Found this link at BuzzMachine.com to some before and after satellite photos of Sri Lanka.
It is amazing that this type of photos are available, to the public and on-line!
These are similar to the pictures I used to make maps while in the Air Force so many years ago.
They even caught a picture of some of the waves too.
The before and after give some notion of the size of the waves and the damage done.
Wednesday, December 29, 2004
Tuesday, December 28, 2004
Harry Colmery
So, its been a while. Christmas is over, looking forward to 2005. Starting to think about the coming year and it's potential. And the obligatory Resolutions.
But first: While I was in the shower this morning (I know, too much information, what a visual....) I was thinking about the 60 Minutes segment on the "Echo Generation". It is loosely defined as the off spring of the Baby Boom Generation. The segment asked who they are and what do they want? So, while I was in the shower my mind moved backwards to the Baby Boomers. (Note: I am a Baby Boomer, born 1951.)
An Aside: I was talking to one of my coworkers about a vacation he will be taking in February. I jokingly made sure that he would be back to work in time for my birthday. He innocently asked how old I would be. He was a little supprised when I told him I would be 54. His reply was "My DAD's 55!"
At any rate, there I was, in the shower, thinking about Echo Boomers. They have never known a world without space travel, without cable tv (or should I say MTV), without microwave ovens, without personal computers (not just computers, without PERSONAL computers), without cell phones. That led to thinking about all those things that were invented or at least productized (read "engineered for the masses") during my life time. A lot of it was done by my parents generation. The ones that fought the war (WWII), came back having saved the world for the "Good Guys" and started getting on with their lives, having familys (the Baby Boom) and going to school courtesy of the Government via the GI Bill. In the first seven years about 8 million people received benifits costing the US Government close to 15 Billion dollars. Quite an investment. Educating all those minds..... something was going to happen! In a very short time they created a much larger base of knowledge for subsequent generations to build on and expand even more. And look where we are now! Was it all for the better? Most would say yes, I think. Even if the ramafications of a lot of the technological advances haven't been worked out, or experienced. But there are the Nay Sayers, the ones who don't believe the scientists and policy makers when they say, "Trust us! What could POSSIBLY happen?" For good or bad, it has sure made our times "interesting"
Harry Colmery? He was a World War I vet, a lawyer and a member of the Americal Legion who wrote the first draft of the GI Bill, signed into law by FDR on 22 June 1944.
In the interest of full disclosure, I am a veteren, served in the Air Force. I earned my college degree, finally, in 1986. It was paid for by the GI Bill.
But first: While I was in the shower this morning (I know, too much information, what a visual....) I was thinking about the 60 Minutes segment on the "Echo Generation". It is loosely defined as the off spring of the Baby Boom Generation. The segment asked who they are and what do they want? So, while I was in the shower my mind moved backwards to the Baby Boomers. (Note: I am a Baby Boomer, born 1951.)
An Aside: I was talking to one of my coworkers about a vacation he will be taking in February. I jokingly made sure that he would be back to work in time for my birthday. He innocently asked how old I would be. He was a little supprised when I told him I would be 54. His reply was "My DAD's 55!"
At any rate, there I was, in the shower, thinking about Echo Boomers. They have never known a world without space travel, without cable tv (or should I say MTV), without microwave ovens, without personal computers (not just computers, without PERSONAL computers), without cell phones. That led to thinking about all those things that were invented or at least productized (read "engineered for the masses") during my life time. A lot of it was done by my parents generation. The ones that fought the war (WWII), came back having saved the world for the "Good Guys" and started getting on with their lives, having familys (the Baby Boom) and going to school courtesy of the Government via the GI Bill. In the first seven years about 8 million people received benifits costing the US Government close to 15 Billion dollars. Quite an investment. Educating all those minds..... something was going to happen! In a very short time they created a much larger base of knowledge for subsequent generations to build on and expand even more. And look where we are now! Was it all for the better? Most would say yes, I think. Even if the ramafications of a lot of the technological advances haven't been worked out, or experienced. But there are the Nay Sayers, the ones who don't believe the scientists and policy makers when they say, "Trust us! What could POSSIBLY happen?" For good or bad, it has sure made our times "interesting"
Harry Colmery? He was a World War I vet, a lawyer and a member of the Americal Legion who wrote the first draft of the GI Bill, signed into law by FDR on 22 June 1944.
In the interest of full disclosure, I am a veteren, served in the Air Force. I earned my college degree, finally, in 1986. It was paid for by the GI Bill.
Sunday, December 12, 2004
Monday, November 08, 2004
Fall
Haven't had a lot going on lately, just keeping the head down, trying to keep from having too high a profile. Don't want to be one of those nails sticking up. You never know when a hammer will come along...
Finished our fiscal year last month. Not as spactacular as we had hoped, but not quite as bad as we feared either. Now, the real challange will be to build on what little momentum we created. I've been tasked with tweeking the old company web page. We use the corporate web page for most things, but our old one still has some useful information on it. With all the downsizing the last couple of years, all the people responsible for maintenance and up keep have been laid off or suck into the corporate IT rehlm. They couldn't find anyone to tag with ownership. I own a small portion of the web site. Apparently a highly visable portion. I'm responsible for the links to the product and business procedures. Any time new procedures are released or existing ones modified, I make sure they get published on my portion of the web sight, but I also send out a global email telling everyone that changes have occured, go check them out! It's this that lead the powers that be to me. I have to make sure the "Company Confidential" mark is on the main web page. And, I think my name has been listed as site owner now, for lack of anyone better. I do have the tool that allows me to edit the files that eventually become the web pages, and I even know how to do a few simple, basic things with it. This is going to be a challange.
Spent some time in the crisp cool fall air yesterday taking care of the first of the leafs our huge maple tree has finally let go of. For all the leaves I blew around and raked up there seems to be at least three times as many still on the tree! At this rate I will be raking leafs well into December! Bailey had fun trying to help me when I was using the leaf blower running around, chasing all the flying leafs.
Finished our fiscal year last month. Not as spactacular as we had hoped, but not quite as bad as we feared either. Now, the real challange will be to build on what little momentum we created. I've been tasked with tweeking the old company web page. We use the corporate web page for most things, but our old one still has some useful information on it. With all the downsizing the last couple of years, all the people responsible for maintenance and up keep have been laid off or suck into the corporate IT rehlm. They couldn't find anyone to tag with ownership. I own a small portion of the web site. Apparently a highly visable portion. I'm responsible for the links to the product and business procedures. Any time new procedures are released or existing ones modified, I make sure they get published on my portion of the web sight, but I also send out a global email telling everyone that changes have occured, go check them out! It's this that lead the powers that be to me. I have to make sure the "Company Confidential" mark is on the main web page. And, I think my name has been listed as site owner now, for lack of anyone better. I do have the tool that allows me to edit the files that eventually become the web pages, and I even know how to do a few simple, basic things with it. This is going to be a challange.
Spent some time in the crisp cool fall air yesterday taking care of the first of the leafs our huge maple tree has finally let go of. For all the leaves I blew around and raked up there seems to be at least three times as many still on the tree! At this rate I will be raking leafs well into December! Bailey had fun trying to help me when I was using the leaf blower running around, chasing all the flying leafs.
Wednesday, October 27, 2004
I've Voted Already!!!!!
Oregon is a mail-in voting state. All registered voters get their ballots several weeks before the election date. You can vote in the security of your own home, with all the information you want available at your finger tips. In the past, the paper would print a sample ballot several days beforehand so that people could make their decisions, note them on the sample ballot and then take the sample ballot to the polling place to jog their memory when they actually voted. Both P and I have voted. Done our civic duty. Participated in democracy. And it's a very good way to cut off the pollers and campaigners who call several times a night. They are too late! We've already voted!!! Now, if that would only work for the political commercials on TV.....
It's not enough that the full moon occurs tomorrow. We're having a lunar eclipse too. That will really bring out the crazys. And this close to Halloween.... Life is strange enough already. Doesn't need any help.
It's not enough that the full moon occurs tomorrow. We're having a lunar eclipse too. That will really bring out the crazys. And this close to Halloween.... Life is strange enough already. Doesn't need any help.
