Bump and grind

Back again,,some nostalgia

2011-12-11T20:16:00.006-05:00

I have not posted anything in a while. Time to get back to that.

There really hasn't been a lot to post,, No big news. Just the day to day , keeping up with stuff,,stuff. Nothing to blog about. Still watching the world turn crazy. Still supporting Ron Paul, though not in any official capacity.
That is looking hopeful. We'll see after Iowa.

I had a great day with my sister, stomping through the woods. She wanted to get some Princess Pine and make wreaths, like we did when we were kids. Cool,I'm up for that.. But it is a bit late in the year. We have had a really mild winter so far and we actually found some.

It was neat, wandering around the same woods I grew up in. It has grown up a bit over the last 40 years or so. And my Mom gave me some old Newsletters from the Conch Train, And it got me thinking of how and when this Blog started.

So, some nostalgia

There was a monthly newsletter in the Company I worked for when all this started.

So I have been looking through and scanning "old" pictures.
I will probably be posting some of the others. And get pack to posting in general.

Garden In Early

2010-05-27T10:20:00.003-04:00

We have had an early spring (surprise) and I got my garden planted early.
I never really trust the UP weather, I have been caught by frost before , but I took the chance this year. I got the planting done mid May, and have sprouts up already.
The rule of thumb is 1st of June. I know I am taking a chance, but it has been nice.
Keeping fingers crossed.

“Well, it's their fault for bringing their kids into a battle.”

2010-04-07T16:36:00.008-04:00

I offer my apologies to those of you with gentler nature of sensitive stomachs.
I need to interject some reality.

The Video released by Wikileaks .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rXPrfnU3G0

The media is barely covering this here. Apparently they are trying to put just the right spin on it. Or they hope it will go away.

They Can't
Because of this,,
“Well, it's their fault for bringing their kids into a battle.”

They didn't.
The battle was brought to them, to their home and neighborhood.
This angers me.,,add it to the list.
We have been discussing it elsewhere.
http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=238971
I would suppose it is being discussed all over the web.
This sums it up,

Originally Posted by chudrockz

Seriously, anyone who can watch this with anything other than complete, unmitigated revulsion is lacking something essential, either in the mind or soul, or both.

It is sobering.
My responce,
[QUOTE=pcosmar]My First reaction was revulsion. Then anger and disgust. And sadness.

Now it needs to be analyzed tactically. Rationally. Logically.
:mad:[/QUOTE]

I do however think it is a good reminder and a warning to us.
We have watched the Tea Party portrayed as violent. When in fact,the only violence was directed at the Tea Party. We have seen the MIAC Report describing conservatives, Christians and gun owners as Domestic Terrorists. We are described as Angry White Guys. Well some of us are.
Of course some are angry "black" guys, and some are angry atheists and a good number of them are female.
They/we are angry. But we have been and are a peaceful movement
I don't think the Media staged arrest of the Hunaree was an accident. There is a effort on to stifle dissent. How long till we are in the cross hairs?
Wikileaks announced the release of this.
They knew it was going to be released. The Hutaree are just the beginning.

This is our future. This is how an authoritarian government enforces control.

A Little Wood

2010-01-17T16:32:00.004-05:00

I hadn't posted in a while. Not much news.

I was just cutting some wood and snapped a few pictures.
Yes, that is an 18 inch blade, but not an 18 inch tree. I cut wood every day an put it in to dry. I don't have enough space in the basement to store much,
I have a system, some drying, some ready. It is a constant cycle.
And of course there are the critters. Supervising the big puppy (she will be a year old) and all the others.
Just for those that think all I do is play WoW. I enjoy the game, and got a time card for Christmas. But it is not ALL I do.

Days run together, same routine every day. Cut wood and keep the fire going. I drive Carol to work on days when the roads aren't clear. She doesn't care for winter driving.
We have had a mild winter so far. Cold, but the snow has missed us. They have been getting more north and south of us. We have been lucky.
Waiting for spring.

New World Order

2009-10-20T11:57:00.002-04:00

This is a story that needs to be out and known.
It has been reported in the Main Stream Media, but it seems few are listening.
http://www.thenewamerican.com/

On October 14 Lord Christopher Monckton, former science adviser to British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, gave a scathing refutation of the concept of man-caused global warming at Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota. He closed his presentation with a stern warning to Americans that President Obama will be signing a new climate change treaty (likely to be known as the Copenhagen Treaty) at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in early December and that this treaty will “impose a communist world government on the world.”

Read the article, Research it some more, and pass this on.
I do not know how to stop this.
It is very bad.

Family History

2009-10-18T16:42:00.009-04:00

Cindy, Mom and I went on an adventure this summer, to Neebish Island. We poked around some and found the grave site of an ancestor. On the side of a road, inside some Lilac bushes. We talked about stuff GrandMa had said. And Mom got the idea to put a book together. Another lady had put some together, Another branch of the same family line, and some from a book by another author.

And she put this together.
She has done this before with other parts of the family line, and some dead ends much sooner.
This goes way back and gives a little insight to how folks got here from there.

This also has some old photos and personal stories of several folks that came before.

It was a good day out, and we all learned some. But Mom was inspired to go a bit farther, so we all have this book and a more complete history of the family.

The whole book has more photos than I am going to post here. All the begets and begats, charts following back to the 1600s.
I enjoy the history, and I think she had fun doing it.

RIP; Jessie-Cat

2009-09-26T11:05:00.002-04:00

We lost our oldest cat. Jessie was with us for over 16 years. She was born under our bed in the Keys, had one litter of her our, and has been "mother" to all the cats in the house ever since.
We knew her time was getting short. Her hind legs were a bit wobbly and her age was showing. She wasn't sick or in any distress. She had spent the last few days on my lap. She wanted out to sit in the sun, warming her bones on the back porch. She took a walk, and didn't come in for supper. I went out looking for her and found her laying still. She just went to sleep.
She is buried in the family pet plot.
She will be missed.

8 months old

2009-09-24T00:35:00.003-04:00

Cassie is growing up. At 8 Months she is about 80 lbs. I'm guessing, cause she won't sit on a scale and I can't hold here any more. Still very much a playful puppy, but it gets physical. She can be a hand full. I still seem to be her favorite chew toy.

Update: Background Check

2009-08-08T13:48:00.005-04:00

OK,, I have an update.

And after giving this some thought,(and some prayer),
I am going to do something I did not want to do. I am going to report this.
I am not fond of most of the Government Agencies, But that is what I am left with.

After I posted the background check, And after some more E-mail , I got a surprise.
They found the Original Background Check. Ok,, Late , But it is nice to have.
And it's interesting.
I have also done some reading while all this has been going on. There are a few things that that bother me about this.I have been honest in my dealings with every one involved with this. Even remaining polite, when being put off on this for months. This has been annoying.

And this is for an unskilled labor, low wage job. That makes it twice as annoying,

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/business/credit/bus08.shtm

I guess I'll go to the official source on this. I did quite a bit of reading, and some discussing this online. But this is pretty plain.

Non-compliance

There are legal consequences for employers who fail to get an applicant’s permission before requesting a consumer report or who fail to provide pre-adverse action disclosures and adverse action notices to unsuccessful job applicants. The FCRA allows individuals to sue employers for damages in federal court. A person who successfully sues is entitled to recover court costs and reasonable legal fees. The law also allows individuals to seek punitive damages for deliberate violations. In addition, the Federal Trade Commission, other federal agencies, and the states may sue employers for noncompliance and obtain civil penalties.

Now it seems to me that there was some Kind of laws broken here,
And it wasn't me.
I suppose I could "get a lawyer and sue".
What good would that do me, even if I could afford one, ,I have never seen a lawyer do me any good.It would be just throwing money away.Even when I had a little money , I didn't like doing that.
So I'm stuck
The only thing I can DO about it is to say "I do not like this."

I am going to post the Copy that they sent me , The one I should have been able to see before an adverse decision was made.The one that should have been in my hand (at least) when I picked up my one day paycheck. I did ask for it, Over and over again. For over 4 months now.

It was suddenly found.
after I sent this E-mail to Craig,

Hello Sir

Sorry for the bother, But I have still not gotten the Background Check that was done in March.
I remember signing an authorization for that Background Check.

