desert vegetation ...

   'desert vegetation', that's what Sybil & I are doing, for the most part - just lounging around (but, I have a helluva good tan to show for it !) ... 

   some of our days were dusty and windy, but most have been very nice ... temps are warm, so far, and our usual winter campsite is not over - populated, which is great for a recluse like myself ... Sybil misses having other dog friends, but that tends to change now and then, as new  neighbors and their dogs come and go ...

   obviously, I haven't posted up many Blog entries lately, that's mostly just laziness on my part, and an old preference for just keeping to myself ...

   I've always said if it wasn't for longhaul trucking, I'd probably never have held a job, as I just am not comfortable working with others ... (it's not MY fault that they couldn't keep up with me !) ... 

   so, while my posting is spotty, I will continue the Blog as long as possible, I think ... when I die, there won't be any money spent on headstones, and all that crap, but I will hang on thru the Internet, maybe ... 
   someday, far in the future, someone will stumble on the Blog, and wonder why some long-dead writer had so much contempt for something called 'Liberals', and so much love for something called 'Da Bears' ... 

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

    speaking of 'Da Bears, we really suck ! ... no kidding, we came into this season with an outstanding Offense, and an improved Defense - guess what ? ... it didn't help, we are completely off the charts BAD ... our Coach, who impressed so much last year, has shown himself to be a dumbass ... no other way to describe it ...

    when someone like me, who is NOT an authority on Football, can accurately predict every play the Bears are gonna run next, someone isn't too smart in the game-planning ...

   worse, Coach 'Touchy Feely' Trestman, has sissified our Bears ... the Monsters of the Midway now play like a church picnic team ...

   too late to fix anything this season - I would feel pretty safe to say we likely won't win another game this year (doesn't matter at this point) ...

   I'm used to 'da Bears' disappointing me, but this season really looked like the BIG TURNAROUND for my Bears ... not gonna happen ...

there's no joy in Mudville ...

       Sybil reminds me, we're not fair-weather Bears fans !

             " win, lose, or tie, we be Bears fans till we die ! "
           

   
   

 

Internet, finally ...

   I'm sure after this long absence, it has appeared as though we are in hiding, due to 'da Bears' losses - no, due to their embarrassing losses ...

   nope, we Bears fans, thru & thru, never waiver, Bear Down ! ...

   (but, we have looked bad) ...

   all got right yesterday, when 'da Bears' beat the Atlanta Falcons - they have their own issues, but our whole team really performed well ... amazing, considering how many backup players were used ... we still have serious injury issues, but our rookies and old men did a fine job, anyway ...

   

'da Bears' now 3-3 for the season

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

   Sybil and I are on the road, finally ... we got our new Maxxis trailer tires in Reno, and headed south ... we're now camped in the desert for awhile - temps are running about 86/54, real nice ... but, yesterday had high winds, and too much dust to be enjoyable ...

   Sybil is outside, on rattlesnake watch, as the newspapers around here are often writing about the heavy abundance of rattler sightings this month ... (the worst thing about rattlers is the current 'ammunition shortages')

   after our long drought of no internet connectivity, I'm being spoiled now - very fast Verizon signal down here ... 

   no more excuses, I will have to start posting up more often ...


   

still in Internet Hell ...

   a quick post, while I'm online (barely) ... Sybil & I are still up here in our summer canyon, and the internet is a luxury that only visits us now & then ... Verizon Wireless is kinda like the Tooth Fairy, only it doesn't leave a dime under your pillow ...

   we will be leaving on our road trip the first week of October, and at that time, we 'should' have decent internet access for the foreseeable future ... 

   desert= no trees, stronger signal ...
   
   originally planning on leaving this week, I am going to let common sense intervene (hey, it happens !)), and buy a pair of new Maxxis trailer tires, before heading out ... we'll order them online from 'Discount Tire', and get them installed as I pass thru Reno, Nevada ...

   the little 1000-watt Honda generator arrived, and is doing a fine job of running the trailer's converter, keeping our batteries charged, and allowing for lights, furnace fan, etc. ... 
   I was afraid it was too small for the job, but so far, so good ... I am impressed ...

