"Houston... That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."

All this time I thought the ditch would be the end of me but with help from Boike, a rented Bobcat, a couple cases of the nectar of the Gods, PBR, and a good back bone I choke slammed the ditch into submission! This is not the first time the dynamic duel got together to fight the evil forces of the world!!! This was like 15 years ago at the love shack baby love shack, I mean the lake house. You show me someone that graduated from CCHS in 1992 and I will show you a person that took part in 'extra curriculum activities' down there..... Anyways, a big tree fell on it and we were commissioned by Mr and Mrs. Boike to tear it down and boy did we!!!!!

That's my truck at the time being used to knock a wall down. MMMMM To be young and care free again!!!!!

OK...... The first thing I had to do was have all the utility lines marked so we didn't accidentally rupture the gas line while digging!!! KABOOM!!!! Get this..... I went to this web site in the morning and filled in my info... I was thinking it would take them at least a week to come out and mark them all but to my amazement, when I came home from work that afternoon they were all marked!!!! SWEET!!!!


Next up.... Getting the Bobcat..... I made it very clear to the guys at the place I rented it that I had never operated one before. The guy said with a little chuckle "That's no problem... It will take me about five minutes to show you how to use it and I guarantee you'll be driving it like a pro in the first half an hour." Sure enough he was 100% right!!!!

I unloaded it and I was off faster than a prom dress..... I started working on the side of the house where I keep the boat. Remember this?

Well that is what happens when your tires are sitting on the ground. The soil sucks all the moisture out of them... I leveled it and I will be having a load of gravel dumped in there.


The next night Boike came and we took part in drinkin' some PBR...... I love sitting in the rocking chairs out on my huge front porch and talking about the same stuff we talked about the last time we saw each other. GOOD GOD we are old men! He was telling me about how much fun Mese, his wife and him had at the Poison show. If I recall he told me that she was wearing a tub top that said 'spring break 86'. And this is me giving my approval!!

We started out bright and early the next morning by taking out all the RR ties I put in there last year...

Don't let the looks fool ya. I took this picture when I first put them in and you're right, I had a pretty good lookin' start to it but trust me. It was a downward spiral after that.... Anyways, we took them all and threw them in the back yard for the time being.


Then the digging and leveling off began....


OH YEAH!!!!!!! It's 10am!!!! You know what that means!?!?!?!?! It's time to take our Teamster break with a couple of cold ones....


We learned to take a 'real' break from our good friend Gary who was a Teamster for like 30 some years. You want some good entertainment!?!?!?! Watch those two yahoos 'discuss' unions after each of them has had a few alcoholic beverages... Boike's anti and Gary is pro union... It's better than watching any presidential debate you have ever seen.



After our break we started building a retaining wall around my water line. We decided that digging directly on top of it would not be in my best interest. How nice would it have been if none of my neighbors on the street had running water for the day because it had to be shut off so the water company could fix the line I ruptured!?!?!? They all would have loved me!!!! Neighborly hospitality!!!!


After that we leveled out the ditch so the slope was not that drastic. So it was this...

And now it's this...

Up next was a trip to the local feed & seed store Elgin's for a few bales of hay and some seed, rye and brown top millet, that would start right a way. Let me tell ya folks, go and support your local feed & seed store because they know a lot more than any of those lawn and garden BIG BOX stores..... You might save a little bit of money if you go to Lowes, Home Depot or Walmart but you'll be lucky to get someone that knows what the sam hell they are talkin' about......

So up next was spreading some seed then hay. We got rye and top millet because the stuff grows fast and helps fight erosion. We also used a few of the bails and steaked them where the water runs so they slow the flow down which also helps with erosion. Don't worry, they are not permanent. I'll keep them in there until there is a good cover of grass and the dirt is compacted enough.

That was enough work for one day..... We got cleaned up and my parents came down and we cooked out with some steaks. All catered by Kate McBride catering service!!! HE HE HE HE HE HE!!! Her and pops brought everything down for a feast fit for a king!!!! WOO HOO!!!! I didn't have to do anything!!!! I told Boike that he was lucky they came down and served up dinner because if they didn't he would have been lucky if I threw in a frozen pizza in the oven for him.... We spent the rest of the evening chilling out on the front porch. I was soooooo tired that I fell out of my rocking chair...... That's my story and I am stickin' to it!!!!

