"Letters to Miss Emily..."

[backhoe]

Tarheel. Even the UNC at Chapel Hill colors.

A nice vehicle that should still be offered. There's nothing like that on the market.

It's basically a Japanese adaptation of a Jeep- 5 forward gears, two-speed transfer case, big 4-cylinder engine. Torsion bars on the front end. It still rides, jumps, and hops like a Jeep, but somewhat less uncomfortable.

I got it when Emily's Mom was entering that terminal phase, her huge old dog was ailing- I was doing a lot of transporting and those two large, high doors looked like they would help with that. I had been driving Emily's hand me down Protege' and getting either of those large passengers in & out was a real trip.

It's paid for, is pushing 200,000 miles but the engine is still tight. I just prefer the Mitz because it is so much more comfortable to drive.

[RedDog]

There's a number of Troopers around but Rodeos and Amigos are getting rare here. I stand to be corrected but I believe Isuzu is a couple decades older than Toyota, Honda or Nissan as a corporation.

[backhoe]

There's a number of Troopers around but Rodeos and Amigos are getting rare here. I stand to be corrected but I believe Isuzu is a couple decades older than Toyota, Honda or Nissan as a corporation.

Well, we could use this here newfangled InterToobs thing to look that up, but that would be too easy...

Rodeos & Troopers are fairly common here but mine is the only native Amigo I've seen- first time I bought parts for it the counterman said "When you said 'Amigo,' you said 'expensive...'" But that's true of any brand today- the days of $10 starter overhauls are long gone.

One thing the InterToobs was good for? I was able to look up its history- one woman owner in Denver for its first two years. The rest of the time it belonged to some woman on East Beach here. Not quite as good as a single, satisfied owner but pretty close. Near as I can tell it wasn't cowboy'd around, just driven normally.

The man I bought it from- Lucy's next door neighbor- claimed he bought it for his daughter in law, redid the whole interior, gave it to her- and she could not stand the stick shift, so he was selling it. It did have a new interior, and that was a nice story, anyway...

If only it didn't ride like a truck.

[backhoe]

I talked to MaryAnn a couple of times on the phone- mostly personal things- but I notice when I say "Hi, MaryAnn" Cole bolts for the door- he seems to equate that with "ride!"

With the spectre of hundreds of un-budgeted dollars of expenses vanished by fixing my own AC in the car I'm considering replacing the tube-type TV I use with the wireless CCTV cameras with a small flat panel TV. The savings in power consumption would probably make it pay for itself- I kind of like being able to see the yard and have left the tube-type off to save power lately.

It's still cool enough to leave the house open and I will as long as I can.

[backhoe]

For my more general readership?

All I can say is "Yes, yes..." Unfortunately it includes a "Yes, but..."

Wretchard is right. His commentors are right. But I really don't know "what you do about it..."
If it weren't for my 2 dead wives death "benefits," ( Oh, Joy! They paid into the system all their lives... ) I'd be living under the Lanier Bridge or among the ruins of Haase Farm Service.

Meanwhile, I'm wrangling for $16 a month more of food stamps... there has to be a better way...

http://pjmedia.com/richardfernandez/2012/06/17/the-coming-of-the-next-american-republic/#comments

[backhoe]

Well I filled out the forms Family & Children's ( It's always for the children... ) Services sent me, wrote a cover letter and included copies of my driver's license, precinct card, and birth certificate. For some unknown bureaucratic reason they seem to care more if I am registered to vote than anything else. Maybe they are concerned I won't vote right- like for ever-more government. Ours is out of control. If it were a ship it would be flying flag #5...



I also cut a small check for Connie and next time I'm near the PO annex it goes in the mail.

The only thing I've heard from MaryAnn so far is that she wrote a nice email but it wouldn't “send” and got lost in the ether.

It's still pleasantly cool here- soon I'll head out and fetch some things then return to my station. The one not on the Delta...

-30-

[backhoe]

Housekeeping notes. 6-19-12...