I would also like to know who authorized the second Background Check. I did not. That is not the one that I requested, and is NOT the one done in March.
I have posted it on my Blog.
http://pcosmar.blogspot.com/2009/08/employment-woes.html
You can see for yourself that this report was requested on 7/21/09. It is also woefully inaccurate, and contains less information than I had included on my Employment Application.

So my Question is, Will I ever get the original report that was done back in March?

Waiting a reply.
Peter Osmar

This was prepared by the same company, They both have incorrect information. And Missing information, Information That I had disclosed on my application and that was known to the people that I would be working with. They know me.
I have never been anything but honest with all these folks. I don't know what else to do.
I am just going to report it. I hate to do that.

I am still trying to compose A response to this,I Have the "report claim" email and the links.
The Federal Trade commission, and The Attorney General office. I have no idea if any good will come of it.

I will drop them a line. I will be polite.
But I am annoyed.

Employment Woes

2009-08-03T13:49:00.006-04:00

I have been looking for a job for some time. Anything, just some kind of full time employment.
I have filled out a hundred applications, was willing to take any position. I have been passed over on every one. I have applications on file with places that I am well qualified for and that have had a turnover it employees. Not a call.
I had thought I found one earlier this year. It was a maintenance position at a local Cemetery. I had worked there 2 years as part time help, and was hoping for a full time position. The supervisor wanted to get me hired. The ladies in the Office liked me. It looked like I would get a job.

Put in the App, Took the Pee Test and passed. Worked my first day, then was informed that the Background Check came back and I could not be hired. This job was at Oaklawn Chapel Gardens, Just down the road from where my Father and Brother are buried.
It is owned and managed by the Midwest Memorial Group
http://www.midwestmemorialgroup.com/content/index.html
I contacted them to try to find out why I was refused employment.
I have been trying to get the the Background Check information for 4 months. I have been getting a runaround.

This was the first E-mail I sent.

From: peter osmar [mailto:pcosmar@hotmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, April 08, 2009 2:09 PM
To: cnelke@midwestmemorialgroup.com
Subject: Employment Introduction

Hello Sir

My name is Peter Osmar and I had recently applied for a position at Oaklawn Chapel Gardens.
It seems that I have been rejected for employment due to a Background Check. I am writing in response to that in the hope that it may be reconsidered.
I have worked at Oaklawn before on a temporary basis the last two years. I have been looking for permanent full time employment, and I believe that I would be a asset to the company.

I was "up front" and honest with my application and with the supervisor there.
I do have a criminal history from long ago, but have been working to put that in the past. I had passed background checks before, in Key West Fl, I had a Port Pass to work around the Cruise ships and was cleared through the FBI and DHS.

Though I am not known to your Corporate Office I am known to those I would be working with. I was raised about a mile down the road. And as I stated I have worked at Oaklawn briefly in the last two years, though that was prior to your ownership.

I would ask that my request for employment be reconsidered, as i think we would both benifit.
I would also request the Background Report, as I it may contain errors or misinformation. I can not understand why I would be turned down otherwise.

I would also be willing to provide any further information you may need.

Thank you for your time.
Peter Osmar

I have been exchanging E-mails, for 4 months. And been promised the information. I have all the E-mails, but not the report. This was another response.

FW: Oaklawn Employment‏

From: Craig Nelke (cnelke@midwestmemorialgroup.com)

Sent: Wed 4/22/09 6:14 PM

To: 'peter osmar' (pcosmar@hotmail.com)

Hi Peter,

I will check and see why your employment was denied. If it was because of the background check, then we will mail that report to you as required by law.

Regards,

Craig

From: peter osmar [mailto:pcosmar@hotmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, April 22, 2009 9:14 AM
To: cnelke@midwestmemorialgroup.com
Subject: Oaklawn Employment

Hello Sir

I am guessing that there is no good news on the job. I had been hoping to hear something positive from you or the folks here.
It is disappointing. I had no doubt that I could have "fit in" well there.
I would like to get a copy of the Background Report. I need to know what is being said about me behind my back so that I can address or correct it.

If you can mail it to me, my address is
6341 W M28
Brimley Mich 49715

I can also pick it up from Oaklawn if that is better for you.
You can also reach me by Phone at (***)*** ****
As far as I know, I will still be available for temporary work like I have the last 2 years, If needed.

Thank you
Peter Osmar

Now, I have passed a check in the past. I had an FBI Background check done when I was in Key West, To work in the secured Port Area.

I had been referred to someone in their H.R. dept. Freda Crawley called me and said that they would get the report to me. After 4 months of trying, I was very interested in what it contained.
I got "it" today.
It is NOT the Background Check that was done 4 Months ago.
This was a quick check that anyone with a computer and 5 minutes can get. And the only information is on the attempted possession charge.
http://pcosmar.blogspot.com/2006/08/things-have-not-gone-well.html

This is the copy of the report. You can see that the request date is 7/21/09.

I am not pleased. And I still have no answer, and no job.

Farm Report

2009-06-13T12:53:00.002-04:00

Well, seed is in the ground.
I got caught last year by the frost, so I waited till the first of June this year. Carol got impatient and had me plant a Tomato plant that she had bought. 2 nights of frost and it curled up. So I was cautious.
We have blooms on the apple trees too, and it seems better weather. Last year we had storms that blew all the blooms away before the bees could do their job. No Apples. Looking better this year.
Praying for Sun and Rain each in their season, looking for a better year.

Playing WOW

2009-05-13T08:32:00.003-04:00

I have been playing World of Warcraft in my spare time. I have never been "into"computer games before. I really did not think I would care for it much. I got started just to help Lisa figure the game out. She was playing with some friends from work. I started with the Free trial, and found I enjoyed it.
I have 3 characters that I play with. A Warrior (Night Elf), Paladin (Human), and a Mage (Human). Each has different talents and abilities and different roles in Group play. It's interactive, and involves other people in real time, each bringing their skills to meet the chalenges.
Fun game, Like an ongoing story that you are a part of.

3 Months

2009-04-27T09:06:00.002-04:00

Cassie is three months old. And 30 lbs. Growing up.
She is starting to look like a Rottweiler, and is a bit on the rowdy side. She is not a dumb dog, but does have a stubborn streak. We are working on that.
A couple of pics of her up on the couch ( where she is not supposed to be). She sees the cats do it and thinks she can.
We are working on discipline, but I don't want to break her spirit.

Retraction, sort of

2009-03-26T11:50:00.005-04:00

Well there have been some responses from Missouri. The Presidential candidates sent a letter demanding a correction. The Governor first was standing by the Document but then said the the candidates names would be removed.
The Missouri State Police have come out now and are rescinding the document.
Missouri Highway Patrol rescinds controversial militia report

As someone posted on the forum,(kudos beerista)

Who else reads this "apology"/"retraction" as the state of Missouri and Homeland Security saying: We're really sorry (that you all found out) and we promise to do better in the future (to ensure that the many similar reports we will produce are not leaked)?

They still have not responded to the Sunshine Law/FOIA request to find who and what was behind this. Activists in Missouri and elsewhere are still working on this
Updates;

House bars Department of Public Safety from 'political profiling'

JEFFERSON CITY — In response to a controversial report profiling political beliefs of militia members, the Missouri House of Representatives has barred the Department of Public Safety from spending any "state or federal funds for political profiling."

Missouri MIAC Documents Scandal Leads to Advisory on SPLC & ADL

(MMD Newswire) March 26, 2009 -- ALIPAC is issuing a national advisory to all local, state, and Federal law enforcement agencies and officers, along with all DHS Fusion Centers, a warning against any reliance upon faulty and politicized research issued by the Southern Poverty Law Center
(SPLC) and Anti Defamation League (ADL).

I would really like to see some hard proof. There are many including myself that believe they were behind this. It does seem to have their fingerprints. I would still like to have the "Smoking Gun".

