Last night- this is what I found in the same sink...
I got him to walk into a small box, took him outside and flung him off the deck...
we'll see if our friend makes it back this time.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Scorpions!!!
A few days ago (D and I are debating which day exactly as neither of us is for sure)- D found a scorpion in the sink when he went to brush his teeth in the morning. He grabbed the boiling water he was using to make coffee with, and thought he drown the little guy as he washed him down the drain.
Last night- this is what I found in the same sink...
I got him to walk into a small box, took him outside and flung him off the deck...
we'll see if our friend makes it back this time.
Last night- this is what I found in the same sink...
I got him to walk into a small box, took him outside and flung him off the deck...
we'll see if our friend makes it back this time.
Monday, September 17, 2007
I'll show You a fungal infestation...
but I already did some time ago-
for the past few weeks I've been purposely not topping off my tank... so that today I would have fewer then 10 gallons of diesel left (the capacity of my two fuel cans) and could re-siphon my baby's fuel tank to see how effective the previous flush and application of Bio-Bor were in eliminating the fungal/bacterial infestation.
Just look at that perfectly clear hose!!! Not one BIT of greenish brown sludge... no particles, no huge clumps, no residue on the end of the siphon hose after pushing it along the bottom of the tank looking for any hold-outs.
It's very difficult to get every bit of bacteria removed, and even after full flushes it's common for an infestation to return- I think that means that I have my very first example of Selma Lee being Lucky :)
Last time I siphoned the fuel- I only put a few gallons back in, then kept the rest in a fuel can in the trunk. I wanted to run out of diesel- to see whether my fuel gauge would be true right to the end- and to determine at what point my fuel light would come on. While at the same time having a stash of diesel ready, in the car, when it did happen. Well the light never came on- but the fuel gauge behaved as it should have.
Then last month I ran out of fuel, half way to work, when the gauge indicated about half a tank.
Today I siphoned out about eight gallons. I put five back in- which should be right at 1/4 of a tank... we'll see if that's indicated when I start her up later. The other three gallons are in the backseat for when I need them... we'll see how the experiment goes this time. I may be replacing my fuel sensor in the near future.
While I was waiting for all that fuel to siphon- I went at the windows again. Over the weekend I got most of the inside of the front windshield cleaned... today I tackled some of the door windows.
It's harder then you'd think-
I start by using Windex to clean off any dirt. Then I go over the window in three to four inch square sections- spraying Simple Green on the square being addressed, then wiping in 1 inch diameter circular motions till that one spot is dry- using a new, dry section of paper towel for each inch.
It's an oily residue- and the only way to address it is to get it caught up in large amounts of Simple Green and then use the dry towel to soak up the combined mixture. If you use a wet bit of towel you'll just smear the oily substance that's on the towel back onto the window. If you don't have enough Simple Green on the spot- then you just smear the oil into new patterns.
Each little circle must be dry before you more to the next inch- or residue will be left that will later be smeared onto other "clean" areas.
After that I come back with the Windex to remove any streaks left by the Simple Green.
This works for the inside of the windows... which I presume are in this state from when someone tried to remove the dark tint (clearly a cheap after-market job) that can still be found in some corners where it didn't all come off.
The outside of the windows however- are a little more difficult. I can't get a good picture of it- but it looks like there are little watermarks- like would be left over after rain, covering the windows... but it won't come off for anything- it almost seems like it's inside the glass...
investigations will commence.
for the past few weeks I've been purposely not topping off my tank... so that today I would have fewer then 10 gallons of diesel left (the capacity of my two fuel cans) and could re-siphon my baby's fuel tank to see how effective the previous flush and application of Bio-Bor were in eliminating the fungal/bacterial infestation.
Just look at that perfectly clear hose!!! Not one BIT of greenish brown sludge... no particles, no huge clumps, no residue on the end of the siphon hose after pushing it along the bottom of the tank looking for any hold-outs.
It's very difficult to get every bit of bacteria removed, and even after full flushes it's common for an infestation to return- I think that means that I have my very first example of Selma Lee being Lucky :)
Last time I siphoned the fuel- I only put a few gallons back in, then kept the rest in a fuel can in the trunk. I wanted to run out of diesel- to see whether my fuel gauge would be true right to the end- and to determine at what point my fuel light would come on. While at the same time having a stash of diesel ready, in the car, when it did happen. Well the light never came on- but the fuel gauge behaved as it should have.
