Not feeling it

Sammy, when he was still looking good.

There is really something wrong with this dog, just don't know what. I think his hearing is bad and his memory is failing. And he is still brown from the horrible coughing. He is okay as long as he is on his meds but I wonder how long this is gonna last.

Curly is into her pink corduroy overalls, and damn she is cute in them.

This Uber thing is working okay, I either take people to work or the airport. And one girl to college.

This working on the other stuff, setting up the physical therapy and stuff. Boring.

I drove Big Daddy to the airport and picked him up using Lyft. He used to pay Metro Cars close to 100 bucks and Lyft with tip was half that. And he expenses it, so win win.

There was an interesting conversation on WJR this morning, Hamtramack the city that was the heart of the Polish community for many years is now predominately Muslim and Middle Eastern. But now the people working in downtown Detroit are looking to move there as it is quiet and clean and downtown and mid-town are too expensive. Who ever thought property in Detroit, that is livable, would be too expensive.

Getting ready for the holidays so more later.

Expedient

This is downtown Detroit at rush hour. That church-like structure on the right is Mariner's Church. Back in the day when the Edmund Fitzgerald sank in the November storm in Lake Superior, that church, Mariner's Church pastor (or whatever his proper name is) rang the bell 29 times. Once for every sailor, as Mariner's is a church for the peeps on the water. Listen to the Gordon Lightfoot musical tribute.

Everything went to shit this week and next week will be a whole new scary world. I can't wait to tell you all about it. When it happens, next week.

When I left the house this morning there was quite a lot of ice hanging from the bittersweet vine. I thought that it would all be gone when I would arrive at home as the was in intense sunshine. It was still there when I came home at 3 PM. WTF.

Random Thoughts

I have to admit I am very grateful to still have a job as the "little incident" was really very ugly. Tonight I sent out an email and my new boss sent back a Thank You, that makes me feel better. These plants will be nothing like I am used to. There is no place to take a break, sit and breathe, do a few emails. And there is no one else to talk to, not sharing confidences, just sharing the weather and traffic conversation. Just conversation.

I just saw on the television that a new sign of Alzheimers is to lose your sense of smell in your left nostril first. Now I have to walk around holding one side or the other of my nose trying to smell stuff and looking like a fool. And sure enough I just tested it and it is true, I cannot smell out of my left nostril. WTF.

My new challenge of the day was to measure a fitting on an assembly, I just measured them all until I found one close enough and then started measuring those. This job is gonna kill me.

Detroit's ex-Mayor got 28 years for being an asshat and being a crook. Does not seem long enough to me as he was also lying, cheating, egomaniac.

I just finished reading Empty Mansions, the story of Huguette Clark a copper heiress written by Bill Dedman and Paul Clark Newell Jr. An interesting tale and a good travel book if you don't mind carrying a hardcover. You read and are entertained and can put it down and pick it up again. Am now reading the trashy Catherine Coulter with a new author, The Final Cut. Not that great.

We are now on an austerity program as I went hog wild spending and we cannot sustain my wild ways. I really don't need anything. It was just so long since I could spend money I went a little overboard.

I got a new Sephora order with a new perfume sample from Prada called Candy, and guess what it smells like----Perfume. You know that perfume smell that is just perfume. No special scent, no hint of something, just perfume. Hmm.

She works hard for no money

Lenten Rose came back pretty good this year.

I have accomplished a lot this week and nothing I can talk about. Kind of like cleaning lamps, who notices.

This week we have had hail, wind, tornado watches, high 70's and low 40's. Now we are creeping back into the low 40's and waiting for more rain. Of course this was the week that Big Daddy's sun roof decided not to close so he spent one morning waiting for the decision on the loaner car and then the loaner car. They can't find the problem and if it is electrical thank goodness that ride gets turned back in the end of July.

Watched a documentary of Detroit, Detropia-so true.

Remember the guy from Grosse Pointe whose wife died and was found in her car in Detroit then his handyman confessed to the killing and said the husband hired him and then threatened to kill the handyman when he wimped out? Then the wacko Grosse Pointe guy hired a hit man to kill the hit man? Well, this week he was finally charged in the wife's murder-along with a whole slew of other charges and over 300 witnesses. This is gonna be crazy when it goes to trial.

I need to get my believer fixed

It is wintertime.

Because I just cannot believe some of the shit that happens here in Motown. Every once in while some asshat decides to get nekkid and then get drunk, or visa versa, and go out and drive around town. How do I know this, they always end in the paper thanks to our fabulous law enforcement folks. And they are usually "somebody" or at least "somebody" most people know. The latest is a Priest from across town.