The next morning we focused on the side yard. We touched it up a little bit and then placed some RR ties as a border and laid some weed barrier down. I'm getting a dump truck load of gravel on Friday. It will look real puuuuuurty then.


Then came the area where we built the retaining wall..... I moved the bush you see on the left of the picture and centered it and also planted some ivy to spread.... That stuff rules!!!!! It's fast growing and covers up all of the imperfections..... It's the Toupee of landscaping... HMMMMMMM!?!?! I might go over to my brother's house and take some of the ivy growing up the retaining wall?????? That sounds like a plan to me!!!!! MORE IVY!!!! I'm a ivy-holic!!!!

Now your going to get my two cents on this whole experience..... I highly recommend you go and rent a Bobcat if you are doing some landscaping!!! Trust me! Your back will thank you!!! I stacked all those RR ties in the back yard in less than a half an hour...

When you realize all the stuff you can get accomplished when you rent one it's a no brainer..... It's money well spent.....

Look what I found on You Tube!!! See those trees in the background? I live on the other side of them. You can hear the cars if you were outside but if your just sitting inside watching TV then you can hardly hear them...

I started out by telling you that Boike and I tore down the old lake house years ago... Well Boike's younger brother and his family just built a house out there..... The original built by Sanford and Son.



And the new one!!! I'd say it's a little bit better then the shack that use to be out there.

And look who made a magazine cover!?!? None other than my wacky sister in law Princess Leia.... You want my opinion? Well I don't care, you're going to get it anyway.... The best picture is on page 4!!! It's an action shot of her singing karaoke!!! I think she is singing an old Milli Vanilli song......

And before I sign off I just wanted to mention that no you are not tripping on anything, I changed the background to blue..... That's right!! I added some spice to my blog!!!!! OH YEAH BABY!!!! I also want to apologize that it took me so long to post a new entry but I have had computer issues.... The dang thing died and I am having it looked at. Plus all of my pictures and stuff are on the that computer and I had to scramble to find or take other pictures and there are other 'issues' that caused a delay too...... Anyways, enough of my whinning. Have a good one and I will talk to y'all later.......

HULLABALOO!!!!!!!

My aunt and God mother, although she had forgotten that part until I reminded her of it like 5 years ago, Nancy informed me that she enjoys the pictures on my blog but she is not too sure about all the hullabaloo I write about. That silly lady had me confused. I didn't know what that word meant. So my aunt Kathy informed me of what that word meant as well as told me that there was a show with that name back in the 60's. LIKE GROOVY MAN!!!!!

Now that we are straight with the meaning of hullabaloo it's time for another entry on the best BLOG on the net!!!!!

