Just to put this in perspective, these thoughts and ideas occured to me at 5:30 this morning BEFORE I had finished my first cup of coffee.  I should have known.

You know, sometimes the most brilliant ideas (or what seem to be) turn bad real fast.  I experienced that this morning.  What seemed like a great idea in my mind, almost turned into a disaster of epic proportions.

2 Years ago, Tracie and I bought this little patio gazebo.  Set it up and it has been absolutely wonderful.  The only time we have taken it down was during the threat of a couple of hurricanes.

The metal frame weighs about 100 pounds or so and the canopy top another 20 I would guess.  Pretty thick canvas.  Why I mention this will become evident as you continue reading.

Well like any cloth that is exposed to the sun for 2 years straight, the UV rays finally got to it and it ripped.  It’s brittle and the wind is basically shredding it.

 

So in my mind I don’t want to buy another one.  I search for a replacement top. The replacement is about what we paid for the entire thing.  Which shouldn’t surprise me but did annoy me.

Here’s where the brilliant idea comes in.  I have an old Vietnam Era parachute in the attic.  It’s HUGE and will easily cover the top of the 10×10 frame of the gazebo.  Why not use this?

So bright and early this morning I am digging around in the attic and find the parachute.  I open it up in the backyard and find the center point, ball it up and throw it over the top of the gazebo to start test fitting it.

I spread it out and tied off four corners and then sat down in the shade (it’s already hot out) to contemplate how to best make a round parachute fit a square gazebo frame and still look decent.

As I was sitting there, watching the dogs run around the backyard, looking at the garden, swatting flies, a nice breeze picked up and blew into the shady area I was sitting in.  Underneath my newly installed parachute canopy.  I’ll let that sink in.

As the entire gazebo took flight and lifted about 2 – 3 feet off the ground I realized the error in my plan.

I had two bags of potting mix on the ground and I quickly grabbed one and threw it on the corner of the gazebo frame closest to me.  Grabbed the other one and ran across the patio and threw it on the other frame leg, averting complete lift off of the entire apparatus.  I the began quickly untying the parachute from the frame.

I managed to get it released, and then twisted the parachute up on the frame and sat down.  To contemplate “what could have happened” and the potential coverage by local news stations.

Not my most brilliant moment.

On a good note, no humans or animals were harmed during this fiasco of epic dumbassery.

So all the conservatives are losing their mind over a restaurant in Lexington, Virginia called The Red Hen asking Sarah Huckabee Sanders to leave, presumably because she works for Trump.

I would venture to guess that these EXACT SAME conservatives, were flying the WHAT THE FUCK banner when a conservative bakery refused to service to bake and decorate a wedding cake for a gay couple.

The biggest differences I see on the surface are Ms. Sanders was much more gracious than the gay hooligans who decided a court battle would need to be waged.  Which they eventually lost at the Federal Supreme Court Level.  However, that same victory for the conservative bakers is the same ruling that is allowing The Red Hen to refuse service to Mrs. Sanders.

So before you start screaming about liberals and double standards I recommend you check yourself.  To make sure you are not presenting that same number of standards.

I am a conservative (more libertarian leaning).   I am not “changing sides”.  I am simply pointing out that double standards have ALWAYS existed on both sides of the aisle.

Some of ya’ll just need to sit the fuck down.

 

… but you fail miserably.

It’s hard to see in the picture but Stripped Nutz has a Trail Cover since the normal soft top and doors are off.  It’s basically meant to keep the majority of the rain out of the interior.  And it works perfectly.

I managed to get in on the Jeep before last nights midnight storm came rolling through.

The only problem with the Trail Cover is that water tends to collect and pool over the front seats between the roll bars, windshield header and sound bar.  Creating a… well…  pool.

I know this.

Apparently this morning I forgot this.  So when I pulled the Trail Cover off from the rear of the Jeep, all the water that was pooled there dumped right onto the front driver’s seat and floorboard.

Floorboard is no big deal.  No carpet and I haven’t seen my drain plugs in a decade so it just rolled right out to the ground.  Front seat however was a different story.

My butt is wet.

 

I am all about living life.  Not just making a living.  People should have fun.  Enjoy the things they have, get the things they want, do the things they want to do.  But that takes time.  And planning to get to that point.  And hard work.

But with this, also comes the responsibility to make sure that you can afford to do it.  Whatever “it” is.  Whether “it” is buying a new car, taking a vacation, buying other toys, it should not negatively impact your ability to do the things you have to do.  Responsibility.

Today I say a lady in the Circle K gas pumps. She was driving a beautiful 2018 Ford Mustang.  First glance, I’m guessing a higher end package on the car.

I was behind her at the register waiting to check out.  As she was counting out change in pennies, nickels and dimes to add up to $5.00 worth of gasoline to put in her…  $30K????  car?

This is NOT how you live life.  I’m sorry.  It’s just not.  I’m thinking she should go back  to driving her 08 Toyota Corolla for a few more years.

One of our favorite things to grow in our garden are green bell peppers.  We eat them in almost anything we make and love being able to go to the back yard and grab a couple at any point.  And they taste so much better than what you buy in the store.

I am trying this product to see if it does a better job than the Spectracide I have been using. Spectracide mostly works but normally takes two full applications.

This stuff is at least twice the cost and covers half the are so it better work wonders.