The curtamous page
October 2006 Archived Notes
OCT
30, 2006 - Jak se Maj! Holy crap! What a morning!!! Nothing like coming back to work after a couple days off. Crazy... Its 12:01 and I'm just STARTING today's update... Oh well...
The day started off bad with the oil pressure light coming on in the truck and the oil
pressure gauge going from normal to ZERO every time the light came one... Plenty of oil, but needless to say, the truck is in the shop being looked at... The thing that makes me wonder is, I just got the oil changed last week... go figure...
More bad news... last week the local building inspector called (forever more referred
to as Inspector Gadget) and he wanted to finish inspecting my garage... IT WAS BUILT THREE YEARS AGO!!! So I told Inspector Gadget to come on over... Of course, I'm worried, cause the garage is a freaken mess, and I've done all the work in it since it was officially "done"... Of course, he comes over when I can't be there and comes up with some electrical stuff... No ground rod on the box and the "white" isn't identified properly... OK, I can call the electrician on that stuff, but then he says I have to have GFI plugs on everything... THOSE THINGS ARE EXPENSIVE!!! Then he backs off and says actually they only have to be on the first plug of each circuit... Great, that cuts it down to 3, but at $12 each, still a pain... Then he says, "Oh by the way, I noticed the bottom step on your deck is too high... You have to fix that...". I already jury-rigged what I had, so I KNEW this meant building new ones from scratch...
SO, I spent much of Saturday putting in GFI plugs and then designing, laying out, cutting, and then installing new stringers for my deck... NOT fun... But I think they worked out OK. We'll see if my buddy Inspector Gadget likes 'em...
On a better note, the floor of the shop is coming along OK... it still sucks, but its coming along... I also finished the roof of my "woodshed". I cut bait on the whole "wood shingle" concept and put on the left over rolled roofing from the flooring project... MUCH QUICKER!!!
The eldest (SEC-HSS) and I also ventured north on Friday, but just for the day. HE had a date that night, so we had to be back. Not sure what the
Chief Inspector's problem was, but he didn't want to go along. We had breakfast in Lena (awesome!!!) and arrived safely in Stephenson Township despite the absolute stench on the way up. We took a rid on the back road and saw at least 4 deer, one of them an obvious buck, so we got that going for us... Warmed up the cabin and did some documentation for the next occupant, and then spent the rest of the morning sprucing up and building new deer stands... The President is going to love the new deer stands, as we "marked" 'em, and you know how much he loves that red tape in the woods...
After a break at noon, we shut down camp and headed to Athelstane for lunch. Despite a somewhat crabby (and overworked) bartender/cook, we had a GREAT lunch... We headed over to Debroux's old place and checked things out. Found a couple possible stands for Monday-Tuesday hunts (as well as one grass snake that scared the crap out of me) and headed out.
We had a "little" extra time, so we headed over to see if we could find Jack and Ass... Sure enough, they were over at the farm "sighting in" guns... What a cluster... The more Sippy turned the dial on his scope the worse he got and the funnier it was... Too bad we had to head back cause I'm sure it would have been a fun time... But we had to be back, so sadly we went...
What else do I have... Well, I finally got out in the woods bowhunting yesterday. After the game, I decided to head out to Zumbo's and put up my stand. I couldn't track down Zumbo, so I figured he was out farming or hunting. When I got out to my tree, I saw another stand about 30 yards away, so that tree was out. I also saw a hunter in a tree about 75 yards away, but after waving for a couple minutes, guessed he didn't see me or it wasn't Zumbo... So I headed out, only to have Zumbo cut me off just before I crossed back over the river. Sure enough, that was him, but he didn't hear me until I started walking out...
So he talked me into dropping the stand for another day and climbing up into a stand. Actually, it was a really beautiful evening for a hunt, even though I was dressed for putting up a stand and now standing... Saw a doe and couple fawns so it turned out pretty good... Kinda got the fever now...
How about this week's drinking schedule:
30 Feast of the Dead Children (Toltec). Oh, those creepy, creepy
Toltecs.
Mescal.
31 Halloween. Suit up as a historical drunk. Zombie.
1 Dia de los Muertos (Mexican). Raise a drink to lost friends. Dead Guy Ale.
2 Festival of Odin (Norse). Vikings believed they went on an eternal drinking binge with Odin if they died in combat.
Glogg.
3 First dog goes to space (1957). Laika lasted two hours in orbit. Flying Dog Ale.
4 Cash register patented. Originally created to combat stealing by bartenders in a Dayton, Ohio saloon.
One on the cuff.
5 Guy Fawkes’ Day (British). Celebrating the kook who tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament.
Car Bomb.
