big brother is watching - for free shipping, watch on...

A little while after moving in, I received a 30 day offer from the monster mail mall company for free shipping and all the other perks that come along with it (sorry, said monster doesn't need any more advertising so not naming them here).

A shocker that they knew I had moved.....   :      )     Big brother is watching, blah, blah, blah.... Jimmy cracked corn and I could give a crap. The nearest big box store for what I need on my 1,000 house projects is close to an hour away so bring on free shipping!!!

Project number 653 was yesterday, replacing eight ceiling light fixtures that looked like the ones at your Aunt Hazel's house back in the 70's. The fact that you are reading this today confirms that I didn't electrocute myself during the process so that is a good thing.

Trail Head

used to be white I believe 

after

 

still learning my way

Today's new home lesson involves the exciting process of trash collection. Monday is trash day in the city so two weeks ago, this large headed one, thinking that trash collection was part of the local taxes, put his trash at the corner. Fast forward to Monday evening and said trash was still there so I pulled it in and waited until the following Monday. 

The following Monday came, the trash placed out and here comes the trash collectors. They stop, glance at my trash bag.....and drive away without picking up said trash bag. 

A quick call to City Hall and it turns out I needed to either rent a garbage can or purchase a sheet of bag stickers from the city. I've never experienced the sticker process (never heard of it until now) so I'm giving it a try. Tag each bag with a limit of 55 pounds and the bag capacity 35 gallons. That is one large ass bag of trash. Besides post moving trash, I normally only have one bag so it made money sense.

Until the next life lesson...

Trail Head

Betsie Valley views

I had my maiden bicycle ride last weekend around the area, specifically the Betsie Valley Trail. A part paved, part crushed rock trail, it starts more or less at my front door and goes along Betsie Lake, the Betsie River, around the southeast side of Crystal Lake, into Beulah and to Thompsonville, about 22 miles total one way. I did the U-turn at Crystal Lake but a nice creation. 

Today you get a history lesson as well on the origination of the "Betsie" name as it isn't named after a local lady but derived from the French la rivière aux Bec-scies, meaning "river of sawbill ducks" (bec-scie). I looked it up and the internet is never...

https://betsievalleytrail.org/trail-map/

Enjoy this short clip. 

Trail Head

Anyone have any good toaster oven recipes?

A shout out to anyone out there in Benzie County who has experience hooking up appliances, please reach out to me at the contact noted on the cover page as meals consisting of rotisserie chickens from the local market (not that there's anything wrong with it) and toaster oven creations are starting to get old. 

The reply I'm getting quite a bit is "I'll be back in touch." I HAVE MONEY!!!! Most vendors unfortunately are, as most places out there, understaffed so I'll patiently wait and enjoy my delicious (??) mini-pizza bagels from the toaster oven.

Trail Head