THE OLD POTATO TRICK

     I was just reminded of this old trick the other day.
     When unscrewing an old exterior light bulb, the bulb busted and the light bulb socket was stuck in the fixture.
     To fix and unscrew light bulb socket--1) turn off the power
                                                              2) cut a potato in half
                                                              3)stick the potato in the light socket and unscrew.
    This trick usually works---if it doesn't get 2--needle nose pliers  and do your best.
    The potato worked on one light bulb, the needle nose pliers on the second.
    That's your tip of the day.

COMMUNICATING WITH THE DEAF

    

     I had an interesting experience in the Land of the Spiral Bridge at the downtown antique car show last Saturday.  I was selling aerial photos of Hastings when I deaf couple stopped to look at the pictures. 
     By their silent mouth movements, hand gestures, and a couple of smiles--I could tell they liked my pictures of Hastings.  The guy held up 4 fingers in one hand, and 1 finger in the other hand and pointed to the Hudson Manufacturing Company.  He somehow spoke a softly--"years."   I realized he had worked at the Hudson Building for 41 years. 
     Immediately, I grabbed a piece of paper and with a marker wrote down the message:  "I have a better picture of Hudson at home."   He nodded up and down understanding me.
     I wrote, "Where do you live?"  He wrote, "Hastings."
     His wife was at his side as I talked and she communicated with him in sign language.
     He liked the overview of Hastings picture and bought it.
     I wrote down on the piece of paper, "I will bring a better picture of Hudson over to you--What is your address?"
     He lived only a 1/2 mile away and then he wrote down his phone number.
     I thought O.K. but then I silently thought, "How do deaf people hear the phone?"
    The following day on a beautiful Sunday afternoon I dialed the phone number.  An operator answered.  She was the relay person.  I would talk and she would through the T.V. video and interpret my message.  I don't know if it was through sign language or text that she sent over the T.V. but his answer coming back through the relay person was to come over now and ring the door buzzer for a long time.
     I rang the buzzer for a long time and sure enough the apartment door  buzzed and it was unlocked.
     He loved the picture and bought the picture of Hudson Manufacturing on the Mississippi River in Hastings, MN.  We exchanged smiles and "thumbs up" signs to each other. He pointed to the wall where the picture would hang!  You learn something everyday and that was a good day!  The deaf couple were happy!  Their smiles showed me so!
 

HOUSEHOLD TIPS

      A CLEANER, FRESH-SMELLING WASHING MACHINE





     My fairly new washing machine started to get an odor.  It was one of those smells--like a touch of mildew or mold.  It's probably from not having a water softener and deposits forming in the machine.  I'm not sure but it was enough for my roommate to talk to our neighbor, Cystal.  She recommended to go buy a $3 box of BORAX, a white powder to clean the washing machine.   Each load of wash, I put in a 1/2 cup of the white powder, and within a couple weeks, with a half a box left--the washing machine has no odor.  It has a draft of a good smell.  That problem is solved.  Next to my washing machine is my water heater.

     On your water heater, a dial adjusts water temperature.  My dial reads A,B, and C.   I had my water heater set on B+.  The water temperature was 135 degrees F.   My friend Terry Gilbertson told me that without a water softener, minerals will build up starting at 122 degrees F to 125 degrees.  So, I have adjusted my water heater to that temperature.   On my water heater, I'm about on the A+ setting.  Hastings has very hard water, and I don't have a water softener.  From my experience, water heaters and furnaces last about the same amount of time; about 17 years.  Usually, its a good idea to replace them both at the same time if they are on that cycle.  Oh yes, to measure your water temperature, just get a thermometer that goes high enough over 140 degrees and run water onto the thermometer off the kitchen sink tap or the bathtub spout.

CLEANING YOUR EARS

     Instead of using cue-tips, my medical doctor recommended to use DEBROX, a $9 little bottle of drops.  It's simple to use; lay on the couch on your side (yes, you can watch TV at the same time) and squeeze the bottle drops into your ear.  Let sit for a couple minutes.  Grasp a towel for that ear, and switch ends on the couch and lube the other ear drum.  Afterwards take a shower and rinse ears with warm water. 