   **********************************

   Sybil had her annual Vet visit, she got her shots, claws trimmed, she tested Negative for Heartworm, and scaled out at 98# ... she was 88# the last 2 years in a row, but these last 3 weeks, or so, she has really been pigging out, eating more than normal ... I think she is predicting a cold winter, but the Farmers' Almanac says the desert southwest should be on the mild side ...

   now, who you gonna believe, a dog or a farmer ? ... I rest my case (and, got another quilt) ...

would you trust a weatherman over ME ?

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

   'da Bears' got  beat badly their first game against the Champion Seattle Seahawks, and then pulled one hell of an upset by beating the 3rd-ranked San Francisco 49ers, 28-20 ... 'da Bears' came from behind a 17-0 SF lead, to wipe the slate clean in the 4th Quarter ...
   Jay Cutler threw 4 Touchdown passes with no interceptions ('good' Jay showed up for this game) ...

   our new rookie cornerback, Kyle Fuller, made TWO interceptions on 49ers QB Kaepernick, and was awarded 'NFC Defensive Player of the Week' ... pretty good for a rookie kid ...

 

BUT, we lost 5 more guys to injuries !

   we are definitely showing our age, we have quite a few players either too busted up to play, or playing at much reduced capabilities ...

     when we commence our trip, we will have RV and travel pics posted, as Sybil has reminded me that not everybody is a Bears Fan ... poor misguided folks ... if it wasn't for 'da Bears', I would still be reading the news, and ranting & raving about the stupid Liberals that have destroyed my country ... 

   Sybil sez:  " I'd rather sniff a strange dog's butt, than vote Democrat "

         (she said that, seriously ! )

electricity on the way ...

   our new Honda generator is scheduled to be delivered this coming Monday ... I'm sure the local wildlife will be glad for it's arrival ... 

   the last week, or so, I've been using the old 'Harley' (my nickname for the Briggs & Stratton generator), which as previously mentioned, is heavy, loud & thirsty (just like the real thing) ... I was reminded yesterday of another negative aspect of it, that of being a beast to start on cold mornings ... fortunately, it kicks off after 3-4 pulls, but man, that thing pulls hard in cold oil ! ...      

   there's definitely got to be some way to hitch Sybil up to it, maybe some sort of 'pull-start' arrangement ...

   yesterday was 'maintenance day' on the van, getting ready to pull out soon ...
   I still need to rebuild the hitch assembly on the trailer, the guts are worn out, I will post up pics when I disassemble it, should be interesting ...

   *********************************

   the Packers got beat up in their first regular-season game, 36-16 vs the Seattle Seahawks ... 

   Sunday, 'da Bears' will welcome the Buffalo Bills to Soldier Field  (said the spider to the fly), and after our anticipated WIN, will be a full game up on the Packers ...

   this, of course, is all that matters to a Bears fan, beating the Packers ... beating the Packers twice during the season, a sweep, is the REAL Super Bowl, ya know ...

   

let's get it on !

  
   

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 !

   

travel plans accelerating ...

   it's looking as though Sybil & I will hit the road again soon, quite a bit earlier than our other Autumn road trips ... as long as I can get my old generator running this week, maybe I can put off the new generator purchase another month, or two ... it only needs a new starter rope & fresh gas, but I haven't been in any hurry to do that ...

   our 'old' generator only weighs about 80#, but the carrying handles are positioned to guarantee low-back pain, every time I hoist it in & out of the van ... plus, it's a bit loud, and kinda gas-thirsty ... so, I haven't been all that anxious to start using it again ... but, if I can put the new one off a bit longer, I can go ahead and get a pair of new trailer tires first, as they are more of a priority ...

