Old Ironmaker

I just came in from the 16C heatwave right on the Erie Lakeshore. The Hostas and Day Lillie's are popping up 1/2inch. That can't be good. I can see algae blooms where there were non in September. That is really bad. If it freezes across overnight we will have much more algae this summer than the last 2. Too much sunlight. This is a repeat of 2012 but warmer. I never touched a shovel that winter. We were swamped in algae that summer.

Coors Light, mmmm, Goat pee. I thought it was just me. A very popular swill out here. The entire line of Anheiser Busch to me is only good for producing warm urine.

Dan I hear you. Some Insurance guy comes out here from the city to peruse the new to us property to give me a quote from Hamilton. He doesn't pull into the empty driveway he pulls onto the grass onto the other side of the laneway. The little 2 door front wheel drive sinks into the mud up to the wheel hubs. Time to leave and he as stuck as one can get. He says if you give me a push I can get out, never going to happen. He doesn't have CAA etc and neither do I. He uses my phone book to call for a tow. We are new here and have no clue whom to recommend. He calls a garage in Fisherville and 2 kids in an old pickup shows up. You know the 1/2 ton with mismatched fenders and door with the MT beer bottles and cans in the box, that mechanic. His call. They hook him up after they dig the mud out by hand to get a bite on the rear axle and he hands them some cash. He pulls away and is back 5 minutes later. Theybasically pulled the rear axle entirely off the passengers side. I was really feeling for the guy until he starts beaking off to me because I didn't tell him not to park there. Now I want to slap him. But he wants to know who he called and from where? And now he needs to use our phone, he's flipping on me again because he can't get cell service, and that's my fault, how? My wife took mercy on him and invited him in to use the phone and looks to see what fly by night garage he called. When he was leaving I said he could stick his insurance quote elsewhere. Come on man!

A couple of 10 ton shackles Lew and your in the Tow business. Oops, not in business a just to provide favour that may come with a small cash appreciation to cover gas.

That is logical Dan. A great explanation, that I get. There are more than a few guys out here that will drive around during big storms like Lake effects with straps and chains that will give you a pull and accept tips. They make some pretty good $$ at 30 to 50 bucks a pop, or more for city dwellers in little 2 door Hondas etc. with All Seasons on. I know a guy that does it with his backhoe but insists the owner hook up the straps. One can do a lot of damage if they don't know what they are doing. Nothing like hooking to a sway bar or the like to get a nice bill at the garage.

I put you on the fish Wormkiller. If you can call me.

If you love this balmy weather you can thank me. I am installing a new complete HVAC system. If you don't love this weather blame me for the same reason. I cannot remember this warm of a fall, ever. The boys and I bought a run down shack in Salamanca NY for 10K USD close to the NY ski hills in 74. There were times we actually had running water, the lap of luxury I tell ya. I brought a date there one weekend she had to get a room in Ellicottville. There wasn't 1 year we had it in those 10 years we were not skiing Holiday Valley or Kissing Bridge by the middle of December. A few yrs.1st week of December on a foot at least of hard pack. I love this weather, it is very similar to Atlanta where I have spent a few Christmases over the years, almost identical.

Believe me there is such a thing as bad beer. A Brava anyone? Hey Wormdunker, I have seen you do damage to a few brown pops, how would you know how it tastes anyhoo? It never hit your tongue long enough to taste it !!!! My fave all time is good old Rolling Rock. Not a beer guy per se but I know what I do and do not like. I'll try it as long as it\s ice cold and isn't served at just below room temp like many places in Italy and Cuba.

Wormdunker I'm not the one in the ditch, that would be the blond that lets me stay here. But I will never be as lucky as Wayne and his family only needed 1 tow after all those miles. I have never been in a ditch. well almost never. Towing without a proper licence? Never, ever heard of that one. There has been more than a few times I have put a towbar on and pulled a car, truck and even a tractor behind me. All with temporary lighting that I have. I need to ask a fellow golfer that is in the local OPP detachment patrolling our highways and byways. If pulling someone out of a ditch is illegal it's a new one on me and ridiculous. When a construction crew pulled you know who out of a ditch last winter it was the OPP that had his lights on for any traffic while they did it.

I'm sure you can make a game plan with someone on Thursday. I have someone in mind Albert. He says he doesn't know what he is doing as well. He must be lucky because he catches fish well.

Fluke Transport was and may still be Ron Foxcroft of Hamilton. He is a world renowned Basketball ref and his son now refs in the CFL. He is the inventor of the Fox 40 whistle, used by every pro sport in the world where a whistle is used. From FIFA to the NFL. Any ref that is serious uses the Fox 40 whistle. That's a lot o whistles$$$$. The company now has a huge line of products. That plastic safety kit you may have bought for the boat is a Fox product. The motto for Fluke was no fluke, it was well thought out and won many awards that advertising and marketing companies give each other. The plumber butt on the toilet is the best in a long time, beyond brilliant.

Kelvin. The back is to me the worse injury. If you move a toe the back hurts, blink an eye the back hurts. And don;t get me going about WSIB. A 500 pound blowpipe slipped from a chainfall and I caught the weight of it against a hot section of penstock. A few yrs latter it resulted in 3 disc herniation's developed over time but I never took an hour off when it happened, light duties in street cloths for 4 weeks, the claim was denied because I didn't need hospitalization and never took time off. They deny every old claim and I should have fought it but didn't. Everyone I went to see said it was going to be a tough fight. Good for you for sticking to it, but it is shameful you have to. Knowing the system I documented everything and kept copies of everything. It didn't matter. We will talk on Boxing Day if you want. Hey Mr. Wormdrowner, I never even thought of the Limo, but I gave Wrongway Dave the holidays off and the Helicopter is in for service. I am going to my absolute best to make it. If I'm not up to the drive back there are a few places I know have a room for me if I cook them Brunch the next day, I have it covered.

