I'm sitting in Dan's backyard, in the shade, surrounded by dogs lying peacefully. His partner in the gun store just dropped off a bike for me to use, for like going to the Dollar Store and stuff while they're in Texas.

What an interesting modern world we live in. Dan needed a couple parts to get the motor going on his hottub, so I called around for him.

Nobody sells parts anymore, just new hottubs, and everyone said the same thing, Order them from Amazon!

Nessi (the girl) and Topper (the boy) started playing Who Got Da Bone, pulling an old beat up well chewed bone from each others mouth.

Zinny finally ended up with it when they got bored.

Here's the front of Dan's place, with my old dead truck taking up his garage.

Here's the spare bedroom where I'm hanging out, with Zelda the cat.

And here's the backyard.

I'm staying up at Dans house for a few days to take care of the two big black dogs, Zinny and a cat. He and his daughter Ana are flying to Texas tomorrow for a wedding, hooking up with Shelby in Dallas.

The wedding is in Midland, which got it's name from being halfway between Fort Worth and El Paso. The area produces one fifth of the nation's total petroleum and natural gas. I've been there, just can't remember when and why.

The guest bedroom is nice, it's got internet of course, and a nice neighborhood to walk around, until Sunday. I'll get some shots tomorrow.

Medical stuff really confuses me lately. I see the world full of illness, things that may be affecting me now, and that could rear their ugly heads at any time and kill me.

I have a new Primary Care doctor, and on my recent first visit I got weighed, pressure checked and blood drawn. Is modern medicine so amazing that they can test for every disease that exists, from a small tube of fluid?

All he did was re-up my meds and schedule some neurology stuff in December. I haven't heard back, so I guess I'm fine.

I have absolutely no idea what tests were performed on me as I was moved around multiple medical facilities up in Tennessee early this year, and I actually don't remember any of it...

I used to have complete control of my life. I took care of my truck and the little house I lived in. I bought my own food, and cooked it. I made all of my own decisions.

I went to doctors I chose to go to, and only took meds that I researched and agreed upon. I paid all my bills on time and I lived within the means of my fixed SS income.

I had everything but a partner. The truth is, I had everything I deserved. Shelby has advised me lately that I'm not taking responsibility for my actions, and she is absolutely right.

I guess it's human nature to try and lay the blame for our own fuckups, on other people and events. I realize now, that I am guilty of doing that. I accept it, and I'm sorry if I have hurt or unjustly blamed anyone along this crazy path called life.

Depression is just a state of self pity, combined with the hopelessness of an empty existence. I have no right to be depressed now, and it almost ended my life in Tennessee.

I just came up with a new meal concept I call the Macamale.

It's Public's macaroni salad, served cold, with a hot local made pork tamale, smothered in a good sauce.

Shelb's been picking these up from the vendor downtown at the weekend Market, and they're great. Maybe I could work with the guy, selling Macamale's right next to him. Serve one of his tamales hot, with a macaroni salad side, from a paper plate with a plastic fork, for a buck or two.

Once people taste the tamale, they're hooked, and will buy some to go.

Sometimes when I'm alone here, and Zinny's not around to bug me for scraps, I live off of chocolate ice cream and macaroni salad.

If I'm really hungry in the evening I'll heat up a pork tamale from the weekend market, along with a side of macaroni salad.

For dessert I'll have a sea salt caramel from the jar in the pantry.

We Florida people eat well.

Sometimes in life you have to face reality square on, and accept it. Sometimes it's the next step in your evolution and you need to embrace it, not fight it.

I'm at that point with my old truck. She's been a great friend and we've had amazing adventures together, but now, with 250K miles on her, I have to say goodbye.

The License, Registration and Insurance that I struggled for months to get here, were simply a lesson in Florida life.

Riley is offering to get his Dad another ride, while Dan and I discuss cleaning her out and sending her off to the junk yard.

Here's where I finally stand. I still have the skills to drive a few types of vehicles. I got my first license at sixteen in 1962, and I've driven millions of miles since.

