I live but the news isnt good.

      OK they didn't pull my lymph nodes out back in September . They did do another throat biopsy that came back as cancer.  So I had to have a complete larogeal removal . Its a fancy way of saying I can't talk and have a stoma hole in my neck. I have a gapping cut from ear to ear that's about half healed. My lymph nodes were finally pulled but it seem I had tentacles of cancer from the nodes wrapped around my jugular vein. Now with no lymph nodes and down a jugular my face and neck swell 3 to 4 times a day.

      While  I feel ok now I have to be a realist The cancer has Metastasized it can and will pop up somewhere else maybe in a month or a few years. So as soon as I heal and can I plan on cramming as much life in as I can . The winter allows me time to get my affairs squared away. I have decided  no new camper better to take the funds we have and go and have fun. 

Fun trip camping

        We got back late Saturday evening from our trip to the coast. This was my first trip since getting cancer treatments and it was the first real trip with the dodge truck. I learned a lot about myself and my new truck . 
      First off I am not the man I was a year ago and I had better learn to live with my limits. The scar on my stomach hurts if I lift or over stretch . I have lost a lot of muscle along with weight , just for the record I have stabilized at 164 lbs. My normal adult weight had been 250 lbs. I require more sleep and now like naps they help as I get tired quicker. Simple things like extending the awning and letting down the stabilizer legs took effort. While I did have fun and enjoyed the ocean and seafood (shrimp tasted normal)I wasn't able to ride my bike or to go for long walks .

   On the truck I was nervous as I hadn't driven it but a few hundred mile since the new motor and front end was rebuilt. I haven't posted what all ended up being done to the dodge. While it was having the motor swapped out my mechanic noticed I needed a drivers side spindle bearing assembly tie rods both inner and outer both sides upper and lower ball joints. The only good news was the transmission was good just need a fluid change and the shift cable adjusted (that was causing it to downshift). Total bill for it all was 1580$. After this trip it was money well spent it drove great!!!!! As long as I was under 60 mph. no problem. Over 60 it would start fishtailing , but that will be fixed with a load leveling hitch and sway bar. I knew it could be a problem because the truck is a short wheel base. Me and the wife will be looking for a slightly bigger camper over the next few months but we are in no hurry.

    While we were camped we noticed they had no camp host normally they have 3. Now before we left 2 camp host did pull in. Before they did I went into the office and asked for any information on becoming camp host . The park Rangers gave me a paper that had all the requirement and web site to apply state wide. They told me this year had been hard to get hosts system wide. The wife and I are considering doing the camp/work thing next year. We have a family friend that has been doing it for a year now .

Time to travel !

     I haven't post much lately because I  had a biopsy last month. I admit I have been worried . While the CT didn't show any cancer a PET scan showed abnormal cells in my throat and lymph nodes. Today I found out I have NONE in my throat!!!! As for the lymph nodes I am going to have them removed the 5th of September. If they are cancerous they will be out and a none issue. To remove them is no more surgery than to biopsy them.  But I have a 3 week window to go to the beach !!!!!!!

     This year has been all about doctors and hospitals. I need some beach time . So about an hour ago I reserved 6 days at big lagoon for the week of the 20th . While it isn't some place new it is NOT HERE. Sometimes its just about getting away.

     While we are there we plan on going over to Fort Pickens and getting a senior park  pass  so we can get half off federal camp grounds because we plan on traveling next year. This may be the last trip in our Fun finder as we are Looking at another larger camper.

I bought a new camper

     OK perhaps it isn't a new Camper as it is a 1950,s Yellowstone. It resembles this one but the rear door on mine is on the back side

https://www.flickr.com/photos/38843792@N08/3564001773

   Sorry blogger isn't letting me upload .

camper

   Maybe this link will work.

The camper I got is striped inside and has nothing original including wood . It is just the aluminum shell, floor , axels and windows of an early 50s Yellowstone, BUT for 250$ who cares!!!

 

    Now I am not a Facebook junky like some but while I have been sick I have been on its yard sales and items for sale. Sometimes good items get posted cheap . This trailer was posted for 3 minutes before I had the lady on the phone arranging to get it. The only draw back was it was in a part of town known as Gates city. This area is like Chicago 1 am on a Friday night. I did see one gentleman getting cuffed and stuff a block from the house. I hooked up and it rode the 20 miles home like a champ. 

       I haven't made up my mind what I am going to do with it . A full restoration is beyond my ability both financially and skill wise. So that is out . I could just redo it as a camper but the wife isn't likely to go (she's spoiled) in it.

   

Gridlock in congress Trump uses laws already on the books

     Every one says Trump has done nothing so far.

 Depends on what you look at.

Over at the American Digest, there's a collection of all the things that this administration has accomplished so far.

220 things

Here's just the section on immigration.  Read it and see if you don't feel like things are going in the right direction, then go over and read the whole thing.
You'll feel a lot better.

