This is Neil.

I am behind in blogging. I have two funny stories to relay. They are a bit out of date, but still worth sharing.


One I alluded to on Facebook recently. My grandpa, Grandpa Neil.

Is. A. Character.

This is the grandpa who was the former Prison Guard, Pump-Guy, Miner, Driller, Dump Truck Excavator, fisher, dancer and joke teller extraordinaire. He once got hit by a train in his Dump Truck and kicked the windsheild out to rolled to freedom. (Even though he knew the diesel fuel wasn't going to explode). That was a weird day coming home from school. "Lindsey, your Grandpa has been hit by a train, but he's ok." He's had his share of ups and downs in life and when he's down he's DOWN, but when he's up...


When he's up he calls my cell phone for a phone conversation for maybe the first time in my entire life. Calls to talk to me. Just me. He's like 72 or something. I didn't recognize the number and I was at work, so I answer "This is Lindsey."

"Well, This is Neil." (He's funny . He has good delivery. It's where I get it.)


The highlights of our awesome conversation:

1. He mentioned that he had just used the gift card that I gave him and my grandmother for Christmas. I took special care to make sure the restaurant was indeed in Brownsville, TX where they spend the winter. He thanked me sweetly but got to other business.

2. He informed me that he had a question for me. Me? He continued "Tell me why, when you go to Wal-Marts, and you buy Anti-Freeze with a 50% Anti-Freeze, 50% Water mixture, it's got a lower freeze rating than a 100% solution of Anti-Freeze? There is a buddy of mine, a mechanic I know down here who works on diesel engines. He says it's true, and if he says it's true, I believe him. I told him, I said 'I have no idea why that would be the case...but I know someone who does'."

I reply. "Oh, at first glance, that does sound a bit backwards. What were the temperatures ratings we are talking about?"

"Oh the 50/50 is like -34 Fahrenheit, and the 100% was some other number, but it was in that other thing "C"... "I don't know what that stands for... "

"Celcius."

"No... Centimeters"

"I think it's Celsius."

"Yeah. Celcius. Something warmer in Celsius."

So? My hypothesis was that the pure mix must have a higher viscosity, (it's thicker) and therefore will lock up a radiator sooner. The water thins it out enough to work at lower temps. He seemed more than satisfied with that answer and beamed that his techincal savvy, much like his dancing ability, had indeed been passed down, even though it skipped my dad. (Dad's words not mine).

3. Then he asked if I was 'leaving' him. I told him that was a funny question to ask as he calls me from almost Mexico. He had heard about my pending relocation to Oregon. He's excited about Oregon. He loves to fish.

4. He told me to tell my boyfriend John that he should go down to Texas for spring break before I move out there. I'm not sure exactly what he meant by that. I convinced myself to not be creeped out and I laughed. He and my grandmother were a little bit overwhelmed by the college spring break crowd. Grandpa Neil is excited about John because John sells air-compressors and pumps and stuff for a company that Grandpa used to work for way back in the day.


5. Then Grandpa asked me about my brothers love life. This just got movie quality epic. How's what, Grandpa? You'll have to ask him.