Now for like 15 years, give or take a few years when I was in WI. or the Boikes were in Co., we would spend July 4th on Lake Wylie at the Boike Lakeland, MMMMMMMMMMMM!!!! Great times, I went up to the Boike farm up in Va.. Sure it was weird not being down at the lake but hey things change, HELLO THAT'S LIFE! In all it was a good time and I realized that no matter where we are for the 4th there will be someone that can't handle their alcohol and yells obscenities to people then passes out... No this is not the person. I forget her name. This was from a couple of years ago when she yelled at Mr. Williamson and I because we told her that she was too drunk to waterski. She cussed us out then promptly passed out..... AHHH Good times!!!!! Anyways! It was a male this time and he carried on the tradition of, someway or another, upsetting almost everyone there.... It would not be a July 4th without one!!!!! I want to apologize that I have no pictures of my trip up there because being the idiot I can be sometimes I forgot to charge the battery in my camera before I went up there. So you'll have to take my word that I had fun... We even went to the Shenandoah river and floated down it...... That was a blast!!! Chilling out in an inner tube and drinking a beer is the best cure that ails ya EVER! I gave some old beer signs and NASCAR stuff I had accumulated over the years and I thought they would be perfect to give to Hatcher as my contribution to the 'Man Room'. Being that Boike was the only person who actually responded to my request for what the heck I should do with the side yard, he won the magnet/'to do' list.... I do not have a picture of him accepting his award, HECK I even forgot to bring it up with me when I was up there. I guess I will mail it to him. His suggestion was to lay stone down... The other side of the house has 'issues' too with not growing grass and looking nasty so Mom got me some ivy to plant... I figure it will cover this whole area in a few years.... As you can see the rose garden has a problem with the soil staying in one place. I don't know about your neck of the woods but we have had some pretty fierce thunderstorms around here and it has rained so hard that the my gutters overflow and spill over onto the ground.... But besides that everything is growing pretty good. The Wii has been great to play!!!!! It comes with a boxing game that kicks your butt!!!! The workout you get playing it is better than any membership to a gym.... I also got a WWII game that is sweet too.... I ask you? How can you go wrong killing Nazis?????? Exactly!!! You can't!!!! Next month's entry will be all about the eye sore I mean ditch in the front. I have big plans that include A Bobcat, Boike, some RR ties and a case or two of PBR. Now if you'll excuse me I have to go and liberate a French town and kick some Nazi butt!!!!! ACHTUNG BABY!!!!

MULCH-A-PALOOZA

Gas is $4 a gallon now but I still love having my truck!!!!! BEHOLD!!!!! A 1997 F-150 with a 5.8 V8!!!! It drinks gas faster than an alcoholic who has not had a drink in two days!!!! But I wouldn't change a thing!!! When it's time for mulch all I do is go the the dump and pick up a load and start spreading it!!!!



Pretty sweet deal!!!!! Sure does beat going to Lowes or Home Depot and buying a 2 Cu. Ft. of the stuff for $5.00!!!! Can you say "rip off"!?!?! If I say so myself, I think the old F-150 still looks great for all the stuff it's been through like going through a WI. winter and then being loaded down and towing a Mustang for a 15 hour trip when I moved back here in 2001, pucked in, slept in, plus hauling a boat around and going to and from Talladega, MMMMMMMM dega, towing a Scotty.


HE HE HE HE!!!! I found a picture of the day I got it back in 12/98..... WOW!!!! That was almost 10 years ago!!!! Where does the time go???????


OK! Back to the subject of mulch..... I finished the front of the house as well as around the trees.


I know, I know....... The bushes need to be trimmed..... I'll do that next weekend.... Patients young Jedis..... I have a couple more areas to cover like the side of the driveway and another area and that will be next weekends project.... Here's the deal with the mulch.... I put it in areas that grass doesn't grow.....

SOOOOOOOOOO As most of you know I was pretty sick in May and didn't get a chance to go up to the Boike farm in VA. but rest assure!!! I'll be heading up there for July 4th weekend for some fun!!!!! Have a great Independence Day weekend....

HOLY CHAUTAUQUA LAKE!!!!!! I wish I could sit here and tell you what a great time I had up at the Boike farm in VA.. But I got very sick and was not able to go up there and I was pretty bummed out about the whole situation. It got so bad that my parents had to come get me and take me to the hospital....... My parents ROCK!!!! And thanks to all who were concerned about me....Mr. & Mrs. Carbonara, GOD BLESS THEM, called my parents because I didn't show up to work on their computer... So I have spent the last two weeks watching 'trash TV' like Jerry Springer and having to be fed yogurt by my mom because I was soooooooo weak..... I am happy to report that I am getting back on track and will be 100% in no time..... I really wanted to go up to Boike and Mese's and clear some more land with Hillary...


Why Hillary? Because she takes out anything in here way and leaves destruction and emptiness behind!!!! HE HE HE HE HE HE!! GEE I wonder what political party I am a part of??????