On Immigration

1. Authorized DHS to hire 10,000 ICE officers & 5,000 border patrol agents
2. Secured funding for more immigration judges for deportation cases in 2017 budget
3. Ended “catch and release” policy
4. ICE arrests up 40% as of May
5. ICE arrests are 75% criminal illegals as of May
6. Ice Arrests for non criminal illegals up 150% as of May due to sanctuary cities polices making Ice go to the home instead of the court houses
7. 70%+ decrease in border crossings of illegal aliens in first 6 months per head of ICE (07/18/17)
8. No Cuban refugees seen by Coast Guard in Apr first time in 7 years
9. Open bidding and plans submitted for the WALL. Finalists selected, prototypes to be unveiled this summer per CBP official/Breitbart news.
10. 6ft chain linked fences being replaced by 20ft hardened steel fencing at border
11. More than 1400 gang members have been arrested by ICE
12. This year the U.S. has already deported 398 MS-13 gang members back to El Salvador – compared to only 534 for all of 2016
13. Texas has passed a law outlawing sanctuary cities
14. Foods stamp requests by ILLEGALS D O W N
15. The Trump administration has moved to reopen the cases of hundreds of illegal immigrants who had been given a reprieve from deportation by Obama
    1. Per Sec Kelly Plans are to start building the WALL by end of summer.
16. Travel ban EO cut refugees to 50,000 limit has been reached as of 07/12/17). USA now closed to refugee without a close connection to the USA
17. per Breitbart Sec Kelly has refused to expand H2-B visa program in FY 2017 Update 06/22/17 Sec Kelly will expand the H2-b visa program for a limited number of businesses that are in danger of failing and can’t find employment per breitbart.
18. Pres Trump and Sec of DHS ended DAPA (06/16/17)
19. Refugees dropped by half entering the USA in first three months of Pres Trump’s admin over Obama’s admin. (6/24/17 per Washington Times)
20. In fiscal year 2017 so far, ICE has removed over 2,700 criminal gang members, compared to 2,057 criminal gang members in all of fiscal year 2016. (07/20/17) per Whitehouse
21. Per Sec Kelly 66,000 mostly criminal illegals arrested by ICE in first 5 months
22. Kate’s Law passed the House 06/29/17)
23. No Sanctuary Cities Law Passed the House (06/29/17)
24. Illegal immigrant arrests in San Diego, Ca have more than doubled from 2016 and 2015 figures per the San Diego Union Tribune (07/04/17)
25. In a reversal of Obama administration policy, federal prosecutors with Operation Streamline are filing criminal charges against migrants the first time they are caught crossing the border illegally. Per Tucson.com and breitbart (07/05/17)
26. Refugee Arrivals Plummet in Week After Supreme Court Ruling on Trump Executive Order per Breitbart and Department of State website (07/05/17)
27. The International Entrepreneur Rule obama era loophole was closed by DHS on (0711/17). The rule allowed illegals to stay in the country for 2 and half years if they were “starting a business” per breitbart.
28. ICE crackdown in Pueblo scaring some families back to Mexico per the Pueblo chieftain (07/10/17)
29. House subcommittee includes $1.6 billion in funds for Wall in approbations bill (07/12/17) goes to full house for vote
30. DHS proposes rule change to increase length (from 2 weeks to 90 days) and Distance (from 100 miles from the border to entire USA) for people to be immediately deported freeing up courts and stopping the lawfare over immigration. (07/15/17 ) per dailymail
31. Thomas D. Homan, acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said in an interview that since Trump entered office, illegal border crossings have crashed by almost 70 percent, “an historic low,” arrests inside the country have jumped 40 percent and that demands for illegal criminals in local jails has skyrocketed 80 percent. (07/18/17) per Washington Examiner
32. AG Sessions said one goal of DOJ is to totally end illegal immigration (07/18/17) per Breitbart
33. The Trump Administration is providing funding for the Texas National Guard’s efforts to assist in securing the state’s border with Mexico per Breitbart (07/18/17)
34. Acting ICE Director Thomas D. Homan said he is going to deploy more officers and agents to “sanctuary cities” to arrest illegal criminal (07/18/17) per Washington examiner
35. President Trump ordered the creation of the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) office at DHS, ensuring that our Government can no longer ignore the victims of criminal acts by illegal aliens. (04/26/17)

My daughter broke her vehicle this time..

        My oldest daughter called me this evening and said something popped in her front tire as she got on the interstate. It wasn't a flat so she limped over here to my house. I pulled the passenger side tire off as brake fluid was everywhere. Now imagine me 5 days out of the hospital with a portable I.V. in my arm breaking lug nuts and jacking a car. My kid had drove her car  till the caliper fell out. The pop was her brake pad falling out. Tomorrow I will have to replace her brake rotor, caliper and pads. She has to work in the morning but her car is in my drive, well she eyeballed my white truck and asked how will I get to work. I got my white truck back the morning I was admitted to the hospital. It had 4 freeze plugs replaced . This is the same kid that blew the motor in my Ram . So I told her call your brother for a ride :).

      For my oldest it isn't broke till it quits moving she isn't getting near my vehicle's again!!!! My mechanic is reasonable but every vehicle I have has been worked on the last 2 weeks. Alice has had her car for 12 years she hasn't done any maintenance on it to amount to spit. I chewed her out when I took her home she has to start maintaining what she has and she needs to start planning on a 2nd vehicle . Nothing last forever.

I AM CANCER FREE !!!!!!!!!

      Today I went to the doctor for my first post treatment CT scan. My radiologist oncologist read the CT and did an endoscope of my throat and could see no signs of cancer !!!! He saw some swelling that he said was normal but nothing that indicated cancer. I have to see him in 3 months for a checkup and hopefully every 6 months after that !!

