In a day filled with entirely too much rain and craziness, I managed to let the small things impress me. For example, my riding lawn mower hasn’t started in over a year and I was able to start it yesterday. Yeah, I know, its no big deal, but it was great. All I had to do was charge the battery and apply the choke a little. You see, normally something like this would turn in to a huge problem and money would have to be spent to fix my ailing lawn mower, but not yesterday. The whole thing didn’t end with the lawn mower though. I submit example two. Abbey (Golden Retriever) needs to visit the bathroom I call a yard several times a day. On a normal sunny day, this is no big deal, but yesterday it rained ALL day! For those of you that haven’t seen my yard, it has a lot of dirt in it and dirt, when it rains, turns to mud. Mud on the bottom of Abbey’s feet is not good. It creates a lot of problems when she comes in contact with the carpet. Our solution to this problem has been to wipe her feet off before she comes inside. I suppose that is easy enough, but last night when we got home, the last thing I wanted to deal with was Abbey’s paws. So, I let out the dog and she did her business and then ran around a bit. In my mind, I was thinking that her paws were going to be a big mess. Ugh! When Abbey decided she was done, she ran back to the door. Next, she sat down and waited for me to clean her paws. Well, what do you know, her paws weren’t really dirty. How could this be? She ran through the mud, but the paws weren’t dirty. Without giving it too much thought, I wiped off her feet and let her in to the house. Yup, it was the small things that mattered on this day.
Wednesday, July 28, 2004
Monday, July 26, 2004
What the...?
Wow, just when you think that you have heard it all, the sports world produces another head scratcher. Just in case you missed it, here is the link to the article: Sports Illustrated Soccer Story.
If you don’t want to read the article, I’ll give you the quick version. So, there is a soccer game in South Africa and a referee makes a call that one team doesn’t like. Happens all the time, right? Well, the coach for one of the teams argues the call with the referee and then the referee pulls out a gun and offs the coach. Stay with me here because this gets better. So, while the coach is dying on the field, somehow the referee manages to flee the stadium without being caught. On a positive note, the South African police think that the referee will be apprehended soon.
Ok, my thoughts on this soccer incident. If I was watching a movie where this happened, I would be sitting in my seat thinking, “no freaking way. That could never happen. There is too much security in the stadium for the referee to escape.” Well, color me impressed. One of two things must be true. This ref must have been David Copperfield, or the police force at the stadium must all be a bunch of Chief Wiggums. For those of you who don’t know who Chief Wiggum is, he is the incompetent police chief from the hit show The Simpsons.
As for the actual shooting, how does a referee pack heat without anybody knowing? These guys wear shorts and a jersey just like everyone else. As for him packing heat in the first place, my question is why? Did he need the intimidation factor? I can see it now:
Referee: That’s a yellow card!
Coach: What? Are you blind ref?
Referee (As he pulls his piece from his shorts): What do you have to say now punk?
Coach: Yeah, I was out of line, that was a great call.
The referee couldn’t just stop there, to take a saying from the old west, he had to fill the coach full of lead. Anyone else out there have any thoughts? Leave a comment.
Note to Soccer Fan: The next time you think about setting fire to your seats or rioting, just remember, there is a new sheriff in town. Speaking of burning things that you sit on…no, I better not take any shots at my friends in East Lansing.
If you don’t want to read the article, I’ll give you the quick version. So, there is a soccer game in South Africa and a referee makes a call that one team doesn’t like. Happens all the time, right? Well, the coach for one of the teams argues the call with the referee and then the referee pulls out a gun and offs the coach. Stay with me here because this gets better. So, while the coach is dying on the field, somehow the referee manages to flee the stadium without being caught. On a positive note, the South African police think that the referee will be apprehended soon.
Ok, my thoughts on this soccer incident. If I was watching a movie where this happened, I would be sitting in my seat thinking, “no freaking way. That could never happen. There is too much security in the stadium for the referee to escape.” Well, color me impressed. One of two things must be true. This ref must have been David Copperfield, or the police force at the stadium must all be a bunch of Chief Wiggums. For those of you who don’t know who Chief Wiggum is, he is the incompetent police chief from the hit show The Simpsons.
As for the actual shooting, how does a referee pack heat without anybody knowing? These guys wear shorts and a jersey just like everyone else. As for him packing heat in the first place, my question is why? Did he need the intimidation factor? I can see it now:
Referee: That’s a yellow card!
Coach: What? Are you blind ref?
Referee (As he pulls his piece from his shorts): What do you have to say now punk?
Coach: Yeah, I was out of line, that was a great call.
The referee couldn’t just stop there, to take a saying from the old west, he had to fill the coach full of lead. Anyone else out there have any thoughts? Leave a comment.
Note to Soccer Fan: The next time you think about setting fire to your seats or rioting, just remember, there is a new sheriff in town. Speaking of burning things that you sit on…no, I better not take any shots at my friends in East Lansing.
Saturday, July 24, 2004
The Off-Road Era Begins!!!
Well, here she is. My new toy...err...tool for working around the yard. I am still crying about my SeaDoo, but this should help ease the pain. At least it will help me plow the driveway in the winter. All the SeaDoo did was hibernate. Anyway, I will try to give my new 4Wheeler a good home. MacLachlan...Out!
Friday, July 23, 2004
R.I.P. - John's crazy SeaDoo years.