Then last month I ran out of fuel, half way to work, when the gauge indicated about half a tank.
Today I siphoned out about eight gallons. I put five back in- which should be right at 1/4 of a tank... we'll see if that's indicated when I start her up later. The other three gallons are in the backseat for when I need them... we'll see how the experiment goes this time. I may be replacing my fuel sensor in the near future.
While I was waiting for all that fuel to siphon- I went at the windows again. Over the weekend I got most of the inside of the front windshield cleaned... today I tackled some of the door windows.
It's harder then you'd think-
I start by using Windex to clean off any dirt. Then I go over the window in three to four inch square sections- spraying Simple Green on the square being addressed, then wiping in 1 inch diameter circular motions till that one spot is dry- using a new, dry section of paper towel for each inch.
It's an oily residue- and the only way to address it is to get it caught up in large amounts of Simple Green and then use the dry towel to soak up the combined mixture. If you use a wet bit of towel you'll just smear the oily substance that's on the towel back onto the window. If you don't have enough Simple Green on the spot- then you just smear the oil into new patterns.
Each little circle must be dry before you more to the next inch- or residue will be left that will later be smeared onto other "clean" areas.
After that I come back with the Windex to remove any streaks left by the Simple Green.
This works for the inside of the windows... which I presume are in this state from when someone tried to remove the dark tint (clearly a cheap after-market job) that can still be found in some corners where it didn't all come off.
The outside of the windows however- are a little more difficult. I can't get a good picture of it- but it looks like there are little watermarks- like would be left over after rain, covering the windows... but it won't come off for anything- it almost seems like it's inside the glass...
investigations will commence.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Selma Lee made a friend
So D is going up to Moab this weekend for some cycling.
He'll be accompanied by a gentleman he's ridden with before, who drove up from Down South to meet at our house so they could travel in Josey together... he drove up in a 1982 Mercedes 300D named BioBertha. (Here's a hint- she runs on BioDiesel)
I would post a picture- but D has the camera.
Anyway- SelmaLee now has a friend in the drive way- and they're both blue...
they're so cute...
okady- that's enough.
He'll be accompanied by a gentleman he's ridden with before, who drove up from Down South to meet at our house so they could travel in Josey together... he drove up in a 1982 Mercedes 300D named BioBertha. (Here's a hint- she runs on BioDiesel)
I would post a picture- but D has the camera.
Anyway- SelmaLee now has a friend in the drive way- and they're both blue...
they're so cute...
okady- that's enough.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
The rest of the trip...
I strangled a Grizzly Bear.
Hiked in heals.
Dangled precariously over Lake Tahoe.
And read- what some people call Classics- but are really just turn of the century Romance Novels... oh fine- they have, like, poetic language and moral implications... I didn't say they were Trashy Romance Novels...
whatever.
Hiked in heals.
Dangled precariously over Lake Tahoe.
And read- what some people call Classics- but are really just turn of the century Romance Novels... oh fine- they have, like, poetic language and moral implications... I didn't say they were Trashy Romance Novels...
whatever.
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Tenaya Canyon Happy Fun Time
So we drove up through California- avoiding Las Vegas. And got into the Owen's Valley Friday night and to Erik Schat's Bakery Saturday morning for breakfast and Energy Loaf, Almond Pound Cake and their super tasty 19 1/2 grain bread... okady- so I don't remember how many grains are in it, but there's a lot and they include whole lentils...
it's some serious, chunky, delicious bread.
So we sat out at their tables and ate breakfast about 10 minutes after they opened. On the edge of the main street through Bishop.
Then we drove the rest of the way to Tioga Pass and the Tuolumne Meadows side of Yosemite- which we had previously not been able to visit. We did a short hike Saturday afternoon before grabbing a camp site for the night.
Below is Tuolumne River- which we hiked down to and then followed back up for some time on the granite "slickrock" that channeled a long series of cascades.
After watching our neighbors teach their seven year old son how to throw knives (at a tree in the campground) we went to bed early for the Tenaya Canyon Happy Fun Time that was suppose to start bright and early the next morning.
We followed Tenaya Creek which, similar to Tuolumne River, has smooth Granite banks up in the meadow lands. We followed a feint trail through thick groves of trees, some grassy swamp lands, and along the exposed rock when possible. D decided to "Be the Rock" with a particularly round boulder which stranded itself along a stretch of granite bank.
