Normally, I’d be rather excited by the fact that it’s Friday. OK, maybe “excited” is a little extreme. But at least pretty happy. Today, however, marks the last day of what I’ll refer to as my “vacation.” The thought of going back to work next week (that other kind of work where I sit at a computer all day and wish I could be – or at least see outside) depresses me no end. Oh well, whattya gonna do?

Meanwhile, I exist in two places at once, which is getting to be a pain in the ass. Progress, however, is slowly being made. I picked up my new pellet insert from the terminal yesterday and, with the help of my friends (who happen to be my sister and her hubby, who I’ll never be able to thank enough for everything they’ve done for us), we managed to drag it into the house and up on the fireplace hearth (it’s basically a 300 pound cube of metal, and it was a royal pain in the ass).

I cursed the fact that it didn’t come with a manual – until we found it in the ash pan, which happened to be not only the last place we looked (and we even took all the goddamn covers off), but also the place that made the most sense (in retrospect, at least). At that point, we decided to call it quits, and regroup again this morning. Anybody know where I can get a piece of 2″ flex duct? It appears to be harder to come by than you’d think.

Anyhow, I really hope to have a fire going in the goddamn thing by this afternoon (but everything seems to take about 100 times longer than I think it’s gonna, so who knows).

We’re pretty much down to the moving shit part, now, and, along those lines, we had a storage “pod” delivered yesterday. It’s 16x8x8, and I don’t know how that sounds to you, but when you look at it, goddamn it’s big. Should be able to cram an awful lot of shit in it. The plan is to pack it full of boxes and then have it delivered to the new place, where we can unload it. Then we’ll get the furniture moved. It still seems quite overwhelming to me.

Come Tuesday, the cable and Internet (supposedly; I have my doubts that they won’t screw things up) are set to be hooked up. Since I’m not exactly sure where I’ll be spending the weekend (plans are to spend it at the new house so the dogs can get used to being there 24/7 without having to be totally alone), that means I may not be able to post anything for a couple of days. So, if you don’t hear from me, don’t got thinkin’ I’ve been killed in a tractor rollover accident or anything (though I suppose I might be; it would be quite a coincidence). If anybody would like to jump out there and put something up, feel free.

Otherwise, I’ll see ya when I see ya.

I have to go in to work for half a day today. That sucks. Yesterday was a great day – warm and sunny – and I got some tractor time in as I started clearing a trail through my woods. Many hours of fun there – I hope winter decides not to kick in until late this year. Oh well, I guess I’ll get going. The sooner I get there, the sooner I can leave.

Apparently there’s a new straight to DVD documentary coming out about Carmelo Anthony called “Carmelo’s Way.” For those who don’t know, he’s all of 26 years old, and, while I certainly have a soft spot in my heart for him (again, for those who don’t know, in his one year playing here at Syracuse, he was part – arguably the most important part, but by no means the only one – of the team that brought an NCAA National Championship here in 2003, before I knew you all), and he’s got a somewhat interesting story (from being born in Red Hook to “Life on the Streets” in Baltimore to NBA multimillionaire), I’m not sure he rated a documentary. But it’s an important video because in it ‘Melo calls his time in Syracuse the best time of his life (so if you have a business, you should think about relocating it here to bring us jobs and give yourself the life that you so richly deserve), stating that “[w]e were The Beatles up there.”

I’m not only glad that Carmelo liked it here, but am also pretty impressed that a 26-yr old kid knows who The Beatles were, and understands their importance. And, along those lines, I’d also postulate that the 2003 National Championship team is (in Central New York, anyway), more popular than Jesus Christ. Hell, at 5-2 and coming off last week’s win at West Virginia, even football coach Doug Marrone is more popular than Jesus Christ around here (at least until SU loses to Cincy on Saturday). But then, what has JC done for us lately, anyway?

I was kinda bummed that the site was down yesterday, ‘cuz I wanted to mention that Dallas lost yet again, dropping to 1-5, and basically stinking up the NFC East. So, I’ll mention it today. Sorry Tony Romo got hurt (not really, actually, but, as a human being, I hate to see another human being suffer, and I suppose I can stretch the definition of a human being to include a Cowboy).

