TGIF

Well here it is Friday Dec 31st New Years Eve Day. My Son Andy and his girlfriend Samantha and the Kid's Chris and Nicole and our Grand dog Sadie all made it safely home from Oklahoma,  So this morning we had a houseful, Donna didn't have to work at the Truck company today so after we had our morning coffee she made breakfast for us and the kid's. Rigg's is in seventh heaven to have his little sister Sadie home with him, the two of them ran around the house all morning until they were tired out and ready for a nap.

It is almost 64 degrees but raining and we are under a tornado watch until late this afternoon, that is what happens when hot and cold fronts collide.

Donna has to work the restaurant, so Adam I & will celebrate the New Year if we manage to stay awake.

I asked Donna earlier in the month if she wanted to take off and go to the VFW for the night, but she said she would rather work and make money, and that they have a little party at midnight at the restaurant.

Tomorrow starts the beginning of another year, 2011, I hope will be prosperous and safe for all of us.

No resolutions here, just the hopes that someway Donna will be able to retire hopefully by August and we can make some plans for travel. The big obstacle is health Insurance, but Donna is eligible for her Social Security in August so we will see what we can do from there.

Not much going on so I will wish all of you a Happy New year from the Weeb Ranch. Be safe out there. Sam & Donna..

Thursday Happenings.

Up at the usual 04:30am and the coffee was ready, it was 50 degrees what a change a couple days makes, it might hit 60 so that will be great supposed to  be the same tomorrow although rain is predicted for both days.
Before I forget we have a new follower,KYOTESUE, I sure hope you enjoy life with the Dardenne Prairie gang here. Rigg's & Sadie keep us all hopping..
Got a call from Adam, he wanted to come and spend a few days at our place.Of course Grandpa said sure and to start packing a bag as I was leaving the house when I hung up. I drove out to Warrenton MO. and picked him up and his Mom said he could stay until Sat morning but she had plans for Saturday so I said that's fine he can spend New years Eve with Grandpa cause Grandma has to work.
He says his stomach is feeling better now that he is taking his medicine and he looks better with more color this week.
Andy and Sadie should be home either tonight or in the morning depending how late they arrive back at Samantha's house.
Now the big decision for the night , what is Grandpa going to fix for Adam &  I for supper, maybe I will let him come up with some idea's, Since tomorrow is Friday it won't be pizza ,I will save that for tomorrow.
Not much going on so I will say be safe out there. From Sam & Donna....

Wednesday Musings.

Today it was warmer, in the 30's when we got up, coffee was good and Rigg's was raring to go again. I hope we do see 60 degree's on Friday like they are saying as I have a couple of projects in the garage and out side I would like to take care of.

I sent some of my blogger friend's a request to join Skype with us. I know some who are a little bit hesitate to give up any of their privacy, and I respect that, I will assure all that I will only call someone if I can make a previous appointment by private e-mail, so that a call is expected. I really like being able to use Skype with my calls to family and think it would be a nice extension to friend's, even the ones I haven't met in person yet. Our Skype name is SamandDonnaWeibel, Dardenne Prairie MO. The contact search engine in Skype leaves a lot to be desired, so if it doesn't pop up, and you have my e-mail address try that. I think it would also come in handy if I find ourselves in the same area and want to contact someone to meet it would certainly add another form of communication, Maybe I am just amazed at the technology, but it reminds me so much of Dick Tracy's, wrist radio, remember that.. If you want to be added and I didn't have a way to include you in my search just use the Skype name above.

A long while back I posted pictures of some of the cars we have had over the years, but I couldn't locate one of my favorites, Donna's 1971 Mustang Mach 1. This car was a real road burner, I remember talking one of the cops I worked with into timing me with the radar on a straight stretch of interstate highway, If I remember right he locked it in at 116 mph. We took a picture of the readout. Wish I had the picture and the car today.

             Donna & the Mach 1 in about 1979.

This is the only car I ever drove that I never did know how fast it would go, the speedometer went to 150mph so one day I decided to see what it would do on a long straight stretch. At about 140 it started to feel light on the wheels and do that little dance that aircraft do right before they get airborne. You could feel it in your seat. I knew that was as fast I wanted go and let off. Was it foolish, sure, but your only young and immortal once in life.

Don't know how fast Donna ever got it up to. But I'm pretty sure I have her beat. All my cop buddies got a chance to drive it at least once.

Don't know if I ever told her about those speeds so I will probably catch hell when she reads this. I know I did when my buddy John let it slip at a pizza party how we did 100 mph on our Harleys, she almost put mine up for sale.

