I have been a very bad blogger lately. Too much going on in the daily world.
We were supposed to go to Idaho for a family reunion of sorts, and didn't make it. When I filled up the Westfalia to to top for the first time the other day, it overflowed a pint or so of gas. It also smelled of gas whenever I went around a corner, so my first day of vacation was spent dropping, fixing and reinstalling the gas tank. There was a broken fitting going to the overflow tank. Reinstalling the tank I managed to pull a muscle in my back, so I missed the reunion. I won't drive when I'm taking muscle relaxers and pain killers.
So I am in day four of a five day vacation. The farthest I have made it is about four miles to the Movie theater to see "Salt". Pretty good flick. Non stop action with enough plot twists to keep you guessing.
I thing we are going to pile into the Westphalia and head for the mountains today. Just to get out of the house.
R and "i" are still with us and will be for a couple of months. She is undergoing court ordered drug treatment. Since she has treatment three days a week and attends NA twice, there is no way she can hold a job at the same time. The court ordered drug treatment is because she tested positive for Pot. The State has issued the proclamation that the police relegate marijuana offences to the least priority, but there are some judges that continue to pursue prosecution as a sort of personal campaign. Rose has cooperated, but as a result she pretty much has to stay with us while she is in treatment.
Mrs A does not well tolerate another woman in her house. It has led to several arguments between us. She treats Rose like a servant girl. Lots of do this and do that. Since she is living here rent free, I guess she has a right to expect some help around here Sometimes it's not what you say, but how you say it. I try to keep my nose out of it, but it is impossible for me to ignore completely.
My sister Suzie and her kids were in town. For the most part I was too busy to visit them very much. I managed to drop by and see them one afternoon after work, but that wasn't nearly enough. I would have liked to have them over for dinner on the weekend, but when you are working seven days a week, it is hard to work up enough energy to do much of anything.
Oh well.
TTFN as tigger would say.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Thursday, August 05, 2010
Glass Class
Here are some pictures of my first projects in my glass blowing class. I am pleased with them as first attempts.The fluted bowl came out pretty much as I planned, except I wanted more red at the bottom. Doing a full red to orange to yellow color shift as you go upwards. I cut the globe too close to the bottom or something because very little of the red came through. I guess I should have gone for one more dip in the red. Oh well, pretty darn good for a first attempt.
Of course I had lots of help from the instructor.
The two paperweights were made using a "Blow and Suck" technique.
Hey you in the back of the room! I hear that snicker......cut that out right now!
You basically blow a small globe, and then suck in all the air, causing the globe to collapse, then cover it over with a layer of clear to create the globe.
The floppy bowl was a lot more technically complicated, but I had a lot of help from the instructor. There are only two people in the class, and the other on couldn't make it, so I had three hours of private instruction.
I'm not sure exactly what to expect. It was a lot hotter than I expected. The rule was more or less "First degree burns are expected. Second degree burns are bad, third degree to be avoided at all costs" I suppose over time you must develop thick skin or something. I had to back off several times when I thought I had too much heat, but I was fine this morning, although I noticed that all the small hairs on my hands are pretty much gone.
I'm not sure what to do next. Probably a vase and some votives.
I'm not sure exactly what to expect. It was a lot hotter than I expected. The rule was more or less "First degree burns are expected. Second degree burns are bad, third degree to be avoided at all costs" I suppose over time you must develop thick skin or something. I had to back off several times when I thought I had too much heat, but I was fine this morning, although I noticed that all the small hairs on my hands are pretty much gone.
I'm not sure what to do next. Probably a vase and some votives.
Maybe a mug.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Winding Down
Back home.
Didn't particularly want to come back, but it was time to move on anyway. It would have been nice to go a couple of hundred miles South and spend another week someplace else. But I had things to do at home.
The "Service Engine Soon" light has been on in the truck, so I needed to figure out how to make the light go out. The Westfalia has an electrical problem, and I need to figure out what it is. And Frankenhealey Beckons.
Didn't particularly want to come back, but it was time to move on anyway. It would have been nice to go a couple of hundred miles South and spend another week someplace else. But I had things to do at home.
The "Service Engine Soon" light has been on in the truck, so I needed to figure out how to make the light go out. The Westfalia has an electrical problem, and I need to figure out what it is. And Frankenhealey Beckons.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
V*A*C*A*T*I*O*N
In the summer sun.
The kids from Utah arrived last weekend and stayed with us most of the week. On Friday Mrs A and I dropped off the dogs and headed south for the beach.
For those of you that care, the place we are staying doesn't allow pets, so we couldn't bring them. they are staying with L, and last I heard, living it. Out of the city, big yard. They may not want to come home.
We are staying at the Rockaway Beach Resort. It is about half way between Cannon Beach and Tillamook, which will not mean a lot to most of you. Mrs A and I came down first. When I went to register for ourselves and our kids they said it was too many people.. Although this room has sleeping accommodations for eight, they only allow six (they claim it is fire code), so we had to rent a second room. Since we are owners, we got the second room for $50 a night. Not a bad rate for really prime accommodations right on the water. It's no big deal because I can afford it. If course it pissed off The Easily Irritated Mrs A.
It was actually fine with me. I was concerned about having everyone crammed into one room, so now Mrs A and I can have some privacy, just in case something comes up.
So I am sittin here eating apple spice pancakes, typing on my laptop, looking out at the Pacific Ocean. At the moment it is low tide the sun is barely up and there is not a person in sight on the beach. The sky is a light overcast, but no rain is predicted. Expected temperatures in the high sixties to low seventies.
So far we have no plan. We may go up to Cannon Beach and do the tourist thing, maybe just walk the beach. I want to hike the Tillamook Spit, take the kids to the Tillamook Cheese Factory for ice cream, Maybe the guys will want to go to the Air Museum.
An.d maybe I'll just read a book. For my birthday Mrs A got me "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest" by Steig Larsen. The third book in his very excellent series. I just got the new prescription for my glasses on Friday, so this is the first time I can see out of both eyes correctly since January, I just finished reading "Ender in Exile" By Orson Scott Card, the latest in the Ender series. If you have never read them, and you like Science Fiction, by all means read them. The first book in the series is "Enders Game". Read it.
So most of the knots in my head have smoothed themselves out and I am content with everything.
At ease
light em if you got em
The kids from Utah arrived last weekend and stayed with us most of the week. On Friday Mrs A and I dropped off the dogs and headed south for the beach.
For those of you that care, the place we are staying doesn't allow pets, so we couldn't bring them. they are staying with L, and last I heard, living it. Out of the city, big yard. They may not want to come home.
We are staying at the Rockaway Beach Resort. It is about half way between Cannon Beach and Tillamook, which will not mean a lot to most of you. Mrs A and I came down first. When I went to register for ourselves and our kids they said it was too many people.. Although this room has sleeping accommodations for eight, they only allow six (they claim it is fire code), so we had to rent a second room. Since we are owners, we got the second room for $50 a night. Not a bad rate for really prime accommodations right on the water. It's no big deal because I can afford it. If course it pissed off The Easily Irritated Mrs A.
It was actually fine with me. I was concerned about having everyone crammed into one room, so now Mrs A and I can have some privacy, just in case something comes up.
So I am sittin here eating apple spice pancakes, typing on my laptop, looking out at the Pacific Ocean. At the moment it is low tide the sun is barely up and there is not a person in sight on the beach. The sky is a light overcast, but no rain is predicted. Expected temperatures in the high sixties to low seventies.
So far we have no plan. We may go up to Cannon Beach and do the tourist thing, maybe just walk the beach. I want to hike the Tillamook Spit, take the kids to the Tillamook Cheese Factory for ice cream, Maybe the guys will want to go to the Air Museum.
An.d maybe I'll just read a book. For my birthday Mrs A got me "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest" by Steig Larsen. The third book in his very excellent series. I just got the new prescription for my glasses on Friday, so this is the first time I can see out of both eyes correctly since January, I just finished reading "Ender in Exile" By Orson Scott Card, the latest in the Ender series. If you have never read them, and you like Science Fiction, by all means read them. The first book in the series is "Enders Game". Read it.
So most of the knots in my head have smoothed themselves out and I am content with everything.
At ease
light em if you got em
Thursday, July 08, 2010
Vanaru? Subagon?
I had an experience last night that very few people have ever had.
Going uphill...at 70 MPH...passing people.....in a Volkswagon Vanagon Westfalia.
Of course I had just gotten it out of the shop where I had them remove the piece of c%@# 80 horsepower engine and replace it with a Subaru 2.5 litre fuel injected counterballenced four cylinder 175 hp engine from a 2004 Subaru Forrester with 40,000 miles on it.
The Westfalia has always been praised as a versitile, fun vevhicle with one glaring problem. The Engine. It was severely underpowered even in it's plain jane Vanagon version. When you add all the camping gear and pop-top it is not just anemic, it is embarrassing. The Subaru engine is the perfect answer to all of the problems. No more cringing as people flash you their "approval" while you return them the peace sign minus one.
The modern engine comes complete with a computer engine monitoring system, and utilizes the stock guages. However I did have them install a digital display that feeds you all of the information from the computer.
So what do you call such a creation? I like Vanaru since it looks a lot like a stock Vanagon, with a little bit of Subaru on the end, since it is rear engined.
Going uphill...at 70 MPH...passing people.....in a Volkswagon Vanagon Westfalia.
Of course I had just gotten it out of the shop where I had them remove the piece of c%@# 80 horsepower engine and replace it with a Subaru 2.5 litre fuel injected counterballenced four cylinder 175 hp engine from a 2004 Subaru Forrester with 40,000 miles on it.
The Westfalia has always been praised as a versitile, fun vevhicle with one glaring problem. The Engine. It was severely underpowered even in it's plain jane Vanagon version. When you add all the camping gear and pop-top it is not just anemic, it is embarrassing. The Subaru engine is the perfect answer to all of the problems. No more cringing as people flash you their "approval" while you return them the peace sign minus one.
The modern engine comes complete with a computer engine monitoring system, and utilizes the stock guages. However I did have them install a digital display that feeds you all of the information from the computer.
So what do you call such a creation? I like Vanaru since it looks a lot like a stock Vanagon, with a little bit of Subaru on the end, since it is rear engined.
Monday, July 05, 2010
Fourth and last day off.
Since I had Oral surgery on Friday, I had the day off. Then the weekend, and then today off because the holiday fell on Sunday. It was really nice having the time off, although the weather wasn't anything to celebrate. The sun finally came out this afternoon.
Saturday, it was Vinnie's birthday/graduation celebration. He raked in a fistfull of cash. The main reason I went was for the food. Dewi is a very good cook, and always has some unexpected dish. Saturday it was hard boiled eggs halved and covered with a red sauce that would set your face on fire. Plus the standard egg rolls and rice dishes.
Rick and Rachel and the kids showed up from Utah on Sunday. I made some killer spaghetti, and we sat around visiting and munching all evening. It was nice catching up.
Today, I took advantage of having another male around by getting Frankenhealey running. I needed help pushing the car out of the driveway so I could work on starting it in gear and breaking the clutch loose. It worked, and I spent the rest of the early afternoon giving rides. At the end of the street there is a very steep and twisty stretch of road. I love going down to the bottom of the hill and tearing up it as fast as I can go. Everyone (except me) comes away a little wide eyed and breathless.
ARISE FRANKENHEALEY!!!
Saturday, it was Vinnie's birthday/graduation celebration. He raked in a fistfull of cash. The main reason I went was for the food. Dewi is a very good cook, and always has some unexpected dish. Saturday it was hard boiled eggs halved and covered with a red sauce that would set your face on fire. Plus the standard egg rolls and rice dishes.
Rick and Rachel and the kids showed up from Utah on Sunday. I made some killer spaghetti, and we sat around visiting and munching all evening. It was nice catching up.
Today, I took advantage of having another male around by getting Frankenhealey running. I needed help pushing the car out of the driveway so I could work on starting it in gear and breaking the clutch loose. It worked, and I spent the rest of the early afternoon giving rides. At the end of the street there is a very steep and twisty stretch of road. I love going down to the bottom of the hill and tearing up it as fast as I can go. Everyone (except me) comes away a little wide eyed and breathless.
ARISE FRANKENHEALEY!!!
Saturday, July 03, 2010
Another week gone by....
Not only that, but it is JULY. Yes you heard me correctly, it IS JULY!
How the hell did that happen?
Thursday I went to see the optometrist, to get a new prescription, then to the dispenser for a new lenses.
Much to my surprise, they still carry the same frame style, so all I have to do is get one lens cut. I have the other eye scheduled for cataract surgery on August 30th. Around the end of September I will be able to order new glasses. I'll sure be glad when it is all over and I can go back to just taking sight for granted.
V's graduation party is tonight, and I guess I will push myself to go. I had three dental implants put in yesterday, and am in a quite a bit of pain. I have vicodin, but if I take that, I shouldn't drive. I think I will see if I can't get by on 600 mg of ibuprofen.
The kids from Utah are on there way here. So Mrs A will have to stay behind and wait for them while I go to the party. What, me unchaperoned at a party?
Guard the women and the booze!
How the hell did that happen?
Thursday I went to see the optometrist, to get a new prescription, then to the dispenser for a new lenses.
Much to my surprise, they still carry the same frame style, so all I have to do is get one lens cut. I have the other eye scheduled for cataract surgery on August 30th. Around the end of September I will be able to order new glasses. I'll sure be glad when it is all over and I can go back to just taking sight for granted.
V's graduation party is tonight, and I guess I will push myself to go. I had three dental implants put in yesterday, and am in a quite a bit of pain. I have vicodin, but if I take that, I shouldn't drive. I think I will see if I can't get by on 600 mg of ibuprofen.
The kids from Utah are on there way here. So Mrs A will have to stay behind and wait for them while I go to the party. What, me unchaperoned at a party?
Guard the women and the booze!
Saturday, June 26, 2010
A day off!
I didn't have to work today. At work that is. I worked nineteen days in a row.
So what did I do on my day off?
A couple of weeks ago we moved my mom into an assisted living facility. So she is selling her home. We all got together today to clean the place out and do some yard work. The job of cleaning out the garage fell to me. We had already gone through the tools and good stuff, and mainly what was left was junk.