FPIAC/MIAC Report Response

2009-03-23T01:08:00.003-04:00

A new report has been leaked. In response to the Missouri MIAC Report that targeted many patriotic Americans, the Free Peoples Information Analysis Center has issued a report on the Police State. Though it focuses mostly on Missouri as both the center of the controversy and the center of the country, it is applicable nation wide.
The report can be seen in pdf format here.
http://www.ronpaulky.org/FPIAC.pdf
We urge anyone who was infected by the original report to read this document. We believe it to be fair and more accurate than the original.

I Am A Domestic Terrorist

2009-03-14T09:04:00.005-04:00

Well it is official, Those that want a return to a Constitutional Government are being targeted as Terrorists. Through a leaked Memo from Missouri, supporters of 3rd party ( Ron Paul, Bob Barr, Chuck Baldwin) People opposed to the Federal Reserve, opposed to a One World Government people that want a return to a Constitutional and limited Government are being targeted and profiled. We are being classed together with Violent Hate groups.
Don't believe it? Read the memo.
http://www.infowars.com/secret-state-police-report-ron-paul-bob-barr-chuck-baldwin-libertarians-are-terrorists/

The MIAC report specifically describes supporters of presidential candidates Ron Paul, Chuck Baldwin, and Bob Barr as “militia” influenced terrorists and instructs the Missouri police to be on the lookout for supporters displaying bumper stickers and other paraphernalia associated with the Constitutional, Campaign for Liberty, and Libertarian parties.

This memo has been independently verified as true. Freedom loving folks in Missouri are working to address this as I type.

As much as it bothers me to be targeted as a peaceful citizen, active in politics, there are broader implications. Also, I do not believe that this is limited to Missouri. The memo was leaked from them but was part of a Federal program and was tied to the FEMA Fusion Centers.
It is not unexpected but is still a sad state of affairs for this once great nation.
Not only is this stifling to the political process, but it also shows Police Officers as the enemy of freedom. It is all bad.

UPDATE:
There are several newspaper articles in Missouri on this.
A FOIA request has been filed in the Capital for more information on who was behind this.
Pastor Chuck Baldwin ( CP Presidential Candidate) as issued a response.
http://www.newswithviews.com/baldwin/baldwin498.htm

New Puppy

2009-03-04T12:04:00.003-05:00

Meet Cassiopeia.
Carol got her from a girl she works with. She is Rottweiler/Labrador mix and just 5 weeks old.
Our other dogs are not too happy with the new addition, but they will adjust.
I expect the she is going to be a big dog. She is a big puppy.

Gotta see this

2009-02-14T10:08:00.003-05:00

Well Ok,
I had posted that I am disgusted with politics and have stepped away from it. That is mostly true.
But, just like a car wreak, bar fight or burning building, I just have to watch.
So I share these thoughts with you. Please watch this video.

And this is worth a read also. See if you don't agree.

To Alter or Abolish

by David Bardallis
by David Bardallis

Note: The following letter was found left behind at a local drinking establishment; the authors' identity is unknown. It is passed along without comment.

"That whenever any form of government becomes destructive of [life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness], it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it…" ~ Declaration of Independence of the American Colonies, 1776

Dear Federal Government,

Drop dead.

Excuse us. Some may consider such bluntness to be indecorous, but why beat around the bush? In any case, we've been around this bush (Bush?) too many times to count already. It's time to let you know what we really think of you, what we say behind your back, what we whisper to each other when you leave the room.

We hate you. We want you to drop dead. Or, anyway, to go away and never come back. You are not welcome anymore. We have tolerated you – and we emphasize "tolerated" – for a long time, long after whatever romance there may have been was gone. We can pretend no more. You are disgraceful, boorish, nauseating, corrupt, shameful, arrogant, dishonest, self-serving, parasitic, disgusting, hypocritical, and rotten to the core. You have not even one redeeming quality. There is nothing you offer that we want any longer. We're not even sure what it is we ever saw in you to begin with.

We suppose you can be forgiven if this letter comes as a shock. "Why," you say, "what do you mean? I still command great respect and inspire widespread adulation. And I still care about you. Isn't it obvious?"

It's true that, in public, we often nod our heads and agree with you, even defer or appear to defer to you. But we assure you that this happens not out of respect; rather, it arises merely from the fact that you have a lot of guns and a bad temper. Inside, we are seething and resentful. Inside, we imagine your demise in the most vivid and gratifying of ways. We may fear your irrational and violent behavior, but we manifestly do not respect or agree with you. We don't love you. We don't even like you. (See the part about hate, above.)

At any rate, our revulsion toward you has finally come to outweigh any fear we have of you. We refuse to keep our real feelings in for even one more second. We want you gone from our lives. And we mean completely. Vamoose. Go. Die.

Please understand we aren't here to argue. No special new subsidy, tax break, or privileged "loophole" is going to sway our opinion or make us change our minds about this. We've been there, done that, for too many decades to count now. Likewise, your threats are starting to make us yawn and even laugh. You see, we know all your tricks now. We can see through your lies because we've heard them all so many times before. We are fully aware of your true nature, and we see that that nature is radioactive evil, wrapped in a tattered blanket of ignorance, foolishness, and stupidity.

Look, we know it's only a matter of time anyway. Your dimwittedness, greed, fraudulence, and moral bankruptcy are finally starting to catch up to you. Even your former employees admit as much. Do you remember Paul Craig Roberts, one of your past Treasury officials? Today he says of your latest economy-wrecking and warmongering efforts:

"The world has never seen such total mindlessness. Napoleon's and Hitler's marches into Russia were rational acts compared to the mindless idiocy of the United States government."

Mindless idiocy: We could not have said it better ourselves. Wait, yes, we could have, because we would have also mentioned your meanness and malevolence.

Our state governments are starting to feel the same way about you that we do. Many are openly refusing to obey your so-called "REAL ID" attempt at creating a national "your papers, please" regime of Hitlerian proportions. Some are even starting to make noises about the Tenth Amendment, which reiterates that you aren't allowed to just do anything you feel like doing. (We are not big fans of our state governments either, but at least they don't start wars, counterfeit our money, and prop up tyrannies across the globe.)

You see? Look in the mirror for once. The emperor not only hasn't got any clothes, he's a quadruple amputee demanding that everyone admire his muscular physique. We don't know whether to laugh at or feel pity for such a pathetic creature.

In conclusion and just so we're clear: We're done. Pack up and get out. Better yet, don't pack – all that stuff belongs to us in the first place. Just get out. And when you finally, mercifully, do kick the bucket, please make sure it is in some place far away from us, where we won't have to smell the stench of your hideous, rotting corpse.

Signed,

Every Normal Human Being in America and the Rest of the World

February 14, 2009

David Bardallis [send him mail] hails from the Glorious Sovereign Republic of Michigan (motto: "Never forget we have all the water!") and blogs at Suds & Soliloquies.

http://www.lewrockwell.com/bardallis/bardallis14.html

New Year, New Post

2009-02-08T23:38:00.002-05:00

My Mom had noticed that I have not had any new posts. Well is seems that I have at least one reader. So on with the show.
I have neglected posting for some time, and there are some reasons.
First, "if you have nothing good to say", , well I didn't. The last year did not go well on a couple fronts.
First the weather last spring was uncooperative, a late wet spring.The garden was nothing to write about. Lots of bugs that ate most of my starts, and even the apple trees had nothing on them. so there wasn't much to say. We did harvest some, but it was not spectacular.

I was also involved in the political races. Both on the local and national level. I had never gotten that involved before nor watched it unfold as closely. I have to say I am totally disgusted with the politics of this country. This was the first time in my life that there was a candidate that I could get behind. Not only was an Honest Man largely ignored and ridiculed, but the election went to someone that had NO qualifications other than his skin color. I fear for the direction that this country is going.

So, on top of all that, I am still unemployed, and staying busy with things around the Farm. trying to keep stuff running with a limited budget, heating the house with wood and trying to remain positive.

The one bright spot( if you can call it that) is that I found a fun game.
I only started to help Lisa figure it out and didn't think I would care much for it. To my surprise I find it rather entertaining. I have been playing World Of Warcraft for a few months (between cutting wood and feeding critters). I have 3 characters that I play. A Human Paladin(sort of a holy warrior), A Night Elf warrior(Sword shield and heart) and my newest a Human Mage( a magic user). I am following Quests through a fantasy world and fighting Evil in many forms.
Sort of an ongoing story.
Well, gotta have some fun.

