The Journey's Importance ...

A couple of days ago I was reading an article on line, and silly me I forgot to bookmark it, so that I could reference it here and give proper due. So I guess that I'll just have to try paraphrasing what I remember of it. It was the conclusions of a study conducted of young people in the 16-29 age group in larger cities. It seems that this age group is for the most part fore going their driver's licenses. In Lew of taxises, trams, subways and buses, basically the public transportation system. Recreational transportation for the most part for them is pedal powered. The study also went on to speculate that these people may fore go ownership of any internal combustion engined vehicle, for the rest of their lives. I see this conclusion as a good thing over all.

Personally having grown up on a dairy farm in up state New York. Then growing away from my roots, I have had many a car and truck in my life, even some motorcycles. I am not saying that any of them are bad in and of themselves. Just that I can no longer afford them. What with costs forever going up, and with my income being either stagnant or falling. It just makes more sense that I turn to a more economical form of transportation, and for myself that takes the form of pedal power. Now with a trailer behind the, in my case a recumbent trike, that will allow for as much storage as a small car or truck.

Now granted going places and doing errands may take a little longer. But as a whole that can transform into "the journey being as important as the destination", or however that saying goes. Remember that by pedaling my "phat arse" around town, I will slowly start to slim down and firm up. Which will in turn translate into better health in the long run. Being that I'm over the 50 year mark, OK closer to 60 ~ about 1 1/2 years to go on that one. Slowing down is not a bad thing really. Getting into a better shape than roundish in the middle, should help me to see more of my golden years as well.

Yes I poke fun at myself, after all laughter is the best medicine, or so I have been told. Also if I am picking on myself, then I'm leaving others alone. Wait a minute here, maybe I should charge for that service. No, I could not do that to my fellow man, as I don't want anyone to think that I might be attached to some governmental branch, any where.

So as I pedal my phat arse ever onward,

Ohhh, look at the pretty flowers ...

As The Wheel Turns ...

Recently I saw a trailer on You Tube, for a television series that is set for this fall to be hosted by NBC. The title of this series is "Revolution", and it is set in a post electrical era. Now the opening of the show is in a modern world. Then as some warnings are given by a few about something about to be turned off. However before anyone can get a handle on what is happening, a world wide blackout occurs. Then the announcer chimes in and tells of how major cities and governments collapsed. How warlords and fiefdoms sprang up. Various militia groups hold sway over expanses of land and peoples. As mankind rebuilds after 15 years a society fashioned from 200 years ago. The hook is that a decorative pendent is a device of some kind, that when it is activated reveals that some limited electricity still exists. Also that there is a covert group of some kind, who not only knows that electricity still exists ~ but seam to operate and manipulate outside and within the remaining population. In my view it looks to be a very interesting show.

Now the reason that I bring this up, is because in that event electric welding would be no more. Welding could still be done with gas, or maybe even blacksmithing possibly even rivet welding. Gas welding is not really that much more difficult to learn, any more than electric welding. However blacksmithing and rivet welding, on the other hand both are a whole other thing altogether and different from each other, but each would be do able. Also a human powered vehicle, be it a bike or trike or quadracycle, could rival the horse or other beasts of burden. We as a whole are not that far removed from the late 1800's, when industry was booming without the use of electricity. true there was some places that had electricity, but for the most part it was still a novelty, that frightened the masses. Remember that they did have power ~ steam power, coal power, natural gas power, people power, beasts of burden power, hydro power and wind power just to name a few. Did I mention people power? Yes a pedal powered machine could power a washing machine, a water pump sew clothes, plow a field or move products and goods from one place to another. We are not a helpless species by any means. If we had to, we could live with out electricity. Our pace would slow down and some things may take longer to build or to acquire but we could survive.

