Smartie's Bar & Grill #72

LOL.

It's hard to beat dishsoap or shampoo for washing greasy or oily hands.

 

We had eighteen days, and about two inches, of rain in September.

 

Nice. It was like that here last year - we had record amounts of rainfall. Now we can't buy a drop of rain...

 

Indeed... leaves are just dropping, crispy on the edges and yellow. There are going to be some very disappointed leaf peepers down this way.

The yard is crispy crunchy, maybe one more mow to tame the wild hairs, mulch the leaves.

 

So then it's wrong, to not get it "Right in the drain". ?
Got it.Um ... What IF the drain is a belligerent Leftist.
They are Out there.Maybe not in one's porcelain drain.
But Shirley ... not too far off in the distance.
Um ... I study this stuff ... You know.Or Don't know.
Therefore reason for my being.

 

We have in my area already had an historic month weather-wise.
Lowest rainfall for a month ever.Also the Hottest.
Plus it was forecast { early in the week } for Rain.
Upwards of a 100% chance.Today it was entirely sunny.
From the moment the sun awoke.I think the same for tomorrow.
I remember in July of wishing for a Dry spell.Like we had a few
summers of.I like Dry late summers.I haven't cut the lawn now
going on 6 weeks.Which suits me just fine.However I do wonder
about Lawn Landscapers.They must be really suffering.I mean,they
must be literally going broke.I worked an entire summer { after my
freshman year in college } on a Lawn crew.My crew used just
*Jacobsen { " Jakes " } on the lawns.Those are reel lawnmowers
used for a professional cut.Usually on golf courses and Putting greens.
They are very powerful and once engaged will pull a person forward
very quickly and with authority.

* this was in 1972." Jakes " are extremely rare to see these days.
I may have seen a couple in 40 years.My Old man had a small estate
and he had a couple Bunton Mowers.Then switched to John Deere.
Like in the Movie - The Straight Story - { 1999 }.

 

My mower is a corded electric.

Why?

Because it was free.

 

It’s really cool to see you exercise your ability in your endeavors. I am a renaissance man. my credo is that you don’t have to be perfect at anything, you just have to be good at everything.
You are doing good.

 

Where is smarty? This place isn’t right without her.

 

A nickname give to those of the Whaffnagle family
who when attendending University in the late 50's
became " Beatniks " and followers of those like Allen
* Ginsberg and Lawrence Ferlinghetti { 100 years old }
who to this day somehow manages to Irk Talk Radio
" wannabe Beat " Michael Savage { Last name Weiner }


* Thought of his parents as " Old-fashioned delicatessen philosophers ".
His mother was somewhat batty and actually thought the President had
implanted listening devices in their home.
Thereby acting in " Whaffer " mode.To Whaff.

 

When I toured Europe for 2 weeks with my Mom and Aunt
our Tour Guide was a verifiable Renaissance Man.
He talked nearly non-stop on our Tour bus via his
PA system.He knew practically every little detail about every
little town we passed thru.Barely ever talked about himself but
did mention he Lived in Vienna and was an Attorney.
Vienna is about THE Most Renaissance place in all Europe.
That and Rome .

{ Three classes }
" Those who see.Those who see when they are shown.
Those who do not see. " -- Leonardo Da Vinci

" Nature is the Art of God " -- Dante Alighieri

 

Hmmm. An attorney moonlighting as a tour guide? How do you know he wasn’t pulling your leg about everything else he told you?