   I would like to also postpone the new tires until I reach Lake Havasu City, AZ, where I bought the van's Michelins ... but, we'll see how they do after we head out ... if we do have trouble enroute, I can always have the new tires shipped for free to most local tire stores ...
  'Discount Tires/America's Tire' is a pretty good source for tires, they won't be undersold, and are all over the country ... well,maybe not in some of the crazy places we wind up !

   I couldn't be happier with the 'Maxxis 8008' tires I put on it 6 years ago ... they now have over 20,000 miles on them, and are in perfect condition, to my eyeballs, anyway ... that's very good service, especially if you've ever seen some of the rough, sharp ground we cover with it ... the stock Goodyears would have blown apart years ago - Goodyear Marathons  (Explode-A-Thons) ...

 BUT, then I read this very informative tire info:

  http://www.discounttiredirect.com/direct/infoTrailerTireFacts.do

   I have always heard it said that trailer tires should be replaced every 3 years, regardless of what they look like, or mileage ... I dunno ...

   I'm the sort of guy that doesn't always believe the sales hype, until it's backed up with some facts ... but, after reading that tire info, I am going to replace them, since my present tires are way past due, in both mileage and age ...

   Sybil doesn't seem to care, one way, or the other ... she's pre-occupied with politics these days ... I don't know where she gets it ...

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

   tonight, our Chicago Bears will play the reigning Champions, Seattle Seahawks, in our 3rd preseason game ...

   the 3rd preseason games are significant, as it is the only preseason game that the teams will play their starters for the first half, or more ... 
   Seattle is coming into the game with almost their same roster as last year, and are touted as THE team to beat this year ... they really are scary-good ...

   I predict 'Da Bears' will lose tonight's game by 10 points, or so ... again, preseason games mean nothing more than getting a look at the newer players, etc. ...

   of course, while all these guys are pro athletes that hate to lose at anything, they are also coached to hold back a bit, to avoid injuries ... also, any new plays won't be used, as to avoid giving the opposition any advance preparation ...

   hmmm, this long-winded post has given us time to re-think tonight's  results,

  
                 Sybil's Prediction:    'da Bears' 87,  Seattle  2
    
   

sounds about right ...

the offline blues ...

   I almost forgot how to sign in for the Blog ... I have been almost 100% offline the last few weeks, (and for awhile longer, too, unfortunately) ...

   the Verizon internet I use has gotten weaker and weaker every summer up here in my canyon, to the point where it's almost impossible to connect ...

   to top it off, my generator gave up the ghost a couple weeks ago ... I will buy a small Honda generator in a couple weeks (still saving up for it, those things are EXPENSIVE !) ... I suspect the ever-increasing tree foliage in my area contributes to the weak internet, and definitely has put the kibosh (is that how ya spell kibosh ??? ) on my solar panel, too ...

   but, today, Sybil & I are in a town for my doctor visit, and can get online, FINALLY ...

   expecting to have a new generator around the first week of September, we will be getting set for our winter migration ... although I'm not too fond of the desert, it will be nice to have both internet & sunshine back again ...

   Sybil could care less - she doesn't use the computer much (mostly just dog/cat computer games), and except for the air conditioner in her doghouse, she's not a heavy power consumer ...

   - until football season, that's when Sybil starts foaming at the mouth to see her Chicago Bears play ! ... 

   Da Bears are doing very well in the preseason, and we can't wait for the regular season to start in 2 weeks ... we will be quite GOOD this year ...

   seriously good, in fact ...

  
 

CAUTION:  BEARS FEEDING !

   

not dead, yet, etc. ...

   don't think I haven't noticed how inconsistent I am, regarding blog updates ...

   nope, I'm not dead, and haven't quit the blog again, anything like that ... 

   my last couple weeks have been occupied with worry over a family member ... other than sad drama, literally nothing interesting has happened with Sybil & I, and it has been so hot, I haven't left the trailer before dusk, during these last few days ...

   and, I mean HOT !!

   our weather isn't showing any sign of easing up, either, with more heat wave days ahead ...