I also wanted her kitchen table. It is 40 years old, and in excellent shape. It also came with six matching chairs. The framework of the table and chairs are made of real sturdy chrome plated steel. The chairs need some TLC, but Mrs A is a whiz at recovering chairs.
One trip with the table and chairs and a dresser for R. One trip to the dump. One trip bringing an upright freezer over for L to come over and pick up next weekend. Back over with the lawnmower, mow the lawn, then back home. Five hours just evaporated.
Oh yeah, and I pulled a muscle in my back loading the freezer in the truck by myself.
I swear, I am going to take tomorrow off. But then there is Frankenhealey needing attention, the paint on the Z needs rubbing out, the table and chairs need to be cleaned up........
So what did I do on my day off?
A couple of weeks ago we moved my mom into an assisted living facility. So she is selling her home. We all got together today to clean the place out and do some yard work. The job of cleaning out the garage fell to me. We had already gone through the tools and good stuff, and mainly what was left was junk.
I also wanted her kitchen table. It is 40 years old, and in excellent shape. It also came with six matching chairs. The framework of the table and chairs are made of real sturdy chrome plated steel. The chairs need some TLC, but Mrs A is a whiz at recovering chairs.
One trip with the table and chairs and a dresser for R. One trip to the dump. One trip bringing an upright freezer over for L to come over and pick up next weekend. Back over with the lawnmower, mow the lawn, then back home. Five hours just evaporated.
Oh yeah, and I pulled a muscle in my back loading the freezer in the truck by myself.
I swear, I am going to take tomorrow off. But then there is Frankenhealey needing attention, the paint on the Z needs rubbing out, the table and chairs need to be cleaned up........
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Big Doin's
V graduated from High School on Tuesday. I presented him with a sizable check, went down to the bank with him and set up a checking account and debit card. He turns 18 on July 1st, so he will go down and get my name taken off the account as soon as his birthday gets here.
Today, he is moving out and moving in with his dad. So I will be out of the business of raising kids after 35 years. They never stop being your kids, but you don't have to watch out for them every second. I am working, so I hope everything will be done by the time I get home. This is day 13 of 19 in a row I am working. Things are getting a little raggedy around the edges.
I get off next weekend, so instead of taking it off, on Saturday we are all getting together and cleaning out my mom's place. It shouldn't be too difficult. There will be a big dumpster out back, and pretty much anything left will go to the dump. There is an upright freezer I am going to snatch, and some dining room chairs and a dresser.
Monday the Westfalia is going in for a heart transplant. The underpowered Wasserboxer engine is being replaced by a 2004 Subaru 205 Liter engine. The engine fits into the same home like it was designed to go in there. You use the Subaru engine wiring harness and computer, and set up a dash display for all the monitoring stuff. Close to double the horsepower. Mind you, it will be no stoplight racer, but it should be able to make it over the pass without downshifting into second......
Tuesday, off to the Eye Doctor for a checkup. If everything looks OK maybe I can have a new prescription cut for glasses for the interim until I can get the other eye done.
Thursday, to the Periodontist for the final prep for tooth Implants on July 2nd.
Whew! I'm tired already.
Six more days until a day off.
Today, he is moving out and moving in with his dad. So I will be out of the business of raising kids after 35 years. They never stop being your kids, but you don't have to watch out for them every second. I am working, so I hope everything will be done by the time I get home. This is day 13 of 19 in a row I am working. Things are getting a little raggedy around the edges.
I get off next weekend, so instead of taking it off, on Saturday we are all getting together and cleaning out my mom's place. It shouldn't be too difficult. There will be a big dumpster out back, and pretty much anything left will go to the dump. There is an upright freezer I am going to snatch, and some dining room chairs and a dresser.
Monday the Westfalia is going in for a heart transplant. The underpowered Wasserboxer engine is being replaced by a 2004 Subaru 205 Liter engine. The engine fits into the same home like it was designed to go in there. You use the Subaru engine wiring harness and computer, and set up a dash display for all the monitoring stuff. Close to double the horsepower. Mind you, it will be no stoplight racer, but it should be able to make it over the pass without downshifting into second......
Tuesday, off to the Eye Doctor for a checkup. If everything looks OK maybe I can have a new prescription cut for glasses for the interim until I can get the other eye done.
Thursday, to the Periodontist for the final prep for tooth Implants on July 2nd.
Whew! I'm tired already.
Six more days until a day off.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Catching up
R and "i" stopped by last night. Mrs A and I bought "i" a tricycle for his birthday, which was on May 6, but we hadn't managed to hook up. So he got his tricycle. Hasn't quite figured out how to operate it yet, but he was figuring it out.
I am back to working most of the time. Working both days this weekend and am scheduled for both days next weekend. Got to get a bunch of stuff taken care of in the next couple of years so I can retire.
Gotta get my teeth taken care of.
Gotta get the Westfalia restored so we can go anywhere at any time.
Get the house payed off.
All the credit cars and the cars payed off.
On another note, we moved my mom into Merrill Gardens, a Retirement Community. It is pretty fancy. She has a very nice one bedroom unit. They provide meals, organize activities, take care of maintenance. I haven't tried the food, but she says it's good.
We stall have to clean her house, but it is a real task trying to get enough of us together at any one time. Plan B is the weekend after next. I will have that weekend off probably and God forbid I should be able to take a day off and relax.
I am back to working most of the time. Working both days this weekend and am scheduled for both days next weekend. Got to get a bunch of stuff taken care of in the next couple of years so I can retire.
Gotta get my teeth taken care of.
Gotta get the Westfalia restored so we can go anywhere at any time.
Get the house payed off.
All the credit cars and the cars payed off.
On another note, we moved my mom into Merrill Gardens, a Retirement Community. It is pretty fancy. She has a very nice one bedroom unit. They provide meals, organize activities, take care of maintenance. I haven't tried the food, but she says it's good.
We stall have to clean her house, but it is a real task trying to get enough of us together at any one time. Plan B is the weekend after next. I will have that weekend off probably and God forbid I should be able to take a day off and relax.
Monday, June 07, 2010
Back at it
I am back at work today.
254 e-mails waiting for me, people saying "Man are we glad to see you!" and wanting answers to questions before I even got logged in.
Kept me busy all day. Made for a quick first day back.
I still don't have all of my accounts up and running because a couple of them got shut dowm when I went on LOA. Although they knew I would be back today, the LOA people didn't care to get everything set up for me to go back to work. All I can say is their attitude was less than helpful. The one computer account I needed the most, I couldn't get access to. Their attitude was "Oh well, It will get cleared up in a couple of days." F%^&*()ing idiots.
The day flew by.
254 e-mails waiting for me, people saying "Man are we glad to see you!" and wanting answers to questions before I even got logged in.
Kept me busy all day. Made for a quick first day back.
I still don't have all of my accounts up and running because a couple of them got shut dowm when I went on LOA. Although they knew I would be back today, the LOA people didn't care to get everything set up for me to go back to work. All I can say is their attitude was less than helpful. The one computer account I needed the most, I couldn't get access to. Their attitude was "Oh well, It will get cleared up in a couple of days." F%^&*()ing idiots.
The day flew by.
Wednesday, June 02, 2010
A New Direction
Well, I went ahead and did it.
I signed up for a course in glass blowing.
I had mentioned a couple of months ago that I might, because Boeing had been paying for any classes you took. Of course the minute I expressed any interest in taking course, they dropped the funding like a hot rock.
It is a little expensive, $275 for three classes, but I decided I wanted to pursue it any way. So for my birthday, I asked for classes. Mrs A wanted to pay for the entire cost, but I told her that was too much for a birthday present, so she gave me $200 and I will finance the rest.
I have a creative/artistic side of my personality that I have allowed to stagnate the last couple of years, as I have been busy restoring sports cars. It is time to take a different path for a while. I love glass, think it is an incredible medium, and happen to live in one of the world's hotbeds of art glass creativity. I have visited a couple of glass shops in the last year, and I am getting the bug.
It will be interesting to see if I have any talent in this medium.
I signed up for a course in glass blowing.
I had mentioned a couple of months ago that I might, because Boeing had been paying for any classes you took. Of course the minute I expressed any interest in taking course, they dropped the funding like a hot rock.
It is a little expensive, $275 for three classes, but I decided I wanted to pursue it any way. So for my birthday, I asked for classes. Mrs A wanted to pay for the entire cost, but I told her that was too much for a birthday present, so she gave me $200 and I will finance the rest.
I have a creative/artistic side of my personality that I have allowed to stagnate the last couple of years, as I have been busy restoring sports cars. It is time to take a different path for a while. I love glass, think it is an incredible medium, and happen to live in one of the world's hotbeds of art glass creativity. I have visited a couple of glass shops in the last year, and I am getting the bug.
It will be interesting to see if I have any talent in this medium.
Monday, May 31, 2010
So Far, So Good
Every day the bubble of gas in my eye gets smaller, and the vision in my eye gets a little better. It is really weird. I have no depth perception when I look down because the damn bubble is in the way. Going down stairs is a bit of a challenge. I'm OK as long as I don't think about it, But the moment I look down I lose my depth perception, which makes me dizzy.
So me left eye is just the same as it always has been, but my vision in my right eye is constantly changing, although I can see better up close with my right eye. So I have taken a pair of glasses I had made for hiking, and removed the right lens. No matter what I do, for now my vision is sort of messed up.
If I put on my regular glasses, I can see out of my left eye, but my right is messed up, with no glasses I can see better with my right eye, The best compromise is my hiking glasses with the right lens removed.
Eventually, I will have the other eye done. Then when everything settles down I should have good short range vision, and have to use glasses for long range, like driving.
Yesterday, I spent four hours working outside. It is my fault that it rained today, because I pressure washed the deck. It was kinda a challenge washing the deck when I have no depth perception.
Today started out raining, so I took it easy until the rain stopped, then went out and got Frankenhealey running. Then I got the Westfalia running. I need to get started working on it. I think tomorrow I need to call and talk to the guys that do the engine swaps to put a Subaru 2.5 Litre engine is the Westy. I need to get it finished before August for the family reunion in Idaho. Time goes by so quickly. I have to stay on top of things all the time or it will all get away from me.
So me left eye is just the same as it always has been, but my vision in my right eye is constantly changing, although I can see better up close with my right eye. So I have taken a pair of glasses I had made for hiking, and removed the right lens. No matter what I do, for now my vision is sort of messed up.
If I put on my regular glasses, I can see out of my left eye, but my right is messed up, with no glasses I can see better with my right eye, The best compromise is my hiking glasses with the right lens removed.
Eventually, I will have the other eye done. Then when everything settles down I should have good short range vision, and have to use glasses for long range, like driving.
Yesterday, I spent four hours working outside. It is my fault that it rained today, because I pressure washed the deck. It was kinda a challenge washing the deck when I have no depth perception.
Today started out raining, so I took it easy until the rain stopped, then went out and got Frankenhealey running. Then I got the Westfalia running. I need to get started working on it. I think tomorrow I need to call and talk to the guys that do the engine swaps to put a Subaru 2.5 Litre engine is the Westy. I need to get it finished before August for the family reunion in Idaho. Time goes by so quickly. I have to stay on top of things all the time or it will all get away from me.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Free at Last, Free at Last
Thank the Ophthalmologist, I'm Free at Last . I went in for my post surgical check-up today. Everything seems to be going according to plan.
The bubble of gas in my eye is dissipating as expected. The hole in my macula has healed. The new lens in the eye is doing fine. and the REALLY BIG NEWS, I no longer have to stay face down.
I do not have full vision in my right eye. But I have enough to drive. So the first thing I did was drive up to the store and buy a six-pack. Ten days without a beer. I really didn't miss it all that much, it was just the idea I couldn't really drink a beer while face down. I guess I could have resorted to using a straw, but that was just a little too much for me. I'd rather just do without.
The main hassle with the face-down recovery was that I couldn't sleep. I have pretty bad arthritis in my neck and shoulders. I find it hard to sleep at night because if I stay in any one position for too long, it starts to hurt. Normally I just change position, but with the face down gear, there was no other position, If I took a couple of Percocet, I was good for six hours, but I wouldn't allow myself a second dose. I have read all of the stuff about how addictive prescription pain killers are, and that's a road I don't want to go down.
The worst part of the face-down recovery was that I really couldn't take a nap. If I wanted to sleep, it was all or nothing. If I tried to take a nap, I felt like I was suffocating.
When I finish with this, I think I will go and take a nice nap.
The doctor gave me an OK to do pretty much anything I want......
Except for go to work.
I will be OK to go back to work on the 7th.
Damn.... looks like I have to take a week off.
Oh well. a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do.
The bubble of gas in my eye is dissipating as expected. The hole in my macula has healed. The new lens in the eye is doing fine. and the REALLY BIG NEWS, I no longer have to stay face down.
I do not have full vision in my right eye. But I have enough to drive. So the first thing I did was drive up to the store and buy a six-pack. Ten days without a beer. I really didn't miss it all that much, it was just the idea I couldn't really drink a beer while face down. I guess I could have resorted to using a straw, but that was just a little too much for me. I'd rather just do without.
The main hassle with the face-down recovery was that I couldn't sleep. I have pretty bad arthritis in my neck and shoulders. I find it hard to sleep at night because if I stay in any one position for too long, it starts to hurt. Normally I just change position, but with the face down gear, there was no other position, If I took a couple of Percocet, I was good for six hours, but I wouldn't allow myself a second dose. I have read all of the stuff about how addictive prescription pain killers are, and that's a road I don't want to go down.
The worst part of the face-down recovery was that I really couldn't take a nap. If I wanted to sleep, it was all or nothing. If I tried to take a nap, I felt like I was suffocating.
When I finish with this, I think I will go and take a nice nap.
The doctor gave me an OK to do pretty much anything I want......
Except for go to work.
I will be OK to go back to work on the 7th.
Damn.... looks like I have to take a week off.
Oh well. a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
On the Eve
One thing I know for sure. As of tomorrow, things will never look the same.
The Vitrectomy will repair the Macular hole in my right eye. When they are working on the eye, they will also replace the lens because of the developing cataract.