Cutlass Painted

2008-06-28T12:28:00.002-04:00

I had a nice warm day and got the Cutlass painted.
It is not a show quality job, but for a budget paint job it is an improvement.
There are a few small specks and some dust, but all in all not bad.
I would love to set up a better booth. There are a lot of challenges and drawbacks to painting in a barn.
Any how, it is a much better looking car than it started.

Cutlass Update

2008-06-25T16:13:00.002-04:00

Ok, I got the body work done, and the car in prime. I fixed the larger dents in the hood and elsewhere.
I have to stop somewhere.
This is a budget job, so I am trying to balance between what is paid for and my own desire for perfection. It is not going to be perfect, but it will be much better than it was.

Painting Project

2008-06-19T11:21:00.003-04:00

I have a car to paint, as soon as the weather is cooperative. This one is for my Pastor's son. Last fall I had it here for a while. I cleaned up some of the rust and put a rust inhibitor on just to hold it till this spring.
Well it's back. I need to fill some holes and clean it up. He had striped off the moldings (rust traps) and there are a few dings and dents. I will get most of that done while I am waiting for warm days to paint it.

Farm News.

2008-06-08T15:00:00.002-04:00

Well, the garden is planted. I hope that all the frost is past, it got me last year.
There is rain and warm temps in the forecast. Looking forward to seeing the sprouts come up.
I have a car in the barn. A painting project for the Pastor's son. That will keep me busy. I'll post some pic's from that in another post.

The newspaper clipping is from here.
Newspaper Clipping Generator.

Sad News

2008-05-30T12:31:00.003-04:00

I have sad news to report, We lost one of the dogs, our eldest.
She had been with us for 15 years. She had been showing her age for a while and we think she had a stroke this winter. She had been having trouble getting around since then.
She was a great little dog and a good rat hunter. She will be missed.

Ginger
1993 to 2008

Not Yet

2008-04-29T13:42:00.002-04:00

The weather is getting better. The snow is gone and I am cleaning up the mess winter leaves. The ground is still too wet to plow or till, and we still have some cold and frosty nights.
I plan on planting around the first of June. I tried to go early last year and got caught by frost.

There are signs of life though. Some first flowers and buds are out. The Daffodils were a pleasant surprise.
Things are looking hopeful.
This is the UP however, and we have snow in the forecast.

Spring Is Here (I think)

2008-04-22T09:34:00.002-04:00

We had another blast on the 12th, wind and snow. Woke up to about 6 inches of the stuff. (First Picture)
But it has been nice since, and we have had warm weather for a week.
Most of the snow is gone, just a few patches left. It is that brown and muddy time of year. The ground is still too wet to work, but I'm getting started cleaning up branches, and raking leaves. We even have frogs singing the pond.
I am planing on June first for planting. I tried to start early last year and got caught by frost.
Today I am fixing a fuel leak on the Pastors truck. I hope to get some paying jobs to help out. I still have not found any full time employment, so I will grab any jobs that present themselves.

Sprouts

2008-04-05T09:01:00.002-04:00

Sprouts, We have sprouts.
I am hoping that the blast we had on the 1st was the last gasp of winter. We have had a few warm days and snow is starting to melt.
Up close to the house sprouts are coming up.
The ground is ready for spring. I am ready for spring.
We have some rain in the forecast, and that should melt a lot of snow.
Then we get busy cleaning up, and prepping the gardens.

? Spring ? April Fools

2008-04-01T11:52:00.002-04:00

We had a couple days of nice weather. The snow was starting to melt, and it looked like spring was starting,
Never trust UP Michigan weather.
This is this morning.
The picture does not show that the snow is sideways.
3 to 5 inches predicted. Gusts up to 40 mph.
Happy April Fools day.

First Day of Spring

2008-03-20T13:49:00.002-04:00

Really?
I know it is because the radio said so. It does not look like it here.
It's snowing and blowing. I am still putting wood on the fire, and it is still cold.
I am so over it.
I am ready for spring.
I want to see green, and growing things.
We just came back from shopping, the driveway is closing.
It may be "officially" spring, but I can't tell.

Conservitive Republican, CPAC

2008-02-11T10:14:00.000-05:00

It's sad to see The Republican Party and the Media news sources miss this.
The one man in the race that is making any sense, The only one that has solid Conservative Values , A Constitutional, Republican History, A strong Family, A clean record. http://www.ronpaul2008.com/
Record Fund raising. From private citizens, not from special interest groups, but from a wide group of diverse people. Across party lines, and age groups, And has gotten more contributions from the Military (active,retired,Vets.)than any other Candidate.
http://www.ronpaul2008.com/press-releases/
Yet there has been a near complete Media blackout on him.
To anyone watching, Any one that wants to see what a Conservative Candidate looks like. Please watch this.
Ron Paul - CPAC Speech Part 1 of 3

Ron Paul - CPAC Speech part 2of 3

Ron Paul - CPAC Speech part 3 of 3

I don't see how anybody doesn't see it.
It makes you wonder why?

The Campaign

2008-01-27T21:25:00.000-05:00

We have come a long way in the last year. And despite the obstacles the fraud and the media blackout, we have made a huge impact.
We are going all the way. I sometimes get discouraged at the obvious bias in reporting, but the internet gives us an end run around them.
Please watch this and join the Revolution.

Ghost Busted

2008-01-20T13:35:00.000-05:00

When we bought this old house we were told it was built in 1921. As we have talked to folks we found it had been through many families over the years and at one time was used as a Wake House.
I am not superstitious, But Carol is. And we have heard strange sounds and seen "things". So I have had fun playing up the ghosts in the house.
And I finally caught one with the camera. I was getting some shots of icicles and got these.
It's in the upstairs window. where we have heard footsteps before.
It's OK, they seem to be friendly ghosts.
if you click on the picture, you will get a larger size.

Happy New Year Everyone

2008-01-01T13:36:00.000-05:00

It is 2008. We have an Election this year. Our primary in Michigan is Jan 15, just two weeks away.
I am optimistic.
There have been a few TV Ads, and very little coverage otherwise. Ron Paul's message is being spread on the Internet and from person to person.There are supposed to be some Ads coming from the Official Campaign soon.
There are a lot of Grass roots videos on YouTube.
This is a great one from " aravoth".
Happy New Year all.

Christmas on the Farm

2007-12-21T09:47:00.000-05:00

I want to wish a Merry Christmas to everyone.
We should have a full table for Christmas dinner, and mild weather. We have snow, but not too much. Mom will be out with a friend.
I hope everybody has a good day, and a Happy New Year.

Snow is Here.

2007-12-08T12:45:00.000-05:00

This is actually an update to "Staying Warm". Some snow Pictures.
The weather is nice, about 25 degrees and light snow.
At least it is not Below Zero today.

Staying Warm.

2007-12-05T09:09:00.000-05:00

The cold weather has set in.
I am burning more wood to offset the cost of Fuel Oil, so that means cutting and splitting and stacking.
One of the selling points of this house was the wood stoves. I like to have that option.
Being that money was short this year, I didn't buy wood in advance. I have been cutting my own.
Wood heat is the one that warms you up twice.

Good video; News Coming

2007-11-18T10:19:00.000-05:00

The weather is getting cold, but not much snow yet.
This is a great video. Enjoy.
I will post some news from the farm soon.

A Great Ron Paul Video

2007-10-11T12:13:00.000-04:00

I have to post this here.
It is nice to see Dr. Paul getting some good press. He message has been ignored for too long.
This is one of the best Youtube videos I have seen.

Please join in support of a true Patriot.

Ron and Ronald

2007-10-04T16:18:00.000-04:00

This would make a great TV ad.
For your enjoyment and education.

Stop by YouTube and see more, And rate this one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFBJQPgcbVo

Back to the Grind

2007-10-02T14:29:00.000-04:00

Well, finally a post that gets back to what started this blog.
It started when a gentleman tried to sell me some home owners insurance. Sadly for him he could not beat the deal I have now, but as it ended up he needed a car repaired. I needed money. we came to an agreement.
His car was wrecked and his ins. totaled it out. He liked the car and wanted to keep it, so I fixed it for him at about half what the job is worth. The economy sucks up here, so nobody has much money, but this worked out well for everybody. He has his car fixed, and I made a little.
It paid my property taxes, and my trip to the Mackinac Conference. God is good and things work out.