Speaking of Donna she has the Restaurant duty tonight and then tomorrow Andy & Sadie will be home so it will be controlled chaos again around the Weeb Ranch.

Look's like my friend Rick, RICK & PAULETTES RV TRAVELS, got started this morning for their trip south to Palm Springs. I'm pretty sure he will keep his speed down in the sensible sixties. Hope they have dry roads and following seas & winds.

That's about it for today. Be safe out there. Sam & Donna..

Tuesday Thoughts.

Another fine cold morning, after our coffee break, where I had to share my time with Rigg's throwing his ball at 04:30AM, He is just an attention hound without Sadie to keep him busy. Try sitting and drinking coffee and holding a conversation with your bride and having a combination of drool and ball dropped on your lap every few minutes.

Anyway it was off to work she goes' at 05:30AM. and waited around and blogged until 08:00am then I had several errands, Rigg's over the last couple of years has really done a job on the two mini blinds on our back door. So I went to Lowe's. It makes no sense to buy an expensive blind if the dog will paw it occasionally so I asked the girl in the window treatment department what she thought. As luck would have it when I told her about Rigg's, she said I have a female lab and I know what you mean. She steered me to their cheapest plastic mini blind and for the tall one for doors it was only $3.99 a piece, I was expecting $15 or more, I told her now if he tears one up it is disposable.

From there it was off to the auto parts store where I was looking for some of those rubber tire chain tensioners. They did have them so I thought, well if Farmer Charlie's Farm supply doesn't have them they don't make them, I was right, they don't make them any more. There is hardly any market for tire chains anymore, the pair I use is on the tractor when I plow. But the guy suggested some small rubber tarp straps with extra S clips that will do the same thing. So I was a happy camper when I left there. The next stop was Petsmart where I had to by three more links for Rigg's training collar, seems as though even though we bought the large for him in August he has added a few more pounds around his neck and it was getting tight, even when tension wasn't being put on it to train him. So he's a happy camper too. Then the last stop was Shop & Save where I decided to get some nice cube steaks for our supper tonight. We like them and I bought a fresh bag of potatoes so we can make whatever kind of spuds we want to go with them, even though you must think we eat a lot of Italian cuisine, We are basically a meat and potatoes country bunch here, Donna especially loves hash browns. One of my favorites is Donna's homemade potato soup.

I had to go into the vault and blow the cobwebs off a picture for today, it was taken right before Donna and I were married at my Mom & Dad's in PA. when we visited so they could meet their future Daughter in Law. I can't believe I was allowed to grow my hair that long for a short period on PD.

                               Sam & Donna 1977

Well that's it for today, Hope everyone is enjoying themselves. Be safe out there. Sam & Donna..

Monday Meanderings.

Up at 04:30am and the coffee was ready, Donna was ready to leave at 05:30am but since Andy has his race car in one stall and my truck in the other, she had to start her Escape and let it run for a few minutes as it was 12 degree's out this mornings, They are predicting a high of almost 60 on Friday so maybe the subzero temps will leave for awhile. I know you have seen the pictures of Minnesota, and Wisconsin on other blog's but I will post a picture my son Sam sent me from his Condo on Manhattan this morning. They got 23 inches of snow in a blizzard like storm last night. The city is virtually shut down.

My son Sam's Condo New York, NY
He said there is no air service as all the airports are closed, no cars or taxi's moving today, and the subway's and commuter trains are barely running, Amtrak cancelled all service between Washington, New York & Boston. Sam says he will be working out the the house for a few days.
We on the other hand were lucky and got only a few inches on Christmas eve jut enough to make it a pretty Christmas. Even Scranton Pa., dodged the bullet and only got 6 inches from the fringe of the big east coast storm.
I can only hope that all our friends that went south in search of a warm winter don't suffer like last year and they get the warm weather they should be having.
Rigg's stuck close to Dad today it was just the two of us, I had about 4 loads of wash to do and he jumped up on the bed while I was folding each basket and was doing all he could to help.
Then I put a train movie on and he took about an hour nap next to me on the bed. I think he enjoyed it as much as I did.
Waiting for Donna to get home from the truck company. Tonight we will have Tovar's, probably some of the Lasagna from Christmas night. I even have some Cannelloni left over so I can mix them if I want. I sometimes get hungry just thinking about what to make for supper. Is that normal.
Oh I have to tell you The day after we exchanged the defective Mr. Coffee at K-Mart for another one, that one quit, it would make coffee but the clock quit so you could not set it to brew right before you got up. It was a sale item and they had a ton of them. so I took the second one back and when I went to the service counter, This was on Christmas Eve day morning, the store Manager happened to be standing there and heard my tale of woe. he said, come on back and let's see what I can do I can't blame you if you don't want to try a third one after two in a row failed. Well the sale price of the Mr. Coffee was $19.99. they had a Hamilton Beach model for $24.99 so I said what about that one he said sure, but then we couldn't find one in a box, so he pointed at another Hamilton Beach that was really fancy for $29.99 and said how about I mark this down to $24.99. So I ended up with a nicer machine for $5 more. So far it has made coffee the last three mornings so I must have got a good one.
Not much else going on. I hope you all are enjoying the Holiday break. Be safe out there.. Sam & Donna...