   

      no worries, I'll still be alive & well for Opening Kickoff !

I root for 'da Bears' early, to avoid the rush ...

   by this mid-season, EVERYBODY will claim to be a 'longtime Bears fan', just watch & see ... it's gonna be a great year to be a Bears Fan, so I won't pick on the newbies too much, for jumping onboard late ... 

really poor internet strength ...

   it's been almost impossible for me to get online lately ... I have long suspected the tree growth over the years, between the tower and my campsite, has gradually blocked the signals ... after camping in this same spot for about 6 years, I am seeing the pattern ...

   this morning, it's fairly cloudy, which helped me get online, for the first time in a few days  ... AM radio transmissions are held down by heavy clouds, and tends to boost the signal ... I don't know for sure if the cellular signal is like that, but it does seem to be ... 

   it's supposed to be 100 degrees again, today, so a nice cloudy sky that holds down temps and boosts internet, sounds like a good thing ... a nice rain (with no lightning) would be VERY nice, too ...

   my internet is so weak, I am unable to post up my usual BEARS picture, so, hopefully, you've already printed one off, to admire at home ... 

   (Sybil has a framed pic of 'da Bears' in her doghouse, of course)


   

SYBIL'S BIRTHDAY BASH ...

   well, Sybil's 5th birthday was uncomfortable for Sybil, but she seemed to enjoy herself, anyway ...

   the day before her birthday, she started acting peculiar, wouldn't sit down, and REALLY didn't like it, when I touched her tail ... she seems to have 'broken her tail', or otherwise injured it, about halfway down ... it is gradually getting better, but the whole situation doesn't make much sense ...

   we have finally suspected she may have had her tail tangled in her line, and jumped up in excitement, while one of our frequent critters came to visit her ...

   dunno, doesn't seem all that likely, but I'm out of ideas ...

   meanwhile, (except for sitting down very carefully), Sybil seems to be her usual happy self ...

Sybil, my loyal friend - 5 years

   every birthday, Sybil gets a new collar, I buy 'em online from 'Gun Dog Supply'  (free plug) ... it's a family-owned business in Mississippi, nice folks, great quality stuff ...

   anyway, THIS birthday, she finally got the collar of her dreams ! 

 nope, uh-uh, not MY idea, she came up with it, all by herself ...

  
    speaking of football, (and the overall greatness of 'da Bears'), here's a great candid shot I got today, of Sybil saying hello to a Packer fan !

just kiddin' - actually, this is Sybil caught in mid-yawn !

   so, that's Sybil's 5th birthday, come and gone ... I hope she has a lot more left in her, and her tail heals up well ...

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

   Sybil sez : " this is gonna be a GREAT season to be a Bears fan, watch and see ! "

     


 

stressful situation ...

   Sybil & I are barely keeping it together, we're so anxious for football season to start ... while I'm maintaining as well as can be expected,  I fear Sybil is starting to crack under the strain ...

poor thing, stressed to the max !!

  
   I ran across a forgotten video clip, from this past winter's desert escape ... those are a few wild burros that walked over to our camp to say HI to Sybil ...

   Sybil's so friendly, she doesn't even bark at them ... (my vicious watchdog)

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

   'da Bears' are beginning training for the upcoming season - meanwhile, I've doubled my Verizon cellular Internet bandwidth, will now have 10gb/month available ... 

   so, I 'should' be able to watch more of our Bear games via Internet stream this season ... I say 'should' optimistically, because I seldom am close enough to a major market to have 'fast' enough Internet for streaming video ... 

   TV is just not an option for me ... I could go the satellite dish route, but if I went to all that trouble, I'd constantly be in front of a TV set ...

   I already sit around too much, (junk knee, etc.), so I don't need any more excuses for laziness ...

   during the NFL College Draft, I attempted to watch a bit of it online, and saw the NFL had blocked the streams, as soon as they were posted up ...

   so, it's quite possible, the NFL will be successfully blocking the game streams this year ... meaning, no football for Ol' Dad & Sybil !!! ...