The other amazing thing about the nekkid, drunk driving around town people is the current temperature this morning was 19 degrees F. Now the summertime nekkid people you just have to think are stupid but what wacko decides to rip all their clothes off when it is well below freezing outside. And don't even mention heated seats, I am thinking that could get mighty uncomfortable.

A while back one of our Detroit Lions football assistant coaches went through the drive-thru at Wendy's while nekkid and drunk. What truly amazes me is that this is a common occurrence here in Motor City. I don't hear of this happening in other cities but here at home driving while nekkid is just part of living the Detroit Dream.

Time for another rant: Detroit City

The government of the city of Detroit is acting pissy over the Consent Decree offered up by the Governor. They don't like the conditions. This is a city that has had historic problems with the finances and with playing nice with the suburban neighbors. Detroit also has major problems with the crime, the graft and corruption,  and "not a whole lot of people want to live there". So now they are broke. And they do not like the help the Governor has offered to help get their sorry asses out of this mess.

The elected officials of Detroit want to dictate the terms of how they will accept help. WTF? This is crazy, the feds are all this area and you want people to give you money? Why? Detroit has proven they cannot budget their money. They ruined Belle Isle, they almost destroyed Cobo Hall and the Detroit Public Lighting Department does not turn on any streetlights.

Here is my solution. Go to court and declare bankruptcy and pray Obama comes and bails your ass out. Because if we the people have to pay your bills and watch you act the fool, then I want the people in all the other 49 states paying for the mess along with the tired people of Michigan. If my tax dollars can rebuild houses in California coastal areas every year, those suckers can help bail out Detroit.

Detroiters made their beds and now they have to sleep in that sloppy mess. They elected Dave Bing, Mr. I can't make a decision or find my ass with both hands. They elected Kwame twice and are still buying his book. They elected Martha Reeves who can't even sing anymore. They elected Monica Conyers and now she is in prison.

I am hoping the citizens of Michigan put their feet down and refuse to allow Detroit to let this sorry situation continue.

Home again, home again, jiggity jig

In the end we had to send Punkin Head to the market and instead of a fat pig we opted for wheat pasta with a light sauce. Because I cannot chew the steak I was looking forward to with all the stitches in my mouth. If you have never been awake while someone sewed up your mouth it is super creepy. And I needed 3 extra shots. Good news is the bone actually grew over my implant it was so healthy in there. Bad news is it hurts.

Just made it to the appointment as there were plane delays. We had to sit on the "alley" right in front of our gate at Detroit as there were only 2 Marshallers and we required 3. We sat on the ground at the gate in Shanghai for 45 minutes because Beijing called "an ATC" due to a flow problem. These are just not usually problems with International flights. Also took forever to get the bags in Detroit, that is due to Delta just not having enough staff.

Oh yes, saw a guy trying to get his Rimowa luggage off the carousel. No axe marks but it was so sleek and slippery he had to chase it half way around the carousel to get it off. The bags kept slipping out of his fingers. There were no porters in Detroit.

I am tired of being the only smart person

Oh, I know there are 2 or 3 more of you out there, but it is not enough.

And just to get it off my chest so I can continue, will someone, anyone, buy Hillary Clinton a bottle of shampoo and teach her how to use it. I would not even bitch about the hideous headband at this point.

Okay, here is my bitch of the day. What part of "we" ain't got no money is really hard to understand. You go to the cookie jar and it is empty. That means no money for us. When I was laid off it was for a week or 2, I don't recall,  it was pretty much known at that point that the economy had changed and more lay-offs were probably in the future. So we cut out the bullshit spending. And when Big Daddy was RIF'd we cut out all extra spending. Period. I was working then but we were not going to spend money unless it was necessary.

We did not go to the neighbors and tell them that because they were rich they should give us some of their money.

If Greece and Detroit cannot pay their bills then I guess they should quit spending money. Now I don't live in Greece so I don't know their bills, but Detroit has a whole bunch of people making big bucks. And the budgets for city government are huge. And Detroit is a shit hole. It is obvious to me that the money spent has not done a thing to improve the city, so just quit spending it. What is the worst thing that can happen? If the city buses don't run children can't get to school. Then maybe the schools should be in walking distance.

