Monday, August 28, 2017

Letters to Jim #1

I see that I have not been here since Feb. Read 2 things below to see why.  I had a thought though.  
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For those who don't know, I lost my brother Jim 2 weeks ago to lung cancer.  I'm not looking for sympathy or anything like that.  
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Over the past couple of weeks I noticed a certain void, if you will.  Jim lived a good 2 1/2 hour drive from here.  It's not like I would see him every day.  But, I would email or phone or whatever on a regular basis.  If I received a SPAM of funny interest, I'd forward it to him, and he would respond or send me another back.   If I had a political comment, it would be sent & visa versa.  For a while we played online poker together for a lengthy time. He is much better at online poker than I; but we played and talked daily like that.
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Now, he is not here.  I can't send him notes or snide remarks.  He can't complain back in my direction and make fun of my stupid puns and comments.  I am missing that. Sure, in time, this too shall pass. I will move on - hopefully not too far.   I am 76, and that is getting up there.  I don't have far to move to.

So I thought I'd write a series of blog entries titled "Letters to Jim."  They would be short and to the point - nonsense or nay.  who knows?

When you see a Letters to Jim, you'll know it is stuff I might send to him.  There won't be any of that mushy stuff and crying and wailing...just general stuff.
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Therefore, right now, here is 
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LETTERS TO JIM, #1
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I have these 2 big red, 5 gal. gas cans that I use here at the house for lawn mowing, etc.  They are fine cans - red - heavy when full.  The trouble has to do with the spout. Both spouts are somewhat broken and leak when used.  If I put gas in the mower - well, I am putting gas on the concrete.  I try to limit the amount of spilled fuel - tough job.
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Heading to town today - I decided to stop at Walmarts and buy a new can.  Red, hopefully, 5 gals, with a working spout.  Walmarts  (yes, I know it is Wal*Mart) has no 5 gallon cans.  They have a slew of 1 gallon but no 5 Gs.  Wellsir, our Walmarts is remodeling right now - maybe they just haven't put them out.  
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I leave.  My next stop after a delicious meal at CiCi's is our Home Depot.
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I looked and looked.  There are no 5 gallon cans in H.D.   a MOST helpful attendant drifted by with the "can I help you find anything?"  I asked about the 5 gallon cans.  They had a slew of red one gallon cans.  He said, "We had a run on five gallon gasoline cans."
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I marveled  (but didn't mention my previous stop at Walmarts).
"Why," I asked, "why now; it's almost the end of the season."


"Down South," he projected.  "They are getting them to go South."


Yep, that makes sense.
Houston and area is being swamped by Hurricane Harvey.  The people heading home are taking an extra 5 gallons of gas home - just in case.
later,
m
a little P.S.   HEB does not have any of my preferred cheap sandwich bread.  None.  I figure it is in a truck heading for Houston.  I bought a hunk of garlic bread instead.  I am looking forward to warming it up in the oven.