YOWZUH!! : 07 31 2022

 

          Flash drives and duckies and change!  Holey underwear Batman!  I got pretty overheated yesterday and debated maybe taking a day off.....and miss all this???  I think not.  Sunday is the long run for the week with more places to look to find cool stuff.  The change was everywhere today with a couple of stretches of road where there was a coin every few feet, 5 or 6 in a row.  On that last stretch I 'hit for the cycle' right there, for cryin out loud.  But as always, thank you Creator of all things for all these little symbols of your infinite abundance.  Go figure.  I found a flash-drive at a traffic circle early on and it's workable and has a lot of reference files on it but nothing that tells me whose it is, so it's probably going to be hard getting it back to the owner.  Worst case, it's 16 GB so it's useful.   I found the pair of scissors (yes, two scis that found each other) at an intersection.  So how do you lose your scissors and in the middle of a busy intersection, what, you couldn't think of anything to text so you moved on to crafts??  Geeze Louise!

     There was another target gift card as well as a game card for the Chuckmeister, Ol' Chuck E Cheese himself.  Found them just around the corner from the Chuckster's lair.  Next I found another hat, and this one, according to 'Da Googles' is a Yupoong Salty Rodeo Snapback Turquoise Lightning. Now if that isn't a mouthful. I must lead a sheltered life because I've never heard of a Salty Snapback Turquoise anything. I just looked at their web site and the hat's sold out.  So.....I'm taking bids!  There also was a very small wrench, used in very close quarters I'm sure.  I'm sure it's pals with the small 10mm socket I found as well.  I found a lug nut too and you know what that means...we 'hit for the extended cycle' again!  Woo and hoo!!

     Another pen and I really can't tell you how many of them there are now, hundreds. And pencils and markers.....  As soon as it stops being one hundred lebenty something stupid hot out there I've got to start thinking about a garage sale so all my treasures can be your treasures.  You know the difference between a Garage Sale and a Garbage Sale? Besides the letter B?  It just depends upon if it's your stuff or the guy down the street's stuff.  Last thing, and it was almost the last thing to find me today, was I think the 25th rubber duckie!!!  Not sure if he's a Pirate Duckie, but he does have a treasure chest and he's got  a pointy sailor hat to boot.  Just makes me laugh, and don't you think we need a little more humor in this world?  So, bring on the rubber duckies!  Oh, and for anyone counting, 5 quarters, 14 dimes, 5 nickels, and 41 pennies.  Which is just about enough for a gallon of gas again.  Yowzuh!

Saucony XT900. : 07 30 2022

 

      I think I got cooked this morning, I ran like a slug and was sucking wind the whole time. It was only 97 when I finished......well duh, ya think?? OK, alright, I get it, let's not tell my honey so I'll dodge the pointy finger AND the internationally famous eyeroll.  Thank you.  So, it didn't take too long for the shiny penny to find me, right out in the middle of a business driveway.  Not a lot of change today, but I'll take whatever little blessings I get. And BTW thank you Creator for the little treasures.

     There were a lot of bolts and machine screws dropping out of somebody's vehicle.  Ya wonder why it squeaks/rattles? I've probably got your hardware.  I found the Visa gift card in another driveway but let me say; if there's something left on it, then thank you. If not then, hey Zippy, you missed the trash can, let's work on our aim a little, huh?!

     Last, but not least, about half a mile from being done lying along the curb-line, I find a pair of men's Saucony XT900 running shoes. They're in good condition and size 10 even, which is what I wear. I've scrubbed them, disinfected, and cleaned them up as best I can, so we'll see if they're at least good for mowing the grass, or maybe for just knocking around in. $80 new but who knows what kind of bargain you might get at the 'Rundover' Store.

THANK YOU LARRY B ! : 07 29 2022

   'Hit for the cycle'?  Heck yes, but I had a little help today.   I decided  my route needed a change of pace-- pun intended-- so this path was something new.  I'm constantly amazed at how I can keep finding different stuff when I keep going over the same stretches of road.  Today I had the penny, dime, and very chewed up quarter by the time I was 2 or 3 miles out.  I figured the nickel was out there, but I just didn't see it until I got finished.   I had mentioned to my friend and neighbor Larry B that I had started a blog about all this crazy stuff I find in the road every day and it seems he had recently checked it out.  Unbeknownst to me this neighbor buddy had lined up a penny-nickel-dime-quarter in my driveway which I blindly walked right over when I headed out this morning.  Larry was still outside working when I got back  and I think he had as big a laugh as I did when I spotted the missing nickel for the day (along with the other 3 treasures)---in my own driveway!  Thank you my friend, I always try to share a smile or two when I'm running, and you inspired a really big one for me.  