I've never had a major accident, a DUI, or hurt anyone, and my last ticket (for speeding) was in the early nineties. I was a professional bus driver/supervisor for twenty years.

Now I really don't care if I ever drive again and I absolutely believe it's time to quit while I'm ahead. Hell, a lot of people my age are lucky to be alive, much less drive.

Walking a lot this Summer has restored vitality to my old body. By continuing this passion, and using public transit, I can say goodbye to driving forever.

I got a call this morning from Loaves And Fishes Soup Kitchen and I will be serving breakfast to the needy come next Monday at 0600. They liked my voice message from Saturday and I'm excited to volunteer with them.

Shelbs, Zinny and I just did the McDonald's drive through at lunch time (I had a BLT Fish Sandwich) and it gave us plenty of time to work out upcoming schedules.

Shelby's heading South tomorrow for a few days, helping a friend out after surgery. Friday she will fly to Texas for a wedding, meeting up there with Dan and his young daughter.

Dan has a couple big dogs and a cat at his house, and Zinny will be there. They were going to pay for an animal watcher for Friday and Saturday, but I'm volunteering now instead. Maybe he can even get his hottub going while I'm there. It's right next to the Base and a good place to walk around.

So I've got the next three days to hang out here alone. My plan is to workout and walk the neighborhood under clear blue sky's in the low eighties.

Next Monday I serve the food line.

Can skin cancer on top of an old bald head with really thin skin, seep through a damaged skull, and cause brain cancer?

The strong Parkinsons tremors that occupy my legs, sometimes work their way up to my torso, and I become a walking vibrator.

If I bought a large roll of plastic I could rent myself out as an elephant dildo. I wonder what that pays?

Dan recommended picking up a used vehicle for one or two hundred bucks a month. It's a good idea, but I wouldn't have any SS left to go anywhere.

Walking and bussing may be my only transportation option. I've got Google Wallet on my phone now and I could add a bus pass to it, then just tap and go.

Shelby and her man Dan are off to a charity ball for the blind tonight. I think they look spectacular!

Here's a shot from Shelby's Iphone, processed by me.

We live in a great neighborhood of older homes, soul kitchens that have shut down, two that are still active, and mostly black neighbors. I've gotten to know a couple of them as I've walked around bare shirted all Summer.

Carol and her husband have the best yard in town and a lot of folks sit on their porches, listening to music and chatting.

We also have a relatively small population of homeless, who walk, bike or push shopping carts around with all of their possessions in them. I see neighbors walking back to their homes carrying a bag or two of food and supplies, and I assumed they got them locally.

I have a history with hopelessness, been there a few times. Fortunately I've had a roof over my head for more than thirty years now, and sometimes I've had the resources to help those that don't.

I spent more than six years in Tennessee recently, and I have many stories of folks I helped there, buried deep in this blog.

Shelby and I were talking today about ways I could volunteer around here. Knowing my passion she recommended Loaves And Fishes Soup Kitchen, just blocks from our place, over the railroad tracks.

I just called them but they're closed on the weekend, so I left a message describing myself and indicated a desire to volunteer my help. Maybe I'll get a callback on Monday.

It's a wonderful idea and I really hope they can use me.

Shelby, Zinny and I went to downtown Pensacola for breakfast this morning, along with walks through the two Farmers Markets. It was a beautiful crowded sunny day, surrounded by people with dogs.

There was an hour wait for an outside table at the Ruby Slipper Cafe so we grabbed coffee and did one Market, then mosied back for breakfast when they texted me.

I've had a real craving for Eggs Benedict and Ruby's is famous for them. I had the Peacemaker, which is any two of their famous Benedicts. I chose the Eggs Cochon and the Bayou Shrimp. Both were on biscuits, which is perfect for me, and they were amazing!

Shelby had Biscuits and Gravy with a Mocktail, and Zinny had the Shaggy's Scramble from the Dog's Menu. She even had her own seat at the table.

Then we hit the main Market. Zinny's always a favorite at these events with lots of petting from people and mutual dog sniffing going on.

