It has been a looooong time since I last posted anything here.  I really don't know what is wrong with me, I mean, I'm paying for this site and all that jazz.  So why don't I use it?  When I do a reality check, I discover that it is because I don't think that I have anything to say.  You see, I don't talk much in "real" life, mostly I listen.  Besides that, who in the world would want to visit this site unless they know me personally?  I am not selling anything, I don't purport to know much of anything, and last but not least, I don't want to express to many opinions because, well, you know what they say about opinions.

My reason for updating today....no reason.  I could tell you the mundane details of my week.  Well, here's something that is a little odd.  My lawn mower crapped out.  Just quit.  Was working fine and then just wouldn't work.  So my grass is way tall.  The tallest in the neighbor hood.  I began to think that some of my neighbors might say something, so yesterday, I took to whacking it down with my weed eater.  If you haven't done that before, you are in for a treat!  My arms are still sore, and I only did about 1/3 of my yard, or less.  Some might say "Cathy, go get a new lawn mower", or "Cathy, take the one you have to a repair shop", or "Cathy, if you would have taken better care of it to begin with, you wouldn't be in this position."  ALL true.  But at this point in time, I really don't have the money laying around to buy a new lawn mower, repair shops take too long, and it's too late to do anything about taking better care of the one I have.  So this evening, I will continue with the weed whacker, but before I start I am going to stop at the local Walgreens or Rite Aide and buy a bottle of ibuprofen.  Say if anyone out there has a lawn mower they would let me borrow, that would be great!

I haven't blogged about Bob in a long time.  There is a reason for that......uhmmmm.  See, since I have been given Box Office duties, it has limited, in fact, completely eliminated being able to wander the Strauss Theatre complex looking for things to fix.  So essentially Bob and I can't go around doing the things we used to do.  Even though fixing things is hard work, I always had fun doing it, mostly because Bob provided me with countless moments of entertainment!  Unfortunately for Bob, that entertainment usually involved him injuring himself in some way, shape or form.  Most injuries were minor, and it was NOT the actual injury that gave me pleasure, but the process.  Now that I think about it, I haven't been fired in a long time either.  See, everytime Bob injured himself and I laughed, he would point his finger at me and say "You're Fired!"  This is the only job I have had that:

1) I have been fired

2) I have been fired numerous times, and

3) I was lauging out loud when the firing occurred.   

I have to confess that the time Bob fell off the platform in the pit, I DID NOT laugh!  I knew that he hurt himself pretty bad.  In fact, I stood there and repeated "Oh my God" several times before I ran to get help.  That fall, in case you don't remember ended up with an ambulance ride to the hospital. 

Just so you know, Bob still continues to have difficulties, but they aren't as a result of physical injury.  Most problems now seem to revolve around some type of equipment malfunction.  These problems aren't near as fun and are usually quite irritating.  Copier problems, computer problems, etc.  As a matter of fact they really aren't worth mentioning.  Now if there was a copier problem which ended up with Bob getting his arm or hand caught in the innards, THAT would be funny.

So Bob, here's to the good times, the happy times, and the times when Strauss Theatre Center was in better shape physically and you and I were walking around with smiles on our faces even though we may have had band-aids and ice packs on various body parts. 

Just in case you were wondering.  When a Mazda gets in the ring with an open manhole-the manhole will win.  It is really not a fair fight at all.  Why am I saying this?  I don't own a Mazda, don't know that I will ever own a Mazda, and don't know that I want to own a Mazda.  Not that it is a bad car, quite the contrary, a very good automobile.  But I like trucks.  I know, I know, Mazda makes a truck, but somehow it just doesn't seem right.  I digress.  Last Sunday I get a call from Steve Munz.

Steve: I need you to come pick me up.

Me:  Okay, where are you?

Steve:  At the Monroe Police dept.

Me:  WHAT?  What happened.

Steve:  I ran over a man hole cover.

Me:  Are you okay?

Steve:  I'm okay, but my car is messed up.

Me:  I'll be there as quick as I can.

So I get in my Dodge Truck and head to the Monroe Police Department.  By the way, it is raining.  I get there and Steve is sitting in his car in the parking lot.  From where I pulled in, I didn't notice anything unusual, so I got out to look.  I can't completely describe the damage.  Fortunately for Steve, it was his rear passenger tire that got in the ring with the open manhole.  If it had been a front wheel, things could have been much worse.  Anyway, he had to get out in the pouring rain and put on the "doughnut", and he piled other pieces/parts in his trunk.  At least he wasn't hurt.  Just the Mazda.

If that wasn't bad enough, his insurance agency told him that the city of Monroe was not responsible.  That it was "an act of God!"  WHAT!  I know that God works in mysterious ways, but I did not expect that he came to earth to remove manhole covers!  (Aside:  If you don't have vehicle rental on your insurance policy, you might consider having it added).  So Steve is wheel-less, and is having to rely on friends to tote him around while is banged-up Mazda is waiting for surgery.   As for me, I have been more congnizant of man-holes, you should be too.

Most of you know that I live in a mobile home, aka: trailer, manufactured home, trans-axle townhouse.  So I have this set of stairs to the front door.  This set of stairs was built for me by my good friend Robert W.  Robert is a handyman, construction guru, drywall installer, ect.   The stairs are going on two years old.  About 6 months ago the bottom stair broke.  What actually happened is the bottom of the stringer broke. or cracked.  As a result, we have to be careful when navigating the bottom step.  I have asked several folks about building me a new set of stairs, but have had no luck finding anyone.  Robert is busy doing other jobs, so he can't do it anytime soon.  Steve Munz says he and I can probably do it, but we need several power tools that neither of us have at our disposal.  On to my story.....

One day last week I was sitting on the steps as I watched my grandchildren play.  I asked my granddaughter Alyssa if she knew any "carpenters".  Of course she asked what a carpenter was and I told her.  She asked me why I needed a carpenter and I replied I need one to fix the stairs because they were broken.  Alyssa walked up to the steps, inspected the damage, and said "Nana, you don't need a carpenter, you need duct tape".  I laughed till I cried.

VS

I might get some duct tape and try it until I can find someone who will fix my stairs!