     There was some very heavy pig iron today, odd that I'd find it in a mostly residential area, but hey, it happens--look at the previous 150 blog posts.  That new looking very shiny socket is a 9/32" and instead of engraving it on the socket it's printed on the side. It's kind of tough to read, especially in dim light under a car hood, but you don't complain about a freebie!  Another day-glo yellow golf ball, and I used to play these and also the orange ones a lot.  I'm not going to say that it's because I tend to spray the ball when I play, it's because.....it's because....ummmm, because I like those colors.  Yeah, that's the ticket.  Colors.   Next I found another baby hose clamp, I haven't found too many of these that weren't very very flat in the road.  Nice that this one will live on to grow up and perhaps one day have a job as a radiator hose clamp.  Everyone can have a dream.  And lastly, I almost forgot to mention, on 'hitting for the cycle'--thank you Creator of all for all these symbols of your infinite abundance.  Yeayuh!
 

PICKIN & GRINNIN : 07 28 2022

          I had a leg up this morning in that I already had a shiny penny in the bank, one just showed up yesterday evening when I was out working, doing my researching for placing more fiber optic cable.  In the gravel in the street, and I wonder why nobody else saw it? In fact, how is it that I noticed it because I was hot and tired and not really looking for little shiny blessings in the road.  It always makes me laugh though. And thank you BTW creator of all things for the little symbol of your infinite abundance.  Moving on.

     Yes, it is July, it is heading toward 104 degrees today and yes, that was Santa I saw on the sidewalk.  Either it's really really late or really really early for wrapping Christmas gifts and sticking on a gift tag, but we have 3 more Santa tags if anybody is in wrapping mode.  Next, I had never seen one before but I found a trans-dermal stop smoking patch in the road today.  Good for whoever was wanting to stop but  bad that they misplaced the means to do it. There was another bungie cord out in traffic with the s-hook for it just down the street.  I have to admit though, I'm running out of things to bungie now.    Now I needed a quarter and a dime to 'hit for the cycle' again today and naturally I found them both together in a gas station parking lot.  Odd that I just happen to find those two right when I needed them......or is it??

And since I usually try to scan the road as well as the curb for treasures, today, out in the middle of an intersection was a quarter sitting right where the sun angle was perfect for me to see.  That's more than worth the 30 seconds it took for the traffic to clear.  Next, it was in a parking lot on the other side of the sidewalk, this time it's a green ear bud. Didn't see the charger base, but who knows, I may have one already.  The last thing I'll mention is a 3" PVC pipe joint piece.  I don't have any pipes to place right now, but you never know.  Oh yeah, I almost forgot the guitar pick, Now I've got somethng to help with my 'pickin & a grinnin"

DON'T GET STEAMED, SMILE! : 07 27 2022

      Didn't get out until 9:30 and it was 94 degrees already.  I almost think I'd rather not know, except I have to plan for it. It had hit 100 by the time I got back an hour later, that's just wrong, wrong, wrong if you ask me.  Maybe the heat explains what I ended up bringing back, I picked up the zip ties first and if it was just one, I'd have passed but they all knew each other and I hated to break up the group.  That's the first Mararoni Grill gift card I've found, good for $50, so maybe there's even something left on it.  I miss drawing on the table paper there too.  Next to that is a "It's Swirl Time" kiddie spoon, and let's hope little Marvin's done nursing because judging from the bite he took out of the spoon, his baby teeth are all in.  

     Sometimes the challange is figuring out what some of this stuff is and above the spoon should be an adjustable sprinkler head, brass maybe.  I found that clamp early on and had to be careful with it as the end stuck out of my pocket and kept wanting to stick me.  That roll of toilet paper was heading down the drain--a storm drain, and if this was two years ago it might have been a very valuable commodity.  How does it even get near the road though?  Another golf ball, again in the road, another duffer hit a major slice.  Just a shiny penny and a dime today, and really, as long as I find that first shiny penny the rest is just icing on the cake.  And of course, thank you Creator for the little symbol of your infinite abundance, Yeayuh!  

     Lastly, I got to direct traffic twice today!  It's just how it worked out, the commuter train comes through from each direction every 30 minutes and I happened to hit the crossing just before it arrived.  Which gave me time to let the crossing arms come down, step into the road and stop the cars that were already stopped waiting, signal and wave the train through the crossing, which was coming through anyway, and then when safely past and the cars were about to start up, I let them know that it was safe to continue on, which they were going to do anyway.  Normally that crossing is slow and people get a little torked at having to wait so long, so I figured the ludicrousness of all this, well, they'd get it and there's be a few more smiles.  They multiply you know, but we've talked about this before.   