Gotta love those Vikings... No virgins for them, just eternal booze!!!
That's paradise... makes me kinda proud of my heritage...
Speaking of Vikings, the local Denville HS football team advanced another level in the state tourney... Congrats!
Well, more time off this week (hopefully) with Thursday and Friday scheduled as days off... then I'm scheduled off all next week... followed by 2.5 days of work and then off to deer camp!!! What a GREAT month!!! Well, that's if work doesn't screw it up...
I'm planning on sending out an email and seeing if anyone is up for sighting in guns this weekend... I think I have to work Saturday morning, but the afternoon should be OK or Sunday after church... we'll see... We can't be any worse than Jack and Ass!!!!
Deer Camp 2006 is 16 days away. Can you believe it???
Not bad... its 12:40 and I'm almost done with the update... Well, times a wasting, but before I go, a few words of wisdom for our junior members:
"I'll bet living in a nudist colony takes all the fun out of Halloween." ~ Author Unknown
I don't know... that just caught me as funny... Happy Halloween everyone!!!
Until next time, take care...
As Red would say, "Keep your stick on the ice!"
curtamous
OCT
23, 2006 - Jak se Maj! Happy Monday!!! I hope
everyone is doing well... Me? I got another 3 day work week ahead... Well, I shouldn't be so excited. Last week was a supposed 3 day work week, but I ended up on the phone half the day on Thursday, a little bit Friday, and then I had to work at 7am on Sunday, and it took most of the morning! OK Mr. FM, enough whining...
Thursday afternoon I finished laying the rolled roofing on the rest of my shop floor, and yesterday I got the first coat of paint on. I am amazed at how
much paint that stuff soaks up. It was roughly a 12x12 section remaining, and I put it on real heavy... over 3 gallons. It still looks rough! Pretty amazing... So my request for anyone's old paint remains....
Despite all the interruptions and shop work, I was able to head north Friday afternoon. Got the cabin warmed up and ready to go, made a small hunt (3 grouse, zero shots), and took a ride at dusk looking for deer. Saw 15, and almost hit one... Not bad... The President and AG didn't show up until 8:30, and I was starting to get lonely. But soon the stories were flying and all was good in the world...
We got up early and starting making wood... There are over a dozen poplars down, so we didn't have to go far. Hard work, but a good time.
(The AG even made us breakfast during a mid-morning break!) It was only the 3 of us in the morning, as the SEC-State, SEC-Transportation (and his sidekick), and most importantly, the 4 wheeler, weren't scheduled to arrive until that evening. I didn't get a report, but I assume they all made it up there and the woods are cleared... I had an excellent time, and didn't want to go home. Just as we resolved an issue (TWO chainsaws stuck), the son-in-law, his beautiful deer slaying bride, and another couple from Denville showed up. So we took a break and chatted... Then I REALLY didn't want to go home... but I ended up packing and hitting the road...
Saturday night we headed east to Mr. Ric's old establishment for a 10th anniversary
party. The FM was even there!!! I took it easy as I had to work early the next day, but my brother-in-law (and beautiful bride) were there, and he was on a ROLL!!! Singing AND playing the air keyboard on the bar. Never saw him quite like that. Pretty funny... Anyway, had a good time and got home early. Happy 10th Mary and Wayne!!!
The Jack and Ass team must but really gearing up for the fall, as I got an email from each of them... Here's a list of good ones.
When Insults Had Class
"He has all the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire."
-- Winston Churchill
"A modest little person, with much to be modest about."
-- Winston Churchill
"I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with great pleasure."
-- Clarence Darrow
"He has never been known to use a word that might send a reader to the dictionary."
-- William Faulkner (about Ernest Hemingway)
"Poor Faulkner. Does he really think big emotions come from big words?"
-- Ernest Hemingway (about William Faulkner)
"Thank you for sending me a copy of your book; I'll waste no time reading it."
-- Moses Hadas
"He can compress the most words into the smallest idea of any man I know."
-- Abraham Lincoln
"I've had a perfectly wonderful evening. But this wasn't it."
-- Groucho Marx
"I didn't attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it."
-- Mark Twain
"He has no enemies, but is intensely disliked by his friends."
-- Oscar Wilde
"I am enclosing two tickets to the first night of my new play; bring a friend ... if you have one."
-- George Bernard Shaw to Winston Churchill
"Cannot possibly attend first night, will attend second ... if there is one."
-- Winston Churchill, in response
"I feel so miserable without you; it's almost like having you here."
-- Stephen Bishop
"He is a self-made man and worships his creator."