I take General Election voting very serious, and here I am in a new State and County, working on my Sample Ballot. I'm a Conservative Republican, now living in Escambia County, Florida. and there is lots on the ballot I know nothing about.

The President, Congress, House and Supreme Court were easy choices of straight Republican. There were six Florida amendments, two that I've seen TV ads for, with no idea how to vote on them.

So I called the Florida Republican headquarters in Tallahassee and their position was No on Three and Four, and Yes on the rest. Three is a Pot bill that I'm not sure of yet.

There were some local Judge positions to decide, so I called a County office holder and he said all three were Republican.

Which left just one non-partisan County vote, about a 1/2 cent tax to support local schools, and I'm undecided about that. Shelby says No and I'll probably go that way, unless my friend John who has two kids in the System, says Yes.

Now I can take my Sample Ballot in on Nov 5th, along with my new Florida Drivers License and Voter Registration Card, and make my Vote count.

I've had this blog shut down for nine days, the longest I've gone without a Post in more than twelve years. I don't know why, hell I don't know why I do anything lately, other than try to be a good man, despite myself.

When I code the ...'s it kills the blog completely and nothing is reachable. I really miss that because I rely on my two blogs to re-enforce my old faded memories.

And I love to write and share photos. So here's a shot of Zinny sunbathing in her new harness:

Here's an interesting local Jeep I saw recently

:

My yearly payment for hosting everything occurs tomorrow, so my blog is back!

Ok, as we approach the most critical U.S. Presidential election in our time, I need to state my position.

I've been through many elections and have always embraced my right to vote for who represents us as American people, and our position as the very best country in the World.

I don't know how I ended up a Conservative Republican, but I remember very clearly sitting in my transit supervisor van in a small park south of Seattle. I was waiting for my next incident to handle, when I heard Trump get interviewed by Shaun Hannity on the radio, for the first time.

I really liked what I heard, I voted for him, and cried real tears when I woke up in our Idaho home and realized he had won.

So now you know where I stand, big deal! I'm just an old guy with a blog, speaking my mind. But I now have a big fear.

I look around this country that I love, and see nothing but shit hitting the fan. Like the huge hurricane bearing down on Tampa to the South, where the Mayor is saying leave town or die.

But it's a beautiful morning here in Pensacola Florida to the North, with a clear blue sky and a slight breeze. We're going to dodge another one.

As I was out walking I passed a big three story brick church and I chatted with the old black guy sitting on the back steps. He said it's been through many hurricanes, and it looks really old.

It's where I would head if a monster like Milton was coming our way. I would even grab a bible and pray.

This is my third blog. I started blogging when Steph and I landed in Teton Valley, ID around 2010, and my host was a Mormon outfit out of Salt Lake City, that I can't even remember their name, or the blog name, because they shut me down for using the word Fuck one too many fucking times.

Then I found my current host Ionos and started a new blog called BusDriverJim. I posted 2,231 Posts there, all based on my life and adventures in Teton Valley with Steph. It looked great on a computer with thousands of photos, and comments.

When I moved to Tennessee after seven years of Idaho blogging, I realized it needed a phone format template, so I threw one on there. It lost a lot of photo connections, but it's still alive. Here's all of them.

Then I started OldManJim, currently at 2,410 Posts.

It's been quite a ride documenting most every day of the last fifteen years of my life.

The yearly payment to my web hosting provider Ionos bounced, because the charge was against my freshly canceled debit card.

My new one hasn't arrived yet, thus I don't have a new number, so I called them and talked to Mike.

He was great, and very appreciative of my fifteen year relationship with them. He set the next automatic withdraw to Oct 19th, which gives me tons of time to get them the new number.

Otherwise my two Blogs and a couple Apps would quickly die.

Speaking of dead, Dan picked me up this morning to work on my truck in his garage. We stopped by his very cool gun store and I got to try out a couple virtual simulations with two different handguns. Amazing stuff!