Ron Paul on Mackinac Island

2007-09-22T17:44:00.000-04:00

I just got back from Mackinac Island. I had a great time, and met a lot of good folks.
I was at the Mackinac Republican Leadership Conference to support Dr. Ron Paul. I got to meet him and even got my picture taken with him. He really is a nice guy, and to hear him speak in person was a treat. It was a high energy event, and we introduced the Doctor to a lot of people that had never heard of him. It would be wonderful to elect an honest man as President.
Check out his web page here. http://www.ronpaul2008.com/
His writings and positions here. http://www.ronpaullibrary.org/

Brief Overview of Congressman Paul’s Record:

He has never voted to raise taxes.
He has never voted for an unbalanced budget.
He has never voted for a federal restriction on gun ownership.
He has never voted to raise congressional pay.
He has never taken a government-paid junket.
He has never voted to increase the power of the executive branch.

He voted against the Patriot Act.
He voted against regulating the Internet.
He voted against the Iraq war.

He does not participate in the lucrative congressional pension program.
He returns a portion of his annual congressional office budget to the U.S. treasury every year.

Congressman Paul introduces numerous pieces of substantive legislation each year, probably more than any single member of Congress.

More Updates

2007-08-05T19:52:00.000-04:00

This is to combine updates. The Electrical Updates, done.
We have our new meter in. and the barn is powered. I got the compressor wired in and the welder is powered. I can get stuff done in the barn. Before this I would blow fuses if I tried to use a saw with the light on. Much better now.

The Garden Updates. Growing good and we have veggies. The squash is small yet but getting better. The beans are just ready. tomatoes are green yet but growing well. Zucchini is great, more than we can eat. All in all a success this year. I am still learning to farm, next year will be even better.

Growing things; part 2

2007-07-18T09:44:00.000-04:00

Just an update on the garden, it is growing well. After a late start, it is filling in nicely.
Keeping up with the weeds is a constant battle. Good news is the veggies are winning. I have flowers on the squash and zucchini, The tomatoes are doing well, and the pumpkins are huge. Well no pumpkins yet, but the plants are huge. Looks like we have lots of beans too.

Growing Things

2007-06-27T20:04:00.000-04:00

My garden is starting to grow. We had a late frost that killed all my starter plants, so I had to start over. I have had better luck at starting from seeds anyway.
Now I am battling the weeds and bugs. Why is it hat my plants grow slow. Weeds pop up healthy and strong. The bugs don't want to eat those nice lush weeds, they go after my little beans and tomatoes. Oh well, my plants are growing. Now if we just get some rain.

First Video Attempt

2007-06-12T21:38:00.000-04:00

I am going to try this. If it works there will be more.

New Face at Willow Grove

2007-06-12T15:53:00.000-04:00

We have a new face here on the farm. Mom had gotten this for Carol for her Birthday. I put it up yesterday.A smiling face to greet our guests.

Politics and Ron Paul

2007-06-09T22:29:00.000-04:00

This blog and my posts have been about my hobbies and my life. For the most part that will continue. I have not gotten into politics here, but that will change.
I have recently gotten involved with promoting a candidate for President. I had always supported whoever I thought was the best choice or the lesser of two evils. This time I have found someone that I really believe in.
That is Dr. Ron Paul. For more about him this is from his campaign.

Brief Overview of Congressman Paul’s Record:

He has never voted to raise taxes.
He has never voted for an unbalanced budget.
He has never voted for a federal restriction on gun ownership.
He has never voted to raise congressional pay.
He has never taken a government-paid junket.
He has never voted to increase the power of the executive branch.

He voted against the Patriot Act.
He voted against regulating the Internet.
He voted against the Iraq war.

He does not participate in the lucrative congressional pension program.
He returns a portion of his annual congressional office budget to the U.S. treasury every year.

Congressman Paul introduces numerous pieces of substantive legislation each year, probably more than any single member of Congress.

Please consider him. You can find out more here,
http://www.ronpaul2008.com/

Eletrical Upgrades;part 2

2007-06-09T10:20:00.000-04:00

Well we are still waiting for the inspector to pass us. We have not heard or seen anything. I guess it is on the "list" somewhere.
On the plus side, we had some small storms come through. Even with the temporary hook-up we have not had the power surges. This confirms that the problem was the overhead wires. Much better.
I'm posting some before and after pics. for contrast, quite an improvement.

Electric Upgrades

2007-05-30T18:59:00.000-04:00

It has been busy here. We are upgrading the electric service. It was old and every time we had high winds the power would fluctuate, from brown outs to power spikes.
When we first got here one of the first things I noticed was the fuse box. The old type fuses had to go. The overhead wires had to go, they were too low. On top of that, it was only a 60 amp service. An upgrade was in order.
My Mom wanted to help out, and we got a friend of the family to do the contracting. He was a friend of my Dads and helped him get his licence many years ago. He was the County Inspector at the time.
We ran the new lines underground to the house and to the barn. I ran the ditch witch, and of course it rained. I only had one spot that caved in and had to be dug by hand. We had fun with the wet clay, but got the wire and conduit in the ground. The new boxes are all hooked up and we have power.
The main power is on a temporary hook up till every thing gets inspected and the CO-OP sets the new meter.

Is it, Yes it is Spring

2007-05-09T10:43:00.000-04:00

Well it has fooled us before.
I think it is safe now, Trees are budding, frogs are laying eggs. The first flowers are blooming. Most folks say to wait till June 1st, but I think we are past frost and I am ready to start planting. I have the ground ready. I will be planting this week, and then hope for rain.

Spring Cleaning

2007-05-01T07:18:00.000-04:00

Well the last of the snow is gone. I hope it stays gone for a while. we can never be sure till the Fourth of July.
The signs of spring are here, Green shoots, budding trees, and frog eggs in the pond. So I am starting to clean the place up and get ready to plant. Lots to do, But I am making progress. I have one garden patch tilled up, but other spots are still too wet. I got the tractor stuck once, trying too soon.
I found our first flowers growing, it won't be long now.
I prefer green to that white stuff.

Still looking for spring.

2007-04-13T09:57:00.000-04:00

Ok, it's the middle of April. We have seeds in starter pots. The weather is not copacetic.
There was a warming spell, and most of the snow melted. Then we got a blizzard. Another day or two of mild weather, and more snow. I'm over it. I want to start planting. I want to mow my yard in the sunshine. How long, how long?

Told Ya So

2007-04-04T13:26:00.000-04:00


	Sault Sainte Marie, MI

Blizzard Warning

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GAYLORD MI
1040 AM EDT WED APR 4 2007

...BLIZZARD CONDITIONS EXPECTED ACROSS EASTERN UPPER AND NORTHERN
LOWER MICHIGAN TODAY AND TONIGHT...

.DEEPENING LOW PRESSURE WILL STALL NORTHEAST OF MICHIGAN THIS
AFTERNOON. AREAS OF HEAVY LAKE ENHANCED SNOW WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP
ACROSS NORTHERN MICHIGAN ON THE BACKSIDE OF THIS SYSTEM. BLIZZARD
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS PORTIONS OF EASTERN
UPPER AND NORTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN AS STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS
GUSTING TO 45 MPH CAUSE AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW...AND
REDUCE VISIBILITIES TO LESS THAN A QUARTER OF A MILE AT TIMES.

MIZ008-015-042200-
/O.CON.KAPX.BZ.W.0001.000000T0000Z-070405T1200Z/
CHIPPEWA-MACKINAC-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...SAULT STE. MARIE...ST. IGNACE
1040 AM EDT WED APR 4 2007

...BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 AM EDT THURSDAY...

A BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 AM EDT THURSDAY.

