Finally, its Newt's turn!!!

Okay, its 7:00 AM and I've got troubles already! My "low gasoline" light came on last night on my way home, but I postponed getting gas until this morning. So, here I am: I pulled into the gas station, picked "pay inside", got the premium hose, the pump said, "Push the Start button and commence filling" so I did and the damn pump shut off after 9 cents worth of gas. Hey, I'm a little late for work and don't have time for this sh*t! But nothing I do at the pump makes any difference, so I go inside and tell the guy behind the counter and so he gets on his coat and gloves and comes outside with me, tries it and it works! I felt SO stupid!!! I told him it must have been his gloves...

No new missions at lunch, so we pick up the tale after work...

I raced home, as it was a very cloudy day (with some snow) and I wanted a picture of the finished mailbox. I leapt out of the car, grabbed my camera and ran out the front door. Meanwhile, across the street, my gang banger friend came out of his townhouse. He called out to me and came across the street, carrying what seemed to be a human head.

But it turned out to be a Styrofoam wig holder (and before you think "what?" my first wife had one of those, along with a wig), so we did the usual "shake hands and half-hug" thingie (I learned it from Jake and his old Paint Booth gang, and it has served me well in my 'hood). I told him, "Damn, dude, I thought you had a human head there, man!" He laughed and said, "No, it's just my momma's wig." He said, "I noticed you moved your mailbox last night." I said, "Well, some guy hit my old mailbox the other night with his truck." He said, "Them cracker's gotta learn to slow down and do right!"

Then he said he had just had his first child, a baby daughter, last week. He told me the length and weight and everything, but all I could remember was her name, Alayala (not sure how they are spelling it, but that's how he said it). He said it's too cold right now (Michigan's going in the deep freeze today, for at least the foreseeable future) but he would bring her over to see me, weather-permitting. Then his momma came out, waved to me, got into their car and so they left.

I took three shots in the dim light (see photos) and went back inside. I downloaded them, posted them and started the Wednesday laundry (a day late). Jeremy called on his way home and we talked a while. Mostly about his job and his new responsibilities, but I did bring up Jyl, who seems to have commandeered my blog as a platform to espouse her Democratic Party theories. It's like I told him. If I had the time, I could easily find Republican quotes and sound bites that would contradict everything she wrote, but I don't have the time and this ain't really a political blog.

Now, at 6:45 PM, it's finally time for poor Newt. He went into a small glass bowl with water and a saucer for a top. I put him in the kitchen on top of the fridge so he could look around. I siphoned out the water, then took a spoon and removed all the stones that had algae on them. Those got pitched, but the other stones went into a stock pot and I boiled them to try and kill any remaining algae.

Then I started scrubbing the glass tank with salt and baking soda. I scrubbed and I scrubbed and never did get all of it off. Next I washed the fake plants and the filter. I replaced the charcoal bag in the filter and reassembled everything (including adding more stones). I filled it with water, started the filter up and when it all looked clear, put Newt back in. He swam around, investigating and seemed pleased.

It's too late to even think about making dinner, so I went with leftovers and watched some TV. But, I quickly got bored and just went to bed.