CASE CLOSED : 07 26 2022

     Just FYI, you hear about some things quite a bit here, like: 'hitting for the cycle', and the extended cycle, and the 'Rundover' Store, and Rubber Duckies, and shiny pennies, etc, so if there's a question, just check out some of the earlier postings where I went into more detail (shiny pennies came at the start, Jan 13).   I didn't hit for the cycle today missing out on the nickel, but I figure it was out there and I just missed it.  But I'll take 2 quarters, 5 dimes, and 10 pennies though, and thank you Creator for all these little symbols of your infinite abundance. Oh yeayuh!

     The snap hook was on a nylon cord with zip ties (where have we seen those recently?) and they're useful past just the picture.  There was another of what I've been calling a hitch pin but 'DA Googles' corrected me, that's a Snowplow Linch Pin.  I'm sure that in present day 103-degree Texas that "Snowplow" is metaphorical.  Now the little, tiny garbage/recycling truck was actually sitting up on the curb where I couldn't miss it.  According to eBay it's "the perfect gift for my diorama, display and train layout needs".  Good thing for me I didn't miss it!  Whuhuoy!  There was another pencil for making those big deals, and a lug nut cover, better to lose one of those than the lug nut.  Next there was a small 'Dumbo feather', and no matter how I carried it, I certainly didn't fly, and I don't even think I ran any faster.  It's probably has to do with me having such small ears.  Whatever.  Lastly there was a black ball cap which I did have to wait for traffic to clear as it was out in the middle of 7 lanes.  It could have been a Super Secret Ninja Spy hat, cause even though you can't see them, the hat might be visible once it blew off their head.  But sadly no, it had a Nike swoosh on it. Case closed.
 

Duckies and Sockets and Change (Oh My!) : 07 25 2022

      Despite how hot it had gotten by 10am today, it wasn't the beating it could have been.  I'm thankful for a great breeze and for sporadic shade.  And yes, another rubber duckie! HA!  Second day in a row now.  There's getting to be quite a big 'herd' of them now, and I'm pretty sure this is the 1st red one.  I can understand finding one in front of a car wash yesterday, after all he was probably attracted to the water.  I think today's little fella was just lost.  And that is a medium-size zip tie around him, I've past it quite a few times in the last couple of weeks, but for some reason today I hadn't found much yet today and thought I take it to at least have something to write about.  Little did I know.....

     I found another TX Lottery 2nd Chance drawing ticket, so there's another ten entries in the hopper for the Country Music Awards. Next, and I find these every once in a while, it's a cats's eye marble which were common when I was a kid.  Who plays marbles now when you can play Arari, or Nintendo, or Playstation or whatever.   Also found two sockets, both were pretty good spots as the small one was a 180-degree/what did I just see moment.  The large one was buried in in a crack in a driveway and from the size of it I actually thought it was going to be a lug nut, which I needed to 'hit for the extended cycle' thank you very much.  Which I didn't but thank you Creator anyway for one each of the other little symbols of your infinite abundance. Yeayuh!

A $174.99 BALL CAP??? : 07 24 2022

    
      This really felt like a perfect day's collection of stuff. Of course I 'hit for the extended cycle' (penny,nickel,dime,quarter,socket,lug nut), it's kind of hard not to on a long Sunday run.  But still, thank you Creator of all the little treasures. I found another credit card today, this one a stout metal American Express card and like the commercials used to say, this guy didn't leave home without it, he just didn't get back there with it. And I thought the name on it looked familiar, and I was right.  It belongs to the same guy that lost his military ID and Visa card last Sunday on this same stretch of road.  Guess I just missed seeing it then.  There's a hitch pin, S-hook, and a schmancy hook/pin for something, which 'Da Googles' says is a John Deere Original Equipment Spring Locking Pin.  Ya just gotta love 'Da Googles'....who knew?

     The long red plastic thing is a tool grip and I have a tool in need of one.  There was another TX Lottery scratcher-offer coin, I wonder if they make money selling these too to go with making money on you buying the scratch offs.  And another rubber duckie--HA!  This guy was in the street in front of a car wash, probably on his way back across the street to a pond where I see the Mallards most mornings.  This makes twenty something, I'm losing track of how many now.  The Coy Fish hat was in really good shape, it was lying in an automotive store driveway, and I found it online at Etsy as "a Japanese Kio Noir Adjustable Embroidered Cap".  They want $174.99 for it??!!  Holyoke Massachusetts Batman!! So, this week only, at the 'Rundover' Store, we have Japanese ball caps on sale!! Come and get it!

Attention Mr Zip Zip Zip : 07 22 2022

      It remained to be seen what I'd find this morning as I was retracing my steps from Monday of this week (which I still have to post).  I had seen the small glass piece last time through, they were scattered along a quarter mile stretch of road and I guessed filler for a vase and 'Da Googles' concurred, it's an Akasha Crescent Glass Gem.  Like I said, vase filler.  There was another lost monogrammed washer, this one belonging to an Anton Stephen Dillrod, or Zip as his friends know him. You might let him know it was found.  The very shiny lug nut was easy to spot, especially when it's in the middle of an intersection.  I'm still amazed at how they keep showing up though, does anybody know how to use a lug wrench?? Apparently not. It's not as concerning though as the day I found 5 identical new ones, all together in a turn lane.  I did do a 360 to look for the tire, it must have gone to the shop along with the car with three wheels. 