-- John Bright
"I've just learned about his illness. Let's hope it's nothing
trivial."
-- Irvin S. Cobb
"He is not only dull himself; he is the cause of dullness in others."
-- Samuel Johnson
"He is simply a shiver looking for a spine to run up."
-- Paul Keating
"He had delusions of adequacy."
-- Walter Kerr
"There's nothing wrong with you that reincarnation won't cure."
-- Jack E. Leonard
"He has the attention span of a lightning bolt."
-- Robert Redford
"They never open their mouths without subtracting from the sum of human knowledge."
-- Thomas Brackett Reed
"He inherited some good instincts from his Quaker forebears, but by diligent hard work, he overcame them."
-- James Reston (about Richard Nixon)
"In order to avoid being called a flirt, she always yielded easily."
-- Charles, Count Talleyrand
"He loves nature in spite of what it did to him."
-- Forrest Tucker
"Why do you sit there looking like an envelope without any address on it?"
-- Mark Twain
"His mother should have thrown him away and kept the stork."
-- Mae West
"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go."
-- Oscar Wilde
"He uses statistics as a drunken man uses lamp-posts ......... for support rather than illumination."
-- Andrew Lang (1844-1912)
"He has Van Gogh's ear for music."
-- Billy Wilder
I'll probably have to copy the list and bring it to Deer Camp to explain them to the junior members...
And next up from the team is a little test for the junior members. Its actually from "the MUCH better half", and word is it took both Jack and Ass a while to figure it out... Here's the
link: GENDERTEST
Crap, I almost forgot!!! Zumbo strikes again!!! I got this email on my phone last Thursday. No story, just the picture... Well, like they say, a picture's worth a thousand words...
Way to go Zumbo!!!
That brings up another hunting topic... The AG has been bowhunting out on the ranch, and last week he missed a nice buck. Sounds like it was a tough shot, as it happened pretty quickly. Like I told him, better to miss than
wound and chase... I've been bowhunting for over 25 years and never got one, and the little bugger will
probably get one his first year... Well, more power to him!!!
Best get on with this week's drinking schedule:
23 Hungarian Independence Day. So long vodka, hello sweet, sweet freedom.
The Mad Hungarian
4oz shots Rum
12 oz Root beer
Pour rum over ice in a beer mug. Top with root beer.
24 United Nations Day. Unite the liquors of the world into one body—yours. Long Island Ice Tea.
25 Anniversary of the Charge of the Light Brigade (1854). “Their’s not to reason why, their’s but to do and die.”
Light beer.
26 Anniversary of the Gunfight at the OK Corral (1881). Doc Holliday’s last words while drinking a glass of whiskey: “This is funny.”
Whiskey (but not funny whiskey).
27 Dylan Thomas’ Birthday (1914). “An alcoholic is someone you don’t like who drinks as much as you do.”
White Horse Scotch.
28 St. Jude’s Day. Patron saint of hopeless causes. Tequiza.
29 Hermit Day. Stay home and drink all by your lonesome. Yukon Jack.
Something about the 28th makes me think of junior members, but what is Tequiza?
Well, Deer Camp 2006 is less than a month away, and I'm starting to get the fever... I hope to head north again this weekend with my offspring. The President and AG are heading west to
Neillsville to hunt with some Bohemians, so it will be a little quieter in the
cabin than usual, but hopefully a good time... I also need to start in on the menu and
schedules for camp, so BBC members, be warned! Gosh... I just can't wait!!!
But, I've missed about 3 phone calls already, so I better get back to work... But before I go, a few words of wisdom for our junior members:
"I'll go get the 3rd chainsaw... but wait, what if that gets stuck too?" -- You know who...
Maybe that's not REALLY wisdom, but it sure was funny...
Until next time, take care...
As Red would say, "Keep your stick on the ice!"
curtamous
OCT
16, 2006 - Jak se Maj! How's everyone doing? I hope all is well... I have to
apologize for missing ANOTHER update last week. Frankly, I am quite surprised at the number of people who notice. I assumed my readership was at about 1.25, and that was on a good week. From the looks of things, its more like 2.65... Not bad!
Well, last week I missed due to a day of vacation on Monday. There's no way I'm doing an update on a vacation day... even though I spent the day working at home, the thought of opening up the laptop just seemed very wrong... so I went with my instincts...
