It really has been amazing, the way things have fallen in place. When we look back at the last year or so, it's like we knew what we were doing or something.

For the last 3 or 4 years, Amanda has been doing college courses part time while working full time in order to get her accounting degree... so she could get a better job. That was pretty stressful and time consuming. She has carried a 3.92 GPA this whole time too. The plan was for her to graduate in spring 2018. I'd finally be done with alimony in March 18 and Ripley turns 18 that June, so we figured life would begin again around then.

Well, last Spring she got laid off. That was bad. But the timing was perfect. Instead of her going and taking another J O B, we decided it would be smarter for her to just collect Unemployment and bump school to full time. Doing that would push the graduation date up a full year.

Her moving in with me and selling her house became an option when the upstairs neighbors, who had been there for 21 years, moved out, making the whole house available. just lucky timing. But there has been some stress as her funds dwindle and her house isn't selling quickly. She lives with me for free, but still has to pay her mortgage and personal expenses out of what she had in savings from a year ago, and the 6 months of unemployment she was eligible for.

We have a friend that works for the (huge accounting firm that you've probably heard of) company she got hired with. He had referred her when she lost the old job, but without a degree, they couldn't hire her. Just by chance, they expanded the department she's going to be a part of right as she started to see the light at the end of the graduation tunnel. She will graduate May 6th, and the new job will start June 5th.

She knew she did well with the interviews, but that was 2 Tuesdays ago. The job was so perfect it seemed too good to be true. The 2 week wait while they met and decided who to hire took like 3 months to go by. You start to expect something to fuck it up. She wondered if she should send a follow up email thanking them for the opportunity...or would that be too kiss assey... The friend said, yeah, don't ..... (turns out the sonofabitch knew she was in, but was forbidden from telling anyone...even his wife, who would have told us)

They called her last Thursday(day of the big meeting) and told her they would call either Friday or Monday(yesterday) to let her know, but that all feedback was very positive. STILL..... no call Friday. Made it a long weekend for her.... Then Monday came and by noon, I couldn't wait, and bugged her. (no call yet :( ) 3 pm... No word? (nope, this is torture.... 2 hours left... maybe they decided not to hire her....you'd think they'd call with the good news early)

Then the call came. She got it. holy shit, batman. Breathe.

Starts with 3 weeks vacation, plus they close for Christmas-NewYears week.... they pay her phone bill....give her a laptop.... and and and...

It's fantastic. She can work there from anywhere in the country. I can do what I do anywhere there are cars. Now that 2018 date represents a lot more freedom. I won't need to make what i do, or work as hard. I may choose to... but I won't NEED to.

People keep saying, 'good things happen to good people.' I hope that's true, but I've seen a lot of good people get shit on by life. I think being open to good things happening, working hard and being brave enough to take a risk or two might have more to do with it. In this case, I think it was more of a 'who you know' kind of thing. Anyway. I'm enjoying this moment, and feel good about the future. It could all change next week, but for now.... Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

You will.

True, the opportunity came from who you know, but she busted her butt to have her ducks in a row when it did come, otherwise knowing the right people wouldn't mean jack shit. Amanda EARNED this job.
I knew she was too good for you. http://cellar.org/2012/bwekk.gif

All true

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I've suspected this on occasion.

Damn dude !!!
Congrats !!

"I love it when a plan comes together."

Well does this mean you moving to Boone? Don't wait until I am dead to visit my headstone.

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No immediate plans to move, just kind of a far off dream.

My tombstone will either say " if you can read this you are standing on my nuts" or" this tombstone was on sale".

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If the county pays for one, I hope mine says "Go away."

Of course, Bruce's will say "Get off my lawn."

But a little travel, no? To sunny Scotland .... ?

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would love to visit. get me a chunk of that Cheddah

Just let us know when to expect you. Fur realz.

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Your post reminded me of someone who gave me a tour of Boone where he had attended Appalachian State. He was a native of Drexel. Ever done any riding with the Knob Mountain Motorcycle Chapter (Knobbies) out of Morganton?

I have only been to Boone a few times. The reference is something Jim said about retiring there and it was like a joke between us. I live in a town of 50 people on the toe of SSE NC. Five miles from the state line of the other Carolina. Thirty minutes by Harley from N. Myrtle Beach. I am in CBA/ABATE and the AMA, but must admit to being a lone wolf.



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I thought I was in your pack?

Just putting this here so I don't lose it. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...cffa42f76a.jpg

Print and frame that sucker, hang it on your wall.

The Turning Point

They think that we're through, but baby,
You'll be swell! You'll be great!
Gonna have the whole world on the plate!
Starting here, starting now,
honey, everything's coming up roses!

Clear the decks! Clear the tracks!
You've got nothing to do but relax.
Blow a kiss. Take a bow.
Honey, everything's coming up roses!