A cold & furry muzzle poked me awake at 2 AM so up I got and out we went. After getting Cole-boy back in I decided “what's the use trying to sleep?” and started the wash, got showered & shaved & dressed in my usual slacks & wife beater, and gave the dishwasher its once in a blue moon run.

A couple of facebook PM's yesterday from MaryAnn prompted me to overcome my innate shyness and call her last night and I'm glad I did. That tooth that fell out abscessed so I quizzed her a bit about what she was doing for it ( “Called Dr. George, sipped wine, and rested...” ) and after making sure the thing was draining offered to take her to the dentist if she didn't feel like driving. A bad tooth is nothing to sneeze at- they can make you very sick, or even kill-- so I'm standing by, ready to roll.

Cole-boy is in “guard mode”-- rolled on his back, belly exposed, near my feet. And of course that makes me remember my Emily-girl and her funny, dry, dirty ways about her. I sure wish she had lived to see Voyager exit the solar system. She flew in her imagination with Star Trek & Dr. Who. Hitched a ride on Harry Potter's broomstick- and yes, I made jokes about her being “Witchie-Poo” from HR Puffnstuff.

We had some good times together. And the hard times weren't really so hard at all- we had each other and that was all that really mattered...

And what also matters is the-here-&-now... I just spoke with MaryAnn and she needs me ( And The Kid ) on the Island at nine, so there we will go...

-30-

[backhoe]

Cole-boy ( Who is still shedding like a porcupine throwing quills... ) and I scooted over to the Island and helped MaryAnn with things giving her a hard time like unreachable burnt-out bulbs and a balky VCR deck. When I got the deck running Cole practically jumped in her lap to "help" her watch the tapes and later tried to make friends with the momma cat. They will come to an understanding eventually...

We uncrated a barber's chair that had been shipped to her late husband. We talked while doing these things and there's a lot of intrigue swirling around her & her business- think "Dallas" writ smaller. Things haven't changed a bit since I was in business- there is just a different cast of scoundrels. Gave me much to think about.

Her tooth problem seems to be resolving itself- as long as it drains and doesn't back up it should heal over OK. Naturally I regret the Hell out of all the problems she has had after Vernon's death- I told her long ago that some people see these things as a vulnerability to exploit, and she has to look at things very coolly with with a "what's in it for me, and what does it cost me" attitude. Old relationships need to be re-evaluated rather coldly. And FWIW I think she's doing well with it.

When we finished she stuffed a box with canned & dry goods she had accumulated from various properties & didn't need, and I agreed to leave tomorrow open in case she needed more help- then we motored back to the mainland again.

Working again is wonderful- but it's even better to being doing some good for another person.

[backhoe]

Mitt Romney's campaign staff is giving me a very good impression so far. A couple of weeks ago, impressed by how adroitly he was smearing egg on Zer0's face I consulted my meager checkbook and sent them a small donation. A few days later I got a thank-you letter and they even got the non-standard amount right.

A week passed and The Wan was looking more & more like a fool- and Mitt was doing it- so I sent another small donation and asked for a bumper sticker... you guessed it, one came in the mail today. That tells me they are professional and committed to constituent service.

In fact I think I'll replace that "Obama isn't working" sticker I so painfully made with it- keep things positive.

We've had 3 1/2 years of negativity & divisiveness- it's Time for a Change...

[backhoe]

In the "I'm tossing this out for your consideration 'just because I can'" dept?

http://pjmedia.com/instapundit/

TEN THINGS NOT TO SAY to someone when they’re ill.http://thelonggoodread.com/2012/04/22/10-things-not-to-say-to-someone-when-theyre-ill/

It's not a bad list- all of us when confronted with some of life's awfulness say foolish things...

But looking back I do believe the single most hateful and hurtful and horrible thing I was told after my first wife had the poor grace to fall dead in my arms was this:

“You're young- you'll get married again...”

Admittedly it was said to me by an old troll of a woman whose daughter was responsible for unleashing all that legal Hell on me- seven seven million dollar lawsuits going from coast to coast...