Saturday, October 23, 2004
Head Down, Nose to the Grindstone
It's been a busy several weeks. This is the last week of our fourth quarter coming up at work. It's one of those deadlines that a lot of projects seem to be pegged to. And all the paperwork for new part numbers, new bills of material, new drawings and the latest changes to existing assemblies all go through me. (Job Security!) Lots of details to attend to, to keep straight. The days go fast when you're busy.
Eric had his final football game of the season today. We're waiting for a report as whether or not his team was able to score a touchdown. If so, it would be the first of the season. Now, I don't want to say they are bad, but they must have built an AWFUL lot of character.
I ran across this web site earlier. I just hope they open a store in our neighberhood soon.
Eric had his final football game of the season today. We're waiting for a report as whether or not his team was able to score a touchdown. If so, it would be the first of the season. Now, I don't want to say they are bad, but they must have built an AWFUL lot of character.
I ran across this web site earlier. I just hope they open a store in our neighberhood soon.
Monday, October 04, 2004
Aging Gracefully
It's Eric's 9th birthday today!!! Happy Birthday Eric!!!
We (the grandparents) gave Eric and parental units, Troy and Jody, a ride to his flag football game last Saturday. A league for 3rd and 4th graders. I think the opposing team was mainly 4th graders.... they lost: 36 to 0. Eric's team look so small compare to their opponents. No joy in Mudville tonight. Erics team is organized through his school, Portland Lutheran, but they are playing in the local CYO (Catholic Youth Organization) league. There aren't enough Lutheran schools around to form a league apparently. CYO. It's been a long time since I heard that acronym. There were a several Catholic schools around and plenty catholic kids in the neighberhood when I was growing up. Lots of activities for them at the schools and churchs. CYO dances! And the sports leagues. We'd meet in competition every so often. Very tough competitors!!! Eric's team has four more games. If Saturday was any indication, they will be hard pressed to improve on their 0-3 record.
One of the reasons we took Eric and family to the game is that Troy fell a couple of weeks ago and broke his arm, just above his wrist. It's in a cast and a sling right now. The doctors slice his arm open and put a plate in to hold the pieces together. Apparently it was a clean break. That is good and that is bad. Its good because their aren't a lot of fragments and chips floating around. It's bad because the two pieces have a tendency to slide against each other easily. Hence the plate to hold them together until they heal. Just how long does it take for bones to grow? I'll have to get back to you on that one.... Troy is ambidexterous. He writes on the computer with his non-broke hand, but uses the broke one to move the mouse. So he's had to figured out how to use the Accessability features of Windows: he can use the arrows on the key board instead of the mouse now. It's a little bit slower, but then Troy never was the fastest typist in the world in the first place! Thats one problem solved. The bigger problem was that he couldn't drive. At least not until today, when he went back to the doctor for a follow up. They checked his progress, put a new cast on and cleared him for work and driving. Thats a big load off his mind, as he is the only one in the family that drives. And with a wife that works in a different location than he does, not to mention the activites of an almost double digit year old child......not being able to drive put a severe crimp in their life style. Things should get better now. Troy has fallen many time before but he's never broken any bones. This is a first. And he is the first to admit that it doesn't get any easier the older he gets. Each time takes it toll. Each time it takes a little longer for the bruises and memorys of the pain to fade. Betty Davis said it best: Growing old isn't for sissys!
Mount St Helens is acting up again. It's been almost 25 years since the last eruption. I remember it vividly. What a show (from a safe, 50 miles away)! It's hard to believe it's has been that long. Why is it that the older you get the harder it get to believe how long ago things happened. Sure didn't seem like that long ago!
Lots of earthquakes under the mountain, lots of steam being vented. The "experts" believe there is magma working it's way up from the earths core and expect it relieve the pressure somehow sometime soon. And soon could be any where from 12 hours to 12 weeks to 12 months. Ma Nature will put on the main show when she gets good and ready.
It's not nice to fool with Mother Nature......
We (the grandparents) gave Eric and parental units, Troy and Jody, a ride to his flag football game last Saturday. A league for 3rd and 4th graders. I think the opposing team was mainly 4th graders.... they lost: 36 to 0. Eric's team look so small compare to their opponents. No joy in Mudville tonight. Erics team is organized through his school, Portland Lutheran, but they are playing in the local CYO (Catholic Youth Organization) league. There aren't enough Lutheran schools around to form a league apparently. CYO. It's been a long time since I heard that acronym. There were a several Catholic schools around and plenty catholic kids in the neighberhood when I was growing up. Lots of activities for them at the schools and churchs. CYO dances! And the sports leagues. We'd meet in competition every so often. Very tough competitors!!! Eric's team has four more games. If Saturday was any indication, they will be hard pressed to improve on their 0-3 record.
One of the reasons we took Eric and family to the game is that Troy fell a couple of weeks ago and broke his arm, just above his wrist. It's in a cast and a sling right now. The doctors slice his arm open and put a plate in to hold the pieces together. Apparently it was a clean break. That is good and that is bad. Its good because their aren't a lot of fragments and chips floating around. It's bad because the two pieces have a tendency to slide against each other easily. Hence the plate to hold them together until they heal. Just how long does it take for bones to grow? I'll have to get back to you on that one.... Troy is ambidexterous. He writes on the computer with his non-broke hand, but uses the broke one to move the mouse. So he's had to figured out how to use the Accessability features of Windows: he can use the arrows on the key board instead of the mouse now. It's a little bit slower, but then Troy never was the fastest typist in the world in the first place! Thats one problem solved. The bigger problem was that he couldn't drive. At least not until today, when he went back to the doctor for a follow up. They checked his progress, put a new cast on and cleared him for work and driving. Thats a big load off his mind, as he is the only one in the family that drives. And with a wife that works in a different location than he does, not to mention the activites of an almost double digit year old child......not being able to drive put a severe crimp in their life style. Things should get better now. Troy has fallen many time before but he's never broken any bones. This is a first. And he is the first to admit that it doesn't get any easier the older he gets. Each time takes it toll. Each time it takes a little longer for the bruises and memorys of the pain to fade. Betty Davis said it best: Growing old isn't for sissys!
Mount St Helens is acting up again. It's been almost 25 years since the last eruption. I remember it vividly. What a show (from a safe, 50 miles away)! It's hard to believe it's has been that long. Why is it that the older you get the harder it get to believe how long ago things happened. Sure didn't seem like that long ago!
Lots of earthquakes under the mountain, lots of steam being vented. The "experts" believe there is magma working it's way up from the earths core and expect it relieve the pressure somehow sometime soon. And soon could be any where from 12 hours to 12 weeks to 12 months. Ma Nature will put on the main show when she gets good and ready.
It's not nice to fool with Mother Nature......
Friday, September 24, 2004
Fall is Officially Here
It's getting cooler. It's dark now when I get up in the mornings. I turn my headlights on for the drive to work. This morning a string of Canadian Geese, must have been 15 of them all in a row, flew over the house in a southwesterly direction with the occational honk while I was squeeging the dew off the truck windows. It was gray out, over cast with a bit of light fog. If I hadn't known fall had offically started on Wednesday, I would have sworn that it started today. This was the scene waiting for me when I arrived home this evening:
Last of the bloom on the flowers, dead leaves blowing up onto the porch already. And on clear nights, when the wind is blowing in our direction, we can hear the marching band practicing from the high school two miles away.
Last of the bloom on the flowers, dead leaves blowing up onto the porch already. And on clear nights, when the wind is blowing in our direction, we can hear the marching band practicing from the high school two miles away.
Friday, September 17, 2004
Where does the time go?
I didn't realize it had been so long since I wrote anything in here. I've been having such a good time doing???? What???? The little details of life, I guess.
Weather has cooled off, it has rained a bit, school has started, football has started: Troy's son, Eric, is playing football this season. Flag football but with pads and the whole nine yards. Learning the Vince Lombardi lesson, ya gotta play with the small pains! And Tabetha's daughter, Tyfini is in High School this year, and is a cheerleader!
School Spirit!!
They changed the laws regarding school zone speed limits recently, just in time for the start of the school year. It's 20 mph all day, every day, around grade schools. For middle and high school zones it's only during school hours, and they have flashing lights going, just in case you have trouble telling what time it is. No matter which way I go to and from work, I pass a school. Have to add that into the work travel time calculation....
Who would have thought, twenty some years ago today, that these people would end up like us?
We went back and forth about whether it was 22 or 23 years, and decided that regardless, it was a long time ago! A completely different time. What an "Adventure Extrodinaire" it's been. And no sign of letting up any time soon. Fasten your safety belts.....