     I  would like to thank everyone for their Prayers and well wish's. This has reaffirmed my belief that prayer is  powerful .

   The reason for spotty posting has been I went to the lake the week before the 4TH and then was back in the hospital with a staf infection  the week of the 4th. Even though I am home I am on I.V. antibiotics for 14 more days.   Hopefully life will settle down and return to normal.

Father's day gift review.

       My kids took fathers day a little over board this year. I now it was because I have been sick, so I didn't say anything like I normally would. Over the last 6 months I have not been prepping or even reading the usual web sites. It was like WHY I mite not make it. In the last few weeks I seem to have come out of my funk, depression. IT IS ABOUT TIME. Now I see my attitude was at bottom for to long.

    Ok for fathers day the kids got me camping/prepping gifts. One is a collapsible fishing pole . It is a foot long extends to 6 ft  and comes with a reel and accessories in a bag. The pole is a medium light duty combo perfect for blue gill or any up to a few pounds. A big bass or catfish would be no fun with this combo. I had been thinking about starting fishing again while camping but hadn't even mentioned it to anyone so I was pleasantly surprised.

    I also got 2 sets of these rechargeable batteries. I think the kids knew they had lost more than a few. EBL rechargeable combo 

They also got me a Yeti cup knockoff  and I tested it, half a cup of ice lasted 24 hours I was impressed.

    My wife got me a set of 4 LED lantern's that are awesome . awesome lanterns . The amazon page says they will light for 10 hours at full charge . I tested one last nite and after 6 hours I couldn't tell if it was any dimmer than one just turned on. Now after 10 hours it was still putting out 75% . Each lantern puts out 200 lumens = to a 25 watt bulb. They have a diffuser that softens the light. I love that these are solar rechargeable or wall plug . It has one feature not listed and that's a USB charging port that my phone mp3 or tablet could get a small charge from.

If we can pull it .

     With my daughter blowing the engine in my dodge me and the wife have talked about getting a larger tow vehicle. We hope to one day upsize our camper to a larger slide out or fifth wheel with slides model . While the dodge if fixed would pull a decent size camper it has limits. The wife's son told us his boss is selling our sons old work truck. T.J. has drove it for 11 years but got a new one last month. It is a 2003 ford F350 with a power stroke 7.3 diesel.
 I called Ken T.J.s boss and asked what he was going to ask for it he said he would let me know, if the price is right I am interested . 2003 was the last year for the 7.3 and there is nothing with wheels it can't pull. If it comes in under 5 I want it this is what it looks like.

   The pipe racks don't come with it but the Reading tool bed does .

My Kids and trucks don't mix

       I  have been slow posting lately but that doesn't mean life has been boring. I will be trying to catch up in the next few weeks. Since I got sick and have been sidelined a lot of stuff has gone unattended to. I was unable and the wife clueless on most of what needed to be done.

     One thing that has fallen into disrepair has been our vehicle's.  Not one but all of them need to have work done on them. Her car has a leaking valve cover gasket, drivable but leaking a quart every 2 weeks or so. My white truck has a rusted out freeze plug and runs hot after 5 miles so it is unusable. The black dodge had a leaking p/s hose that was spraying the exhaust and drops out of 4th

 back to 3rd gear at times.

    The dodge went to the shop first as it was the easiest and cheapest repair. I asked them to see about the air that didn't work to. Ok the next day it was fixed new hose and compressor clutch and Freon cost only 150$ . The mechanic had drove it and said the shift modules in the transmission needed to be replaced and would be 300$. Its a common problem in this model and I knew it but had to get my other truck fixed first. I had been babying it and would bring it back after the others were done. He gave me a price of 40$ on my wifes car +part and 100 to 150 on the freeze plug.

     Ok I  was lined up on getting our vehicles back in order. This week we were to go to the lake for a 4 day trip. Monday my daughter called and asked if she could borrow my truck I told her we were going to the lake . She had a coworker that was giving her a washer so she came by on lunch to get my truck. I was reluctant but told her to baby it and what to do if it revved up when it changed gears. An hour later she called crying . My truck was on the side off the road with a blown engine. It had downshifted on a hill instead of backing off the gas she had floored it so it would shift again . Yep it broke the crank and slung a piston oil was everywhere. Call a buddy to tow it (cost a gallon and half of shine)home. Called my mechanic he has a motor and will swap it for 1200$ and would have to be fill in work over 3 to 4 weeks.

Now I am without a working truck and a sick car.

 

How not to lose weight..

       A lot of people try to lose their extra pounds using many different methods. I lost from 245 down to 184 by starvation.
Mine was due to the chemo and radiation treatment making it impossible for me to eat or drink food. Now I don't advise anyone to lose weight in this manor . As an avid reader of  apocalyptic fiction this was an eye opener to how starvation affect the body and mind.

     We all as preppers try to have food laid back so we wont starve. Take it from me STOCK MORE in different places!!!! Starvation is no fun . The first week it is all you think about . the second is just a acke in your belly . by the 3rd week that diminishes and you begin to get real weak in week 4. From then on your a walking zombie and have no strength to do anything.

