Happy 4th Of July Everybody!!! I Hope We All Have A Great Day And Take A Minute To Think About What An Incredible Accomplishment Our Founding Fathers Pulled Off Back 1776.
Friday, July 4, 2008
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Troubleshooting to Hot Tub
Yesterday afternoon Dawn and I took a drive out to Lagrange to Carrie and Patrick's house. Patrick had called because he was having an electrical problem. We've known Carrie and Patrick for years. I use to work with Carrie, who is a Dietitian, and Patrick is Derek's boss.
Upon arriving I went and looked at the four switches where the were having the problem. I took the cover plate off and looked for anything out of the ordinary. Nothing. So we went down into the basement and went to the main circuit panel. I took the outer cover off and checked the breaker. It was mounted good and the wire was nice and tight. I hit the breaker and it tripped immediately. We turned all four switches on and tried to reset the breaker. One by one Patrick turned the switches off and had to reset the breaker it time. Then he got to the fourth one. He turned it off and the breaker did not trip.
I went upstairs and asked what did that switch control? Carrie responded that is was the lights on the front of the garage. Carrie and Dawn were out front with their almost 1 yr old son and their dog.
I went out and took the lights off the garage to isolate the line. I attempted to reset the breaker to no avail. It tripped. I put the lights back up. We ended up going into the garage and looked for any shorts in the wiring. Nothing. A hour had past in the troubleshooting. A neighbor of Carrie and Patrick walked by and they started talking to her. That left me to go inside and think. I knew there was no way that with everything disconnected that the breaker should still trip.
I turned all the switches off and reset the breaker again. I turned switch one on. The foyer lights came on. Then number two, the dining room lights came on. I flipped the third and I didn't see anything come on. Dawn "yelled" from the front yard that the front of the garage lights were on. I then flipped number four and the breaker tripped, but not before Dawn saw a flash of light come from on of the porch lights.
We had been troubleshooting the WRONG area.....I couldn't get upset.....
I went out and we took both fixtures off the porch ceiling and isolated both. It turns out that one of the candelabra bulbs in the chandelier fixture outside the front door had blown/melting into the socket and was shorting out the hot and common wires. I disconnected the wires and will be getting a new fixture for them.
We all laughed at the mistake/miscue. Patrick went into the kitchen to retrieve a couple of beers. Carrie and Dawn had already been walking around with wine glasses in hand.
I got cleaned up and went into the kitchen and Dawn was telling Carrie what we both liked in our salads. I had no idea we were staying for dinner. Carrie finished the salads and asked Patrick to put the chicken breasts and brats on the grill. So Patrick and I walked out onto their patio overlooking hole #11 on the golf course that is their backyard with beers in hand. The sun was just about 30 minutes from setting.
By time the chicken and brats the sun was only minutes from setting. Dawn and Carrie brought the salads out and we ate. Enjoying good conversation and good friends.
After eating they asked if we would like to jump in the hot tub. Dawn and I looked at eachother and decided...sure what the heck.
Carrie got Dawn a swimsuit and me a pair of shorts. She also gave us these very soft heavy Hugh Heffner style robes. We walked out onto the deck. Patrick came out behind us with reserve beers. Carrie was already in the hot tub so the three of us jumped in to join her.
We enjoyed more life stories and conversations. After about an hour or so we decided to get out. It was just about 11pm. We went in the kitchen for a nice bowl of vanilla ice cream with fresh blueberries, peaches and strawberries on top.
After about another half hour we decide we should get changed and start the half hour ride home.
I guess I wrote all this because it was fun to be together, just the two of us, and be with good friends. We both had a good time and enjoyed Carrie and Patrick's company.
It was nice to go over there thinking I was there to do a side job and end up having a nice evening.
Upon arriving I went and looked at the four switches where the were having the problem. I took the cover plate off and looked for anything out of the ordinary. Nothing. So we went down into the basement and went to the main circuit panel. I took the outer cover off and checked the breaker. It was mounted good and the wire was nice and tight. I hit the breaker and it tripped immediately. We turned all four switches on and tried to reset the breaker. One by one Patrick turned the switches off and had to reset the breaker it time. Then he got to the fourth one. He turned it off and the breaker did not trip.
I went upstairs and asked what did that switch control? Carrie responded that is was the lights on the front of the garage. Carrie and Dawn were out front with their almost 1 yr old son and their dog.
I went out and took the lights off the garage to isolate the line. I attempted to reset the breaker to no avail. It tripped. I put the lights back up. We ended up going into the garage and looked for any shorts in the wiring. Nothing. A hour had past in the troubleshooting. A neighbor of Carrie and Patrick walked by and they started talking to her. That left me to go inside and think. I knew there was no way that with everything disconnected that the breaker should still trip.
I turned all the switches off and reset the breaker again. I turned switch one on. The foyer lights came on. Then number two, the dining room lights came on. I flipped the third and I didn't see anything come on. Dawn "yelled" from the front yard that the front of the garage lights were on. I then flipped number four and the breaker tripped, but not before Dawn saw a flash of light come from on of the porch lights.