When I spent time working in Detroit I knew a guy that walked or rode his bike every day. Took him 2 and a half hours to walk to work. And he worked 10 to 12 hours a day. That is what happens when you don't have any money and you are trying to get back on track and have a cash cushion.  By the way I watched this guy walk to work for 5 years. He got so he liked it, it was a challenge. I also knew a guy that could not afford to drive his Grand Cherokee to work, the vehicle he produced. It cost too much for gas. This was when gas was pretty cheap, 2001, the problem was he had a 2 hour commute. Maybe he should have moved or bought a Neon.

And this human trafficking thing is getting on my nerves too. The reason for this is because people are cheap. In the US the Great Benevolent Society wants to get a manicure and a pedicure for 10 bucks. The whore mongers do not want to pay standard rates for a blow job. The prissy women want their houses cleaned and their children nannied on the cheap. And all the cheap, cheap, cheap bastards want their property landscaped and manicured for a song. How about we just cut to the chase and go after the cheap assholes. How hard is it to find the lowest priced nail tech and check her bosses papers. I am serious, this is happening in the US and everyone is aghast and my question is "Who are the clients"?

Oh, and I loved Obama's speech today about how his daughters are perfect students (shades of Jimmy Carter here) and why can't the Congress stay in town and do their jobs? He stated he has been in town. I want to know who has been going to all those fund raisers on his schedule, you know the ones where he does one official duty and then 3 speeches for cash. Don't throw that stone unless you are clean as a whistle buddy. And a side note, a decent father would not use his children for a cheap sound bite, so don't bitch when that one comes back to bite you in the ass.

That is what makes me angry, it is all rhetoric and politics. No one wants to own this mess. The government keeps making laws they cannot afford for people who cannot, will not, or do not want to pay for them.

And finally, I can fix this gay marriage thing in a heartbeat, the government does not have any business in marriage, it is a sacrament of the church. No money for you government. What the US needs is Civil Unions. There are thousands of government employees, think TSA, that could fill out this paperwork, and then we can all be civil. Think of the tax dollars with that one change. And I really don't care if you civilly unionize with a pig or a goat as long as I don't have to go to dinner with you.

We almost had a smack down tonight

I really try to be a nice person and an ambassador for my country. I smile and say hello to everyone. I am nice to every person I see. I will not let them steal my joy.

However, I have my limits.

I understand that the people from this section of the planet have a different perspective on manners and customs than we have in the western world. These peoples, yes plural as there are so many cultures, think nothing of spitting, snorting, picking their nose and flicking it, and stopping right where they are standing and just standing there. And these are the minor annoyances. They are also big on pushing you. From behind or the side, it does not matter. They have a goal, to be in front, period. I have seen them crawl over each other in airplanes to gain an inch. And the word sorry does not seem to exist here. I know the word, just have never heard it used.

So tonight after dinner I light up a cigarette on the walk home. Now smoking is very common in China and you usually cannot see the smoke for the haze and smog anyway. And we all know smoking is bad, but I was outside right by the sewer smells and such and did not think much of it. This Asian woman-I do not think Chinese-started doing the fake cough, cough, cough like I was killing her as she pushed in front of me with her western male friend. Well, it just hit me wrong. So I felt the need to explain to her that we are in China, not California. And she turned and glared at me. And I believe I gave her the "mommy look". This is also known as the look could scare the fangs off a vampire. She turned right back around and came to a complete standstill. So, I indicated to Big Daddy that if she did not move her-ahem, behind, I was going to stick my knee up it. I did say knee, not foot.

And what is Big Daddy doing? Trying to get the camera out to catch the Kodak moment.

It ended in a boring manner, her escort took the first left, (and I use the term escort loosely) we continued on with the huddled masses taking pictures of themselves in front of stupid signs.

So now I know a couple things. You can take the girl out of Detroit-but you can't take Detroit out of the girl. Big Daddy will not have your back if he thinks he can get a picture out of it. Instead of my foot up her ass I should put my Mephisto on her Laboutins. And of course, do not let them steal your joy.

Detroit Melting Down Again

I am aghast at the news reports coming out of Detroit on the UAW workers caught on tape during their lunch hour behaving badly. These are not stupid guys. And every damn one of them knew better. I am so damn disappointed in every damn one of them for this stupid, stupid behavior.

These guys knew exactly what they were doing. And they also knew, every one of them, that there is a group in that plant that is pushing for the new 2 level platform and pay scale. The new lower level payscale people have been turning people in for work rules violations for a while now. And a large amount of the new people on the lower wage scale and in a different local are related to the union representatives at that plant, common gossip says. I would never know this for sure, only the common gossip.

