Greetings!
So after Poasting last night, and retiring to Ye Olde Bed, somewhere around 12:20AM-ish Gretchen and I both separately get woke up? awakened? by the LifeAlert folks calling us. Both separately, within a minute of each other… we knew when both cellies went off, something was fucking wrong somewhere….
Shit….
Seems Dad took a header on the way to the shitter and cracked his nugget again. His walker snagged -something- and down he went.
Dammit.
Sooooooooooo Queue the ‘get your emergency shit together and roll’ drill, of which, as of late, we’ve had far too many experiences with. This includes the “Oh Shit!” bag with the battle belt, a long rifle, and all the ‘needed stuff to get home’ as the place in the Villages is a perfect 98 miles from La Casa El Grande Campesino.
That’s a wee bit of a hump for this old Grunt…
Lord spare us from a CME or EMP…
As an aside: This is a sling-bag that has my ‘tools’ which includes 2x Leatherman/Gerber tool(s), 2x Headlamps w/Batteries, 3x mini flashlights, 4 days worth of Mountain House LURP style compact rations, a 1.5 liter Lifestraw Bottle (actually 2 of them, I have one on the Battle-belt by itself, the other in a pocket on the sling bag), a plethora of medical stuff, as well as spare mags, spare handgun (my Smith 669 and about 5 mags loaded with some really mean hollowpoints). There’s also a shitload of 550 cord, some heating tabs and stove, plus lighters, spare batteries, a poncho and a ‘do-everything’ General Purpose Gerber Field Knife…
Socks, spare ‘other stuff’ to include my NODs.
It weighs in at about 25 pounds.
Anyways… that’s the standard grab bag. There’s a bunch of other things that slip my exhausted mind but hey… can opener, Radiation Monitor, iodide pills… I mean I have a LOT of bases covered in this compact kit. The poncho liner for sleeping is already ALWAYS in the car ‘cos I never leave home without my woobie. I got like 5 of them… The Battle Belt is a medic kit, the water bottle, and 4 spare mags of a mix of Tracer and Steel Core M855A1…
That’s the new stuff… my neighbor who knows someone, who knows someone who got me the newest M855A1 in trade for a couple of trigger jobs… cleaning up them nasty milspec AR triggers… and add on that considering they’re selling online for sick $$$?
I say well worth the trade and having a LOT of M865 tracer helps in that potential ‘bad guys’ get wigged out by “Star Wars” shooting… leastways the Hajjis ran like fucking gophers when the full mag dumps of Tracers stared cooking in…
Jes’ Sayin’
So we get there, and we find out Dad is in OK-ish shape…
Couple of lumps and bumps, no concussion.
He was more embarrassed to have done the whole ‘ass-over-teakettle’ thing than anything. Neighbors all came out to watch despite the late hour…. Can’t have the Jones and Smiths talking donchaknow?
So we took Mom home, and left Dad until they cut him loose at about noon? 14:00? I lost track of time as I had a grand sum total of about 2 hours of ZZZs before this happened.
And while the Paramedics were at the house?
The AC shit the bed…
Again.
“Achievement Unlocked: Final Straw Broken“
Queue a UTTERLY MASSIVE swearing rant-a-thon… even massive by the BCE standards. I think the Pope shuddered in the Vatican at my outburst. I mean I really went the fuck off! I’m pretty sure J.C. up in the Great Beyond heard that one, and took notes, if only to remember some of the moar creative shit I let loose with to talk to St. Peter later and ask questions about one of his wayward Grunts… Call it my BCE ‘pity-party’… I had two weeks of vacation days this year.
I’ve spend ALL of them but 4 days now…
ALL of them on “other people’s problems”
Nothing for me.
Same goes for the expenditures of any potential ‘fun bux’
<Le Sigh>
So I now have another and final control board on the way.
THIS TIME Dad INSISTED that he pay for it, despite his current boomer-lifestyle induced poverty. I did however find a cheaper board for $182.00 on eBay. The going rate at some of the shyster HVAC Online Scum-Supply houses have it anywhere from $500 to an outrageous $1113.00… how they came up with that particular number is beyond me…
So since ALL the repairs I did and using ALL the previously “new/old stock” now errored out, and I know that they’re OK… it leaves this last board, which I was intentionally avoiding due to the rather excessive price points… It’ll be here Friday, which means Saturday I’ll probably be out of pocket again as the Battle of The HVAC continues…
I’ve now made it to the Senior Boss Level
I’m oh-so going to fucking finish this fight.
Fucking Watch Me.
So that’s been the past 48? 72? Not sure. Got a few beers in me.
I needed the break.
So More Later
Big Country
“That’s a wee bit of a hump for this old Grunt…
Lord spare us from a CME or EMP…”
You see the deficiency. Fix it.
Refusing to fix it simply means that you’re not serious about it. I’m not being nice, I know.
