I remember when

Back in the days before the Koobecaf and Teh blooger there were some of us who couldn't seem to stay away from BBS.

I was thinking it might be fun to be able to go back and find some of those old posts and threads (key word = was).

I still dislike the interface, but there's a workaround that may solve that issue.
I will pass along the information once I have figured out how to use it continually.

I'm legal

The Fossil's registration has been renewed, though you wouldn't think it should be necessary to have to log into the DMV website three different times to complete a simple process.

Things are a little testy

So . . .  the blogger shows me as signed in, but somehow that doesn’t translate to the Vance of the gargle.

grrrr.....

It’s a bit of a kerfuffel

Blogger’s quirks are driving MB nuts. 

She’s been working on posts but the interface won’t leave the pictures where she places them. 

I would post but she has most of the pictures. 

The actual time we have for writing posts is limited because there’s something much more interesting to do. 

Saw this on a truck this morning. 

We were in a long line of vehicles on the autobahn going about 5mph when we were moving.

The first word seemed Appropriate. 

The experiment continues

It appears yesterday’s trial worked.

Today we’re gonna try the cellphone. 

I’m currently at the local dealership having the current    . . . and third airbag recall taken care of. 

UPDATE:

I see there's one minor glitch with how photos post

FURTHER UPDATE:

It's fixed . . .   the image orientation, not the glitch.
Evidently I had my mouth open while taking the photo.

It continues

What it looks like in monthview

This is the fourth day in a row.

Following on

. . . from earlier.
The Bots have jumped in, as well, and given us an additional 383 additional pageviews.

Still traveling

We eased our way from Eastern Washington to the western slope of the Cascade range by traveling the rural route instead of the Interstate.
We made a stop at Leavenworth so we could compare it to Frankenmuth.
It helps that it is in the mountains.
There are many similarities, but I give Leavenworth the edge.
We had ice cream there because   . . . ice cream.

Spokane to Leavenworth is mostly two lanes of very straight road through wheat fields and a town every now and again where the speed limit is reduced to 25mph until the approaches to the Columbia River, where the terrain changed dramatically and the highway became more of a corkscrew.

Somehow, I guess, it is impossible to just ease back into traffic.
In populated areas folks just naturally all want to dive on the same piece of roadway as you.

Except for driving up through the clouds at Stevens Pass and then back down through them again we had sunshine most of the day.
When there was no Sun it was raining.
We were driving the wrong direction to see a rainbow.

Tbere would be pictures, but the email app bei g used to transfer them has ceased working.
The frustration is mounting.

We'llhead south on the home stretch soon.
Our original plan has already changed at least twice due to family concerns.
It's fortunate that flexibility has been built into the schedule.

Testing

Orange Chicken 

Just the chicken 

I may have found a solution to my road trip posting issues.
Now all that's needed is a wifi connection.
I still have time to work tbat out.

So . . .

On Sunday I somehow accidentally became separated from my phone and all other things electronic.
We were away from the house all day.
It was kind of refreshing.
I may leave it behind more often.

Yesterday I had reason to call the VA . . .   twice!

I had to hang up the first time, after being on hold for about 40 minutes, because I had an appointment.
I am writing this post as I wait for them to answer.
It's been 50 minutes over an hour.

I am calling because I want to get an ID card.
The only benefits for which I'm still eligible I no longer need, but I would like to take advantage of veterans discounts I can only get if I can prove I served.
I don't feel like carrying my DD214 around.

Anyhow, there's a recording telling me I can do it online.
The only issue is I tried and when I finally was able to log in received a message to call the assistance number.

. . . and another thing.

It appears everyone on the street arranged to have some kind of work done yesterday.
When I came home from my appointment both sides of the street were lined with work vehicles of some sort or another.
My own driveway was partially blocked such that I had to wait for someone to move so I could park.
Sadly, I did not want to park in the driveway because where I have to park is directly beneath the neighbor's liquidambar trees.
They are as insidious, maybe more, as the palm tree next to them.

then there're the dogs

New project

Do y'all (both of you) remember how I moved about ten months and 26 days ago?
Then it took awhile to move "stuff" I want to keep?
Some stuff is still not moved, but that's another story.

Anyway, I was bemoaning the fact that the desktop PC wasn't connected because there was no place to put it.
Then in November it was finally connected . . .   and it had basically died.
I took it to the folks who'd built it and found the part that failed was still under warranty.
Unfortunately, that part was the key to retaining all that had been added since June 2014.
Actually it had even more than that because the previous desktop stuff was in there, too, along with the email program I'd configured to save me the trouble of scanning every little thing that hit the inbox.