    I went about 6 weeks without eating 5000 calories before I had to go on IV  TPN . I lost almost 60 lbs. in under 45 days. That's about a pound and 1/4 a day and I wasn't doing any work. Now the purpose of this post isn't about what I went through it is unless your sick plan to avoid starvation.

   Today I ate 4 spoons of mashed potatoes to most of you that is a nothing . To me  it is a milestone .  I haven't had any thing solid since the first of march.

2 Weeks since my last post feels like a year.

     When I posted last I had just got out of the hospital . well I took a turn for the worse on the 11th and had to be rushed by ambulance due to bleeding . This time I had surgery on my gut.

     I had lost 2 pints of blood when I got to the emergency  room and was barely conscious . It took 3 units of blood and 3 of saline to stabilize me.  After 22 hours in the E.R. they desided I had something wrong in my gut . a big Duh . So they carried me to get a scope run down my throat to my stomach for a look see.

  Well they did and a vein or artery popped and I started spewing blood  seems I lost 5 units or more before they could get it stitched up. I woke up the next day on a breathing machine wondering what the hell was going on. My wife told me the surgeon and doctor couldn't believe I had been that close to a bleed out for a month. She was told only a small blood clot had kept me alive and they had hit it with the camera scope. Yesterday I went to my doctor for a check in and he said he was glad they had found that piece of plastic from the feeding tube . he said it was lodged against a vein and had cut it . Seems I spent 3 weeks in the hospital and could have died because they didn't get all their trash out of my gut!

    Since I got out 9 days ago I now feel great!!! I am a little weak working but that because I haven't  done any thing in a few months.  Today I got the BBq ready for a big weekend my son should have .  I may be selling him my stand and smoker after the 4th of July. I was approved for supplemental security income and the check will begin june 1st.

     

I am alive ! barely

     Sorry for the long absence but things have been tough . My feeding tube got infected with some nasty germs and it blew out they tried 2 more but tissue lose was to much. right now I have a quarter size hole in my stomach that has been draining for a month. To make it worse every now and then it starts bleeding and back to the hospital. I have spent 14 out of the last 30 in the hospital.
    The rest of my time I am kinda bed ridden to prevent bleeding and it is getting old. Friday I see the doctor that should fix my stomach next week.

     On a good note I finished the radiation and the chemo was canceled be cause I cant tolerate it. I think the cancer is gone will know July 15  for sure.

Hey every one.

     I hope every one has been doing well I haven't been online much in the last few week. For me it has been a ride .

     I spent last Friday night in the hospital and last night in the hospital . Last Friday was for de hydration and Low blood pressure. I had hit a brick wall because I wasn't eating. I was drinking but not enough and with no food for 3 weeks my body was in bad shape. Well they got me plenty of I.V. plus some dextrose I.V. and I was lucky had a young doctor who was thorough and he called my other 2 doctors . This week I have had a swallow study done ( Fine) and yesterday they put in a feeding tube (peg)

  I had fought against the feeding tube from day one . The more people I talked to and the more weight I lost the more I reliesed I was a Dumbass and it was the only way I was going to get through all my treatments . So yesterday I got the PEG and had to stay 24 hours for observation. Today my body has got 800 calories in it and I can feel it . Tomorrow I will increase to 1200  calories for 2 days then 1800 to 2000 calorie a day after that. My stomach has shrunk  and the nurse advised me to start slow. I hope I will be able to begin eating a little again next week as I have had a   BAD case of Thrush that the young doctor I saw last week prescribed some pills for that are working.

   

     In a few days I will do a post on what starvation does to a person but my thinking is still fuzzy.

    So for now  I am back on the right track . I had chest X rays no cancer evident and my lymph nodes are back to normal size but am still to swollen from the radiation for my neck x rays to be readable. It gives me hope.

A quik update.

     Ok I am alive. Treatment are daily and I am losing energy and weight  this is a grueling time please bear with me if I go missing for a week at a time.

Sold and Sold

   Well  I sold the Blountsville property and my BOL. Both went to folks that have more use for them than I will in the near future.

    Our granddaughter bought my bug out property to put her camper on . Whether or not she will move and live there remains to be seen. I hope they will . She is getting married on the 25 th of this month. They are talking about how they are going to fix the property up . They pay 700$ a month in apartment rent which to me is unbelievable . The way I see it with the camper and the 10 x 20 shed properly placed and porched  so both are usable they could be living for basically free. There would be plenty of room to build a nice cabin as they could with the money saved. I cant  say if they will or wont but I can hope.

     On the 25th I will be catering the granddaughters wedding .
Its going to be a casual event at the lake . I doubt there will be a suit attending . Knowing both sides of their family's there will be a lot of drinking and country music. And yes it will be BBQ  Butts Ribs and chicken  baked beans, coleslaw and tater salad.

It all taste like cardboard !!!!

      Ok a quick update on my treatment. I have had 2 chemo and 8 radiation treatments so far. I have lost 4 pounds since the 20th .
   
     The first week got bad on day 5 (Friday) while I was up selling BBQ . I was hit with nausea and dizziness felt like I was going to pass out. I started the anti nausea med that night and was fine but tired Saturday doing the BBQ. Doing much better now that I scheduled when I take my meds. I learned their is no HE Manning through this.

      Lost my ability to taste Monday after chemo and radiation. Everything taste like I am chewing paper or cardboard. It doesn't matter what it is it all taste the same. I can smell the flavors but once in my mouth its cardboard. The nurse says I will regain taste once the radiation is over. Even coffee taste like crap .