In celebration we will brave the predicted rain on Saturday (this is Oregon, after all) and head downtown to see what sort of trouble we can cause.... We will end up at Hubers, Portlands oldest restaurant for a Spanish Coffee or two. A good time will be had by all.
A note on house keeping: should you see a misspelled word or feel the need to tell me exactly how you feel about something I've written here, just click on the "Comment" at the end of any post, just after the "posted by docdroid @6:32 PM" Then click on "Post A Comment" and a box should appear. Just type in whatevers on your mind.
Weather has cooled off, it has rained a bit, school has started, football has started: Troy's son, Eric, is playing football this season. Flag football but with pads and the whole nine yards. Learning the Vince Lombardi lesson, ya gotta play with the small pains! And Tabetha's daughter, Tyfini is in High School this year, and is a cheerleader!
School Spirit!!
They changed the laws regarding school zone speed limits recently, just in time for the start of the school year. It's 20 mph all day, every day, around grade schools. For middle and high school zones it's only during school hours, and they have flashing lights going, just in case you have trouble telling what time it is. No matter which way I go to and from work, I pass a school. Have to add that into the work travel time calculation....
Who would have thought, twenty some years ago today, that these people would end up like us?
We went back and forth about whether it was 22 or 23 years, and decided that regardless, it was a long time ago! A completely different time. What an "Adventure Extrodinaire" it's been. And no sign of letting up any time soon. Fasten your safety belts.....
In celebration we will brave the predicted rain on Saturday (this is Oregon, after all) and head downtown to see what sort of trouble we can cause.... We will end up at Hubers, Portlands oldest restaurant for a Spanish Coffee or two. A good time will be had by all.
A note on house keeping: should you see a misspelled word or feel the need to tell me exactly how you feel about something I've written here, just click on the "Comment" at the end of any post, just after the "posted by docdroid @6:32 PM" Then click on "Post A Comment" and a box should appear. Just type in whatevers on your mind.
Saturday, September 04, 2004
What I saw on Mulberry Street
Bailey and I took a walk today. Later I went back and took some pictures of the wonderful show Ma Nature puts on this late in the summer. I'm not so sure Bailey appreciated the same things I did. His walk probably looked totally different from mine. I know it smelled different!
This looked like a path for the bees to follow through a garden: the yellow brick road, so to speak.
And at the end of that road:
They kind of look like daisys, but I'm not so sure they make daisys in any color except white.
It took a while to get the picture of this next one. It's on a very slender vine like stem. The slightest breeze sent it bouncing around.
I have know idea what this next flower is. I have never seen one like it before. I found it on a plant that was climbing over a fence, trying to seduce anyone walking along the sidewalk. Well, it got me!
Please let me know if you know what it is.
If you look closely you will be able to see two bees at work.
Well, it is the Labor Day Weekend....
This looked like a path for the bees to follow through a garden: the yellow brick road, so to speak.
And at the end of that road:
They kind of look like daisys, but I'm not so sure they make daisys in any color except white.
It took a while to get the picture of this next one. It's on a very slender vine like stem. The slightest breeze sent it bouncing around.
I have know idea what this next flower is. I have never seen one like it before. I found it on a plant that was climbing over a fence, trying to seduce anyone walking along the sidewalk. Well, it got me!
Please let me know if you know what it is.
If you look closely you will be able to see two bees at work.
Well, it is the Labor Day Weekend....
Thursday, September 02, 2004
The Weekend in Review
It isn't good to start with an appology, is it? Well, here's my story.....
I've spent the last three evenings working on my truck. I went to drive it to work last Monday morning and the darn thing wouldn't start. Sounded like a dead battery. I even pushed it a bit, trying to start it by popping the clutch. I worked up a sweat and ended up parking it in front of the neighbors house. Monday evening I got it started by getting a jump from from another car. I drove it around to charge up the battery some. It hadn't been driven since last Thursday. I parked it in the drive way. I tried to start it again, just to make sure, and it wouldn't even turn over! @#$%^&***!!! Tuesday I worked on it to no avail. I thought I'd have to buy another battery because I had the jumper cables hooked up, charging it with the other car for quite a while and it didn't seem to be holding enough charge to turn the engine over more than once. Last night I got serious, bought some new battery terminal connectors and cleaned everything real well. After I got it all back together I tried it before going through the trouble of hooking up the jumper cables again. The darn thing started right up! It wasn't the battery, it was the connections to the battery! I'm glad thats fixed. There's nothing worse than not having reliable transportation.
So, back to the weekend at the coast. We had beautiful weather the whole time we were there. We were in little cottages overlooking a small parking lot for people using the beach. Our window faced almost due west. This was the view in the morning
This is how it looked in the evening
And that's exactly how it looked: a little blurry. The sun had been over the yardarm for some time by then.
P and I drove down the coast a bit Saturday, looking for some property a friend from work had just bought. We drove right along the coast. A lot of beautiful little bays and inlets. Eventually we found the his property. This is the view he will have when he builds his retirement home
I suppose you could get used to something like that.... after a number of years. It looks like a great place to watch storms hit the beach too. It's high enough and back far enough that he won't have to worry about the waves. Unless it's the big one.
We saw a lot of nice homes, but this one left us wondering: who would want a home with an 8' fence topped with barbed and razor wire? And why?
Are the natives really such bad characters to warrent razor wire?
And, being the beach, we saw some interesting, creative housing
We took a walk along the beach at low tide and met some of the local residents
They were just hanging out in and around the tide pools, waiting for the tide to come back in.
A good time was had by all.
Now, the Labor Day weekend is upon us. I do believe a BBQ is called for. And whatever else we do, it will involve the least amount of time on the highways as possible!
I've spent the last three evenings working on my truck. I went to drive it to work last Monday morning and the darn thing wouldn't start. Sounded like a dead battery. I even pushed it a bit, trying to start it by popping the clutch. I worked up a sweat and ended up parking it in front of the neighbors house. Monday evening I got it started by getting a jump from from another car. I drove it around to charge up the battery some. It hadn't been driven since last Thursday. I parked it in the drive way. I tried to start it again, just to make sure, and it wouldn't even turn over! @#$%^&***!!! Tuesday I worked on it to no avail. I thought I'd have to buy another battery because I had the jumper cables hooked up, charging it with the other car for quite a while and it didn't seem to be holding enough charge to turn the engine over more than once. Last night I got serious, bought some new battery terminal connectors and cleaned everything real well. After I got it all back together I tried it before going through the trouble of hooking up the jumper cables again. The darn thing started right up! It wasn't the battery, it was the connections to the battery! I'm glad thats fixed. There's nothing worse than not having reliable transportation.
So, back to the weekend at the coast. We had beautiful weather the whole time we were there. We were in little cottages overlooking a small parking lot for people using the beach. Our window faced almost due west. This was the view in the morning
This is how it looked in the evening
And that's exactly how it looked: a little blurry. The sun had been over the yardarm for some time by then.
P and I drove down the coast a bit Saturday, looking for some property a friend from work had just bought. We drove right along the coast. A lot of beautiful little bays and inlets. Eventually we found the his property. This is the view he will have when he builds his retirement home
I suppose you could get used to something like that.... after a number of years. It looks like a great place to watch storms hit the beach too. It's high enough and back far enough that he won't have to worry about the waves. Unless it's the big one.
We saw a lot of nice homes, but this one left us wondering: who would want a home with an 8' fence topped with barbed and razor wire? And why?
Are the natives really such bad characters to warrent razor wire?
And, being the beach, we saw some interesting, creative housing
We took a walk along the beach at low tide and met some of the local residents
They were just hanging out in and around the tide pools, waiting for the tide to come back in.
A good time was had by all.
Now, the Labor Day weekend is upon us. I do believe a BBQ is called for. And whatever else we do, it will involve the least amount of time on the highways as possible!
Thursday, August 26, 2004
Go west, young man!
I'm off!
I'm taking a long weekend that isn't tied to a national holiday, company mandated shutdown day or sick day. I got to choose this one all by myself! A small thing, I know, but important to some of us....
So, you're wondering, what exactly am I going to do with all this extra free time?
I'm glad you asked!