Oh well, time to head out and try and get some more work done on the new house. Cable and Internet ordered yesterday, new washer and dryer ordered this morning (all should be hooked up next Tuesday), pellet insert hopefully to be delivered by the end of this week, and hopefully at least a fair amount of shit to be moved by next week. Way too much to do, so I’m trying not to think about it.

Things are going a little more slowly than hoped for out at the new homestead. The dog containment fence is in place (with a greatly reduced area of coverage), but I’m slightly disappointed with it. We were unable to get a couple of the post hold deep enough, due to rocks and some of the hardest clay I’ve ever seen that hasn’t been fired in a kiln. The result is one slightly out-of-kilter post. A bit of a bummer, but, well, it works, so screw it. The bottom line is that the dogs can come and hang out, which is all that matters. Now we can work on extending the fenced-in area as time (and weather) allows. Oh well, time to get out there and seize the day.

Congratulations to you San Fran fans, as the Giants beat the Phillie, and will now face the Texas Rangers in the World Series. The Nancy Pelosi’s godless Liberals vs. the god-fearing Real American Christians. Well, I guess we all know who I’m rooting for. Go Giants!

Of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the fact that SU traveled to Morgantown, WV yesterday (one of the more difficult places to play, if you’ve ever seen ‘The Express’ – not that the SU-WV game depicted in that movie actually happened, but I went to grad school with a kid that played for SU, and he said the West Virgina townies were, well, let’s just say not shy about hurling the racial epithets. In fact, he told me after the game he asked the black kids on the WV team if it was safe to go to school there, and they said, “we don’t leave campus, man”), and beat the heavily favored Mountaineers 19-14. After getting stomped on by Pitt last week (at home), it was a truly amazing turnaround that puts SU at 5-2 on the season (most wins since 2004, with five more games left), and 2-1 in the Big East.

The win also returns the Ben Schwartzwalder Trophy to its rightful place for the first time since 2001 (the last time SU started out 5-2, coincidentally enough).

I attribute yesterday’s win to the fact that I was too busy to watch, and didn’t record it. I guess that makes me a hero. Humble, as always, but hero nonetheless.

More work to do again today (every day between now and, oh, I don’t know, 2025 or so), so I have neither the time nor inclination to see who today’s blathering idiots talking heads are. So I guess if you care, you’ll just have watch.

Now there’s a revoltin’ thought.

Yesterday was a pretty nasty day around these parts. Cold, rain, sleet, snow, and wind. Lots and lots of wind. Didn’t get a whole lot accomplished, but I at least managed to go to the Tractor Supply store and use my 15% off coupon for a back blade and carry-all for my 3-point hitch. More money gone. I feel like a cashophiliac – hemorrhaging cash at an alarming rate. Oh well. I’m actually looking forward to getting out there and plowing the driveway (though I better dig out my insulated coveralls and my Elmer Fudd hat).

Fortunately, today is supposed to be a bit nicer (and a little warmer), and we’ve scaled back our fence plans a bit, so that we can have an area for the dogs to run around and stay out of trouble while we work on fencing in the rest of the place.

Speaking of work, I guess I better get my Home Depot list together and get crackin’.

Well, finally, I own my “new” home (for as long as I continue to make payments to the bank, pay the taxes, and keep my homeowners insurance in force). Floyd the Kubota has left his temporary home at my sister’s place, and is now settled in where he’ll hopefully have many happy years of service (in fact, Floyd spent the night where none of our other vehicles have spent any time in the past year or so – in a garage). There is much work to do before we can even begin to think about moving in over there, but at least phase one is complete. Naturally, now that there’s work to do, it’s turned pretty damn cold (with a few snow fluffies in the air, even). Fortunately, things are supposed to warm up a bit over the weekend and next week. I’ve gotta get the fence put up so I can take the dogs out there with me. Oh well, time to get my shit together and head out.

In news from the “About F*cking Time” file, NPR has finally shitcanned Juan “Fux News House Negro” Williams for commiserating with Bill O’Reilly and telling him, “gee, Bill, I’m no racist, but when I see motherf*ckin’ Muslims on the motherf*ckin’ plane, it gives me the willies, too.”

