Tuesday Tidbits

1.  I'm busting out of this joint pretty soon and leaving this whacko state for a while.  I hope to do some old car shows and bonding with Miss Frump*, S'mores in Burgess, cold beer in BFE, and Budde's in G-Burg before they catch up to me.  Maybe build a house, maybe climb the grain bin, maybe swim across the Mississippi, but certainly have a Jerry's Pizza and look up some old friends.  Do they rent bikes at Nee's?  Seems I tried them once before but found out they don't.  Bummer.  It'd be nice to go riding with the BFE crowd.  Also plan on taking some pictures of the pristine night sky away from any city lights.  I'm thinking the old ball diamond at Seaton.  

Grain bin in BFE that I WILL climb this trip.  Don't try to stop me.  OK, maybe one more beer.

As of now, no firm return time, but Miss Norah has a mighty powerful siren's song.  She came up to me the other day and said, "I love you sooo much."  It's enough to make a hard-assed, cranky, old guy melt.

A lot of the month of August is already queued up so there shouldn't be any disruptions to Existing In BFE.  But if there are…well, you'll get your money refunded.

2.  Speaking of Miss Norah:  

Norah was most content clutching her box of candy in one hand and Papa in the other.  With two important parts of her world well in hand(s), it was safe to nap.  This was in no way staged,  she insists often that I sit in the back with her and she reaches over top grab my hand.  It has been decades since I've had a girl do that.  

3.  The transfer from Shawshank has been completed and I am now held hostage in Bedlam By the Bay.  But before my exchange, we had some excitement here.  Usually fresh fish bust out of prison, but this time, someone busted in.  The following video was sent around by the guards so all us inmates might be able to identify whoever it was.  No one snitched, that I was aware of, and just as soon as they broke through the front gate, they did whatever they came to do and then left. 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/mfw25bpgr7rien5/Gate_Crash_Camera2_005550-005700.mp4

The action starts at 12:56:19

4.  Last week I posted a rainbow from the front door.  Today, this from the back door.  I'm surrounded.

5.  Don't walk in Florida.  Top 10 US pedestrian deaths include 4 cities in Florida.

6.  Last week I was discussing the Panhandling-As-A-Living problem here.  This was also apparent when the family accompanied me to Burger King after some work at Shawshank.  I was holding Norah as as soon as we entered a gentleman in a wheel chair spoke directly to me, "I want to talk to you holding the girl.  I want you to look at my legs and as you can see I need some help but I can't afford a taxi to the VA hospital, and wondered if you would be so kind as to help me out?   I only have $8 and that isn' enough to get the ride."   As a somewhat seasoned city dweller by now, I said funds are tight for us, too and sort, but I don't have any extra right now.  He proceeded to leave the place and I held the door for him.  I wished him luck.  I assumed there are programs to assist vets, but in this time of scandal, maybe not.  Hell, I don't know.  

We sat down and ate our supper and lingered a bit having fun with Norah.  As luck would have it he returned and doled out some cash for him and his party, which looked to include about 3 or 4 people.     It isn't much of a leap that he picked this place to troll, that he gets his pass to linger on the premises by buying food, and then panhandling customers as they come in.  I know times are hard.  I know people have a right to make money, but panhandling just doesn't sit well with me, especially since a study done by the Tampa Bay Times a few years ago exposed panhandlers tricks of the trade, their lifestyle, where they live and how much they make.  It is no hyperbole that they make more than I do per year.   I'm thinking of a new career.

* Received news this week that Miss Frump has broken motor mounts which explains a noise that i thought were suspension related.  I have scheduled an appointment to see Dr. Allen and get the full story on Miss Frump's condition, but this certainly throws a curve into the main reason for coming up.  I was really looking forward to the Monmouth Crusie-In, the River-to-River Cruise In in G-Burg and the car shows in Galva, Bushnell and Knoxville.  I don't know how I'll occupy my time if Miss frump is unable to drive.