The daughter was one of Helen's Best friends forever- you know, one of those who “loved me so much” when Helen was alive and hated me so when she was dead... I still puzzle over that one- I didn't change- why did they?


“You're young- you'll get married again...”

I have never heard more hateful words. Spoken by an old and ugly woman whose chances for marriage again were slim & none...

And I did remarry. And back then I was young & allegedly rich & tall & strong- “good marriage material...” So why did I find those words so hateful & hurtful?

Simply because I knew the truth.

Another marriage or another wife? Another girl in my bed or a thousand? None of them would bring my Helen back to me. None.

It was like telling a woman who just gave birth to a baby who died, “well, you'll have other ones....”

Yeah, you will- and none will or can replace that dead one. You love them all. But the others don't raise that dead one up and restore the life they never got to live.


“You're young- you'll get married again...”

And you'll have more babies. And they don't restore the ones you lost. So long ago and Oh! So! Very Far!


Away....

-30-

[backhoe]

I heard back from Miss MaryAnn so The shedding Kid & I will head Islandward to see her at 9 and get her organized.

In dog-eating Son of a Bitch news, more photos of Baracky's slut Mom have surfaced- if it were Mitt or McCain this would be on the news & Yak shows 24/7...

All I will say is, "ugg!"

Link only- proceed at your own peril:http://www.freedominion.com.pa/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=107157&p=1719892#p1719892

[backhoe]

Geez! My last comment http://www.freedominion.com.pa/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=155951&p=1719905#p1719905

...seems to have killed the board. Ah, well... time to put on shoes, be sure I have arthritis medicine, and "get set" to head to the Island this cool morning. Lator, gator...

[backhoe]

So we hied ourselves to the Island and spent the morning helping with things around the house- hanging pictures, servicing the central vac- that sort of thing. Cole was let loose in the house since the cats were outside and he made himself right at home.

On one break we watched a video of MaryAnn's house when they first moved in- and there was a brief shot of the sunporch of mine. That was always my summer abode. It's kind of like Emily- hard to believe all that is gone.

I looked at several other things she wants done- all withing a shade-tree handyman's abilities. We are going to start on the office soon- there's a ton of work to be done there to make it presentable to clients. I still think this is a good move for her. Quite aside from the advantages to working at home- like being able to get a dog, like she wanted to- I think it will look more attractive to clients than a big, overbearing office. People are hurting..

When we finished up tomorrow was considered “tentative”- she'll let me know if I'm needed or if she wants to take a day off. This is taxing stuff- she starting a new life and setting an old one to rest.

-30-

[RedDog]

There are a number of law and accounting firms here turning to restored older character homes in the downtown area. A neighbour called from out of town to ask if I would pick up an envelope for him five blocks away and after walking down there I arrived to a fire crackling in the fireplace, beautiful woodwork, vintage light fixtures, etc. The whole place was just... comfortable. Actual towels on a brass rack rather than a blow dryer or paper dispenser.

There's a gift shop a couple blocks away run by people I played volleyball with and they actually live in the back and upstairs. The original reception entry, living room parlour and formal dining room IS the retail shop. How many business owners are out planting flowers and growing vegetables at the office?

[backhoe]

There are a number of law and accounting firms here turning to restored older character homes in the downtown area. A neighbour called from out of town to ask if I would pick up an envelope for him five blocks away and after walking down there I arrived to a fire crackling in the fireplace, beautiful woodwork, vintage light fixtures, etc. The whole place was just... comfortable. Actual towels on a brass rack rather than a blow dryer or paper dispenser.

There's a gift shop a couple blocks away run by people I played volleyball with and they actually live in the back and upstairs. The original reception entry, living room parlour and formal dining room IS the retail shop. How many business owners are out planting flowers and growing vegetables at the office?

Quite some time ago MaryAnn suggested than when I sell this old pile I try to find a corporate buyer or a charitable organization to buy it. Partly because they'd have to completely redo it meet commercial code so the shortcomings that would put off a private buyer wouldn't mean a thing to them. It's a good idea.