Tuesday Thoughts.

First off the mark. Welcome to a new Follower. CAROL KERR, didn’t see a blog of theirs listed so if you have one let us know. Hope you enjoy  following the daily routine and sometimes not so routine of the Weeb Ranch as we work our way to full-timing and for now trips in our 5th wheel. If you are dog lovers, Rigg’s and Sadie will keep you hopping like they do us.
Got some news, Joani at Microsoft sent me an E-mail saying they have had a delay in receiving their product, but that she had 3 GPS version and 3 Regular versions of Streets and trips on her desk and if that would work for us, she would get them in the mail (UPS). I replied right away that that would be fine since it is a free offer and I am having them used as prizes in a raffle for my blog readers  aside from one GPS version I will try on my laptop, and anything would promote their product. So maybe the beginning of next week we can go forward with the drawing, sorry for the delay, I was beginning to worry the offer had been canceled.
Adam is kind of bumming, his buddies next door have school because the local school district, just like Nicole’s, cancelled spring break, because they used up more snow days this winter than the three they usually offer. So he is left without playmates until 04:00PM, no matter him and Rigg’s found a way to kill some time.
                  MY two boys..Luv em both..
Got some good news for a change, yesterday when I was leaving Warrenton MO. after picking Adam up, the speedometer on my truck started reading like twice the speed, at 30 it would read 65, at 70 it would read 120.
So this morning I went to Auto Zone where my buddy Dan was working, he is a real wizz with the new stuff, so I told what it was doing, and I said I don’t think it’s the VSS module (Vehicle speed sensor) because you can still use the cruise by looking at the GPS and locking it in so the computer is getting a speed signal, he asked if the transmission was shifting bad and the motor revving up higher before it shifted and I said , no it’s driving normal. That’s when he said then you can rule out the VSS.
Another mechanic from a shop was standing there and said sounds like it’s in the in the instrument cluster dash, the only place to take it is to the Chevy Dealer, they pull the cluster out and send them out to be remanufactured, he said it costs around $120 for the rebuild and the dealer gets 4 hours labor for removing and installing the dash, so it’s gonna run about $400.
I asked if removing the positive cable from both batteries would clear any faults in the computer & Prom.He said he thought my truck (2004) had a back-up module, but it wouldn’t cost nothing to try it. So I borrowed the battery wrench and disconnected both batteries, Let them sit through a coffee and some good car talk. Then I put it back together. I fired it up and Bingo, the speedometer went to zero, and it worked just fine on the way home.
Just what I needed one less, stress of where is the money gonna come from. Some days are better than others and saving money is always good.
That’s about it for today, Hey AL-THE BAYFIELD BUNCH maybe your software will be waiting for you when you get back to your place in Bayfield.
Be safe out there. Sam & Donna.

Monday Meanderings.

Up at 04:30AM, looked out the back window, surprise snow is back it looked like about 3 inches and still coming down fast,

               04:30AM at the Weeb Ranch.

Nicole had stayed the night and I was going to take her to Augusta MO. to school. Just before we were ready to leave the TV said they cancelled school for today.

About Noon we went out to Warrenton MO. and picked up Adam he is staying for the week because it is spring break and his Mom has to work . Nicole will be going to school tomorrow. as their district cancelled their break because of snow days.

It snowed off and on all day even though the temp was 34 degrees, the roads had been cleared, but it was still covering the yard at 05:00PM.

Rigg’s is surveying his domain at 05:00PM.

Tomorrow they are saying a high of 50, Wed. a high of 63, and then Thursday a high of 72, Typical St Louis Spring weather.

Donna went to work at the truck company today so her weekend in bed must have paid off, she rarely misses for any reason so I was surprised she took the Sat night Restaurant shift off.

Tonight were having some sloppy Joe’s with potatoes with bacon and cheddar sauce. Ever notice anything sloppy is good, just like a big gooey meatball and cheese hot sub, no way to eat one of those babies without slopping.