SNOW...OCCASIONALLY MODERATE TO HEAVY...WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE
AFTERNOON. BLIZZARD CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AS STRONG
NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTING TO 45 MPH CAUSE AREAS OF BLOWING AND
DRIFTING SNOW...AND REDUCE VISIBILITIES TO LESS THAN A QUARTER OF
A MILE AT TIMES. TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS TODAY WILL RANGE FROM 5 TO 10
INCHES...WITH AN ADDITIONAL 3 TO 5 INCHES TONIGHT...FOR TOTAL
ACCUMULATIONS IN THE 8 TO 15 INCH RANGE POSSIBLE BY THURSDAY
MORNING. HEAVIEST SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED ACROSS AREAS WEST OF I-75.

BLIZZARD WARNING MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. FALLING AND BLOWING SNOW WITH STRONG WINDS
AND POOR VISIBILITIES ARE LIKELY. THIS WILL LEAD TO WHITEOUT
CONDITIONS...MAKING TRAVEL EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. DO NOT TRAVEL. IF
YOU MUST...HAVE A WINTER SURVIVAL KIT WITH YOU. IF YOU GET
STRANDED...STAY WITH YOUR VEHICLE.

$$

Hazardous Weather Outlook

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GAYLORD MI
1053 AM EDT WED APR 4 2007

LHZ345>349-361-362-LMZ323-341-342-344-345-363-LSZ321-322-MIZ008-
015>036-041-042-051000-
STRAITS OF MACKINAC-ST IGNACE TO FALSE DETOUR CHANNEL-
MACKINAC BRDG TO PRESQUE ISLE LT-PRESQUE ISLE LT TO STURGEON PT-
STURGEON PT TO ALABASTER-MICHIGAN WATERS OF NORTHERN LAKE HURON-
MICHIGAN WATERS OF CENTRAL LAKE HURON-GRAND TRAVERSE BAY-
SEUL CHOIX PT TO MACKINAC BRDG-NORWOOD TO MACKINAC BRDG-
SLEEPING BEAR PT TO GRAND TRAVERSE LT-MANISTEE TO SLEEPING BEAR PT-
MICHIGAN WATERS OF NORTHERN LAKE MICHIGAN-WHITEFISH BAY-
ST. MARYS RIVER-CHIPPEWA-MACKINAC-EMMET-CHEBOYGAN-PRESQUE ISLE-
CHARLEVOIX-LEELANAU-ANTRIM-OTSEGO-MONTMORENCY-ALPENA-BENZIE-
GRAND TRAVERSE-KALKASKA-CRAWFORD-OSCODA-ALCONA-MANISTEE-WEXFORD-
MISSAUKEE-ROSCOMMON-OGEMAW-IOSCO-GLADWIN-ARENAC-
1053 AM EDT WED APR 4 2007

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF LAKE HURON...LAKE
MICHIGAN...LAKE SUPERIOR...EASTERN UPPER MICHIGAN AND NORTHERN LOWER
MICHIGAN.

.DAY ONE...REST OF TODAY AND TONIGHT

BLIZZARD CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS EASTERN UPPER AND
NORTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN THIS AFTERNOON AS HEAVY LAKE ENHANCED
SNOWFALL AND STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS GUSTING TO 45 MPH CAUSE AREAS OF
BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW...AND REDUCE VISIBILITIES TO LESS THAN A
QUARTER OF A MILE AT TIMES. BLIZZARD CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE INTO
TONIGHT FOR THIS AREA AS WELL. SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW WILL ALSO
IMPACT NORTHEAST LOWER MICHIGAN THROUGH TONIGHT. SEE ONGOING
WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES FOR FURTHER DETAILS.

GALE FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED IN THE NEARSHORE AND OPEN WATERS OF
LAKE MICHIGAN AND LAKE HURON...AS WELL AS ON WHITEFISH BAY AND IN
THE ST. MARY'S RIVER THROUGH TONIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

SIGNIFICANT SNOWFALL AND BLOWING SNOW ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE
ACROSS EASTERN UPPER AND NORTHWEST LOWER MICHIGAN THROUGH THURSDAY.
ACCUMULATING SNOW WILL PERSIST INTO THE WEEKEND AS WELL.

GALE FORCE WINDS ARE EXPECTED IN THE NEARSHORE AND OPEN WATERS OF
LAKE MICHIGAN AND LAKE HURON...AS WELL AS ON WHITEFISH BAY AND IN
THE ST. MARY'S RIVER THROUGH AT LEAST THURSDAY MORNING.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTERS WILL BE NEEDED FOR SNOWFALL REPORTS TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY.

$$

Short Term Forecast

SHORT TERM FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GAYLORD MI
107 PM EDT WED APR 4 2007

MIZ008-015-042100-
CHIPPEWA-MACKINAC-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...SAULT STE MARIE...ST IGNACE
107 PM EDT WED APR 4 2007

.NOW...
...BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 AM THURSDAY MORNING...
PERIODS OF OCCASIONALLY HEAVY SNOW...WILL CONTINUE THIS AFTERNOON.
THE HEAVIEST SNOW THROUGH 5 PM...WILL AFFECT LOCATIONS AROUND
HESSEL...PICKFORD...RUDYARD...TROUT LAKE AND PARADISE. SNOW
ACCUMULATION BETWEEN 1 PM AND 5 PM...WILL BE 2 TO 3 INCHES. NORTHWEST
WINDS GUSTING TO 35 MPH WILL CREATE BLOWING SNOW...AND POTENTIALLY
HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS.

$$

Spring Upgate

2007-03-19T22:56:00.000-04:00

The UP weather has struck again.
You can't tell from the pictures but the snow is horizontal and swirling.
The wind is 30 to 40 mph and the temperature tonight will be around 4 degrees.
The driveway is closing again. I'm glad I didn't put the sled away just yet.

It should warm up later this week.

Signs Of Spring

2007-03-17T19:29:00.000-04:00

Well I am ready for winter to be over. Folks are talking about the signs of spring, from the first robin to shoots of green coming out of the ground.
I am looking for signs and seeing some.
I can see my driveway.

We had a couple warm days and some snow melted. So I can see some spots of ground. Could be a sign.
I just don't trust the UP weather. It could still throw a blizzard at us.
I am hopeful, and I am looking for those green things coming out of the ground.
It could be just around the corner.

Strange Coincidence

2007-01-19T21:34:00.000-05:00

Well winter is finally here.
We have had a mild winter, and no snow at Christmas, but we have it now. A storm is blowing through as I type this. I may be able to clear the road tomorow, but it is closed for now.
The new job is going well. It is a good shop, well equipted, and quality oriented. There is even a heated floor.
We had an interesting job come in this week. Pic's Posted. It seems that Key West is going to stay in my life, even way up here.

Getting ready for Christmas

2006-12-05T17:27:00.000-05:00

Well, we have snow. I have been geting things ready. We have our tree up and I lit one up outside. Things are starting to look festive.
The best news, I start a JOB.
One of the local bodyshops is needing my services. I am looking forward to working again.
Merry Christmas to all.
And happy New Year.

Much Thanksgiving

2006-11-24T12:55:00.000-05:00

I have a lot to be Thankful for. Though at some times it may seem that things are not going as I would like, there is still reason to be thankful.
We had Mom out for the day, and a great meal, good conversation.
I got the tether off, so I am free again. Still need to find a job, but at least I can look for one now.
We have wood for the winter, and the chains on the tractor. I think we're ready. I just need to find a Christmas Tree.

Fall is here

2006-10-22T14:49:00.000-04:00

The colors are changing, Fall is here. I had been meaning to post some Fall Colors, and got a couple photos. Then we got snow. so here is Fall in the UP of Michigan.

This Stinks

2006-09-16T13:39:00.000-04:00

This little creature has been around here for a while. I caught the scent a couple times, but I hadn't seen him. The dogs did,twice. I had to wash them a week or so ago. And now they have done it again. They got hold of him this time. I don't think they hurt him too badly but he was slightly wounded when I got them off ,and tied up. He wandered off on his own after a rest. I hope he moves to another neighborhood. Time to wash the dogs,again. They smell really bad.