Then comes the hard part. Recovery from the surgery requires that I remain face down for a week to ten days. I am renting some special equipment to help. A piece of equipment so I can sleep face down, a special chair so I can sit supported by my legs and chest and remain face down, with a shelf to hold a book or my laptop.
In a week or so, I will be able to see, unaided, out of my right eye. This is something that has not been possible since I was in the first grade. Once the right eye heals and my vision clears, they can do the second eye. Then the real possibility exists that I will be able to see unaided for the first time in my active memory.
So I got the opportunity to use a couple of bad jokes in the real world.
I'll be back when I can see coming to work.................
Eye surgery: It's better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.
The Vitrectomy will repair the Macular hole in my right eye. When they are working on the eye, they will also replace the lens because of the developing cataract.
Then comes the hard part. Recovery from the surgery requires that I remain face down for a week to ten days. I am renting some special equipment to help. A piece of equipment so I can sleep face down, a special chair so I can sit supported by my legs and chest and remain face down, with a shelf to hold a book or my laptop.
In a week or so, I will be able to see, unaided, out of my right eye. This is something that has not been possible since I was in the first grade. Once the right eye heals and my vision clears, they can do the second eye. Then the real possibility exists that I will be able to see unaided for the first time in my active memory.
So I got the opportunity to use a couple of bad jokes in the real world.
I'll be back when I can see coming to work.................
Eye surgery: It's better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.
Monday, May 17, 2010
A Small Treasure
My mom is moving into an assisted living facility. Consequently she is going through all the "Stuff" in her house, as space will be limited. Since she is 82, she has acumulated considerable stuff.
On Friday afternoon I stopped by as usual, and was helping her get some stuff down off of a high shelf.
"That goes to your brother Bill. that goes to your sister..."
Then there was the figurine... "That goes to the dump or Goodwill".
Wait a minute, I have an idea that might be worth something.
"I don't even know where it came from."
Well, let me have it and I will check it out.
Took it home and researched it on the Internet. The sculptor is Kelsay, and the one in the picture which is identical to the one at home and is currently for sale for $5,000.00.
That's not saying I could get that amount, but it is a lot more than I ever figured it was worth.
Now comes the question of what to do with it.
Friday, May 07, 2010
Coming soon to an eyeball close to you.....
The first big date is May 20th. That's when they will be doing the surgery for the Macular Hole and replacing the lense in my right eye.
I am in the midst of arranging to get some special equipment to facilitate staying face down for a week or two. If the doctor deems it necessary for "Medical Reasons" my insurance will pay for 80% of it. His office is in the process of getting it done now.
Then, after the right eye has heled, I will go back and have the other eye done.
I just want it to all be over with.
I am in the midst of arranging to get some special equipment to facilitate staying face down for a week or two. If the doctor deems it necessary for "Medical Reasons" my insurance will pay for 80% of it. His office is in the process of getting it done now.
Then, after the right eye has heled, I will go back and have the other eye done.
I just want it to all be over with.
Wednesday, May 05, 2010
Cinco De Mayo
Most people don't know that back in 1912, Hellmann's mayonnaise was manufactured in England.
In fact, the Titanic was carrying 12,000 jars of the condiment scheduled for delivery in Vera Cruz, Mexico,which was to be the next port of call for the great ship after its stop in New York.
This would have been the largest single shipment of mayonnaise ever delivered to Mexico.But as we know, the great ship did not make it to New York.The ship hit an iceberg and sank, and the cargo was forever lost.
The people of Mexico, who were crazy about mayonnaise,and were eagerly awaiting its delivery, were disconsolate at the loss.
Their anguish was so great, that they declared a National Day of Mourning, which they still observe to this day.
The National Day of Mourning occurs each year on May 5th and is known, of course, as...................
Sinko de Mayo.
WHAT?!?!???
Sorry about that. I know this is a repeat, but I just couldn't help myself.A really bad joke bears repeating.
In fact, the Titanic was carrying 12,000 jars of the condiment scheduled for delivery in Vera Cruz, Mexico,which was to be the next port of call for the great ship after its stop in New York.
This would have been the largest single shipment of mayonnaise ever delivered to Mexico.But as we know, the great ship did not make it to New York.The ship hit an iceberg and sank, and the cargo was forever lost.
The people of Mexico, who were crazy about mayonnaise,and were eagerly awaiting its delivery, were disconsolate at the loss.
Their anguish was so great, that they declared a National Day of Mourning, which they still observe to this day.
The National Day of Mourning occurs each year on May 5th and is known, of course, as...................
Sinko de Mayo.
WHAT?!?!???
Sorry about that. I know this is a repeat, but I just couldn't help myself.A really bad joke bears repeating.
Tuesday, May 04, 2010
More good news/bad news
I don't know when the operation on my eye(s) will be. They are supposed to call me tomorrow to set things up.
The good news is that they are going to try to squeeze me in in the next couple of weeks, so maybe I'll be able to be back at work by June 1st. I sure hope we can work it out.
The other news is that I am developing cataracts in both eyes. When they operate on my right eye for the Macular Hole, they will also replace the lense in that eye. Because of the discrepancy of vision between the two eyes, they are also going to replace the lense in the other eye ASAP. I could end up not needing to wear glasses at all.
That would be so cool (and weird). I have worn glasses since I was in the second grade, all the time. The first thing I do after I turn off the alarm, is put on my glasses. The lase thing I do at night is take off my glasses and put them where I can find thiem in the morning.
Like I said, no dates yet, but they are supposed to set it up tomorrow.
The good news is that they are going to try to squeeze me in in the next couple of weeks, so maybe I'll be able to be back at work by June 1st. I sure hope we can work it out.
The other news is that I am developing cataracts in both eyes. When they operate on my right eye for the Macular Hole, they will also replace the lense in that eye. Because of the discrepancy of vision between the two eyes, they are also going to replace the lense in the other eye ASAP. I could end up not needing to wear glasses at all.
That would be so cool (and weird). I have worn glasses since I was in the second grade, all the time. The first thing I do after I turn off the alarm, is put on my glasses. The lase thing I do at night is take off my glasses and put them where I can find thiem in the morning.
Like I said, no dates yet, but they are supposed to set it up tomorrow.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Good News/ Bad News
The bad news first.
Yes Indeedie, I do Have a macular hole. Yes aroonie, I need to be operated o n, and last but not least yesadoodie I will have to stay more or less face down for ten days to two weeks while I heal.
The operation part is bad enough, the staying face down part will drive me bat shit.
The good news.
Given the bad news, it being inevitable that I be operated on, I checked out the guy doing the surgery. The referring opthaolmologist told me this guy may be the best in the world. I of course took that with a grain of salt. As far as I knew it could be Omar's Eye Surgery and Croisants, working out of a dumpster near you.
So I checked him out on the Internet.
I was impressed. Elected one of the top Physicians in the US. Was head of Opthalmology at Group Health, currently head of Opthalmology at Swedish Hospital. Teaches Opthalmology at The University of Washington. Does approximately 500 surgeries a year.
I have an appointment with him next Tuesday for an exam and to set up surgery.
Yes Indeedie, I do Have a macular hole. Yes aroonie, I need to be operated o n, and last but not least yesadoodie I will have to stay more or less face down for ten days to two weeks while I heal.
The operation part is bad enough, the staying face down part will drive me bat shit.
The good news.
Given the bad news, it being inevitable that I be operated on, I checked out the guy doing the surgery. The referring opthaolmologist told me this guy may be the best in the world. I of course took that with a grain of salt. As far as I knew it could be Omar's Eye Surgery and Croisants, working out of a dumpster near you.
So I checked him out on the Internet.
I was impressed. Elected one of the top Physicians in the US. Was head of Opthalmology at Group Health, currently head of Opthalmology at Swedish Hospital. Teaches Opthalmology at The University of Washington. Does approximately 500 surgeries a year.
I have an appointment with him next Tuesday for an exam and to set up surgery.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Big Day Tomorrow
I finally have my appointment with the opthamologist tomorrow.
I am pretty anxious. There are a lot of things I can hear tomorrow, and most of them are not good.
Anything affecting your eyesight is pretty major. If I lose too much of my eyesight, I lose my ability to do my job. I guess I can look at it that if I lose my job because of a disability, I qualify for Social Security. I also have long term disability insurance through work.
With my luck, it will turn out that my vision will be diminished, but just enough to make me miserable, not enough for me to retire on a disability.
At this point everything is just speculation, but I have to admit I have not been sleeping well.
If they are going to operate, they need to do it soon, as the next P8-A hits the line the end of next month, and I need to be ready to work by then.
The toughest part is that my appointment isn't until 3:30, so I have all day to stew about it.
Oh well, what will be, will be.
I am pretty anxious. There are a lot of things I can hear tomorrow, and most of them are not good.
Anything affecting your eyesight is pretty major. If I lose too much of my eyesight, I lose my ability to do my job. I guess I can look at it that if I lose my job because of a disability, I qualify for Social Security. I also have long term disability insurance through work.
With my luck, it will turn out that my vision will be diminished, but just enough to make me miserable, not enough for me to retire on a disability.
At this point everything is just speculation, but I have to admit I have not been sleeping well.
If they are going to operate, they need to do it soon, as the next P8-A hits the line the end of next month, and I need to be ready to work by then.
The toughest part is that my appointment isn't until 3:30, so I have all day to stew about it.
Oh well, what will be, will be.
Friday, April 23, 2010
That's Gotta Hurt
I got a call at work on Wednesday at work. It was MRS A.
We have this circular staircase that is the only access between the middle and top floors of our house. It is really cool. Everyone who visits remarks about the cool circular staircase.
In truth is is a pain in the ass and a death trap.
Mrs A was the latest victim. She was going upstairs when the top step collapsed, and fell off. She hit her ribs on the handrail and scraped her leg. I am just glad she was going up the stairs instead of down. She is very stiff and sore, and milking it for everything she can get.
'Al, could you take this dish out to the kitchen? I'm injured."
It is one of those selective injuries. It only hurts when there is something to be done that she doesn't want to do.
I can't believe the step came completely loose and fell. It was supported by a couple of half inch wide by eight inch thick brackets. One of the brackets broke in two, and the other pulled loose. When I saw how it was put together I was surprised it held together as long as it did. The straps holding it together were half inch wide with quarter inch holes drilled in them. Naturally they broke right where the closest hole to the bend was. The brackets I put in are the same thickness as the old ones, but are three inches wide with four nails in each end.
Although the thought crossed my mind, I never said a word about maybe losing a little weight. That would have probably resulted in a fatality. Mine.
Mrs A did ask if I had recently taken out a large Insurance Policy on her...........
We have this circular staircase that is the only access between the middle and top floors of our house. It is really cool. Everyone who visits remarks about the cool circular staircase.
In truth is is a pain in the ass and a death trap.
Mrs A was the latest victim. She was going upstairs when the top step collapsed, and fell off. She hit her ribs on the handrail and scraped her leg. I am just glad she was going up the stairs instead of down. She is very stiff and sore, and milking it for everything she can get.
'Al, could you take this dish out to the kitchen? I'm injured."
It is one of those selective injuries. It only hurts when there is something to be done that she doesn't want to do.
I can't believe the step came completely loose and fell. It was supported by a couple of half inch wide by eight inch thick brackets. One of the brackets broke in two, and the other pulled loose. When I saw how it was put together I was surprised it held together as long as it did. The straps holding it together were half inch wide with quarter inch holes drilled in them. Naturally they broke right where the closest hole to the bend was. The brackets I put in are the same thickness as the old ones, but are three inches wide with four nails in each end.
Although the thought crossed my mind, I never said a word about maybe losing a little weight. That would have probably resulted in a fatality. Mine.
Mrs A did ask if I had recently taken out a large Insurance Policy on her...........
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Around and Around and Around
I took off early from work today so I could drive Mrs A to the doctors to discuss the results of her Colonoscopy.
The diagnosis recently has gone from Crones Disease, to Irritable Bowel Syndrome, back to Crones Disease. Her symptoms are very mild for Crones, but nothing to just overlook.
They are putting her on a new medication, a mild steroid, for a week or so, then another medication after she stabilizes. No one knows how it will go.
She is afraid taking the steroid will cause her to put on weight. Damn woman, it I was troubled by intestinal pain and constant diarrhea, I'd damn well do whatever it takes to feel better.
We will see what we will see.
Next week is my turn in the barrel when I have to go see the Opthamologist and face eye surgery.
The diagnosis recently has gone from Crones Disease, to Irritable Bowel Syndrome, back to Crones Disease. Her symptoms are very mild for Crones, but nothing to just overlook.
They are putting her on a new medication, a mild steroid, for a week or so, then another medication after she stabilizes. No one knows how it will go.
She is afraid taking the steroid will cause her to put on weight. Damn woman, it I was troubled by intestinal pain and constant diarrhea, I'd damn well do whatever it takes to feel better.
We will see what we will see.
Next week is my turn in the barrel when I have to go see the Opthamologist and face eye surgery.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Medeline Peyroux
Our anniversary was on the 9th, but we celebrated it yesterday.
We went out to Jazz Alley in Seattle, to see Madeline Pytroux. A good time was had by all.
I wasn't quite sure what to expect. Her performance was outstanding, and her band was surprisingly good. A little bit of everything. All of it with a blues/jazz slant. Some rockin' hard blues, some almost abstract poetic jazz, all done with class and a unique style.
In particular, besides the Lady herself, I was impressed with the quality of the band members. The keyboard player's style was crisp and skilled, the guitar player could handle both the jazz and rock styles with seeming ease. The bass player was the best I have seen in recent years. I takes a lot of skill to rock out an a six foot tall upright bass. The drummer was really different. Just about every drummer I have ever seen wants to beat the crap out of the skins. This guy was COOL on the drums.
At times Madeline sounded very much like Billie Holiday, especially during "Dance Me to the End of Love".
For a change the service at Jazz Alley was very good. Usually the waitstaff is pretty slow and arrogant. They seem too have the attitude that they are WAY cool because they work at such a cool place, and customers are an annoyance necessary to the business. Last night was a pleasant exception.
We went out to Jazz Alley in Seattle, to see Madeline Pytroux. A good time was had by all.