     I don't know if you ever have had ear trouble.  But, I did once with a build-up of wax--and my ear ache was a shooting pain.  I remember the Doctors and assistants used a mini-pressure washer to extract the ball of wax.  DEBROX is a simple way to remove a build-up of wax.  Repeat every few months as needed.

     My old remedy I learned in Chicago.  Whether it was right or not, I was told to pour a cap full of Hydrogen Peroxide into your ear.  This method is cheaper and you can really feel and hear the wax bubbling in your ear.  It is probably too inexpensive for the medical profession to recommend.  All I can say is read the labels for children's uses.

THE WAVE

     It was Memorial Day, a holiday to remember all the people that gave their life for freedom.  I decided to go for a run around the Land of the Spiral Bridge and breathe the fresh Mississippi air.  Hastings is a town of 20,000 people but it still has its small town rural nature.  On the bluffs of the Mississippi, well inside the city limits a large horse farm estate belonging to the owners of Smead Manufacturing operates.  As I plodded along in my slow jog, a half dozen families of bicylers were also at the crossways where the road meets the walking trail that heads down into the Mississippi valley.  I noticed about 60 yards away, an older man sitting in a lawn chair on the gravel drive-way in front of his horse barn door.  He was taking in the sunshine, which our spring had failed to deliver, he sat and I imagined he relaxed as he watched the world of Hastings adventurers enjoy the path outside of his horse farm. 
     I'm sure--I was the only one that noticed him as I strolled along. 
     At the moment, it occurred to me, that in the past which is still true in rural settings that it is common courstey when two souls crossed paths they greeted each other with a raising of the hand.  The Wave.  It is such a trait in larger surburbs and cities not even to greet a passeron by with a simple "Hello."   As I was brought up in a small town, "The Wave" was simply, a gesture of "Hello."  It was a simple sign of respect for the other person.
     So, I looked the distance of sixty yards and raised my arm and signaled a simple extended wave to the fellow sitting in the lawn chair.
     About five seconds later, the gentleman responded--he was too far away to see his facial expression, but suddenly, I saw his whole arm swing with one solid long wave.  I only can imagine he had a big grin attached to that "Wave." 
     Yes,  maybe it was Memorial Day that made us do this--but the old country rural tradition satisified my spirit of Freedom and his response made me smile!  It made me smile--all day!  In the Land of the Spiral Bridge--Him and I understood "The Wave!"  I was proud to be an American!  The old tradition continues.

     P.S.  If you are new to this little blog--I wrote a book titled, "THE FLAG SALUTES THE WIND."  It's on Amazon and available on Kindle.  Thank you, Dan McGinnis

SAVE THOSE OLD TOOTH BRUSHES

POLISHING SHOES

     My Dad taught me an old trick;  I'm not sure if he learned it in the Marines or in Chicago, but the mark of any well-dressed, gentleman is to wear a pair of polished shoes.  It is easy to use a damp rag (an old sock), shoe polish (the right color), and a shoe brush to get a polished shine.  However, a rag just won't get the dirty area in between the shoe sole and the leather.  My Dad uses an old tooth brush to brush in the polish.  After all these years, I have finally took his advice and it works very well.
     Toothbrushes are good for scrubbing many little areas, for instance, sink faucets, car parts and shoes just to mention a few.     



CHECK ENGINE LIGHT

CLEANING THE ENGINE



     My 1998 Jeep Cherokee has 160,000 miles on its engine.  My check engine light came on.  My gas mileage was down to 13 MPG  in the city and 18 MPG on the highway.  I used to get up to 22 MPG on the highway.  At $4 a gallon it all adds up.

     If I went to a service shop, I know a $200 bill was possible, so instead, I went to the new local NAPA store in Hastings and started asking questions.  I found their workers quite knowledgeable and they gave me some advice.