President John Tyler's Grandsons Are Still Alive

Here's the most amazing thing you'll ever read about our 10th president:
John Tyler was born in 1790. He took office in 1841, after William Henry Harrison died. And he has two living grandchildren.
Not great-great-great-grandchildren. Their dad was Tyler’s son.

How is this possible?

The Tyler men have a habit of having kids very late in life. Lyon Gardiner Tyler, one of President Tyler’s 15 kids, was born in 1853. He fathered Lyon Gardiner Tyler Jr. in 1924, and Harrison Ruffin Tyler in 1928.
We placed a somewhat awkward call to the Charles City County History Center in Virginia to check in on the Tylers.
After we shared this fact on Twitter in 2012, Dan Amira interviewed Harrison Tyler for New York Magazine. Lyon Tyler spoke to the Daughters of the American Revolution a while back. Snopes is also in on the fact.

February 15, 2016 -

  If my math is right John Tyler had  Lyon at 63 !!!!
Lyon had his sons at 71 & 75 !!!!!
  
    Found at mental floss

Sell contract came in. Lettin thing go.

       Well the property I had bought in Blountsville last year is now under contract. The family that lives next door wants it just so they can tear it down. Its to close for  Nabors for their taste. When they contacted me I had just found out I was sick so I threw out twice what I have in it and they took it. Now  a 1500$ profit isn't huge but the timing is good for me. I know I wont  be in any shape to do any thing with it for a while, and 3000$ back in the bank suits me. The close date is to be now till April 15 th. depending on their attorney drawing up the paperwork.
    
       With my son getting his place the need to use Blountsville as a food commissary is not an issue. He has plenty of room to build what we need and most the material to.

         I still am thinking on my BOL property. My wifes granddaughter  has looked at it and liked it she has that camper I helped her get last year. At this point in my life if she wants it I will let it go. I can always cache some supplies on the property even if I sell it to her.

     Next to go will be my old ranger . I have had it 8 years and the book value is 400$ more than I gave for it.  

     

cute

 I love my country.

 I love redheads.  ok I love blonds, brunettes and bald to :)

  I love bacon.

  I love pork BBQ.

  Even friends disagree.

 That's all folks!!!!!!

I Start Monday.

     Today I finally met my oncologist ! He seems like a competent doctor and answered my question without dancing around. He has a quiet kind voice suited to the bad news he has to give to some people. I was asked about my ability to eat, pain level, and if I was willing to get a port for chemo.

    At this point I had to stop him and describe myself to him . I made it clear I am a Man I wanted him to treat my cancer aggressively  I don't whine but if I was hurting I would let them know. There would be no feeding tube unless I was below 180 lb. and agreed. As for a port everyone I had talked to said it was better than an arm IV so schedule it. I also made it clear I was a straight talker and wanted him to return the favor  NO CANDY COATING and ALL OPTIONS ON TABLE. He said few patient fit what I described and asked for. Seems he has a lot of patient he has to coddle and baby.

    I start my chemo on Monday morning then I have radiation that afternoon. It looks like I will get 42 doses of radiation and 13 chemo treatments . One day next week I will also get the chemo port in my chest. I will be dealing with these treatments till at least May 15 th.

LTG Hal Moore passed away

   

link rest in peace

    Makes you wonder what kind of a president he would have been??

walls are good

During the recent election Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg, a severe critic of Donald Trump's plan to build a wall across the southern border and a top donor to the Hillary Clinton campaign forgot to mention he had a $10 million estate in San Francisco around which he built a wall to keep out the tens of thousands of undocumented aliens freely wondering the streets of that sanctuary city.  Now to compound his hypocrisy this billionaire has built a huge 6' wall around his massive Hawaiian estate.  A wall that would not only keep out those Mexicans who managed to swim to Hawaii, but one that also blocks his neighbors view of the Pacific Ocean.  Zuckerberg is proving he is no different than other coastal elites who feel they are above practicing what they preach.  They fall into they well established class whose motto is: "do as I say and not as I do"!
I would be the first to say, there is nothing wrong with a man building a wall around his home to keep out unwanted visitors.  But then I would also be the first to tell you there is nothing wrong with a nation state building a wall on it's border also to keep out unwanted interlopers.  Walls that keep people out are welcome, however walls that keep people in (the old Berlin Wall) are another thing.  But even there, there are some exceptions---prison walls are just fine.  