 

He was also a proud German who wore a thick black leather
jacket reminiscent of those Third Reich Gestapos.He explained
early on as to meals.That he and the Bus driver { Very German }
would be eating at their own table.He was quite specific about that.
Nontheless a very impressive individual.
However he did snap once.Just once.As our bus was making another
stop a lady towards the back of the bus made a comment I barely heard.
Something about a Tourist Trap.Well this Tour Guide who always
stood in the front of the Bus,usually next to the Bus driver,somehow
heard that remark and got very testy.Balled out but good the Lady
who made the comment about " Tourist Trap ".
Later that evening as we entered an authentic, very woodsy and
emaculate old Hoffbrau style Hotel,A few of the tour bus gents
gathered around the Tour Guide.Who was rather short.Probably 5'7".
I was one of those gents.The other Gents quickly surrounded the Tour Guide
as if to toy with him and maybe take a few punches.The Tour Guide who
was by himself { The Bus Driver was busy helping to finish unloading
all the luggage },seemed almost petrified.As if about to get jumped.
But it was not what it appeared.The 4-5 Gents { Husbands of the Wives
on the Bus,mostly from southern states } actually wanted to express their
displeasure for what the woman said.About " Tourist Trap ".
They wanted to pat the Tour Guide on the back and shake his
hand for being such a swell guy.I kid you not.Even I was stunned.
And I don't normally stun easy.

 

I'm pretty proud of this dark concrete block:



There were two of those thin concrete blocks in front of that spot:



I had always thought they were there to hold up the steps. It turned out that they just covered a gap.

I measured and told the concrete cutter to make the slab no wider than 9 3/4". After he cut it, I asked him how wide it ended up being. He said that it was maybe a 32nd less than 9 3/4.

I needed every bit of that 32nd. Even so, I had to chip away some extruded morter and tap the block into place with a plastic mallet.

 

I guess he could have made up stuff.Due to his vast knowledge
throughout the long hours on that bus.I often wondered how he
could have memorized all that material.Was he brushing up the night
before on next days itinerary.? Could be.But he was very casual
in his delievery as if he'd done it so often.
He went out of his way twice to help me.Once to use my
American Express Gold Card to make a cash advance.
Then again when we stopped in Holland { a little Port city }
on a Monday { They don't open their shops till 1 Pm }.
I had a problem with my luggage on account the Airline lost it.
So I was using the nice Travel Agency carry-on pack provided
with the tour.
This Tour Agency thought of everything and advised to put
some small clothes items { T-shirt,underwear and socks }
and toiletries in,just in case }. So I was living out of that small
backpack until my Luggage could be located and forwarded to me.
It took a full week,but did arrive.
The Tour Guide walked me and my mom,on his lunch break in
that small Holland Port to a little shop where clothes could be
purchased.Really nice stuff.I purchased a very trendy kind of
Sweatshirt Pullover.I remember the Tour Guide explaining
his utter distain a few times about Labels.How Americans love
wearing stuff with logos.Like those alligator golf shirts.
On the bus he pulled off his Leather jacket and showed
his alligator golf shirt with no alligator.He carefully removed it.

 

I'm finally getting to the job I dreaded; digging out the lilies. They've been there for twenty years. One of the reasons that I was so afraid, of going at this, was my worry about the Camelia roots. Surprisingly, I've come across very few.

You can see, buy the disturbed soil, what was removed. This last one is a monster! I dug out all of the surrounding ones, so I could go at it from all sides.



I've had it for today.

 

The monster has been vanquished!



There lies its stinking, rotting carcass.

 

Yes,I'm ready to order Waitress.By the way how's the " Whaffer "
today.Is it fresh.?
Yes,it was Fresh caught this morning at that Tavern near the waterfront.
Would you then recommend it.
Um ... Depends on how you like yer " Whaffer " sir.Medium or well
beat up.
I think I'll try medium today with that homemade tartar sauce.
And what will you have to drink ... Sir.
I'll have whatever that " Whaffer " was drinking last night before
the big bar fight.
Must learn to keep things in the Family,you know.

 

Morning, Bar critters.
This morning, I'll be nice and share. Never mind the bit of Bailey's in it.....

 

I've eaten at the Whaffer House and didn't die.

That is my recommendation.

 

Awww, thx darlin. Miss u guys too. Last week of recuperation before rejoining the rat race. Much better but still not there.

Cold front came thru last night. Hi today 75. Perfect. Back to 90s by the we. Oh well.