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Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2004 - 8:33 p.m.

I found this hard to believe, but if MSNBC says it is true, so� plus-working on the Hillbilly boat isn�t a total waste of time (I guess)�

Make sure you read the last paragraph, and click on the link.

That�s all I want to say. You just have to read it�


Update for the �Debate Drinking Game�:

After watching the first two Presidential debates, along with the V.P. sneer-off, I have the following changes for the alcohol-infused version of �paying attention to the issues�.

Forget most of the Chicago Tribune�s word or phrases to drink by (the one exception? Bush has uttered the phrase �safer America� only a few times less than he has said, �America�s safer�).

You can keep that one for Bush. For Kerry, take a shot whenever he says either �hunt down and kill them� or �catastrophic failure�.

That should get most anyone toasted tomorrow night.

If you want to make sure, add a drink for any time EITHER of the candidates say anything about having �a plan�.

No wait- don�t follow my directions there- you will end up in the E.R., a victim of alcohol poisoning�


I finally got around to working on the Hillbilly boat yesterday. I removed all of the silicone caulk (a total failure) from all of the leaky areas in the back of this homemade metal deathtrap. I have 3 pencil eraser sized holes right in the middle of the aft bow (I think that�s the right term). Silicone caulk just won�t keep the water away.

So I decided to go with the good stuff from Bondo�. This company has been the market leader in auto body �filler� products for years.

But I didn�t want to use just plain auto stuff. I wanted something a little bit more flexible, and stronger would help too.

So I went with the fiber reinforced goop I linked above. Enough to mix and fill the back of the boat only set me back $7.90, and I even have a little bit leftover for the next rust hole to appear.

Once I sanded down the hardened Bondo�, I got the idea I had enough time to apply the paint I purchased for the boat many months ago (Codeman wanted to paint the boat�s peeling surface back then, but never got around to it). I checked the local weather forecast (this was around noon our time), and no rain was forecasted until Hurricane Zelda�s remains (or have they started over again on the alphabet yet, naming these beasts yet?) were due to reach Mohall Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning.

The paint is an oil-based enamel, meaning that water really wouldn�t bother it if rain did fall. But I didn�t take into account the amount of time it would take to dry (24 hours at our temperatures, as opposed to 2-4 hours for latex).


After impersonation Michelangelo for a couple of hours (painting on my back-get it ), I was finally done. Had bright blue paint soaked into my hair and staining both of my arms (at least I wore latex gloves), too.

Took me about 30 minutes to remove the mess from my body. Oil-based paint DOES NOT come off of your skin or hair easily. I went through an 8-ounce container of all-purpose shop cream hand soap (unpleasant stuff to work into your hair, I might add) just to return to flesh tone.

I took my shower, ate dinner, and sat down to watch game 5 of the NLDS playoffs (won by the Astros, a team I just can�t stomach).

Decided to check out the local weather forecast again one last time before I turned the TV off and headed to the computer.

Updated to include rain, becoming heavy after midnight.

Midnight Monday, that is, not today.

I went out to see if the paint had dried enough where I could throw the tarp over the boat. It was still slightly tacky, not enough to pull the paint away from the metal, but damp enough to make the tarp stick at spots.

What to do, what to do�

Just before I went to bed, I decided that a stuck tarp (and any subsequent repainting of small spots) was preferable to water sitting on the less-than-24-hours-old Bondo �. On with the tarp.

You know what happened next, don�t you?

It didn�t rain overnight. Held off until about 9 am this morning.

The tarp was slightly stuck when I left for work. I gently pulled it away, hoping that a new area would stick, causing the old area to dry.

When I came home tonight, the tarp was weighed down with rainwater (might have had an inch of the wet stuff today, which meant water 6� deep standing between each seat on the boat).

All of that would have been at the back of the boat, undermining my bodywork. Instead, all I had to do was pull the tarp enough to cause the water to roll over the sides.

It�s supposed to rain, on and off, for the next 72 hours.

Once it stops on Friday (or so), I will pull the tarp up and inspect the damage.

I still have � of a gallon of paint left, so things are all right�


O.K., here is the Website that I mentioned above:


All I can say is �OUCH!�


Click on the above link and read.

Truth is so much stranger than fiction�

Antique - Futuristic


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