Eventually we were forced to start moving Down. With the first major constriction of rock around the creek we headed to the left, climbed up into a talus slope and started the first of a lot of boulder hopping- or boulder slopping... as it isn't so much svelte stag leaps from boulder to boulder but some sloppy attempts at balancing and moving forward and down.
We were eventually treated to this view of Half Dome. See all those green trees down there... that's where we were going. From the point where this picture was taken we hiked along to the left for a bit and then descended (not roped yet) down a bit to the left of the center of this photo... don't worry it doesn't look quite so steep once you keep going... not quite.
The descent involved a fair bit of bushwhacking and careful treading down exposed slabs but we eventually got to the bottom (some 1500 vertical feet later) to continue hiking the stream bed till we reached another long drop and the first of three forced rappels (some people do more rappels, but we managed to down climb quite a few drops).
This is D setting up the first rap into a tighter slot (formed by that darker rock layer).
We knew we were right behind another group as we'd heard them celebrating when they'd managed to get down that long, steep descent. We caught up with them in the slot section and discovered a group of five twenty-somethings, several of whom worked as Naturalists in Yosemite. We reached the last rappel a bit ahead of the group of five, and discovered a couple from Colorado (who were spending three days backpacking through the canyon) sitting around a large and quite deep pool- that the last rappel went into. After we got across we sat around- watched the other group rappel down- and took pictures as everyone tried different methods of jumping in- most from a large boulder directly to the left of the picture below. The gentleman from Colorado however- swam back over to where we had just rappelled down, climbed up a bit and dove in from there-
he did manage to rotate fully forward and didn't belly-flop as it looks like he's about to in the picture.
My legs had taken a real beating doing all that rock-hopping and then the thousand plus feet of constant descending. (I mean- we went down This...
The rocks in the center of the picture make up the creek bed... we're going down the stuff in the bottom half of the photo- the top half of the picture is the opposing wall of the canyon... and there's D a bit ahead of me...)
I could tell I was going a bit slower through the bottom canyon- but after the extended rest we took around the pool I thought everything was fine when I stood up to continue the last section of creek walking before we reached the last two miles of flat and wide established Trail, around Mirror lake- which brought us into the Valley.
But it quickly hit me, and hard.
You ask- What hit you???
My own stupidity- pretty much.
I had eaten some of that delicious Almond Pound Cake for breakfast... and about half a granola bar. All day. Now I regularly go through canyons eating a lot less then I should... and drinking a lot less water too... I just don't need as much as D does. However- we had been in the sun, hiking an incredibly strenuous canyon for over seven hours.
I told D I needed to sit down again... he didn't understand. We had a few more miles of canyon- then two- some miles of flat trail- and then Dinner at the Pizza Place!!! Why on earth was I moving so slow??? So I meekly mentioned my food consumption- at which point he sat me down and started going through my pack, tossing over all the food he could find and demanding I eat something- NOW!!!
Well that pretty much lead to my vomiting along the trail. Which made me feel wonderful again. Wonderful meaning I could stand and slowly proceed. D helped as much as he could- took my pack- acted as my crutch during the steep downhill sections as that's when my legs most wanted to give out and drop me in the dirt.
Eventually I felt worse again- vomited again- felt a bit better and we trudged into Yosemite Valley at 1/3 to 1/4 out usual hiking pace. We checked into our tent cabin and D brought me Sprite and Saltines (I may or may not have thrown up twice more before the night was over) and I laid very still in bed for many hours before going to sleep.
The next morning D started up the trail we were suppose to hike together to return to our car- and I bought a one way ticket on a tour bus/hiker's shuttle to drive me out of the Valley, along the Tioga Road- back to Tuolumne Meadows and our car. The shuttle driver was quite informative and it was actually a pretty enjoyable ride as I chatted with a couple Park Employees who were hitching a ride on the start of several days off, and a small backpacking party who had missed their shuttle the day before.
I eventually got off a few stops before the trailhead where our car was parked and hiked the last couple miles to get a bit of exercise (though D had given me the larger and much heavier pack with the ropes and stuff that he wouldn't need on his hike that day- so it was a bit of a push... those two miles... bit pathetic).
Anyway... that was Yosemite.
it's some serious, chunky, delicious bread.