We had been troubleshooting the WRONG area.....I couldn't get upset.....
I went out and we took both fixtures off the porch ceiling and isolated both. It turns out that one of the candelabra bulbs in the chandelier fixture outside the front door had blown/melting into the socket and was shorting out the hot and common wires. I disconnected the wires and will be getting a new fixture for them.
We all laughed at the mistake/miscue. Patrick went into the kitchen to retrieve a couple of beers. Carrie and Dawn had already been walking around with wine glasses in hand.
I got cleaned up and went into the kitchen and Dawn was telling Carrie what we both liked in our salads. I had no idea we were staying for dinner. Carrie finished the salads and asked Patrick to put the chicken breasts and brats on the grill. So Patrick and I walked out onto their patio overlooking hole #11 on the golf course that is their backyard with beers in hand. The sun was just about 30 minutes from setting.
By time the chicken and brats the sun was only minutes from setting. Dawn and Carrie brought the salads out and we ate. Enjoying good conversation and good friends.
After eating they asked if we would like to jump in the hot tub. Dawn and I looked at eachother and decided...sure what the heck.
Carrie got Dawn a swimsuit and me a pair of shorts. She also gave us these very soft heavy Hugh Heffner style robes. We walked out onto the deck. Patrick came out behind us with reserve beers. Carrie was already in the hot tub so the three of us jumped in to join her.
We enjoyed more life stories and conversations. After about an hour or so we decided to get out. It was just about 11pm. We went in the kitchen for a nice bowl of vanilla ice cream with fresh blueberries, peaches and strawberries on top.
After about another half hour we decide we should get changed and start the half hour ride home.
I guess I wrote all this because it was fun to be together, just the two of us, and be with good friends. We both had a good time and enjoyed Carrie and Patrick's company.
It was nice to go over there thinking I was there to do a side job and end up having a nice evening.
Carrie, Patrick, and Broden....from last winter.
Take a Minute
A wonderful video link. It doesn't matter what your political views are...just watch the whole video and you'll understand......
http://s259.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid259.photobucket.com/albums/hh289/Impish_Dragon/Untitled.flv&fs=1&os=1&ap=1
http://s259.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid259.photobucket.com/albums/hh289/Impish_Dragon/Untitled.flv&fs=1&os=1&ap=1
Monday, June 16, 2008
Real Hollywood Stars/Heros
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE WW II MOVIE STARS
Hope you find this as informative and interesting as I did.
In contrast to the ideals, opinions and feelings of today's 'Hollywonk' the real actors of yester-year loved the United States.
They had both class and integrity. With the advent of World War II many of our actors went to fight rather than stand and rant against this country we all love.
They gave up their wealth, position and fame to become service men & women, many as 'enlisted men'.
This page lists but a few, but from this group of only 15 men came over 70 medals in honor of their valor, spanning from Bronze Stars, Silver Stars, Distinguish Service Cross', Purple Hearts and one Congressional Medal of Honor.
So remember; while the 'Entertainers of 2008 have been in all of the news media lately I would like to remind the people of what the entertainers of 1943 were doing, (65 years ago).Most of these brave men have since passed on.
'Real Hollywood Heroes'
Alec Guinness (Star Wars) operated a British Royal Navy landing craft on D-Day.
James Doohan ('Scotty' on Star Trek) landed in Normandy with the U. S. Army on D-Day.
Donald Pleasance (The Great Escape) really was an R. A. F. pilot who was shot down, held prisoner and tortured by the Germans.
David Niven was a Sandhurst graduate and Lt. Colonel of the British Commandos in Normandy.
James Stewart Entered the Army Air Force as a private and worked his way to the rank of Colonel. During World War II, Stewart served as a bomber pilot, his service record crediting him with leading more than 20 missions over Germany, and taking part in hundreds of air strikes during his tour of duty. Stewart earned the Air Medal, the Distinguished Flying Cross, France's Croix de Guerre, and 7 Battle Stars during World War II. In peace time, Stewart continued to be an active member of the Air Force as a reservist, reaching the rank of Brigadier General before retiring in the late 1950s.
Clark Gable (Mega-Movie Star when war broke out) Although he was beyond the draft age at the time the U.S. entered WW II, Clark Gable enlisted as a private in the AAF on Aug. 12, 1942 at Los Angeles. He attended the Officers' Candidate School at Miami Beach, Fla. and graduated as a second lieutenant on Oct. 28, 1942. He then attended aerial gunnery school and in Feb. 1943 he was assigned to the 351st Bomb Group at Polebrook where he flew operational missions over Europe in B-17s. Capt. Gable returned to the U.S. in Oct. 1943 and was relieved from active duty as a major on Jun. 12, 1944 at his own request, since he was over-age for combat.
Charlton Heston was an Army Air Corps Sergeant in Kodiak.
Ernest Borgnine was a U. S. Navy Gunners Mate 1935-1945.
