Solstice weekend, Part The Second

And there's even pics to go with this part!

Sunday morning dawned bright and sunny, but that's just a guess, as I was still asleep. Not for long, granted, but I did stay in bed till almost 9:00. The sunburn wasn't going to let me sleep, anyway. Got myself together, gassed up the SUV, then went to pick Tom up. Kennard and Kristen were letting us borrow the utility trailer, so that was our next stop, after a pass through McDonald's drive-thru to snag some breakfast. Kennard wanted to make sure the trailer axles were properly greased, so did that while we waited. He popped one of the caps off while filling it, and eventually got it back on. We hitched up, and off to Eldorado we went. Tom was having fun with the GPS on his phone, but I had directions anyway, so there! Got to our destination, and there it was....a Yamaha XS400, and it's all ours. It needs a shit-tonne of work, but we knew that, and that's why it was so cheap. The bike was in the bed of a pickup, so it was easy to move it down onto the trailer. We tied it down, chatted for a while, then headed back. A stop at the grocery store to get drinks and adjust the tiedowns again after the bumpy gravel road, and off again.
Then, just outside Santa Fe on Hwy 14 (not taking a laden trailer on the freeway, thank you), I started smelling something. I pulled over, and well...you remember that grease cap that popped off that morning? We'd lost it again, and who knows when or where. Tom got on the phone, I got on my phone, and we got hold of an RV place to see if they had a cap. Get this – the place wasn't open, but the owner was on site and opened up just to help us out. How cool is that? So if you ever need RV repair in Santa Fe, go to Hal Burns' RV and talk to David Burns. He didn't have a cap that fit quite right (dang Harbor Freight Chinese metric trailer...), but we found one that was close and duct taped it on to make it home with. He didn't even want to charge us for it, but I gave him some money for his trouble. Back on the road at last, and I'm regretting the addition to my sunburn already. We were going to stop for a burger at Mine Shaft Tavern in Madrid, but it was packed, and I didn't feel like fighting the trailer into a space. Taking the back way down was really nice, though. We finally made it back to my house, offloaded the bike and took the trailer back. Kennard was cool about the hubcap, thank goodness. If Tom and I keep using the trailer, we may see about helping rebuild it with new wood.
Time for some dinner, and we hit the buffet at Furr's. Hey, it's the cheapest way to feed a very hungry Tom. It wasn't as good as I'd hoped, but I attribute that to it being crowded for Father's Day. Dropped Tom off at his place, and then home at last.
My sunburn was really nasty by then, even with trying to keep sunscreen on it, so I just took one of my pain pills leftover from my MRSA infection a couple of weeks ago and tried to get to sleep.
So...here's a link to pics of the bike as it is. Trust me, it will look much better in a few months!

WTF, Notre Dame??

I think this is the one thing that could make me glad *not* to be in South Bend these days. It's bad enough that the Irish are making noises that Mr. Oreck and Mr. Hoover would envy, but the thought of being around all those drunken, disappointed Alumni and wannabe-alumni fills me with dread. Seriously, there's nothing worse than a bunch of angry middle-aged men in bad plaid pants bemoaning their team's loss, except maybe the same bunch of guys gloating over a victory. I truly feel for anyone who's working at any of the bars or restaurants in the area.
Some improvement in my life today. Got a bit of money, so now there's gas in the truck and food in the pantry and fridge. Yay. My cats are much happier now that they have gooshyfood and a clean catbox!
I went up to the mall to check the postbox today, and it was also the big scooter giveaway day. No, I didn't win the scooter, but that's okay. I don't know where I'd park it, and it's...pink. Ew. I'd have had to repaint it! I did win one of the smaller door prizes, though, and it'll be a nice Yule gift for someone.
While I was hanging out at the mall, I got to talking with the radio station people. Once a DJ, always a DJ, y'know? Well, the first fellow I talked to looks at me, and asked my name. I told him, and he said, I thought so! I went to school with your brother Frank! Holy Crap!!! I didn't really recognize him, since he was about a foot and a half shorter back then...but once I got his name, I did remember him. Talk about a small planet! Of course, I had to call Frank and Mom and tell them I'd run into Todd. Pretty cool. Out of a town of maybe 2000 people, I run into one clear out here in Santa Fe.
After the mall, I went grocery shopping. Stocked up on staples, mainly, and of course cat necessities. A few cleaning supplies, too, that I've been lacking. Tried to stick to sale and discounted items, but it still adds up too fast. I should be okay for another month now, though, with the exception of getting fresh perishable items. I tried to stay away from processed and convenience food, too.
I'm debating whether or not to treat myself to a dinner out or take-out. I would like to get out and about, but am still hesitant to spend the money. I'm not really hungry yet, so I'll think about it. Luckily, it's Saturday, so things will be open late enough if I do decide to get pizza or sushi or the like.
I finished the book "A Pagan's Nightmare". It was interesting, and the end did leave room for a sequel. A nice light read for a rainy afternoon or a day at the beach/park. Finished all my books, really, so Monday will be a library day. Now that I can drive again, I'll combine that trip with a couple of job application stops. No sense wasting gas!
It felt a bit odd to drive again, after not doing so for so long. I will probably continue to walk when I can. I am certainly going to get my bike tire fixed. There's a local bike shop that'll do it for a very reasonable rate, and with it being the rear wheel, I'd rather have someone with the proper tools take care of it this time. The whole bike needs some adjustment, too, so if I take it in, it can all get done at the same time.
Guess that's all for now!