Happiness

Does it get any better?

Aboy, His best friend, and his dog.
Okay a boy, his Dog and his computer - let them fight over who's the best friend.

Can I have my cord back?

So about two hours ago this kid from the shack next to my office came by and asked to borrow an extension cord.

"Sure" I said, "just make sure to bring it back."

About 2 minutes after the cord went over, the music started - Ozzy. Now this is a kid that at most is ten years old - little innocent looking sk8tr who is always doing tricks on the stage we have next to the beach.

"I AM IRON MAN" is at about three times the legal sound level for about six minutes before it is accompanied by a caucauphony of bangs and cracks which, upon peeping out the front window, I realize is firecrackers.

For those not aquainted with the most wonderful thing about South Carolina I will expound. We have a strong tradition in this state of independence and self-reliance. We think that you ought to be able to buy whatever amount of explosive entertainment you feel you can handle and do with it as you will on your own property. Blow yer hand off - don't come crying to me.
EXCEPT within certain cities which have (for the sake of tourists) determined that noise is bad for business. North Myrtle Beach is one such city. So within city limits you are not allowed to set off fireworks. Nor are you allowed blast a stereo. But you can still ride a motorcycle without a helmet. Splatter yer brains all over the back of a Semi - Don't come crying to me.

Now about 22 minutes have passed since the bright green extension cord went out the office door to the shack next door. And it is suddenly quiet. Quiet enough to hear the distinct sound of the police radio.

I decide it is time to water the Hibiscus on the front porch. Is the plural hibiscii?

Sure 'nuff the blueman has about five kids there and is giving the old "keep it down" lecture when one decides that he is to tough to listen to this. It always happens so fast. Suddenly the kid was in back of the car and backup was on scene with the dog.

All the kids were eventually taken away and now my green cord is sitting there in the yard with a radio on the end of it. I guess I'll go get it and hope they don't bust me for contributing to the whole event.


Never loan your stuff.
I reserve the right to revise and extend my comments fo r the record

It doesn't say if she was blonde or not.

When he told his boss a remote starter caused a driverless car to strike his home, his boss replied, "No way."

Christine Djordjevic stepped outside Monday morning to discover her car -- which she said is "possessed" -- had driven itself across the street and crashed into the neighbor's home.

Djordjevic said she must have accidentally hit some buttons on her key chain and activated the car's remote starter. And since the car had been parked in reverse gear, it backed up and didn't stop until it crashed into her neighbor's home.

The accident, which occurred about 8:20 a.m. Monday on Governor Road, in South Haven, caused several thousand dollars to Djordjevic's car and neighbor Gregory Hajduk's house.

Djordjevic said police were skeptical of her story until they witnessed her remote starter activate, sending her car driving down the road. They chased it down and prevented it from hitting anything, she said.

Police reports confirm the vehicle "was checked and it was learned that the vehicle will start and drive when the remote start is activated."

Djordjevic, who got the 1995 Mercury Tracer Trio in January, said the remote starter already was installed. She said the device previously caused her car to jump over a curb at Wal-Mart while she was outside the car and her 11-year-old son was inside yelling, "Mom, where are we going?"

To prevent any further problems, Djordjevic said she is taking the remote starter activator off her key chain.

"I don't even know how the stupid thing works," she said.

"It usually does it by accident ... It should have never had a remote starter put on it."

Many remote starters are advertised as not for use on stick shift cars like Djordjevic's car. Larry McIntosh, manager of K&T Auto Creation in Hobart, said he doesn't put remote starters on stick shift cars because there is no guarantee the driver will leave the car in neutral.

McIntosh said a remote starter professionally installed in an automatic transmission vehicle will only start the car and let the heater warm the interior, and will not drive until the driver depresses the brake pedal and puts it in gear.

Hajduk, whose home sustained damage to the garage door and the surrounding structure, said people are generally surprised when he tells them how his home became damaged. When he told his boss a remote starter caused a driverless car to strike his home, his boss replied, "No way."

Djordjevic said people never have believed her when she tells them her car's unique abilities, but she points out that her first name is Christine, which also is the name of a possessed car in the 1983 horror flick "Christine."

Both Djordjevic and Hajduk said they're glad this story ended with nobody getting hurt.