Today marks the end of an era for me. It is the last time I will ride my SeaDoo. Now some of you that don’t know me as well may be saying, “so what,” but just wait, it will become much more clear. To get the picture, we must go back in time. The year was 2001 and I was going through a tough divorce…
I am feeling pretty low right now. Hmmm…what could I do to feel a little better? “Buy a Waverunner,” Scott-hole says. Now, I have wanted a Waverunner for a long time and my wife, soon to be ex-wife has always said no way. I think to myself, “yeah, you’re right.” Scott-hole and I need to do this right now.” The next thing you know, Scott-hole, Shane and I are in the black Monte Carlo, driving over to Anderson Sales.
Ok, here’s the deal, I am thinking about spending about $5K, out the door, but when I get there, this beautiful, red behemoth of a Waverunner is calling my name. Actually, it is not a Waverunner, but a SeaDoo. This baby is going to cost a ton more than $5k. Anyway, after we get the basics out of the way with the salesman, I tell him, “I need this boat.” The salesman thinks he has me now, but now I use the John and Scott-hole patented haggle system. It isn’t working very well on this salesman, so we leave, but not without giving him my business card and telling him that I am going to K+W Cycle to make my purchase because he will not drop the purchase price from MSRP. What a sucker! I don’t even make it back to work before he calls and offers to sell me the boat for a more reasonable price and he’ll throw in a cover and 2 life vests. Wow, I am feeling better already! And I thought I was losing my scamming touch.
The next day, I show up and sign the paperwork and the wonderful people at Anderson Sales hook up a trailer with my new SeaDoo to the back of my truck. It looks like it will start raining at any moment, so Brian and I rush to Union Lake to take a ride. By the time we get there, it is raining, but we don’t care because I have a new SeaDoo…
Ok, back to the present. Just to give you a quick synopsis of the past 3 years, I rode my SeaDoo almost every weekend of 2001 and then Brian purchased a JetSki in 2002. Now, I had a riding partner. The year 2003 allowed less riding and as of right now I have only been to the lake twice! Melinda and the kids are begging for a 4-wheeler and have been for about 6 months. Yesterday, I finally decide to call Rich and see what he can give me on a trade for my SeaDoo. It works out that I will have to pay little out of pocket for a new 4-wheeler because my SeaDoo is worth so much. Geez, why does this have to work out so well? So, today I am going to go to the lake and take my SeaDoo off of Brian’s double trailer and put it back on my single trailer, but not without one last ride on the lake. Yes, it is a sad day for my SeaDoo riding career.
I am feeling pretty low right now. Hmmm…what could I do to feel a little better? “Buy a Waverunner,” Scott-hole says. Now, I have wanted a Waverunner for a long time and my wife, soon to be ex-wife has always said no way. I think to myself, “yeah, you’re right.” Scott-hole and I need to do this right now.” The next thing you know, Scott-hole, Shane and I are in the black Monte Carlo, driving over to Anderson Sales.
Ok, here’s the deal, I am thinking about spending about $5K, out the door, but when I get there, this beautiful, red behemoth of a Waverunner is calling my name. Actually, it is not a Waverunner, but a SeaDoo. This baby is going to cost a ton more than $5k. Anyway, after we get the basics out of the way with the salesman, I tell him, “I need this boat.” The salesman thinks he has me now, but now I use the John and Scott-hole patented haggle system. It isn’t working very well on this salesman, so we leave, but not without giving him my business card and telling him that I am going to K+W Cycle to make my purchase because he will not drop the purchase price from MSRP. What a sucker! I don’t even make it back to work before he calls and offers to sell me the boat for a more reasonable price and he’ll throw in a cover and 2 life vests. Wow, I am feeling better already! And I thought I was losing my scamming touch.
The next day, I show up and sign the paperwork and the wonderful people at Anderson Sales hook up a trailer with my new SeaDoo to the back of my truck. It looks like it will start raining at any moment, so Brian and I rush to Union Lake to take a ride. By the time we get there, it is raining, but we don’t care because I have a new SeaDoo…
Ok, back to the present. Just to give you a quick synopsis of the past 3 years, I rode my SeaDoo almost every weekend of 2001 and then Brian purchased a JetSki in 2002. Now, I had a riding partner. The year 2003 allowed less riding and as of right now I have only been to the lake twice! Melinda and the kids are begging for a 4-wheeler and have been for about 6 months. Yesterday, I finally decide to call Rich and see what he can give me on a trade for my SeaDoo. It works out that I will have to pay little out of pocket for a new 4-wheeler because my SeaDoo is worth so much. Geez, why does this have to work out so well? So, today I am going to go to the lake and take my SeaDoo off of Brian’s double trailer and put it back on my single trailer, but not without one last ride on the lake. Yes, it is a sad day for my SeaDoo riding career.
Tuesday, July 20, 2004
Lightning strikes Boston Blvd.
Ok...so how many pictures do you think I to snap to get this one? You would think I could get a little cooperation from Mother Nature!
Pools & Things
There's something strange about a pool. You know what I'm talking about. There is always a guy who loves to dunk everyone's head under the water. It doesn't matter what your age is, you are not safe with this maniac in the pool. He will flip you off you raft and use a noodle to spit water in your face. Yes, this guy will torment everyone until someone's mom gets concerned and says, "John," uhhhhhh...I mean...."hey crazy guy, be careful, the kids can't swim as well as you." As you probably already guessed, that guy is me.
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