A Year in the Life of a Czech Plush Monkey.

Week 46:  Nov. 28 - 4 Dec. 2004


Frost damaged banana leaves

Sunday, 28th

"Oh my poor banana plants." Monkey sobs. "They're melting. They're melting!"

He's right. Their leaves do sorta melt when hit by frost. In a couple days they'll be nothing but stalks with brown, feathery bits. In a week, the stalks will yellow and collapse, as well.

A month from now the days will be getting longer again and Opice will start thinking about next year's crop. "Oh joy!"


Monday, 29th

Monkey get's a picture postcard in the snailmail. That makes him happy. It shows a mountain lake and cabin.

He turns it over to read whom it's from. That's when his mind starts racing and his head spins with images of what's to come!

Seasons Greetings from:
Larry S. Templin, D.D.S.
& Ann, Dental Hygienist

It's time for your dental examination and cleaning.
See you tomorrow!

A lovel travel postcard arrives for Monkey.

A light worthy of the 3rd Degree.
Okay, spit!
Now serving...


Relax-o-lounger chair ride.

Tuesday, 30th
"Open Wide, Opice"

Some folk don't like to visit the dentist. Opice doesn't like to be like anyone except himself.

"I always enjoy visiting the Tooth Dr." he informs Ann as she elevates the dentist's chair. "I like riding the plastic wrapped leather recliner. I like hearing the sound of the drill in the next room. And best of all, I like to spit!"

Monkey's hygienist is Ann. She is the doctor's sister. Ann and Dr. Larry know the dental drill.

Ann x-rays Monkey's mouth. She asks him all the usual questions. "Do you floss?"
Uh-huh.
"Any tooth pain or sensitivity?"
Nope.

"Do you believe in the tooth fairy?"
You betcha!
"And I believe you floss," she doubts under her breath.

She takes one more x-ray, a close-up, for billing's sake..

She gives both pictures to Dr. Larry for his final evaluation.

 

Head x-ray.

 

   (toothless x-ray)
X-ray in search of Wisdom Tooth.

"Still no tooth, Monkey. I know you keep hoping you'll grow a wisdom tooth--
but I think you're missing a necessary precursor."

"Root canals?" Opice asks showing how smart he is.

"That pretty much represents what I was thinking," the dentist agrees handing
him a new toothbrush, travel-size toothpaste, and spool of dental floss [which
Monkey will add to his drawer of floss from previous visits].


December 1st, Wednesday

Disclaimer: The following is a true story. Only the chronology has been expanded to fit the internet space available. That and the dull events left out; Monkey's involvement embellish. Therefore, you can believe it!

Opice's house's furnace/air-conditioner died. ABC Plumbing Heating & Air came to remove the old and install the new. That makes for a very expensive adventure. Therefore, this calls for a lot of Monkey's attention.

Opice worries as Paul unhooks the old unit. "Where will Lorretta's cat sleep tonight?"

Begining to remov the  old unit.
Uuuuu, big box!

Before Paul or Steve (who's already hiding from you-know-who) answers, Monkey bounds over to the ABC truck.

There's nothing more enticing than a big box to Opice, unless it's a big box covered by bigger wrapping paper, tied with a huge bow, and tagged with a gift label: "For Monkey."

It doesn't matter if the package is addressed to Monkey or not. It's big--it's his. He is a strong believer in the power of positive thinking. He believes in "Mine over matter."

"If it matters," he declares, "it's mine!"


This thing blows hot air.

Thursday, 2nd

Monkey inspects each compartment as the panels are removed. He not only provides quality assurance, he delivers sidewalk-supervision!

 

Monkey pulls the gas line apart to help.

"I'm bleeding the line," Opice says authoritatively.

The gas makes a lot of noise as it blasts from the open valve. It also stinks. Monkey needs to use one of his feet to hold his nose.

"Sure seems like a lotta bleeding gas," he coughs.

We're outta gas!
The ducts are exposed!

Paul goes to the truck. Monkey goes into the duct. By the time the installer returns with a gas shut-off wrench, Opice has diagnosed the old system's problem.

"You see!" he boasts, "This was done wrong. You have to get your ducts in a row. The person who installed the first system didn't do that. These ducts are cattywampous!"

"I'll get some duck (sic) tape from the tool box.

"Wait a minute." Monkey looks around.

"Where did Steve go? Is he doing something without me? I better find him before I miss something."

Some left his toolbox unatended!

Friday, 3rd

Steve is in the attic fixing the other unit. Monkey says he has never been up in there. "Too scary. Spiders and pink woolly stuff that sticks to my fur."

I wonder how he knows about the pink fiber glass insulation if he's never been in the attic? Opice answers my question with a question.

"Is this interogation going to be multiple choice? I'm not good at faking essay tests."

Up into the atic or not?

"Maybe hit it harder?" Monkey asks.

Monkey gives Repairperson Steve lots of unwelcomed suggestions like, "Bigger hammer?"

Steve finds the circuit board has gone bad on this furnace. [Opice's house has 2 heating/cooling systems for energy efficiency: 1 upstairs, 1 down.] That's a good finding because to replace the entire unit would require removing part of the roof.

That news disappoints Monkey who looked forward to renting a chainsaw.

The tech hands Opice the bad cuircuit board for "safe keeping" while he swaps-in the new.

Monkey explains to him, "This is like a computer motherboard, except this one has no USB ports. And no ISA, PCI, or AGP slots. Not even an 8086 - 16 bit CPU. No wonder it crashed."

Steve went to college for years to become a heating cooling specialist certified to climb under houses and go into attics. He scratches his head, rubbing more glass wool into his hair before asking, "You're speaking Czech, right? I don't understand a word you're talking about."

 

The faulty unit (or two).

Upgrading the old circuits.

Saturday, 4th

This is the outside unit's circuit panel. Monkey decides to try swapping out it's old, broken circuit for the newer, old, bad one from the attic. Why?

"Because..."

If Steve can do it, I can do it.
After unsuccessfully forcing the board into a place it didn't belong, Opice decides he'd rather pull cable. He's good at that you might remember.
Threading an ape thru a conduit's eye.

Paul & Steve give Monkey the wires they want threaded into the gray plastic sleeve.

"No problem." Opice assures.


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