   I may have to go hang out in some local sports bar, or something,just to watch football this year ... hopefully not, I quit drinking 10 years ago, and can't stand being around drunks ... 

   (I was an accomplished, professional drunk, and am easily offended by copycat amateurs, wannabes, and pretenders-to-the-throne) ...

   it probably wouldn't help me enjoy 'da Bears' victories surrounded by Arizona Cardinals fans, either ... 

   I like the Cardinals just fine, they don't affect me one way or another ... but, I was amazed to discover the 'oldest rivalry in the NFL' is not the 'Bears vs Packers', but the AZ Cardinals and 'da Bears' ! ... huh ?

   seems in the old days, when 'da Bears' went from being the 'Decatur Staleys' (named after the sponsoring Staley Corn Starch folks in downstate Decatur, Illinois), to 'da Chicago Bears', they faced off with another local team, the Chicago Cardinals ... their rivalry only lasted a short time, as the football Cardinals left Chicago, for St. Louis ...

   yup, that's historical fact - 'da Bears' chased 'em clear outta town, 320 miles south to hide in St. Louis ... 

   still too close to the source of their fears (da Bears), years later,  they again slunk off, this time to hide in the deserts of Arizona ...

   

how's that fer a history lesson ?

upcoming video post:   the Flying Power Poles !


  

    

  

gorgeous day, crummy tires ...

   a gorgeous day, today ... while we are still finding chilly temps these early mornings, it's up in the 80s in a few hours ...

   Sybil and I are kinda 'stuck' in one place, for now ... I have a questionable tire on my left front wheel, and am trying not to drive on it, until I can get to my tire dealer late next week ...

   I use the 'Discount Tire/America's Tire' tire stores ... they're just about everywhere, have the best prices, and I've been happy with them so far ... I order from their website, then the store I choose orders the tires, and schedules me in at my convenience ... their optional extended warranty is supposedly a real good deal - I will know more about that, next week ...

   anyway, one of my fairly new Michelins, that only has about 14,000 miles on it, looks suspicious to me ... I noticed the outer sidewall has multiple cracks in several locations around the tire ... it's not any kind of weather or sunlight related checking, it's looking like some damage going on inside there ... I haven't gotten under the van, to look at the inside sidewall, yet ...

   my other three Michelins look perfect, so it's a mystery ... I purchased an optional store warranty that will replace it for free, but if it needs replacing, I will buy two, to assure they match up in height correctly ... this would be of no matter on my front axle, but a drive pair must match up, or 'can' cause damage to a differential, besides increased tire wear ... 

   since my spare is presently one of the absolutely HORRIBLE Korean 'Hankook' tires that came on the van when new, I can't wait to replace it with ANYTHING ELSE ...

   seriously, if you have a Hankook tire on anything, replace it before it kills you ... I have never seen brand-new tires fall apart with internal 'separated tread' issues, anything like these pieces of garbage ... well, maybe Goodyear's junk trailer tires ...

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

   I almost HATE to replace my trailer tires this year - 

   when still brand-new (170 miles on the original tires), I replaced the Chinese-built garbage trailer tires from Goodyear, their famous (infamous), 'Marathon' trailer tires, with my present Maxxis 8008 tires ...

   years ago, I owned a 1976 Airstream that had 30-year old Goodyear Marathons on it ... they were excellent tires back then ... then, Goodyear started making them in China - now the WORST trailer tire made ! ... trust me, Google them up, read the reviews ... folks nowadays refer to them as 'Goodyear Explode-athons' ! ... yup, I agree 100% ...

   so, mine were replaced with 'Maxxis 8008' trailer tires ... Maxxis was a somewhat cheaper brand that impressed me with their motorcycle dirt tires, so I gave them a shot ... made in Thailand, I was a little wary of them, at first ...

   typical 'RV recommendations' dictates we change out our RV tires every 3 years, regardless of wear, or performance ... 

   that's pretty ridiculous, in my mind ... am I wrong ?, doubtful - I've never been wrong about anything before now ... 

