1 Buzzer, 2 Milkshakes, and 118 Pennies ( or the $8.24 rallyburger)

See a penny pick it up all day long have good luck.
Or something like that.
How about a bunch of them?

One of my drivers and I had to go pick up a rental truck today. On the way I pulled into a Rallys for something to drink. I ended up ordering us each a shake and myself a one dollar Rally burger. So we pull up to the window and they take the plastic and give us a bag with the burger and 2 straws in it. Then they walk away. Henry says hey what about the shakes. The girl asked what kind did y'all have. He told her while I am looking at the receipt to make sure they charged us for the shakes (I can never hear through those speakers when they talk to you). They did charge us correctly and I said dude that would have been one expensive dollar hamburger. Meanwhile the girl asks Henry if I can back up a bit (rallies has 2 sides to their drive through). O don't think about it and back up a bit. She asks if we can back up more. So I do. Them some more. I'm like what? Them I realize this buzzer is going off. Not thinking I think ( is that a play on words?) I think maybe my tires are on something making the buzzer go off. Then I realize they are on a timer and they didn't get us our order in time because they didn't do the shakes. So she is asking for us to back up so they don't get in trouble. Any way. It was funny. We backed up and then were motioned to come up to grab our shakes.
Weird really.
Then we get to the truck place and I step out of Mr. Blue an I hit something. I look down and it is a bunch of pennies on the ground.
I had to pick them up. Only because I had to see how many there were. Unless I counted wrong. There was a buck 18 worth.
Thank God for hand sanitized in the car.
Oh the shake was pretty good too.

I Want to ask God about T-Rex (and other Saturday thoughts)

Saturday random thoughts

Ate at the Mozella IHOP for the first time today. Very good. I love the omelets and pancakes. Will go back in 6 months. 

One of my favorite things lately is toasted pop tarts. I like them because you get the right amount of crunch and softness.   

Another hot day. Oh well. 

Looking forward to tomorrow's message at church. It will be part 2. Brother Butch's topic is 10 reasons why Heaven      Last Sunday he asked us to think of things we would look forward to and questions. Ever since I was young. I really wanted to know the truth about dinosaurs. I believe they existed but when? Where? The thoughts about them are far too many to write about. I hear all kind of theories and have read lots of scientific thoughts. But to get the rock solid truth I guess I will have to wait. 
I also want to know and understand the solar system, galaxies, etc. Just trying to wrap my brain around that hurts. 

Ode to the AC

Ode to the AC

Compressor
You served this house for over 30 years. 
The last few summers you brought us a few tears. 
You always came bouncing back. 
The heat of summer you would attack.
But in life sadly there comes a time 
To say goodbye,to hear the final bell chime. 
You served us well old faithful friend. 
Your earthly life is over but it's  not the end. 
You have worked hard and sputtered and given 
Now you will be in AC heaven. 


Ps. Your friend, the inside unit, although not as old and tired will join you there. 
So adios as you go in the air. 

Fortune Cookie Logic

"Keep a green tree in your heart, and one day the singing bird will come."