“…when I get on the plane, I got to tell you, if I see people who are in Muslim garb and I think, you know, they are identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims, I get worried. I get nervous.”

Really? Then you’re a f*cking idiot, Juan, because when they send the Mooslam terrorists off to Jet Blue, do you really think they’re gonna send them out dressed like the freakin’ Taliban?

I wonder if black folks creep Juan out, too?

“Uh, I’m no racist, Bill, but when I go to a restaurant in Harlem, I expect to hear people hollar ‘hey, MF’er, how ’bout a refill on the MF’in’ iced tea?‘, too.”

I first realized Juan was a schmuck years ago, when he flipped out at a guest’s assertion that, yes, his (the guest’s) dogs were more important to him (the guest) than Juan’s children. Yes, Juan, it’s true. My dogs are more important to me than your kids are, too.

No offense to your kids – I’m sure they’re very nice little non-Muslim burdens on society, sucking up my tax dollars by going to public school (oh, wait, I’m sure your gig on Fux News allows you to pay for private school, where they won’t be exposed to dirty Muslims), but I don’t know them, and my dogs are not only my kids, but my friends, too (though one or both of them – the dogs, not your kids as far as I know – are really fartin’ up a storm at the moment, bad enough to make my eyes water).

Hell, I’ll even take my cats over your kids. But don’t worry, I understand if you feel differently.

In other news, first, there was Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (well, actually I guess first there was “get outta here, faggot!”), then there was Don’t, Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. And now, thanks to the Obama Administration and the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, we have, Don’t, Don’t, Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.

A federal appeals court on Wednesday temporarily granted the U.S. government’s request for a freeze on a judge’s order requiring the military to allow openly gay troops.

Really? Isn’t about time this bullshit stopped already? Not to be a tea partier or anything, but how much time and tax money are we wasting on preserving this clearly unconstitutional (and stupid) policy that everybody who isn’t a homophobic closeted gay hypocrite knows is BS and needs to done away with, already? I wonder what Carl Paladino’s stance on this is (whatever it is, I bet it’s a wide one).

Today is, supposedly, my closing day. I did a walkthrough of the place yesterday after work, but the lawyer was supposed to confirm the time with me last night (not to mention tell me who I need to make checks out to – or should that be ‘to whom I need to make the checks out’ – and for how much money), and, of course, I didn’t hear a word. WTF? Is it that difficult to keep me in the loop on this shit? I mean, I am the guest of honor, here, and if everybody wants their piece of the action, they really need to let me know what’s going on. I don’t expect them to kiss my ass, but, shit, just let me know what I gotta do.

I mean, I’m asking, so freakin’ tell already!

The fairly decent weather continues today, but is supposed to take a turn for the worse tomorrow evening. That can only mean one thing: we finally have a closing date, and it’s scheduled for late in the day Thursday. It’s like they consulted the weather forecast and said, “okay, we can let this asshole close now that the weather’s turning to shit.” Oh well, it’s better than continuing to sit in limbo, and I’m anxious to get this part over with and get this party started. I’m trying not to think about the actual moving part just yet, because it seems like an impossible feat.

I know people do it all the time, but I haven’t had to do this in an awfully long time. Longer than I can really remember, frankly – about 13 years ago, I think. That was pretty much piecemeal – a few things at a time – and, looking around, I seem to have accumulated an awful lot of shit (including about a ton and a half of wood pellets) over the past baker’s dozen years (my attic is still full of shit from my parents house, most of which, I’m afraid, will just have to go into the dumpster).

But what really sucks is that I didn’t get to miss my meeting today. I mean, how often do you get an excuse like having to close on a house? And I got screwed out of it.

Oh well, a day late, but I guess I’d better not be a dollar short, so it’s off to work today. Thursday, however, the countdown can begin. Just 14 years to go (15, if I don’t set up biweekly payments), and I can retire. Assuming I don’t go broke first.