So what's new? Last week (10/5-6) I was down in Chicago. Business trip along with an afternoon of golf. My buddy BO got me trashed on Thursday night, which is nothing unusual, but it made for a tough round of golf. Good time though, but a VERY long ride home Friday afternoon. This last Friday and Saturday I was down in Dallas... More work... To be honest, this work stuff is getting to me. I know I need to prioritize my life
better, but there's so much stuff going on at work its hard to just ignore it. Its been so busy I haven't been out hunting yet (heck, I only shot my bow ONCE, and that was last Monday), I've only talked to The President once in the last month (not counting the Booyah), and have yet to go up north this fall. THAT'S CRAZY!!! Well. I'm hoping things settle down, but I said that last month too... we'll see...
Oh, to keep on the same "whining" topic, I've got jury duty this week... Today I got lucky and there are no cases, so I got to go to work instead. (At least I'm doing an update!!!) But I have a bad feeling about this whole jury duty thing... I'm guessing I'll get called in Thursday because I have that day scheduled for vacation... We'll see...
Hey, got a good pic of the VICTORIOUS Booyah Making Crew!
What a great looking bunch of guys, eh?
Update on the flooring project in my shop... the bulging got worse... So I went out and got a stapler... and a compressor to run it... This floor is getting EXPENSIVE!!! By the time I stapled everything, it was flat again, but pretty rough from all the traffic and bugling and re-stapling, so the painting didn't go as well as expected, but its OK, after 6-7 gallons... the last gallon of paint had some red in it, so part of the paint is "strawberry"... NOT PINK!!! I'm on to the next half, and I hope this side goes better. The big issue is to get it done soon before it gets too cold to finish it...
But, if there's a way to screw it up, I'm sure I'll find it...
I am in need of latex paint though... since I'm up to 7 gallons used, my stock of old
decrepit paint is getting low. If anyone has any old stuff (has to be latex, indoor or outdoor is
fine) they want to get rid of, let me know. I can take it off your hands... any color or quality is fine...
Hey, did I mention I almost have my "wood shed" done? Its kind of a lean-to on the back on my garage. Didn't turn out too bad... just have to finish
putting the "shingles" on... I'm using left over pieces of fence boards for a "cedar shake" roofing look... doesn't look great, but its not bad... worse case I can rip 'em off and put on
regular shingles...
Yesterday the Nelson clan gathered for my sister's birthday. We had brunch at a local place. Excellent food! Gathering for everyone's birthday is my an idea from my sisters to make sure we all get together
occasionally... nice time... Everyone also gather for the mayor's birthday a week ago, but I was out of town. Happy Birthday to them both!!!
Wow, this update is getting long...
How about this week's drinking schedule:
16 Oscar Wilde’s Birthday (1854). “Work is the curse of the drinking classes.”
Absinthe.
17 Anniversary of the First Oktoberfest (1810). Over a million gallons of beer were guzzled at Prince Ludwig’s wedding.
Beck’s .
18 Persons Day (Canada). Celebrates the day women were recognized as “persons.”
Pink Lady.
19 Reptile Awareness Day. Hold your heads up high, lounge lizards. Rum and Coke.
20 National Brandied Fruit Day. In a pinch, you can mix brandy with a can of fruit cocktail. You heard me.
21 Anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar (1805). Grog guzzlers trounce the wine snobs.
Navy Rum and Coke.
22 National Nut Day. You know who you are. Nut Brown Ale.
I like today! Never had Absinthe, but I saw a show on it on the History channel recently... Maybe we need some for Deer Camp!
Speaking of Deer Camp, some of us are heading north this weekend, supposedly to make wood. I am going Friday and coming home Saturday (other
commitments Sat. night). The President is up the whole weekend, while SEC-STATE and SEC-Transportation (and his sidekick), and possibly the SEC-W/M depending on his surgery, are coming up Saturday night. Should be a good time as always, and maybe we'll get some work done!!!
Speaking of Deer Camp, can you believe its only 31 days away? Holy cow!!! I'll have to get a countdown clocking running or something. AND I have to start the schedules and menus and everything else... What a GREAT time of the year!
Here's a story I heard... not sure if its true or not...
The President was busily preparing for another day of deer hunting season, his beautiful wife started nagging that he never asked her to go along. After several hours of argument the wife won.
That next morning they drove out to the country, and he placed his wife in a stand about 100 yards from his blind. Just as the hunter reached the blind, he heard a loud bang coming from the wife's position.
As he ran up to her, he saw that she was holding her gun on a man nearby and shouting, "It's my deer! Get away from It!! The sheepish-looking stranger just nodded slowly and said, "OK, lady.. It's your deer. Just let me get my saddle off of it!"
I have a hard time believing the circumstances, but I CAN picture the first lady
holding the gun on the stranger...
Well, I think that's it... not a bad update... With Deer Camp right around the corner, I'll make weekly updates a priority... I hope...