We will be spending the weekend in beautiful Oceanside, Oregon. It's a small town due west of Tillamook. Now, with luck, the weather forecast of overcast but no rain will hold. We will be staying in a cottage with a view of the ocean, I'm told. Pictures will be forth comming upon our return. There is a very nice resteraunt in Oceanside so we will have at least one good meal. I expect that we will do some exploring up and down the coast, enjoy the views and investigate the stores and shops along the way.
I hope to get a little quiet time too. I've just started Vol III of Churchills History of the English Speaking Peoples. William of Orange has just accepted the Crown (William II) and is preparing to do battle with Louis XIV. A major figure of the time is the Duke of Marlborough, one of Winston's ancestors. I want to find out how it ends.....
It is starting to dawn on us that we will be without net access for the weekend. A day without using a computer or surfing the internet? I can't remember the last time that happened. This will be different!
In other news:
The granddaughter in Washington (Tyfini) start school on Monday! The school year is spread out with larger breaks at the traditional times. High School! She has already won a spot on the Freshmen Cheerleading Squad. School Spirit!!!
The grandson (Eric) has started football practice. Flag football, but with shoulder pads, helmets and the whole works. I understand he has a few sore muscles.
So there you have it. More next week on how it went plus pictures. We will be taking the camera this time!
I'm taking a long weekend that isn't tied to a national holiday, company mandated shutdown day or sick day. I got to choose this one all by myself! A small thing, I know, but important to some of us....
So, you're wondering, what exactly am I going to do with all this extra free time?
I'm glad you asked!
We will be spending the weekend in beautiful Oceanside, Oregon. It's a small town due west of Tillamook. Now, with luck, the weather forecast of overcast but no rain will hold. We will be staying in a cottage with a view of the ocean, I'm told. Pictures will be forth comming upon our return. There is a very nice resteraunt in Oceanside so we will have at least one good meal. I expect that we will do some exploring up and down the coast, enjoy the views and investigate the stores and shops along the way.
I hope to get a little quiet time too. I've just started Vol III of Churchills History of the English Speaking Peoples. William of Orange has just accepted the Crown (William II) and is preparing to do battle with Louis XIV. A major figure of the time is the Duke of Marlborough, one of Winston's ancestors. I want to find out how it ends.....
It is starting to dawn on us that we will be without net access for the weekend. A day without using a computer or surfing the internet? I can't remember the last time that happened. This will be different!
In other news:
The granddaughter in Washington (Tyfini) start school on Monday! The school year is spread out with larger breaks at the traditional times. High School! She has already won a spot on the Freshmen Cheerleading Squad. School Spirit!!!
The grandson (Eric) has started football practice. Flag football, but with shoulder pads, helmets and the whole works. I understand he has a few sore muscles.
So there you have it. More next week on how it went plus pictures. We will be taking the camera this time!
Sunday, August 15, 2004
Fruits of our labor (with an assist from Ma Nature)
The sun has been doing it's magic on our tomato plants! We have had a couple of the early ones on salads this week (for quality control purposes, of course!) Just a little review for those who haven't been paying attention:
Early May
Add sun, rain and some Miracle Grow...
Early July
Lots more sun and an assist from the local water district and you get this:
And this
And some romas
And in a couple of days
Luckily squirrels and raccoons don't particularly care for tomatoes or they'd be long gone by now.
Next year we will be expanding the garden some. Some beans perhaps, some corn, a squash or two.
Sounds pretty good now, but we will see next spring when the time comes to start preparing the plot. When the work really starts...
The annual air show is at the local airport this weekend. The Blue Angles are in town, shaking the dust from everything as they go screaming by at low level. Spooked the dog the first couple of times but now he sleeps right through it. I don't know. Just something about something that powerful, that fast, that close. Makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck.
Next week Antique Roadshow is in town. Have to find something old to take to the appraisers. After that we are planning to take in the Titanic exhibit and IMAX film at Oregon Museun of Science and Industry (OMSI). I guess they give everyone a name of a passanger when they go in and at the end tell you if that person lived or died. Sounds interesting.
Gotta go to the store for some bacon. We're having BLT's for lunch, with fresh tomatoes! Care to join us?
Early May
Add sun, rain and some Miracle Grow...
Early July
Lots more sun and an assist from the local water district and you get this:
And this
And some romas
And in a couple of days
Luckily squirrels and raccoons don't particularly care for tomatoes or they'd be long gone by now.
Next year we will be expanding the garden some. Some beans perhaps, some corn, a squash or two.
Sounds pretty good now, but we will see next spring when the time comes to start preparing the plot. When the work really starts...
The annual air show is at the local airport this weekend. The Blue Angles are in town, shaking the dust from everything as they go screaming by at low level. Spooked the dog the first couple of times but now he sleeps right through it. I don't know. Just something about something that powerful, that fast, that close. Makes the hair stand up on the back of my neck.
Next week Antique Roadshow is in town. Have to find something old to take to the appraisers. After that we are planning to take in the Titanic exhibit and IMAX film at Oregon Museun of Science and Industry (OMSI). I guess they give everyone a name of a passanger when they go in and at the end tell you if that person lived or died. Sounds interesting.
Gotta go to the store for some bacon. We're having BLT's for lunch, with fresh tomatoes! Care to join us?
Thursday, August 05, 2004
The Wait is Over
I've been ISO audited!
And I survived!
Time for a celebration!
Thanks to the Freedom Monkey House for showing the way to a great way to celebrate
And I survived!
Time for a celebration!
Thanks to the Freedom Monkey House for showing the way to a great way to celebrate
Tuesday, August 03, 2004
A Dam Fish story
Had a nice time last Saturday, took a little day trip up the Columbia Gorge. Saw the falls, Multnomah Falls that is. We'd been out to see it years ago. Lots of years ago. We are happy to report that it is still quite impressive. I would post some pictures here but SOMEBODY forgot to pack the camera when we left the house. All you have is my word as to how nice and impressive all this was.... Soooooo, do you trust me? Well, do ya?????
We proceeded to the booming metropolis of Cascade Locks, location of the Bridge of the Gods, the first place to cross the Columbia into Washington outside of Portland. It's a toll bridge. We had lunch in a local resteraunt with a view of the bridge. There was a brisk wind blowing. Just like it does nearly everyday of the year we were told. A great spot for wind surfing. On our way back to Portland, we stopped at Bonneville Dam. Quite impressive. A campaign promise by FDR in the late 30's that seemed like a boon doggle at the time, but when the war rolled around turned into a pretty savvy move. It was able to provide the electricity for the Portland shipyards that were turning out a ship a day by the end of the war. The dam was built and is run by the Army Corp of Engineers. It consists of a spillway, a couple of powerhouses, a lock and a fish ladder for the salmon that need to go upstream to spawn. The fish ladders have windows where you can watch the salmon and lampreys work their way up stream, against the flow up the river. We took the mini tour of the facilities, incuding powerhouse. Impressive. LARGE scale engineering, especially to someone used to dealing in nanometers. Just outside the Dam grounds is a fish farm. A very nice park like setting with lots of fish ponds for seeing the fish up close: beautiful large rainbow trout - up to 24" long, and some 6' to 8' white sturgeon. BIG fish! Not to be confused with Sturgeons Law.
It wasn't too crowded either. That made it quite nice. The "Wilgus Luck" held: we got very good parking spaces everywhere we stopped. It was a very nice day.
We proceeded to the booming metropolis of Cascade Locks, location of the Bridge of the Gods, the first place to cross the Columbia into Washington outside of Portland. It's a toll bridge. We had lunch in a local resteraunt with a view of the bridge. There was a brisk wind blowing. Just like it does nearly everyday of the year we were told. A great spot for wind surfing. On our way back to Portland, we stopped at Bonneville Dam. Quite impressive. A campaign promise by FDR in the late 30's that seemed like a boon doggle at the time, but when the war rolled around turned into a pretty savvy move. It was able to provide the electricity for the Portland shipyards that were turning out a ship a day by the end of the war. The dam was built and is run by the Army Corp of Engineers. It consists of a spillway, a couple of powerhouses, a lock and a fish ladder for the salmon that need to go upstream to spawn. The fish ladders have windows where you can watch the salmon and lampreys work their way up stream, against the flow up the river. We took the mini tour of the facilities, incuding powerhouse. Impressive. LARGE scale engineering, especially to someone used to dealing in nanometers. Just outside the Dam grounds is a fish farm. A very nice park like setting with lots of fish ponds for seeing the fish up close: beautiful large rainbow trout - up to 24" long, and some 6' to 8' white sturgeon. BIG fish! Not to be confused with Sturgeons Law.