     Almost 'hit for the cycle' today, I found the quarter that eluded me yesterday along with a cousin, but no nickel.  It must have slept in, I'll no doubt find several tomorrow. Regardless, thank you Creator of all things for these little symbols of your infinite abundance (where have we heard that before??). Lastly, I found a $60 PlayStation Plus gift card at a street crossing and since I don't have one (I'm more of an Atari guy) I'm not sure how that works.  The PIN hasn't been exposed on the back so I'm assuming it hasn't been used, but it may or may not have been activated at the store register.  And since it's an orphan living in the street that probably means it may have developed legs and walked out of the store with somebody with sticky fingers. Jerk!

ALMOST : 07 21 2022

 

     Not really a new route, this used to be part of the everyday path that could branch off in 4 or 5 ways.  I'd just try and mix it up.  Quite often it would take me past my buddy "Larry the Barber's" shop who, after hearing my shiny penny stories, would every so often pitch a penny or two out the shop door into the parking lot and wait for me to find.  And laugh, as would I (after saying thank you Creator!)  The trailer hitch pin on the right I found first and since I would be looping back, I stashed it to grab on the return flight.  The small hitch thing I did pocket, I guess to keep the other 300 of these that I've found company. (heck, none of this crap could ever get lonely!).  The air freshener is not a surprise, I see these in the road all over the place, but a Little Trees Black Ice air freshener, I have to wonder about that one.  What would Black Ice smell like? I have a pretty good idea what Yellow Snow would smell like so I'm not sure where they were going on this one.  And speaking of fresh, I found a breath mint in a wrapper (I'm still going to throw it away, honest honey, stop with the internationally famous eye roll, they're going to get stuck that way!)

     Found another wrench in the street, thank you Allen for sharing.  That's a 10mm socket to add to the collection, I keep saying that I have to start making collections of these.  In the lower right is a drill bit holder, useful in that and I have multiple small bits, and this will help keep them where I can find them. I didn't 'hit for the cycle' today, was missing the quarter this time, but finding any of them is of course a blessing. I'm about to fill my 16th luncheon meat container and I'm considering what else I can use.  I know some people use 5-gallon water bottles for keeping change, but I'd like for this to be something I won't need a forklift to pick up.  I may go to peanut butter jars, they're a little bigger and the lids screw on tight.  And I go through almost as many of them as I do my chocolate raspberry Access Workout Bars.  Almost.

A JILLION AND ONE : 07 20 2022

 

     Looking back I've had a Firm grip, Maxi grip, Gorilla grip, Hardy grip, Mad grip, I've been a Mechanic, Condor, Jester, Grease Monkey, and a Big Worm Fisher. Today I felt really secure, maybe  it's because I had a Body Guard. Who knew?  The main idea behind these blogs is seeing what kind of new, crazy, silly, surprising, unusual things are out there along the way every day on my runs.  Some days the challenge is in figuring out what some of this stuff is, like the black ring around the lighter.  That ought to be part of a ring toss game, it's a round board with 10 or so hooks spread out with differing point values.  Now the small lighter works and I'm guessing is for starting a small fire or maybe lighting something small like half a cigar.  I did a quick 180 on the little pink potted cactus, and had to laugh thinking that all the little rubber duckies now have a little plant buddy.  When I got to looking at it later, it's a cactus lip balm--so no more chapped beaks you guys! Ha!

     I did 'hit for the cycle' again today, the quarter took a while to find and was somewhere I've looked a jillion times.  Some days it takes a jillion and one. Regardless, thank you Creator for all these little treasures. Later, I spotted the cell phone cover/case/protector and did a quick 360 of that spot.  You put your phone on top of the car, drive off, it falls off and bounces in the road, how far is it going to go?  Let's hope instead of losing the whole phone and all the stuff that's on it, today it was a matter of the phone case itself getting so tired of seeing the 'news' of the world, or the forecast of another 110 heat index day, or one more inane, mindless, Tik Tok video, it just jumped out the window all by itself. Maybe it just knows what the Chinese are doing with all the phone data they mine. Whuhuoy!!

