Wrench Retirement

Well, she don't look like much, but this KMart 3/8" socket wrench has served me well for over 25 years. It finally seized up and will no longer switch to the loosening mode so it is time to retire it (although I guess I could keep it just for tightening...). This thing has seen a lot of cars, a lot of breakdowns along the highway, and a lot home projects. It was more than a wrench - sometimes it was a hammer and sometimes it was a jack handle and sometimes a lever and more than once an Olympic javelin. I think people see me now as the non-mechanical type and they are absolutely correct. But that didn't slow me down in my younger years from working on brakes and fuel and oil pumps, changing out alternators and exhaust systems, replacing carburetors and rear ends... I used to do it all. Not very well probably but I had my Chilton's book out and my older brother around to get me through. And of course trial and error. Maybe I will bronze it and put it up with the other family pictures...

Lucie and Ashleigh are doing well at camp and seem to be in good spirits. They come home tomorrow and had me get tickets to the 10:50 PM (yes PM!) showing of the new Batman movie. I expect they will sleep all afternoon to get ready for that. (Ashleigh has church youth group till 10:30 that is why they picked the later time.)

A friend of ours borrowed Lucie's car for a few days while he got his fixed. He did a super job of cleaning that out. Remnants of many on-the-way-to-school-breakfasts throughout. Next time I am loaning him my car...

Meanwhile, Elliott and I continue to struggle through the week... Last night we sat down to watch the critically acclaimed "Diary of the Living Dead." Hard to believe that even with a great title like that, it really wasn't very good...! Tonight is basketball night but we have another potentially stellar movie lined up.

Yesterday I taught Elliott how to trim and mow the yard. Our yard is pretty small and flat without a lot of navigation required to mow it. He did a good job and got the hang of it pretty quick. I had to tell him how when I was his age I was employed by the Town of New Castle to mow all of the town cemetaries. And it really was uphill both ways! And with all of those headstones... Now that is mowing job!

Here is one more picture of what life alone with Dad is like. This is the result of playing Halo online with friends literally all night...