It wasn't too crowded either. That made it quite nice. The "Wilgus Luck" held: we got very good parking spaces everywhere we stopped. It was a very nice day.
Saturday, July 24, 2004
HOT!!!!
It's hot. It's freakin' hot
It's DAMN HOT!
How hot is it?
I'll tell you how hot it is:
It's a heat wave!
It's DAMN HOT!
How hot is it?
I'll tell you how hot it is:
It's a heat wave!
Tuesday, July 20, 2004
Waltzing to Work
Had a very nice, long weekend. Took MAX (the local Light Rail) to the Exposition Center for the largest Antique Show west of the Mississippi if not the whole country. We (P, Fred and Diana) had to switch from the Red to the Yellow line when we got downtown. While we were waiting we scoped out the Sand Castle building competition at the Pioneer Courthouse Square. Amazing what can be done with a little water and TONs of sand. Diana has a cell phone with a camera in it she got from her daughter, but doesn't know how to take pictures on purpose. Apparently she has taken some inadvertent pictures of tabletops, the floor and odd cornors, but never of something she wanted to take a picture of... yet. Shes still getting comfortable with the whole technology thing.
We proceeded to the Antique Show. Acres and acres of antiques, treasures and some just plain junk. We didn't even see the half of it before we gave up. We went through most of the outside areas and then discovered that the exhibit halls were full of booths too! Lots and lots of people. Very few places to rest. Thats what finally convinced us to call it quits: we couldn't find any place to sit and rest. Next time we will get some of those folding chairs that break down into a little cylinder that you can sling over your shoulder. Then we will be able to "take a load off" when ever we want. For all the stuff there I was the only one to purchase anything. I found Parker 21 fountain pen for $5. So we headed back to the MAX train just to sit. And it was air conditioned too. Saturday it was suppose to get into the 90's but I don't think that happened. It was overcast and we actually felt a few rain drops walking back to the train. The train line went through neighborhoods that both P and Diana had lived in when they were younger. P shortly after she got married and had her children, Diana grew up there. They talked about all the "good old days" and the way things had changed. Landmarks missing or moved, business changed and new buildings and developments. You can't go home again. We refueled at a resturant downtown before heading to the first ever Portland Pen Show. The first pen show I ever attended! Pretty cool! 50 tables full of pen: new pens, old pens, (vintage) pens, pen parts, books about pens, books to write in with pens, tools to work on pens, inks of every sort and color. It was great! I was able to see and handle pens I'd only looked at on-line or in the catalogs I get from the big pen stores. I was able to show P some of the pens I'd been drooling over. Theres nothing like holding a limited edition pen worth thousands of dollars, seeing it up close in all its detail and beauty, to realize that the price may not be all that unreasonable. There were some good deals there, and we took advantage. I got an Pelican GO pen for everyday, knock about use, a lipstick pen (ballpoint) for P, a couple of bamboo looking pens (one for P, one for me) because they were half price, and I got an Aurora Talantum, again for half price. Very nice! Writes like a dream. A big pen.
Also got some dark brown ink to use in these new writing instruments. (Right! got all these nice pens and what am I doing? Writing about them on the computer!)
************************************************************************************************
I gotta start sooner when I want to write a lot. Here it is Friday, three days later and I haven't been able to get back to finish this.
So, the point of the title to this entry goes like this:
It was a good weekend.
I was up later than I'm used to Sunday night.
I was not fully awake and alert when I got into my truck for the drive to work.
Apparently I'd turned the radio up a little louder than normal on my way home the previous Friday because when I turned on the vehicle the very beginning of the Blue Danube Waltz came from the radio. Not blasting, but loud enough to occupy the space between my ears for the ride to work. A beautiful piece of music! I remembered the use of it as part of the sound track to the movie 2001. The ride from Earth to the Moon: slowly drifting in space in a graceful, elegant manner, the music pushing you forward, onward.
The song lasted right up to my arriving at work. It was the only song I heard, not even an announcers voice, just the song.
It was a great way to reset my mind and attitude for work. It clearly separated home, and the weekend from the pressures and personalities I would have to deal with once I crossed the parking lot and went into work.
And what a week it's been.....
Can you say preparing for an ISO audit only two weeks away?
We proceeded to the Antique Show. Acres and acres of antiques, treasures and some just plain junk. We didn't even see the half of it before we gave up. We went through most of the outside areas and then discovered that the exhibit halls were full of booths too! Lots and lots of people. Very few places to rest. Thats what finally convinced us to call it quits: we couldn't find any place to sit and rest. Next time we will get some of those folding chairs that break down into a little cylinder that you can sling over your shoulder. Then we will be able to "take a load off" when ever we want. For all the stuff there I was the only one to purchase anything. I found Parker 21 fountain pen for $5. So we headed back to the MAX train just to sit. And it was air conditioned too. Saturday it was suppose to get into the 90's but I don't think that happened. It was overcast and we actually felt a few rain drops walking back to the train. The train line went through neighborhoods that both P and Diana had lived in when they were younger. P shortly after she got married and had her children, Diana grew up there. They talked about all the "good old days" and the way things had changed. Landmarks missing or moved, business changed and new buildings and developments. You can't go home again. We refueled at a resturant downtown before heading to the first ever Portland Pen Show. The first pen show I ever attended! Pretty cool! 50 tables full of pen: new pens, old pens, (vintage) pens, pen parts, books about pens, books to write in with pens, tools to work on pens, inks of every sort and color. It was great! I was able to see and handle pens I'd only looked at on-line or in the catalogs I get from the big pen stores. I was able to show P some of the pens I'd been drooling over. Theres nothing like holding a limited edition pen worth thousands of dollars, seeing it up close in all its detail and beauty, to realize that the price may not be all that unreasonable. There were some good deals there, and we took advantage. I got an Pelican GO pen for everyday, knock about use, a lipstick pen (ballpoint) for P, a couple of bamboo looking pens (one for P, one for me) because they were half price, and I got an Aurora Talantum, again for half price. Very nice! Writes like a dream. A big pen.
Also got some dark brown ink to use in these new writing instruments. (Right! got all these nice pens and what am I doing? Writing about them on the computer!)
************************************************************************************************
I gotta start sooner when I want to write a lot. Here it is Friday, three days later and I haven't been able to get back to finish this.
So, the point of the title to this entry goes like this:
It was a good weekend.
I was up later than I'm used to Sunday night.
I was not fully awake and alert when I got into my truck for the drive to work.
Apparently I'd turned the radio up a little louder than normal on my way home the previous Friday because when I turned on the vehicle the very beginning of the Blue Danube Waltz came from the radio. Not blasting, but loud enough to occupy the space between my ears for the ride to work. A beautiful piece of music! I remembered the use of it as part of the sound track to the movie 2001. The ride from Earth to the Moon: slowly drifting in space in a graceful, elegant manner, the music pushing you forward, onward.
The song lasted right up to my arriving at work. It was the only song I heard, not even an announcers voice, just the song.
It was a great way to reset my mind and attitude for work. It clearly separated home, and the weekend from the pressures and personalities I would have to deal with once I crossed the parking lot and went into work.
And what a week it's been.....
Can you say preparing for an ISO audit only two weeks away?
Monday, July 05, 2004
The Fifth of July
Sure, the Fourth is great, fireworks, cook outs, all the rest of the hoopla, but what the majority of Americans are REALLY looking forward to is the extra day off from work!
At least, that's the consensus around this household. And not just an extra day to do chores! I mean, a feet up, porch swing, lemonade sipping, watching the world go by relaxin' kind of a day.
Saturday was a full day for us. We drove to Salem with friends. Had lunch at a "Tea House", a bit of England transplanted in Oregon. Walked it off by browsing through some of the antique malls and shops. Lots of interesting junk. And every place had the same smell to it. Old stuff smell. After several hours of walking up and down all the aisles I found a Parker challenger fountain pen that looked like it belonged in my collection. A button filler. It doesn't have a clip and almost looks like it never did. Have to check into that. It's going to take some cleaning. I'll have to figure out how to include pictures in this blog now to show you what it looks like.
Lets see if this works....
Parker Challenger
Cool! Watch out, I'm dangerous now!!
The obligatory nib close up. More fine than medium.
