Pure Earth D

What's not to like about this product?  If you have a problem with putting poison chemicals on your pets, this is the answer.

Maintenance And Art

This week I have been taking advantage of my present situation and doing maintenance on my Chevy S-10 this month.  My friend Tom has a home body shop where I have a spot set up to do my jewelry and knife making projects until I can move back to Columbus.  He fixed my back bumper last week and I helped him stack firewood in exchange.  Yesterday we winterized my engine.  I had forgotten that I only had 50/50% antifreeze in my radiator, and had been driving around since June low on oil.  Yesterday, I learned that I have one of "the good engines" which means 6 cylinder as opposed to 4 cylinder in mechanic speak.  I marvel at the products that are available in the body shop and  would be remiss if I didn't take this opportunity to explore turning my truck into an art car (truck).  Tom hasn't ever heard of an art car or seen one, but has always supported my artistic endeavors (no matter how weird).  It wouldn't be too hard to convince him to let me work on that project (one panel at a time) while I share this space.  Who knows, the good and plenty mobile may make it to the Doo Dah parade by July 4th 2012!  I am not completely sold on the good and plenty theme, rather I've been influenced by the present colors of my truck.  There is no way around using my truck while I decorate it. Barbara Nicolazzo (a follower of this blog) in Florida would be a good source of information about the process.  I met art car Barbara a few years ago when she came to Columbus for The Hot Times Festival.  She won two trophies that year for her art car, and Barbara believes I should make an art car out of my truck.  I certainly have kicked the idea around in my head since then, but had no real opportunity to actually start the project.  First things first though.  I need to replace a broken sway bar, one tire, and most of my exhaust system.  Somewhere in there a tune up, oil change, and flushing the radiator out is in order as well.  This truck has served me well, even when I had no money for maintenance (80% of my income going into my rental situation) this year.  I am grateful for my little truck and going to take pleasure in bringing it back up to snuff in the coming months.  I am so looking forward to 2012, finishing old projects, starting new ones, visiting old friends, and hopefully making new friends along the way.  An art truck may be just the catalyst for such undertakings.

Almost Done

I am almost finished making my Christmas gifts for 2011.  I am out of saw blades and have to wait for my Social Security check to purchase more materials.  I can now turn my attention to Valentines Day 2012.  Last year I gave Lori a sterling silver and copper feather for Valentines Day and her birthday.  I still read the email exchange from time to time and wonder how in the world my getting permission to drop off these with a card could anyhow be construed into a civil protection order.  I also wonder if she has told anyone about this email exchange as the folks that have attacked me don't seem to know about it.  Had there been a hearing on the matter, I most certainly would have been able to present the evidence that I had permission to put those presents on her porch.  I left cat brushes and treats.  I left the soaker hose I borrowed.  I left the broom that belonged to Lori's dad that was nearly stolen by Nesley's workmen.  I gave her back the fence I would not be needing as I was moving.  I left the zerox printer that previously belonged to Norka.  I wrote her letters as to what I would be trying to drop off in the future and thanking her for the use of the items.  I always called and left a message the day I would be dropping things off.  I made sure she would be at work during those times as I did not want to upset her.  It isn't any wonder that the civil protection order was dropped without prejudice as it had no basis in reality.  These other unfortunate individuals that Lori has taken up with are unethical and would not think twice about twisting my good intentions into something that would be interpreted as stalking, or destruction of property etc.  I heard that Nesley dumped my jewelry chemicals down the drain and then claimed I ruined her plumbing.  That is the sort of person Nesley is but that is not the sort of person Lori is.  I can only imagine that one of these days Lori won't have anything to do with Nesley.  Nesley is like gum on my shoe, and the sooner I get it off the easier it will be to get on down the road.  I have a month to prepare for trial.  Nesley and her unethical attorney don't have any concrete evidence and can only fabricate lies that I anticipated.  They only know one trick which is to twist the truth into a lie.  I will be anticipating each and every lie and trick as I have since April.  Her only way out of the trap of her own making is to drop the case.  Of course that may not be possible as I have filed a counter suit to recover the damages to my property.  The table could very easily be turned and she could be the defendant in Common Pleas Court if the judge kicks it up into a higher court.  In the meantime their warped little plan didn't work and I am free to continue on my projects.  I am almost done as my sister would say.