So, you have a huge disruption in the company with multiple owners and then bankruptcy, unknown UAW changes as the upper echelon and International does not commincate with the local, Chrysler management scrambling to keep their jobs and taking that out on the hourly, treating suppliers like shit (which shut down the plant how many times), and having the Italians take pictures of your lunch bucket on a table-and when maybe things might be getting better-y'all decide the local party store and park is the way to keep your jobs.

The thing is everyone is under the gun now. And yes, I am sorry to have to tell you this, everyone represents their employer. At work or not, what you do is who you are.

You guys know who you are and I know who you are. And every damn one of you sorry assholes need to get up and apologoze to your co-workers and apologize to the American people who loaned you the money (not for the first time) to stay in business.

And for the asshole too lazy to get out of the minivan and pick up the bottle after he missed the trash can, were you trying to keep your union brothers and sisters in the Parks and Rec crew employed. Slob.

Shanghai tomorrow

Flying on the infamous 777 with engine problems. This is great.

Big Daddy in the New Old World

Things are going better. BD has a kinda phone, must recharge the minutes every so often, very often I think. The French are not real helpful in making calls from the hotels. But Big Daddy, true to his, past loves the food. He has had a real French lunch. Let us see if he can describe this as well as Julia.

He is in northern France, the weather just cleared up and he is working his butt off. Quite a change from sitting around Michigan and having nothing to do.

Gossip tells me Plant Loco is a cloud of dust from Tony's Transportation trying to clean years of dirt and debris. Hope this works or even more people will be out of work.

Which reminds me if I don't get off my butt the The Woman is going to see too much dirt here at the old homestead.

Laughter and Tears

Laughing is in somewhat short supply here, tears are better but still occasional.

Laughter-Big Daddy is taking the cleaned dining room rug to the attic for storage and said if he gets locked in let him out. I am thinking Oh Shit, what if I get locked up there with Big Daddy overseas. When we took possession of Don's house we received a key ring resembling what the head dude for Buckingham Palace might carry. One of the keys locked the door to the attic. Our house is one floor with a partially finished attic and this door is solid wood. Key lock on the outside and push button lock on the inside. WTF. If you crawl into the house from above (see any horror film) (there are 4 windows up there) you just walk down the stair, pop the button and you are in. Then it broke. Couldn't get out of the stairway. I left it that way because I figured the horror film weirdo's would be stymied. Well it is fixed now so I have to go back to the stool in the hall. For the alarm. So I don't set off the motion detector that points at the door.

Tears-Big Daddy (if he gets this job) will have to take a Metro Car to the airport. There is no way I could drive him and make it home in one piece.

News in Detroit is fuzzy, no one can predict the Chrysler outcome, Kwame is in a contest with C Ray to see who can be the biggest dumbass in the national news, and Shelby Township is asking for water rationing in the coolest wettest weather we ever have.

Yes, Kwame, the ex-mayor who can't pay his bills just moved into a 1.1 million dollar mansion in a gated community in Texas. And no, it is not a jail. And he and C Ray can't chat because apparently the Chinese do not allow outside contact. And New Orleans is trying to raise enough money to keep him there.

Where is Toto, err GrrDog

Now I remember why I hate Comcast

The entire day has been devoted to our Comcast experience. We had to give up our real and true proven service providers and go with Comcast as we are now broke and must get by until we move to tent city. However, we may never know we need to move as COMCAST does not provide what I would call complete service. They suck. Less than 6 hours and everything is fucked up. I knew it would happen.

I hate the Comcast mf//////

On a happier note, the cookie lady put down huge bark chips on the mud holes so now the chips will flow onto the sidewalk with the mud.

Detroit news, Visteon and Metaldyne both filed bankruptcy today. I hope this does not effect Big Daddy's maybe offer but it does validate everyone new on the Marvin program. Two Penny Jenny was on the news saying how hard she worked for Michigan and pumping up John Cherry. If Michigan does not get a normal, real, non-bullshit person to run for any office in this state I think maybe they should put the Gitmo people here-get more trash from Ontario-and shut down the Matty bridge for the gambling Canadians. Right now everything sucks.

New Ideas

I came up with a great new idea today for work, of course with the help of Big Daddy. He and his peeps are already running with it and I am hopeful something good comes from this. Isn't there some saying about gems out of shit.