More dangerous than you could ever imagine......
Some front porch flowers!
Threw that last one in just because I could. I've been practicing my picture taking technique on anything that will hold still. It took me a while, some explaining from P and a bit of the Users Manual to figure out how to get a half-way decent closeup.
Ok, one blogger trick/technique down..... Many to go!
Once I made my purchase the wind seemed to go out of everyone's sails. Tired, but not quite cranky, we made the long walk back to the cars. Sure didn't seem that long going the other way! We stopped a Wal-Mart on the way back to town. This is one of their SuperStores with the grocery store too. We wandered around for a while trying to remember what was on our list and looking for anything we simply could not live without. Must have been an off day for us.... We got out of there for under $100. From there it was back home to sit back, take the shoes off and put the feet up. Whew! It took a while to catch my second wind. I had one more job for the day: mow the lawns. A job that should have been done last Tuesday. It was so long (how long was it?) that it was tickling the dogs whizzer when he ventured across the back lawn. After cleaning up the lawn mower and then myself, I was pooped! A long, busy day but I got it all out of the way. It's celebrating and relaxing for the rest of the weekend. The weather has been very nice as of late. Lots of sunshine. Our tomato plants have responded nicely:
The tomato plants
They were planted too close together. But they are all doing quite well now. Almost too well. We are going to have a LOT of tomatoes in three or four weeks.
Some beefsteaks
And the first roma
There will be plenty for lots of Bloody Marys!
At least, that's the consensus around this household. And not just an extra day to do chores! I mean, a feet up, porch swing, lemonade sipping, watching the world go by relaxin' kind of a day.
Saturday was a full day for us. We drove to Salem with friends. Had lunch at a "Tea House", a bit of England transplanted in Oregon. Walked it off by browsing through some of the antique malls and shops. Lots of interesting junk. And every place had the same smell to it. Old stuff smell. After several hours of walking up and down all the aisles I found a Parker challenger fountain pen that looked like it belonged in my collection. A button filler. It doesn't have a clip and almost looks like it never did. Have to check into that. It's going to take some cleaning. I'll have to figure out how to include pictures in this blog now to show you what it looks like.
Lets see if this works....
Parker Challenger
Cool! Watch out, I'm dangerous now!!
The obligatory nib close up. More fine than medium.
More dangerous than you could ever imagine......
Some front porch flowers!
Threw that last one in just because I could. I've been practicing my picture taking technique on anything that will hold still. It took me a while, some explaining from P and a bit of the Users Manual to figure out how to get a half-way decent closeup.
Ok, one blogger trick/technique down..... Many to go!
Once I made my purchase the wind seemed to go out of everyone's sails. Tired, but not quite cranky, we made the long walk back to the cars. Sure didn't seem that long going the other way! We stopped a Wal-Mart on the way back to town. This is one of their SuperStores with the grocery store too. We wandered around for a while trying to remember what was on our list and looking for anything we simply could not live without. Must have been an off day for us.... We got out of there for under $100. From there it was back home to sit back, take the shoes off and put the feet up. Whew! It took a while to catch my second wind. I had one more job for the day: mow the lawns. A job that should have been done last Tuesday. It was so long (how long was it?) that it was tickling the dogs whizzer when he ventured across the back lawn. After cleaning up the lawn mower and then myself, I was pooped! A long, busy day but I got it all out of the way. It's celebrating and relaxing for the rest of the weekend. The weather has been very nice as of late. Lots of sunshine. Our tomato plants have responded nicely:
The tomato plants
They were planted too close together. But they are all doing quite well now. Almost too well. We are going to have a LOT of tomatoes in three or four weeks.
Some beefsteaks
And the first roma
There will be plenty for lots of Bloody Marys!
Wednesday, June 23, 2004
Rites of Passage
This evening P and I are going to the Granddaughters "graduation" from middle school (eighth grade for those who aren't used to that particular system of school divisions - I went from kindergarten to grade school directly to high school. There was no middle about it). I put the graduation in quote marks because, technically, she will not be getting a degree or diploma. She will be receiving a certificate of completion if I am not mistaken. A small detail, but the cause of a lot of discussion, especially when it came to whether or not the term "Graduates" could be used on banners to decorate the school for the ceremony and dance after. (It was allowed.) Heady times for both mother and daughter. We will be taking the station of doting grandparents along with the rest of her extended family. So, graduation and dance this evening and tomorrow she leaves on a class trip to Washington DC/New York for four or five days. This is very big doings! Her mom reported that preparations included pedicure, manicure, hair and what else I don't want to know about. It's obviously different for a young woman. For my eighth grade graduation I had to take a shower, polish my Sunday shoes and wear a tie . Took me all of 20 minutes, probably. Of course, I was the fourth child in the family to go through this particular rite, so it may have been special for me, but I knew the routine. Besides, it meant getting out of school! The beginning of Summer Vacation! Being able to stay up later! Not having to try to weasel out of doing homework. Baseball, hanging out at the public swimming pool, hanging out with buddies at the corner store, riding bikes all over the city. And meeting girls....
My next oldest brother was going into 12 grade the next year, a senior. I was going to be a Freshman. He was co-captain of the Cross Country Team. That summer he mapped out a one mile course through the neighborhood to run to start getting into shape. I remember going with him on late night runs (10:00 or so because it was cooler then and also dark and late: most people were inside by then). I ran because I was going to try out for the Cross Country team. It turned out that only two or three freshmen tried out for the team that year.
And, by the end of the season I had managed to progress from being last on the team to second last. Not much progress, but progress none the less. Being on the team with mainly upperclassmen gave me a different set of people to hang around with that first semester of high school. I earned some acceptance with a wide range of people in that little society called high school.
My next oldest brother was going into 12 grade the next year, a senior. I was going to be a Freshman. He was co-captain of the Cross Country Team. That summer he mapped out a one mile course through the neighborhood to run to start getting into shape. I remember going with him on late night runs (10:00 or so because it was cooler then and also dark and late: most people were inside by then). I ran because I was going to try out for the Cross Country team. It turned out that only two or three freshmen tried out for the team that year.
And, by the end of the season I had managed to progress from being last on the team to second last. Not much progress, but progress none the less. Being on the team with mainly upperclassmen gave me a different set of people to hang around with that first semester of high school. I earned some acceptance with a wide range of people in that little society called high school.
Saturday, June 12, 2004
Saturday Morning/Evening
Woke up to the sound of the squirrels banging the lid of the new feeder. They push it up with their heads, reach in for some sunflower seeds and then pull back out to eat the seed. And do it all over again. It takes 'bout 3 seconds for this cycle. A nice wood on wood "clap". At 6:00 in the morning. I'm sure the neighbors are REAL happy we put that feeder up.
I started this post this morning, obviously. Well, now it's dusk on Saturday evening. It was my turn to get the mid-evening snack, ice cream. We live on a cul de sac in a tri-level. Our kitchen window overlooks the cul de sac. There isn't much that goes on that we can't see. Well, as I was rinsing the ice cream scoop I noticed some flickers in the house across the way. When their front room drapes are open we can see right thorugh to their kitchen. There are at least three candles that I could see, lit and flickering. No other lighting that I could see. Never having noticed this sort of thing before, just off hand, I'd say someone was in for a romantic evening. And if they don't close the curtains.......
Too much information!
I started this post this morning, obviously. Well, now it's dusk on Saturday evening. It was my turn to get the mid-evening snack, ice cream. We live on a cul de sac in a tri-level. Our kitchen window overlooks the cul de sac. There isn't much that goes on that we can't see. Well, as I was rinsing the ice cream scoop I noticed some flickers in the house across the way. When their front room drapes are open we can see right thorugh to their kitchen. There are at least three candles that I could see, lit and flickering. No other lighting that I could see. Never having noticed this sort of thing before, just off hand, I'd say someone was in for a romantic evening. And if they don't close the curtains.......
Too much information!
Thursday, June 10, 2004
Busy, Busy, Busy......
