Aren't these some beautiful animals?

Jon Bunch and I were out driving around yesterday. As we were on Orange Ave heading west. Jon was telling me about some property he had a chance to get many years ago. So as were out that way, we saw these beautiful beasts in the field. We stopped the van, one of them started coming to the fence. So we stopped and got out and all four of them came over to us. I really wished I had something to give them. It looks like there is a feeding trough there for them. I guess they didn't come to say hello? 

They still are a beautiful animals. 

What do I do at Winn-Dixie?

Well for yesterday, I came in and I saw the water piles were low side. So I grab a couple of pallets of water and refill the them. 

It really is kinda of a fun job. I get to use my upper body, NOT my knees. That is what kills me the most. When I am stocking shelves on the bottom, I can get down and do it. But getting up is what hurts the most. I even lean on the shelving itself to get me back up. 

Now look and see how the pallets come in. They are all mixed up. What I am trying to say is. There are 14 A/B isles, which equals 28 isles and when they are not sorted to the isles. 

For last night a example. One pallet had paper items, mixed with pop. Plus mixed in can veggies. So what my job is, to sort everything by isles. (department) 

Look at these pallets here, all sorted out. 

Last night had 1400 cases to sort out. It took me most of the night. But at the end I look on and say, what  great work out!!!

These are the guys that face the isles during the night. That is what I hired to do at first. Hours for that shift is 4pm to 10pm. Then I got switched to stocking the shelves. Those were crazy hours, 4 am to 10am. Those put a hurting on me. I would go to bed at 8pm and get up at 3am. Be at work at 4am. Then work until the stock was up. Then most times come home and take a nap. 

That is where my knees really started to kill me. Like I said, getting down no problem. GETTING UP PROBLEM. Good thing the shelves are built pretty strong. 

Okay why is everyone standing around here. well last at 10 pm the manger got a call that the freezer in back is shutting down. That means, problem time. So we had to empty out the whole back freezer out and put in the meat locker in back.  

I know you can not read this. But it reads 51 degrees. Operating temp is 29 to 33. 

by God's grace we were still here and got everything out and put back in the meat locker.

Hey still was a great evening and I was ready for bed. 

Oh I got home and thought, I need to turn my clock forward? 

Which I did and it is SPRING now? 

I was helping out at Freddie's yesterday.

I noticed these flowers back here. Not sure what kind or anything about them. But they sure look like they are made out of silk. But I felt them and they are real. 

We had a chance to help out Roy's brother on finishing up the molding in different rooms. 

I kinda in enjoying working with these guys. They have been around the block many times and they have short cuts and other things I have not seen. I am still learning. which is a good thing. 

Praise Him as our day are going by fast. 

REMEMBER TO SPRING FORWARD TONIGHT?

Take that minute and look around and see beautiful flowers and things around you today, you never know what you might find? 

A couple of days ago, I learned something.

This gentlemen is Abel. As I work at Winn-Dixie, I am learning all kinds of neat things. 

I saw the baler was full. Thinking someone needs to empty it out? Well I asked Abel if he could show me how to do that? Sure he said's. Then he proceeded to show and explain what and why we do what needs to be done. It comes down to safety and common sense. 

Abel has been working there for about four months now. He pretty much does the same job as I do. Bring the cans and things forward to make the isles look full at the end of the night. They call that detailing the shelves. 

This gentlemen is Richardson. He is from Haiti. Really nice guy. he has been in the states for a little while now. We have had the chance to work together in the freezers. You know stocking the racks. He was telling me how cold a job this can be. Not sure but I think Barbara that does the pricing and labeling on the isles, got him a pair of gloves. It really help at first but he still was cold at the end of the night. 

This is what the bottom looks like afterwards. It is ready to be refilled.
Now I can put this on my resume. Maybe even get a promotion? 

Bring Glory To HIM, Jesus Christ

Remember about or so? I was telling you about my poor little truck was not feeling to good? Well as the week as been going by, I have been asking Him (Jesus) to provide a way so I can get her repaired or buy another truck? Well as I have been praying and asking. He works in his timing and His way. 

