Oooo, baby!
Porky and I got duck eggs this morning. I could ALMOST catch them in my bare hands, if I dared. I caught the turtle this morning. It's very pretty. Not a red ear, but similar. Has a red belly. Silly thing came up for a slice of bread I was wiggling in the water...turtles like wiggling food. As it ate from one hand, I carefully lowered my other hand in the water, 'til the turtle was standing on my fingers. So, I picked her up and examined her. Felt good to hold a kicking, scratching, hissing turtle again. I put her back. And the silly thing came RIGHT BACK for more bread!
I left her in the water.
THere's a BIG ol bullfrog, somewhere on the island. and MAN can he CROAK!
I could catch some of the fishies by hand, too, if I wanted....
...animals love me. Well, at least, they're not scared of me, like silly people are.
So, we came home for a cigarette and a cup of coffee.
Then, we headed over to Smith's. I wasn't sure how much I had left in food stamps, but I thought I'd just cruise around.
Butter was on sale!
And there were 2 packages of rib eye steaks, about three dollars a pound. That's an exceptionally good price, for rib eye.
I got both, assuming I could probably only afford one, plus the butter...but why not see?
Well, I could only afford one package of steaks, without butter.
But the cashier did the nicest thing: she made up the difference. It was only about a dollar.
So, I just had me an almost-raw rib eye, blackened with that char rub I found in the garbage, quick-fried in a very hot cast iron skillet with bacon grease. I slathered it in horseradish and mayo...more horse than mayo, btw.
Ate the whole, damn thing. Its sister is in the freezer.
I took the seat off the scooter; I don't use it, and it hurts me, if my leg bumps it.
I took off the trailer and rearranged it and reattached it with a nice chain and fittings I found in some trash, once.
I took off the running board: the bolts didn't have nuts, anyway.
I took the top off an old table. I put the running board on top, centered. I spray painted around it and in the screw holes, to mark everything.
I can't hand saw. So, I got out my electric drill, with the fattest bit. I drilled new holes to fasten it with wire, instead of bolts, to the frame. I drilled the entire outline of a new running board. This one is nearly twice as wide as the old one. I now have a surface area the width of a toilet lid, rather than only the width of a skateboard, to stand on.
I have some rubberized mat. I think it's a hall runner liner, or something. It's about six feet long, and two feet wide. I folded it into 3rds. I strapped it onto the new running board. It curls under the edges, so I no longer bark my shins on the gas pull cord or bruise my ankles on the running board.
It's so SOFT! and BOUNCY and shock absorby! It's a true pleasure to stand on now.
So, my scooter and trailer are much happier and healthier now.
I had 2 wire baskets with hooks on them to hang them from wooden shelves. I pushed the hooks through the air holes of the dog carrier, and turned them into "saddle bags," on either side of the carrier.
They have Porkchop's water, toys, bowl, etc. in them, as well as my spare coat, a shower curtain to protect the scooter from sudden rain, extra plastic bags to pick up dog poop, etc.
This put a lot of weight off the BACK basket, onto the front of the frame, still over the trailer tires, though, to save weight on the scooter tires.
It made the trailer tip down, forwards, like I want it to. Before, I'd have to weight down the trailer by putting stuff inside the dog carrier. ANd the carrier door didn't open all the way: the tow bar and chains were in the way.
Now, I can get into the dog carrier more easily, and so can Porkchop!
I'm pooped, though. Sawing a thick board with a drill ain't easy.
I spaced holes, about half an inch apart, all around the edges. Then, I'd reinsert the drill, rocking it back and forth, until it ate away the divides between drill holes.
My lil armies are mighty tired!
ANd I STINK! It was HOT out there!
Waiting to recover, iced tea in hand, yogurt tubes at my side, under the air conditioner, before I attempt a shower. Don't want to kill myself.
Let the steak and yogurt hit my blood stream and let the tea rehydrate me, first.
Wanna know a secret? I was much more relaxed, calm, focused, full of energy and good ideas, etc today...because I was away from that....station.
As soon as I can get that computer home, I'm going to try to avoid the station, except in early morning hours, as much as I can.
It just tears me a new one, being perceived of as The Enemy so often.
I'm getting too angry, resentful, paranoid....
I'd rather spend my time with gadgets, critters and plants.
People drive me crazy.
These aren't exceptional people; I never do well in groups. It doesn't matter what kind.
So, before all you rednecks start pointing and shouting, 'aha!' at the hypocracy of so-called "progressives," acting as they do toward me, just remember: the Baptists, the Hillbillies, the Republicans, the Klan, etc treated me MUCH worse than THESE people are!
At least these people are TRYING to do something positive.
I hesitated, writing about my experiences at the station. I've tried to be careful about details, for the most part.
But this blog is MY experience. I'm not a representative of the station; I'm representing mySELF!
Nobody else is going to do it, so I have to.
And, I think it's important to be honest about stuff like racism, sexism, homophobia, classism, ableism, etc.
Nobody's perfect.
....sigh....
No comments:
Post a Comment