harness on him and took him outside. Yes, he had to pee badly! He seems to be very thirsty lately!

Now we've read the Orlando Weekly and we are getting ready to go lay down.

Orlando, FL

Back to the grindstone. It wasn't so bad except for the part about work and the angry dealer who was screaming at me. I think I pretty much had him taken care of by lunch time.

Then I was able to dig into my lunch of salad and leftover stuffed pepper.

I am glad I did not have to go out. High today was supposed to be 93°F. My drive home was hellish enough.

This evening Bobby made white bean chicken chili for dinner. After dinner we took Buddy for a 50-minute-long walk around the neighborhood.

I am tired.

Orlando, FL

On Friday morning I saw on MSNBC.com that they found singer Jani Lane dead in a Las Angeles Comfort Inn. There was vodka and prescription medicine near the bed.

Jani Lane aka John Kennedy Oswald, was from Brimfield, OH. His family lived in the Beachcrest subdivision. His parents, Robert and Eileen, were good friends of my grandparents. Even when I was little the family kept a big drum set in the living room for him to use! They were very good and hip people.

Of course, there is a Central Florida spin to this too - he used to have a nightclub just three blocks up Pine Street from our house here in The Waverly!

I phoned Dad yesterday to let him know to watch for the UPS man delivering his birthday present. Then I told him about the Oswald boy. He said the Record-Courier didn't have anything in it about this. He phoned me back this morning to let me know it was all over the front page.

Last night I made oven-fried steaks with a fresh salad for our dinner while Bob and Buddy took a walk.

This morning we slept in til almost 9:00 AM! I can't believe the dog let us sleep so late!

I walked Buddy around Lake Eola while Bob made Canadian bacon, omelets, and coffee for breakfast.

Later we went to Ritz Camera to get a photo album for Bob's vacation pictures, then we went to Sports Authority to get Bobby some wool socks. We stopped at Exxon and filled the gas tank. Then we got burgers from Wendy's for lunch, and we browsed the cheap Chinese tool store - Harbor Freight Tools.

On the way home we stopped at Bank Of America so Bob could deposit his car insurance refund check.

We baked stuffed peppers for dinner this afternoon. While they were baking it t-stormed outside. When we took Buddy for his walk it was still lightly raining.

Now we have the house cleaned up and we are ready to start another exciting week of work and life. Ugghhh.

Orlando, FL

Bobby went down to the office with me this morning, and after I unlocked the door and put my portable back-up hard drive back in the truck, I gave him the keys and he drove off.

He had a doctor appointment this morning, and then he was volunteering at SPCA this afternoon. The truck rolled over 160k miles while he was driving it today.

Work was steady today, but not too bad. We had a very good week for orders and I am glad about that. This entire week was challenging for all of us.

During lunch I had some leftover chicken wings with peas and carrots, and a small salad. I am glad I did not have to go out into the heat.

Shortly after 5 PM, Bob drove up and I headed out. It briefly rained on us on the drive home.

Dinner was steamed mixed veggies with baked lamb chops. Yum!

Now Buddy has been given his pill, taken his walk, and we are going to put medicine on his feet and into his ears.

Orlando, FL

No post yesterday - blogger.com was having maintenance done.

It rained and stormed yesterday. We were promised more of the same today, but hotter. Well, we sure got the hotter part - it got up to 96°F, but it did not rain.

Fortunately, I was able to stay inside all day. I had left over meatloaf, peas, and a salad for lunch.

I sent Dad's copy of Wild Wild West off via UPS to him for his birthday. I compared the price at the website vs the UPS Store. If I sent it on FER's account, 2nd day service would cost me $9.08. The UPS Store wanted $22! I sent it via ground service for delivery on Monday, but it still came to $11. Ugghh.

Yesterday my Amazon.com book about mini-farming for self-sufficiency on 1/4 acre was delivered. Today two more books were delivered. The latest Celia Rivenbark book will ship out next week.

We are keeping Buddy's feet and ears clean. He is taking his sulfa antibiotic now. He takes one tablet a day until the end of the month.

Bob rented Parking Space 328 out. He will collect $100 per month in rent for it.

I am glad tomorrow is Friday. It couldn't come soon enough! Bob will keep the truck tomorrow because he has a medical appointment in the morning, and then he is going to the SPCA to volunteer in the afternoon.

Orlando, FL

Today was quieter at work. I think I took all of four (4) phone calls today. I am glad.

The FedEx man delivered my advance copy of Wild Wild West, our Blurb.com book. I ordered a hard cover copy and a paperback copy. The paperback is going to Ohio for Dad's birthday present.

After lunch it clouded up heavily and rained. We had a couple of thunderstorms this afternoon. Temps were much cooler this afternoon.

Bob made pork rind coated pork chops for dinner. We had green beans with the chops.

I must be getting old - the days and weeks just seem to fly by now!

Orlando, FL

Ugghhh... what an exhausting day. Our Manitowoc AVP is going to worry me to death (and Craig too, for that matter). Even Fay said that she was "floored" by her behavior this morning.

I got so upset, I had to go out and take a walk. I walked to the 7-Eleven where I bought a roll of Tums for $1.49.