Don't get me wrong, I love getting free stuff but it can be a very bittersweet experience.... Let's delve into my thoughts shall we!?!?!?! Not to get all depressing but you know the times when someone like a relative or good friend starts giving you stuff they say "no longer can use"? It's a good sign that they know that they will not be on this earth much longer. I think it's a stage of knowing you are going to die. Am I right? Correct me if I am wrong. My Grandpa Cawley did it to me, I picked up his old .22 rifle and his SWEET A$$ bowling shirt!


But I am going through it again with my Grandpa McBride. Sure "he's got this ultimate set of tools", name that movie, but it bums me out that he can't use them anymore at the same time I feels honored that he is giving them to me...... He knows I will use them.... I tell ya, the circle of life sure can suck sometimes....

One of the things he gave me was this hatchet..... It is in pristine condition... He probably bought it back in the 60's thinking he would need it sometime. From the looks of it I say he may of used it a few times over the years.! Look at it.... Hardly a nick or scratch on it...... The lettering is a little smeared but so what and don't get my started on the blade... I cut myself on it when I checked to see if it needed to be sharpened....


Things have been busy at casa de McBride..... Big Ron hooked me up with the old outdoor lights from their house..... I guess mom wanted new ones that went better with the outdoor decor of their Taj Mahal. They were a copper color and it was 'suggested' to me to paint them black....


So after a trip to Big Lots for some black spray paint and Food Dawg for a sixer of High Life I spent the evening getting a contact high from the paint and taking breaks to enjoy a beer while jamming to Hair Nation on Sirius.


I had flashbacks to when I was 17 working on the Mustang, of course there was no beer involved because I was under age.... HELL I had no one to buy me some..... My older brother was a Puritan or something and would never buy it for my friends and I. A topic that is still mentioned when I am together with some of my high school friends... They don't refer to him as Andy's older brother but Andy's older brother that NEVER bought us beer. So anyways, what do you think????? I think they turned out pretty good.....

These are the ones I replaced.


And the new ones.


I built some trellises for my rose/saint garden...... See the one on your left??? As you can see, I have high hopes for the roses to grow and climb up to the top..... I will call this one "Barry Bonds" because I will 'juice' it until it reaches the top!!!! The RGH, Rose Growth Hormone, will consist of a healthy dose of Miracle-Gro and a bunch of plant food that's specialized for roses.


Slowly but surely I am getting all the necessary parts for my entertainment center..... Behold!!!! The Wii in all of it's glory!!!!!

I've been waiting to snag one for almost two years now.... I found a web site that alerted me when there was one available at about 50 different online stores. Well I woke up a couple of Sundays ago and checked my email and I had one telling me one was at Sears.com. So using my Jedi like skills I quickly ordered it!!! With the work outs I'll get playing it I will look like this in a matter of weeks and I can start being his body double again.....

Here's a little movie info for ya.... All the scenes where he has to be naked with a woman, that's actually me!!!!! I say if you got the money maker why not show it off!!!!! WOO HOO!!!!!

Ladies and gentlemen this is what dry rot looks like!!!!! I'm not going to sit here and sound like a nerd, even though I probably did in the last paragraph, and explain what causes it but I will be like my brother and send you a link that explains it.....

Anyways, I spend the morning getting the tire replaced, luckily there's Wilson Tire down the road!!!! That's what's great about a small town, everything is so close and everyone is soooooo nice........ Mr. Wilson put a new tire on while I enjoyed some coffee with some of the ol' timers talkin' NASCAR!!!! This is what I have realized, now as y'all know I have your typically whiny northern accent but I don't care who you are, if you know your NASCAR you can talk to any good ol' boy.......

And this is what happens to your yard when you try to move your boat, so you can change the flat tire, on really soggy ground.... I tore it up pretty good didn't I?????


So it looks like I have an excuse to rototill it plant new seed or spread some mulch on it..... What do you think..... Drop me an email or just leave a comment on here.... The winner of the contest will receive this lovely grocery list/magnet!!!!!

It's never been used and sticks well to any metal surface..... You see these are from Johnny who was my Realtor.... He still has me on his mailing list so I have about 55 of these things....
Talk to you later I'm off to bed to try to get some sleep because I have a full day of being poked and pronged at by the Dr...... Oh the joy!!!!!!