My Cauldron

I am going to sand blast my Great Grandmothers Cauldron this month while I am sharing space at my friend's body shop.  Out of all my antiques this cauldron is my favorite.  I was fortunate to be able to use it last year on February 2nd for a small yule fire.  Candlemass (Imbolic) is the next holiday on the witches calendar.  I am pleased to be safe, warm, and dry this year.  I moved my antiques to my sisters house in late September long before the eviction process.  I had told my landlord in May that she would need to evict me.  This was a process that had to happen in order for me to have any hope of recovering the money for my damaged property.  Last winter we had a lot of rain.  My tools and equipment deteriorated for a year in that damp environment.  Had I just picked up and moved in June (the advise of legal aid), I would have had to just take the loss.  And while eviction is a nasty experience, it isn't as bad as helplessly standing by while my workshop was rusting away.  Columbus legal aid was not interested in looking at the deeper issues underlying the unpaid water bill from 2009.  I moved in in September 2010 and tried to get the water bill in my name.  Of course my landlord did not return my calls.  The water bill was in my landlords deceased mothers name, resulting in her not having to pay it.  She would have had to pay off the balance to change title.  I was told that it is common practice for landlords to use the water shut off tactic in order to avoid the expense of filing for eviction.  I was forced to pay this bill, or go without water.  I could not imagine living without water so I reluctantly paid it.  I also paid the water bill two days before my eviction notice, but was able to stop payment on that bill, leaving the balance of $182 for the landlord or unsuspecting new tenant to pay.  It was only fair since I had paid her bill.  This will probably result in the new tenant getting a water shut off notice soon, and have to come up with $200 in addition to sky high gas and electric bills.  Cosmetically the house on Paul Drive was super nice.  In reality though, it cost 80% of my income to live there.  I lived frugally, and in fear that my studio would be destroyed by water.  Last April I was approved for a full weatherization grant.  Of course my landlord did not respond to my communications about that, and instead wrote me an email telling me my lease would not be renewed.  The grant would have replaced the furnace which was operating at 60% efficiency according to my her own workman.  It would have replaced the aging water heater which was corroding in the damp basement.  It would have covered the cost of blowing insulation into the walls and plugged up the holes around the door frames and windows.  A few days ago I got a letter from the weatherization program that I will take to court with me in February as it is illegal to deny a tenant weatherization services.  The front door fell off in January and was not repaired till April, so I paid a lot of money heating the great outdoors last winter while my greedy landlord was only too happy to come collect rent!  My landlord works for H&R Block and is too busy to take care of her properties from February through April.  But this year she will have to make time for a pretrial and trial during the heart of tax season!  And who knows, the new tenant may be experiencing problems with the arrangement by now and may back out of the land contract agreement.  I am happy to take my cauldron elsewhere and I know my former landlord will probably get what is coming to her sooner or later...possibly as soon as February. 

Come Up And See Me Sometime

I have been very busy through the holidays making my Christmas Feathers.  It is something I do every year right up through Christmas Eve.  On December 17th (8 days before Christmas), I got a series of threatening emails from my 17th follower (no longer a follower) Dee Ames.  Dee refuses to accept the fact that I have every right to pursue the matter of the unpaid phone bill through the legal system, and has vowed to "find you" me (giving me my temporary address in the message).  Even though I really didn't have time for it, I contacted Dee's former employers, City Attorney, County Prosecutor, Police Sargent, etc. just so that I could be sure that my sister and I will be safe from Dee's threats through the holidays.  Hopefully somebody made a phone call to her and warned her that she could be prosecuted for her veiled ( and not so veiled) threats.  Each of them encouraged me to file formal charges which would have involved at least 2 trips to Columbus during my busiest time of the year.

Should Dee decide to "find you" (me), she will undoubtedly encounter very harsh road conditions, dead zone cell service, and wacko GPS systems.  The road to and from here is very unfriendly to the unsuspecting traveler.  When someone comes to visit us we have to go fetch them from wherever they can describe being lost!  This shot was taken at about 3:30 in the afternoon on a day that the fog never lifted.  It is a pity that the evil ones would think they can intimidate me, and laughable that they would threaten to come out here and cause trouble.  We are pretty remote and have to constantly be servicing our vehicles just to go about our daily business.  It would be costly in many ways for Dee Ames to come out here.  She might have to get a realignment, new tires, and possibly exhaust just to what...stick her nose in something that isn't any of her business?