My First All Ages (a.k.a. Teeny bopper) heavy metal show

Saturday August 6, 2011
Hey The Police are playing over the speakers. Cool. And some of these young kids are actually singing the songs. Man I feel old. There are like 3 old people here. Me, one of the band member's dad and the guy who owns/ runs the place.
Where am I? In Baton Rouge at a thrift store watching (about to watch)5 young metal bands play. Why am I here. Madeline is friends with Mason, the drummer of one of the bands and she has seen 2 of these other bands (I think one of these bands is actually a Christian band) play a few times at an all ages venue in Slidell. (Actually the band isn't a Christian band but they were still pretty good - more on them later in the post).
Not many young folks here yet either. So far nobody is looking at me funny. Like. whats that old dude doing here?
I am old. I thought it was after 8 pm and they should be starting. But it is 5 minutes till. Actually this is a cool place. Old lamps along the wall on a shelf. There is an upstairs area. I will end up sitting there because the room where the bands play ( downstairs) is small.
Not that it matters but just for fun. I asked
Madeline if I am cramping her style. She gave the right answer. "no dad I'm glad you could bring me and hang out. Thanks."
Hey 2 more "old" people walked in. Must be parents.
8:02 pm. The first band is cranking up.
First little band. Iridescence. Not bad. Music was really good. Didn't understand all of the lyrics but hey. First band is done.
Cool. The Ramones are playing (actually they are playing the Ramones over the speakers) while the bands are changing over. I wish it was the actually Ramones. Its hot in here but no smoke. All ages show. Hey I won't smell like the House of Blues after this show. I won't have to change my smoky clothes in the garage and have my car smell like it for 3 days.
The local dog just walked in. Seriously a dog. The dog can get in ( he/she pushes the door open) but can't get out. So he/she (I didn't look) waits by one of the doors until someone opens it. Funny.
A couple of old people out the door. Must have been parents from the first band. But OK a couple more in.
Lions Among Wolves. Second band. Again good music but the sound quality of the equipment. Hard to hear much less understand. But who am I to judge.
So far this place is impressive mainly because you have a bunch of older teenagers hanging out having a good time. They aren't out on the streets. But if it weren't for the parents, the only adult would be the guy running the place.
Aw right. Playing the group Cake now in between bands. Cool a couple of more "old" folks walked in.
The third group Walking Under Water is playing. OK music but the vocals are horrible. Can't understand a word.
Calibrate the Massacre (what a name - I have to look into that one) is about to play. This is the band Mason is in.
Calibrate is finished. Very impressive musically. The 2 guitar players are very clean and the bass and drums kept the flow going. I could tell the bass and the drums were uniform. Best band of the night so far. But the vocals - again, can't understand the lyrics too good and can't hear them either.
After their set, Mason grabs a guitar and he and one of the guitar players from Calibrate impress the crowd with a guitar trade off. Both guys can play the axe. They remind me of Zakk Wylde when he first hit the mainstream as Ozzy's guitarist. And a young George Lynch (Dokken). Clean, crisp guitar licks.
I like music - of all types. I like some better than others. So far the music from these young bands is impressive. I didn't say the vocals were impressive.
To Crown a King is next. This is one of the young bands out today that the young folks like very much. They actually have an EP out and their music is supposed to be really good. We'll see ...
OK almost midnight. The music is over. Time to head to Gonzales to sleep. This old dog is tired.
My final reflections on the night...
To Crown a King was supposed to be the best. And all in all they were - only because I could actually understand their vocals.
Musically - Calibrate was the best - hands down.
To Crown a King's drummer was supposed to be one of the best young drummers around. He was good, but Calibrates drummer - Mason - was far superior. Actually if I had to rank the drummers on the night TKAK's drummer would have been 4th best. But it wasn't about a competition, so all were good musically.
I think - at least 3 - of these bands could go pretty far if you had cleaner and better vocals. I know some younger kids wouldn't agree, but the people who have money to support (purchase records, etc) bands like these actually like to hear lyrics and vocals.
So, my first All Ages (aka teeny bopper) heavy metal show ended and I didn't even get into the mosh pit.
These young kids - although very energetic - don't respect the pit. Too many arms and fists moving around - out of control. It isn't about that. The mosh pit is about the feel. You gotta feel it and respect it.
One thing I did get a kick out of is that music really does live forever. When you have kids singing words to bands (the music played over the speakers in between sets)that were out before many of the kids were born, it is funny (in a good way) to me to watch. I got a kick out of it.

As I was Cleaning the Toilets ...

I love smelling .... the SMELL sense is definitely one of my favorites. I am truly grateful to the Good Lord for creating the nose.

I honestly could say that if I had to choose between sight and smell, it would be a difficult choice. Sight would probably win, but it wouldn't be easy. As long as my memory holds up, I would imagine I could remember what things smelled like. But I would surely miss sniffing.

So as I was cleaning bathrooms this morning and smelling the wonderful aroma of the bathroom cleaner, It made me think of some of my favorite smells.

So as I cleaned I thought of other wonderful scents ...

here are a few - (I had to expand from 5 - see below) ...

My original Top 5 were (in no particular order)

Bleach

Original Irish Spring Soap

fresh cut grass

tomatoes with fresh herbs and onions

gas - use your imagination

to add to those 5 I had to expand to a top 10... those 5 are still in the top 10

here are the other 5 (again in no particular order)

the tomato plant - when pruned by hand - the smell on your fingers

the nail place (acetone etc)

the perfect rose

the Jasmin flower

bathroom cleaner

I did a smells blog awhile back. To check it out look in the Archives of the blog from 2010 - October - "Wade's Top 5 Scents"