Sunday Notes.

What a great Christmas Day, but now it is history and Donna & I had a great night home alone ,Donna got a call at 01:30am that the kid's arrived safely at Samantha's Dad's house in Stillwell OK, yesterday I said Clearwater OK. but I stand corrected. They will be back on Thursday night, so we will have several days of "home alone". Before I go any farther I want to wish Donna's brother Pat Sr. a very Happy Birthday, today is his Birthday and we are all praying for some good news in his wife's progress with the cancer that was discovered in her vocal chords. Please add her to your prayer list . Maybe we will have better luck with the New Year coming.

This morning Donna took a shift at the restaurant from 10AM-3PM when she got back she said it was really dead. She did say that all week up until Christmas she was very busy and did well for a change.

This morning I decided to clean the fireplace flue, it had an obstruction that I found a couple days before I left for PA. so the fireplace could not be used, instead of going up on a snowy roof I had enough hose from several shop vac's and a brand new shop vac that I sent it  up the flue and cleaned it all up, Then I built a test fire, and it drafted like a champ, no smoke backup at all. Now we can start saving on our electric bill with a wood fire, that will keep the house toasty warm.

Not much doing, I think Rigg's is missing Sadie as she went for the trip to OK and he is alone to now, he makes up for it by bugging to play with us more.

Be safe out there. Sam & Donna..

Saturday Mumblings, On Christmas Morning.

 

My bride and I were up early and had a nice cup of coffee, it was like an old fashioned Christmas Morning like when the kid's were young and just about every year you had snow on the ground, from the kitchen table you could look out back with the yard lights on and see everything covered in a clean white snow cover.

My son Andy and his girlfriend Samantha got up and we enjoyed the morning and about 09:30AM Adam arrived and since he was the star of the show he started to open present's, his big gift was an xbox360, we have one here that he plays with his Dad, but he asked Santa to bring another so he could play at his house too. He was thrilled that his request was honored.

The Xbox, a Call to Duty, Black Ops game, and an external hard drive for the Xbox, what a haul.

When the presents were opened he wanted Grandpa to show him the pictures I took in PA of the Santa Parade and the CP  Rail Holiday Train.

Adam & Grandpa, some serious computer stuff here.

Then it was Rigg's and Sadie's turn for some fun, they put their Christmas outfit's on, and Mom had them do there tricks for us.

Two butts on the floor you must sit and wait for the treat.

Then Sadie first they get the UP command, Look at the impatient look on Rigg's face.

                       Now it's Rigg's turn.

C'mon Adam how about some tug, I was good doing my tricks.

After lunch I took Adam home and Donna was already starting to cook up the sauce and meat for the Lasagna for tonight's dinner, I will wait to post this until it comes out of the oven later this afternoon so I can post a picture.

                             Christmas Lasagna.

My son Andy & his girlfriend Samantha left right after I did to go to Clearwater OK to visit with some of Samantha's relatives, They also took her two kid's Chris & Nicole and also Sadie, so it will just be Mom & I and Rigg's tonight, sounds cozy doesn't it. I house to ourselves for a few nights.

         Rigg's enjoying his White Christmas.

We had a great Christmas Day, Hope y'all did in blogland. Be safe out there. Sam & Donna.

TGIF.