It took some time for the company to rebuild the box and get it back to the reseller/configurator.
Then it took him some time to rebuild his aspect of the unit and bench test it and install the OS, which has been upgraded to Windows 10 and no additional charge because the original OS is no longer available.

[Heck! If Win98se was still available, I'd still be using it.]

It literally arrived on my doorstep yesterday [in a box that is eight four times the sized of the box the computer comes in].
Of course I opened it right away.
I finally got around to plugging everything in after about two hours.
I had been waiting, relatively patiently, since April.
What was another couple of hours?

As soon as I plugged in I realized there will be some issues before I can reclaim all that it was before.
Yes, there is a permanent [as long as I pay the bill] backup.
The only challenge is reloading the programs used before.
I have the word of the company that they will assist, even remotely accessing if necessary, the reconfiguration.
I know it's gonna take some time and there may be some issues with downloaded programs for which there are no discs.

wish me luck

She says it better

Yeah, MB again.
She kinda posted about the same thing I did yesterday.
Only my take is she's more eloquent.
This, from koobecaf . . .

edited screen shot

Note: the seven year old is Eeyore and is the youngest in that Clan 

Guess what I got

Awhile back, on a whim, I spit in a bottle and sent it off to an outfit partnering with National Pornographic Geographic Society.
It's called the Genographic Proect.
They notified me the other day they were done sequencing my DNA.

The first thing they tell me is that the origin of our species lies in Africa.
Then they proceeded to tell me that as my "modern human ancestors migrated through Eurasia, they met other hominin species and interbred. These “cousin” species, like the Neanderthals . . ."
The average person, according to the study, is about 1.3% Neanderthal.
I'm about 1.5% Neanderthal, which explains a lot.

What interested me most was finding that my regional ancestry from 500 - 10,000 years ago is 97% from Northwestern Europe and 2% West Mediterranean.
More specifically, they tell me I am pretty much Scots-Irish.

source: screen capture

 I'm guessing some of the West Mediterranean came about after the Spanish Armada was routed by Sir Francis Drake.

It's neat to find what I've been telling people ever since I can remember is an actuality.
I'm Irish.
I may visit this some more at a future date.

when there's more about some individuals

Friday cat has been pre-empted

Sometimes . . .
I want to scream.
Then I remind myself I am a patient man by reading what others say,
The Internet and technology in general has not been kind this morning.
Hence, this post by MNBF is much later than planned.


Skip is a wonderful, compassionate, caring man. He puts the best construct on everyone's actions (except, perhaps, other drivers on the highway 😉). He wants to do for me and take care of me. It is a whole change of gears from where my life has been and I'm having a hard time accepting it.
I have a really hard time accepting help. People offer help and even when I am struggling to get things done, I decline the offer. Can I learn to let myself be on the receiving end of things? I
I took a huge step this past week. A family member offered a wedding gift of someone to clean my house and someone to clean up my yard. Though it was difficult and I felt like I was wimping out and failing in my responsibilities, I did it.
You know, it was kinda nice. Maybe I could even get used to that sort of thing. But this was service that was paid for. It's different than accepting help as a free gift.
The thing is, I love to do for others. I get that others may enjoy doing for me. It's just really hard to be on the receiving end. Skip wants to give. Can I learn to receive?
Marriage is giving and taking. As much as  I want to take care of him. he wants to take care of me. Can I learn not to be so self-sufficient and allow him that pleasure?
I love this man with all my heart. Tomorrow we will say I do and begin a whole new adventure together. I am beyond excited for this next chapter and for our life together. I pray God gives me the grace to receive all that Skip wants to give and that our time together on this earth is blessed to His glory.
   
There may be a post tomorrow.

don't count on it

The end of the walk

What it is about fall colors?

. . . particularly when they can be contrasted with the green we have here after the first rains.

same tree

Then I got bored and started messing with the camera.

First I let the camera do the settings automatically.

Then I pulled a trick on the camera because I really have no other way to change the settings.

I suppose I could've used Photoshop?

teasing the camera is easier

Ubiquitous

Is life really so short that we can't get by without the ever present cell phone?

Really?
I know I have reached a stage where it seems like I have to have mine in hand all of the time.
At one point it was a necessity.

Today, not so much.
I purposely leave it in the car when I attend a meeting.
(I'll admit, however, to having it on stun vibrate during certain playoff games)
It's actually a refreshing break, knowing that I am unavailable periodically.
Those who know me well don't interrupt anyway.

OTOH, it's nice to be able to be in touch with family with whom we would not otherwise have much contact [and to be able to ignore them if we wish when their views don't agree with ours].