Well that’s about it for now my bride will be home and I want to have a hot supper ready for the working girl.Be safe out there. Sam & Donna……..

Saturday & Sunday Notes.

Well yesterday ( Sat) went by so fast I didn’t get to sit and do a post. Donna came home feeling bad early about 09:00PM Friday night from the restaurant, she took a bunch of medicine and went right to bed, Saturday I got up and she asked for some more of her medicine Theraflu in hot water, and then asked me to call Jerry at the restaurant and tell him she wouldn’t be in Sat night.

All day she stayed in bed except for a light lunch and light supper, and continued on the medication. When she woke up Sun morning she said she was feeling a lot better hope it’s one of those 24 hour bugs, I felt the same earlier in the week so maybe I Infected her. I guess she can tell everyone now I make her sick truthfully.

Saturday the kids played and my son and I went out and tackled the front axle shaft change on my truck, lesson learned, (A) it requires the shock absorber to be disconnected at the bottom and pushed to the side out the way. (B) this should be done BEFORE the axle shaft is disconnected and pulled out of the spindle. If not the bolt to the shock won’t go all the way through and fall out.

Ask us how we learned that. But after about an hour extra of cussing and jacking, we got it right and instead of an hour job it was two.

But the truck is all back together, no left over parts, and no more grinding noise, As long as I had it apart I checked the front hub and bearing and it was tight and smooth. My buddy at the Auto Zone looked that part up just in case I needed it, and on my 93 Chev truck the hub and bearing assembly was about $125.00, on the  2004 since they located the anti lock brake sensor inside the hub, it is now $350.. per side. Yep $700 bucks just for the parts if you do it yourself. Which isn’t hard if you have the jacks, a compressor and air tools, neither of these jobs is going to get done without a pretty stout impact wrench.

Surprisingly the price of the axle shaft was really low. $60.00, But again if you can’t do it at home. You would be looking at about $200-250 for the axle shaft replacement, and about $1000 to have both hub and bearings replaced, makes no sense to replace one side at a time  because when one bearing goes out usually within a short time the other side will too.

The rest of the day was playing with the kid’s, Adam’s other Grandma picked him up to take him to a party. and with Donna being sick, I joined her in bed early.

Hope everyone had a great weekend. Another week goes by and it is closer to summer. Be safe out there. Sam & Donna..

TGIF

Friday started with coffee with the bride and then my nap with the two mutso’s, they wait on the bed until Donna leaves for work and then go back to sleep, this afternoon right after lunch I went to get Adam, he only had a half a day of school. so I got him early. when I got out to his house his asked if Grandpa would look at the AK-47 assault bb gun he got for Christmas, a bracket had broken off and the top wouldn’t stay on. I said sure bring it home with us.
I was able to reassemble it and tape the top so now if I can find the manufacturer and get a parts list I might be able to order the right part and fix it like new. It is operable and no worries of any Taliban bunnies around the Weeb Ranch as Adam is ready for them.
 
                        Adam & his BB rifle.
Actually Adam is only allowed to take it out with Grandpa or his Dad, or it is locked up with his Dad’s and Grandpa’s guns. It is pretty neat with a full-semi autu switch and it can pour the bb’s out. He ran out in just a short time so I know what will be on the next Wal-Mart list.
Were waiting for Nicole and Chris to arrive and then tonight will be Pizza night, The kid’s always are ready for a pizza.
Still waiting also to hear from the auto parts store for the front drive axle for my truck, I’d like to get the bad one off and replaced this weekend I just hate the noise and I don’t want it to fly apart. it’s not like the old 4x4’s where you could unlock the hubs and only the hub and wheel would turn.
Got to just about 60 degrees this afternoon , but it still seemed a little cool, not a lot of sun and a slight breeze.
Nothing much more going on, Adam is waiting for the other kids and Dad is relaxing. It’s another restaurant night for Donna. Be safe out there. Sam & Donna…

Thursday Happenings.