Books would again be read for their printed knowledge's of how things "old" once worked. We would look to books and our elderly for the collective knowledge to do everything "the old way" once again. Like tending the garden, or raising animals for food ~ remember milk comes from cows and goats and a few others. Cheese and butter comes from milk and so on. Cloth can be woven from some grasses or hair or fur. How many of us living today still really remember how to do any of these things? You see it is all of the little things that our grandparents and great grandparents did to make their lives a little more comfortable. If the lights went out tomorrow, it would be the first two generations that would have the most difficult time handling it. As we would be the ones who would remember what was lost. Also that there would be a lot of hard work relearning to again live with nature and within our means. However after a time of adjustment, things would start to settle into a pattern of practicality and necessity once again.

Now I don't mean to sound all doom and gloom here, but as a whole it has been nearly four years since the world economic collapse of 2008 began. Without showing any real sign of progress at much of a recovery just yet. Some countries around the world are in dire straits. While some economists here in the United States, are giving out predictions of yet another money disaster. That is yet to hit sometime in late summer or the fall of this year, They are calling it hyper inflation. Should this come to pass, things could be quite dire indeed.

Should the worst happen, myself and those around me will survive. I know how to garden and raise my own food. As well as how to preserve the harvest, along with the saving of seeds. We will barter with our neighbors, as we set up a defensive perimeter to patrol and maintain. I know how to make alcohol for drinking and to use as barter or fuel or a sterilization dip if needed. The knowledge of bio-diesel also is not lost to me. Surviving outside of what is normal is never easy at first, but it is all learn able and do able.

Something else that I find interesting, is that the Mayan calender is said to end on 12-20-2012. The deciphered hieroglyphs depict an "end of days as we know it" kind of scenario. Wait a minute here. First of all the Mayans never heard of leap year, so how could they be precise in their prediction? Second, it is my understanding that their calendar is several large circular stone rings that interact with each other endlessly. So how can anyone say that their calendar ever really ends? Let alone on a particular day like the winter solstice ~ which is in reality the beginning of the coming year, like any pagan or native of nature can tell you. At least in the northern hemisphere. Thirdly it has been rumored that when the Spanish missionaries first stumbled across the ruins of an ancient culture (like the Mayans), then if they saw serpentine hieroglyphs, then they would have assumed the worst from their religious view point. They therefore proceeded to destroy as much of it as they could. As I understand it, most of the codex's are lost for all time. So in deciphering a dead language, without a code to decipher it with, a prediction of a disaster yet to unfold of major proportions ... it all just sounds to convenient for me. Now I am not saying that nothing will happen, just that as a whole, it sounds like chance and possibility just maybe the victims of a hit and run with a massive cover up. So that the general population will have something to look at as the cause of their current problems, instead of the real culprits. Now don't quote me on all of this as I am just thinking a lot of what ifs here, along with historical facts that could create a possible explanation.

For as the wheel of the world turns,

A new day dawns ...

A Mother's Love ...

Without a Mother's Love, how many of us would have survived past puberty? Or would have had the mired of pets in our younger years, that we teased and enticed into following us home. So that we could say, "Mom, look at what followed me home. Can I keep it? Huh, can I? I'll feed it, clean up after it, love it and care for it, you will not have to do anything. Pleasssssse?" Even though mom knows that with in a month at best, that she will be tending and caring for another of our whims. Being a mom she will usually give in. Sometimes with a stern warning though, "That if we don't live up to our end of the bargain ~ Out the door it goes." However that usually does not happen, thanks in part to mom's soft heart.

Without a Mother's Love, where would any of us be? Where would we be living? How would we have found the will and courage, to fight for our selves and what is right? Or to strive to better our selves? Our mother's may have tried to teach us all, good nutritional habits even though the older that we get, cold pizza and warm beer sounds so good. For those of us who were lucky to have a dad as we grew up, mom was still the nurturing one. The one that we would turn to, to sooth our many hurts and pains. To help heal our boo boos. To be our guiding light in the darkest of closets, where the boogie man hides.