A small hope

2006-09-10T18:02:00.000-04:00

I have the opportunity for an appeal. I don't know if it will help any, but I have to try. It is a small hope, but it is all I have.
I found, in researching around the web, that my rights had been restored. I plead guilty to "attempted possession of a firearm by a felon", on the advice of my attorney. The Firearm owners Protection Act 1986 says that if my rights are restored by the state I was convicted in, I am not a prohibited person under the law. Getting your name off the Federal Felon List is another problem. But by what this law says, I did nothing wrong.
It is a small hope but a hope is more than I had.

Bad Joke

2006-08-31T04:51:00.000-04:00

Someone thinks this is funny. I just got woke up at 4:30am, again. The Sheriff's Office called to say that the monitor had lost me for a time. They have done this several times. I am sleeping in the same spot I have been in for hours,and suddenly I disappear, and magically appear when they call. BULLSHIT! This is someone's idea of a joke. "lets poke the animals with a stick". If they had "lost" me why is there no police car in my driveway? If I am not here, why call me? Just to wake my wife and me up to mess with me. I am complying with their rules, which are restrictive enough, Why harass me? Why harass my wife? She has done nothing to be punished for. This Sucks. This has happened 4 or 5 times now, I have told them each time that it their box, and not me. I will make a formal complaint tomorrow.
Small, shallow people. Small shallow minds. Bad joke.

Beyond Annoying

2006-08-30T17:21:00.000-04:00

This is really disgusting. I have a leak in my water line and I can NOT fix it. I was working on it, and was told to stop by the Tether Officer. I had been digging out the well and trying to find the lines and the leak. I had to shut off the power to the pump or the hole fills with water. The ground I am digging in is clay, and it was a lot of work getting as far as I had. Wet clay is not easy to dig by hand.
In the middle of the job I got a call from Deputy Jerald P. Cook. He "reminded me" that I was on Tether, and I was NOT to shut off the power. The pump is wired into the house main (the Tether has battery back-up),so I can not shut off the pump. I can't fix the leak until I have the freedom to work on my own property. This SUCKS.
I filled in the hole, and will live with the water leak till spring. This is beyond annoying.

Things have not gone well.

2006-08-19T10:30:00.000-04:00

The year started off with a lot of promise. A new home, money in the bank, and a lot of possible options. I had hoped that the whole family would see the many possibilities, and jump in to make the farm work. Well, no such luck. After spending several thousand dollars, and considerable time and effort, new bedroom furniture, internet,phone, and satellite TV in each room. Warm clothes and boots, and all necessities. NO HELP. Oh yeah, Donald did shovel some snow once, and Lisa kicked in a few bucks for gas, when she was working.
Donald left when we got on him about drinking a case a day. We paid his way back to Key West. He was going to make a lot of money and then come back. So far we have shipped stuff to him, and paid several hundred in cell phone charges. He parties away every penny he gets.
Lisa decides to move into the trailer( I was going to use it as a guest house) and has to have it fixed up. NOW! She has to get moved in and claim it as her own before Donald moves back. So I start working on it. The furnace has to be replaced, new water heater, plumbing and electrical repairs. A couple thousand dollars, and some labor. We can make it livable. Except I am not getting it done fast enough.
OK, this is where it gets good. Carol is upset that I am spending to much time on the trailer. Lisa is insisting that I get it all done right now. An argument ensues. Lisa is drunk,(quart of rum+medications) Carol is pissed, Lisa is hysterical,and goes off on me. I walk into my field and get drunk(the first whiskey I drank in 15 years).Lisa calls the police after I told her she could get out. I am getting very drunk, in my own field, on my own land. Very disgusted and by myself.
I am arrested. I am taken to jail. I am charged with Domestic Violence (didn't happen, I was assaulted) and possession of a firearm by a felon.( my wife's shotgun).I have a past history,many years ago, I thought I was past it.
It has taken the last of the savings to fight this,and I just pled guilty to attempted possession of a Firearm. The best I could do. I am sentenced to six months, But am doing it on a tether.(Electronic Monitor) at home. House arrest. Carol has gotten a job at Walmart, but I have not found anything yet.
I am trying to remain optimistic, and see what happens next, but this has not been a good year.

New Workhorse

2006-05-27T18:03:00.000-04:00

I picked up a new-old tractor to do the work around here, so I can let the old one rest. The Massy-Ferguson is in need of a lot of maintenance, but I couldn't do it while I still needed it. This Ford tractor is much more powerful. It is probably more tractor than I need, but the price was right. With this much horsepower I won't have to worry about overworking it.

Update, We have flowers

2006-04-25T08:34:00.000-04:00

We have some flowers coming up. The gardens have been neglected for some time, but with a little cleaning,tilling and weeding, they will be nice.

Spring cleaning

2006-04-25T08:05:00.000-04:00

So much to do,where to start. I have looked around to place and there is a lot to do. I picked the pond as a place to start. No reason, I just had to start somewhere. In seem that there has been a lack of care for some time. everything is overgrown. I'm going to put the old boat somewhere around the pond. Where ?

Spring is here

2006-04-23T18:54:00.000-04:00

I have been out around the yard, The snow is going away and I can see the ground. In spots. The weater is nice and this should melt off soon. Thats when we get busy. Lets see what kind of farm we have here. I will post pics in progress. We wil do before and after. I can see things that need cleaning up.

Winter Weather

2006-04-04T12:26:00.000-04:00

We had very nice spring weather, snow was melting, spots of yard were showing through. The last few day have been snowing and blowing. It looks like winter again, but I have hope. It can't last. I've spent the time building a web page. My ISP hosts a homepage, so I've been putting one together. It keeps me busy, and bends my brain around some new stuff. Check out my my new page here. http://jamadots.com/~pcosmar/ and as soon as it thaws, we'll see what we have growing around here.

Spring is here..almost.

2006-03-23T19:41:00.000-05:00

Well officaly spring is here. It comes a lttle slower up here, but there have been signs. Snow is melting faster than it is being replaced. My wife saw a Robin the other day, acceped pruff of spring. And the dogs are starting to shed, there's hair everywhere. So maybe I can find some work soon. It will be Interesting to see what I have growing around this farm. In the mean time, Here is a shot of the doghouse, and a new screenshot of my desktop. this screeny is from my laptop.

Latest Project

2006-02-21T10:36:00.000-05:00

This is both present and future project. A Massey-Ferguson 65 tractor. It is at present in use,but in need of constant tinkering, just to keep it going. My driveway is 1/4 mile long, and it snows here. Present project, keeping every thing moving, the driveway clear, the house warm, critters fed, and surviving till spring. Clearing the road with a cantankerous old tractor is a nearly full time job. Future project, as soon as the weather breaks, and the tractor is not needed on a daily basis, I want to restore it. But for now it's time to clear the drive again.

Wilma Update

2006-01-15T21:10:00.000-05:00

I just couldn"t help it.. One last Wilma Update. Just look at where this boat washed up.

New House update

2006-01-15T13:50:00.000-05:00

We are getting settled,and adjusted to our new place. It is warm and comfortable, but does need some small upgrades and changes. That should keep me busy for a while. The animals have made themselves at home. We are still finding where everything goes, and then changing and moving it again. I suppose I should change the info under my picture as it is no longer accurate. Update: Ok I changed it.

Moveing Update

2005-12-30T12:22:00.000-05:00

We are here. What an ordeal that was. Breakdowns on the highway,packing and unpacking. geting all the stuff done,Bank, electric, phone, internet. Oh,yeah, no high speed, I have dial up. I am in an internet cafe to post this. I may have to get sattelite. See you later. Stuff to do.

It's Offical.

2005-12-10T07:08:00.000-05:00

We have a new house. We signed the papers last week and sold our home in the Keys, and bought one in Michigan. We are packing and cleaning and getting ready to move. I started the process before Wilma hit, but if there were any doubts, they were washed away when the ocean came through our yard. There will be a lot of adjustments, and I don't know what I am going to be doing there yet. I am going to have choices and time to make them. I love the Florida Keys, but I am looking forward to the change.

