if it ain't one thing, ...

   it's another ... 

  finally into town, and access to Internet - time for 'catch-up' ...

  Sybil and I are readying for the BIG TRIP, and one thing after another is happening ... age is creeping up on our equipment, and replacement is needed ... generator, shop vacuum, trailer tires, house batteries, etc. all need to be replaced, and SOON ...

   I 'think' I will order a new Honda 1000i generator this week, it's their smallest model, but I only need it to charge the house batteries, anyway ... I still have my 6-year old Coleman Powermate, powered by a Briggs & Stratton 5.5hp engine ... reliable, starts on one pull (as long as the starter rope doesn't break, we're on our 5th rope now) ... but, it's LOUD and THIRSTY, so I am really hoping the Honda is up to the task ... $800 delivered, they are really proud of those things ...

   if Sybil would just go to bed instead of watching TV all night, we wouldn't even worry about it (late-night Lassie re-runs) ...

   then, today my shop vac went up in smoke - seems the landlord used a 120-volt wall receptacle for the 220-volt air conditioner power source ... 
   the best part, this clown is a Licensed Contractor that built the place ... true 'Kalifornia Half-Assed Engineering' at it's best ... another expense, it's only money, after all ...

   I'm going to take a bit of a chance, and run my present trailer tires down to Lake Havasu City, before replacing them ... I like the Discount Tires store there, they have been more professional than the one I visited in northern Kalifornia ... and, these Maxxis 8008 tires just fascinate me, they have been GREAT TRAILER TIRES ... hopefully, they still build them as solid as they did 6 years ago, when I bought them ... made in Thailand, no less ...

      ************************************

   OK, I know what you're thinkin' -- " what happened to your Bears ? " ...

   yup we lost the last coupla pre-season games, especially beat up by the reigning Champion Seattle Seahawks ... (what the hell is a seahawk, anyway ?)

   once again, it is PRE-SEASON, means nothing, plus, 'da Bears' played mostly with our 2nd & 3rd stringers, while the Seahawks pretty much stayed with their starting players ...

   that's not an excuse, I have to say, those Seahawks played one of the finest games I've seen ... they really did look outstanding ... 

   their Head Coach, Pete 'Sissy' Carroll, however, was one of the most low-class Coaches I've ever seen ... standing on the sidelines laughing at 'da Bears' ...

   laughing ... I'd like to see that punk laugh in 'Da Coach' Ditka's face, they'd still be mopping up the blood ...

'da Coach' Ditka - 120 years old and still deadly !

   well, maybe not 120, but not far from it ...

   pre-season is now over, our first regular season game will be next Sunday , the 7th, versus the Buffalo Bills, in Chicago's Soldier's Field stadium ...

   two points to ponder:

Point 1:
   'da Bears' are still troubled Defensively - we have holes at Safety, confusion at the Linebacker positions, and for the first time in my memory, a weakness in Special Teams ...

Point 2:
    these deficiencies will probably allow the Buffalo Bills to stay within 30-40 points of us ...

   

Sybil Sez:  'da Bears' whup dem Billy Goats !