I’m being truthful.
Oh Brother… don’t get me wrong. I don’t talk about it, but I still hump.
Use a 45 pound ALICE One pack (my basic/AIT/AD ruck). No extras. One BIG pillowcase/sandbag.
I wear either my ‘contractor kicks’ AKA Merrill Marauders OR my Belleville Kyber Boots (full length, more comfy IMO) I alternate to keep the wear even.
I THEN use/carry a concrete filled 3in PVC pipe (29inches +/- long… rough as I rough cut it…) that I mounted a Basic AR pistol grip on it, and the concrete weighs in slightly above the 6.5 pound my normal battle rifle weighs (w/one mag). And yes, it has a combat sling ‘cos fuck man, I’m almost 55, have one rebuilt knee, and the other needing a rebuild.
So yeah I know it’s a hump
As a fully vetted and blue-circle/blue cord Infantryman, I’ve earned my right to bitch.
‘Cos at 54-55, 98 miles if the lights go out, is gonna purely suck, no doubt.
Why would you hump all the way up there they would never be able even walk back down to your place and you couldn’t stay there or you would be in worse shape than you would be at home…
It’s been firmly established BY THEM that if shit goes ‘pear shaped’ that they’re taking the “Big Sleep Option”
They told us that IF things go down, to stay put.
Not my call/judgement either way.
However, if I’m up there IF and/or WHEN shit goes whonky??? and ALL my shit is back home?
I am most certainly NOT going to have the house become a premium ‘loot drop’
I’ve spent too many years having shit in place.
Love ’em to death but hey, they said that they’re good, hence why I try to keep them comfortable as I can with what I got.
The other part?
I just like humping.
Best exercise ever.
You need to both sell your places and by a farm in Tennessee together…
Oh maaaaan… That’s “The Dream” bro… for certain…
Buy sheesh…
Apparently ‘courtesy cards’ have been around for a long time. Lotsa things country boys dunno about.
NYPD officer lands $175K settlement over ‘courtesy cards’ that help drivers get out of traffic stops https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4264213/posts
Our local fuzz in New Hampster had those.. we called them “Get Out of Jail Free” cards like the Monopoly Game…
They usually had the Chief’s contact info, and could be used in smaller (non violent/non excessive) cases.
A friend of mine had a 2-inch round get-out-of-jail button with a picture of his dad smiling a big shit-eating grin in his city cop uniform.
He kept it pinned to his car sunvisor.
This was Charleston, SC, back in the 1970s.
Amazingly, astoundingly, he never had to try it out…
Those courtesy cards are nothing compared to the DEI courtesy cards that university presidents and staff hand out to the merit free student body.
You are a good husband, a good son-in-law, and a flat out decent hooman bean, Big Country. Sounds like you have a case of oversized lizard disease, the Dragon Ass. Hang in there. Maybe that light at the end of the tunnel isn’t a freight train after all.
Appreciate it Fren
Just doing one day at a time…
It’s all we can do.
That sucks BCE and as I have a pain in the ass boomer mother in law who tries to live in denial about her physical issues, I understand.
The thing is as I have told her “you are an adult and have the right to live your own life and make your own decisions. HOWEVER when your decisions start impacting me and my wife (her daughter)’s lives, then we DO get a say” !!
It got bad with the squad being called to her place all of the time.
She was given a choice, get, pay for {and she has the money} a full time caregiver OR pick a nursing home. She cried and complained but we told her if she stayed alone and kept calling the squad, a judge would get involved and she’d be sent to a nursing home and she’d have no choice in the matter.
Since she’s had the caregiver she’s been eating much better, no falls and she is much happier.
BCE, you and Wifey are at your wits end with your in laws and this can’t keep on. Some hard choices need to be made and soon.
If anything if they just lived close to you guys it wouldn’t be such a big deal and you wouldn’t have to burn up your vacation time.
Let me add my 2cents to JimmyPX’s comment: either the in-laws move in with you-or down the street. But this canNOT go on!If you have a heart attack and keel over-now where is everybody? Not just the in-laws, but Gretchen, the grand bebes, and any plans you made for safety and shelter of the family. The parents of Gretchen need a Come to Jesus moment with you. Either they accept moving close to or in with you guys or new lodging at the Rest Home Inn. It is time to make a choice, and staying at The Villages is not one of them. Period. Full Stop.
God Bless.
^^^Exactly.^^^
Bro–so now–take a rest, eh? Cool them internal jets of your’n.
Hey, a few more Solar Spins and I’m at the 80 Summers mark, and guess what? Shit still keeps falling apart and happening: the entire country or homebase. Like we was out during a T-storm and the freaking lightening bolt hit the powerline of ours, travelled down to our furnace circuit board and cooked it like fried bacon, DAMN! Now THAT weren’t in the budget. TIP:
SOBs selling circuitry boards are merciless for pricing. Arm and a leg. Then, my gray matter kicked in. I used to teach Vo-Ed Machine Trades, and we had another guy teaching “Electronics and Computer Repair” there at Vo-Ed School. That dude’s long gone, but the class and new Teacher is still there.