I'm Back,finely

2005-11-26T21:30:00.000-05:00

We lost phone and internet service in the storm, and just got it back today. There was a strange double storm surge. The first one was during the night and was about what we usually get. Normal (for a hurricane). The second came in just after daybreak, as the storm was pulling away. The ocean came over Big Coppitt Key. It got everybody. 12,000 cars in the Lower Keys were totaled. We lost 2 and a motorcycle(67 Triumph). I was very fortunate, my house was not damaged,we just lost "stuff". I had made a decision to sell my place and move to Michigan before the storm. We had signed the papers just before Wilma came. Any doubts I may have had, were washed away by the ocean in my yard. The Mercedes didn't make it, Salt water destroys electrical systems, and accelerates rust. Very sad.

Wilma,Finally here

2005-10-23T20:11:00.000-04:00

Well after the wait I hope it's worth it. I'll just be glad when it's over.We can clean up the mess and get back to work. This is getting old.

Wilma;here we go again

2005-10-21T09:30:00.000-04:00

We have another storm coming at us. This makes 4 hurricanes this year. We are watching it to see what it is going to do. They evacuated the tourists,on Wednesday. I have never left for a storm,I prepare,I pray,and then I trust God. My house is solid,and in a good location,so I don't worry. Most folks hear the media hype and run in a blind panic. In the "Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy" on the first page,in large friendly letters,are the words "Don't Panic". Very good advice.

Dry Days

2005-10-09T18:00:00.000-04:00

Three huricanes this year,and a wetter than normal rainy season, we finaly had a few dry days. I got to work on the Merc some. I think I have all the dents and repairs done, and the top is painted. The new color "Force Silver" looks good on it. Next,get the jambs painted,and finish the body. That is if the weather will cooperate.

Wet year

2005-09-18T11:57:00.000-04:00

Well this is a wet year. Summer is our rainy season, but this year is something else. We now have our third hurricane comming. I have made some progress, but it is slow. now I have to get ready for "Rita".

Weather or not?

2005-08-27T14:43:00.000-04:00

It seems I am not getting much done this weekend. We just got power back on, and I have some cleaning up to do. Like they say; It's always something. This is what it looked like before the power went out.

New Fenders

2005-08-14T20:52:00.000-04:00

The new fenders came. Now the fun begins,they need to be fitted. Aftermarket fenders(or any parts) need a little tweaking to fit right. I have the patches done on the rockers,so I can work on getting everything lined up right. Aftermarket Parts Cut to size Trim to shape Beat to fit Paint to match.

These have got to go

2005-08-07T21:21:00.000-04:00

These fenders could be saved, but they are pretty well shot. The best thing to do is replace them. I found some aftermarket fenders at a reasonable price, so the old ones are outa there. The rocker is another story. It can be saved, I will weld in a new piece, but no thin skin, that rocker is structural. I will make that better than new.

And so it begins

2005-07-16T21:10:00.000-04:00

Well I am not even done cleaning up after "Dennis" and I have a new project. This is really no suprise. Carlos talked to me last year about fixing up his car. It has just taken this long for everything to come together. If every thing goes well I will follow this one start to finish. This is how it starts, now lets take it apart.

Cleaning up

2005-07-11T20:13:00.000-04:00

Well we came through that unscathed (mostly). We just caught the side of the storm, and the damage is minor. It just leaves such a mess behind. Time to clean up, and get back to work.

Bad Weather

2005-07-08T09:19:00.000-04:00

I don't think I'll get much done this weekend, We have some bad weather comming. I am all buttoned up and as ready as can be.See ya when it's past.

Independence Day

2005-06-30T18:06:00.000-04:00

Happy independence Day. Growing up in the frozen north,we had 2 independence Day celebrations, the first and fourth. Fireworks on the first,on the Canadian side of the river,and on the fourth our side. I want to wish you all a Happy independence Day,have fun and stay safe. Remember those who are fighting for the freedom of others,so that one day they can celebrate their own independence.

Rust.

2005-06-28T19:22:00.000-04:00

I painted this Mustang a while back. Jan loves her little car and is keeping it up nicely. I had it back this time to put new rubber in the wing windows. She also noticed some spots,so I looked into them. RUST,it's the cancer of auto body,and here in the Keys it is a constant. We have a very corosive atmosphere. The pic's show the spots after I sanblasted them. Then fiberglass to make the repair waterproof.Painted it will be good as new,till the next time. Rust is a constant.

OK, back to work.

2005-06-25T19:48:00.000-04:00

Well now that the Blog is working,lets get back to what this Blog is about. I was given a secret project at work (my"real"job). The Head of Operations is retiring,and the Owners wanted to give him a going away present.He is moving away,and his new place has a large yard,so a riding lawn mower was in order.Not just any mower would do.Joe has been with the company for 33 years and started as a Conch Tour Train driver.They had me build him a Conch Train Mower.We gave it to him at his going away party.I think he likes it.

Hi,it's me

2005-06-24T18:30:00.000-04:00

Well I have a new camera and a way to post, so here are some pic's of me. I hope your not too disapointed.

So cool,sort of

2005-06-23T20:28:00.000-04:00

I have been working at getting my own server set up so I could post pictures again. With the help of helios at lobby4linux who saw my post about seting up a server,and and Emailed me some helpful information.

I was so close,am so close.I was just testing it and I find Blogger has added pic posting, very cool.My thanks to all the folks at Blogger,this is great. And check out the Blog of Helios at http://lobby4linux.com/WordPress/

Desktop snapshot

2005-06-23T20:25:00.000-04:00

I tried this before, here goes again

Lets try this.

2005-06-23T19:49:00.000-04:00

If this works,you should see a picture of one of my cats(we have many).Little Miss pesters me when I am at the computer. I think she may be spending too much time in front of it.

New toy

2005-06-05T21:32:00.000-04:00

Well I got my new camera.My wife went out and got me a HP M407.Seems to be a nice little camera.It was not listed on the "digikam" list of supported cameras,but it was detected and loaded just fine. Then I tried to load the included software on my Win C partition,it took 2hours.windows kept shuting down,reboot-start over,reboot-start over,reboot-start over...10 minutes in Linux, 2 hours in Win xp. I hate Windows. For my next trick, I will learn to set up a server so I can post pictures again.I'm on my way,lots to learn.

Last post,didn,t work

2005-05-16T23:22:00.000-04:00

Ok, I have more to learn. I used my web editor to post a picture,but it only works from my computer. Did some more reading,and found I can do this if I set op a web server to serve the pictures.More study to do,but I'll get it. Get er done!!

Does this work

2005-05-15T15:54:00.000-04:00

I am going to try something.If this works it will be a snapshot of my desktop. If it works with this,I can add pictures the same way.

Been a while

2005-05-14T17:05:00.000-04:00

It's been a while since I posted.I have been busy. Well,the T-bird is done and gone,and I am presently fixing a few scratches on a friends 68 Fury III. I have painted the whole car and some of it twice. He lives on a narrow street. I still don't have pictures,but I have some ideas to try.I have been lurking around forums trying to learn. Thats why I haven't posted,mostly I have been reading(and trying to learn)when I am online.I realy love the LINUX operating system,but it takes a little effort to learn. This would be easier if I didn't type so slow(working on it). I will try to post more often.

T-bird update

2005-04-09T00:20:00.000-04:00

I got color (red) an the T-bird last weekend. The weather was not helping,it was too windy,so I stoped. I hope to finish it this weekend. I need a new camera,the little card cam I have doesn't take good pics. Then I'll have to find a way to post them.I don't think I can yet with Linux. I'll find a way.

About time

2005-03-05T16:53:00.000-05:00

I haven't posted for a while,so I guess it's about time. The T-bird is comming along nicely.All the bodywork on the rear of the car is done.It seems that sometime,somewhere,in a land far away,this car had some bad work done to it. The left rear was quartered,and the trunk lid would not adjust correctly.I broke the welds(if you can call them that) raised the body panel and rewelded it.the deck lid lines up now.(imagine that) Anyway, I am working on the front end,the hood has a similar problem(mayby it was hit on the nose,Maybe)I get that to fit too. No pic's right now,I will explain that later.

2005-01-30T14:48:00.000-05:00

Nice Red

From:	Craig Nelke (cnelke@midwestmemorialgroup.com)
Sent:	Wed 4/22/09 6:14 PM
To:	'peter osmar' (pcosmar@hotmail.com)