Without a Mother's Love, how would we have learned to shop for food or clothing or what ever? Where would we have found our selves, when we went looking for a mate? Who would have been there to criticize and critique our choices? With a line like, "Son or my darling Daughter, you know that I love you, will stand by you and back you up. But are you sure, I mean really positive that you want to spend the rest of your life with that, ... person?" Of course you could have gotten lucky with your first choice, in that your mother was so totally approving, that she interceded with dad on our behalf.

Yes a Mother's Love is unconditional and infinite, even as her patience can sometimes wear thin and be finite. How many remember a line that was blurted out when mother was loosing it? That went something like this, "I brought you into this world, and I can take you out of it!" or "I still remember how to replace you, so Don't Push Your Luck!".

But as we grow past our innuendos and insecurities to become what and who our mothers want us to be. We tend to blossom and bloom into the full adulthood of men and women. For then as we can look back only after surviving our youth, can we see what it was that our mothers saw in us in the first place.

So I say to all of you, my friends ... wish your mother

A Happy Mother's Day.

Also she may like the Mom Song at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXgoJOf5EsQ

Or maybe this version of the Mum Song at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NemObkErGVY

For all that you did and still do 

Thank You Mom.

P.S. It seems that neither of the links are working, but if you google "the mom song" you will find them both. Sorry about any inconvenience. 

Your friend

HPVTraveler

Gravitationally Challenged ...

The title of this post is another rather colorful way of asking someone if they are a little over weight, packing a few extra pounds, pleasantly plump, has a shelf to set the beer mug on ~ namely the beer bellie, laying on the winter's larder, a little heavy, slightly rounder, rotund, imitating a blimp, obese or simply that they have a rare disorder where food to them, is like an asteroid belt is to a planetoid ~ it's like a gravitational pull that food just can not resist them. So ... let ask everyone a couple of questions here, "How many think that they might be gravitationally challenged? Could anyone maybe feel a little better if they lost a few pounds?" I am asking because here in the U. S. of A. a major health issue is the extra poundage, that many of us carry around ~ myself included. Even though I work hard and play hard, I still like to eat rather well. My problem being that I either eat to much and/or am eating the wrong foods for a healthy diet. Also like many, my relaxing time is usually spent in front of some kind of electrical device while playing with buttons and staring at a screen that is far to close to my eyes. So if you are like me, let's all turn off that electrical device and start exercising more ~ first our minds as we build our exercising machines, then going for a ride while pedaling our big arses around. You may even meet the neighbors (scary as that maybe), or see things that were only a blur when you were sitting in or on your internal combustion contraptions. That tend to suck your hard earned coins away faster than electricity can move. Also by pedaling we will loose the excess poundage and firm up while slimming down, all by pedaling around our county.

OK let's look at bad habits and/or vices for a bit now. Personally I have not gone off the deep end with illicit drug abuse, I did experiment and I did inhale in my younger years. Speaking of inhaling, I do enjoy smoking (about 30 years now) I enjoy cigars and a good pipe tobacco. Now as for drinking, I also enjoy that. My favorite metaphor on this subject is "that I don't drink any more than fish swim." Seriously though, I do drink (about 48 years on this one), and yes I am an alcoholic. However over the last 20 years or so I have painfully learned to control the cravings, even though I do tend to slip up sometimes. Smoking and drinking are my only two vices that I have left. They may end up killing me, but here is the big secret ... we can't get out of this world alive anyhow.

So as long as we are here, let's all try to get into a better shape than most of us are currently in. Maybe we cold give the grim reaper a heart attack while he tries to catch us. One way is to start walking more and not just casually strolling along. Work it up to a sweat and maintain it, start slowly by dragging our collective big arses out of that recliner. Then head for the door, without the keys to those gas and diesel guzzlers, then around the block as a starting point.

Also we need to start eating right, and a more healthy and natural diet at that. No it is not a diet per say, but more on the side of eating smaller portions with more healthy choices. It may be painful at first, but like all of our bad choices ~ our bodies will adjust. The experts all agree that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. So why not trick our bodies into it, by making them think that a milk shake is the way to go. Well an ice cream shake is not, but a nutritional shake is. In the June 2012 issue of Bicycling magazine is an interesting article titled "Whip It Good" and on page 40 they have a list of 5 different smoothies (shakes) that are healthy and designed to revitalize a cyclist after a long work out. I think that they would also make for a healthy breakfast shake.

