Old Ironmaker

In his mind.

When I bought the truck with 22 kms on it the service guy said the worse thing you can do is wait until the fluids are warmed up. Drive it cold. It only takes 5 minutes to warm up driving down the road. When she finds out it is going to be over 700 bananas that is going towards a new kitchen next year. I just asked her, no way she wants one now. Thanks for all the help, considered the thread closed on my part. Discuss amongst yourselves. Wormdunker I paid 25K for my first home, that would be 3 with change left over. 80K for a freeking Ford truck is nuts in my books, sorry. No wonder you are still working in camps 6 to 8 weeks at a pop in your 70's.

It was getting very frustrating this morning trying to get prices. It seems most every retailer goes through a second party for installation and they know zippo about what they are selling. East Hamilton Radio never returned my call or email today. No one wants to commit to a labour time other than CTC and my regular service guy is trying to get out of the price he told me over the phone as he spoke too soon I'm sure, $399.00 installed plus taxes all in. None let me talk directly with the installer as they think I am going to do an end around. I am going to shop after the New Year when I am sure there will be sales on. In the mean time I need to find an installer and cut out the middle man. I am willing to pay 600 bucks for a good set up but other than CTC they won't commit to a final price with all the add ons and not sure about actual install time.

Mmmm, Lox and bagels. There was a Kosher Deli in west Hamilton that sold the Lox by the pound. Good stuff. We usually go with whatever can fit in your pocket day 2 as the last thing you want to smell is food. The last day was about being a little piggy again.

Thanks Brian. I am going to call EHR this AM. My guy who would have to call his guy was surprised the truck didn't have one in it from the factory. I told him I'm not Wormdunker with his $70,000.00 F150, mine was less than 35K coming off the new car lot. It has some fake plastic chrome coloured mirrors on it though. I'm making calls this AM. Talk about baiting the hook. Great price on a few starters at EHR, then he tells my the key fobs are extra, the control module whatever that is would be an additional charge Sir, cable to antenna is extra, on that unit the cable is included but not the antenna, 4 hour minimum labour to install but maybe more depending on the location of the unit. Same thing at CTC. This isn't included that isn't included. Why the bait? How do you sell a product only to find out you have 1/2 of what you need is included. The fine print on Best Buy says no returns or exchanges on starters. So I get home to install it myself, not likely, or hire a qualified person only to find out it needs a few hundred bucks more of product that I now bound to buy because I didn't read the fine print and I'm kyboshed. Man, when do we customers get a break. This is getting ridiculous.

Some here may be happy to know that when the Sun came out this AM, I see 100 feet of pack ice and 20' of solid ice along the shoreline. There you go Fish Farmer, the perch are calling you.

My 35 year old big pot still has the marks from the glue from the duct tape I use to tape it closed tight. My ex wasn't too happy about what happened to her pot. I got that pot in the settlement. M2B2, it wasn't Tony that day it was Dominic.

I know that that truck is wasting gas like mad sitting idling, and it's not great for the engine either. It would be about the same sitting in ridiculous traffic in Hamilton or idling in a drive through, both of which I do not like doing. I explained to her that she will have to remember to put the temp and fan on full blast and select the defrost/lower vent before shutting off the truck. Happy wife happy Johnny D, really happy. I would never use it in the summer, unless it was hot out. I better not say a thing about fuel consumption. She will ask me how much juice the boat drinks. She's no dummy. Garnet, if Oshawa wasn't on the dark side of the Moon I would use your cousin, for sure.

I decided to leave a few minutes early at around 3:30 to get to the Dentists at 4, a 20 minute ride. As soon as I pulled out of laneway onto Lakeshore I was met by blowing snow and high winds. Erie Ave. was white out conditions. I pulled into the lot at 4:25. 2 school buses had pulled into the Home Hardware lot, smart. On the way home at 6 it was dead calm, no wind and no snow flying and it was as if every snow machine in the county waiting for the last 2 winters for white stuff were flying along the roads and fields under the bright light of the full Moon. I had to smile thinking about all the snow guys on this site having fun if they were here. 2 week old snow tires on the Altima passed the test. I had the road to myself to try spinning out and braking. My wife said the only tracks on Lakeshore Rd when she pulled in at 12:30 were mine and a few snowmobiles. I could hear a few up to 1AM going down the laneway. Have fun guys.

I have never tried ceviche either. I saw it made a few times on TV. I don't know I should try it, I don't like samichi, just raw fish, either. Sushi yes I really like with lots of dipping sauces and wasabi.