Been quite busy lately. A good thing, I guess. This is just a quick note about a conversation I had with a co-worker..... he was looking at a book I have at work while I made some data entry changes for him. In our subsequent talk while the computer did it's thing, he told me that he's a reader too, that he doesn't have a TV. A strange comment. At first I thought he ment himself personally. Like I call the tv in the family room, where my computer is, one of the 5 tvs we have in the house, the one I watch while doing my 2 miles on the treadmill every morning, I call that tv mine. That's what I thought he ment. But he went on to clarify: His parents had a tv when he was growing up. He apparently was not real impressed. His wife did not have one when she was growing up. When they they got married and set up household, they decided not to have one around. So they don't! (is that legal? should I be notifying someone about this? (Max Headroom??))Not having met their children, I can't gauge the affect it has on them. No doubt they adjusted to it long ago, so it's no big deal now. I didn't think to ask him if his children expressed any inclination as to their preference once they move out on their own. And it's not as though they're technophobes. He does have a computer. Just no tv.
Very interesting.
I know the Receptionista at Hammer and Peg joined in the Turn Your TV Off For A Week campaign (see link... I have to figure out how to embed these things in here one of these days). She went through withdrawal but found she got a lot of other things done that she'd been meaning to do for a long time.
I don't think anyone would salute that flag if it were run up the flagpole at home....
Very interesting.
I know the Receptionista at Hammer and Peg joined in the Turn Your TV Off For A Week campaign (see link... I have to figure out how to embed these things in here one of these days). She went through withdrawal but found she got a lot of other things done that she'd been meaning to do for a long time.
I don't think anyone would salute that flag if it were run up the flagpole at home....
Wednesday, June 02, 2004
Come Together!
Found this at 2hrlunch. I agree, it's pretty cool. Thought I'd use it here, propagate it a little further into the world.
Rain, rain go away. Come back another day. Little Johnny wants to play......
Rain, rain go away. Come back another day. Little Johnny wants to play......
Sunday, May 30, 2004
Games of Chance
The Race starts in less than an hour. Everyone else is in bed, sleeping in. Waiting for me to start breakfast, I guess. Blustery today, but better than yesterday. Went to the casino yesterday. After taking the dog for a walk to be sure. Had a good time: nice run at the craps table only to my winnings at a bj table in about 15 minutes. Brutal! Had a very nice dinner in the restaurant: something called Chicken Oscar. Chicken breast with crab meat and a very tasty sauce. I shouldn't have but got P to split a piece of "Grandmothers Cake" Some sort of lemon filling in a pie crust with pine nuts and generously sprinkled with powdered sugar. Very good. After wards I played some slots with P. Actually converted my $20 into $85 at one of the nickel machines! It was starting to get a bit crowded so when I found a seat at a bj table I took it. Did all right! They were using a machine that constantly shuffled the cards. They used five decks, but every time there was about a decks worth of played cards the dealer would feed them back into the machine. The pit boss said the dealing machine was for a different game except they didn't get the rest of the table set up in time for the weekend. They had already installed the machine, so they were using it to deal bj with. I think it created a better distribution of the cards. We didn't seem to get the runs of big cards or small cards that you usually get when they stop and shuffle the decks all at once. At any rate, I was able to covert my $40 into the $100 I walked away from the table with. So, I had some cash in my pocket when I got home! A pleasant change from the usual turn of events. And the place was so crowded when we left that we couldn't get to P's favorite slot machines to put the usual out the door $20 deposit. Not a bad day.
Nothing planned for today... Watch the race and crank up the bbq if the weather calms down some by late this afternoon. Tomorrow I think we're scheduled to go downtown, scope out the giant Mickey Mouse statue that is on display for the next couple of months before moving on. P's really into the Mouse. That's just an excuse to go downtown and explore a little more. Hope the weather is nicer!
Nothing planned for today... Watch the race and crank up the bbq if the weather calms down some by late this afternoon. Tomorrow I think we're scheduled to go downtown, scope out the giant Mickey Mouse statue that is on display for the next couple of months before moving on. P's really into the Mouse. That's just an excuse to go downtown and explore a little more. Hope the weather is nicer!
Sunday, May 23, 2004
Parenting....
Took the step-son and his girls to the concert last night. Dropped them off. Then P and I were foot loose and fancy free. So we went to the diner and ate. We split a cheeseburger and fries just so we would have room enough for desert. We must be getting old. While P qualifies for senior citizen rates in certain places, I don't .... yet.
A little tv, a little reading in bed and that was it for us. Boy, we are a couple of real live wires! I was on the computer early this morning when Scott came down to relate how one of his girl got sick three songs into the main concert! Bummer Dude! The joys of being a parent.... They left and had to call a cab to bring them home. He said they could hear the band playing a bunch of the old hits while they were out in the parking lot waiting for the cab. And they'd been waiting for three months for this concert. Major disappointment. Happy to say the daughter is feeling better today, but......
Time to rearrange things in the den here. Too much stuff, too cluttered. Have to clear off a space if I ever want to do anything, like write a note. There must be a better way to configure the furniture in the room. I like the computer table where it is, have a great view of the backyard, the critter feeders and birdbath. And there aren't too many places the treadmill can go either. Kind of limits the possibilities. Unless something radical is done. Move something to another room? No, then you start getting into P's space. That adds a whole other dimention of things to consider that I'm not sure I want to tackle just yet.
A little tv, a little reading in bed and that was it for us. Boy, we are a couple of real live wires! I was on the computer early this morning when Scott came down to relate how one of his girl got sick three songs into the main concert! Bummer Dude! The joys of being a parent.... They left and had to call a cab to bring them home. He said they could hear the band playing a bunch of the old hits while they were out in the parking lot waiting for the cab. And they'd been waiting for three months for this concert. Major disappointment. Happy to say the daughter is feeling better today, but......
Time to rearrange things in the den here. Too much stuff, too cluttered. Have to clear off a space if I ever want to do anything, like write a note. There must be a better way to configure the furniture in the room. I like the computer table where it is, have a great view of the backyard, the critter feeders and birdbath. And there aren't too many places the treadmill can go either. Kind of limits the possibilities. Unless something radical is done. Move something to another room? No, then you start getting into P's space. That adds a whole other dimention of things to consider that I'm not sure I want to tackle just yet.
Thursday, May 20, 2004
How many days to that long weekend?
Thursday afternoon, stuck away in my little room. Listening to the local classical station on my radio. No windows in this room. Looking out the door, over the cube wall that hides me from casual passers by, I can see the reflection of the sun on the hallway walls... when it shines. I've been working on the Self Appraisal portion of my performance review (due Monday). Tooting my own horn. While usually something I have no problem doing, in fact enjoy doing, it's difficult to do on demand. And especially about the work I've been doing. Now, don't get me wrong, I've been busy. But at what? I help out a lot of people with their little projects. How do you write that up to sound official for your boss to put in your review? Good Luck! Plays well with others? I should get credit just for maintaining the basket of candy. I'm sure the chocolate and sugar have helped out a lot of people. Given them that energy lift to make it to 5:00.
I'm bored.
Memorial Day coming up quick. The beginning of Summer. The Indy 500. I remember the multifamily cookouts in the backyard, running around with all the other kids in the neighberhood while all the parents sat around talking and fixing the meal. We would listen to the race on the radio. Mario Andretti, Al Unser, Andy Granitelli, Roger Penski, all the greats creating even more drama to the day. It was the one time of the year we made our own ice cream. All the kids had to take a turn at the old hand crank ice cream maker. Ice cubes, rock salt and the handle got harder and harder to turn until it was deemed done by my mother. It was the best in the world! A dish for desert in the early twilight with all the parents sitting around with a pleasant glow from the fresh air, the sunshine and the drinks, sated with more food than they should have eaten, feeling pleased with themselves and the world (this was the late 50's early 60's after all).
Yeah, it's a little different these days.
But I'm still looking forward to it!
I'm bored.
Memorial Day coming up quick. The beginning of Summer. The Indy 500. I remember the multifamily cookouts in the backyard, running around with all the other kids in the neighberhood while all the parents sat around talking and fixing the meal. We would listen to the race on the radio. Mario Andretti, Al Unser, Andy Granitelli, Roger Penski, all the greats creating even more drama to the day. It was the one time of the year we made our own ice cream. All the kids had to take a turn at the old hand crank ice cream maker. Ice cubes, rock salt and the handle got harder and harder to turn until it was deemed done by my mother. It was the best in the world! A dish for desert in the early twilight with all the parents sitting around with a pleasant glow from the fresh air, the sunshine and the drinks, sated with more food than they should have eaten, feeling pleased with themselves and the world (this was the late 50's early 60's after all).
Yeah, it's a little different these days.