They are as follows:
Blueberry Almond ~ strengthens bones and fights free radicals
          1 & 1/2 cups of milk
          1/2 cup ricotta cheese
          1/2 cup frozen blueberries
          1 teaspoon almond butter (homemade ~ Google it)
          1 tablespoon wheat germ
          1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
     blend till smooth ~ 351 calories, 11 grams fat, 44 grams carbs., 4 grams fiber, 26 grams protein.
Banana Mocha ~ replenishes glycogen stores and increases endurance
          1 cup milk
          1/2 cup coffee, cooled (personally very strong)
          1/2 cup plain yogurt (Greek yogurt has twice the protein)
          1 tablespoon almond butter (has calcium, magnesium and phosphorus for strong bones)
          2 teaspoon cocoa powder
          1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
          1 frozen banana
     blend till smooth ~ 357 calories, 11 grams fat, 49 grams carbs., 5 grams fiber, 23 grams protein.
Green Tea Ginger ~ speeds up metabolism and protects the heart
          1 cup milk
          1/2 cup coconut water (homemade, google it)
          1/2 cup silken tofu
          1/2 cup frozen citrus concentrate (or fruit)
          2 tablespoon walnut pieces
          1/2 teaspoon matcha (google it)
          1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
     blend till smooth ~ 309 calories, 13 grams fat, 36 carbs., 4 grams fiber, 17 grams protein.
Tangy Raspberry ~ soothes and repairs sore muscles
          1 cup milk
          1/2 cup pomegranate juice
          1/2 cup ricotta cheese
          1/2 cup frozen raspberries
          1 tablespoon ground flax seed
          1 tablespoon wheat germ
          1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
     blend till smooth ~ 305 calories, 5 grams fat, 51 grams carbs., 7 grams fiber, 21 grams protein.
Pumpkin Spice ~ boosts immunity and replaces electrolytes
          1 cup milk
          1/2 cup coconut water (Google it)
          1/2 cup plain or vanilla yogurt (Greek)
          1/3 cup canned pumpkin puree
          2 tablespoon walnut pieces
          1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
     blend till smooth ~ 292 calories, 10 grams fat, 30 grams  carbs., 5 grams fiber, 22 grams protein.

*nutritional information based on 1 serving, using nonfat dairy.

Now for lunch, I would say to keep it light with fresh fruit some yogurt (plain or flavored) and 1 or 2 energy bars. If you feel a energy crash coming on in mid morning or afternoon, grab a couple of fig bars and 1 or 2 energy bars. Alright the day is done, so ... what is for dinner?

Mediterranean Pasta

          1 pound farfalle pasta (or bow ties)

          4 sun-dried tomatoes (in oil) julienned

          18 ounces artichoke hearts (in oil) quartered

          6 cups (1 bag) fresh leaf spinach

          5 pieces thick cut bacon

          1/2 cup bread crumbs

          1 tablespoon minced garlic

          1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

          3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

          2 tablespoon real butter

          kosher or sea salt (not iodized) and fresh ground pepper to taste

          feta cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and cook the pasta. Place the bacon on a double layer of paper towels side by side, then cover with a double layer of paper towels. Cook on high for 2 minutes in the microwave, then crumble when cool. Julienne the sun-dried tomatoes, and strain the artichokes (reserving the fluids) then quarter. In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, add the garlic, tomatoes, and red pepper stir together for about 5 minutes. Add artichoke hearts and cook for 3 - 5 more minutes. Add the spinach in intervals and saute down for about 3 minutes. Add in the bacon and cook for another minute while stirring it all together. Then transfer to a bowl. Now using the same skillet (do not clean) add 1/4 cup of reserved artichoke oil, reduce by 1/3rd, add breadcrumbs stir frequently until golden brown. 