Then we spent the rest of the day tearing down the front end of my truck. We managed to not remove the radiator, and hopefully I didn't cause a leak by twisting what I thought was the drain plug.

The timing belt looks good, a couple of notches off, but it should still have compression, which it doesn't.

And the head gasket has not been checked...

Meanwhile, if Tampa goes into evac, we may have company. Amy is coming up for sure.

Shelby's man Dan came by this morning with Zinny, the Wiener dog. As we headed downtown to a popular breakfast spot, Dan told me that Zinny lived up to her breed while he's had her. Apparently every time she jumped in his lap, she hit his dick.

As we sat outside and ate, with Zinny on a lease, we were surrounded by beautiful Pensacola women, walking their dogs. Fortunately, Zinny had Dan under Wiener control.

Just kidding Shelbs, Dan's a great guy and your old Pops approves. I'm looking forward to visiting his gun store and I'll be taking apart the front end of my truck with him soon, to get access to the possible problem.

It's been nice to have Zinny back, but now she's just hanging out on Shelby's work chair, waiting for her to come back tonight.

After my downfall in Tennessee, we lived down in Tampa for a while, and I've met many of her friends there. It is now in the cross hairs of a new major hurricane and I suggested to her that we act as a refuge for them, if needed.

I haven't heard back from her yet...

...

This Post is for Shelby, who always worries about my diet when she travels. So here it is, so far.

I had Shredded Wheat with raspberries for breakfast at 0430, threw out the old carton of eggs and fried up three from the new one for brunch, followed by a big strawberry topped with Dark Chocolate Hummus for lunch. Chocolate Peanut Butter ice cream also slipped into the mix, a couple of times.

I miss Zinny, but since I don't have her I thought about some local travel before the hurricane hits, but I've cancelled my Debit Card. You can't be adventurous without a Card.

Zinny is home Sunday or Monday and my new Card arrives in a week or so. I can be cool here as long as the hummus and ice cream lasts.

If you had asked me eight years ago, at the age of seventy, where I would be now, I certainly couldn't have perceived this.

Hanging out with leftover physical remnants of former lives, inside my grand-daughters garage, with nothing left but memories.

I quit drinking on my 70th birthday and lasted for a year. My life with Steph at the time in a beautiful log home at the base of the Grand Tetons in Idaho was good, until we moved to Tennessee.

I quit smoking on my 50th birthday and have lasted a lifetime. I shook my son Riley's hand and agreed to stop if he never started. We achieved that agreement.

On my 30th birthday I had a threeway with my Japanese wife Marci and a pretty young girl from Iowa, in a motel somewhere in the midwest.

On my 10th birthday, I have no idea where my family and I were living, somewhere on the West Coast. But I was coming alive and looking forward to my twenty year cycles.

I found a great website today with a bunch of free tools, called TinyWow.

I used the Image background fade to recreate this shot of my favorite grandkids:

Then I rounded it with the Image round tool:

Dan checked all of the possible and fixable item's on my old truck engine and said it goes deeper. I'm grateful for the diagnostic work he's performed in his garage, but she needs a major overhaul from a mechanic and I can't afford another dime on her.

So, I don't know what's going to happen next, but I just put an order in to cancel the insurance in a couple weeks. This also means I have to go down and do something with the registration I worked so hard to obtain, because she can't go uninsured.

At least I have a roof over my head, until the next hurricane hits, and I have power, internet and water. As I watch what's happening to our neighbors up North, with no real help from our government, I am grateful, pissed off, and wish I had a drink.

Meanwhile Israel is fighting to destroy global terrorism and our incredible military is sitting on their hands unable to help because Joe is sleeping on the fucking beach and Kamala is out campaigning in California.

Now the dock workers strike! Our pathetic government could have evoked the Taft-Hartley Act and kept those Teamsters on the job, past the election. But they have not and our economy is going to be hurting real bad, shortly.

I suppose this is good for me since Shelby will be gone most of this month, and I won't be able to afford much at the grocery store, which means I have fewer bags to carry back to the house.