I wasn't quite sure what to expect. Her performance was outstanding, and her band was surprisingly good. A little bit of everything. All of it with a blues/jazz slant. Some rockin' hard blues, some almost abstract poetic jazz, all done with class and a unique style.
In particular, besides the Lady herself, I was impressed with the quality of the band members. The keyboard player's style was crisp and skilled, the guitar player could handle both the jazz and rock styles with seeming ease. The bass player was the best I have seen in recent years. I takes a lot of skill to rock out an a six foot tall upright bass. The drummer was really different. Just about every drummer I have ever seen wants to beat the crap out of the skins. This guy was COOL on the drums.
At times Madeline sounded very much like Billie Holiday, especially during "Dance Me to the End of Love".
For a change the service at Jazz Alley was very good. Usually the waitstaff is pretty slow and arrogant. They seem too have the attitude that they are WAY cool because they work at such a cool place, and customers are an annoyance necessary to the business. Last night was a pleasant exception.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
I'm Worried for My Country
I am first and foremost, an American Patriot.
I served reluctantly in the Armed Services because I figured it was my duty to repay our society for the rights and privileges we enjoy.
I don't cheat on my taxes.
I vote.
I support out men and women in the Service of our country, even if I don't always agree with the reasons for their deployment. I know what it is like to deployed a half a world away from home.
But I am worried for my country.
Common courtesy seems to be eroding. Since when has it become acceptable for our representatives to heckle the President when he is addressing the people of the United States. Such rudeness should in no way be tolerated.
The Right Wing seems willing to believe any fantastical Bullshit tale about the President, and no one seems to be willing to check the facts before they propagate nonsense. There seems to be no accountability. Anyone who propagates lies about the President should be held accountable in a court of law. Freedom of speech does not give you the right to lie about other people .
On the other hand, The Dems seem willing to erode our basic rights in favor of Their perception of what is good for us. They will remove our right of free choice in favor of what they chose to force on us for our own good. As Henry David Thoreau put it "If I knew a man was coming down the road with the intention of doing me good, I would run the other way as fast as I could." Or something pretty close to that. As one of my heroes, Benjamin Franklin put it "He who is willing to give up Freedom for security deserves neither"
You have the Tea Party who seem to lack common sense and direction. They are mad, and with good reason, but have no plan or direction. They are just pissed off. Still, that is no reason to foment insurrection. Come back when you have plan.
The Militias are arming and digging themselves in.
Armageddon is imminent.
The Mayan Calendar runs out in 2012 and that means the world is coming to an end.
The sky is falling the sky is falling!
GET OVER IT!
The sun will come up tomorrow and things will be just about the same as they were today.
If the people of the United States are seriously concerned about the state of the country, get serious about going after the heads of the Financial Institutions. They are the ones that got us in the mess we are in now. As long as we accept Institutionalized Greed, the economy will not recover. Giving them Billions of Dollars without any sort of accountability is like feeding dollars to the pigs and expecting them to shit gold. Enormous bonuses are necessary to keep the execs from going elsewhere? LET THEM ALL GO! Surely there are some honest and Honorable individuals left in this great country who would be willing to represent the corporations without bleeding the populace dry.
Well, as my hero, Benjamin Franklin also put it "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy".
Think I'll go have a beer.
I served reluctantly in the Armed Services because I figured it was my duty to repay our society for the rights and privileges we enjoy.
I don't cheat on my taxes.
I vote.
I support out men and women in the Service of our country, even if I don't always agree with the reasons for their deployment. I know what it is like to deployed a half a world away from home.
But I am worried for my country.
Common courtesy seems to be eroding. Since when has it become acceptable for our representatives to heckle the President when he is addressing the people of the United States. Such rudeness should in no way be tolerated.
The Right Wing seems willing to believe any fantastical Bullshit tale about the President, and no one seems to be willing to check the facts before they propagate nonsense. There seems to be no accountability. Anyone who propagates lies about the President should be held accountable in a court of law. Freedom of speech does not give you the right to lie about other people .
On the other hand, The Dems seem willing to erode our basic rights in favor of Their perception of what is good for us. They will remove our right of free choice in favor of what they chose to force on us for our own good. As Henry David Thoreau put it "If I knew a man was coming down the road with the intention of doing me good, I would run the other way as fast as I could." Or something pretty close to that. As one of my heroes, Benjamin Franklin put it "He who is willing to give up Freedom for security deserves neither"
You have the Tea Party who seem to lack common sense and direction. They are mad, and with good reason, but have no plan or direction. They are just pissed off. Still, that is no reason to foment insurrection. Come back when you have plan.
The Militias are arming and digging themselves in.
Armageddon is imminent.
The Mayan Calendar runs out in 2012 and that means the world is coming to an end.
The sky is falling the sky is falling!
GET OVER IT!
The sun will come up tomorrow and things will be just about the same as they were today.
If the people of the United States are seriously concerned about the state of the country, get serious about going after the heads of the Financial Institutions. They are the ones that got us in the mess we are in now. As long as we accept Institutionalized Greed, the economy will not recover. Giving them Billions of Dollars without any sort of accountability is like feeding dollars to the pigs and expecting them to shit gold. Enormous bonuses are necessary to keep the execs from going elsewhere? LET THEM ALL GO! Surely there are some honest and Honorable individuals left in this great country who would be willing to represent the corporations without bleeding the populace dry.
Well, as my hero, Benjamin Franklin also put it "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy".
Think I'll go have a beer.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Catching Up
Boy have I been bad about posting. Lack of focus is my only excuse.
We had "i' over for last weekend. R had to work and she didn't want him missing out on the Easter Sunday egg hunt and get together. L and her son and boyfriend were coming over.
I BBQ'd a huge mess of ribs and cooked a pork tenderloin with Cranberry Chutney. Mrs A made Potato salad, which was excellent. L brought over an angel cake with whipped creme frosting nd fruit topping. The food was great and everything was good.
R and the sperm donor showed up later. She brought over bagels from Noah's with some rally good spread. I guess that makes him a sort of Universal Sperm Donor. He is a nice enough guy and he fathers beautiful children, but that don't keep him from being an immature person. He is not listed on "i"s birth certificate, so he pays no support. So put five kids under 8 together with an eight week old puppy, and it was a mobile scrum.
I was wearing about three hats at work this week. It was Spring Break, so all of the parents with young kids took the week off. I was pretty worn out by Friday. I also had to go to the dentist and have a tooth capped. It looks nice.
Friday was out seventh Anniversary. I bought Mrs a a bottle of Asti and some flowers and a card. When I got to the checkout counter the clerk asked "OOOHHH, What did you do?" I told her it was nothing like that. Mrs A FORGOT OUR ANNIVERSARY. So I am way ahead on points right now. We are going out this coming weekend to celebrate. Madeline Peyroux is coming to Jazz Alley, and we have reservations. I am really looking forward to it.
Yesterday Mrs A went out with her sisters for a girls day out. I stayed home and worked on cars. Adjusted the alternator on the Westie. Got Frankenhealy running, got frustrated with the Z trying to access the dash lights. The truck had the servce engine soon light come on, so I got under the hood, and it turned out the oil was low and so was the water. This should not happen, as it has a brand new engine with about 3000 miles on it. At any rate I topped off the fluids, and took off the battery terminal to reset the error code, reinstalled the battery terminal, started the truck up, and everything was OK. Frankenkealey still has a stuck clutch, but I am not in the mood to do anything about it.
The downpipe for the washr and kitchen sink is partially blocked, so it is leaking, so I need to get down there and pull put the cleanout plug and snake the drain. I hate plumbing.
We had "i' over for last weekend. R had to work and she didn't want him missing out on the Easter Sunday egg hunt and get together. L and her son and boyfriend were coming over.
I BBQ'd a huge mess of ribs and cooked a pork tenderloin with Cranberry Chutney. Mrs A made Potato salad, which was excellent. L brought over an angel cake with whipped creme frosting nd fruit topping. The food was great and everything was good.
R and the sperm donor showed up later. She brought over bagels from Noah's with some rally good spread. I guess that makes him a sort of Universal Sperm Donor. He is a nice enough guy and he fathers beautiful children, but that don't keep him from being an immature person. He is not listed on "i"s birth certificate, so he pays no support. So put five kids under 8 together with an eight week old puppy, and it was a mobile scrum.
I was wearing about three hats at work this week. It was Spring Break, so all of the parents with young kids took the week off. I was pretty worn out by Friday. I also had to go to the dentist and have a tooth capped. It looks nice.
Friday was out seventh Anniversary. I bought Mrs a a bottle of Asti and some flowers and a card. When I got to the checkout counter the clerk asked "OOOHHH, What did you do?" I told her it was nothing like that. Mrs A FORGOT OUR ANNIVERSARY. So I am way ahead on points right now. We are going out this coming weekend to celebrate. Madeline Peyroux is coming to Jazz Alley, and we have reservations. I am really looking forward to it.
Yesterday Mrs A went out with her sisters for a girls day out. I stayed home and worked on cars. Adjusted the alternator on the Westie. Got Frankenhealy running, got frustrated with the Z trying to access the dash lights. The truck had the servce engine soon light come on, so I got under the hood, and it turned out the oil was low and so was the water. This should not happen, as it has a brand new engine with about 3000 miles on it. At any rate I topped off the fluids, and took off the battery terminal to reset the error code, reinstalled the battery terminal, started the truck up, and everything was OK. Frankenkealey still has a stuck clutch, but I am not in the mood to do anything about it.
The downpipe for the washr and kitchen sink is partially blocked, so it is leaking, so I need to get down there and pull put the cleanout plug and snake the drain. I hate plumbing.
Friday, April 02, 2010
Puppy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTW75NSJPu4&feature=related
I couldn't resist providine the link. For some reason, the pup reminds me of Frisky Puppy, of Warmer Brother's fame. Monk's relationship with Molly is a lot like Frisky's with Claude the Cat. Except that Molly is a Shi Tzu, but they are catlike enough for the comparison to work. The other think is that the pup doesn't bark, but he does ambush Molly.
The way the pup acts is SOOOO true for monk, except for the barking.
Enjoy
I couldn't resist providine the link. For some reason, the pup reminds me of Frisky Puppy, of Warmer Brother's fame. Monk's relationship with Molly is a lot like Frisky's with Claude the Cat. Except that Molly is a Shi Tzu, but they are catlike enough for the comparison to work. The other think is that the pup doesn't bark, but he does ambush Molly.
The way the pup acts is SOOOO true for monk, except for the barking.
Enjoy
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
New Family Member
Yesterday, Mrs A brought home a new family member. He is a Brussels Griffon . Contrary to very strong visual clues, he is NOT part monkey, although we are for now calling him Monk.He is very quiet, and very clingy for now. But then again, he is just a baby.
Molly, the Shi Tzu is very rattled. She has been an only dog for all her life with us, and strongly objects to having to share. For now she has retired to the bedroom and only comes out to eat and go to the bathroom. She refuses to have anything to do with Monk.
He is not potty trained, so Mrs A has some work in front of her.
She has been hinting she wanted a second dog for a couple of weeks. I have fought the good fight, and eventually ended up with something I can live with. I do not like yappy little dogs. First she saw a white Pomeranian she liked. It was way to excitable and wound up. Then it was a Sheltie. Again, way too yappy. Then this one came up. Calm, not yappy, and so ugly he is cute. I can live with this dog.
Mind you, if I was picking a dog for myself it would be a golden retriever or a Lab, but this is Mrs A's birthday present, so she gets what she wants.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Weird Shit
I was at work today, slaving away on the computer (OK, OK, playing solitaire) when I realized that the yellow spot that has plagued my vision for the last two months is gone.
There is still a small visual distortion in the area where it was located, but it is gone. There is a minor floater, but it is located slightly to the side of where the yellow thingie was.
I just looked up, and realized it wasn't there anymore.
Everything I have read says this does NOT happen. It gets worse, but it doesn't get better.
I'm afraid to sneeze or anything, since I don'r know what made it go away.
Knock on wood.
I still intend to go to the eye doctor and see if he has a clue what just happened.
Thank you Lord.
There is still a small visual distortion in the area where it was located, but it is gone. There is a minor floater, but it is located slightly to the side of where the yellow thingie was.
I just looked up, and realized it wasn't there anymore.
Everything I have read says this does NOT happen. It gets worse, but it doesn't get better.
I'm afraid to sneeze or anything, since I don'r know what made it go away.
Knock on wood.
I still intend to go to the eye doctor and see if he has a clue what just happened.
Thank you Lord.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Stilll here
First, I was too busy throwing a pity party to blog. I was too busy sitting in the corner sucking my thumb to blog. Then I had absolutely nothing I wanted to say. Then I was busy doing research on the internet on the surgery they do to repair a macular hole.
It's called avoidance. Or procrastination.
Then I got sick. Nothing major, It started with a scratchy throat, and then stuffed sinuses. I'm not positive, but it almost seems to me more like alergy than anything else. I guess it doesn't really matter since the result is the same. I spent all day yesterday sleeping. The damn phone kept waking me up, but I was really out of it. Tried to read, but after a couple of pages I'd be back in lala lane. Drifting in and out of sleep while reading Dean Koontz's Frankenstien amde for some interesting dreams.
Today I am better, but figured I still feel like crap, might as well pull the covers back over my head and make the world go away.
It's called avoidance. Or procrastination.
Then I got sick. Nothing major, It started with a scratchy throat, and then stuffed sinuses. I'm not positive, but it almost seems to me more like alergy than anything else. I guess it doesn't really matter since the result is the same. I spent all day yesterday sleeping. The damn phone kept waking me up, but I was really out of it. Tried to read, but after a couple of pages I'd be back in lala lane. Drifting in and out of sleep while reading Dean Koontz's Frankenstien amde for some interesting dreams.
Today I am better, but figured I still feel like crap, might as well pull the covers back over my head and make the world go away.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
the EYES have it
I have a hole in my macula, it seems.
This is not a good thing, but not terrible either. I have a big floater right in the center of my right eye. And everything is distorted around it. They cannot correct my vision with lenses or anything. My vision is 20/50 in that eye, corrected.
There is some sort of surgery that they can try with no results guaranteed. At any rate, I have a referral to the eye surgeon to take a look at it and see if anything can be done.
