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Yeah... they aren't too harmful. Although in large quantities the larvae can do a bit of damage to plant roots.

But it's more just having an enormous (literally hundreds of thousands) mass of them.

I've seen those

Cost of living puts that right around poverty line doesn't it?

We're middle class where I am. Live in the burbs, but it's a "bedroom community". Most people who live here do not work close by. They commute to Riverside, San Diego... or Los Angeles for work.

I'm fortunate. My commute is 9 miles... and no freeway. The freeways around here are parking lots during certain hours.

Still am a dink. Woman was able to keep her VP job at the bank and work remotely. Of course, now she can't help but lord over me that she earns like over 3x my income now.... sigh.... f-ing midwest salaries.

Cancel the wood chipper.

That's an excellent question.... I need to check that out.

But she also gets a pension from them if she stays with them until retirement.... so she may still be worth a lot more over time.

Was my plan before having a kid.

Not to move, but to take a few travel assignments in major population areas. They'll pay upwards of 5k a week (plus travel and housing expenses) especially if it's a striking union hospital. I could've paid off house and student loans in one year.

But then again, if be working in places nobody wants to work. I'm not motivated much by money anymore. There's a $10/hr incentive pay at work to pick up shifts in understaffed units, so time and a half plus 10. But I would much rather just do time and a half in my home unit. I could take a job in Chicago and make another 30-40k, but I just don't want to.

While I understand the idea of not wanting stress at work and being willing to take less pay for it....

53???

Dude... I wouldn't for a half-second think of retiring at 53. That leaves very possibly 40 years of boredom.

... I could only do it if I had azzloads and could travel constantly with high budgets...

Otherwise... man... that time is just gonna pile on.

I remember something my dad said to me about 20 years ago when I was asking him about retirement.... "If I knew I was gonna die in the next 10 years... sure, I'd retire."

And he's still working 6 days a week with 80 coming up this year.

37 and people tell me all the time I'm retired... They pronounce it funny though...

Took the boy to visit grandpa at work and drop off fathers day gift. He works for the power company, in a distribution control center. Super high security, took 30 minutes to get cleared to enter, and had to be escorted the entire time. Pockets emptied, phone, wallet, and truck impounded until security escorted us out. Still neat to see inside. I've only been there once before, about 15 years ago. My mom has only been there once as well. The boy loved it.

Got home and got a call from the track day event organizer a little bit ago. Asked if I could take over the smoked meat at our original trackday event, Honda Meet. It started as a park picnic/barbecue with all of us with our fart canned Hondas back in 03-4 and grew into Gridlife. Usually have about 1500-1800 people at Honda Meet.

Every year one of the buddies has been doing pulled pork for everyone but he can't make it this year. First time ever. So, the torch has been passed along to me. I have to go up to Grand Rapids at some point before the event to get the WSMs and thermometers, coolers, and stuff. And I gotta chat with the cook to figure out how to do this. I've never cooked for 1500 people before.... Got 5 of the biggest size WSMs to pull it off. He's been doing it for 15 years, so it can be done. Just gotta figure out how... Don't want to change up anything from what he's been doing as we all have preconceived expectations for the Honda Meet dinner. A bit more than a little nervous. I've only smoked electric, never charcoal. Budget isn't big either.

Retirement? How deep is she into her 60s?

15?! Slacker.

Started feeding calves grain, water and hay at the age of 9, so I could make weekly payments on my Honda XR 75 dirt bike.

Ram- you are soft.

Spinach and strawberry smoothie... Cojonu 2012... Season 5 Simpson's episodes...

Spent the day trimming gorilla cookie plants...

Good times. Calf chit is bad. Calf scoures is worse.

Best is when a cow gave birth outside. Not alll of the afterbirth would slide out right away- a day or two delay sometimes.

Early one morning, after a rainy night and the cows sleeping in the barnyard, I began milking the cows.

With perfect comic timing, I closed my eyes, yawned, and at the same time, mama cow swung her chit marinated tail across her Ashe, and slung the strand of 36 hour old afterbirth into my gaping yap.

THE most disgusting moment of my colorful life.

NIPSCO.

He worked at Wheatfield around the time I was born. Then moved into an office in Hammond in 85-86. Dunno what he did then, but know he drove around to various substations and high-demand customers. In the late 90s when there was the big union disputes and stuff he moved to his current role.

You’re both soft. I spent my formative summers playing tennis and swimming at the country club. Y’all need a damn work ethic!

just pretend they're nekkid...

I find it a good idea to only pull pork when I’m nekkid

Got a couple indian dudes that been hanging out with us for a few years.

Gotta make them vegitarian beans and veggie burgers. There's a few halal dudes too.

Weird people.

Morning folks.

We are headed to Minnesota this morning for what was to be visits to the wifey's brothers, and extended familys and to see her 89 year old mom who is in assisted living. Late last night we got a call that her mom had taken a fall and is in the hospital with bleeding on the brain. Doctors are trying to decide if an operation to relieve the pressure would help or not at this point.

Most likely we are headed back to say goodby but may not arrive before she passes.

I'm sick. Couldn't sleep for 2 days with coughing and a sore throat. Finally got some sleep last night. Don't know when I'll smoke the next cigar.

nodded off twice during this post.