So we sat out at their tables and ate breakfast about 10 minutes after they opened. On the edge of the main street through Bishop.
Then we drove the rest of the way to Tioga Pass and the Tuolumne Meadows side of Yosemite- which we had previously not been able to visit. We did a short hike Saturday afternoon before grabbing a camp site for the night.
Below is Tuolumne River- which we hiked down to and then followed back up for some time on the granite "slickrock" that channeled a long series of cascades.
After watching our neighbors teach their seven year old son how to throw knives (at a tree in the campground) we went to bed early for the Tenaya Canyon Happy Fun Time that was suppose to start bright and early the next morning.
We followed Tenaya Creek which, similar to Tuolumne River, has smooth Granite banks up in the meadow lands. We followed a feint trail through thick groves of trees, some grassy swamp lands, and along the exposed rock when possible. D decided to "Be the Rock" with a particularly round boulder which stranded itself along a stretch of granite bank.
Eventually we were forced to start moving Down. With the first major constriction of rock around the creek we headed to the left, climbed up into a talus slope and started the first of a lot of boulder hopping- or boulder slopping... as it isn't so much svelte stag leaps from boulder to boulder but some sloppy attempts at balancing and moving forward and down.
We were eventually treated to this view of Half Dome. See all those green trees down there... that's where we were going. From the point where this picture was taken we hiked along to the left for a bit and then descended (not roped yet) down a bit to the left of the center of this photo... don't worry it doesn't look quite so steep once you keep going... not quite.
The descent involved a fair bit of bushwhacking and careful treading down exposed slabs but we eventually got to the bottom (some 1500 vertical feet later) to continue hiking the stream bed till we reached another long drop and the first of three forced rappels (some people do more rappels, but we managed to down climb quite a few drops).
This is D setting up the first rap into a tighter slot (formed by that darker rock layer).
We knew we were right behind another group as we'd heard them celebrating when they'd managed to get down that long, steep descent. We caught up with them in the slot section and discovered a group of five twenty-somethings, several of whom worked as Naturalists in Yosemite. We reached the last rappel a bit ahead of the group of five, and discovered a couple from Colorado (who were spending three days backpacking through the canyon) sitting around a large and quite deep pool- that the last rappel went into. After we got across we sat around- watched the other group rappel down- and took pictures as everyone tried different methods of jumping in- most from a large boulder directly to the left of the picture below. The gentleman from Colorado however- swam back over to where we had just rappelled down, climbed up a bit and dove in from there-
he did manage to rotate fully forward and didn't belly-flop as it looks like he's about to in the picture.
My legs had taken a real beating doing all that rock-hopping and then the thousand plus feet of constant descending. (I mean- we went down This...
The rocks in the center of the picture make up the creek bed... we're going down the stuff in the bottom half of the photo- the top half of the picture is the opposing wall of the canyon... and there's D a bit ahead of me...)
I could tell I was going a bit slower through the bottom canyon- but after the extended rest we took around the pool I thought everything was fine when I stood up to continue the last section of creek walking before we reached the last two miles of flat and wide established Trail, around Mirror lake- which brought us into the Valley.
But it quickly hit me, and hard.
You ask- What hit you???
My own stupidity- pretty much.
I had eaten some of that delicious Almond Pound Cake for breakfast... and about half a granola bar. All day. Now I regularly go through canyons eating a lot less then I should... and drinking a lot less water too... I just don't need as much as D does. However- we had been in the sun, hiking an incredibly strenuous canyon for over seven hours.
I told D I needed to sit down again... he didn't understand. We had a few more miles of canyon- then two- some miles of flat trail- and then Dinner at the Pizza Place!!! Why on earth was I moving so slow??? So I meekly mentioned my food consumption- at which point he sat me down and started going through my pack, tossing over all the food he could find and demanding I eat something- NOW!!!
Well that pretty much lead to my vomiting along the trail. Which made me feel wonderful again. Wonderful meaning I could stand and slowly proceed. D helped as much as he could- took my pack- acted as my crutch during the steep downhill sections as that's when my legs most wanted to give out and drop me in the dirt.
Eventually I felt worse again- vomited again- felt a bit better and we trudged into Yosemite Valley at 1/3 to 1/4 out usual hiking pace. We checked into our tent cabin and D brought me Sprite and Saltines (I may or may not have thrown up twice more before the night was over) and I laid very still in bed for many hours before going to sleep.