But I'm still looking forward to it!
Monday, May 17, 2004
About that depression in your head......
So, it's Monday again. A nice weekend for the most part. Made the cross town trip to visit the brother in law, check up on him after his major surgery. He and the dog were taking it easy. He's still in a lot of pain, more than he remembers from the enteritus surgerys in the past. He's a bit depressed (and medicated), not a lot of fun to be around. We stopped at Busters and picked up some po boy sandwichs on the way there. He wasn't really hungry but he did eat the whole thing with two side dishs. P cleaned up while we were there, washed the sink full of dishes, went out to pick up a prescription and Pepsi. She is probably out there right now. She's concerned. Especially with his new propensity to fall. He said he fell in the Albertsons parking lot the other day. He doesn't know all the ways he can move that will cause him to fall. Falling in public, spilling his grocerys all over, not a good moment for R. He has a very cool and confident air about him. If he can't do it well or know the way to do something he just won't do it. Falling for no reason, especially in public, does not fit into his self-image. Definately not!
So, as one could imagine, he's a little depressed. Not that he would admit it. P went out Sunday morning to cook him breakfest. She tried to get him up and about, suggested they go play some video poker. He wasn't having any of it. I think it's the pain medication. But still, for him to pass up a chance to play some poker.... he is off his feed. All we can do is stand by and carefully watch. It's been three weeks since his surgery. How much time will this take to heal?
While P was out cooking eggs and sausage for R, I make Scott take a shower and get cleaned up. Took him with me out to get some potting soil and flowers. We pulled out the painted flower pot and filled those sucker up. Made a nice little arrangement going up the steps to the front porch. We sat on the porch in the late morning sun when we were done, watching the world go by, listening to the classic rock radio station through Scotts open window. At least none of the neighbors told us to turn it down.... I got my new tree trimmer and hacked away at the bottom of the tulip tree for a while. It's one of those things, like cutting table legs to keep the table from rocking.... a little off here then it doesn't look right over there so a little off there. It's STILL lopsided, so some off here....and here....and here..... I was able to stop while there were still leaves on the tree. Barely. I was able to get all the mess into the yard debris garbage can. Problem is that it wont be picked up for another week and a half. Have to get atleast one more lawn mowing into it too. Wish me luck.
So, as one could imagine, he's a little depressed. Not that he would admit it. P went out Sunday morning to cook him breakfest. She tried to get him up and about, suggested they go play some video poker. He wasn't having any of it. I think it's the pain medication. But still, for him to pass up a chance to play some poker.... he is off his feed. All we can do is stand by and carefully watch. It's been three weeks since his surgery. How much time will this take to heal?
While P was out cooking eggs and sausage for R, I make Scott take a shower and get cleaned up. Took him with me out to get some potting soil and flowers. We pulled out the painted flower pot and filled those sucker up. Made a nice little arrangement going up the steps to the front porch. We sat on the porch in the late morning sun when we were done, watching the world go by, listening to the classic rock radio station through Scotts open window. At least none of the neighbors told us to turn it down.... I got my new tree trimmer and hacked away at the bottom of the tulip tree for a while. It's one of those things, like cutting table legs to keep the table from rocking.... a little off here then it doesn't look right over there so a little off there. It's STILL lopsided, so some off here....and here....and here..... I was able to stop while there were still leaves on the tree. Barely. I was able to get all the mess into the yard debris garbage can. Problem is that it wont be picked up for another week and a half. Have to get atleast one more lawn mowing into it too. Wish me luck.
Saturday, May 15, 2004
Dog Walks
Just finished taking the dog for his Saturday walk. He will not let me out of his sight on Saturdays and Sundays until he gets his walk. He knows the signs... Taking a shower, which sneakers I put on, and especially, getting some lifesavers out of the cubboard to suck on while on the walk. By that time he's going bonkers! I attach his leash, open the door and he's gone like a shot! At least to the end of the leash (one of those kind that extends to 20') For the first couple of blocks he's pulling so hard my arm is extended and I have to trot just to keep up. About an hour's walk this morning: around the neighborhood, to the atm machine for some cash, 7-11 for lottery tickets (can't win if you don't play) past the vet (sometimes we stop in just to say Hi, but he hasn't wanted to the past several walks....maybe he remembers that last shot.) I swear, if I wasn't along he would know exactly where to go. Follow one of the typical circuits around the neighborhood and then back home for a drink of fresh water and a treat. He's sacked out in the livingroom in front of the sofa in the sun now. He's had his excercise, time for a nap.
P and I are about to head over to her brothers place. Time to checkup on him. He's been home for little over a week now since his major surgery: fixed three aortic anyurisms. MAJOR surgery. One of the surgeons nicked a femoral nerve and now he has to use a cane and be very careful of how he moves. There is a certain way he can move and all of a sudden he loses all feeling and control of one of his legs. He falls down. Not the ideal situation for someone with a fresh 20 inch scar across his stomach.
We're off!
P and I are about to head over to her brothers place. Time to checkup on him. He's been home for little over a week now since his major surgery: fixed three aortic anyurisms. MAJOR surgery. One of the surgeons nicked a femoral nerve and now he has to use a cane and be very careful of how he moves. There is a certain way he can move and all of a sudden he loses all feeling and control of one of his legs. He falls down. Not the ideal situation for someone with a fresh 20 inch scar across his stomach.
We're off!
Thursday, May 13, 2004
Next
So, couple of days since the first post and nothing serious has happened. Perhaps a second post is in order. See if it really is ok.
I have another hemaphersis appointment at the Red Cross tomorrow afternoon. I'm up to 150 total units. Won't be long before I hit the magical 160 mark (20 gallons). Thats a lot of body fluids. And only once has it been for a specific person. All the rest of the time it has gone into the "general purpose" fund (slush fund?) I have to think about what movie I want to watch. The movie is the best part of the whole process. Last time I watched Babettes Feast. It's subtitled and the significant other doesn't have the patience for that. Good movie though! I usually scope out what everyone else is watching. It must be a case of the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. I've seen nearly all the movies they have so it become a case of what do I want to watch a second (or third or fourth) time? It doesn't take me long to identify movies I've seen already. A couple of scenes. It's interesting to see what choices different people make. Because there are 18 to 20 people watching movies or tv in the same room they are all wearing head phones. And as such, they are the only one watching the movie. It is what THEY want to watch. There was no negoitiating with any one, there was no compromise. How often does that happen? Where you get to choose the movie you want to see without having to even think about what someone else might want to watch. Not very often! At least in my life....
I have another hemaphersis appointment at the Red Cross tomorrow afternoon. I'm up to 150 total units. Won't be long before I hit the magical 160 mark (20 gallons). Thats a lot of body fluids. And only once has it been for a specific person. All the rest of the time it has gone into the "general purpose" fund (slush fund?) I have to think about what movie I want to watch. The movie is the best part of the whole process. Last time I watched Babettes Feast. It's subtitled and the significant other doesn't have the patience for that. Good movie though! I usually scope out what everyone else is watching. It must be a case of the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. I've seen nearly all the movies they have so it become a case of what do I want to watch a second (or third or fourth) time? It doesn't take me long to identify movies I've seen already. A couple of scenes. It's interesting to see what choices different people make. Because there are 18 to 20 people watching movies or tv in the same room they are all wearing head phones. And as such, they are the only one watching the movie. It is what THEY want to watch. There was no negoitiating with any one, there was no compromise. How often does that happen? Where you get to choose the movie you want to see without having to even think about what someone else might want to watch. Not very often! At least in my life....
Tuesday, May 11, 2004
Thrills
Rats!
The hard drive I keep all my music on developed amnesia. First it told me it couldn't access a song, then a directory and after I rebooted it said that drive wasn't formatted, did I want to format it now??!!! Technology!?! What the...... We're talking about 130G of files! Gone.
Just like that!
Luckily, I still have a lot of stuff I burned to CD before I got the big drive.
So, I just get to fill it up again.
The thrill is in the hunt, right?
The hard drive I keep all my music on developed amnesia. First it told me it couldn't access a song, then a directory and after I rebooted it said that drive wasn't formatted, did I want to format it now??!!! Technology!?! What the...... We're talking about 130G of files! Gone.
Just like that!
Luckily, I still have a lot of stuff I burned to CD before I got the big drive.
So, I just get to fill it up again.
The thrill is in the hunt, right?
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