Big Daddy is getting on my nerves as he does not understand staying home and being unemployed. I hope he never learns. However, we must have disciplines. And you may not like mine-but I was here first. I am however very thankful that he is getting quite a bit of feedback and an interview. Not bad for 4 days of trying in Detroit for an auto RIF.

Pinto beans and spoon bread for dinner.

By the way, Stacy Head the councilwoman in New Orleans did publish her emails today and she did say FUCK at least one time. Love that woman, love New Orleans, love people that say it like they see it. Maybe next Monday red beans and rice in honor of Stacey.

Sad news today, my favorite blog that I follow "Well Done Fillet" is retiring. Another thing to make me cry as I so enjoyed his writing and it is one less thing I have to do every day. I wish him well, but I also wish there were more interesting blogs out there to read.

Detroit Traffic Report

According to Big Daddy, one of the few still working in Detroit, there is hardly any traffic. Assembly plants down, schools down, most people with sense staying home. Wonder if the gas will go up or down. He had to go to London, Ontario today and hardly any trucks on the 401. The judge isn't making any quick decisions on Chrysler and I missed my call to Marvin. I was sitting and waiting, all ready to call, and I got really entranced by the new James Patterson 8th Confession and I could not put it down. Then I had to re-charge my ecigarettes and fill them up and the next thing I knew I missed the window. Damn, now I have to wait til Thursday. And that book is going to have me antsy for days.

Well, back to the Clampetts. Now on my regular schedule I get up at 4AM. If there are problems earlier. So I am laying in bed and I wake up to the most horrendous noise and notice it is 3:30 in the morning. This noise is scaring me as I think something really bad is happening. I get Big Daddy awake and we start peering out the windows, and what do we observe? Jed Clampett throwing large metal things from his cargo van onto the street. He is parked on the street and cleaning out his van very loudly at 3:30 in the morning. WTF. He is in "Heating and Cooling" and apparently looking for a lost furnace by the size of the shit he was throwing in the street. Now Mrs. Clampett is always looking real Grosse Pointe in her skirts and pearls and Jed is CLEANING out his van on what is the middle of the night for most people on my street. As I pulled out to go to work in the dark I wonder what I may drive over to flat my tires. And those tires cost $250 a pop.

About two years ago the city started leaving paint markings on the sidewalks. There were strange number and different colors. Big Daddy explained the city was replacing sidewalks and driveway aprons and the colors were for who paid, us or them. This created quite a few hassles as were are on a dead-end street. Well, one day I arrived home to once again confront the cement trucks when I noticed there where gaping holes in the sidewalks. They were finally finishing up, hooray. Big Daddy was happy and watched all this from the porch as that is something men do. Watch cement pouring workers, working.

I was inside doing wifely things when I heard Big Daddy hollering. Big Daddy hollering is never good as he is a pretty quiet guy. When I got outside he and the cement guy are talking and the neighbor is asking who did this, this being all the fresh cement was carved up. The spawns of the Clampetts had taken their $75.00 Leatherman tools and dug up some cement from every slab on the street. I would say 8 or 9 slabs. Mr. Cement Supervisor is not happy, Big Daddy is his witness, and here comes Jed. And the nice Mexican cement finisher is blowing his top. Next thing I see is a rumble getting ready to start in the street. I call 911 and tell the lady, this is gonna get ugly. Mr. Cement Supervisor also called and a minute later here comes Grosse Pointe's finest. Now I have seen them send 3 cars for a lost dog but we get one car for a re-enactment of West Side Story. As Jed is loudly telling the police that his kids did nothing wrong, Juan explodes and goes for Jed while Mrs. Clampett tries to sucker punch Juan and the supervisor. This is great entertainment in a town not known for fisticuffs in the street.

The policeman was wishing he had help as he had to get Jed to apologize to Juan or Juan would not fix the cement. Now Jed proudly proclaimed he would pay for all the cement, I am sure not realizing how much this cement would cost. I have personal experience with this one. If Juan fixed the slabs it would be $600.00 per slab or it would be a do-over. Jed sucked it up and said sorry, the cop guarded Juan, and the Clampett kids moved on to carving up trees after that episode. By the way, these kids were about 4 and 5 and both have expensive Leatherman tools. I nearly choked when I bought mine and I used it for work.

How do I know how much cements costs? When Punkin Head started to drive he had a brand new Jeep. And he drove it through 3,000 yards of newly laid street in the Grosse Pointes. The garbage men turned him in and when poor Dr. Blank got home to find 4 boys, a hose, and the police in his driveway the gig was up. The bill came in the mail a few days later. Cement is not cheap.