My buddy and former ad sales partner Wayne (on the right) and I check out a Classic Diesel Cat at company headquarters in Peoria, IL.

It was more than a few years ago that my good amigo and former print ad sales partner Wayne (on the right) and I checked out a Classic Diesel Cat at corporate HQ in Peoria, IL. Wayne might have sprung for the hats. Not sure we were encouraged to climb into the driver's seat, so we kinda "stealthed" this photo. Wayne and I are both out of the mag ad sales biz now; Wayne has gone on to fame as an oft-published mystery short story writer. I get to rescue old pics from the archives, post on the blog with as much of the real story as I can remember.

Nomi Brand co-founder Will encourages sampling of his fresh fruit and oat bars yesterday at Lund's.

No, this is not Will, nor Nomi, and the dear doe here at the birdfeeder would much rather chew on a Nomi Fresh Fruit and Oat bar than  cracked corn and black oil sunflower seeds. 

Here's company co-founder Will at the Lund's demo table. I sampled, then bought, a box of four Apple/Almond/Cinnamon bars (they are refrigerated, by the way, and unusually tasty).

Bars in wrappers look like this one on the right.  Bar in middle of being enjoyed looks like the one on the left.

Roving Reporter Nails the Poop Thing - Eat Right, Crap Right.

Connecticut correspondent for the Poppy Blog affirms importance of a healthy, balanced diet.  In one end and out the other, you might say.  Thanks for the reminder, and keep those bumper sticker opinions coming.

These things deliver lots of fibre, other nutrients.  Good for what ails you.

Gentle hands control the Kubota, bucket works within inches of our leaky well

Some of you may know that we sprung a leak in our well.  Only noticed it last week because of the standing water around the well head. Especially in near-zero temps, 1382 had a problem. We called for emergency “check valve” replacement, then conserved water like crazy until the backhoe equipment could arrive and get to work.

Pina and I were stunned by the soft hands of Kubota operator Steve. He put the bucket within inches of the well pipe, and gingerly extracted quite a few scoops of dirt.  Several hours after they started the guys had pulled the 30-year old well pipe (it had a big leak, could not be repaired) replaced it with a new one, then reconnected electric wires, refilled the hole with clods of dirt, and flipped the well switch and … voila!

Next step:  replace the water tank in the basement.  Steve diagnosed a puncture hole in the tank’s  “bladder,” which turned out to be in itself another reason for the leak.