Merry Christmas From The Family

This YouTube is from Robert Earl Keene.  It is my absolute favorite Christmas song!  I confess I miss WCBE this season as we don't get WCBE out here in Frazeyland!  WCBE plays this song every year before Christmas.  Perhaps on my trip to Columbus today I will treat myself to the station and get my fix of Christmas humor.

Syd And My Christmas/Solstice Greeting

I have received some very nice Christmas cards this year.  I confess that I have no means of returning them EXCEPT that I take pictures of THINGS and BEINGS if I am quick enough to see them, or capture them.  My Christmas/Solstice card this year is a shot of Syd, my cat trying to break out of our room (Break On Through To The Other Side) through the window pane.  I hope you enjoy.  Thank you for your sentiments and well wishing.  Thank you for the time you took to address the envelope, adhere the stamp...and send us the message. I thank you for the good wishes you send us.  We are both celebrating the holidays in gratitude for the roof over our head and sanctuary!.  As Mrs. Gray would say "we are tunneling out".

Fringe Benefits

There are many pluses to having my temporary workspace at my friends body shop.  I am thrilled that I get to observe larger metalwork in progress.  Last weekend my friend Tom straitened out my back bumper with his bumper bar that works on the fulcrum process.  Now I can hook up a trailer, cart, boat, or small U-Haul to my little truck and get even more versatility.  I plan on doing some camping in the spring, so having the capacity to pull my gear behind me will allow me to add a mattress to my truck bed as I am finding that the older I get the less I can handle sleeping on the ground.  I helped my friend stack firewood the day he gifted me with his skills and knowledge of metal manipulation.  I marvel at the similarity of my small tools for jewelry making and his larger tools for body work!

Mediation

My "mediation" about the damage to my property is at 9:AM today.  It (the hearing (mediation)) is really about the $3000 plus she, (my landlord) is charging me for "damages" to her property...  I will go, as I have lost vital tools this year as a result of a false promise of a dry basement from my landlord Nesley Thomas 2108 Paul Drive Columbus Ohio 43211...  I can not recover my money (my damages) except through a counter suit...so I really do have to go to this.  They have already turned the matter over to collections.....before trial!  I am not sure what exactly I am mediating!  I will use the opportunity while in Columbus to do other things and see other people.  I don't guess Nesley and her (coughs) attorney wanted this....as they wanted to prematurely turn this into collections before trial....before I could show the court the damage she has done to my tools equipment etc.  Now I must expose their fraud prior to official trial!  Hey....if you are in the area and are bored....you should drop in on  the "mediation" tomorrow where Concha gets gang banged by the system...because she cant afford an unethical attorney!  Do I sound cynical?  So sorry....we all know that the system will protect the underdogs, the handycapped and thedowntrodden....Oh....why do ya suppose they call them down trodden and who does the trodden?  Do ya know what I mean?

post script:  I attended the mediation this morning via telephone.  It was as I suspected an attempt to examine my evidence prior to trial by the plaintiff and her attorney.  As also expected nothing got settled.  It is very likely that this matter will go to trial.  The only way it wouldn't go to trial would be if Nesley would decide to drop the case.

Cyber Crimes And Criminals

We can all breathe easy now.  Dee (17th Follower that is now unfollowing) is now working for the cyber crimes unit for the BCI.  Dee is a legend... in her own mind.  Dee was briefly the 17th follower to this blog and graced me with 22 spam comments to moderate that had nothing to do with the topic of course.  She has two police reports on her abusive comments, emails, and threats, and I have graciously given her one more chance.  Obviously she is just testing the BCI's system for them...troubleshooting LOL!  I was absolutely right on spot to not let that woman into our home to smoke pot with us a few years ago.  Sometimes it takes a while to find out the good judgement calls from our inner guide.  I put up with all sorts of crap just so Lori could get a buzz back in the day.  Lori gets headaches if she doesn't smoke.  I had to put up with old girlfriends just getting out from prison...in between robberies.  Former fellow employees that beat their kid, wife, and pit bull right in front of us while we were waiting for our little bag of smoke.  Drunk girlfriends who didn't know what weighed more a pound of gold or a pound of feathers so could not for the life of them add up the amount we owed for our precious purchase LOL!  But I held firm and resolute that I would not stoop so low to smoke dope with a cop...no how no way!  And for some reason Dee is having trouble understanding that this is my personal web log and online journal.  She doesn't have to read it if she doesn't want to!  Two months ago Dee boasted that I was going to get a TPO charge and she had two cops and a lawyer on her pay role.  Now she is armed with my social security number that I freely gave Lori last Monday in court.  I figure I am in for some bizarro cyber ride.  Identity Theft here I come!    

