TIME FLIES WHEN YER HAVING FUN - AND EVEN IF YER NOT

Hard to believe that I haven't been here since September 24th - a sure sign that the "black dog" of Mr. Depression has struck yet again. Not to worry, It's all a part of the condition known as BI-POLAR.

Several things have contributed. There's the lack of gainful employment - but hey! Welcome to the real world. Then there was last sunday's Viking/49er game. Add to that the fact that winter's a-comin' and the geese are flying south and the days are growing shorter and shorter and there's less and less sunlight - well, you get my drift.

Just this morning I got an e mail from my former New Yorker, now a Badger again, Mr. Blinky. It read as follows:

On Oct 1, 2009, at 7:50 AM, Tom Johnson wrote:

LBM: I see that Mark Tauscher had a tryout this week with Denver. It would annoy me if they signed him and it turns out that he can still play. I have anxieties tending toward trepidation regarding Monday night. I see they’re going to be burning Favre jersies in a bar in Eau Claire Monday night. But Mr. Heagle won’t be burning his, I’m guessing, as he is made of finer stuff.
Blinky.

Blinky:

I have long ago resigned myself to losing both games to Favre. Last sunday's "The Catch, Part Two" convinced me that the baby Jesus has pointed his pudgy little finger at the Humpty Dome and anointed the Queens to go all the way to the Super Bowl this season. I am fast losing interest in Ted Thompson's version of Green Bay Packer football as he continually lets people go. EX: Darren Sharper (who still had two good years) Ryan Longwell (who will be kicking in the Show this winter, and most recently Rouse. Wouldn't surprise me a bit if Tauscher signs and has a phenomenal year. That's the way it is going.

As for burning Favre paraphernalia, only a bar in Eau Claire could come up with such an asinine idea. Rest assured that the shrine to Mr. Favre remains intact.

LBM

Note: Tom's nickname, "Blinky" was given him on a field trip to Green Bay (the field being Lambeau) as he had recently undergone an eye procedure that caused him to blink. LBM stands for Little Bladder Man, which tom christened me with because of numerous potty breaks on the way to Green Bay.

It looks like November out there today. Time to take my dear sweet mother's advice and "get busy doing something if you are feeling down" - and the Lord knows that I need to get over to the office and tackle the coming invasion of field mice who think that the bungalow is their winter country club.

I need to extend a big thank you to Larry "Leaker" Standaert of Glenwood City for giving me the opportunity to work at his fine establishment this past September 19th. Unfortunately, there were two weddings in town the night I worked and obviously the entire population went to the receptions save about nine people.

But thank you, Larry, for giving me a night of gainful employment.

Recently I won a really nice, un-used 1970's red Riddell helmet from the good people at Helmet Hut in Warsaw, Indiana. I was looking for a red helmet to make into a Buffalo Bills' place kicker replica.


That place kicker is famous - or perhaps infamous. Any football aficionados out there who might know who this is? A BIG hint:

Wide Right or 47 wide right describes the Bill's kicker who missed a 47-yard field goal attempt during Super Bowl XXV on January 27, 1991. With eight seconds remaining in the game, the Buffalo Bills trailed the New York Giants by a single point. They chose to try a 47-yard field goal, which would win the game and the championship for the Bills. However, 47 yards was considered near the limit of the Bills kicker's kicking range, particularly on a grass field, according to comments during the original game broadcast. The kick sailed right of the uprights and the field goal attempt failed. The New York Giants took possession with four seconds left and ran out the clock for a 20–19 victory, making this Super Bowl the closest ever.


No good! Wide right!
—ABC play by play announcer Al Michaels
Here we go, the Super Bowl will ride on the right foot of the Bills place kicker. Waiting for the snap, Reich arms extended, puts it down on the way its long enough and it is no good. He missed it to the right with four seconds to play.
—Buffalo Bills play-by-play announcer Van Miller
Snap. Spot. In the air. It's got the distance! It is...no good!
—Giants play-by-play announcer Jim Gordon

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My mother and the nazis were right. Not that my mom was a nazi. I am just recalling a visit long long ago to the WWII prison camp, Buchenwald. Above the gate entrance, in German was this: "Work shall set you free."

I have just returned from the office/bungalow where, with the help of the generous and very thorough Ms. Kim, we spent several hours cleaning out and shutting down the refrigerator. I won't go too deeply into this, but there were jars and bottles of "things" that when uncapped would gag a maggot!

In an all out attempt to get the electric bill and the heating bill down over there, we turned the refrigerator and freezer entirely off! I will turn it back on when I know that there will be overnight guests.

I also did some scavenging in the woods and located some downed branches which I cut up with a hand saw and I got a dandy fire going in the wood stove.

So it works! Putting the hands to work keeps the brain from thinking too much about unpleasant things.

Later, gator!

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