Planet Stahl

Happy Anniversary to us!  Been a while!   Geez!  Its kinda fun now… To think that its been that long.  A lot has changed… But I think there is a lot that is the same.

I had a bad present for Ang on her special day… I figured out that I lost her iPod Nano this week. I think it was on top of the car when I left for work.  I have been rolling around thinking about it all night.  Ang thinks she saw it down the road, but after going down there and looking (In the dark with a flashlight)… There is nothing to be found.  I will see if one of the neighbors picked it up when I do interrogations tomorrow.

Tomorrow is Wednesday…  PRAY THE WINDOWS COME IN!!!  We have had the Tyvec ripped off the house every time a 60 mile per hour wind comes by (Thats once every 2 days).

Ordered prefinished flooring last night at Menards.  Solid Hickory in 5 inch boards.  They had a 20% off sale…  So, I saved the cost of the finish.  I know that I am perfectly capable of sanding, staining, applying a coat of finish… Sanding it a second time… Cleaning it…  Applying a scond coat of polyurethane…  And then waiting a day for it to dry…  But, I thought… It would be nice to enjoy this new room before September!

Old Man Stahl

I never really thought about getting old… I can see how its something that most people kinda stumble into… And then come to a realization that they “cant do that anymore” by straining themselves in some really stupid fashion.  For me, this whole broken leg thing has me feeling old. 

Example…  I was without the riding mower this weekend.  So, as a last ditch effort to keep the yard under control… I push mowed it.  Well, I did half… Ang did the other half while I ran the weed-eater.  I can walk and push ok enough with the bum leg.  The side effect of this whole thing is how I have let my muscles in my legs just fall apart over the past 4 or 5 months.  I had dead legs and was winded.  It was gross. 

Ang asked me today what was going on with the mower at the shop…  And while I would love to have it back… I secretly thought… Screw the riding mower… I need to push mow this sucker every week!  This tune will certainly change when my rider comes back.  I have no illusions of pushing the yard every week.  But, it pointed out to me that physique is a degenerative item.  You don’t use it… You lose it at my age.

With all this in mind.  It had me thinking I was old.  I cant run for anything right now (I am still VERY optimistic that this will work itself out), and feel like my lack of exercise is pushing me right into old age! 

So, that’s on my mind!  Wheres my Zig Zigler audio tapes? (God help me if I ever get that depressed!)

The windows did not show up on Wednesday like the contractor’s had hoped… So, they wrapped the area up with Tyvec in the mean time.  Its like a cave in our kitchen right now!  Hopefully, next Wednesday, I will have lots of pictures to show off!

Went down to Springfield and visited the Leahy’s.  FINALLY!!!  We are bad friends!  Actually…  After my kids were there for 90 minutes, they were lucky something was not broken, or that all the kids were not crying!  Ronyn is a cutie!  I have a hard time believing my animals were that small!

We lost our camera for a few days…  So, I will get those pics of our visit up soon.

Summer had a great birthday.  Ang and I got her a Nintendo DS…  She has been playing “bunnies” on it.  Which is great… Its like having a pet, but you don’t have to clean up after it.  I was also glad to see that my all-time favorite game from the old Nintendo days is now out on DS.  SUPER DODGE BALL!

Dan and I played this game for a year straight when we first moved to Florida back in the early 90’s.  I believe “Sam” was the guy with the killer throw.

I dont remember it to clearly.. But Leahy said we used to play it with Steele.  And that would make sense…  Although I must have gotten my but handed to me enough that I have repressed it!

The ankle is pretty walkable now.  No pain after being on it all day.  It does not roll the side… And I still cant run or trot without a big limp.  So, we are still a work in progress.

A NEW SAGA IN CUB CADET MOWERDOM…

The left side controller of the mower does not work correctly… Its a Zero Turn Radius style mower (called ZTR from this point) and you have to use levers forward and back for each wheel.  Kinda like a Bobcat.  Anyway, the left side will not go half as fast as the right, and it has kicked a belt a few times.  (I have to put belts on this thing twice a year!!!)  So, I turned it in to A to Z rentals in Pekin last Friday (They picked it up).  It needs this belt thing figured out, needed a new battery, and had a flat tire! 

This being the peak time of year to mow…  Of course I am anxious…  Well, they still dont have it fixed a week later!!!  And they dont know whats wrong with it!

Can someone say “Screw Cub Cadet”? 

If you go to the pictures page… You will notice a new folder for the Back Porch.  We have hired Hawkins Custom Builders to yank it all down and install new walls, floors and windows.  This should help with heating and cooling the house, since it is such a volatile space during severe hot and cold conditions.

Also…  I caught a frog in the pool this week.  We named him Larry and put him in an aquarium on the kitchen table.  Well, today, I noticed that the food I had thrown in last night had not been eaten…  Why?  Larry is gone!  Where?  Who knows!  Ang is NOT amused!