Black Cat Auditions

My sister found this photo of black cat auditions for an Edgar Allen Poe story called The Black Cat that was made into a movie.  Here is the link to the wonderful website where there are even more photos and even the story with pictures.  Enjoy dear readers.  I will be traveling to Columbus this week to attend a mediation session and hopefully do some drumming with The Columbus Womens Drum Chorus.  I am making 3 pair of ear rings and playing Santa's Elf probably right up till the night before Christmas.  "It is a wonderful life" and 2012 is gonna be a great year!

Seventeen

We have a new follower to Concha's Cauldron folks.  Retired officer Dee Ames has joined us this week making my following 17.  Welcome Dee.  I suggest you click on some of my genealogical links if you are interested in my family and upbringing.  My grandmother made me the family genealogist before she died.  I have lovingly posted all the charts and continued finding my ancestors through the internet and local graveyards.  The links are broken down into charts and some of our family history is rich with details.  The links to the right are blogs I follow, links to my fiction and short stories which I published early this year and even got paid for writing them!  At the very bottom is a slide show of some of my pottery.  And of course there is the blog index that goes all the way back to 2007 when I decided to begin keeping a daily journal of my present thoughts and reflections on the past.  Each link on here is personal to my interests and perhaps you will want to visit those links too.  I want to welcome you to our little group and encourage you to keep an open mind.  Stay as long as you like, encourage others to join if you wish. 

post script:  Dee has opted to un join my official followers and has probably joined the ranks of my shadow following.  It could be that she got a call from the desk Sargent of The Columbus Police Department as this is her second warning to stop harassing me.  I published one of Dee's comments yesterday on Paperless Billing and answered her accusations.  She has a problem with me taking Lori to court for the unpaid phone bill.  Lori has obviously given Dee my social security number from the credit reports I shared with her last Monday.  Dee used that information to obtain my court records and I feared that she would try to do some identity theft as she is bent on harming me any way she can.  I told the Sargent that I knew that Dee's police issued revolver was used to shoot at least two women in Dee's past and that she has told me she will find me and even tried to publish my address.  This morning she tried to comment again under a new username but I won't publish any more of her comments as she is not really trying to contribute to solutions and may very well be creating more problems.    

Paperless Billing

I am having an Andy Rooney Moment this morning!  Something as simple as car insurance should not be as difficult as my current insurance company is making it.  I shopped around for my car insurance, switched companies 5 times in a year because of the billing problems.  Most companies are now charging more to those of us who send in money orders.  But I have also found that some companies bill customers for using a debit card to pay the bill.  So on one hand I am penalized for using paper, and on the other hand I am charged a fee for using plastic.  My recent insurance company sends me so much mail that I have had to get an overstuffed file to put the unread mail in as well as a file for the opened car insurance mail.  Each envelope says "Important Insurance Information Enclosed: Please Open Immediately.  Most of the time it is not important at all, but redundant information that I already have!  Now I ask you dearest reader, why should I go to paperless billing and then have so much paper to deal with on a weekly basis?  Isn't the whole point of going paperless to save the forest's?  I confess I miss the old curmudgeon Andy Rooney.  I think of him every time I get more junk mail, and supposedly important insurance information.  I know what he would say, and I know he wouldn't disappoint me.  I feel a kindred bond with him, and know he is out there somewhere in the cosmos frowning and shaking his head.  This photo of Andy is from a website called Mentalfloss.  The author speaks of his inner Andy Rooney which I am sure Andy would think that to be funny.

