I'm just a fool for staying home and having none

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the mate's eldest and grands were going to watch the animals this weekend so I could go to Kentucky. Then the Cousins called and their primary vehicle had broken down so God said nope, not this holiday for the Kentucky trip.

I was ok with that. The Brother Boy's band was playing for a charity poker run Sunday and, having never been on one, I thought that would be fun to do. While the Eldest Girl was busy Friday I ran around shopping and decided to fix the lawn mower problem. I went to the local Sears and picked out a 42" mower deck on a Craftsman lawn tractor. Delivery was extra but that's the breaks. I slapped down the credit card and they loaded it up.

When I got home from shopping they were just rollng it off the ramp. I filled it up with gas and mowed with a properly running mower. I only hit one mole hill and one half a brick someone was kind enough to throw in the yard. It rocks! Next time I am taking the hand saw and hand trimmers with me to move some bushwacking bushes but otherwise it was sweet to just turn the key, mow and be done with it. Then I put the dog food and such away and showered.

I ran around trying to find some live music to listen to that night. I had a hard time locating any but finally went north and made my own at the other cousins bar after visiting with all my favorite bartenders. It was a bust but it kept me busy and that is really the point, after all.

Saturday I spent the morning getting around for the picnic. I decided to take the bike and that meant inventing a food that would transport via bungie cords. I opted for the family favorite, deviled eggs. On the way over I stopped and bought the makings and then went early enough to assemble same on arrival.

The Eldest Nephew and NIL had cleaned and scrubbed the home and the little air conditioner was doing it's best. Boiling the eggs didn't help things but it goes quickly, thank heavens! I enjoyed visiting with just them before the crowds came. It meant I got the best parking spot for the bike, too. When I was finishing up the family had started to arrive.

After giving the Eldest Daughter a good bye hug the Nephew in Law and I scooted off on the bikes for a ride. The heat had been really nasty and getting the wind in my face felt good. We just went to hit a local bendy road or two. I had a destination in mind but half way there thought I was on the wrong road. I took us around a big block and went back to look for the sign and ended up on the same road again - as in, "I was right the first time." *sigh*. We just needed to go a little further down the road.

I got us an ice cream at a place I remembered as great that was just ok and over priced now. We cooled off in the shade while wandering strangers commented on our bikes. Mine is larger and older, his is painted a shade that almost matches it. They assumed his was the big one and they assumed we were a couple and they assumed we had a friend still in the store and I rode on the back and almost anything except the truth. It was cracking me up. And I learned the nephew is shy and doesn't like to talk to strangers....LOL. I hope he gets over it hanging out with me!

We went back to burn marshmallows and bug repellent smoke at a fire for a while. The kids had smores. The little kids went in to watch a movie and crash after a day of romping wildly together. I wandered off a little later and left them to their "non-adult supervised" revels. I hear it got wild. One of the nephews is newly bald...Parrrrr-T!

It was late when I got home. I left the bike out (OMG!) because I was leaving early for the Sunday poker run and decided I was too tired to mess with getting it in and out of the garage twice. The dogs met me quietly and I went in without waking the dog sitters from their movie. I tossed in a load of wash and got my email, got the clothes in the dryer and folded then went to bed for a five hour nap.

When I got up that morning I realized it was going to be a torcher of a day but on the bike I won't ride without a jacket, at least denim, and boots, heavy leather. I just can't. I have picked too much gravel out of too many hides to risk mine. Sure, I never needed it this trip. Not being a prophet I couldn't know that. I scarfed down a coffee, loaded the bike with the kit bag and a clean shirt and rode off into the rising sun.

I rode past the meeting place and went to fill up at the local truck stop so I could leave with a full tank. While I was inside I ran into another of the "up north" cousins, the eldest, working there. She, get this, recognized my voice! Wow. I haven't seen her in almost 25 years. That's some filing system she has! I told her the sis was across the street at the big antiques sale and will try to ge over to see her sometime soon.