Now take a large bowl or pot add the cooked pasta and 2 tablespoon of real butter, 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Then add in the cooked bread crumbs to the pasta and toss together, add the artichoke heart mixture and toss again.

Plate and top with 1/4 cup of feta cheese on each plate. A rose or red wine goes well with this dish. Enjoy.

There you go my friends,

A healthy day of food choices to celebrate the first day of the rest of our lives,

Let us all make the reaper work to catch us ...

Odds And Ends

Before I start this weeks post, let us all give thanks to the computer gods for spell check. Thank you. Now if I may ask another favor of everyone. A couple of moments of silence for all who either try to read my hand writing, or listen to each post before type them up and publish them. ... ... ... Thank you. OK let me explain why I asked this by explain a little bit farther. You see the restaurant that I wash dishes in has a cook who has taken an interest in my posts. He has collected each and every final draft, that I use when I'm typing the posts up on my laptop. That moment of silence was for all who try to read my script, and try to understand what I'm trying to say in each post. Some people in the past have told me that the scrawl that I call handwriting, should be that of a doctor. Oh well maybe I missed my calling, am wondering which fork in my life's path that that one was on that I missed it. At any rate this cook has a complete set of all of my final drafts, complete with my bad grammar and even worse spelling. Not to mention my notes in between the lines. He tells me that making out what I write is an adventure, but in the end when understanding comes he is entertained. He recently asked how I come up with the ideas for posts. I think that I may have scared him a little bit with my answer of "Most of my ideas are off of the top of my head. Some I just keep my eyes and ears open, for related subject matters of this blog. That I might be able to embellish a little bit on". There you go my friend, you are now infamous ~ or is that famous.

On to another topic of interest I hope. My humble aid to jump start the economy is now over, now that my tax return moneys are all spent. I have not gotten anymore of the bike building plans that I wanted to from www.atomiczombie.com  That leaves me with just 18 of them, which should keep me busy for some time come. I also picked up two of their books, before my moneys ran out. The books are "Bicycle Builders Bonanza" and "Bike, Scooter and Chopper Projects, For The Evil Genius", both are written by Brad Graham and Kathy McGowan. These two wonderful people are the talent behind www.atomiczombie.com A website that they not only maintain and just upgraded on their own. But also are active in their forum and put out a weekly news letter in a pdf format as well. Still more that Brad and Kat do, was last fall they bought a 120 acre homestead. Here I thought that I had a lot on my plate, after all land stewardship has not yet been the cards for me.

Well on to another subject. Am still researching dome construction. As I plan to start building one real soon. Also am starting to set aside money to buy electrical conduit tubing and other supplies. As I'm taking notes to aid in construction of said dome, besides sometimes reading my own hand writing can be interesting. After all why let everyone else have all of the fun at trying to understand my 'hen scratch' ... LOL. All joking aside household chores, work and side projects that help to pay for my 'room & board', tend to keep me rather busy. So this blog and related projects are on my time.

So just what is it to have free time any way?

That's all for now my friends ...

As Ideas Evolve, Plans Tend To Shift

For some time now I have been looking at the idea of having a mobile garage/work shed/workshop, as I've stated in previous posts. Also have been leaning in the direction of a dome, mainly for structural integrity. Whose structural frame work would be made up by bolting electrical conduit tubing together. Now playing on google's search engine, it seems that information's about domes and dome construction are rather bountiful. As there are many styles and sizes from which to choose, along with varying complexities there of. Remember domes have been used by mankind ever since the first wiki-ups of grass and twigs were built by the original hunter/gathers.

At first I was thinking small and mobile, but the more that I researched the subject. Well now am thinking sedimentary or semi-mobile and moderate in size. I'm currently looking at what is classified as a 4v structure and being about 32 feet across. Although a 4v could be any size, you see with this being my first ~ Am thinking of copying another person's build. Another reason for this size is so that I would have ample room for building and/or repairing many things on the ground level while being in the shade. In the top of the dome there should be about 12 feet or so of unused space, where I could create a 2nd floor for some storage and maybe a kind of bachelor's pad ~ like a place to act as an office and a place to sleep at, without having to rough it to much.