Charles Durning was a U. S. Army Ranger at Normandy earning a Silver Star and awarded the Purple Heart.
Charles Bronson was a tail gunner in the Army Air Corps, more specifically on B-29's in the 20th Air Force out of Guam, Tinian, and Saipan
George C. Scott was a decorated U. S. Marine.
Eddie Albert (Green Acres TV) was awarded a Bronze Star for his heroic action as a U. S. Naval officer aiding Marines at the horrific battle on the island of Tarawa in the Pacific Nov. 1943.
Lee Marvin was a U.S. Marine on Saipan during the Marianas campaign when he was wounded earning the Purple Heart.
John Russell: In 1942, he enlisted in the Marine Corps where he received a battlefield commission and was wounded and highly decorated for valor at Guadalcanal.
Audie Murphy, little 5'5' tall 110 pound guy from Texas who played cowboy parts: Most Decorated serviceman of WWII and earned: Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Cross, 2 Silver Star Medals, Legion of Merit, 2 Bronze Star Medals with 'V', 2 Purple Hearts, U.S. Army Outstanding Civilian Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal, 2 Distinguished Unit Emblems, American Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with One Silver Star, Four Bronze Service Stars (representing nine campaigns) and one Bronze Arrowhead (representing assault landing at Sicily and Southern France) World War II Victory Medal Army of Occupation Medal with Germany Clasp, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, Marksman Badge with Rifle Bar, Expert Badge with Bayonet Bar, French Fourragere in Colors of the Croix de Guerre, French Legion of Honor, Grade of Chevalier, French Croix de Guerre With Silver Star, French Croix de Guerre with Palm, Medal of Liberated France, Belgian Croix de Guerre 1940 Palm.So how do you feel the real heroes of the silver screen acted when compared to the hollywonks today who spew out anti-American drivel as they bite the hand that feeds them? Can you imagine these stars of yester-year saying they hate our flag, making anti-war speeches, marching in anti-American parades and saying they hate our president? I thought not, neither did I!
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Saturday, June 14, 2008
A Cool Breeze
It is Saturday afternoon and I am sitting here at the kitchen table with the window open and a nice North breeze is coming through the window. It is amazing how relaxing a simple breeze can be. My Dad, Corky, taught me along time ago to enjoy the simple things.
I will never forget a life lesson he taught Kurt and I years ago in North Carolina. The three of us were driving up to Mount Mitchell, the highest elevation point east of the Mississippi, when Dad pulled the van off to the side of the road. There was a small dirt pull off that we parked in. The three of us got out and walked up to the guardrail. It was a beautiful day out. Carolina blue sky, a few passing clouds, warm sun on your face. We all stood there just looking out into this valley below us. All you could see was green, until you got to the bottom of the valley and there sat a wonderful blue lake reflecting the blue sky and green trees. Time seemed to slow as we just took in the wonderment of it all.
Dad bent down and picked up a medium size rock and tossed it up in the air and caught it. He did this a couple of times. I looked over at him and he just had this look of deep thought on his face. Dad took a deep breath and said this to us:
"Sons, this rock represents you. And all this, (pointing out to the valley, lake, trees, mountains etc.) represents the world."
He took that rock and threw it out into the valley. We heard the rock hit a tree and then a faint second hit and then nothing.
He then said,"You only have one chance in your life to make an impact that the whole world can hear. Make sure when you get that chance, that as many people as possible will hear it. Make it mean something, make it change themselves for the better."
I will never forget this life lesson. I know my opportunity to make some noise has not past. I look forward to it though. This really isn't what I had in mind to write when I started, but what I wrote was what I was suppose to write today.......
I will never forget a life lesson he taught Kurt and I years ago in North Carolina. The three of us were driving up to Mount Mitchell, the highest elevation point east of the Mississippi, when Dad pulled the van off to the side of the road. There was a small dirt pull off that we parked in. The three of us got out and walked up to the guardrail. It was a beautiful day out. Carolina blue sky, a few passing clouds, warm sun on your face. We all stood there just looking out into this valley below us. All you could see was green, until you got to the bottom of the valley and there sat a wonderful blue lake reflecting the blue sky and green trees. Time seemed to slow as we just took in the wonderment of it all.
Dad bent down and picked up a medium size rock and tossed it up in the air and caught it. He did this a couple of times. I looked over at him and he just had this look of deep thought on his face. Dad took a deep breath and said this to us:
"Sons, this rock represents you. And all this, (pointing out to the valley, lake, trees, mountains etc.) represents the world."
He took that rock and threw it out into the valley. We heard the rock hit a tree and then a faint second hit and then nothing.
He then said,"You only have one chance in your life to make an impact that the whole world can hear. Make sure when you get that chance, that as many people as possible will hear it. Make it mean something, make it change themselves for the better."
I will never forget this life lesson. I know my opportunity to make some noise has not past. I look forward to it though. This really isn't what I had in mind to write when I started, but what I wrote was what I was suppose to write today.......
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