7:30 PM is a killer for me. But there's always a solution. Maybe someone can swing by here and pick me up. It's only an hour from Hammerton.

Welcome home you fossil. I have to give you kudos for trudging all over Hell and creation at your age in order to keep both the Provincial and Federal deficits as low as possible. Isn't there a mandatory retirement for 70 something year olds? I'm just my regular jealous me, I can't even drive to Hamilton in the dark. Maybe swing by and pick me up for the GTG, you can share a bed with the cat or you might feel more comfortable sleeping in the back of one the abandoned cranes at the marina, just like trudging the back roads of the NWT or whatever God forsaken place in Canada your cranes will go. The motto is "Freedom 55" not "Freedom 75" Brian! We'll lie to each other on the phone soon. edit: please no more PM's or emails from you guys that live in God forsaken places in Canada, you too M2B2. Merry Christmas for all that celebrate it and best wishes to those that celebrate other things like Festivis.

And the guys that are not and never will be online wonder why I spend time on OFC. The Ontario Financial Community. Always something to learn here. I have never bought into using a credit card for anything or a points card. I tried but would loose the tag for Pioneer and just go where gas was cheapest. I was taught old school, cash only and when I did years ago use Visa I got myself in trouble after my divorce, it's easy to do. My wife has always used her Shoppers Optimum points since it came out since she is employed there. She gets big points for signing people up and it's her job. A good deal. Since being bought out by Loblaws the card can be used at the grocery stores like Zehrs now. I am a believer now as a month or so ago she showed me a dozen bags of food and dry goods and said she cashed out and the total load was around 30 bucks, wow. I'm not going to feel guilty that I get all of our gas at the Rez for around 15 cents less per lt. than town which is always 4 or more cents more than Hamilton, should I? Supply and demand rip off. rural always pays more for everything. But I have bought into this points thing. Now all I need to do is go shopping.

You are smarter than they are. Social media has been the downfall of many. I don't want to hi jack, remind me and I'll tell you a good recent one our next phone call.

Your right sir towing is included on my policy, for a premium but it is cheap. The CAA is around $100.00 for my wife. I have it on my Silverado until 180,000 K. so she is the only one on it. It has paid for itself since she has had it in the last 5or 6 years. Hopefully we won't use it again. It really gives me peace of mind and for me it's worth it. We are rural and have deadly lake effect storms here. In the past I had to depend on friends with 4X4's, backhoes, tractors as these ditches seem to be magnetized and because of the feeder creeks to the lake most are deep, very deep.. More than once a 4X4 wouldn't get the job done. I didn't have a 4X4 before she got CAA so it was 300 a pop to get her out (we call her a ditch magnet) so I would flip friends or locals with 8N's or a back hoe a few bucks to help them then I owed them a favour. I'm calculating in my head and I am ahead in $$ with CAA. Just this year we called twice for mechanical issues and she used it once for a friend, that's over $1000.00 alone for a little over 100 bucks. Can't get much for 100 beans today. And I'm thankful she has never hurt herself or anyone else. The OPP pulled her out once and a construction crew once. If it was me they would have found the body in the spring.

Are you loosing it M2B? Why not just call the Rez cops or RCMP and give them your address? I am not sure about this social media thing. I wouldn't post that Rick. Oh maybe you just copied it from another website. Man I'm naïve and show my age and lack of hipness. I know guys that drive 30 minutes to the closest phone booth to talk on the phone. There are still a few. Funny when you see a few hundred grand in cars waiting their turn for the phone.

I saved over 80 bucks since cancelling the World Fishing Commercial 4 years ago. Disappointing to say the least. The same 30 or 60 minute infomercial on 50 times or more in the same week. I don't like to use the word hate, but it's close.

I watched a show from a few years back when they were out in December. Less rain 3 years ago but similar temps. Cold enough for you yet up there DR. Calling for a balmy 14 Christmas Eve. That's just not right for the kids, send snow please. For me I want to see Palm trees sprouting on the Erie beach myself. I guess that would signal the World's end though, not good.

I would be careful Albert, that is some serious water there. My wife is from Queenston and has some tales of experienced boaters that thought they knew the river. I have been twice and won't go to far upriver again. Too squirrely for me. I caught a huge beauty Chrome in front of Art Park that turned out to be a Coho, experience is a lifetime of mistakes. You sure are getting your moneys worth from the new rig, good on ya. I hope a local takes you up on the nice offer.

I vote for real Boating test. I don't support a fishing test. I fish in primarily 1 zone. Should I know the slot limit for a zone I will never fish in. If I do go outside my main area then it's up to me to brush up on that zones regs, otherwise I don't need to know.

Exactly Albert, can't make everyone happy, you can make it or you can't. Kelvin YOU name the date/time/place, then let the folks decide if they can make it. I think you guys went to Wild Wings on 20 last year, everyone seemed to like the place. Just a suggestion I have never been myself.

I forgot Toonie Tuesday, great deal. A bottle of water is more than that now. That was a while ago.

Irishfield, that's like saying the odds of my home burning down or blown away by a tornado are slim so I'll skip the insurance. All it is is insurance and peace of mind, especially out here in no mans land for my wife.