Now about roughing it. In my life time I have been forced to live on the street, four separate times,  mostly from the economic problems at those particular times. One of those occasions I was able to put together a make-shift tipi and I loved it. It was kind of like living inside of a chimney. It was very comfortable, with a fire right next to you. A comfortable bed roll to sleep on and insulate you from the ground, with a double layer of canvas tarps all around you and the fire. Also a partial canvas tarp strung between poles above you for rain or snow melt protection and heat retention (this is called an ozan). It could be below zero degrees outside with a storm raging and the winds howling, while still being very nice and warm inside.

I am certain that there are many differences between a tipi and a dome, but as of yet finding a problem with either I am not. For if the dome is insulated enough, kind of like the quilted Swiss ski dome cabins that are heated with a small stove (yes I found them on the Internet), well I really don't see that much of a problem. Also if I'm semi living above the shop, well tools and supplies should have difficulty growing legs and walking away.

OK, there are two websites that have been incredibly help full in making this decision and they are:
~ www.byexample.com as these people have built a 3v style dome for many Burning Man gatherings, and for general camping in the American desert southwest. From what they have posted on their website about living in Arizona. Their website has many other interesting projects and simple living ideas as well.
~ www.desertdomes.com also are associated with many Burning Man gatherings. This site has many tools to help you decide on a style and size of dome that you want. Also instructions that will help in constructing domes. Now in links to other sites is a link that leads to Earl's Recharge Dome, a 4v dome with a 32 foot radius (yes the one that I'm thinking of copying). Earl gives the complete breakdown of the number of struts, made of 3/4 inch electrical conduit tubing and the correct lengths of them all. Along with suggested construction techniques of the 6 different color coded and lettered struts. Also with a colored picture of the dome showing how to put the full size dome together. As well as instructions on how to go and build a model that should make putting the full size dome together a little easier.

Now as the title of this post suggests, I believe that it will now be closer to my 65th Barf-day, or about 7 years from now that I can say good-by to a personal internal combustion engine. At least that should give me a more relaxed time frame to make the shift to pedal powered transportation. Also available moneys might not be so tight while making the switch. An interesting side note is that in this self same time frame I will need to re-new my driver's license. So it seems like things are beginning to fall together in my favor after all at last.

Oh if anyone is interested in the material list, well that goes like this:
     Strut letter          color code          number needed          hole-to-hole length          total pipe cut length
            A                   yellow                        32                         4' 0" 11/16"                      4' 2" 3/16"
            B                     red                           32                         4' 8" 13/16"                      4' 10" 5/16"
            C                     blue                          62                         4' 8" 11/16"                      4' 10" 3/16"
            D                    green                         72                         5' 0" 3/16"                        5' 1" 11/16"
            E                    purple                        32                         5' 2" 8/16"                        5' 4" 0/16"
            F                    orange                       32                         4' 9" 7/16"                        4' 10" 15/16"
So yes I do have a plan to follow, one that someone else has already done. There by aiding me in building my first dome. Am thinking that more will follow after I make the first, time will tell.

So as the misty swirling fog of uncertainty lifts,

a path few have taken is revealed ...

Mind Blank & Muscles Sore

Hi everyone I feel that I owe all of you an apology, because I haven't had the time to work on today's post. Normally I spend 3-4 days working on an idea and putting each post together. However this past week, no idea presented its' self as a worthy post. Also my time and daily chores and projects, were keeping me busy to a point of being tired all week long. Just reading emails took longer, as I kept waking up from small naps. Guess I'm just feeling my age.