Curtain up! Light the lights!
You got nothing to hit but the heights!
You'll be swell. You'll be great.
I can tell. Just you wait.
That lucky star I talk about is you!
Honey, everything's coming up roses for me and for you!

I didn't plant any flowers today, tarheel. I did mow the lawn.

... And I sold the Yamaha to a nice fellow named Jarred. Bought it from Jordan.

Here it is at it's new house.

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My main man.^^^^^. My homie, brother, step son and riding partner. I am not putting you down for planting flowers. Anything has to be better than what you had lining the front walk.har har.

I just thought that since spring was finally here you would be out riding.

Roses are the only flowers I have these days. My marigolds and snow ball bushes withered under the summer sun. Get rain for two weeks and the garden drowns. It has drowned six years in a row. Now my garden grows at Food Lion.

It is nice to know that my son still loves me even though I am a pia.

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you see that X Mount is still on the handlebar? I decided to throw it in with the bike because the guy really liked it when he was looking at it. I remember that I promised to give it to you when I sold the Yahmmy.

Your brand new X-Grip:
Amazon Order Number: 111-7981403-1273809 https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....1Jm1WhyvML.jpg
will arrive May 8-10th.

Oh, and Amanda finished her classes last night. She's probably going to do one last section of an extra credit thing to secure a 94% in the class on Thursday, but graduation is Saturday. She is all but officially finished with nearly 6 years of college.

Now she's got to figure out what to do with all the free time.

Really? Actually I forgot about it, but could have used it up in the Smokies. I didn't have any post its so wrote the routes on my left hand.
I rode the Dragon up and back and went to Gatlinburg and some back roads out of Pigeon Forge. We arrived Wednesday and it rained all day Thursday. Friday and Saturday were wonderful.
Congratulations are in order for Amanda. I imagine she felt like a professional student. Lots of free time huh? I'm sure y'all will think of something to do.

These are a couple pics of the trip. One is Cumberland Gap, then my son hamming it up and the log cabin which cost $244 for 4 nights including tax.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...9cabfa0c5c.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...a7b6c62f63.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...dee6fe53ea.jpg

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The Dragon is a wonderful drive, with lovely scenery, but unfortunately it's littered with scooter trash. :p:

Graduation for Amanda, you go girl.
http://cellar.org/2013/claptux.gif

Ditto.

Yeah, that's frikkin awesome. Go Amanda!

Doop doop doop, looking out my back door.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...18d950c152.jpg

That's the before shot.


https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...83ac40e0d3.jpg
4 hours of work later...
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...724c59a1f1.jpg


All for about $150. We assembled them out of 9 - 2x8 panels of lattice, 12-1x2 treated slats and 6-1x1 treated posts. The plan is to plant clematis and let it climb.

The only one I see working is Amanda. Atta boy Jim.

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She's the best helper I've ever had. Down to the way she hands me the screws point first, so I can take it and stick it on the bit without having to flip it. She's like a pit crew guy. She's handing me the tool/bit /pencil before I have the chance to ask for it. I'm glad I got her.

That's what I thought, what's this we shit? Amanda working and maybe a glimpse of the rim of a drink way down the bottom of the lens. But to be fair, somebody had to take the pictures. :haha:

It's good to have someone on the same page isn't it. :)

Last Wednesday I called the cops. I don't think I've ever called them before. I called about a suspicious vehicle parked in front of the house across the street from me. The neighbor in that house is a retired Merchantville Police Detective. Kind of a big shot, and a real nice guy. He wasn't home, and there was a pearl white Escalade parked in front of his place with the windows down. There was white and pink writing all over the back windows. Dates of someone's birth/death.

Amanda was up before me, and it was there when she woke up... we figure 2 hours or so, it was there.

The strange part was that you could see a 1 yr? old baby poke his head out, and you could see the driver's arm... but nothing else. AND every few minutes, the driver would shout, 'Fuck!' or 'Shit!' or make a long whooping sound. It was really strange. And no one around on the street. No other cars, no reason for it to be there...

So our imaginations started filling in the back story.

a) The guy might just have tourettes. (but really, that's SO rare, and too easy an answer)

b) The guy is a hit man waiting for the detective that had something to do with whoever's date of death was written on the car windows.

c) the fuck else could it even be!??

So I called the PO PO because b) seemed the most likely. Just told them what i was seeing and that I was hoping they would roll a car past the detective's house just to have a look see.

as SOON as i hung up ...like AS I was putting down my phone...., a lady came out of the house next to the cop's house and called out to the guy in the truck.

SHIT.

So I called the cops right back and told them it was cool. The neighbors know the guy. There was a baby party inside and he was waiting out there with the toddler.