   (Sybil rolls her eyes, growls, and goes back to sleep) ...

   I admit, I am pretty fussy when it comes to tires and brakes ... in fact, some folks, knowing how tire-conscious I am, will say things like, " hey, that tire has dirt on it, ain't ya gonna replace it ?  ...

     real funny ... 

   but, I don't want to risk a blowout damaging our fiberglass wheel-wells, so I will reluctantly replace these Maxxis 8008, for a new pair ...

   my present Maxxis 8008 tires are 6 years old, with roughly 25,000 miles on them ... with a LOT of those miles on severe, sharp, rocky terrain, as well as highway speeds, I've never lost confidence in these tires ... they have picked up a coupla nails along the way, but no damage to the tires ...

   they still look great, and obviously have outstanding tread life ... they've gone up in price, from $110 to about $140 apiece, nowadays, but I'm going to order another pair, and hope they are still as high-quality as my 6-yr old Maxxis have been  ... I'll wait until I hit the road later this summer, and buy them on my way out of state ... I try not to allow Kalifornia to get any tax revenue from me, they're too undeserving ...

     ***********************

   'da Bears' are starting to be noticed by the rest of the NFL, as in " hey, these guys have been real busy in the offseason, they are gonna be real hard to beat " ... maybe, impossible to beat ?

   it's been 30 years, since 'da Bears' won the Super Bowl - we're DUE !


    but, I'll settle for the NFC North Title & the Playoffs, (only if I have to) ...
  

   
   
   
   

   

just like a shark ...

    Sybil and I are still 'sitting in the woods' up north, the weather is passable, certainly nothing like 'normal', that's for sure ... still chilly in the mornings, occasional rain, but not nearly as hot as usual, by this time ...

   of course, these days, what is normal weather ?

   I restarted this Blog recently, since it looked like we would be taking a major road trip this summer ... you never know, there might be something interesting to put in this dumb blog, for a change ... the biggest embarrassment of my previous blog, was the fact that my life is so boring, I really don't do ANYTHING, anymore ... so, I ended it ...

   now, as Sybil & I are trying to budget a long road trip, obstacles are being thrown at us ...

   first, an unexpected expense occured on the way up here, when a southbound Nevada bottom-dump semitruck tossed a small rock my way -

   $200 windshield, $500 insurance deductible ... you do the math ...

   now, one of my almost-new Michelin tires looks as though it may need replacing ... it only has about 11,000 miles on it, worn 'just enough', that if I replace one tire, I should go ahead and replace them as a pair, so they match up (about $600) ... I think I may have hit a parking block hard, that's the only thing I can think of, as I NEVER hit potholes on the highway ...

   naturally, it looks as though Michelin may have discontinued this particular tire, I won't be sure until I get to a dealer ... 

   ever notice when your luck turns bad, it accelerates ? ...

   anyway, yesterday I sat here with my maps and calculators, and was faced with the realization that I very well may not be able to afford to take this trip ... 

   true - I can't afford this trip ...

   BUT, I don't expect to be around forever, and I always dreaded the idea of lying on my deathbed, wishing I'd gone somewhere, or missed some momentous event ...

   you'd think, after 31 years of longhaul trucking, I'd have all that wanderlust out of my system ...

   NOPE

   Sybil says in her animal kingdom, I would likely be a shark, because sharks never stop swimming ... they can't stop moving, or their gills won't keep 'em breathing, or something like that ...

   constantly aware of my station in life, I suspect I wouldn't get to be a Great White Shark, probably just a lowly hammerhead, or something ...

   **************************

   on 'da Bears' front, things are looking very good, and the rest of the NFL has finally noticed our changes ... 

   suddenly, NFL writers are saying 'da Bears' have an 'open window' to the Super Bowl ...

   I won't go that far, (yet), but I am confident 'da Bears' are gonna take our NFC North Division crown into the Playoffs ...
   