But before I go, a few words of wisdom for our junior members:
"As the light grows dimmer and the trail begins to fade, my sweetest dreams are those of yesteryear, at deer camp." Author, Jim Slinsky
Never a truer statement!
Until next time, take care...
As Red would say, "Keep your stick on the ice!"
curtamous
OCT
2, 2006 - Jak se Maj! HAPPY MONDAY!!! Well, they've done it AGAIN!!! Bob's Buck Camp has for the third year in a row, wrapped up the People's Choice Award at the prestigious "World Championship Booyah Cookoff" in downtown Hebel's Corner! The team, led by our regionally famous FDA Chairman, once again dominated the field in
what is the one true award at the event, THE PEOPLE'S CHOICE!
This event has even spread to the point where its regionally covered, all the way out to Milwaukee. (See JSOnline article: http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=507097) The FM was again quoted multiple times in this article, and again, never ONCE mentioned The President or his incredible breakfast. I would assume this was edited out for some reason, because none of his
Belgian drivel made the paper either... (Kidding aside, the FM and his crew do a
GREAT job!) Anyways, it was a GREAT time, and it all went to a great cause, as a record amount was donated to CP. Great job guys!!!
On a somewhat humorous side note, at least to me, was the raffle/door prize I won. As always, the BBC supports the raffles at the event (ESPECIALLY the 50/50 Raffle!!!), and as always, I signed up on the board for #23. Well, #23 was selected relatively early,
maybe 4th or 5th, so it was a MAJOR PRIZE!!! (See "A Christmas Story" for joke relevance) As I walk up, it turns out to be a John Deere little kids bike, all decked out in green, with training wheels attached!!! My first thought was "sell it!", but then some old bag offered me $40 for it on the spot and I thought, "No, I better keep this for now...", and I did. Maybe to sell off later... Maybe to donate to another raffle... and yes, maybe for my own grandkids... we'll see...
Not much else going on of importance... I began my flooring project in my shop... Forever Floor is the name... Well, I put down 1/8" hardboard in case it didn't work, and put down the PRC and rolled roofing, and everything looked pretty good. Very flat, glued down well... Looked good, until I checked this morning... It looks like the damn hardboard might have sucked up some of the PRC, swelled, and now its bulging up in spots... NOW I'M PISSED!!! Well, I'll see how it looks after I paint it... Maybe it'll be OK... It's only 1/2 done, I still have time to cut bait if its really bad... One other drawback, I'm still freaking sore from trying to spread that damn PRC...
Packers play tonight... That might not be good, especially since the Badgers ROLLED over Indiana on Saturday... It'll be a late night watching, and I'll watch it all, even if they suck... I may have to break the tradition of having a beer on every score though. I'm afraid it'll be like the Bare game and I'll go thirsty all night...
Next up? The drinking agenda.
2 Groucho Marx’s Birthday (1890). “I don't care to belong to a club that accepts people like me as members.”
Country Club Malt Liquor.
3 St. Dionysus Day. The drunk monk, not the wine god. Chimay Ale.
4 Vodka Day. “Vodka is our enemy, so we must utterly consume it!”—Russian idiom in response to Soviet anti-vodka campaign.
The enemy.
5 Monty Python’s Flying Circus debuts (1969). American Beer is a lot like making love in a row boat—it's fucking close to water.” —Eric Idle.
Holy Grail Ale.
6 National German-American Day. Their beer tastes so much better when they’re not shooting at us.
Bourbon and schnapps.
7 The Budweiser (Czech version) brewery begins operations (1895). You guys wanna trade?
Czech Budweiser.
8 Anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire (1871). Started by a sober cow. White Russian.
OH! I LIKE Saturday! REAL Budweiser!!!
Made by Bohemians!!!
Has anyone realized that we're just over 6 weeks away from the GREATEST TIME OF THE YEAR!!! That's right, Deer Camp 2006 is right around the corner. BBC members, info is forthcoming!!!
Speaking of Deer Camp, we're looking at a woodmaking run on the weekend of October 21st. Be THERE!!! The President will also be in camp the previous weekend, so someone should really step forward and keep him company!!! I'll be in Texas, so it can't be me this time!
I may be a day late with next week's update, as I may take Monday off... we'll see...
That's all I got... good stuff...
But before I go, a few words of wisdom for our junior members:
"Good manners: The noise you don't make when you're eating soup." -- Bennett Cerf, humorist, publisher (1898-1971)
That doesn't apply to Booyah!!!
Until next time, take care...
As Red would say, "Keep your stick on the ice!"
curtamous
Last Updated: Wednesday, April 30, 2008
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