They came anyway. 3 of them. in 2 cars and a truck. Jesus. and one of them came right up my walk to get my info. discreet. I felt so bad that i went over to the guys car and apologized. Soooorrry, man... I heard you yellign cuss words and saw the little kid... and...

the wife: 'Yeah, well... he has Tourette's.'


FUCK ME RUNNING

seriously?

And of course, there was something up with the insurance card and they got hassled for 10 minutes or so. While I sat there melting into the floor of my porch.

better safe than sorry, I guess... but not my proudest moment.

Sorry man. But you had the best intentions.


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Better safe than sorry. Especially when others you want to remain safe are involved.

Sorry, but that is fucking funny. And eerily psychic.

so, interesting story lj; glad it worked out.

there's this guy, regular guy, job, family, car, etc, etc. but a lot of the time, people around him look at him weird, or suspiciously. he's really just a regular guy, but he makes people nervous.... just being himself. sometimes that suspicion rises to the the level of an official response from the PO PO.

pop quiz--what is it about this guy? do you think it's because he has tourette's or because he's black?

Pearl white Escalade.

Did I miss that part? Did it say he was black? I didn't see anything about shots fired, so, he had to be white, right?

Pearl white Escalade.

he was black. Kind of looked like Alan Iverson. but I couldn't really tell until he got out of the car when the lady came out. You could see his arm, but if i had to guess based on just his arm, I'd have said he was latino. The mother was white, and the baby was light skinned with fuzzy brown hair.

What made me more nervous was the writing on the windows of the car, and the cuss words being shouted. Each time he did it, he would kind of jerk or punch the air. Like he was very angry. I didn't want to walk up to the car to ask him what he was doing. 10 years ago I might have done..... but I've got people that depend on me, and I thought it more prudent to call it in.

She's really upset with me again
I didn't give her what she likes
I don't know what to tell her
Don't know what to say
Everything got funky last night

She was really bombed
And I was really blown away
Until I asked her what she wanted
And this is what she had to say
A pearl Escalade
She wanna pearl Escalade
She wanna pearl Escalade

Outstanding. ZZTop still rocks.

Guess what we did today, tarheel?

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OMG, she's domesticated you. Good for her, it'll be good for you. :thumb:

I came pre-domesticated. We have gotten a lot of compliments from the neighbors as we work on the yard. Amandas impact is not going unnoticed. One lady even dropped off a 4 pack of impatients and a card saying how much better the place looks since she moved in. No shit.

You mean they appreciate planting flowers in the daytime more than working on motorcycles after midnight? :lol:

Nice. This stuff matters.

Very nice. That neighborhood looks good.

Those would be expensive homes in Arlington.

I know, crazy, right?

The taxes on my place are 10k/yr. That keeps prices down. These sell for high 2-low 300s I think.

The pics are blank on my screen big boy. Nothing like sleeping with that leg every night. She will train you like a circus lion. Jump here Jim. Over on the drum Jimbo. Through the hoops Jimmy.ha ha. In no time you have become like the rest of us. Chained to a ring in the floor until the lady needs you for a task.



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You could buy a horse ranch , house, out buildings and 15 acres here for 150k.
Taxes run 80 bucks ac.




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More grubbing around in the dirt this afternoon. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...a2344001c9.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...fe76ce9c1a.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...2b223903b2.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...d013bcf5f3.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...e207ee0e52.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...cf0382583d.jpg

It's so not like that, that I find that I'm the one suggesting projects and wanting to go get a couple more plants to make it look right. Maybe she's the whipped one?

You ain't whipped, you were already parlor trained. After roughing it alone, slowly putting the living space together, you woke up your desire to have Norman Rockwell yard laying dormant in your head. No he wants, she wants, you're a team with a shared goal, happily ever after. :thumb:

:lol2:

Yeah, you whisper that to yaself at night if it helps ya sleep. If that girl ain't the boss around there, you better fix that shit with a quickness, man.:yesnod:

That's like me giving you diet advice. There really doesn't need to be a Boss. I'm a bit more decisive about things, but I can tell when something is important to her. When we talked about her moving in, we would joke about the honey dew list. But the issue really is that she lived in a nice tidy town home. Moving into my hovel was a slight culture shock, so I want to make it as comfortable as I can. Just so she feels like this house is her home.

It's working.

I don't get it. The first part.

I think you're taking this boss/whipped thing a bit seriously, too, when there was nothing but humor intended.:stickpoke

But, there's always a boss. Neither of you may realize it, but one of you is Boss. Usually, it's the one with the pussy.

BTW, 3 more pounds and I've lost a hundred.:jig:

And whomever thinks they are boss...It's usually the other one.

Nice work! I meant... Jokingly.... That you're single, so giving me relationship advice would be like me, a fat guy, giving you diet advice.

Meh.

And I used to think the same, but I'm finding that the role of Boss can be shifted back and forth by topic of discussion. I honestly don't think either of us is THE boss.