Nail In The Coffin

Lori lied to the court clerk yesterday.  We were not under oath at the time, so seemingly there was no harm done.  The woman asked us twice if we had tried to work this out among ourselves.  It was a reasonable question that will probably come up again.  I had the opportunity to say yes...I tried to work this out through the courts mediation program and Lori declined to come to the mediation session.  If need be I can prove that we had a mediation appointment scheduled prior to our hearing yesterday.  Her lie though was that the phone company wouldn't give her the information or work with her to resolve this which is a partial truth that I was not expecting.  Fortunately, I had obtained copies through the collection agency; the phone bills in question as well as two credit reports and could produce those.  I know they sent them to Lori's address because that address was on the bills.  I can't prove what Lori did with the phone bills or the collections letters.  A judge could subpoena that documentation from the phone company even though customers can not.  That won't stop and inquiring Judge from asking her though.  I can prove that Lori was responsible for the bill as she paid with her Fifth 3rd debit card.  I never once paid that phone bill and did not have a bank account.  I can prove it was her email attached to the phone bills not mine.  I can prove that this debt ended up on my credit report.  I can also prove that I had new phone service at my new address when this matter got turned over to collections November 2010.  I can prove that Lori didn't pay the bill from June through November and I moved in August.  I have documentation proving that I have always had lifeline service which is a discount offered to handicap and low income people.  It won't be that hard to convince a Judge that I put the bill in my name to cut the cost to her.

  This matter is slated for trial on February 7th.  It will be different next round as it won't be as easy convincing a Judge that she didn't know about either the phone bill or the collections letters.  I suppose she could blame the post office.  It won't matter in the long run as it was her bill and her responsibility and she knows about it now!  Had Lori opted for going to the mediation then I would have offered that all she needed to do was let the 3 credit reporting agencies know that even though the phone bill was put into my name it was her responsibility to pay it.  That would have cost her nothing and we could have avoided going to trial.  I could see that Lori was uncomfortable lying to the clerk.  It will be much harder for her to lie to an actual Judge in February.  She still has time to do the right thing and come clean about all this before trial.  That would be the Lori that knew and  fell in love with 8 plus years ago.

  I am relieved that I can now concentrate on my holiday projects and begin writing my summery for Nesley's small claim that will be coming up soon.  The above print is appropriately called Nail In The Coffin by Rob Dobi.

Santa's Elf Work

I spent part of the weekend in the workshop finishing up some more feathers.  I met two fellows that want to buy feathers and trade for some body work on my truck.  I will be in Columbus today at The Municipal Court to try to recover the money and ruling for Lori's phone bill from 2010.  On my way home I am going to try to finish up my projects on the bench.

Gay Relationships

Gay people in Ohio are not given a fair shake in my opinion.  In Ohio we can not legally marry for instance.  Had Lori and I been able to officially declare our relationship then legally the unpaid phone bill from 2010 would have ended up on both our credit reports and I wouldn't have to take the matter to court.  Intentionally damaging a persons credit report is a form of domestic violence.  I go to court on Monday to try to recover this money, but I want my readership to know that I was willing to mediate last month and offer that she write a letter stating that this phone bill was in fact her responsibility even though we did not put that agreement in writing.  I am not going to enjoy having to ask a magistrate to make Lori keep her word.  I also know that Ohio law is clear about putting such agreements in writing.  Can you imagine how awkward it would be when moving in together in a new relationship to demand that a verbal promise be put in writing?  It would certainly ruin the atmosphere of love and trust.  Please understand that I tried everything to convince her to keep her word and I have had to endure the verbal abuse of one of her X's that believes I should just pay the bill.  Of course this woman boasted that she was going to hire a lawyer for Lori and send police officers to my house to rough me up.  She also made fun of my handicap without considering that a $156 credit debt is out of reach for me.  My phone bills are $8.10 a month and I always pay my bills.  How in the world would I ever be able to pay it?  This is the sort of abuse that will be on my credit report for 7 years unless I can convince a judge that the verbal promise is to be honored.  I plan on taking the X girlfriends abusive emails next Monday as they clearly indicate that I should just pay it even though it was Lori's responsibility.  Maybe I will be lucky and this unfortunate individual will come with Lori to court and I can introduce her as a hostile witness and inter the emails into evidence.  I plan on sending these to the credit reporting agency anyway as Lori had the telephone # before I moved in and continues to have the telephone # to this very day.  Her email address is clearly on the phone bills and she paid with her bank card each time.  Lori had confided in me prior to me moving in that her X's robbed her and cheated on her.  She was a victim.  She is not a victim this time around.  She did this deliberately when I was moving out.  She deliberately kept the information from me and did not forward the statements or the collections letters.  She involved an individual that has a very abusive history to intimidate me.  This individual who is a retired police officer has threatened me and I had to file a police report in order to get her to stop.  I don't know what it will take for people to understand that I won't be threatened or intimidated into changing my behavior or plan of action.  If anything I am even more resolute.  I don't let people just shit on me and then walk away from it.  I love women and am saddened that this relationship ended as it has.  I was always faithful and true to Lori and she can not say the same.  She isn't the victim this time.  She has graduated to the level of her X's who were bank robber's, thieves, and now a corrupt retired cop.