Damn. It. Was. Hot. Out. There! I was ringing with sweat when I finally got back. The humidity is just oppressive.

Anyway, I am whipped now. We tried to take Buddy for a while in a torrential monsoon and he had to settle for a walk in the garage. We gave him his last Baytril tablet. He starts the sulfa drug tomorrow.

I just want to get a hot shower, lay down, read, and sleep.

Weekend

Another busy whirlwind of a weekend!

We got up around 7:30 on Saturday and took Buddy for his morning walk. Then after Buddy was distracted with his meal, we quietly went out the door again. We got into the truck and drove to Hiawassee Vet Clinic to get his prescription for trimethoprim sulfa 480 mg. He has to take one tablet a day for the next three weeks.

Next we went to Super Target to get our March 2011 vacation pictures printed out. We spent about two hours and $51 on this endeavor. I also got a new pair of shades while we were there.

After this we came home, ate some lunch and put the pictures into chronological order and stuffed them into my photo album.

I was pretty tired after this and took a two hour nap.

Bob made Hamburger Casserole Ole for dinner while I talked with Mom on the phone. It rained during the afternoon and made the humidity so heavy.

Buddy got his evening walk after dinner and we stayed up browsing the Internet until after midnight! We were looking at real estate sites and how-to/do-it-yourself websites.

This morning I went to Publix first thing to get a loaf of bread. I got two loaves, actually, because they were on a buy-one, get-one special. I made French toast with sausage links and coffee for breakfast while Buddy and Bobby went for a walk.

When they returned I had the breakfast finished and I had a can of Mighty Dog in the bowl with Buddy's usual Science Diet Lamb Meal and Rice. Our breakfast was pretty large and we felt stuffed after eating it.

Around mid-morning we went out to the Lake Eola Park Farmers Market. We got a head of cabbage, five green peppers, two large beefsteak tomatoes, and a zucchini. We sliced up the tomatoes for lunch. During the week I suspect the zucchini will go into a meatloaf, we will make stuffed peppers, and the cabbage is going into vegetable soup that will be canned in jars.

This evening Buddy got an extra long walk. Then we had grilled ham and cheese sandwiches for dinner. Now we are finishing up the weekly house cleaning chores. Another week is coming and I only hope it goes past as quickly as this last one.

Orlando, FL

Yesterday was Bob's day at SPCA, so I drove down to the office and gave the car keys to him so that he could go to the shelter later.

When he came to pick me up at 5:00 PM, we drove over to Super Target and got about $100 in groceries. We got a roasted chicken and carton of potato salad for dinner.

Today I was watching preparations for the Juno space probe launch on streaming Internet TV. Fay came down the hall at noon and said, "Are you ready to go?" I had forgotten that she wanted to go to BJ's to get water, canned sodas, and snacks. So I missed the launch.

After lunch Dr. Jason Palm called me to let me know that Buddy does not have MRSA. No, he just has a garden-variety staph infection. So, now he wants us to come in and get a different prescription. Buddy is supposed to take this new drug once a day for three weeks, and Jason wants us to do his ear wash twice a week until the end of September.

Sales at FER were good this week. Not as good as last week, but both of our offices did pretty well.

Bob made Buffalo wings for dinner this evening. He also did the laundry, and called a lady about renting out one of the empty parking spaces.

It was raining after dinner, so Buddy only got a walk in the garage this evening.

I am glad the weekend is here!

Orlando, FL

Today seemed like a looong day. Service issues that were (still are) not easy to resolve. Sometimes these damned factories act like they don't want the business!

Craig and Joan had lunch with Betsy Hummel. I think they came away with a better understanding of how the Disney account needs to be handled.

It started to rain on my drive home and I had to put the truck windows up. The rest of the drive home was roasting hot inside the truck.

Bobby made pork chops with a dijon sauce and steamed veggies for dinner.

Orlando, FL

These past two days have really flown by for me!

Around 11:00 AM Craig and I went together in his car to pick up Betsy at Disney. Fay and William drove down to meet us at the restaurant in William's car. It's always nice to see Betsy and we had a lively time with her during lunch.

We ate at Dave and Busters, a restaurant with a large game arcade inside it - sort of like a Chuck-E-Cheese for adults. The food was good and we all had a good time.

The afternoon was a mad scramble to get phone messages, email, and other things that piled up while we were out all caught back up.

Evelyn came to the office at 4:00 PM with a guy named Paul who is now working for her. He is going to take care of her customers in the Orlando area after she moves to Tampa.

Bob made cheese burgers and green beans for dinner. After dinner we took Buddy for his walk. You could tell he really needed to go pee!

Now I am going to put the medicated ear wash in Buddy's ears, and then take a shower.

Orlando, FL

We found an unpleasant surprise in the guest bathroom this morning. During the night Buddy went in there and relieved himself on the tile floor and floor rug.

We didn't make a big deal about it because we were able to clean it up easily, and we knew that he is sick. We just put all of the bath rugs into the washer.

Work today was steadily busy and we are off to another strong start. In the midst of so much bad economic news we are very lucky to have as much business as we do.

Bobby had a red chili with corn muffins ready for dinner this evening.

It stormed during the afternoon, and now it is still lightly raining outside. I am glad we got the dog walking out of the way!