If you came here expecting to find my views on the recent election, I will leave it at I was disappointed with the outcome.
It would also have disappointed me if the other candidate had won as well.
Neither floated my boat.
But then it's been that way for a number of election cycles now.
Here's a possible solution [the link is in the first word - Here's].

back to cats, dinners, and flowers tomorrow

What do you do when you can't go back to sleep?

This morning I was awakened by the vibration of my cell phone as a text message arrived.
The content of said message is unimportant to the context of this post.
It is sufficient to say that I made every attempt to try to fall back asleep.
Successful, I was not.

It's funny.
At night, when I go to bed, I have little trouble clearing my mind of thoughts.
In the morning, when I wake, whatever time it seems to be, it seems like there are thousands of thoughts awaiting. . .   just like the crowds at Walmart on Black Friday.
Try to sleep through that.

Anyway. . .
I got up, scratched the usual places, and let the cat in.
Then I turned on the radio to my usual NPR station.
We are fortunate here in the North State to have two sources.
One if them actually provides three services on separate stations.
That information is also unimportant, as I only listen to one of them.

The first story reported was sort of political in nature.
There were interviews with some Millenials regarding political affiliation.
More specifically the conversations were with young Latino voters and some who are yet to become eligible to vote.
It seems most of them don't identify with either political party.
They are more driven or motivated by issues.
Those issues are on either side of the political spectrum.
The may be registered either as Democrat or Republican, but it only as a convenience.
They vote the issues and which candidate most supports the what's important to them.

Anyhow. . .  the commentator labeled them Young Latinos.
After listening to these really bright young folks speak their minds, I could pretty much relate.

So I have decided I'm a Young Latino.

another reason cell phones are dangerous

Amost better'n music

Fun stuff, huh?
. . .and it beats the crap out of writing original posts.

getting ready for the vacation

That wasn't so easy

If you haven't done so already, see yesterday's post.

Ol' Betsy is still at the shop.
We are now limited in transportation options. . .   shank's mare, bicycle, or bum a ride with someone.

That isn't as inconvenient as it sounds.
PHG doesn't need the car when she is at work and she seldom goes anywhere else by herself.
It is easy for me to run her back and forth to work. . .   or even let her use my car.

The silly thing is there's nothing seriously wrong with the Mustang.
It's parts are just wearing out.
Not critical parts, but accessory parts.
The car came with all kinds of bells and whistles, which need all kinds of switches, synchros, and motors.
It takes time for the mechanic to chase down replacements sometimes.

We may get her back today   . . .and we may not.
That's okay.
PHG is going to Reno with her sister this weekend so she won't really need a car until Monday.
They're leaving Friday afternoon, after PHG gets off work, to see their father.

I hope the cat and I can stay out of trouble.

I could be harvesting tomatoes while she's gone.
. . .and there's bacon in the fridge.

shoulda planted lettuce, huh

Normal Friday

I didn't have to report for Jury Duty.
Of course that means I didn't have the opportunity to show the folks at Jury HQ my two summonses from the last four months.
Now I will either flake out or have to make a special trip to the Courthouse.
I don't really want to go to the Courthouse because it's as bad, sometimes worse, than checking in at the airport.

See that little doohickey over on the left with the weather information?
If it is working properly, the temperature and other data is being sent directly from my back yard.
The really neat thing is, once more if it is working properly, I can access even more information on my smart phone.
The key to all of this is, if it is working properly.
This is what it looks like on the Weather Underground site.

This is what the smartphone app looks like.

This is what it looks like on the PC.

click the image if you think you want the full size view

The readings with the orange title bars are from my unit.
The ones with the black title bars came with the software.

At the moment I'm trying to narrow the causes for the system not working properly.
It is somewhere in the Intertubes that it all goes kerflooey.
It's something that will keep me busy for awhile. . .   maybe even entertained.
At least I will stay focused. . .   sort of.

I will be at a conference most of the weekend, starting at two o'clock today.
The best part of the whole thing is the meeting up with folks we only see once in a great while.
The worst of it is there are no meals and the best speakers are at times right after regular meal times.
That means if you want good seating, you have to either eat early or wait until you're half starved.
They won't allow brown bags.

Sandee said I was all over the map yesterday.
I think she meant both literally and figuratively?
Focus hasn't been my strong suit recently.
I have a couple of blog post working their way to the surface.
It is only a matter of fleshing them out.
Meanwhile we'll just turn the squirrels loose and see what sticks [yeah, mixed metaphor].

stole it somewhere

 don't know why