What Women Want

What Women Want Book!  I bet it is not "The Complete" What Women Want Book!

Syd's Linage

Syd is 7 plus years old May 16th.  My sister has his two parents Token and Jack.  Here the two lovebirds are in repose on Taren's guitar case.  I have no idea how old they are.  Syd doesn't venture out of the bedroom much at all as he is confronted by my sisters other cats.  He did come out this morning for a few minutes...long enough to find out that there are 5 other cats that share the house with him.  I am giving him and them all the time they need to adjust until I find the perfect home for Syd and me.  I marvel at how similar Syd is to his parent cats!

From Scratch

I made spaghetti and meatballs yesterday afternoon when I came home from my workspace.  It smelled so good when it was cooking that it was hard to wait until it was fully cooked.  I made my meatballs from scratch just like dad used to do.  He would start with top shelf ground beef, add an egg, some Italian dressing, spices and some salt and pepper.  Sometimes he used oats as a filler or crackers.  Mom made the sauce (Ragu, tomato paste, and mushrooms) as he mixed up the meatballs in a large bowl.  They were quite a team and the memory of them is still strong in my mind.  I conjure them when I make spaghetti!

  I used bread crumbs instead of oats that my sister had on hand for filler and followed dads process almost exactly.  I plopped them individually into the sauce that was already cooking as I rolled each one into medium sized balls.  I like to have meatball subs with the leftovers and it is easier to eat with medium sized meatballs as the large ones have a tendency to roll right out of the sub bun.  The only thing I didn't find to add was a bay leaf.  Mom always cooked her meatballs with a bay leaf!  I haven't made anything from scratch in a very long time.  I haven't made homemade spaghetti and meatballs for about 9 years as my X always fried the meat and added it to the sauce instead.  I will grant you it was quicker that way...but there is nothing like the smell of a pot of meatballs simmering for hours on the stove on a Sunday afternoon.  My sister made us a salad and I had brought some Italian sub buns home from the store.  It just doesn't get any better than that!  One of my favorite Columbus restaurants is Spaghetti Warehouse, but I don't ever get spaghetti there.  I always order something I can't make like Veal Parmesan or their famous Lasagne.  I know that if I ordered spaghetti and meatballs that it wouldn't be as good as mom and dads combined efforts.  I have to wonder if my other siblings make it for their families and if they follow mom and dads method.  I look forward to asking my sister for some of the old recipes that she may have here from our parents.  Nothing says home like a simmering pot of spaghetti on the stove made from scratch.  As I recall, it is even better on the second day.

Parts Is Parts

I have run into a snag.  I am missing the two vital wrenches for my Foredom handpiece that also attaches to my drill press.  It is possible that my friend Tom Parry can make me a set.  They cost $3.50 and $7.00 to ship.  I need them "yesterday" though and so it might just be quicker to make them as I am waiting for UPS to deliver them.

Concert Tonight

The Columbus Women's Drum Chorus is performing tonight at 7pm along with Douglas Blue Feather and other Columbus performers at The Spiritualist Temple.

Favorite Places Favorite Things

I am traveling to Columbus today to pay for my storage unit and get things out for my workshop.  Columbus is one of my favorite places.  I will visit my old haunts and get some food they don't have around here.  I will visit the library and Uncle Sam's Pawn Shop.  I have commissions for 3 feathers so far and I need to get cracking!  Things will go alot smoother after I get my Foredom hand piece and drill press.  Thankfully I was able to get these tools out of harms way and can repair the water damage to them.  The Foredom set is the "Cadillac" of dremel tools (dental tool) and I have been having to improvise without it.  I don't mind improv mind you,  I just miss having the perfect tool for the job.  I will be able to finish all my feathers much quicker and efficiently because of this short trip today.