What a great way to start the day, Donna & I had coffee and then it started snowing and it's been snowing for a few hours now, so far just a couple inches, but you know how that goes, we will definitely have a white Christmas, Santa will be able to make a good landing on the roof tonight without dragging across a dry roof. Remember trying to stay awake as a kid so I could hear the sleigh bells, and then getting up and swearing you did. God has a way of providing those effects for little children.
Donna got a call to work at the Restaurant earlier today since she was off at the truck company, so she left the house a little after 10AM in the snow, it is only a couple miles to the restaurant and she has 4 wheel drive. I think she likes driving in the snow, Many years behind the wheel of a police car in all kinds of weather took that thrill out of my life.Even now with my 4x4 truck I still stay in if I can in the snow, why tempt fate, some other crazy can kill you.
Our plans for Christmas morning will now depend on how much snow we get and what the Interstate highway looks like, we were planning on going out to Adam's Moms house for a brunch and to exchange gifts, and then come home and Donna was going to start our Special Christmas Lasagna. Now we will just wait and see if it is safe to make the 50 mile round trip to Warrenton MO.
Here is a picture of Rigg's sharing with his little sister.

                        She gets a kiss first

Then Rigg's puts some food on the floor and Sadie dives in. What a good big brother..
It sure is amazing as big and strong as he is, how he is such a Gentle Ben around Sadie, she curls up to his tummy for her naps and he watches over her like a big protector.
I am still the one that Sadie is still not to sure of, she isn't barking at me anymore, but unless Donna or Andy put her in my arms, she won't volunteer to come close enough to be picked up. On the other hand as soon as I put her down the big jealous lop Rigg's is up on my lap for his turn, sheesh he is definitely not at lapdog at over a hundred pounds.
I guess I can sit and watch the snow fall from the kitchen window. The Kid's, Andy & Samantha went out for some last minute shopping, in the snow.
All of you be safe out there and enjoy your Christmas Morning.  Sam & Donna.

Thursday Happenings.

Another typical cold December day, I got to thinking of past Christmas's when the boys were growing up and up until a few years ago. I used to take the tractor and a wagon out just before Thanksgiving and setup up Christmas lights, When the city I worked for stopped putting the decorations on the poles, the Public Works Supervisor gave me, 2 tree's, 2 wreaths, 1 bow, of the variety that hung from the poles, they may not look big on a pole but they are about six feet tall and have a bunch of those old c9 lights on them. I would also decorate the outside of the house with small lights , one year we had 3000 lights out. Sadly This year with me being out of town, and Donna working two jobs the only decorating we got done was the Christmas Tree. But here's a blast from the past of what the Weeb Ranch looked like in years past.

                                House lit up.

The pond is gone now too a victim of high liability insurance now that this isn't zoned as farmland anymore.

                    Our Merry Christmas Tree.

On the far right of the house pictures is the old 5th wheel just the front is showing but the Christmas Bow was attached to the rear to face down the driveway and lights were strung on it on the driveway side. People used to slow down on the the street in front of the house so the kid's could see the display, wish we could do it again.

Hope everyone is ready and enjoying the approaching Holiday's.

Pretty much a laid back and slow day around the house here. Sadie & Rigg's have been playing tug on & off most of the day. they will sleep good tonight.

Be safe out there. Sam & Donna.

Wednesday Musings.

Up early and had coffee with Donna, then she was off to the truck company, tonight is also a restaurant night, so it will be late before she get's home, Made a run to the Shop & Save  to get a list of what we needed for Our traditional Christmas Dinner, Donna makes a special Lasagna about 4 or 5 inches thick, I can't wait, I will have to have a picture for the blog.

When I got home I caught Sadie being a brat on the camera.

Caught in the act of stealing food and water from Rigg's big dish.

She has her own dishes but like any little kid she likes what Rigg's has better. Luckily Rigg's is tolerant and forgiving of his little sister.

Andy got called out for a job today so I have the house to myself. I don't plan on any more errands as it it really cold again.

I think I will just sit around and watch a train movie and get a nap.

Hope everyone else has a lazy day and get's some quality time. Be safe out there. Sam & Donna.

Tuesday Thoughts.

Another great day and the temperature got into the forties today, the snow is melting, but now they are saying more snow Thursday & Christmas Eve. Had our morning coffee together and wouldn't you know it on it's third morning the new coffee maker quit. we still had the old cheapo in the kitchen from the trailer so all wasn't lost, I had not even thrown the box away yet so we boxed it up and Donna is returning it on her way home from work. You would think you would get more than two mornings out of it, the clock was lit up but no heat to boil the water or heat the burner.

I realized too, that my truck is due by the end of the month for it's license sticker, all trucks over 18000 lbs in MO have to register each Dec. and expire on the 31st. They also only have one year registration. If I didn't pull the 5th wheel I could get a 6000, or a 12000 lb plate and those can be renewed for two years. The fee this year was $66. I took it to the tire dealer and he gave me a 10:00AM appointment for the safety inspection ($12), Because it's a diesel it is exempt from Emission's Testing.  Then I took my insurance card and property tax statement to the license office (DMV) and wonder of wonders I was the only one there. Walked in and ten minutes later walked out put the sticker on the front plate and I am good to go for another year.