Part of the surgical alternative is you have to lie face down for a period of time after surgery. Anywhere from 24 hours to 4 weeks. I'd rather put up with the big floatie.
They are supposed to call me to set up an appointment.
I guess I will forestall jumping to any conclusions until after the referral.
This is not a good thing, but not terrible either. I have a big floater right in the center of my right eye. And everything is distorted around it. They cannot correct my vision with lenses or anything. My vision is 20/50 in that eye, corrected.
There is some sort of surgery that they can try with no results guaranteed. At any rate, I have a referral to the eye surgeon to take a look at it and see if anything can be done.
Part of the surgical alternative is you have to lie face down for a period of time after surgery. Anywhere from 24 hours to 4 weeks. I'd rather put up with the big floatie.
They are supposed to call me to set up an appointment.
I guess I will forestall jumping to any conclusions until after the referral.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Optometrist
A couple of weeks ago, this funny thing appeared in my eye (no, it wasn't one of the kids or anything like that).
It is a yellow thing in the center of my vision. Kinda like when a bug hits the windshield and leaves his guts all yellow right in front of you.
It distorts my vision and interferes with reading. I am right eye dominant, and of course it is right in the middle of my right eye fielld of vision.
It doesn't feel like I have something stuckk in my eye, but that's how it seems. Like it is floating on the surface of my eye.
At any rate I have an appointment with the optometrist this afternoon. I have fingers and toes crossed that it is nothing serious.
Both my grandfather and father were blind in later life, so I hope this is not the start of something bad.
Guess I'll find out this afternoon.
It is a yellow thing in the center of my vision. Kinda like when a bug hits the windshield and leaves his guts all yellow right in front of you.
It distorts my vision and interferes with reading. I am right eye dominant, and of course it is right in the middle of my right eye fielld of vision.
It doesn't feel like I have something stuckk in my eye, but that's how it seems. Like it is floating on the surface of my eye.
At any rate I have an appointment with the optometrist this afternoon. I have fingers and toes crossed that it is nothing serious.
Both my grandfather and father were blind in later life, so I hope this is not the start of something bad.
Guess I'll find out this afternoon.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Westy
Here are a couple of pictures of the Westfalia. It is very straight and pretty clean. No dents or rust, starts right up.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Westfalia1
Well, I bought the Westfalia.
It is VERY clean inside, really shows no wear except for a couple of spots in the canvas of the pop-up. No dents, no rust. It is a kinda creamy yellow. It needs some TLC, but that just makes it so I will feel it is truely mine when I get it all fixed up.
It was last licensed 10 years ago, so it is almost like breaking it in all over again. So far, I know it needs the brakes workes on. No big deal. I have done a whole lot of brake jobs over the years. Of a little more concern is that the gas guage isn't working, probably just from sitting for so long. I don't particularly like working on gas tanks, but if that's what it takes, that's what I will do. I ordered a complete repair manual for it, and it should be in next week.
I would have pictures, but it is cold and rainy out, not to mention gloomy. As soon as the clouds part, I'll take some pictures.
I had originally thought that the engine was the 1.9 Liter air cooled, but found out it is the 2.1 Liter wasserboxer, which is supposed to be one of the most robust engines ever made. I have never owned or worked on one, but it seems pretty straightforward.
I spent a little while this afternoon inside it, just figuring out where things were and how they worked. It'll take a while to figure it all out. I read the owners manuals, and figured most of it out, but will need a little time to translate all the words into sense.
It is VERY clean inside, really shows no wear except for a couple of spots in the canvas of the pop-up. No dents, no rust. It is a kinda creamy yellow. It needs some TLC, but that just makes it so I will feel it is truely mine when I get it all fixed up.
It was last licensed 10 years ago, so it is almost like breaking it in all over again. So far, I know it needs the brakes workes on. No big deal. I have done a whole lot of brake jobs over the years. Of a little more concern is that the gas guage isn't working, probably just from sitting for so long. I don't particularly like working on gas tanks, but if that's what it takes, that's what I will do. I ordered a complete repair manual for it, and it should be in next week.
I would have pictures, but it is cold and rainy out, not to mention gloomy. As soon as the clouds part, I'll take some pictures.
I had originally thought that the engine was the 1.9 Liter air cooled, but found out it is the 2.1 Liter wasserboxer, which is supposed to be one of the most robust engines ever made. I have never owned or worked on one, but it seems pretty straightforward.
I spent a little while this afternoon inside it, just figuring out where things were and how they worked. It'll take a while to figure it all out. I read the owners manuals, and figured most of it out, but will need a little time to translate all the words into sense.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Westfalia
Our plan for this year is to buy a used Volkswagen Westfalia when we got out income tax return back. Well, the money hit the bank Saturday, so I have been looking this week. They are not cheap. Your basic "It runs, needs some TLC" Westfalia is priced between six and seven thousand bucks. I have been watching prices for six months or so. so I know where the local market is.
I ahve called on two vans this week. The first has some issues, which is why it wasa priced a little low. I didn't want to deal with the particular problems it had, so I passed on it.
I went last night and looked at one, and I made an offer on it. The price was $6500, but I offered them 6K cash. I am going over for the buy this afternoon. The only possible deal breaker is the title. They say it was their dad's van, and he passed away, so I will need some proof that they have the right to sell it. It is straight with no rust or dents or anything. Starts right up and runs OK. but probably needs a tune-up. A good way to get acquainted with the motor.
They are notoriously underpowered, but I am already eying a comversion kit that takes it from 1.9 liters to 2.3 liters. I could buy the rebuild kit and do the engine down in the basement over next winter.
We'll see how it goes.
I ahve called on two vans this week. The first has some issues, which is why it wasa priced a little low. I didn't want to deal with the particular problems it had, so I passed on it.
I went last night and looked at one, and I made an offer on it. The price was $6500, but I offered them 6K cash. I am going over for the buy this afternoon. The only possible deal breaker is the title. They say it was their dad's van, and he passed away, so I will need some proof that they have the right to sell it. It is straight with no rust or dents or anything. Starts right up and runs OK. but probably needs a tune-up. A good way to get acquainted with the motor.
They are notoriously underpowered, but I am already eying a comversion kit that takes it from 1.9 liters to 2.3 liters. I could buy the rebuild kit and do the engine down in the basement over next winter.
We'll see how it goes.
Sunday, March 07, 2010
Z
I haven't blogged about the Z lately. I promised to publish some pictgures after I put on the ground effects kit, but I never got around to it. Well, Saturday I put on a set of custom wheels and new tires. That pretty much completes the outside of the car.
Maybe tomorrow (or Later today) I will dig out a couple of "before" pictures.
Of course I'm never done. I still need to get the driver's seat reapholstered, and I need to find and fix a mminor "Clunk" in the rear end, but then I will pretty much be finished with it.
I will probably sell it and get a new project.
Saturday, March 06, 2010
Just another Ssaturday
The weather continues to be incredible. The temperature was in the sixties today, so of course I had to work inside. The downstairs toilet started leaking, so I decided to bite the bullet and completely rebuild it.
New gaskets, new bolts, new fill tube and flapper, new mechanism., new cold water line.. The worst part was that the bolts that held the tank to the bowl were corroded to the point I could not loosen them. I went down and bought a special holder for a hacksaw blade to get in and saw the bolts in half. The toilet had 10" clearance on either side, so it was a pain in the back to get in there and cut them. But I got it done. Have I mentioned I hate plumbing?
It took longer than I thought it would, and I had barely finished when My grand daughter and great grandson showed up with her new fiancee'. Not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but he seems OK. As long as he treats her right and she is happy. Little Nikko is 19 months and jabbers a mile a minute. Occasionally you here a word in there. His favorite is of course "NO".
I had a busy day planned, and there visit wasn't part of it, but it was nice to see them.
Needless to say, their visit made me rearrange my day. I recently got a bonus at work. I planned to use it to put wheels and tires on the Z. I got a set of used magnesium wheels from a guy I work with, and after I got done with the bathroom, the plan was to drop off the wheels at Firestone and have new tires put on them, then take the Z down and have the wheels and tires mounted, then go down and get the old wheels and tires. But I ran out of time to go pick up the tires tonight. I'll have to go do that in the morning.. The plan included getting a haircut and BBQing a mess of ribs.
I ended up tending the BBQ by flashlight, and the haircut will have to wait until tomorrow.
But the bathroom is done, and the new wheels and tires are on the Z. If it doesn't rain tomorrow, I'll have to finish cleaning up the Z and take some pictures.
After I get a haircut.
New gaskets, new bolts, new fill tube and flapper, new mechanism., new cold water line.. The worst part was that the bolts that held the tank to the bowl were corroded to the point I could not loosen them. I went down and bought a special holder for a hacksaw blade to get in and saw the bolts in half. The toilet had 10" clearance on either side, so it was a pain in the back to get in there and cut them. But I got it done. Have I mentioned I hate plumbing?
It took longer than I thought it would, and I had barely finished when My grand daughter and great grandson showed up with her new fiancee'. Not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but he seems OK. As long as he treats her right and she is happy. Little Nikko is 19 months and jabbers a mile a minute. Occasionally you here a word in there. His favorite is of course "NO".
I had a busy day planned, and there visit wasn't part of it, but it was nice to see them.
Needless to say, their visit made me rearrange my day. I recently got a bonus at work. I planned to use it to put wheels and tires on the Z. I got a set of used magnesium wheels from a guy I work with, and after I got done with the bathroom, the plan was to drop off the wheels at Firestone and have new tires put on them, then take the Z down and have the wheels and tires mounted, then go down and get the old wheels and tires. But I ran out of time to go pick up the tires tonight. I'll have to go do that in the morning.. The plan included getting a haircut and BBQing a mess of ribs.
I ended up tending the BBQ by flashlight, and the haircut will have to wait until tomorrow.
But the bathroom is done, and the new wheels and tires are on the Z. If it doesn't rain tomorrow, I'll have to finish cleaning up the Z and take some pictures.
After I get a haircut.
Sunday, February 28, 2010
What a beautiful Day!
We awoke this morning to sunshine and blue skies. The unit we are renting is a block way from the beach, so after breakfast, we walked down to the beach. It was an incredibly nice morning for February.
We then went into town, and hit the shops. There is my favorite shop, Dragonfire,, which specializes in glasswork The picture is of our latest acquisition, a glass sphere about 3" in diameter. Because of the way it is made, the top half is clear and the bottom half opaque. Because of the way the color elements are twirled it looks like it goes on forever. This is the third piece we have purchased by the same artist. Double click on the picture, and you get a pretty good idea what it looks like, but you really can't get the full impression.
We went to a late lunch ad The Driftwood Inn. They have the best clam chowder ever. I grew up on clam chowder, come from the land of Ivar. All the way from Latteland I was thinking about the clam chowder, So of course I started out with the chowder, and it was incredible. I also had the crab sandwich, which is Dungenesse Crab on an English Muffin covered with melted cheddar cheese. Those of you not from around here have no idea what I'm talking about here. Dungenesse Blue Tip is the best crab in the world, and anyone who thinks different can meet me in the street at high noon for a Crab-out. Soft shells? HAH! King? Bring it on, bigger is not better! Hokkaido? Been there, done that. Snow crab? You can't snow me!
Later this afternoon, I wandered down the street to the Glass studio and spent about an hour talking with the owner. Learned a bunch. Kinda inspires me to follow up with the glass blowing classes when I get back. Glass is such an incredible medium, and I saw so much incredible stuff today.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Mini-vacation
I am typing this sitting on the couch at Van Buren Lighthouse Inn at Cannon Beach, Oregon. It is a very nice unit, more of a condo than a hotel room. One bedroom with a very comfortable queen size bed, kitchenette. Sleeper sofa dining table, gas fireplace, high def TV with VCR/DVD player. Since it is the off season, it is $125.00 a night. Two blocks off of the beach in the middle of Cannon Beach. We'll have to do a little more figuring out exactly where everything is tomorrow. The four hour drive left me without a whole lot of ambition.
As always, we stopped in Raymond, WA for lunch. Mrs A is thoroughly convinced the DQ in Raymond has the best Fish n' Chips anywhere. I had an oysterburger. There are probably people out there who will cringe at the sound of oysterburger, but I like them,
We decided to just relax this evening. The weather is supposed to pretty nice tomorrow, so we will have a full day.
Maybe tomorrow I will take a couple of pictures of the unit and upload them.
As always, we stopped in Raymond, WA for lunch. Mrs A is thoroughly convinced the DQ in Raymond has the best Fish n' Chips anywhere. I had an oysterburger. There are probably people out there who will cringe at the sound of oysterburger, but I like them,
We decided to just relax this evening. The weather is supposed to pretty nice tomorrow, so we will have a full day.
Maybe tomorrow I will take a couple of pictures of the unit and upload them.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Babysitting
Here I am being tortured by "i". It is a real pleasure to have a child in the house for a while. Seeing him gaze up at me with his big grin so full of love and trust and innocence makes life worthwhile.
As much as I love having him around, two days is the limit.
By the time two days are over, I am happy to also see him go back home. There is a reason children are given to the young. We mature folk just don't have the energy to keep up with little ones for any great length of time. We were worn out by the time "i" left.
He is 20 Months old, and already potty trained. The only time he had an "accident" was when he was asleep. It makes taking care of him a lot more pleasant, but just as time consuming, since you have to make sure you remind him, and take him in and help him and wash his hands after and everything.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Taxes
We went in to H & R Block yesterday and did our annual Income Tax work. I wanted to get it done ASAP because I am getting a wad back this year.
We have agreed that we want to use the money to buy a used Volkswagen Westfalia camper van. We had an Airstream 19 foot motor home. It had it's good points, but I hated the way it lumbered down the road and the fact that it got about 6 miles to the gallon. A guy came by last spring with a wad of cash and I sold it and used the money to put in a new heat pump.
We love to go camping, but I wanted something a little more practical. A Westfalia will be just right for the two of us. Complete with stove, refrigerator, sink, and heat. But still getting around 20 MPG and usable for everyday chores.
Used ones in good condition run from five to eight thousand. I have been watching the adds on Craigslist, and there are some good bargains. I should be able to buy one and have a few bucks left over to work on it. Now I just have to wait for my return to come in.