Thanks guys for the quick responses. I know more about car starters in the last few hours than I have in a lifetime. To me the prices are based on what features are available. Many like VIPER which are on the cheaper price side that is on sale are easily upgraded to security systems once installed. The strange thing about the Viper system that is on sale at Best Buy right now a Viper system installed for $249.00 reg. $599.96, seems like a great deal but reading closely it says may need additional parts and labor. From $10.00 to $300.00. What? I know that is probably coming from the US site because labour is spelled labor and other places on the web site labour is spelled with a U. I will need to call them in the AM because it sure "looks" like a great deal. And labour prices may vary. A 50 buck saving going into Hamilton is no savings at all. It's 25 bucks in gas return, maybe more now that gas has hit $1.05 and if they need the vehicle over night or spend all day there it is 25 bucks for a cab downtown and back to Best Buy, another 50. A favour around here usually costs me $100.00 somehow. I can spend the night at the Marriot for around the same price as the free favour. I will be making several calls in the AM. Thanks all for the info so far.

It really irks me when seasonal products warranties are really only 1/2 of what they say they are. A lawn mower bought in October and has 2 years on it the warranty is done after 12 months not 2 years. Same as blowers bought in spring on sale. I'll stick with calling the guy to clear snow until it's not in the budget. We will pay a few hundred bucks a month for cell, internet and TV but kill ourselves clearing snow but won't pay a few hundred bucks a season to someone else and complain about the work. I can get an annual lawn and snow contract for $500.00, 1/4 or less than the TV contract price etc. And no shovelling snow is not exercise, not good pain, it's bad pain. Just the price of physical therapy, acupuncture and pain meds I won't need is worth it. Show me someone that enjoys clearing snow and I'll show you my scars.

Remind me to get out fishing with you some day. No Cup A Noodles or chocolate bars. Home made Asian soup with shrimp and real Angel Hair noodles is just as easy Geoff, believe me.

I am going to get an auto car started installed on the truck for my wife that leaves for work very early in the cold mornings. And it is going to be cold. This morning it was -10 at 06:00. I am usually the auto car starter and want to retire from that too. Heck if I can pay 600 bucks for a boat slip for convenience why not a car starter. I just paid 650 for cleaning and a filling at the Dentist today. Wowa weewa. I need to check that invoice, new receptionists first week on the job. That can't be right. I have looked at a few units. They all seem to be around $120.00 to $150.00. It will be installed by a qualified person. CTC wants 4 hours or $400.00 plus the price of the unit. My service guy that does both vehicles will call someone in to do it for $399.00 including the unit. All the systems I have seen online look to be similar other than a few that have a small LED screen on the key fob that I will never be able to read. What units are recommended and are there any to stay away from? What questions should I be asking? I have no clue how they work and don't really care as long as it does what it says it does. Thanks all Johnny D

I just missed an entire episode of Vikings.

And never doubt my memory for good tales you Hip Hoopster. Someone once said if one is apt to make up stories one had better have a good memory and I know all your stories, no matter how far fetched, are all true. Now you remember.

Only that Bruce? Geoff, Mr. Noodles? Dave, chocolate bars and tea? I would be happy to fish with each and everyone of you folks, just remind me to bring the food. Chocolate bars? Come on Dave. You would be what we swarthy olive skinned garlic scented Mediterranean's would be referred to as "Manga Cakes". And it doesn't translate as cake eaters either as most second generation Italians and other Canadians might think it means. Manga means eat and Cake has been morphed from another word entirely. Bruce knows the word. Bruce you bring the salamutti's and I'll bring the Calabrese bread and home made red. It won't freeze.

Rick, you forget. Last winter you started a thread about not making it to the facilities on the site with your bibs on. You were battling a stomach virus at the time. I'm not going to go find it and I might not remember names, even members of my family names and forget dates but I remember stories because sometimes I plagiarize them. I nearly peed myself laughing with you not at you. It was in very concise detail. You even had a pic of you on the job site. When you have good stories you have to have a good memory. You might not remember but I do. I remember all the Depends jokes from the guys. Ricky!!

N.A.W. your girl has nothing to be ashamed of. More than 1 guy has more than peed in their survival suit or waders. 2 is better than 1. My wife asked me once this year why Lewis Hamilton a F1 race car driver, pants were brown and looked to be wet when he climbed out of his car after a win. Think about it. Who has ever driven 500 miles without a FULL pit stop? Nascar drivers. Nothing to be shy about. I have a few crappy stories too. M2B2 knows all about being to slow to the Johnny on the Spot and coveralls on the job site, eh Rick. I carry a full change of clothes in my golf bag, car, truck and boat and when I was working always spare clothes my office. Plus toilet paper and wet wipes. Maybe it Depends. How have I scewed this thread? Sorry, again but it is funny.