On Monday morning I went to look at my checking account to make sure I had enough funds in there to pay my bills. I looked and saw I got a check form Social Security. FOR HOW MUCH????

Okay there has to be a problem or something?  

Then that morning I got a call from Mark. Mark has a shop for auto repairs and even sells cars and trucks. He is the one that told me that he thinks it is a head gasket problem. So I asked him my options. Telling me to look for a new engine, or rebuild mine? So I asked him to keep a look out for a nice small truck, maybe even a Ford Ranger? He calls and told me that a 2003 Ford Ranger just came in for sale. Okay I looked on Craigs list, thinking how much will this cost me? 

It really is funny how the trucks I looked at were dark blue color. Then looking thinking, Lord I really don't want to spend that much for another truck. 

Oh another thing. I was on my way down to Social Security. I need to make sure this is my money. I don't want to spend it and then they say, hey we made a mistake? 

So I stopped by Mark's place and took a look at the Ranger. WOW, it really is in good shape. Now I know I will have to put around $1,500. into it to bring it up to looking great and running well. 

First it needs a wind shield ($200.) front ends needs some work ($800.) There are a coupe of paint problems. ($300.) Plus little things. Okay now Mark is telling me the guys wants $1750.00 for the truck. I started it up and it sounds great and ran pretty good, (tune up) I told Mark, okay let me think it over and I will let him know, Plus want to drive it too. 

I went to the Social Security office to see what is going on. The young lady there told me back in 2015. I worked that year and only made this amount. Well I knew I went over the $15,720. so I had them hold four checks of mine to make sure I didn't have to pay them back anything.Which they did and now I get a refund. Praise the Lord.  

So I left there and stopped at the bank. Thinking I will take out $1700.00 and offer Mark $1500. 

Go back to Marks and drove it around the block or so. Runs great. Now Mark was telling me about the guy that owns it. How they are friends. 

I told him I have $1500. cash and here it is. I handed it to Mark and told him to talk with his friend and lets see what happens. Plus I told him that he would be doing the work on it too. So he will still make a couple bucks plus too. 

Remember I was looking at these trucks on line and everything I saw was $3,000. and UP. 

This truck is in good shape and a little fitting up here and there, she will be in beautiful shape. 

Got back home and Mark gave me a call and told me we have a deal. Praise HIM. 

Today we will sit down and talk about what I would like done. 

Thinking my old truck is still up and running. So let him get everything repaired and painted and just make it beautiful again. 

Plus then I will put a for sale sign on mine and see how much I can make too. I thinking if I get $1,500.00. That would cover the cost on the new one. 

Who ever buys her I will tell of her problems and sell as is. 

I received this video from Sam, she lives in Nassau. Plus part of Adventure Learning Centre.

I watched this and it brought back many memories of my own life. I hope this tugs on your heart too. 

Thank you Sam, these show another side of our hearts. 

Sometimes there are real bargains out there.

You can spend $1.98 and get this small jar? 

Spend another $2.00 and get this? 

Awhile back I bought a jar of hot pickles. Saved the juice and now I have many more pickles and save money. 

I know you are thinking, man I need to get a life? 

As yesterday was Saturday, Roy and I took a ride down the a flea market in Stuart, Florida.

A couple of days before we went to the Restore, Habitat in Vero Beach. As we were walking in watching this truck drive out. The strap holding everything in doesn't look to strong? 

This was just one of the stores we stopped in. This place had everything anyone would want to hang in their homes to make it look like living in Florida, plus. It really had some beautiful things. 

My cousins, Jon and Debbie that live in the Clearwater, Largo area. They have a area set up in a flea market there and sells things like this. They also sell other stuff too. Prayerfully one of these days I will make it over there and see for myself all the neat things they have. But as for now I get to look at this store.  Plus I will send my cousins some of these pictures so they might get some more ideas. 

This flea market reminds of the one down in Sunrise. It is called The Sunrise Drive-in. That place has many more stalls and just a lot more stuff to buy down there. I have written about that place while I was living down there.

On the way back home we took the Hutchinson Island way. It sure is a beautiful way to travel. 

At the end of the day didn't buy anything, but breakfast. So it was a cheap day out. 