I'll Take 4 Nutty Buddies! : 07 19 2022

     When the blog started out in Jan I talked a lot about the "One More Nut In The Road" type stuff, nuts and lug nuts and washers and bolts and machine screws and various and sundry kinds of 'pig-iron' that lines the streets and byways (the Andy Rooney in me thinks next,"what the heck is a byway?").  And of course the blessings, the Shiny Pennies, I almost titled it something like "Pennies From Heaven", but that ignores the 'one more nut in the road' picking up one more nut in the road part.  Anyway, it's a work in progress and will probably keep changing, depending upon what I happen to be finding.  So, It took a while to finally 'hit for the cycle' (penny,nickel,dime,quarter), and I even  made up for the quarter I couldn't find yesterday with 5 today (thank you Creator of All for all these symbols of your infinite abundance!) .  There were 2 golf balls in the road so it appears somebody else is dealing with a slice that comes and goes.  Never heard anyone holler 'Fore' , although you hit a ball like that and you're probably not not going to be carding a 'four'.  

     Another gas cap, this one had a chance to take a little ride on top of the car before it escaped down the road.  I found a new little friend out there today, I found a little snail dude!  The weather gets hotter and hotter the more I start running like one of these little guys.  Anyway, it a new friend for all the little rubber duckies I've found, 22 at last count. There was a very shiny Texas Lottery scratch-off token, they probably give those away as I'm sure they want to make it as easy as possible for all of us to scratch and win (yeah, right).  Another S-hook, I didn't see the bungee cord that came off so folks, check your bungees, somebody's missing one.  Lastly, I found the small printed circuit and the envelope it came in and I grabbed it because I was didn't know what it was.  Whatever it went to, it plays "Turkey In The Straw" over, and over, and over, and over (you get the picture).  You'd have thought an ice cream truck was parked here.  Alright already!!  I'll take 4 Nutty Buddies!!!

YETI Spagetti : 07 16 2022

     I've got a couple of freezable Yeti cooler blocks for a lunch box but I never saw a Yeti beverage koozie before.  I found this one in the street with a beer can still in it.  I wonder if, after a few brewskeys, somebody forgot that the Yeti was still around the can when they pitched it out the out the car window.  Hopefully it was the passenger. Anyway, it's $25 on Amazon, so thank you beer-brain.  Change was kind of sparce today, but I knew I'd find something, that goes without saying. You just never know where or when (like the song title). But thank you anyway Creator for thinking of me. 

     It looks like Edward Scissorhandle was out and about recently. I'll have to ask him when I see him, why they call it a pair of scissors. I guess if you take them apart, each side is a scis, hence together they're scissors. (except each side isn't much good by itself.)  I bet Andy Rooney had that same thought.  Moving on, that threaded hooky thing I was curious about, and it looks like a smaller version of a battery bracket bolt.  According to 'Da Googles' though it's a "Jet Bolt Spring (Special)". Which begs the next question, what do that do? Well, it's part of a Jet 1285 12" joiner.  Who knew? And it's worth almost 6 bucks. Zowie!

     There was the usual stuff, 'nuts', bolts, washers, USB cords, keys, stuff that I see every day.  Lastly, I found the glasses in the street and had to wait for traffic to clear to pick up.  They're actually a pretty decent pair of readers, not sure where they'll end up though, somehow I 'see'  them as part of the 'Rundover' Store's fine line of visual aids.  And maybe they'll keep the ones I found on yesterday's run company.  
 

STEADY STREAM : 07 15 2022

     It's not unusual to see glasses in the road (pun intended).  Both kinds actually, the ones you drink from and those you see with.  These were right in the middle of the sidewalk just past a really busy intersection and didn't seem like they had been there for very long.  The Applebee's gift card is the first one of those I've seen, one of these days, for curiosity's sake I'll have to put together a list of all the gift card types I've come across.  Next to the gift card is another student ID, this one from Birdville HS, 1st one from there.  Funny, I found it a block or two from Richland HS and I've found two or three from there. 

     Now Allen has been pretty good lately at picking up his tools but there was another Allen wrench in the street today. It had a kink in it but I did bend it back straight for the picture.  I can always expect to find the oft mentioned 'nut in the road' (yeah, yeah, found by a nut in the road, we know, we know) and there were three small ones and a ginormous lug nut.  I always wonder how big the vehicle had to be to sport one of these guys. There was a very shiny steel bearing in the road today, not sure where that came from, but of course it was shiny so-----.  Same thing for that huge lock washer just below the lug nut, I was wondering what is it that needed a lock washer that big??

     Another micro-fiber towel, another grey one like yesterday and more often than not I find them near a car wash.   That long steel rod was pretty heavy, so I stashed it to get later.  Which gave me time to figure out what it was as well.  It was sitting on top of an ATT fiber hand-hole and first thought was it was some kind of specialized tool to open it?  But in the next mile or two it hit me that it's a stake for one of those business flags you see out in front of a store.  You know---Bargains, Bargains, Bargains, or Now Open, or Barber Shop (you're welcome JP!), or...you get the picture. There was another S-hook too, but I may or may not keep this one as I have a zillion of them already that aren't rusty.  Lastly, there was a steady stream of pennies and dimes today.  It always makes me laugh, that on the same stretch of road that I've run a zillion times already, on a route I pretty much ran most of just a couple of days ago, there's still all these little treasures waiting for me. What's more, you have to be looking in the right direction too, just as you happen to pass them.  Lotta if's going on there.  But as always though, thank you Creator of All Things for all these little symbols of your infinite abundance. Oh yeah!! 