beer and the wheel

 
The two most important events in all of history were the invention of beer and the invention of the wheel.
Beer required grain and that was the beginning of agriculture.
Neither the glass bottle nor aluminum can were invented yet, so while our early humans were sitting around waiting for them to be invented, they just stayed close to the brewery. That’s how villages were formed.
The wheel was invented to get man to the beer and vice versa. These two were the foundation of modern civilization and together were the catalyst for the splitting of humanity into two distinct subgroups:1. Liberals.
2. Conservatives.
Some men spent their days tracking and killing animals to BBQ at night while they were drinking beer. This was the beginning of what is known as the Conservative movement.
Other men who were less skilled at hunting (called ‘vegetarians’ which was an early human word meaning ‘bad hunter’) learned to live off the Conservatives by showing up for the nightly BBQ’s and doing the sewing, fetching and hairdressing. This was the beginning of the Liberal movement.
Some of these liberal men evolved into women. Others became known as girlie-men. Some noteworthy liberal achievements include the domestication of cats, the invention of group therapy, group hugs and the concept of democratic voting to decide how to divide the meat and beer that Conservatives provided.Over the years Conservatives came to be symbolized by the largest, most powerful land animal on earth, the elephant. Liberals are symbolized by the jackass for obvious reasons.
Modern Liberals like lite beer (with lime added), but most prefer white wine, or imported bottled water. They eat raw fish but like their beef well done. Sushi, tofu, and French food are standard liberal fare. Another interesting evolutionary side note: many liberal women have higher testosterone levels than their men.
Most social workers, personal injury attorneys, journalists, film makers in Hollywood, group therapists and community organizers are liberals.
Liberals meddled in our national pastime and invented the designated hitter rule because it wasn’t fair to make the pitcher also bat.
Conservatives drink real beer. They eat red meat and still provide for their women. Conservatives are members of the military, electricians, big game hunters, rodeo cowboys, lumberjacks, construction workers, firemen, medical doctors, police officers, engineers, corporate executives, athletes, airline pilots and generally anyone who works productively. Conservatives who own companies hire other Conservatives who want to work for a living.
Liberals produce little or nothing. They like to govern the producers and decide what to do with the production. Liberals believe Europeans are more enlightened than Americans. That is why most of the liberals remained in Europe when Conservatives were coming to America . They crept in after the Wild West was tamed and created a business of trying to get more for nothing.
Here ends today’s lesson in world history. It should be noted that a liberal may have a momentary urge to angrily respond to this post.A Conservative will simply laugh and be so convinced of the absolute truth of this history that it will be shared immediately to other true believers and to just piss-off more liberals.
…and there you have it.

found and stole from  pappa mike

Gun rights as womans rights.

     Same rights as guns...