The next morning D started up the trail we were suppose to hike together to return to our car- and I bought a one way ticket on a tour bus/hiker's shuttle to drive me out of the Valley, along the Tioga Road- back to Tuolumne Meadows and our car. The shuttle driver was quite informative and it was actually a pretty enjoyable ride as I chatted with a couple Park Employees who were hitching a ride on the start of several days off, and a small backpacking party who had missed their shuttle the day before.
I eventually got off a few stops before the trailhead where our car was parked and hiked the last couple miles to get a bit of exercise (though D had given me the larger and much heavier pack with the ropes and stuff that he wouldn't need on his hike that day- so it was a bit of a push... those two miles... bit pathetic).
Anyway... that was Yosemite.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Yosemite
Dave and I visited Yosemite way back in the days we were living in Josey. When we go to Tahoe next week our condo reservation starts on Monday night- which allows us to take the scenic route there over the weekend- via the East side of Yosemite- as in, not The Valley- which we didn't see on our last visit due to the snowed in pass to Tuolumne Meadows.
From the resurected Jelly Bean- a few photos of our last visit, looking down into Yosemite Valley proper.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Jelly Bean
Having Jelly Bean back is like glancing at a moment of my history. She malfunctioned not long after we moved to Prescott Valley.
At the time two different computer folks couldn't fix her and we bought another and set her aside. When the new computer needed attention (read D spilled beer on the keyboard) I found another place- and in the course of taking it back several times (after they failed to replace screws and funny things kept happening) I chatted up the owner about what was wrong with JellyBean and he thought he could fix her.
So that's why I finally decided last month to take her in and see if he was right. He was right- it just took him three weeks...
Now I look at the links I had bookmarked, the files prominently placed on the desktop, etc. And I have a reverse sneak peak at what my priorities were almost exactly one year ago. It's funny- it's not like they show huge treads or anything- just the little things that had me fascinated at the time- the sort of things you've forgotten about and replaced with new interests in a year.
Then there's the small matter of the following picture as the desktop wallpaper...
That's a carbon fiber Tea Cup, folks :) After converting currency- I believe it goes for about $250 for the set- spoon included of course.
As opposed to our other computer- which has the following as the Wallpaper. Which goes for about $490,000- and is our future home in Silverton, Colorado.
Details.
At the time two different computer folks couldn't fix her and we bought another and set her aside. When the new computer needed attention (read D spilled beer on the keyboard) I found another place- and in the course of taking it back several times (after they failed to replace screws and funny things kept happening) I chatted up the owner about what was wrong with JellyBean and he thought he could fix her.
So that's why I finally decided last month to take her in and see if he was right. He was right- it just took him three weeks...
Now I look at the links I had bookmarked, the files prominently placed on the desktop, etc. And I have a reverse sneak peak at what my priorities were almost exactly one year ago. It's funny- it's not like they show huge treads or anything- just the little things that had me fascinated at the time- the sort of things you've forgotten about and replaced with new interests in a year.
Then there's the small matter of the following picture as the desktop wallpaper...
That's a carbon fiber Tea Cup, folks :) After converting currency- I believe it goes for about $250 for the set- spoon included of course.As opposed to our other computer- which has the following as the Wallpaper. Which goes for about $490,000- and is our future home in Silverton, Colorado.
Details.
A bit o' sewing.
I showed D a few things about how to use one of the computerized sewing machines I have for The Business, the other day before I went to work. I came home to find this formless green ripstop blob. (Which Snad immediately crawled into.)
This morning D attempted to ellucidate what on earth he was doing.
Quick action on my behalf rescued the endeavor- and with D's wild gestures as to size and needs and my own adept skills at 3D modeling and flair- we managed the following piece.
Look at me slave away...
This is D examing the template and thinking- "Wow- my wife is way smarter then me." (Don't worry- this is a regular thought for him.)
I also just got Jelly Bean back!!! Umm- that's my old computer. Which appeared unfixable to several computer geeks in town- till I found someone new who thought they could handle it. After three weeks of absolutely NO communication- they called Friday at 4:20pm to say it was done (except they left a screw off and the keyboard isn't fully attached... I'll get it corrected on Monday). This computer place is better then the rest- but every time they've done something for me they're forgotten to replace screws inside or out of the laptops- leading to all sorts of odd behaviors on the computers' behaves. So far it appears to just be this minor screw on this occasion.