Know What I Mean Vern? : 07 14 2022

 

     I really wish it wasn't taking so long to get out the door in the morning these days.  Lately it's been 9-10am getting out and it wasn't a picnic at 8am for that matter. Neither getting up at 4am or just staying up really appeals to me, so I guess we go to plan C.   OK, so I saw the big rusty thing on the right somewhere in the 1st mile or so and stashed it to get later.  At first glance I thought it was a mute for a trumpet or trombone but the wick was a dead give away---it's a Tiki torch!! Can't wait for it to transform my patio into a tropical paradise (like the ads say).  

     I have been finding a lot of microfiber cloths out there, so here's another one to add to the stack of shop towels for the next time I have to play auto mechanic.  I hit for the cycle again today (penny,nickel,dime,quarter), I really love that.  And of course thank you Creator of all for all the little treasures.  And for being able to spot some of the shiny pennies while I'm moving at a good clip,and while they're not always sitting out all bright and shiny in the sun.  The last thing I'll mention is that dayglo yellow zip tie.  I found a really ginormous one yesterday and I figured he could mentor this little sprout, kinda show him the ropes, know what I mean Vern?

Stuff Just Seems To Follow Me Home : Addendum : 07 06 2022

          I've gotten behind posting some of the regular day's run's not to mention any of the extra stuff, but this was another one of those head scratchers so I thought I'd include it.  At the end of a long hot day, I'm walking a curb line, on my regular job fielding a fiber project, and had the idle thought, "I wonder where my penny is?"  And of course 10 seconds later, in the dirt in the road, there's my shiny penny. And of course the next thought is "how do He do that?!"  Just cracks me up (and thank you BTW).  So then the rest of the usual suspects starts showing up.  Nuts in the road (yes, yes, we know, picked up by.....), a socket, an S-hook, and lastly a Bluetooth dongle.  I haven't plugged it in to see what it pairs with but for curiosity's sake I'll have to check.  Stuff just seems to follow me (home...sorry honey!)
 

HOW DO HE DO THAT? : Adendum 07 13 2022

      Normally I post what I found while running but this stuff finds me pretty much everywhere. I was out on a job inspecting poles for fiber optic cable placement and it was mostly along the curb line and right off the bat, there's another credit card.  I'll call customer service in the morning and let them know another one of cards has 'escaped.'  I texted my honey and kidded that the pennies should coming up next, and go figure, 20 ft away there's a penny and a half. (thank you!!)  I have a laugh with some of the gloves I find and this one, labeled "HANDS OFF" literally was off the hand. Not far away was the JAWSOME flip-flop with a shark on it, cute play on words. Not exactly sure how I feel about putting my foot in something with a shark's mouth on it though. (maybe I've seen JAWS too many times?)  At the upper right there was a gigundo bolt in the road, I can only imagine how big something would have to be to need a bolt that size.  And, I finally find the lug nut I missed out on this morning, I just had to be patient.  Another pen, I've lost track of how many zillion of those I've picked up now.  And of course the nuts in the road, I'm kind of obligated to pick those up (hence the blog name).  The last two pennies were a scratch your head thing. I was wheeling off distance between poles and I had just walked that section of the curb for the 2nd or 3rd time.  I had already looked at that section of road just minutes before, and now, mysteriously, here's two more shiny pennies. How do He do that????  (BTW, thank you Creator of all things!!)

Arrggg Buhcaw! : 07 13 2022

      Yes, that is a pirate rubber chicken, and talk about noisy! Arrgggg buhcaw, arrgggg buhcaw, you get the picture. And the little peg drumstick, HA!  Just when I think I've seen it all, along comes poopdeck Polly-wants-a-cracker.  If that don't beat all!  Next, I usually don't pick up zip ties, but that one was ginormous so that made it interesting.  It'll be available soon in the 'Rundover' Store's line of quality hardware paraphernalia, for whenever you need to secure a really big zip. 

     I 'hit for the cycle' again (penny nickel,dime quarter), thank you Creator for all the little blessings. Almost the extended cycle, a socket but no lug nut. There was a Nissan symbol in the street, and I wonder sometimes, what makes those jump off a vehicle? (obviously it had a little help)  Lastly, for all you sharpies out there, here's one in red. 