So I'll just quickly explain why I'm so tired. You see for the past 6 years or so, we have been burning household trash in pits in the back yard as about 90% of all household trash is burnable. What doesn't burn, gets buried. In that time we have had 4 pits now, each being about 20' square and 15'-20' deep. Well with last year being on the dry side and this past winter being really dry. Well we just filled the pit about 3/4 full and have been back filling the pit for the last 2 weeks now. I never burn unless it is raining, so as to not inadvertently start a wild fire. So now all that I need to do is to take a garden rack to rearrange the mound of dirt. In time it will settle in and be level with the rest of the yard. So this week is time to lay out the lines for the next pit and start digging. Yes all of the digging is done by hand, now you know why I'm so sore and tired.

I do have some more good news though. I picked up another 6 plans from www.atomiczombie.com . That makes 18 plans now, also have picked out another 6 plans for this week. Oh just so that everyone knows, this is a good deal since the PDF plans sell individually for $16.95 each. So that is a savings of about $72.00 for each set of 6, for a total savings of $288.00. Since I bought the 6 for $36.00 specials, instead of buying all 24 plans individually. At least that will be the savings after this weeks set of 6 plans. Oh if anyone is interested, last weeks set of 6 plans are:

1. The Tricruiser LWB(Long Wheel Base) Trike
2. The Wildkat Recumbent
3. The Tour Master LWB
4. The Meridian Touring LWB
5. The Streetfighter Quad(racycle)
6. The Kyoto Cruiser Trike (a side by side tandem)

Well that just about does it. So I guess I'll kill some time and space by imparting a couple of my favorite and cool summertime recipes both of which are no bake:

Pineapple Cream Pie

1 - 16oz can of crushed pineapple - drained (drink the juice)

1 large instant vanilla pudding package

1 - 16lb tub of sour cream (thick and creamy is best) save about 2 tablespoons for smoothing on top of the finished pie

1 package of dream whip (usually 2 packages in a box)

1 crumb pie crust (or crumble 1 package of graham crackers in a bowl, mix in 2 tablespoons of melted butter then press into bottom and sides of a 9" - 10" pie plate)

Except for the pie crust, place all of the above in a mixing bowl and fold together _ when thoroughly blended, fold into pie crust - there should be a mound in the center. Now take your saved 2 tablespoons of the sour cream and smooth it over the mound to about 2" from the crust. Lightly sprinkle some Cinnamon and Nutmeg over all, then cover the pie but make sure that nothing is touching the top of the pie and place in the fridge until set - about 2 hours. Enjoy!!!

Strawberry Souffle

24oz of sour cream

2 large packages of vanilla instant pudding

1 package of dream whip

1 package of unflavoured gelatin

1 can of strawberry pie filling

1/4 cup of milk

1 pint of fresh strawberries - cleaned and quartered

1 crumb pie crust

grated white bakers chocolate

Put the top 6 ingredients in a bowl and mix together with a spoon, when blended thoroughly and starting to set fill the pie crust - mounded in the center. Now take the quartered strawberries and place them in graduating circles inward from the crust. Now sprinkle the grated bakers white chocolate lightly over all. Now sprinkle with Cinnamon very lightly. Place in fridge until set - about 2 hrs. Enjoy!!!

Well until next time 

Eat, Drink, and be Merry my friends ...

Things Tend To Happen In Three's

Well, finally some good news to report. I was having a rather spotty Internet connection problem. You see my camp trailer is set up in my friends back yard. With a distance of about 100' away from the house, and his WiFi broadcaster is inside and on the opposite side of the house. So my laptop WiFi was having trouble staying connected to the Internet, because of the distance of about 150' and obstacles like the house between my laptop and his WiFi broadcaster unit. When it did make the connection, all that I could get was 1-2 bars at best. Also my laptop isn't the newest one around.