We are having a family reunion of sorts in Sandpoint, Idaho in August, and I want to have it in good shape by then. It would be nice to take it out for an inauguration trip before then.
Then probably later, a trip to Utah to see the kids down there.
We have agreed that we want to use the money to buy a used Volkswagen Westfalia camper van. We had an Airstream 19 foot motor home. It had it's good points, but I hated the way it lumbered down the road and the fact that it got about 6 miles to the gallon. A guy came by last spring with a wad of cash and I sold it and used the money to put in a new heat pump.
We love to go camping, but I wanted something a little more practical. A Westfalia will be just right for the two of us. Complete with stove, refrigerator, sink, and heat. But still getting around 20 MPG and usable for everyday chores.
Used ones in good condition run from five to eight thousand. I have been watching the adds on Craigslist, and there are some good bargains. I should be able to buy one and have a few bucks left over to work on it. Now I just have to wait for my return to come in.
We are having a family reunion of sorts in Sandpoint, Idaho in August, and I want to have it in good shape by then. It would be nice to take it out for an inauguration trip before then.
Then probably later, a trip to Utah to see the kids down there.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Still Here
I know I haven't written diddly SH*% lately. Truth is, I have been totally lazy.This happens to me this time every year.
I just had a very nice weekend, sorta. It didn't start out so great. I missed work on Friday, because I was up all night with stomach problems. I never got sick, but I think I would have been better off if I had stuck a finger down my throat and got it over with.
My body does not like one of my diabetes medications, Metformin. I have heard from other diabetics that it is not unusual for people to have a bad reaction to it. I get a stomach ache and heartburn that is really, really bad. Bad enough that sleep is impossible. No amount of pink stuff or pepcid or alka anything else will stop it. You just have to hang on and ride it out. It usually lasts about eight to ten hours. Usually I can figure out what I ate (or drank) that caused it, but Thursday night I didn't do anything real bad. Sure, I had a small batch of chips and dip, and I had a couple of beers, but normally this would not have effected me.
So I got up and called in to work and crashed on the couch. When I got up I was still disoriented.
My cousin, K who lives in Texas was up visiting. His primary reason was to visit his sister, who was recently diagnosed with cancer. The cancer has metastasized into her bones, and is inoperable. With treatment she has maybe four to five years. Bummer.
He wanted to spend some time here, and wanted to go see our aunt and uncle on Vashon.
It started out as just him and I going over, but ended up as six people and a minor family reunion. Everyone had a great time, even though we were watching the Datona 500 and had to stay longer than we intended to catch the end of the race.
He came back here and spent the night, and I took him to the airport around noon. It was sure good to see him. He gave us a little fiddle concert this morning before I ran out to Sea-Tac.
He left me with a 16 gig flash drive with about 80 CDs on it. I spent the day downloading and sampling music. He is and Old-timey fiddle player, so a lot of it is old time fiddle, bluegrass, Irish, and folk. Not my usual stuff.
The one that I had to immediately transfer over to itunes so I can load it on to my ipod was a best of cd from Edith Piaf. Love it. Wish I understood a little French.
I just had a very nice weekend, sorta. It didn't start out so great. I missed work on Friday, because I was up all night with stomach problems. I never got sick, but I think I would have been better off if I had stuck a finger down my throat and got it over with.
My body does not like one of my diabetes medications, Metformin. I have heard from other diabetics that it is not unusual for people to have a bad reaction to it. I get a stomach ache and heartburn that is really, really bad. Bad enough that sleep is impossible. No amount of pink stuff or pepcid or alka anything else will stop it. You just have to hang on and ride it out. It usually lasts about eight to ten hours. Usually I can figure out what I ate (or drank) that caused it, but Thursday night I didn't do anything real bad. Sure, I had a small batch of chips and dip, and I had a couple of beers, but normally this would not have effected me.
So I got up and called in to work and crashed on the couch. When I got up I was still disoriented.
My cousin, K who lives in Texas was up visiting. His primary reason was to visit his sister, who was recently diagnosed with cancer. The cancer has metastasized into her bones, and is inoperable. With treatment she has maybe four to five years. Bummer.
He wanted to spend some time here, and wanted to go see our aunt and uncle on Vashon.
It started out as just him and I going over, but ended up as six people and a minor family reunion. Everyone had a great time, even though we were watching the Datona 500 and had to stay longer than we intended to catch the end of the race.
He came back here and spent the night, and I took him to the airport around noon. It was sure good to see him. He gave us a little fiddle concert this morning before I ran out to Sea-Tac.
He left me with a 16 gig flash drive with about 80 CDs on it. I spent the day downloading and sampling music. He is and Old-timey fiddle player, so a lot of it is old time fiddle, bluegrass, Irish, and folk. Not my usual stuff.
The one that I had to immediately transfer over to itunes so I can load it on to my ipod was a best of cd from Edith Piaf. Love it. Wish I understood a little French.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
The Death of Blogging
I think Blogging is dying.
A lot of the people I used to share with have slowly dropped out.
Fewer people, fewer new blog entries, less general traffic.
Sure there are a few of us diehards out here slogging and flogging and blogging. But it just seems to me it has become less relevant.
It requires spelling skills, and more attention span than a gnat, unlike twitter.
And then I heard the stroke of doom. The Catholic Church is encouraging priests to take up blogging. If The Church encourages it, that means it has gone so main stream that no self respecting churmudgeon could continue. After all, sharing space with the worlds largest organized group of pedophiles just isn't cool.
Maybe they will just keep to themselves......
Oh well, I guess I'll stick around for a while.
A lot of the people I used to share with have slowly dropped out.
Fewer people, fewer new blog entries, less general traffic.
Sure there are a few of us diehards out here slogging and flogging and blogging. But it just seems to me it has become less relevant.
It requires spelling skills, and more attention span than a gnat, unlike twitter.
And then I heard the stroke of doom. The Catholic Church is encouraging priests to take up blogging. If The Church encourages it, that means it has gone so main stream that no self respecting churmudgeon could continue. After all, sharing space with the worlds largest organized group of pedophiles just isn't cool.
Maybe they will just keep to themselves......
Oh well, I guess I'll stick around for a while.
Friday, February 05, 2010
Pilgrimage
The boy is off on his annual pilgrimage to Stanford this weekend. Argumentative teenagers from all over the country converge there for a grand Debate tournament. He brought home a trophy last year.
Not only willV be there, but my neohew from Minnesota will be there also. What are the odds of having two members of the same family at the event?
Let's hope Stanford is up to the experience.
This also means that Mrs A and I will have the weekend to ourselves. Believe me, we are looking forward to having the house to ourselves. I just may disable the phones.
I hope I get the time to get out and get Frankenhealey runninig. My cousin K is coming in from Texas next week and it would be cool to at least start it up and take him around the block. If we go any farther, it will be in the Z.
We will be going over to Vashon Island to visit our Aunt and Uncle. He hasn't seen them in about ten years. I haven't been there in four or five.
Not only willV be there, but my neohew from Minnesota will be there also. What are the odds of having two members of the same family at the event?
Let's hope Stanford is up to the experience.
This also means that Mrs A and I will have the weekend to ourselves. Believe me, we are looking forward to having the house to ourselves. I just may disable the phones.
I hope I get the time to get out and get Frankenhealey runninig. My cousin K is coming in from Texas next week and it would be cool to at least start it up and take him around the block. If we go any farther, it will be in the Z.
We will be going over to Vashon Island to visit our Aunt and Uncle. He hasn't seen them in about ten years. I haven't been there in four or five.
Monday, February 01, 2010
Do I know how to have fun, or what?
I think Homeland Security must have decided I was smuggling aliens around in my ass or something.
My health care provider sent me off the the gastroenterologist.
They made me drink a gallon of gawdawful swampwater, so I spent the evening pooing my brains out. For those who have accused me of having sh** for brains, I can assure you that it is no longer true. Anything below my hair and above my knees that even remotely resembled poo was forcibly ejected out
If that wasn't enough they inflated my intestines with compressed air and shoved a camera up my ass. Fortunately during the exam they filled me full of drugs so I didn't care. "Hey, more air over here. I think I can play the Star Spangled Banner on the Butt Trumpet!"
This is the only medical procedure I have undergone where I was actively encouraged to fart.
At any rate, they found no aliens. One small polyp that they removed. A small patch of diverticulitis but nothing major.
Two days without a decent meal. The first thing I did afterwards was head for Denny's and a decent breakfast. Unfortunately they didn't have any.
I think I will decline to do it again.
My health care provider sent me off the the gastroenterologist.
They made me drink a gallon of gawdawful swampwater, so I spent the evening pooing my brains out. For those who have accused me of having sh** for brains, I can assure you that it is no longer true. Anything below my hair and above my knees that even remotely resembled poo was forcibly ejected out
If that wasn't enough they inflated my intestines with compressed air and shoved a camera up my ass. Fortunately during the exam they filled me full of drugs so I didn't care. "Hey, more air over here. I think I can play the Star Spangled Banner on the Butt Trumpet!"
This is the only medical procedure I have undergone where I was actively encouraged to fart.
At any rate, they found no aliens. One small polyp that they removed. A small patch of diverticulitis but nothing major.
Two days without a decent meal. The first thing I did afterwards was head for Denny's and a decent breakfast. Unfortunately they didn't have any.
I think I will decline to do it again.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Did I really say that?
My mouth gets me in too much trouble.
I was minding my business this morning, parking my truck. Because I have been there forever, I have a parking pass that allows me to park a couple hundred yards closer. There is this security guard we call the Parking Nazi. He is a real ass. Just about everyone I work with has a story about an encounter with him. We sometimes sit around and swap stories.
At any rate, Robocop was patroling the restricted area. He pulled in behind me. I got out and started off. He said "Hey, do you have a parking pass?" I answered in the affirmative. He demanded I get it and bring it to him. So I said, Hey, there's no need to act like a dickhead.
I showed him my parking pass, started off. He waited until I had gone about 30 feet, pulled up and told me he wasn't going to put up with me. He demanded I stop and came over and called his superior. Who came out and asked me what the problem was. I said "Him".
I explanied that I had broken no rules, and did not care to be treated like a criminal by anyone. He tried to cover, saying that I had to display my parking credentials. I turned and pointed at my truck "See the blue truck. See the parking pass on the dash. That's where it was. Can you see it?"
At any rate I am now on double secret probation. The guy is seriously on this power trip and needs to be brought down a couple of pegs.
Next time I see him I will have to tell him that we all sit around and tell stories about him and laugh at him. He is just the kind of pompous ass that it will eat at him thinking about us laughing at him.
Nah, I'm just not mean enough.
I was minding my business this morning, parking my truck. Because I have been there forever, I have a parking pass that allows me to park a couple hundred yards closer. There is this security guard we call the Parking Nazi. He is a real ass. Just about everyone I work with has a story about an encounter with him. We sometimes sit around and swap stories.
At any rate, Robocop was patroling the restricted area. He pulled in behind me. I got out and started off. He said "Hey, do you have a parking pass?" I answered in the affirmative. He demanded I get it and bring it to him. So I said, Hey, there's no need to act like a dickhead.
I showed him my parking pass, started off. He waited until I had gone about 30 feet, pulled up and told me he wasn't going to put up with me. He demanded I stop and came over and called his superior. Who came out and asked me what the problem was. I said "Him".
I explanied that I had broken no rules, and did not care to be treated like a criminal by anyone. He tried to cover, saying that I had to display my parking credentials. I turned and pointed at my truck "See the blue truck. See the parking pass on the dash. That's where it was. Can you see it?"
At any rate I am now on double secret probation. The guy is seriously on this power trip and needs to be brought down a couple of pegs.
Next time I see him I will have to tell him that we all sit around and tell stories about him and laugh at him. He is just the kind of pompous ass that it will eat at him thinking about us laughing at him.
Nah, I'm just not mean enough.
Monday, January 25, 2010
The Line
When you are in a relationship, you have to take advantage of the opportunities that are presented to you. You need to be aware of your partners needs and moods.
Mrs A is sitting next to me.
Do you still love me?
Of course my dear.
At this point you know at this point that she is looking for something more that a yes. Don't give in at this point.
How come?
I don't know, I just do?
This is not the answer she is looking for, she will have to take it to the next level.
If you don't know why, maybe you will quit loving me.
You have set it up, now to go in for the score.
I don't think about it. It is like breathing. I don't think about breathing, but like breathing, it is something I must have in order to live.
He shoots. He scores!
Mrs A is sitting next to me.
Do you still love me?
Of course my dear.
At this point you know at this point that she is looking for something more that a yes. Don't give in at this point.
How come?
I don't know, I just do?
This is not the answer she is looking for, she will have to take it to the next level.
If you don't know why, maybe you will quit loving me.
You have set it up, now to go in for the score.
I don't think about it. It is like breathing. I don't think about breathing, but like breathing, it is something I must have in order to live.
He shoots. He scores!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
30 And Counting
That would not be me.......
That would not be my marriage.........
It would be how long I have worked at Boeing. Although my actual Anniversary is tomorrow, the Company took me to lunch yesterday. I generally could care less about this sort of thing usually, but the prize in the puddin' was that I got to take the rest of the day off after lunch. Not to mention that the two choices for lunch were steak and salmon. Our cafeteria at work is pretty bad. Admittedly better than the School Cafeteria or the soup kitchen, but definitely south of fast food. I think of it as fuel as opposed to food.
The luncheon was at the Bellevue Club, a hoity-toity members-only kinda place. Everything was very nice and the food was excellent. Shake and pictures with the BIG BOSS. The head of Engineering for BCAG and VP of BCAG, Mike Denton is a nice guy. There were about 20 of us celebrating our 30th, one her 35th. Each one had to get up and say howdie and give a short autobiography.
"I stood on the tarmac of Boeing Field in Seattle on December 28th 1967 and watched the very first 737 take off on it's delivery to Lufthansa airlines". Some of you with rudimentary math skills might catch the fact that 1967 from 2010 does not equal 30. I had a couple of breaks in service. The first was because Uncle Sam decided he needed me. Very much against my will I was dragged, kicking and screaming into the Army, where I ended up as the Liaison Officer for the locked Psychiatric facility on Okinawa. As I explained, it was excellent training for my career at Boeing.