Another day at the Jetty in Fort Pierce.

This gentleman was painting and selling some of his work, down at the Jetty.

This guy caught a Moray eel. I remember watching them down at Atlantis on Paradise Island in Nassau, Bahamas. They sure look like they can do some damage on finger. I was kinda a neat to see how he caught him. If you look closely, see the hook was not in his mouth. It was like wrapped around it. So he was freed in a minute or two. 

Seeing all these boats in the same area. The only one catching fish was the red boat. They brought in ad least three large snooks. 

This is the same guy that catch the moray eel. But no bait. 

This a baby shark. He was so cute. 

Hey what a life coming down the Jetty, fishing or just walking around. It really is a beautiful way to enjoy life.  

My poor little truck is not feeling well.

When I bought my Ranger back in 2014 (June). I was out shopping, seems like three weeks, to find my baby. I found her in Davie, Fl. It cost a little more than I wanted to spend.($3600.00+) But she is a small little work truck. Just what I need. On my way back from the dealer, I noticed she was running on the hot side. So I open up the radiator cap and saw all kinds of junk floating around on top. Thinking she only needed to be flushed out.Taking her to Transmission place. I asked if the guy could check it over. Wanted to make sure the transmission is okay too. He looked it over and said. It looks good to him. Plus I had him flush the radiator out too. He came up to me and said, he has done it three times and junk is still coming out. Thinking it will be okay now? 

Well since I have owned her, she has been heating up on and off for over 2 and half years now. I flushed her out ad least twenty (20) times myself. 

Now back about a year or so. I did a tune up. You know, sparks plugs and wire. It ran great for about a couple of months. Then it started acting up again. It had a miss. I took it to another friend down in Margate, Fl. He put it on a machine and found out #1 spark plug was not firing correctly. So I putted the plug and notice it was cracked. Oh well I must have cracked it putting it in? 

Okay I more up here in July of last year. Did another tune up. #1 is cracked again. Replaced the plug and wires. Okay after about a month I noticed it was miss firing again. I pulled the #1 plug and you can see it is cracked again. Plus looks a little fried too. 

I went over to see a mechanic down the road here, Mark. I showed him the plug. He asked me a couple other questions and I thought maybe a blown head gasket? He told me you are correct. Okay Lord this is our truck. Mark said it would cost around $1500.00 plus. To do a head gasket and valve job. Which is very smart move while the heads are off. 

Lord what do I do now??????

I drive over to the Advance Auto and talk with a guy there. He was saying he sell this and never heard a complaint. So I went on line and did a lot of searching and watching videos. You know Youtube. 

A lot of folks talked about how good this stuff is below.

Okay I went on Amazon and found it for $24.99. Thinking all the auto stores sell it for $34. UP. Why not give it a shot? 

I took the upper radiator hose off and drained the anti freeze down a little ways. Poured the Fiber Lock down into the block. Thinking this way it was go into the engine right off the bat. 

I ran it as the video told me to. 15 minutes and see how the level in the radiator is? It was low. Filled it up. Drove about 15 miles and the temp got really hot now. I stopped the truck and shut it off and let it cool down. Refilled the radiator up. Drove home. Running really hot again. I flushed everything out and refilled it with the remainer of the Fiber Lock. They told me to only use half of the bottle at first. Then if it didn't help any. Put the rest in and see what happens. 

Nothing good is happening. I drove it another 15 mile and it over heated again. Not good at all. I flushed the system out three times. Roy and I drove over to Mark's place. I told him what I tried to do. He asked it I would like to buy something he has on his lot? He has a large Chevy truck for $3000.00. Not really something I would like. He told me that he has a Ford Ranger coming in next week for sale. He told me he would call me when it came in. Plus he was saying maybe look for a new engine? I went on line. 

Both Advance and Auto Zone are around the same price. 

Rebuilt kit is the way to go. But I need to have someone to do the job. I can not do it in here in the park. Hey my Lord is BIG and He has something planned out for me? Just have to wait on Him and see. Plus I have out a couple phone calls, to see if anyone I know could do the job cheaper? 

Praise HIM,