Had to stop at Radio Shack and get a battery for one of the cordless phones. How is it you can buy a set with two Uniden phones from Big Lot's for $29.99 and then when they need a battery in a couple years, the battery is $16. Sounds like a lot but what else to do.

I must be getting miserly in my old age , but Donna & I both like to try and save where we can.

Not much going on, I am waiting for Donna to get home and we will grill some burger's and have some baked beans and a vegetable for our supper.

Hope you are all fine, Be safe out there. Sam & Donna...

Monday Meanderings.

My bride and I were up at 04:30am and had our morning coffee. Then she was off to the truck company at 05:30am.

Not much happening today yet, the kid's are all gone and it is quiet around here.

Adam got his birdhouse project finished with his Dad, he painted it Black & Gold  for the University of MO Tigers. Here is a pic.

                               Nice job Adam.

Donna & the kid's got the cookie baking finished, she had two great helper's in Adam & Nicole, but brother Chris said he was to old for baking cookies, and that he would be a taster.

             Some of the finished goodies.

After all the cleanup was done we said good bye to Chris and Nicole and then Donna & I took Adam home to Warrenton MO. We had already decided to stop on the way home at the Olive Garden for a nice dinner. Donna found a gift card I had received from the bus company for getting compliments on my driving. It must have sat on her dresser for over a year, but they took it and we got 25 dollars off so we had a great and inexpensive dinner, even with the two Sam Adam's Lagers that I had.

 

                                Dinner with Donna.

It has really been a great weekend of family fun, the madhouse of energy with the three kid's playing all weekend and the dog's joining in. There was the sound's of kid's laughing and a din probably no apartment would tolerate. And best of all everyone got along, no fighting or whining, the parents and grandparents all marveled at the way the whole weekend went. Maybe the Christmas spirit was spread around our place. Rigg's enjoyed his attention of being the birthday boy, Even Sadie let me hold her once for a very short time till she realized who was holding her.

Donna has to stop on the way home for one of her normal doctor's checks, and then I will try to have a supper of some sort ready and waiting for her.

Hope everyone out there is enjoying the spirit of getting ready for the holiday's, the days seem to be flying by.

Please, be safe out there. Sam & Donna.

Sunday Notes.

First of all I have been remiss in not noticing some new follower's, a thousand pardon's please.. WELCOME To THE OLD GEEZER, BOBBY & SHANNON, DEBBIE GOODE, & DEAR MISS MERMAID. I truly hope you all enjoy following the daily antic's of our clan. Especially if you are doggie lover's.

Now the Big New's. We have a birthday boy today, yes Rigg's is two years old today Dec 19th. I am now going to go back and show how this guy progressed so far.

 

       My first day home with my new family.

                                2 months old.

                               3 months old.

                              6 Months old.

                            6 months old.

One year old, I am getting to be a big boy now.

One year old, My last picture with Zep, before he left us that night for Heaven.

One & 1/2, riding with my brother Andy in Dad's truck.

        One & 1/2 camping with my boy Adam.

                      My Cousin Duncan in Ohio.

   Camping with my camping buddy Mollie.

               Me & my Mom, I love her..

                     Boy I got the best Dad..

      I protect my boy Adam when he is sleeping.

                            I love swimming.

  My Girlfriend's Jodie & Coco from Florida.

             Playing with my little sister Sadie.

Waiting for the prize I won in the tricks contest at the Good Sam Rally in October. Did I tell you I love camping.

              In the Christmas spirit.

Resting on Dad & Mom's bed today on my birthday, Life is good...

                               THE END.

Woke up to the white stuff this morning, this is for Rick, RICK & PAULETTE'S RV TRAVELS.

After breakfast Donna started on the cookie project again. Boy I wish I could eat them but they are all full of sugar so my diabetes doesn't allow it, Thank God for willpower, but I enjoy watching the kids gobble them down.

        The proud chef's, Donna & Nicky.

                                    Adam & Nicky

                                           Nicky

Nicole still had time to cut Adam's legs off with a sword.

While all this was going on look what was happening in the bathroom.

             Saturday is bath day for Sadie.

Once the kid's have gone home, and the mess in the kitchen is cleaned up, We are going to go out and have a nice dinner out someplace. just the two of us. First time since I got home. Maybe a picture tomorrow who knows.

I sure hope everyone in blog land is enjoying the approaching Holiday Season. Be safe out there. Sam & Donna.