The second came when we lost funding for a top secret research and development project I was working on. The laid me off two weeks before Christmas, with no warning and no notice. I swore I would never go back. But of course I did, and I really don't regret it. It has been fun and a challenge.
I guess I'll stick around for a few more years.
That would not be my marriage.........
It would be how long I have worked at Boeing. Although my actual Anniversary is tomorrow, the Company took me to lunch yesterday. I generally could care less about this sort of thing usually, but the prize in the puddin' was that I got to take the rest of the day off after lunch. Not to mention that the two choices for lunch were steak and salmon. Our cafeteria at work is pretty bad. Admittedly better than the School Cafeteria or the soup kitchen, but definitely south of fast food. I think of it as fuel as opposed to food.
The luncheon was at the Bellevue Club, a hoity-toity members-only kinda place. Everything was very nice and the food was excellent. Shake and pictures with the BIG BOSS. The head of Engineering for BCAG and VP of BCAG, Mike Denton is a nice guy. There were about 20 of us celebrating our 30th, one her 35th. Each one had to get up and say howdie and give a short autobiography.
"I stood on the tarmac of Boeing Field in Seattle on December 28th 1967 and watched the very first 737 take off on it's delivery to Lufthansa airlines". Some of you with rudimentary math skills might catch the fact that 1967 from 2010 does not equal 30. I had a couple of breaks in service. The first was because Uncle Sam decided he needed me. Very much against my will I was dragged, kicking and screaming into the Army, where I ended up as the Liaison Officer for the locked Psychiatric facility on Okinawa. As I explained, it was excellent training for my career at Boeing.
The second came when we lost funding for a top secret research and development project I was working on. The laid me off two weeks before Christmas, with no warning and no notice. I swore I would never go back. But of course I did, and I really don't regret it. It has been fun and a challenge.
I guess I'll stick around for a few more years.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Why animals eat their young
Because if you don't terminate them when they are small, they will turn into teenagers.
First of all, V came in the other night and announced he needed money for the Debate Team trip to Stanford. He has known about it since before the Holidays. The information he gave me said that the money was due by Jan 8th. He handed it to me on the 12th.. The actual trip is the weekend of Feb 8th. $200 for the room. Airline reservations another $175. Food and spending money, an extra $100. Total, almost $500, and I had to hurry and make the flight reservation before it filled up.
Not to mention that the night before, I reminded him that garbage pickup was the next day, and he just blew it off. Mrs A, ended up having to take it to the curb as she was going to work.
I was pissed enough that I told him to go away because I didn't want to see him right then.
Big debate tournament this weekend Saturday V uses the bathroom, uses the toilet and messes up the seat, doesn't flush and leaves his dirty boxers in the floor.
He won two trophies at the debate tournament. Second place in Extemp and third in Congress.
He got home late (11:00) from debate and by the time he unwound it was close to midnight, but I wouldn't let him go to bed until he cleaned the bathroom. We had left it for him and just used the one downstairs.
I told him that it was bad enough he chose to live in a filthy room, but he had no right to bring his filth out where the rest of us to have to deal with. It was really EEEWWWWW.
So he spent the day cleaning today.
It was either that or death by swirly.
First of all, V came in the other night and announced he needed money for the Debate Team trip to Stanford. He has known about it since before the Holidays. The information he gave me said that the money was due by Jan 8th. He handed it to me on the 12th.. The actual trip is the weekend of Feb 8th. $200 for the room. Airline reservations another $175. Food and spending money, an extra $100. Total, almost $500, and I had to hurry and make the flight reservation before it filled up.
Not to mention that the night before, I reminded him that garbage pickup was the next day, and he just blew it off. Mrs A, ended up having to take it to the curb as she was going to work.
I was pissed enough that I told him to go away because I didn't want to see him right then.
Big debate tournament this weekend Saturday V uses the bathroom, uses the toilet and messes up the seat, doesn't flush and leaves his dirty boxers in the floor.
He won two trophies at the debate tournament. Second place in Extemp and third in Congress.
He got home late (11:00) from debate and by the time he unwound it was close to midnight, but I wouldn't let him go to bed until he cleaned the bathroom. We had left it for him and just used the one downstairs.
I told him that it was bad enough he chose to live in a filthy room, but he had no right to bring his filth out where the rest of us to have to deal with. It was really EEEWWWWW.
So he spent the day cleaning today.
It was either that or death by swirly.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Quiet Weekend
Didn't do a whole lot on the weekend. Saturday, L came over and she and Mrs A went shopping. I donated $100 to the cause. I had brought home work to do, so I spent the time doing data collection and collating. Boring stuff.
The reason I brought work home was that I went out for lunch and didn't come back.
A bunch of us that used to work together try to get together every Christmas and catch up. This tradition is over 10 years old, and is always fun. Our annual holiday fell through in December, so we decided to get together last Friday.
We went to BJ's Brew Pub. I decided I didn't want to go have a couple of beers and then go back to work.
Right before lunch they come to me and say "You know the statistical analysis you did on the costs on the last airplane? We need you to do it on the one before that, so we can do out headcount predictions for the next one"
I told them it would not get done Friday, but that I would work on it at home over the weekend and have it for them by the end of shift on Monday.
Lots of tedious number crunching At any rate, while the women were out, I put on the blues station and crunched numbers.
Sunday, R and "i" came over. We had a huge box of pull-ups for her, and she had promised to reorganize our spice cabinet. I'm not saying I'm a bit of a packrat, but some of the spices went back to 1985. They were probably still good..........................
All in all a nice quiet weekend.
The reason I brought work home was that I went out for lunch and didn't come back.
A bunch of us that used to work together try to get together every Christmas and catch up. This tradition is over 10 years old, and is always fun. Our annual holiday fell through in December, so we decided to get together last Friday.
We went to BJ's Brew Pub. I decided I didn't want to go have a couple of beers and then go back to work.
Right before lunch they come to me and say "You know the statistical analysis you did on the costs on the last airplane? We need you to do it on the one before that, so we can do out headcount predictions for the next one"
I told them it would not get done Friday, but that I would work on it at home over the weekend and have it for them by the end of shift on Monday.
Lots of tedious number crunching At any rate, while the women were out, I put on the blues station and crunched numbers.
Sunday, R and "i" came over. We had a huge box of pull-ups for her, and she had promised to reorganize our spice cabinet. I'm not saying I'm a bit of a packrat, but some of the spices went back to 1985. They were probably still good..........................
All in all a nice quiet weekend.
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
The Mysterious Case of the Missing Remote
I am not the ultimate Hi-Tec guy, but I need the basic amenities. You know, the 50" high def LCD TV with cable, surround sound And dvd player.
When the country went digital, I had already been there for over a year. Comcast set me up with a free converter box, so I had no problems.
The downside was the universal remote needed to run all the stuff. It is not really user friendly, but we have learned to live with it.
Second part of the story, I bought a very expensive laptop computer for Mrs A and I. Not for any one else. Just for the two of us. The old laptop became community property. I am deleting all personal information off of it and using it as a recording studio for my old vinyl. When I am not using it, it is free for anyone to use.
V. is sneaky. He is a technogeek, and there was this brand new high end laptop sitting there. I told him he was not to use it. Since I was still setting up things, I left it unprotected. I had a sneaking suspicion that V. was getting up in the middle of the night and messing with it. I know there is some way of checking history, but I don't know how.
So yesterday I password protected the computer.
When we got up this morning, the remote for the TV was missing. Mrs A and I made a quick check around, and it was nowhere to be found. Didn't have time to get serious about looking. When I got home, I tore things apart looking for the remote,, and came up empty. I knew that V. was the last one to use it, since the TV was on Comedy Central and Mrs A and I never watch that channel. He was upstairs taking a nap.
I went upstairs and woke him. "OK you were the last person to use the remote, you need to get up and find it!"
Much grumbling and "I don't know where it is"
"Get up and find it. I am pissed and not likely to get any better until YOU find the remote that YOU had last!"
He got up and came down stairs. After a cursory search, he went out in the kitchen, looked back at the living room and said "There it is right there" and came in and fished it out from under a chair.
"See, it just fell off and got lost"
Where it landed was under the sectional. It would not be possible for the remote to have landed where it did without a considerable amount of assistance. The physics just don't work. Someone had to have deliberately put it there.
Now let's see......someone was pissed because I had password protected my new computer, and was the last one to have used the remote, which mysteriously disappeared, and then found in a very short period of time when confronted...................
A picture is beginning to emerge..................
The dog did it.
When the country went digital, I had already been there for over a year. Comcast set me up with a free converter box, so I had no problems.
The downside was the universal remote needed to run all the stuff. It is not really user friendly, but we have learned to live with it.
Second part of the story, I bought a very expensive laptop computer for Mrs A and I. Not for any one else. Just for the two of us. The old laptop became community property. I am deleting all personal information off of it and using it as a recording studio for my old vinyl. When I am not using it, it is free for anyone to use.
V. is sneaky. He is a technogeek, and there was this brand new high end laptop sitting there. I told him he was not to use it. Since I was still setting up things, I left it unprotected. I had a sneaking suspicion that V. was getting up in the middle of the night and messing with it. I know there is some way of checking history, but I don't know how.
So yesterday I password protected the computer.
When we got up this morning, the remote for the TV was missing. Mrs A and I made a quick check around, and it was nowhere to be found. Didn't have time to get serious about looking. When I got home, I tore things apart looking for the remote,, and came up empty. I knew that V. was the last one to use it, since the TV was on Comedy Central and Mrs A and I never watch that channel. He was upstairs taking a nap.
I went upstairs and woke him. "OK you were the last person to use the remote, you need to get up and find it!"
Much grumbling and "I don't know where it is"
"Get up and find it. I am pissed and not likely to get any better until YOU find the remote that YOU had last!"
He got up and came down stairs. After a cursory search, he went out in the kitchen, looked back at the living room and said "There it is right there" and came in and fished it out from under a chair.
"See, it just fell off and got lost"
Where it landed was under the sectional. It would not be possible for the remote to have landed where it did without a considerable amount of assistance. The physics just don't work. Someone had to have deliberately put it there.
Now let's see......someone was pissed because I had password protected my new computer, and was the last one to have used the remote, which mysteriously disappeared, and then found in a very short period of time when confronted...................
A picture is beginning to emerge..................
The dog did it.
Friday, January 01, 2010
Laughing through the tears
As I mentioned the other day, my Aunt Mary Rose Glahe passed away on Christmas eve day. She was a very special person to me.
When we were growing up, her family lived right outside Olympia, Wa. The trip now is about an hour down the freeway, but back then it was about double that. We went down there or they came up here pretty regularly. I was close to my cousins growing up, but eventually the moved to Utah, which to me was the equivalent of moving to the back side of the moon. After they moved, I think the only time I saw them was in 1970 for my Grandfathers' funeral in 1970.
A few years ago My cousin Ginger and I got back in touch, and have visited back and forth a couple of times a year. She and her husband, Pat have a beautiful home in Coberg, Oregon.
When Mrs A and I first started going down to Coberg to visit, Aunt Mary Rose would come over and visit along with her brother, my Uncle Fred.
When we first got back together, we figured out that it had been about 32 years since we has seen each other. But the minute I walked in the door, it was like the years in between had evaporated. We spent several hours remembering things we had done when we were kids and such.
I had spent a couple of weeks in Olympia with them a couple of times, working in the strawberry fields. The most significant thing I remember about strawberry picking is that they paid us in silver dollars. That and the strawberry fights, and eating strawberries until I couldn't eat any more. In fact, to this day, I am not real fond of strawberries.
I also recall the time we went camping at the ocean at Westport, at Twin Harbors State Park. In the middle of the night a rain storm moved in and we got drenched. When the air mattresses started floating, we had enough, broke camp and headed home. Olympia was about held way home, so we showed up and Aunt Mary Rose and Uncle Franks' house wet, bedraggled and chilled to the bone. I was never so happy to see their porch light.
Shortly after she passed, Ginger sent a very nice piece talking about their experience, and included some stories of life with her parents. A couple of them were downright hilarious.
I read them sitting there on the couch laughing right out loud with tears running down my face.
When we were growing up, her family lived right outside Olympia, Wa. The trip now is about an hour down the freeway, but back then it was about double that. We went down there or they came up here pretty regularly. I was close to my cousins growing up, but eventually the moved to Utah, which to me was the equivalent of moving to the back side of the moon. After they moved, I think the only time I saw them was in 1970 for my Grandfathers' funeral in 1970.
A few years ago My cousin Ginger and I got back in touch, and have visited back and forth a couple of times a year. She and her husband, Pat have a beautiful home in Coberg, Oregon.
When Mrs A and I first started going down to Coberg to visit, Aunt Mary Rose would come over and visit along with her brother, my Uncle Fred.
When we first got back together, we figured out that it had been about 32 years since we has seen each other. But the minute I walked in the door, it was like the years in between had evaporated. We spent several hours remembering things we had done when we were kids and such.
I had spent a couple of weeks in Olympia with them a couple of times, working in the strawberry fields. The most significant thing I remember about strawberry picking is that they paid us in silver dollars. That and the strawberry fights, and eating strawberries until I couldn't eat any more. In fact, to this day, I am not real fond of strawberries.
I also recall the time we went camping at the ocean at Westport, at Twin Harbors State Park. In the middle of the night a rain storm moved in and we got drenched. When the air mattresses started floating, we had enough, broke camp and headed home. Olympia was about held way home, so we showed up and Aunt Mary Rose and Uncle Franks' house wet, bedraggled and chilled to the bone. I was never so happy to see their porch light.
Shortly after she passed, Ginger sent a very nice piece talking about their experience, and included some stories of life with her parents. A couple of them were downright hilarious.
I read them sitting there on the couch laughing right out loud with tears running down my face.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
New Computer
Our main present to each other this Christmas is a new computer. It is a Gateway laptop. Top of the line 17" screen dual core P8700 with INVIDIA Geforce GTX 2600M video card with 4gb DDR3 Memory. Good enough graphics for gaming, Extended life battery (6 hours), built in web cam with Windows 7.
It has taken me most of a day to set it up and get it running. It will take a while to get used to Windows 7. Just when you get used to one way of doing things, they change it.
