Friday night bliss

1. ) Ever notice that certain things only happen on weekends or Friday night? This may be a bit blase' to you, the repeating of this premise, but I state it anyway. Examples you ask? When was the last time your dog got sick? The Weekend. When was the last time you received a letter from the IRS or (for me) Social Security Administration? The Weekend [ must wait till Monday to call ]. When was the last time your car quit while driving on the freeway in a strange town? When was the last time you needed a plumber or electrician or - well by now, you are getting my drift. In the comment section below, you can list your own examples.

2. ) My brother Jim - actual brother, not a religious title - dropped by Thursday night. I may have mention his parttime gig before - works for DUAT. This is a company that provides preflight info to pilots FOR FREE. I don't know if anyone can go to their website or not, never tried. DUAT has great weather stuffs. The Govt. pays Duat each time a pilot uses the system, & it is free to pilots. Anyhoo, the bro visits airports and explains the system to pilots and airport types plus he gives little workshops for pilot groups & fraternities helping them get extra ground school hours, etc.
The airport at Gilmer, north of Tyler, is having a fly-in and Airsho today and Jim has set up a booth explaining the DUAT thing. Airports enjoy mmiissppeelliinngg "Air show" for special events. Yesterday I rode with him to Gilmer to finalize the plans...nice outing...gives my wife some quiet time with me gone. Gilmer airport is interesting and has a small museum. I don't know if it is a must-see for you sophisticated types, but I found it interesting.

3. We ate lunch in Tyler at a fried fish type buffet - pretty good. Jim ate Lizards and Givers while I finished off some catfish. A bit pricey - but all in all okay. The crowd inside was not wearing tuxes. They had a sheet cake cut in little 1" x 2" shapes. Jim pointed out that someone had taken only a 1/2 piece of that cake...bet it was a sheeee and sheeee said, "I just wanted a little taste."
Unrelated thought: an email forward which got me in the most trouble was: "Why do women have itty bitty feet? So they can stand closer to the kitchen sink !"

4. Continuing. When we got home about 6 p.m., my wife said there was an alarm going off in the attic. Actually she called when I was almost home. That didn't make me tense at all. I have this little battery powered alarm in the drip pan under the hot water heater which beeps loudly if touched by any water.
Let's review.
It is Friday, after 6 p.m., I am on the road, the wife calls - and water is collecting in the drip pan under the water heater. What is your first thought?
Got home. Petted the dogs. Took a BRB. Took my dogs to the Dog Pit for their BRB. Searched our filing cabinet for water heater instructions. Climbed the attic stairs, dried the alarm - piercing beep man piercing - and looked. Water was collecting on top of the heater around the hot water outlet pipe ... a puddle if you wish. A trickle eased down the side of the heater into the drip pan setting off the alarm.
Now what would you do? Thass right. I did nothing. Turned off the light and came down out of the attic to think. I do my best thinking when I am NOT in the middle of an attic, flashlight in hand.
This morn, I rechecked & no water is apparent. Hmmm? Condensation? Devil doing his dirty work? Heater plotting to blow a gasket next weekend? Still thinking. Suggestions other than "run for your life" will be appreciated.
Little side bar here. When I lived in Pflugerville, we had the bottom come out of a water heater and flood the house. Where was I? I was on a bus with a hundred kids heading for Disney world on a 4+ day band trip. State Farm took care of us. House repainted, new carpet throughout, new water heater, so forth. That was fun for my temporarily single spouse.

5. Let's make this the last thing. I read in the paper this week that Playboy's next issue comes with a pair of 3D glasses and a 3D centerfold. I'm thinkin' this subject is best left without comment. I do suggest that a copy be bought and put away - still in its protective cover of course - as a milestone in publishing history. You can leave it to your great grand children as a financial legacy. Now, where did I put those glasses? Mtz