Up as usual, I skipped coffee this morning , still fighting some kind of a sinus and stomach bug, took a cold remedy before bed and slept good, but I didn’t want the coffee to aggravate a sour stomach. Donna headed out to the truck company at 05:30AM , she has the restaurant duty again tonight, I laid back down after she left and I was immediately joined by Rigg’s and Sadie up on my bed for there extra sack time. Don’t know who snores loudest of the two.

As far as Thursday happenings, there were none, zip, nada. Dardenne Prairie was it’s usual quiet place, it was cold & damp all day, I had to take Andy for food for Sadie and I stopped at Auto Zone, to get a front axle shaft for my truck, the driver side is making noise. Can’t believe of the millions of Chevy trucks out there they don’t stock a shaft for a 2004. I had to order it. You would think I had a 54 chev truck. I guess that’s the way it is now, I remember when a parts store actually had the parts you needed in stock. Today unless it’s a gas cap, you have to order it. When I was younger you could go into an auto parts store and ask for a fuel pump for a 57 Mossmagator or a 63 Veeblefetzer, and the guy would open this big book up write down a number and disappear into one of the aisles and come back with a box with your part and say that will be $5.99. Today they have to order it and it will be in in a week and that will be $300.00 please up front before we order. So much for progress, were going backwards.

I just sat down at the kitchen table, Rigg’s is laying at my feet and Sadie is laying on her rug next to him, she’s a lady and likes a rug under her. They are in their combination guard and rest position, looks like mostly rest to me with the eyes closed.

Well thats’ about it for Thursday, hope the week is going by fine for everyone out there. Be safe out there. Sam & Donna….

Wednesday Musings.

Donna was off early again to the truck company and the rest of the crew had another lazy cold rainy day here at the ranch, even little Sadie has to be coaxed out the back door to go potty, Boy did she learn fast.

I want to WELCOME another follower RONDA, RONDA'S RANTS & RAVES, by all means click and go to her blog today and read about a young man, who is a cancer victim getting his wish. What a great post. It will make you feel good for the rest of your day. Welcome aboard Ronda. Hope you enjoy reading about the antics at The Weeb Ranch and on our travels.

Donna has the restaurant tonight so me and the mutso's will be batching it. the are really something, they sleep then wrestle and play and run down the hall, and play tug, and then pester me to play tug, and then it is back to sleep time. If I lay on the couch or bed and put a movie on the both of them are up on the bed for their nap while the movie plays.

They really have a great life, and then when it warms up a little more it will get greater with the trips to the doggie park.

Took a couple of pictures of one of my passenger trains at the club, thought you might like it.

                               From the front,

                          From the rear.

This is where you would find me, The Tavern Lounge Car, having a cold one..

My Union Pacific train from the front.

The City of O'Fallon MO. Allows us the use of the Club Building so I decaled my Streamliner,  City Of O'Fallon.

Never saw a train I didn't like, When you were a kid did you ever watch one go by and see the people sitting inside, and wish you could be going somewhere, on some adventure, like them. I sure did.

Well that's about it for today, hope everyone is having a good week, Please be safe out there. Sam & Donna...

Tuesday Thoughts.

Donna was up at her usual 04:30am, while the two muttso's and I laid in bed, I have been taking antihistamines for draining sinus at night they just knock me out, so this morning I just stayed in bed until about 06:00AM. Donna was off to the truck company at 05:30AM and will be home tonight for supper. Yesterday I got some nice cube steaks at the store, so that and potatoes will be our supper tonight.

Still waiting for the UPS delivery of the Microsoft software for the drawing , as soon as I get it we are ready.

Reading about other bloggers in the warm climates of California and Arizona, makes me wish for warm weather here, today is rainey and in the 40's, it look like that is what we will have for a couple more days, the Friday they say 58, with the weekend cooling down.

The kid's will be here this weekend so that should liven things up quite a bit.

Tried to find a green picture taken around here, here is one from last summer.

See it does green up around here, usually after the first of April .

That's about it for today, another slow day here in Dardenne Prairie. Even the pooches have laid around most of the day.

Be safe out there. Sam & Donna...