So, how’s your water?

The building housing The Citizen newspaper in Ortonville has its own well. As such, it is checked four times a year by the county and once a year by the state for tadpoles, roe and other swimmy things. A lady named Jeanine with the county environmental department checks the checking.
She’s probably not allowed to loosen up or expect what are meant to be light comments. Like when we talked recently I said, ‘You and Dr. Cortez have something in common. Both of you are interested in my water.? I guess she didn’t know Dr. Cortez is my urologist.
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A survey last week concluded we citizens? opinion of the U. S. Congress has never been lower. We’re sick and tired of the bickering, the negativity, the accusations with or without foundation, lack of respect, dignity and kindness and just plain bitterness that prevails there. I know my memory is short, but hasn’t it always been that way?
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What’s your image of Detroit? What’s the image of Detroit in the mind of those who fly into Metro Airport and go into Detroit via I-94? Will that image be changed to, or made more positive when Detroit visitors after next fall go under a bridge being constructed over I-94 near Telegraph Road?
A lot of our taxpayer money, $12 million of it, is being spent with that single goal in mind. It must just plain thrill the people in Engadine to know some of their money is being spent on Detroit image building for an All-Star baseball game and football game.
We won’t even go to Detroit to fly out of, let alone fly into and drive east. But there it is, without a viewing window like St. Louis? arch, without Joe Louis? fist, without a peace sign or click-it or ticket sign. I’ll bet before the games begin someone will put a finger on it.
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So I hear this radio commercial for a John Deere tractor with cruise control. Since I own a John Deere tractor I know they are advertising a riding lawn mower-snow thrower-blade tractor.
Why in the world would anyone want cruise control on their tractor? With all the trees, shrubs, curbs, flowers, stones, etc. in a yard it would get as much use as cruise control on a car headed north Friday afternoon on a 2-lane highway.
Knowing you’d want to know the exact model of this accessory for the ridiculous, I called salesman Tom. He said, ‘Jim, I believe you have cruise control on your tractor.?
‘You mean that handle sticking out of the fender by my right arm??
‘Yes!?
I am man, therefore I do not have to read instruction books or listen to salesman-chatter while buying anything. The handle looked nice, the tractor did what I wanted, so why wonder about its purpose?
Just for the helluvit I put my tractor on cruise control, and just as I’ve reasoned, it’s a totally unnecessary and useless accessory because of all the obstacles I cited above.
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Still on the lawn-thing, I’ve used the grass and weed killer Round Up for a few years. Prior to this season the makers said, ‘Visible symptoms may require a week or more to appear, with burndown usually occurring in 2-4 weeks.?
The current Round Up: ‘Fast acting technology — results in 24 hours. Weeds yellow and wilt within 24 hours with complete kill in 1 to 2 weeks.?
My experience with pre-2005 Round Up was maybe allow 6 weeks for killing. My experience with 2005 fast acting is: For 24 hours it’s a fertilizer. After a week, continue mowing. After two weeks, take a vacation and assume when you get back what you wanted dead will be.
But the 2005 Round Up comes in a real handy dispenser.