I took my cooked furnace/AC circuit board over to the Teach with the line: “Your young eager student fellas patch this up.” Teach says: “We fix anything but a broken heart circuit!”
Damned of he weren’t right! Called me back up in 2 days: “Come get your re-built circuit board. Kids found it interesting and challenging. All GTG.”
WHOA! says I–“What the tariff?” I asked the Teach. Just bring over a dozen donuts for us all–we’ll call it paid in full.” DONE!
Like me Old Pap said: “You get more flies with honey (and donuts) than vinegar.”
About the AC. If the symptoms are the outside unit won’t start it is most likely the capacitor. Pull it and set it on a table. If it doesn’t sit flat and is slightly bowed on the bottom it’s blown. Easy replacement. Let me know and I’ll help you out. I live in Tampa.
Hey Dude –
I don’t know what kinda ac system you have…but…if and when… the time comes you HAVE to change out…Goodman is a way easier on the wallet to maintain…no high tec crap at $$$ costs…
just a good ‘ol ac system…with 5 year warranties…
I’ve run them for years, one on the house the other on my shop, after my ac guy suggested them when I asked which brand to get and which to avoid due to “engineered self destruct modes” designed to generate revenue… All those other brands have high end, high tec, components …
Goodman…had nearly 20 years now (though I’m told they’re Kenmore now…) Regularly maintained it kicks a$$! I’m an outlier here not being ex-mil but I think like the majority here. Any of you in my “AO” I’ll help anyway I can (43.161030, -77.610924)
We both have one surviving parent and both are endless sources of disasters. It comes with the territory I guess, we are fortunate to have the flexibility that my wife can run over there damn near every weekend to babysit one or the other parent.
While your love and care for your in-laws is commendable, I wholeheartedly agree with other commenters. This cannot continue. They need to downsize and have a live-in caretaker or move to a live-in facility. I’ll bet your father-in-law’s military service entitles him to some kind of aid – look into it. My dearest friend spent 6 years of her life (and this is after she already moved her parents in with her) getting up multiple times a night to help both parents with mental and physical issues, and she still had to put them in care at the end because it was killing her. They will drain you dry and still keel over mere months after costing hundreds of thousands in medical and care bills. “Living” to 85-95 for most means dementia and bedpans and wheelchairs. Not my plan; I want out before that trainwreck.
At 59 yrs old I started eating meat only. Carnivore diet. It heals your body and you get over massive amts of “ailments”. Down 70 lbs since Jan 1. No body pain, kidney function up, blood work is impressive, feel fantastic, getting off mind fuk pills and nearly there. Look into it. People are reversing diabetes, mental health, fatigue, gut issues etc.
I had my share of AC issues this past summer – it was a real pain.
It seems like every one has unobtainable parts made in China that are almost designed to fail.
Block out at least a day for and yours or you will surely go mad
Having had to use a walker for a month or so a few years back, my physical therapist gave me “ski tips” for the non wheel ends. Better than stock or tennis ball add on. The sloped up tips glided onto carpets, door transitions, whatever without catching.
Oldster got hip replacement and never had any issues with walking after that.
Humping through the woods a lot lately and built a fort just for fun as somewhere to hang out and enjoy the quiet, tree branch makes good drink coaster.
It’s [AINO] already fundamentally transformed into a steaming magic soil Benetton world shopping bazaar cargo cult fourth world turd so no use to get worked up about it.
Finally got a real sleeping bag, now for the kayak and tent.
BC, is there not a service near your inlaws that takes care of common home repairs for a yearly fee? (usually 2-300$)We use one that I signed on to years ago so the wife wouldn’t have to worry about that stuff when I’m at sea somewhere. They’ve been great. Repaired our old unit several times at no cost and even giving us a huge discount on a new AC unit when ours crapped out a few years back. Installed in less than 24 hours.
Radiation Monitor
i bought one of those fucking garbage units you had up last year- i just opened the box last week finally, and the damn thing started beeping and wouldn’t shut off without opening the back and yanking the batt connection..
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BHH9X1WG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
fuck all that electronic crap- it WILL fail
It was just reacting to your warm personality I’m sure. I have an old CD rad monitor. The yellow box with a handle. I keep it in a faraday cage.
i’m actually a pretty nice guy with an impeccable reputation..
but i’m thoroughly fucking disgusted with everything amerika.. and i mean everything. the worst part is being so damn intelligent and having to be surrounded by absolute fucking idiots. and i do mean surrounded- covid really shined the light on peepuls thought process
No arguments there bro.
Got no problem w/mine, and the ‘test card’ works as advertised… I think with Chineseum, it’s a roll of the dice…