CruizerBlog

Pictures Up

I got the aforementioned picture pages up.

You can view the Ice Storm pics here.

You can view the Truck Accident pics here.

Wrecked, Fondue, Ice

I wrote this already once today, but my computer locked up right as I hit the submit button. So if it doesn’t sound exciting this time, blame my work PC.

Well it happened again, on its two-year cycle of wrecked vehicles, my current truck has completed its task. Only this time I don't think it is totaled, and this time it is also my fault. On Saturday I was driving to the pet store to pick up some stuff for cleaning my fish tank, I went through and intersection, where the other street had the right-of-way, and I did not. A guy driving an S10 was in my blind spot, I never saw him until we collided. His truck broad sided mine, caving in my passenger doors, flattening my rocker panel, and putting a dent in the bed in front of the rear tire. My truck is drivable; I am still driving it, although you cannot use the passenger doors. He wasn't so lucky. No one was hurt. First accident I have caused in 13 years.

Saturday evening we had a Fondue party with some friends and family. It was a good time, having a bunch of people over, fire in the fireplace, and lots of food. Of course, it wasn't without consequence. See that day we were having a terrible ice storm (my accident occurred before this storm started). My sister 's truck and Brian and Sabrina's truck were parked next to each other outside. The ice broke off this HUGE tree branch, or perhaps a tree trunk, that was at least 8 inches round and 14 feet long. The branch landed on the side of my sisters truck, tearing off part of the luggage rack, her antenna, and side mirror, as well as placing a few big dents in it. It then apparently bounced off her truck, snapped on the ground, and the back piece bounced up and put a dent on the rear of Brian and Sabrina's truck.

Can we say bad things come in three's? My sister took hers in for an estimate, $2500. She doesn't think her truck is worth that much.

My truck hates me

So last friday I was on my way home from work, and I stopped at the ATM machine to get some cash for the weekend. Well, you know those concrete pillars they have next to them so people don't hit the machine? Yeah, I scraped up against it (it's a real sharp corner to get to the machine). So now I have blue and while scratches (the color of the concrete pole) about two inches wide comming up about 2 feet from the bottom of the truck. Oh man was I hot! So apparently to pay me back, my truck decided I didn't need my keys or remote start anymore, as somepoint in time on Saturday I lost them. And they have yet to be found. And it's cold to run out every morning just to start the truck so it'll warm up. Stupid keys.

So the next question is, what is worth spending money on? Statically speaking, this is the year the truck is bound to get totalled. I've been told that the remotes can be replaced. And of course I want the scratches touched up. But is it worth it if the truck is supposed to go bye-bye?

Perhaps this year it won't get wrecked....that would make me happy!

Not Exciting

I really don't have anything exciting to say! It sucks.

Went ice skating and sledding this weekend. While doing so I overstressed my shoulder, so it hurts more again. Hurray. Put a bid on a house a couple weeks ago, but it was declined. So now we are lookign elsewhere, and trying to figur eout how to afford what we want. Finances and debt suck. The tax guy has our stuff, hopefully he won't take too long, although he things we'll owe to the state but get refunded from the Federal. Hopefully.

AHHH!!!

I spent another two hours today snowblowing the driveway. And Brian came over again and plowed the front. And as soon as it was ALL done, IT FREAKING STARTED SNOWING AGAIN!!!

I GIVE UP!!!

Drifted

Yesterday I left work at noon and got home at 1:30. Snow everywhere, and it wasn't stopping. I spent an hour and a half snowblowing the 3 foot drift in the driveway. By the time I was done with the driveway the back (where I started) already had an inch of snow on it. My friend Brian was kind enought to come over and plow the front by the road. Less than three hours later, you could barely tell any of it was done. This morning, I drove through a 2 foot drift to get out of the driveway. If I didn't have a 4x4, I'd still be at home. Christina isn't going anywhere. More snowblowing when I get home this evening!!

But playing around in the truck in the snow is fun!!