Man as my dear friend Len Malloni (rip) would say " You are a Man after my own heart." Thanks for starting this thread npt1, it should be a good one. Food in the hut and ice fishing is what gravy is to Turkey, cheese is to burgers, eggs are to ham. One is great but even greater with the other. I was always more excited about the breakfasts, lunches and dinners when we stayed on the ice over night as I was excited to catch a fish. We never got skunked when it came to eating, ever. #1 go to was always a pot of spicy Chile and 1or 2 loaves of round crusty fresh Calabrese bread. That would be for 2 guys. I remember giving a few guys in the hut near us a bowl and they came back and asked how much $ for a second bowl. No charge buddy, enjoy. #2 was a fish fry from water to pan. Nothing better. I always brought my Wok that I still have had for her 30 years. One pot cooking. A zip lock bag of bread crumbs and a bag of pre mixed eggs with secret spices in it. No need to wash the Wok it is seasoned so well. #3, Pea Meal, bacon, pre boiled tater home fries,and Calebrese bread toast for breakfast in the AM. Sometimes at 04:00 in the bungalow to soak up all the Crown and Coke. We never brought Chip, peanuts, popcorn etc. Why fill up on stinky food not good for you when you can have a chunk of good Genoa salami or Prosciutto and a chunk of Asiago, Parmassiano, Fontana or Friulano cheese with crusty Calabrese bread. Ah man I almost forgot, sausage and peppers in the Wok, and guess with what, a loaf of crusty Calabrese. Calabrese bread was as important as minnows. Ooops almost forgot the zip lock bag of home made roaster red peppers. Nothing like a salszeech and peppers sangwich. Melt some Fontana cheese on it and fergid aboud it. Then there was the time I breaded and fried up all the dead shiners laying on the ice inside the hut on the last afternoon once and Big Janko my good Hervatski giant of a friend ate them after I had a handful. Actually came out not bad, too much salt maybe. And that meal will never be forgotten. Janko once challenged a CO to race sleds for ownership after a bottle of Stock 84 disappeared before lunch. I can't wait for our 35 year reunion this winter on Nipissing. We will probably all be in bed by 9. We are going to miss you Lenny.

I left my love of playing in the snow, wind and cold at #2 Ore Dock and the material handling system 30 years ago changing Ore Bridge bucket cables 100 feet in the air as well as other Winter Olympic games. You guys go freeze your plums off and have fun, be my guest.

The upside in that we might empty some jail cells where there are many that are incarcerated for having been found with small amounts of weed in their possession and or not being able to travel into Canada or elsewhere where it has been decriminalized and in some cases legal. The number of people, mostly Black or Hispanic that are serving lengthy Federal sentences for possession with the purpose of trafficking in US Federal and State prisons is an utter disgrace. Some are serving life sentences in back water States. Under the Ontario Health and Safety Act for Mines and Mining Plants employees that are taking any prescription drugs are responsible to report those drugs to management. A little know section of the Act that was hardly enforced during my days as both a Supervisor in a Mining Plant as well as my experience with the MOL. I'm sure it is still in the little green book.

double post

Thank you for the early Christmas gift. Fall is my favorite time of the year to fish, no bugs, no ridiculous baking like Beef on a BBQ on Erie in August,and big hungry fish. Just last week a few buddies braved the wind, flurries and cold and were rewarded with some personal best Smallies in 30 feet of water not a mile offshore. I woosed out, again. A guide Bunk? You don't need no stinkin' guide. Some beautiful landscape pics as well that I have filed in my Bunk Pic album. Deciding which one to paint first is going to be tough. I will have to send you a pic if any turn out any good. Now I have to say this report is amongst my favorite of yours because it's about time there is a beautiful face to look at, actually 3 beauties. It sure must have been heartbreaking to loose a personal best Musky. You must have got that shark on the St. Larry, I hear they have found Bulls far up river in fresh water. Just kidding, must have been your FLA trip. Stay well and a very Merry Christmas and happy New Year to you and the ladies.

When I did live in the city I was the only one on the street that had a snow blower 25 years back and did most of the neighbourhood after or before night shift. That was when we got snow. One little man idiot gave me crap for blowing the snow from his side walk onto his lawn because it wasn't good for the grass. So I would bury his car parked on the street illegally. I mean buried, only saw the tip of the car antenna. He called the cops more than once and they gave him a 100 buck ticket each time for illegal parking on a snow route. Idiot.