Who Would Need 17 Credit Cards? : 07 09 2022

      Found the first shiny penny pretty quick, always seems easier once I've found the first one. I saw the 'Super Capacity Billfold' thing along the curb and did a 180 just to verify what it was. That has got to be one super duper pooper triple throw down mega capacity billfold, there's room for 17 credit cards fer cryin out loud! Who would need that many, and also why would you bring them all with you when you're out? (and why throw your wallet packaging in the street?) Whuhuoy!

     Somebody lost their healthcare card, hopefully there's a number on the back to call to report.  There was a spongy Texas Rangers Fan Baseball that 'Da Googles' said was supposed to be rare, kind of like one of Goober Daniel's team's wins in recent years.  There also was a PVC  pipe cap, something like you'd see on an RV, maybe from one of the storage tanks ? 

     I saw the same hairy pink pillow for the third week, it had moved from the median to the turn lane, proof  positive that I don't pick up everything I see. I found another little baby socket, they're so cute at that age. And, another pen, sorry honey, it just jumped in my pocket, honest.  Doh.....there's that internationally famous eye roll again.  Sorry honey.  I found 5 1/2 pennies, funny how they'll get bent up, beat up, and sheared, but that half a penny was a good spot, another 'what did I just see?' moment. And thank you Creator of All Things for all these symbols of your your infinite abundance! Yeahuh!!

Beware the Order of the Purple Hand. : 07 12 2022

 

     It's a very secret, very select group. They're everywhere and they're nowhere, the Order of the Purple Hand.  I've said too much already. Moving on (before something happens). I 'hit for the extended cycle' again today (penny,nickel,dime,quarter,socket,lug nut)!! Woo and hoo!  Some of the coins are a little 'road weary', but hey, that happens in the road.  Anyway, thank you Creator of All Things for all these little symbols of your infinite abundance.  There was another one of those 'I'll come back later for' finds, I found about 100 SF of Nucore waterproof flooring planks, mostly on the curb but some scattered in the road.  A few had been goobered up by traffic but I kept about 80 SF and judging by what they go for at Floor and Decor, $4.29 SF, that's three $100 bills.  Go figure.  Lastly, I only saw one nut in the road (well, two counting the lug nut).  Funny, I could have sworn there was blog somewhere with that name.

JUKE BOX MONEY. : 07 06 2022

 

     I never heard of a JAL Global Wallet before, but they exist because I found one in the street today.  It's a Japanese neobank card which I learned means it only operates online.  Great for them but I'm not sure I'm ready to abandon the in-person relationship with my credit union and banker yet.  There's also a credit card version, so it's one stop shopping for those who don't like interacting with other people.   There was a number of regular old finds today, including the nuts and lug nut (yeah, yeah, we know, picked up by we know what).  There was another fire extinguisher safety pin, I'm going to be an optimist instead of the other side of that coin which says it's the pin out of a grenade.

DAY IN AND DAY OUT : 07 05 2022

     Interesting run this morning.  They're all different, even though they quite often will be the same ol' route.  So, let's talk hydration. I almost had the chance to save a whole dollar and a half on powdered sugar water, I mean Kool-Aid.  There, in the street, there were two pads of coupons worth $1.50 off some powdered drink mixes, but mercifully, they expired Dec of last year.  There also was a Moto Metal wheel cover, don't think I've found any of those yet, and another gas cap, to go with the one I found Sunday.  There was a gigantic lug nut with the lug still attached and I had to wonder......what would it take to snap something that big off a vehicle?  No clue.

     There was a screwdriver handle, and I've found a few screwdriver ends that will fit that.  I did 'hit for the cycle' again (penny,nickel,dime,quarter) but just like last Saturday, I was still missing the nickel and quarter with not far left to go.  And there within about 20' of each other were 3 quarters, a nickel and a penny.  Granted, a dollar in change isn't life changing, but the fact that it's there at all is pretty darn amazing.  Pretty much day in and day out, those little symbols of the Creator's infinite abundance keep finding me.  Lastly, there were three more nuts in the road, which were, as usual, picked up by One More Nut In The Road.  

Better the Gas Cap Than...... : 07 04 2022

      This is the same route as yesterday albeit shorter by maybe 3-4 miles. So, how is it if I already picked up all the fun stuff on this route yesterday, where'd all this stuff come  from?  Especially all those shiny pennies, I picked up 24 yesterday and now there's 26 more today? I thought they only multiplied like that in a dark drawer. Anyway, thank you Creator of all for all these little blessings. 

     I found another gas cap, in a driveway actually, and I suppose if you're going to set something on top of the car and then drive off, better the gas cap than your wallet or phone (and I have found both) There was another microfiber towel, thank you to the car wash I pass that keeps losing them.