Ode to the snow

Normally I love snow! I can't get enough of it. But after getting hurt snowboarding, I will be loathing it for the rest of the season. And what's worse, we are expecting 8-12 inches today! The National Weather Service has said to stay home unless you have to leave. And here I sit at work, my first day back after a week in Florida....but I am leaving soon, to insure I make it home.

Florida was quite nice. It was perfect weather, 70's in the day, 60's at night. Of course spent most of the time working, but then Christina flew in Friday night. Worked Sat morning and early afternoon and she came with. We walked the trade show, then buttoned up the booth for dissasembly. Afterwards we bummed around Orlando and found a bunch of fun things to do, mostly go-karts and arcades. Then sunday we used our one free pass leftover from the last time we went to Disney World. We visited The Magic Kingdom, MGM Studios, and Epcot. Basically walking around and hitting all the new stuff they added since we were last there. Lots of fun. We ate dinner at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, then went back to the Magic Kingdom for the "Wishes" fireworks show. And finished the night by visiting Downtown Disney and walked through the Marketplace, Westside, and Pleasure Island. We stopped at some stores, bought things, and just enjoyed the night.

One thing I was excited to go see, and was very disapointed in was the "new" Pirates of the Carribbean ride with Captain Jack Sparrow. I assumed that they would have redid the entire thing and geared it towards the movie plot. But they did not. All they did was change the vocals on some of the people, and added Jack to three different places. They had Barbossa on a ship, but it wasn't the Black Pearl. The Black Pearl wasn't even there. I am glad the line wasn't long to get in, I would have been extremely upset had I waited an hour to see that...

Quick Update

I spent a week in Dallas, hurray. I think that is all the time I would like to spend there. I like Chicago much better. But I came back and took froday off to go snowboarding...

I love snowboarding, unfortunately, it doesn't seem to like me.
I've one ridden twice, two years ago, and last friday.

Waited all season for a good snow to go out. Took last friday off work and headed up to michigan with Christina. She started out on her brand new snowboard, fell twice in a row and we think she bruised her tailbone. So she went and rented ski's for the rest of the day, while I snowboarded. We were out there for about 7 hours. I spent the first hour on the bunny hills, and then went to the bigger, but yet easier hills. At about 5:30 in the evening, we decided to call it quits. It was freezing and we were quite tired. So we take the slope that leads right to the lodge. It's a bit steeper than the ones I had been on all day. I took it once at lunch time, and fell three times, and decided I wasn't ready for it yet. Well I am heading down this hill, with Christina a bit behind me. I came around the last corner of the slope, and there was this jackass just sitting in the middle of the hill looking around, checking everyhting out. Well there was less than 100 feet between me and him, and I freaked. Now I ride goofey foot, so therefore it's easier for me to turn left with my back facing out. But the position I was in at the moment, my fastest mode of turning would have been right, facing forwards. Which has yet to really work well for me. Not to mention I was cruising pretty fast. So I tried to turn, the board cought the snow and I just flipped through the air and landed on my shoulder. It completely knocked the wind out of me. This guy saw the whole thing. And when I fell, he just got up and walked away. I couldn't even yell at him. It took me what seemed like forever to catch my breath. I manged to get up and get my things turned back to the ski rental. But I had limited use of my arm. OK, well I couldn't move the shoulder at all, it hurt too much. Just went home and put heat on it the rest of the night.

Saturday I went to the doctor. He thinks I just pulled some muscles, but had an xray to be sure. The initial findings are that it's OK, but waiting for the radialogist from the hospital to call back. Since sat I've been on Celebrex, and I've gone in every day to have an electrical therapy on my arm.

It's getting better. I can move my arm about halfway up now, but I still can't put any pressure or strain on it. So I am out for the rest of the season, therefore I want this negative temoerature to go away, and the warmth to come back (the last few days have not gottem much above zero in the daytime).

And what sucks is I am flying to Orlando tomorrow for the week for work... Ugh. That'll be no fun.