With, what, two weeks ’til Election Day, the political ads are on in full force. I may very well need to replace the mute button on my remote control before this is all over. I can’t even stand to listen to the commercials for the people I’m actually planning to vote for, let alone these other a-holes. Last night, as Sue mentioned, was the one and only Gubernatorial debate here in NY. I didn’t watch any of it, but have seen a few clips this morning, and there were some pretty funny moments. The guy running on the “The Rent is Too Damn High” line – Vietnam Vet Jimmy McMillan – is just too damn funny (by the way, Bill Hammond of the NY Daily News really needs to pull the stick out of his ass). Nattily attired and interestingly coiffed (very nifty beard and mustache, this fella sports), he wore black leather gloves throughout (to protect against Agent Orange attacks, of course). The ex-madam who hooked Eliot Spitzer up with his high-priced hookers – Kristin Davis (yes, she’s running for Guv) – said that businesses are leaving NY State faster than Carl Paladino at a gay bar, some other nerdy guy whose name I don’t recall said he’s not a typical politician, ‘cuz he’s never been caught with a prostitute, his father wasn’t Governor, and he’s never been convicted of a crime (which wasn’t actually all that funny, but he was trying, so I give him an ‘A’ for effort).

Carl Paladino wasn’t especially funny either (Carl was on his best behavior and used his inside voice while saying “I’m not angry – I’m passionate”) – he was actually kind of pathetic looking. Short fat guys in suits just look silly when they’re sitting up on a stage, their little legs dangling down, not touching the floor, crossing and un-crossing. It’s very hard to look manly like that.

Of course, the one guy who stood out as the most intelligent candidate with some real, thought-out plans was Howie Hawkins, the Green Party candidate. He hasn’t got a prayer, but hopefully he’ll get enough votes to keep the Greens on the ballot (he needs 50,000 votes for them to be counted as an official political party in NY). You’ve probably not heard much about him, but, since he’s local to me (and this is his 18th run for one office or another), he’s pretty well known in these parts. He’ll be getting my vote, for whatever that’s worth. I know he’d rather have some money (he’s collected less than $25 grand, which is nothing), but my austerity budget doesn’t have room for political contributions at this point in time.

So, if you live in NY (and we know who you are!), consider voting for Howie. Cuomo will win easily anyway (hopefully he won’t then cut my pay and/or lay me off, since he says we dastardly Public Employees need to suffer), but then you can say (as I will), “don’t blame me, I voted for Howie.”

Oh, and shame, shame, shame on the Working Families Party for endorsing Cuomo.

In local news last night, somebody perpetrated an armed robbery on an apple orchard (or more precisely, at the apple store – and, no, not a place that sells overpriced and over-hyped electronics, but a place that actually sells apples, apple pies, apple bread, apple cider, apple juice, and, no doubt, apple plushies).

The perp (or un-sub, depending on which teevee cop show euphemism you prefer) apparently had a getaway car stashed out in the orchard, wore a mask (probably not so much as a disguise, but because it was pretty frickin’ cold last night), and is described as a white male (well, duh; aint a whole lot of black folks out in apple country – except maybe at harvest time, but then they’re mostly Mexicans – and I reckon those that are in the vicinity, are under pretty tight surveillance).

This is just plain lazy. I mean, an apple orchard? Seriously? Syracuse aint exactly NY City, but the apple orchards are out in the middle of nowhere – even by our standards. You had a friggin’ car, buddy – drive to a liquor store in Wampsville or something. Maybe he needed the apple money to buy gas to drive into a slight less rural area for the “big” score. The least he could have done was rob the place that sells apple vodka.

The weather gets colder and colder, yet there is still no closing date in sight for us. Apparently, a past mortgage wasn’t properly stamped or signed or registered or whatever it is that needs to be done, so the seller’s attorney needs to do whatever it that lawyers need to do to clear the title. Meanwhile, we wait and watch the leaves fall off the trees.

For you lawyer types out there (and we know who you are!), if this all falls through, do I have an option to get back the money I’ve already shelled out in good faith (home inspection, appraisal, etc.)? Or would I need to sue somebody and spend more money on an attorney that I’d actually get back? Yeah, that’s what I thought. Well, at the very least, we’ll have just about everything we own (but never use) in boxes.

Oh well, on the odd chance that we actually will close some day, I guess I better get to work.