This poor lady....
- She wants you to wait 72 hours after you go out to buy a woman while you await a background investigation.
- She wants women to be banned from entering schools and college campuses.
- She wants women banned from polling places on Election Day.
- She wants you to pay a fee to the state before you carry a woman .
- She wants some women banned simply because they look too scary.
- She wants women banned from all airports.
- She wants women to be locked up at all times when not in use.

~~~~~~~

She also wants different rules for different states and, sometimes, for different cities/towns/villages in each state.

I assume that the "organizers" shared some pre-approved messages with their sheep?  Not very intelligent but, hey, to each it's own...  I hope she never wants to live in Chicago or New York or pretty much anywhere in California.  Ignorance is bliss.

She has no idea how difficult it will be for her to live or travel in Illinois...  ;)

  
   found at had to share blues blog

Rich super preppers.

   How the super rich prepare for when  the SHTF. Its an interesting read.

 Just keep in mind these folks have more hundreds than a 5 gallon bucket has pennys.
prepping rich

Teaching Peace and Love.

       Normal religion teaches us to love our Neighbors .

      Now I admit I am not the most knowledgeable person on Christianity or Judaism but I seem to remember Sunday school being a bit different  in tone .

  Nuff said!!

All campers understand this old brochure.

    If you tell everyone you camper for quality time in nature and so the family can bond its true. But the real reason is so you and the wife can play. Admit it I am right this add from 1970 knew it. enjoy.

     here is a link to the whole sales brochure.
Komfort kamper

If you knew ?

     If you knew there was a good chance you could die in a year or so what would your reaction be ?  For some it might be to climb into bed and wait for the end in a comatose state. For others it could be just going through the motions of life till the end. Now for most that are reading this I would hope they are like me.   MAN Up try to cheat death and live but just in case get your affairs in order.

     Now I am going to live for a long while but there is a chance my treatments may fail  "In the end the Death takes us all".

     Are your affairs in order ? Do you have a Will ? Are you a collector of guns, tools, cars, or a hundred other items ? Would your spouse or kids have a clue as to the value ? Do you have projects that are valuable if finished ,you should complete ? Do you have property that needs to be shuffled so it goes to who you want it to?  These are morbid thoughts but they are valid for any one sick or of advanced age. Their valid for any one you ever know.

     As I have posted many times I have been working for a year on my daughters place. It is basically finished but when the electrician tried to pull a permit they wouldn't till I go get a county inspector to sign off on what I have done so far. I know the roof I put on will fail and I will have to remove it. I built it on the trailer, according to the county it has to be "self supporting like a car port". So I am 2 weeks out on her moving.

    

  My sons place just need 200$ in material then me to pay the deposits and turn on fees for water and electricity. About 500 total has him a permanent home! Trouble is cash is tight its winter so income is down and the slush fund is dwindling .
    The Blountsville house is under contract to a lady when it sells I will be ok. I will double what I have in it.
    My BOL is still on hold not ready to let it go yet. I have 2 interested parties so that should be an easy sell if needed.
   In the past I bought a lot of beer memorabilia I am going to sell. I have 2 cooper  moonshine stills I will put on e bay.

   In the yard I have to decide about 2 vending trailer and 2 trucks that are taking up space.

    Now I am not planning on death but I am going to have my affairs in order the way I want. I have never seen anything as putrid and despicable as the way some families act on settling an estate!!!!! The squabbling over petty stuff and legal actions over property have left me  ashamed I knew or was related to them. Yall understand what I am saying!!!!
As a prepper I looked at a dozen different ways life as we know it could end but never its actual end. I now understand as a husband a father and a Man I should have . Regardless of your age or health if you haven't given it a hard look it is an eye opener. MAN UP its your family take care of them don't think it will work out and they will do ok.
   

Tests are in.

     Well I got my test and biopsy report today Not Good. I am stage 4 laryngeal  throat cancer. The ENT surgeon pushed for removal of voice box , neck lymph nodes and permeant tracheotomy  followed by radiation as the way to go. The radiation /chemo doctor pushed starting with rad/chemo as the way to go. My  general practitioner advised me to go with radiation /chemo first because I could still have surgery if necessary . ALL OPTIONS  SUCK!!!!!!

      I choose the radiation / chemo as my option . Breathing through a hole in my neck and not being able to talk didn't appeal to me. I like the water to much for a stoma tracheotomy.  If it is a have to I would do it but not till all other options are gone.

  I have a appointment to get mapped for the radiation next week and probably one with the chemo doctor to. Then I will start the treatments of 7 doses of radiation a week for 6 weeks followed by 6 weeks or more of chemo.   If the tumor isn't gone then it is back to the knife.

     Even though the news wasn't good I am going to beat this. It hasn't moved to my lungs or any where but my neck its a matter of getting it now.  I did lose 6 more pounds in 2 weeks but I am back to eating ok now.  My G/P wants me to start drinking Carnation breakfast shakes 3 times a day . I can still drop 40 pounds before I am at the perfect 180 by chart.  Which is funny I passed the 200 mark when I was 12 . My Mother always told me at 50 things would fall apart seems she was right !!!!  Mom is taking my health hard I can hear her thinking of my stepdad JC when we talk. He had a bad heart that gave out because of cancer treatments.

   Ok that's it for my health when I blog on here it will be about normal stuff . Life is to short to be down ! Its almost time to go camping and I am itching to go. If I beat the big C and get my disability started I am off to see how much living I can really do!!

An unofficial redneck holiday

   While not an observed  holiday it should be. Today is the  Birthday of  John Moses Browning 

    a few links here 
                     here
                     here 

     It his birthday fire off a few in his honor.

God Bless the USA" at Trump's Inauguration

     As I watched Trump sing along and fist pump at the end my opinion of him changed. Before I hoped he would do a 1/4 of what he said he would and it would make him a good president. I have always felt this was an ego trip for him. I thought he would try because he want the Trump name to be immortalized. Perhaps from the emotion on his face this song and his words during the campaign they weren't just words but his beliefs.

  

No wall needed.

    Over the last year Trump has been talking about a wall along the Mexican border. Sounds great and I believe it would slow illegal's and drugs from coming in to the country. But as with any fence it can still be breached at some point. Even if we spend 20 Billion the desperate and drug runners would find a way .

 There is a better ,cheaper way that we have used in the past and in 65 years very few have risked crossing. It is not impressive to see but one miss step and the next person will think long and hard before trying .

  These 2 pictures are of the Korean DMZ  it has kept the 2 populations separate since the 1952-53 era . It is a passive system as far as foot traffic is concerned . They use thousands of these to discourage people from fleeing either side.

Now I know it would out rage a lot of folks but in a few years not many would think of crossing the boarder except legally . The loss to the drug cartels would be huge and our expense would be a fraction of the wall. If we used mines we wouldn't even have to do the whole border . A few put out here and there it would be bluff in some area,s . Just something to think about that works.

Prepparing for illness