      First they gave me a gadget that diagnosed any problems.  I gave them my drivers license for collateral and they told me the gadget plugged in below the steering wheel.  They told me to write the codes down.  I had three codes that popped up.  Next, the Napa agent behind the desk googled the codes.  Yes, I knew about two of the three codes.  My fuel gauge doesn't work, and my two passenger windows also didn't work.  The third code that popped up were my two oxygen sensors located beneath the car on the muffler system.

      After researching the two sensors (newer cars have 4 oxygen sensors) they ran about $65 a piece.

      I don't have $135.  So I continued talking to the gentleman.  We talked about what the car oxygen sensors did.  He suggested to try and clean the MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR  which is located after the intake hose coming off the AIR CLEANER.  He recommended an $ 8 product which you spray on the sensor or spray into the AIR CLEANER HOSE when the car is running.  The product is CRC.  MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR CLEANER.  Yes, he warned me that spraying the product into the air line may kill the engine,  but just said, "Start the car, again, and spray it in there."

     A couple weeks earlier I was at the gas station and a 1998 Blue Jeep in mint condition pulled into the pumps.  The guy asked me how I liked my Jeep and so we talked.  Then he went to explain how he bought this product at MENARD'S, called MARVEL MYSTERY OIL.  Continuing, he told me how much better his Jeep was running.  It was an additive that you could put into the gas tank and add it into your oil as well. .  It was a cleaner.  It was used in World War II.  The product claims it cleans "The Engine from Inside Out."  This stranger told me that his valves and his fuel economy improved.  It cleans the fuel injectors too!  Which is another reason maybe I wasn't getting good fuel economy.   The cost is $ 4 a quart.

     I invested a total of $ 12.  I sprayed my MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR and added the MYSTERY OIL into my gas tank.

     It's been over a month now!  My engine light is off!  I 'm getting 22 MPG again!

     My brother, Shannon tried the MARVEL MYSTERY OIL and his engine light came off too!

     The pay-back for this purchase was to drive 300 miles.  Imagine if everyone increased their fuel economy from 18 MPG to 22 MPG.  I'm waiting for the electric car!!

FIXING THE GAS GRILL; SAVING A $100!

     Instead of  buying a new gas grill;  I went into my Ginnsgarage and found a tent pole and fixed my rusted-out-burner.  Instead of buying a new grill that costs from $100 to $1000, I used scrap to fix my grill.  After I drilled the holes in the tent pole, I had to buy some steel wire that costed $2.49.  The grill will make it through the summer.  It was kind of fun!  I like to test my mind with creative innovations.  Well, it works!

WHY I GO TO CHURCH

     It makes me happy!

My Re-Built Dryer costed me $120.

     This blogging is all new to me.  Today's story is about saving money.  Starving authors/bloggers with dreams must be frugal to survive in this economy.  Today, I'll write about how I saved money fixing my dryer.

     A couple weeks, my dryer broke.  The heating element was shutting off after only a few minutes.  So the first things you check is the dryer vent.  The build-up of lint is the reason for household fires and also is a common reason why a dryer won't heat.  Well, that wasn't my problem;  my dryer vents were clean.

     Instead of calling an appliance place to come out and fix it.  I turned off the gas, and cut the copper line.    I took the dryer to a good friend, a  Mom and Pop outfit in Hastings, MN called Judge Appliances.  I used to have a few beers with Tom Judge and he got his #1 service worker, Rookie on the project. 

     I could spend $400 for a new dryer, or re-build the old one.   Since, I brought the dryer in;  I skipped paying a $85 service charge.

     With-in a day, Rookie re-built the entire dryer and my bill was just over $100.  New belts; everything.

     So for $100 I have a new dryer.  I picked up the dryer with my Jeep and had my horse betting friend, Terry Gilbertson, a air conditoning/furnace/water heater/ guy who hooked up my gas line.  It was easy to pay Terry because we won $100 on the Preakness horse race.  Yes, we bet Schakelford.  It was $20 to hook up the gas line--I'm sure that was just for a new copper line.