   Green Bay doesn't concern me too much, I see 'da Bears' sweeping both games this season ... if anything, the Deeetroit Lions have my attention ...

   the Lions had a super-talented team the last couple seasons, but a really terrible Coach, that couldn't keep them in line ... I have always counted on a winning Lions team to self-destruct during the season ... no discipline, dirty playing thugs ...

   however, this season, the Lions have a new Coach, that supposedly has a functioning brain ... that, in itself, is a Deeetroit rarity, so I'll be watchin'  ...

    ***************************

   so, now we're back to the maps and calculator, to see if I can pull off another road trip ...

   Sybil waits with anticipation ...............................

  
   

summer planning ... sort of ...

   
   summer is supposedly almost here ... 'supposedly', because we are still waking up to freezing temps, about 25 degrees below normal ... 

   Sybil is watching over our heavy wildlife population, I think she wants to play with them all - deer, fox, bears, mountain lions, and even birds ... whatever moves, Sybil wants to befriend  (must say something about the value of MY company) ...

   I am semi-planning our summer road trip, as we haven't really had a good long one, in quite awhile ... 

   general plan is to go back east to my hometown, and setup a new Will, etc., so they'll know which dumpster to toss my body into, when the time comes ... really doesn't matter much to me, to tell the truth ...

   from there, the plan would likely be a warmer southern route back to the southwest, to our typical desert winter camps ...

   we're playing with the idea of possibly dropping south thru Mississippi, to visit some blues music landmarks, etc. along the way ... Sybil likes blues music, and it's the least I can do for her ... 

   other than that, I'm bored to death, as ALWAYS ...

           ********************** 

   'da Bears' had what seems to be a pretty successful NFL Draft, adding some promising young college players to the team roster ...
   most importantly, it looks like we shored up our weak Defense for the upcoming season ...

'da Bears' - Playoffs Bound 2014

   

back from 'vacation' ...

   well, here we are, again ...

   after some time away from the Blog, Sybil & I are back, at least for a bit ... we needed a break away from this ... 
   you may or may not understand, but when you publicize your personal thoughts and actions, and then go back and read it several weeks or months later, it sometimes surprises you ... and, possibly embarrasses you, too ... (I don't back away from any of my statements, but sometimes I could be more delicate, maybe) ...

   it must be hell to be a Politician, and face your lies daily in the news, but I doubt if they much care ...

   so much for explaining my moodiness ... (I ain't moody, I'm just pissed off at the way my country is being destroyed, from the inside) ...

   BUT, the blog says, we have two MAJOR EVENTS taking place, soon :

  Sybil's 5th birthday is approaching, June 21st ... a major event, to be sure, so mark your calendars ...
   

imagine my excitement

  
    and, 'da Bears' new season start-up is just around the corner !

   'da Bears' have patched a lot of holes in our really bad Defense from last year - (last season, half of our Defensive players were in the hospital, the other half were busy in town, applying for Disability) ...

   our Offense, which was already #2 in Offensive Scoring last season, added a couple more weapons, so, we WILL put points on the board, hopefully, more than the other guy ...

   this will be a STRONG season for 'da BEARS' ! ... seriously, as a lifelong
fan of 'da Bears', I haven't seen the team owners spend the necessary $$$ to get players like this, EVER ... 
   money isn't the whole story, 'da Bears' finally have a Gen. Mgr. and Head Coach with true football intelligence, they're spending those dollars in the right places, it looks like ...

   I'm not predicting we'll win the Super Bowl, but I am  confident we will win the NFC North Division Title (whupping the evil & despised Packers, along the way) ...

   'da Bears' WILL be in the Playoffs, and a good chance at the Super Bowl, too - there, I said it ... (" so let it be written, so let it be done " - Yul Brynner, from the movie 'the Ten Commandments'  well, I think it sounded good here) ...

   lastly, a few kind words to the opposing Green Bay Packer fans :

                                   SUCKS TO BE YOU !!!!!!!!!