     Ok this is not a poor pitiful me post . I feel good about the future but there are some hard decisions that will be coming in the future. I understand I will have to face one or more things surgery, chemo, radiation or a combo of all 3.

      Now I run my house the old way, I am head Jackass!! I pay the bills do the shopping earn the funds, make most the important decisions .I do listen to everyone's points of view on stuff but since I pay for or have to do the work I have veto power. With the possibility of me being down for a time I have to prepare the wife and family to take over some things they have no clues about.

    Most of us that read prepper blogs are Alfa personalities and have never considered if something happens to us will our loved ones be able to take over our jobs. In my case it will be illness taking me out of daily chores, income, spending management. Not only have I been sheltering the wife I have found she doesn't want the responsibility shifted to her. I tried to talk to her and it was a stone wall if she wont accept it, it wont happen. She will be getting a crash course in household management over the next 2 weeks. I love my wife but her money skills suck plus her shopping skills can net us 2 meals and junk food for 100$ a trip.

      It will be an interesting next 2 weeks . In the morning I have to go for Labs, X rays, CT scans, at 8 o'clock on the way back I have to pick up 350$ worth of wiring and electrical conduit for my daughters. after lunch I will stub it in from the pole. Thursday I see the ENT about doing the biopsy then meet the electrician to pay for permit and him to connect what I stubbed in. Sunday my step son will do the rest of the plumbing and gas for me and her place will be ready to move in.

    Hopefully the next week I will have a break between doctor visits. I need to install an exterior electrical load center on my sons house the old one has been gutted and wiring cut. It will be about 12 hours work but will allow him to move in after a few other odds and ends he can do.

 

     Preparing my family to move forward while I am down is as much for me as them. The kids moving out was delayed because of me feeling bad then the holidays now its time to get them set. The wife has become a couch potato the last few years and that's my fault. Once she is up to speed I will rest easier .

 

    Thinking about preparing for being out as leader and if my loved one could carry on while sick during good times makes me think have many preppers thought about it to? 

Goverment think. is amazing

    Yesterday I hinted at the run around it was to get seen and insurance . Part of the problem is I work with no pay check I make a living most would consider poverty level but pays the bills and allows travel and extras.

1 if you don't make enuff to file taxes the insurance market place is worthless.

2 if you make under 10,000 from varied sources your looked at as lying / drug dealer to live.

3 you have to show what your source is

4 If you make this little and appy for help they want to know WHY you haven't already applied for everything under the sun!
     I have a rental trailer that nets me 6500 a year in income well below filing amount . My BBQ and Mt Dew is more than this but the bastards can F&%$#@ off on that .

    After the emergency room visit my E N T appointment was canceled due to no insurance. I called the financial aid department and was informed because I didn't work I didn't qualify for market place insurance and without that I couldn't qualify to get co pay forgiveness. I was referred to the county indigent care program at another hospital/clinic.
   I had this medical care for a couple years till renewal in 2014. At that time they demanded I go to the IRS for a letter of non-filing to continue benefits. I had a disputed with the IRS in 2006 and the thought of walking back in their office , Not Happening Alive Not happening ever !!!

  I went to the indigent care qualifying page . If I  have an open disability case with social security and proof of residency I qualify. So last Thursday I go to Social Security and apply for disability based on beginning cancer treatments. I understand I will be deigned but it will get me the indigent care insurance!!!! Before I was done I had to file for 3 different forms of disability. My Ex wife died in 2009 so I had to apply 2 times based on her and 1 on just me. Seems there are special rules for widowers over 50. It took 4 hours but I did it. I raced to the indigent care office with all the paper work. They quit taking applicants at 2,  I was 3 minutes late.

   Friday morning I got there at 8 am and was took right back. The lady was polite till she saw my income was so low and my lease was 5 years old with my tenant.  How much does he pay NOW this lease is 5 years old?   The same , He has never been late has helped me do repairs and so OCD the place is immaculate. Ok here is your blue card go to the appointment office for a primary care appointment.   

   The girl at the appointment office makes me an appointment with a primary care doctor for  APRIL 1st. So I explain to her its my throat what I have going on I let her hear the voice message that I had an appointment to see their ENT Wednesday. The girl calls around double checks and informs me No they just passed the buck.  Ok what can I do before my throat closes and I die in my sleep???  She said we are a county department work the system!!!! Monday come into the urgent care clinic tell the doctor what is wrong in your throat they will get you an emergency appointment with the   E N T  department. Since you were seen at UAB to start with they will refer you back to them at our cost!!!!!  We got rules to follow but ways to get thing done to.

    I did what sweetie told me . I see the clinics E N T at 9 tomorrow to get a referral back the office that I was suppose to be at today. It took 8 trips in to Birmingham about 32 hour of wait/work, 60$ in gas . I am at the same point I was at on the 26th except insured and have medical files in 5 different offices. It also started a disability application in case thing get worse. The indigent care application forces me to apply for food stamps as they go hand in hand now it seems.

New year aint starting so good.

    Ok here is the reason why I want the house cleared. It is why my projects have took so long and lost 40+ pounds since spring.

    For about 6 months I have had a sore throat and right after Thanksgiving my neck started swelling on the right side. It would come and go . I made a promise to the wife that I would go to a doctor as soon as Christmas was over. For me that is something . Well Christmas weekend the food the talking and general holiday commotion did me in. I couldn't talk I was coughing blood and it looked like I had a hamster stuck in my throat.

    Monday morning after Christmas I agreed to go to the emergency room. The blood scared me ,but what sealed the deal was what the wife said  she would do to me and what she wouldn't do for me, unless I got my ass in the car.

  

    It took 16 hour of waiting and being seen. I was X rayed , CT scanned, had a scope run down my nose and throat. Well I had a pretty good idea what the verdict was going to be.

    I have a "growth" on the epiglottis in my throat ( the flap over your wind pipe) till a biopsy then I can call it cancer. The blood was from the swelling, irritation food ,coughing and sodas. The lump is a swollen lymph node due to the "growth". I got 3 steroid shots  told to sleep sitting  in a chair for the night . An appointment with an  E N T and wished merry Christmas .

     Not having insurance it will be interesting to see what the bill for that visit will be. Since then I have gotten a form of medical insurance but that's 2 post in itself .

Family

   Sorry for not posting for a while. We all know life gets hectic at the holidays. I hope every one had a good Christmas and New Year. It seems like for 2 weeks we have run somewhere  every day. All in all it was a nice time with family .

     It looks like me and the wife will be getting our house back to our selves by the end of the month. I am down to odds and ends on my daughters place before she can move in. My Son got the Deed he has been waiting on and we put in a couple of days their .  All he needs me for is to have a new power panel set and re splice the house wiring . The step daughter and grandkids HAVE TO GO!!!!
We love them but the level of activity and noise is unbelievable. Its beyond normal the mom is a hollower on face book 24/7. The kids want to be entertained and are incapable of imagination or self amusement .