Now with this years tax returns, I was able to buy a stronger WiFi receiver antenna from the C. Crane catalog. It can pick up any signal in a one mile circle from it. That means that my laptop external antenna is now dead center of a two mile across circle of reception. So now off of my friends WiFi broadcaster, I have a solid Internet connection. Have also seen about five or six other possible connections, they however tend to fluctuate in and out of my signal range but most of them are locked anyhow. For anyone wanting to know what the name of that antenna is, its' the Super USB WiFi Antenna 3. Again that is in the C. Crane catalog or on the web at www.ccrane.com

Now sine my Internet connection problem has been fixed, on to good thing number two. I started ordering some of the plans from www.atomiczombie.com that they offer for bikes, trikes and quadracycles. currently there is a spring time special being offered, where you can buy 6 plans for $36.00 through May 1st, normally the plans are $16.95 apiece. So two weeks ago I bought a set of 6 plans and last week I bought another set of 6 plans and this week I'll buy another set of 6 plans. In all that is 18 plans, about half of what they currently have. The best part is that the plans are down loadable PDF files. When they get your payment a link is sent to your email box, then simply follow their instructions and down load the files. I have the files on my laptop and a copy on my zipdrive for safe keeping. OK, here are the PDF file plans that I currently have copies of:

1. The LodeRunner Trike
2. The LodeRunner Tandem Trike
3. The Vigilante Chopper
4. The Delta Runner Trike
5. The Dutchman Cargo Bike
6. The Gladiator Chopper
7. The Viking Tandem Trike
8. The Overkill Phat Chopper
9. The Warrior Tadpole Trike
10. The Delta Wolf Speed Trike
11. The Streetfox Trike
12. The Timber Wolf Delta Trike

Yes the finished units are as exotic as their names sound. Also www.atomiczombie.com has a gallery where builders have sent in pictures to show off their finished builds. Now here are PDF plans that I am ordering this week:

1. The Tricruiser LWB Trike
2. The WildKat Recumbent
3. The TourMaster LWB
4. The Meridian Touring LWB
5. The Streetfighter Quad
6. The Kyoto Cruiser Trike

www.atomiczombie.com also has a builders forum, where many have posted their build progress. Novice to master builders hang out here to ask questions and give advice. Everyone from around the world is welcome.

Now that I have started collecting other peoples plans, I need to start pushing myself harder to work up my own designs. As well as start building. But before I can build a rolling bike, trike or quad, I need to build a place to build. As I have stated in other posts, it will be a dome covered with tarps for weather protection and shade. Also will make it so that it can be put up or taken down in a couple of hours. That way I'll have a mobile garage/workshed/workshop. Am considering a generator as an off grid electrical source, or at least to have as a back up power source. Oh yes, bike building/repair tools are needed, more than I currently have ~ but I think that they can be acquired for the most part as I need them. Now I need to actively start collecting donor bikes for the needed parts. Will have to keep an eye peeled for yard sales and such now.

OK, here is the third good news of last week. I got a new pair of glasses so that I can see more clearly again. Yes most of my tax return has been spent now. It did pleasantly surprise me that with the eye exam, the new frames and the new lenses, totaled in at just under the $200.00 mark. The written word was getting quite blurry to read in the distance. Then again just writing or sitting at the keyboard was becoming a test of will.

Now seeing everything in sharp focus again, hopefully I'll soon be building my alternative transportation so that I can make my personal deadline. That of in less than two years from now (by my 60th Barf-day), being free of the gas pump nipples. For me the soaring costs of maintaining a gas or diesel guzzler has soured the milk. Not just the cost of the fuel, but also the insurance, license, tags and fees as well as general upkeep. Not to mention that vehicle price tags keep going up. While income is either static or dropping in this flat line economy.

A quick side note here, I like to drink a dark lager. Some young co-workers found this out and said that it was just beer. I tryed to explain that beer was an overall classification, but they weren't buying it. I said that you have beer, ales, stout and lagers. Again these young American boys claimed that it was all still just beer. I countered with this one ~ with that kind of thinking, then champagne was really just an expensive wine. They conceded. I don't think that I won in their eyes, but at least the subject changed. My point is simple really, when your back is on the wall ~ making your attackers stop and think, some breathing room you acquire.

So for some breathing room
As I raise my mug (glass) of dark lager (Michelob's Amber Bock)

A toast I offer to everyone's dream ...

SALUTE!!!