     Traffic was light today, it was early on the 4th of July so lots of people off work (and of course I'm a fan of running with less traffic).  Just a couple of things left to mention.  There was the tire gauge I found, amazingly enough, near an air pump. Go figure.  And lastly there was another phone charger with part of a cord end still in it. It was for an iPhone because the rest of the cord was  flattened in the road 10' away (which I left there so no famous international eye roll, ok honey?)

Thanks For The Humidity! : 07 03 2022

      80 degrees and humid at 6:45am, and by run's end I was about as drippy as you could get. Took an extra bottle of Sustain sport, as well as branch chain aminos to hydrate and recover. There was the usual scattering of 'pig iron' as well as a very large lug nut remover. Another Pokémon card, this one is Yanma (Yan-what?) ) whose super secret ninja spy power is speed diving. Alrighty then.  The hanger I might not have taken but I was almost finished and I had a use for it.  And of course, I 'hit for the cycle' again today (penny,nickel,dime,quarter), several times even. If I do it again tomorrow maybe I can buy a gallon of gas. Booya! (and thank you Creator for the small blessings!) 

     I guess if I'm inclined to do any grease monkeying today, I've got the gloves to do it.   The card next to the Pokémon card is a room keycard for a Hall Arts Hotel, guess they're still using those old fashioned cards instead of having you use your cell phones like at the Hilton. There were a couple of pens, and there was some nerf ammo.  Last, and maybe least, there was a Trumpster 2020 sun visor in the road.  I normally don't hold ANY politician of ANY party in very high esteem so say good-bye to the visor.  To be fair though, there are a small number of local elected officials that are worth their salt.  So if that sun visor had Ft Worth Turkey Trot running buddy, ex-mayor Betsy Price's name on it, that one I'd keep.

WHAT'S A SILLCOCK? : 07 02 2022

      Well, I learned something again today, what I thought was some kind of 4-way socket tool is really a Sillcock 4-way water key.  If water was needed in an emergency this little key will open tamper resistant hose bibs on a commercial building.  Who'da guessed it?  There's also a nail at the center that's been in several pictures this week that I keep forgetting about, I took it just to show what I find in the street.  I throw these smaller ones where the cars won't drive over them as bigger ones are too large to get wedged in a tire.  It might even be worth some good karma, we've talked about that before.

     Yes, that is another bippy, aka pacifier, a green one to go with the pink and blue ones I already found in the street.  Another short person 'spit the bit'.  There was a hitch pin, a tiny s-hook (they're so cute at that age),  and a yellow refrigerator magnet, nothing new there. There were two visa gift cards in the road, probably used up, which is much better than the alternative. There was part of a Nissan wheel cover, seems just the name part made it. 

     The baseball was sort of near a ball field, but it was in a restaurant parking lot and would have been a mammoth hit, truly worthy of "The Mick."  And of course, somehow,  I 'hit for the cycle' again (see Jan 13), but I didn't figure on it, I still needed the quarter and nickel.  I was almost finished when, there at the edge of the road, was a very beat up quarter and 10' further up was a much driven over nickel. How does He do that?? Never mind....thank you Creator for theses symbols of your infinite abundance. Yeayuh!!

Derailed by the Derailleur : 07 01 2022

 

     I used to take a day off from running once a month or so and bike for a couple of hours instead of the daily run.  I haven't ridden the bike in ages and since it was 11am and I was getting out WAY too late to run in the heat, I aired up the tires and rode the bike around most of the everyday places I usually run.  And I found the usual collection of oddball stuff again.  There was another lock in the road at an intersection, and I did take that one as it was a combination lock and therefor, useful.  There was the outside part of a cell phone case, no sign of the phone nearby for which I'm glad.  There was a light switch plate which I usually don't see in the road.  There was a really, really small shoe in the upper right corner, and it has to be a doll shoe. But in the driveway in front of a thrift store?? You'd think they' be supervising them a little better, one obviously snuck out. 

     UNO!!!!!  Wait, it's not Uno, there's two cards....TWO-O!!!!  Odd, there was the better part of a UNO deck in the street.  I do find cards once in a while but not as many as I saw today.  Guess no game night tonight for somebody.  Eleven pennies and a quarter--HA!  Where I find it is always unexpected, but the finding itself never is.  Thank you Creator for these little treasures.!  I also found that black rubber pull thingy.  I think it's like what you see on a gas lawnmower pull start.  Losing it will probably make that mower a little harder to get started (or it could be a chore dodge???)

     There's a picture at the top of a bike derailleur stuck in a bike chain.....my derailleur, in my bike chain!  I was about a half mile from being done and was shifting gears and POW! (yup, just like on the old Batman TV series).  Fortunately, I wasn't going very fast, and the chain didn't turn very far after the derailleur broke so that's the only thing to replace.  I've had a lot of multispeed bikes over the years but that's the first time something like that's happened.  Keeps things interesting I guess.