It's almost 60 miles to where we were starting and I was going early to be in time for breakfast while it was hot. I paid my cover, bought the t-shirt, the quilt raffle tickets and the 50/50 tickets, kicked in my five bucks for breakfast and was glad I already had filled the bike on the way in. I wouldn't have to stop for gas till it cooled off.

These runs are not cheap. I might have needed to hit the ATM. I finance most of my weekends out of my "emergency savings". I save all my change and spend the green then roll it and stash it away just for things like this and the fair in August. That way the entertainment budget doesn't get in the way of the bill paying budget. I had enough money to play with the big boys.

By noon, when we were scheduled to pull out, the temp was already eight seven degrees and climbing. The bike gave me a little crap all day. It hates the heat, and it doesn't like rain, fussy old thing! I was so embarrassed on my Honda with all the Harley guys snickering at me as the starter ground away. Hand me a paper bag!

I think she needs the carbs syncronized. The mate didn't get to it last year. I will have to ask the other mechanic if he can help me with it. If that doesn't do it I will have to find another way to fix the problem. "You hearing me, BIKE?! Remember lawn mower? Hmmm? Think about it."

For those, like me, who had no idea what a poker run is I will explain. You register, get a game sheet and a map and drive to five places. At every place is a table with cards on it and an offical card verifier. You draw a card, they write it on the game sheet, then, if you are a real biker and not me, you drink two beers, bs with your pals and go on to do it again at four more places. If the host bar and the ending bar don't have cards but just start you off and gather you up again you can go to as many as 7 places all between 20 and 50 miles apart. We drew at the starting bar and the ending bar so we had only 5 to hit.

I only knew the way to the first and the last one. Everywhere else I tagged along with a different group of riders so I didn't get lost. I met a lot of nice people. One group volenteered to let me hang out. One bunch was leaving as I was waiting for ice water at one place that the waitress was a moron. I had been waiting, along with three others, for her to bring our drinks and my water. It teed me off so I left with the next bunch going out the door. That was ok. I got to meet another lady rider and it was fun running the road with her.

Dinner and the Brother Boy's band were at the last place which was only 25 miles from home so I got to really cool off and really relax with the group I landed there with. The three guys hung out but the lady rider disappeared. Two of the men were twins but they were a lot older than me. It was still fun meeting them and they are quite the party people.

We hung out and ate together then they headed north for home. I had a good table for hearing the band. This was the largest room I had seen them in and they sounded really excellent. Usually there is too much PA for the room and they get muddy and you can't hear the vocals over the instruments. Here, they fit and it let them really shine.

I didn't sit with them and I didn't look for anyone to share my space with. I was just tired of looking for friendly eyes that lit up when they saw me. There weren't any, I didn't know anyone there. I was tired of looking for a guy that wasn't drunk or stoned or grumpy looking or only twelve years old. I just listened to the tunes, missed my mate and left alone after not winning anything in the raffles or door prizes.

When I stopped in the almost cool of the evening to get my bike refilled the gas station was like a scene out of a horror movie. June Bug Hatch from Hell! They were flying, dive bombing, crawling, dying on the pavement, squished by cars and just ICK! Everywhere! I rushed that stop and tried to get out of there before one landed on me or got in my helmet.

Monday the mate's Eldest and Big E and I got around and loaded his bike up. I decided he would work on it more if it was at his home. Plus it got it out of the garage. I am holding the paper until he is legal for riding and his grades are good and he has no children and no police record on graduation day. Right in the middle of that the white truck gave up the ghost. Nothing, no click, no grind - nothing.

It was so hot. We put the charger on it and went inside. Once we were all cooled off we went back to start it - nothing. So we jumped it. Bingo! Then we finished loading the bike and they booked for home while it was still running. I don't know why the battery died in the driveway and not at work or on the road for her. It's just a little spooky.

Once they were gone I got the house tidied up for Tuesday Bible study, did some laundry and played the guitar till time for bed. I thought about the Vets, now and then, and about my Veteran, quiet up there in his box on the shelf. I was thankful we have had brave, strong and daring men and women to guard us from harm and said a prayer for them as I drifted off to sleep. God bless them, every one!