A Compound Life. Gary Sr. McGee

tires?” “Just a minute, I’ll check,” was the reply. The gal came back and said, “Yes, we carry tubes for those tires. How many do you need?” “Just two” I said, “but let me ask, do you also carry wheelbarrow tires, just the tires, Tubeless tires to fit a wheelbarrow.” Again, “Let me check,” “Yes, we carry those tires too!” “How much,” I asked. “Who is this for”, she asked. “Just me,” I said, “It’s for my personal use. I’m just trying to fix a couple of trailer tires.” “Oh, I’m sorry”, she said, “We’re wholesale only. You have to have an account to buy from us”. “Oh, you’re kidding, I just want to buy two little tires from you”, I pleaded. “Sorry, I can’t help you, that’s our policy, we don’t sell to the public,” was her final comment.

      Disappointed with the results of that call, I felt I was on the right track. I continued calling other tire wholesalers in the area, listed in the Yellow Pages, and finally reached another dealer that sold that size of tire. My first question to him was “Do you sell to the public?” “Sure”, the guy said. I told him what I needed and asked if they had them in stock. “Let me check, and I’ll be right back”, he said. I waited anxiously. “Yep, we got ’em in stock”. “How much are they?” I asked. “Let me look; ...uh, they're about $5 bucks each”, was the reply. “For TUBELESS", I questioned, “Yep”, he said. “Will you put two of those tires in will call, and I’ll pick ’em up”, I asked. “Sure, do you want us to mount them for you too? “No”, I said, “I’m getting pretty good at changing these damn things. I‘ll just pick them up.”

      The Maintenance Vehicle and the Itsy Bitsy Trailer

      I picked up my “new tubeless tires” later that day. I took them home, and put them on the new little trailer. Wow, what an ordeal! But now I have a cute little utility trailer, with two brand new matching tires, to do chores around The Compound. Success, at last!

      So…..Ask yourself, how much does a good deal really cost? Honestly, as you know, hind sight is always 20/20. If I figured the amount of time and energy I put into fixing two tires for this little trailer, over the course of about two weeks, it would have been much cheaper and faster to just go and buy the new trailer at Sears!

      But after all...... IT’S JUST A FLAT TIRE!…. I CAN FIX THAT….. NOTHIN’ TO IT!

      Local Celebrity Arrives At The Compound

      We are pleased to announce the arrival of our newest family member, Granddaughter No. 3, (G-3). She arrived as scheduled, early in April, 2010, to much fanfare and hoopla. (that means excitement). She is the first child of proud parents, R and A. She will be residing in a nearby community. She plans on making The Compound a regular stop, while touring and entertaining other relatives.

      G-3 is preceded by Granddaughter No. 1, (G-1), and Granddaughter No. 2, (G-2). G-1 and G-2 currently reside in the Dallas area with their parents, L and A. G-1 and G-2 occasionally make surprise visits to The Compound, when they are in town and their schedule permits.

      Plans are in the works at The Compound, to host a Backyard Festival in early August of this year. The Festival will feature entertainment from G-1, G-2, and G-3, together for the first time. Parents will be required to attend the event. Make your reservations early as seating is limited.

       Daycare At The Compound

      We are now accepting applications for Grandma Jill’s exclusive Daycare Academy for Gifted Children. The successful applicants will be required to be happy and cheerful at all times.

      We will be offering Advanced Courses in Early Development, in the following areas:

      •Number and Letter Recognition (1 2 3’s and A B C’s)

      •Nursery Rhyme Memorization (Mother Goose Collection, Winnie the Pooh, etc.)

      •Animation Appreciation (Cartoons, Sesame Street, Dora the Explorer, etc.)

      •Stuffed Animal Studies (Peter Rabbit, Mr. Monkey, Eephmo, & Friends)

      •Imagination and Creativity (Making up Fun Stories, Grandpa's Seminars)

      We will expect attendees to follow a strict schedule including, Mealtime, Bath time, Study time, Play time, and Nap time. Diaper changes are mandatory. Goobering will not be allowed.

      In addition, attendees will learn to smile all the time and to pose for perfect photos, speak in full and complete sentences, using proper grammar. They will learn to speak in three languages, English, French and Spanish. They will also learn to tell time and tie their shoes. Walking, will of course, be encouraged, but actual results are beyond our control, and cannot be guaranteed!

      We have rigid guidelines and qualifications, and not all who apply will be accepted for enrollment. Insider’s Note: (We will tell you, it helps to be related to Grandma Jill!)