The Old laptop is now more or less dedicated to being an Audio Studio. I have started converting my old vinyl to MP3. Then they need to be edited and stuff. Some of the really old stuff has so much hiss and pop that the software can't tell where one song stops and the next one starts, so I have to go in later and divide the tracks up and title them.
We went and saw Avatar today. Quite the Movie. Incredible Computer Generated Imaging. I've
seen some great stuff in games, but it is pretty much static background with a figure moving through it. Three dimensional continuous CGI. I can't imagine how much computer time went into making the movie. I give it four starts on a one to five star ranking.
It has taken me most of a day to set it up and get it running. It will take a while to get used to Windows 7. Just when you get used to one way of doing things, they change it.
The Old laptop is now more or less dedicated to being an Audio Studio. I have started converting my old vinyl to MP3. Then they need to be edited and stuff. Some of the really old stuff has so much hiss and pop that the software can't tell where one song stops and the next one starts, so I have to go in later and divide the tracks up and title them.
We went and saw Avatar today. Quite the Movie. Incredible Computer Generated Imaging. I've
seen some great stuff in games, but it is pretty much static background with a figure moving through it. Three dimensional continuous CGI. I can't imagine how much computer time went into making the movie. I give it four starts on a one to five star ranking.
Friday, December 25, 2009
Merry Christmas
I Hope everyone's Holidays are going well.
It was our turn to host the Christmas Eve. So we had a whole house full of Warrens telling lies and solving the world's problems. Everyone brought wonderful food, and we ate and drank until we couldn't eat any more. What I love about Christmas Eve is that there is never a sit down meal, just all buffet all night.
Little quiches, eggrolls, my home made salsa (killer!) with crab eat and cream cheese or shrimp and creme cheese. Chili cheese dip. Chinese sweet and sour meat balls. Deviled eggs. Crab dip. Chicken wings. Wild huckleberry cobbler.
Crown Royal, Tanqueray of Pyrat Rum. Fat Tire Amber Ale. Horneby's Hard Cider. for those who drank. Knudsens sparkling Cider for those who didn't.
We don't do a gift exchange any more, we just give a collection for the poor. We did have a $20 gift exchange, complete with stealing and all that.
Our two daughters and the kids spent the night, so we did have the Christmas Morning present opening and madness.
Mrs A got me a Sony Turntable that converts old vinyl LPs to PM3 files, so I may next surface in a couple of weeks, as I have around 400 old albums to convert to digital files. The turntable comes with a pretty complicated suite of software, so I have to figure out how to run everything, how to run the editing software, set the titles and separate the tracks. Then convert it over to itunes so I can load it on my ipod.
We still plan to get a new laptop after the Holidays, but no rush.
On a sad note, my Aunt Mary Rose passed away at 11:00 in the morning on Christmas eve day. She was my favorite aunt. In fact my daughter, Rose is named after her. She had been failing for a couple of years, and her passing comes as no great shock. My mind is ready to accept her passing, but my heart is not yet ready to let her go.
It was our turn to host the Christmas Eve. So we had a whole house full of Warrens telling lies and solving the world's problems. Everyone brought wonderful food, and we ate and drank until we couldn't eat any more. What I love about Christmas Eve is that there is never a sit down meal, just all buffet all night.
Little quiches, eggrolls, my home made salsa (killer!) with crab eat and cream cheese or shrimp and creme cheese. Chili cheese dip. Chinese sweet and sour meat balls. Deviled eggs. Crab dip. Chicken wings. Wild huckleberry cobbler.
Crown Royal, Tanqueray of Pyrat Rum. Fat Tire Amber Ale. Horneby's Hard Cider. for those who drank. Knudsens sparkling Cider for those who didn't.
We don't do a gift exchange any more, we just give a collection for the poor. We did have a $20 gift exchange, complete with stealing and all that.
Our two daughters and the kids spent the night, so we did have the Christmas Morning present opening and madness.
Mrs A got me a Sony Turntable that converts old vinyl LPs to PM3 files, so I may next surface in a couple of weeks, as I have around 400 old albums to convert to digital files. The turntable comes with a pretty complicated suite of software, so I have to figure out how to run everything, how to run the editing software, set the titles and separate the tracks. Then convert it over to itunes so I can load it on my ipod.
We still plan to get a new laptop after the Holidays, but no rush.
On a sad note, my Aunt Mary Rose passed away at 11:00 in the morning on Christmas eve day. She was my favorite aunt. In fact my daughter, Rose is named after her. She had been failing for a couple of years, and her passing comes as no great shock. My mind is ready to accept her passing, but my heart is not yet ready to let her go.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
787 First Flight
Everything went quiet in the factory here in Renton, starting at about 10:00. All the big screen monitors were tuned in to the same site:
The live broadcast of the 787 Dreamliner, set to take off on it's first flight.
There had to be a lot of sweaty palms and tightened sphincters around Boeing. This had been a long and difficult birthing. It had already caused several careers to flame out. It had cost a huge pile of money and resources. It had tried the patience of stockholders, corporate officers, and the work force. It had cost the image of The Boeing Company to take several hits to it's credibility.
Things had started out so spectacularly. The competition didn't have a ready answer to a light, versatile, fuel efficient people mover. Sales went through the roof, anticipation built, the stock went up and up and up.
It didn't take too long to show the near fatal flaws in the business model. No one had tried to put together an aircraft in quite this way. State of the art all composit construction divided among several stake holders, to be assembled somewhere else. Admittedly, the bottom line looked like an Ebebezer Scrooge wet dream, but was built on such a happy path plan, that it couls not succeed as planned. A product of this complexity could not be initiated by multiple stakeholders in multiple countries and assembled. The basic rules of Chaos Theory warn us that complex systems accumulate error probabilities in a way that makes first try success impossible.
As the assembly completion and first flight dates slid further and further to the right, it became all too clear that the business plan was flawed. Boeing's reputation has always been that if they promised something, they delivered. It now became a minefield of delays and excuses. The stock fell, Heads rolled, the stock fell.
But today, for one all too brief moment, all of that became past history. All of the false starts and disappointments became part of the past. It flies.
Oh, it's not done with yet. There are still lots of things to iron out in the assembly process, the supplire chain, and the final design. But the first major milestone has been passed.
BUT IT FLIES!
The live broadcast of the 787 Dreamliner, set to take off on it's first flight.
There had to be a lot of sweaty palms and tightened sphincters around Boeing. This had been a long and difficult birthing. It had already caused several careers to flame out. It had cost a huge pile of money and resources. It had tried the patience of stockholders, corporate officers, and the work force. It had cost the image of The Boeing Company to take several hits to it's credibility.
Things had started out so spectacularly. The competition didn't have a ready answer to a light, versatile, fuel efficient people mover. Sales went through the roof, anticipation built, the stock went up and up and up.
It didn't take too long to show the near fatal flaws in the business model. No one had tried to put together an aircraft in quite this way. State of the art all composit construction divided among several stake holders, to be assembled somewhere else. Admittedly, the bottom line looked like an Ebebezer Scrooge wet dream, but was built on such a happy path plan, that it couls not succeed as planned. A product of this complexity could not be initiated by multiple stakeholders in multiple countries and assembled. The basic rules of Chaos Theory warn us that complex systems accumulate error probabilities in a way that makes first try success impossible.
As the assembly completion and first flight dates slid further and further to the right, it became all too clear that the business plan was flawed. Boeing's reputation has always been that if they promised something, they delivered. It now became a minefield of delays and excuses. The stock fell, Heads rolled, the stock fell.
But today, for one all too brief moment, all of that became past history. All of the false starts and disappointments became part of the past. It flies.
Oh, it's not done with yet. There are still lots of things to iron out in the assembly process, the supplire chain, and the final design. But the first major milestone has been passed.
BUT IT FLIES!
Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Still Freezzing
Since Sunday, the temperature has not gotten above freezing. In places today, it got down into the single digits. It set all sorts of records for low temperatures.
But tomorrow starts the beginning of a warming trend. They predict the high will get up to maybe even 34 degrees. We may get a chance to remove at least one layer of clothing. Don't worry, that won't expose any skin. By Friday it may warm up enough for it to rain, or maybe the "S" word.
Right now it is too cold for even frost, except for frost stars on the windshield in the morning. This morning the frost stars were about a half inch in diameter. They really looked nice. they weren't heavy enough to have to scrape the window, just there enough to refract some of the light from the street lights.
Of course I turned on the defroster as the car warmed up. After a few minutes suddenly the windshield cleared. It was as if someone suddenly scraped the windshield clear all at once. One minute, frost stars, next minute none.
But tomorrow starts the beginning of a warming trend. They predict the high will get up to maybe even 34 degrees. We may get a chance to remove at least one layer of clothing. Don't worry, that won't expose any skin. By Friday it may warm up enough for it to rain, or maybe the "S" word.
Right now it is too cold for even frost, except for frost stars on the windshield in the morning. This morning the frost stars were about a half inch in diameter. They really looked nice. they weren't heavy enough to have to scrape the window, just there enough to refract some of the light from the street lights.
Of course I turned on the defroster as the car warmed up. After a few minutes suddenly the windshield cleared. It was as if someone suddenly scraped the windshield clear all at once. One minute, frost stars, next minute none.
Monday, December 07, 2009
Baby I't's COLD Outside
The temperature was in the low 20's this morning. It is supposed to maybe get UP to freezing this morning.
I know there are people that think this is nothing to complain about. Having spent most of my adult life here in Latteland, I have to admit I have never seen it get below Zero.
But we Lattelanders are poorly adapted for the cold. Admitted, a percentage of us have a fatty layer of insulation that would seem to insulate us from the cold, but I think if you gave it some study you would find that the fatty layer is not evenly distributed, and therefore of little value.
At home, our domiciles are poorly insulated, and out pipes tend to freeze often and with disasterous results. I have attempted to oversome this by redirecting a heat vent down into the basement. After all, you don't need a great deal of heat to keep the pipes from freezing.
The next several days will follow the pattern of frigid nights and freezing days, with no sign of respite until maybe Friday.
At least the sun is shining.
But all that does is lull you into a false sense of security so you will go outdoors, where the wind and chill will freeze your face off.
I know there are people that think this is nothing to complain about. Having spent most of my adult life here in Latteland, I have to admit I have never seen it get below Zero.
But we Lattelanders are poorly adapted for the cold. Admitted, a percentage of us have a fatty layer of insulation that would seem to insulate us from the cold, but I think if you gave it some study you would find that the fatty layer is not evenly distributed, and therefore of little value.
At home, our domiciles are poorly insulated, and out pipes tend to freeze often and with disasterous results. I have attempted to oversome this by redirecting a heat vent down into the basement. After all, you don't need a great deal of heat to keep the pipes from freezing.
The next several days will follow the pattern of frigid nights and freezing days, with no sign of respite until maybe Friday.
At least the sun is shining.
But all that does is lull you into a false sense of security so you will go outdoors, where the wind and chill will freeze your face off.
Tuesday, December 01, 2009
Way Too Much Crap
On Sunday, a career criminal went into a coffee shop in Lakewood, South of Tacoma frequented by Police, pulled out a gun, and murdered four Police Officers. One of the officers managed to get his weapon out and return fire. This is the single worst attack on Police in the history of the State of Washington.
The gunman hopped into a waiting car and sped away. All four of the Officers had family: husbands, wives, kids, brothers, sisters, parents. All were respected members of the Lakewood Police Force. They were not known to the gunman. The cowardly viscous unprovoked attack seems to have been entirely random.
Maurice Clemmons was out on bail from charges of child rape and assault. He had had a lengthy prison sentence commuted by Gov. Huckabee in Arkansas, where he was in prison for multiple counts of burglary and one for assault on a police officer.
At 2:45 this morning, he was shot and killed in South Seattle, a short distance from where I live. Having murdered four Police Officers, there was little hope he would be apprehended alive. My personal opinion is that the human gene pool has been improved by his removal from it.
There is no way that this scumbag should have been walking the streets. With his extensive record and the pending charges against him, he should have still been in jail.
It was quite evident that he had been helped by several people to evade police. He had been woulded in the abdomen by the one officer that managed to get off a shot before being murdered. The wound had been dressed and treated by someone. He was driven away from the crime scene by an accomplice (who can be charged with accessory to Myrder of the four officers) he was hidden, and moved from place to place. Conspiracy to aid a fugitive, aiding and abbetting a fugitive and other charges are being filed. I believe they currently have four people in custody on a variety of charges. I hope they all get apropriate sentences, if found guilty.
This comes a couple of weeks after two Seattle Police Officers were murdered in their patrol car.
Way too much tragedy, murder, violence and death.
A tragedy of major proportions. No one wins and there is NO happy ending.
The gunman hopped into a waiting car and sped away. All four of the Officers had family: husbands, wives, kids, brothers, sisters, parents. All were respected members of the Lakewood Police Force. They were not known to the gunman. The cowardly viscous unprovoked attack seems to have been entirely random.
Maurice Clemmons was out on bail from charges of child rape and assault. He had had a lengthy prison sentence commuted by Gov. Huckabee in Arkansas, where he was in prison for multiple counts of burglary and one for assault on a police officer.
At 2:45 this morning, he was shot and killed in South Seattle, a short distance from where I live. Having murdered four Police Officers, there was little hope he would be apprehended alive. My personal opinion is that the human gene pool has been improved by his removal from it.
There is no way that this scumbag should have been walking the streets. With his extensive record and the pending charges against him, he should have still been in jail.
It was quite evident that he had been helped by several people to evade police. He had been woulded in the abdomen by the one officer that managed to get off a shot before being murdered. The wound had been dressed and treated by someone. He was driven away from the crime scene by an accomplice (who can be charged with accessory to Myrder of the four officers) he was hidden, and moved from place to place. Conspiracy to aid a fugitive, aiding and abbetting a fugitive and other charges are being filed. I believe they currently have four people in custody on a variety of charges. I hope they all get apropriate sentences, if found guilty.
This comes a couple of weeks after two Seattle Police Officers were murdered in their patrol car.
Way too much tragedy, murder, violence and death.
A tragedy of major proportions. No one wins and there is NO happy ending.
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