     About 5 1/2 years-ago Terry hooked up my gas water heater.  That's another story--how to drain and how discourage the build-up of minerals in The Land of The Spiral Bridge's hard water.  Hastings has very hard water--a water softner is recommended.  If you don't have a water softner like me, and want keep the lime from building up; lower your water heater temperature to 120 degrees.  According to Terry--the higher the temp, the more the minerals will build-up.  The build-up of minerals begins at 122 degrees to 125 degrees Farhenheit.  From my past experience when I was a salesman for O'Connor Plumbing and Heating selling waterheaters/furnances/ and air conditioners,  I learned that a water heater lasts about 15-17 years.

     From the Land of the Spiral Bridge---we are just trying to save money!  I recommend Judges Appliances and Terry Gilbertson.

FOR OUR STARS AND STRIPES

      I was never in the military, but my Dad was a marine and raised us five kids with a boot camp mentality.  Now, at the age of 50 living with the heart of a 25-year-old, I'm starting to view my growing up as a great gift!  During my childhood years, I had dedicated parents that taught God's love, family love and patriotic love for our country.  It's not like we were told things like "I love you."  I never heard those words, but I was taught these words through my parents actions of love.  Oh, that list could go on and on, but today, I writing about love for our country--America.
     Since, I am training for the Grandma's Marathon (1/2 Marathon), I have been on a heavy workout schedule.  The other night I went out for a run--my usual route seemed boring--so randomly I changed courses and went with my instincts.  I had the same destination, but now was inventing a new route.  Two years ago, I wrote a book titled, "The Flag Salutes The Wind."  (It's on Amazon.)  I'm writing about "The Wind".   The "Wind" in my book means the Holy Spirit and also is our invisible hand.  The title means, "Freedom Respects the Holy Spirit/our invisible hand.  I used to travel on these instincts when I traveled from town to town.  Anyway, I'm in the Land of The Spiral Bridge, Hastings, Minnesota, which I have been quoted as saying, "It's the center of the Universe."
     As I'm running past J.F. Kennedy Elementary School, a janitor in his early 30's is taking down the American Flag.  I stopped and watched.  Memories of my childhood entered my mind.  Surfacing in my mind, were  flashbacks of our family's American Flag that waved off our wooden-like-telephone pole.  (There are funny stories about that pole too, but not today's blog.) At dusk, all the kids and horseshoe players stopped their activity in our yard as it was time for the McGinnis family to take down our American flag.  As a young boy, I watched older men put their hand over their heart's; as our Flag was lowered.  Two people were always present and we folded the flag in a triangle, tucking in the ends showing only the blue and the stars. Nobody continued the basketball or the horseshoe game until the Flag was folded.
     The janitor took the condescending American flag quickly and gathered it in a big ball as he walked towards the doorway.  The Flag either hit the ground, or came close---at that moment I yelled out,
     "You need some help folding that Flag"?  
     He looked puzzled; he then hesitated and said, "S--Sure."
     By his reaction, he didn't know about folding our Flag but had enough respect to want to learn.
     "If you don't know how, I'll teach you," I suggested.
     So we grabbed the ends, and we folded The American Flag in half, and then in half again.  We switched    ends, and I started with the triangle, then continued until we folded the Flag showing the Blue and its Stars.
     Of course, I explained to my pupil, "Damn, this little red stripe shouldn't be showing, and it should tuck in better, but this is how it is done." 
     I handed him the triangle Flag and he said, "Thanks."  Without instruction, he naturally carried The Flag with two hands. Like he knew the correct way to carry the Flag, and off he went.
    This short story is for all the men and women that have given their life to protect our life of Freedom.
    Thank you both live and departed souls for this Freedom.

     God Bless,
     Daniel R. McGinnis
     (1st Blog)