However- now Jelly Bean's back- I'm uploading to Flickr all the pictures we had on her from when we were living in Josey. Including these choice ones of Josey after I backed her off a pull-out just outside of Zion National Park while D was off hiking. At the time it was like driving our house over the edge.
This morning D attempted to ellucidate what on earth he was doing.
Quick action on my behalf rescued the endeavor- and with D's wild gestures as to size and needs and my own adept skills at 3D modeling and flair- we managed the following piece.
Look at me slave away...
This is D examing the template and thinking- "Wow- my wife is way smarter then me." (Don't worry- this is a regular thought for him.)
I also just got Jelly Bean back!!! Umm- that's my old computer. Which appeared unfixable to several computer geeks in town- till I found someone new who thought they could handle it. After three weeks of absolutely NO communication- they called Friday at 4:20pm to say it was done (except they left a screw off and the keyboard isn't fully attached... I'll get it corrected on Monday). This computer place is better then the rest- but every time they've done something for me they're forgotten to replace screws inside or out of the laptops- leading to all sorts of odd behaviors on the computers' behaves. So far it appears to just be this minor screw on this occasion.
However- now Jelly Bean's back- I'm uploading to Flickr all the pictures we had on her from when we were living in Josey. Including these choice ones of Josey after I backed her off a pull-out just outside of Zion National Park while D was off hiking. At the time it was like driving our house over the edge.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
D just realized!!!
When we go to Tahoe the first week of September- we'll be driving through the Owens Valley and Bishop- home of one of the best bakeries around- Schat's Bakery (pronounced Shot's).
They stopped doing mail orders a few years ago- so you have to go to Bishop or Holland to buy their products... this is their location in Bishop.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
My number-
So I had this 50 year old, drunk guy demand I give him my phone number at work tonight-
which would normally leave me slightly sketched, and muttering things about my husband.
However this occasion was slightly different- as he wanted my number so he could speak to said husband... not me. I made the mistake of getting too involved in a customer's conversation (and a drunk customer at that... I should know better) and it turns out this fine fellow has an elk hunting permit in the same zone and time as D's. At which point he demanded a way to discuss this with D- as we'll be neighbors in the middle of nowhere Arizona for several days in October.
Dave- his name is Steve, and I have his phone number written down in my book if you want it (I don't give my number out to customers for anything- elk included).
which would normally leave me slightly sketched, and muttering things about my husband.
However this occasion was slightly different- as he wanted my number so he could speak to said husband... not me. I made the mistake of getting too involved in a customer's conversation (and a drunk customer at that... I should know better) and it turns out this fine fellow has an elk hunting permit in the same zone and time as D's. At which point he demanded a way to discuss this with D- as we'll be neighbors in the middle of nowhere Arizona for several days in October.
Dave- his name is Steve, and I have his phone number written down in my book if you want it (I don't give my number out to customers for anything- elk included).
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Primary Silliness-
What on earth is going on???
I've always maintained that if you have 50 states- in any relative evaluation- one of them has to be 50th.
However in our society- where one high school graduating class can have 4 or 8 or 12 valedictorians... cause no one wants to be second best- no state can stand being 50th, none the less 4th.
And now people are suggesting that Iowa will be forced to have their caucus in December if they want to be first. However- if there's one thing I know- it's that American Consumerism will out do Politics any day. No one will interrupt their Christmas Shopping for a Caucus- talk about a disaster waiting to happen.
I can't imagine a greater example of an institutional inferiority complex- and I think it's all the worse that the institutions in question are state governments.
What is wrong with you people???
I've always maintained that if you have 50 states- in any relative evaluation- one of them has to be 50th.
However in our society- where one high school graduating class can have 4 or 8 or 12 valedictorians... cause no one wants to be second best- no state can stand being 50th, none the less 4th.
And now people are suggesting that Iowa will be forced to have their caucus in December if they want to be first. However- if there's one thing I know- it's that American Consumerism will out do Politics any day. No one will interrupt their Christmas Shopping for a Caucus- talk about a disaster waiting to happen.
I can't imagine a greater example of an institutional inferiority complex- and I think it's all the worse that the institutions in question are state governments.
What is wrong with you people???
Saturday, August 4, 2007
La la la...
Monsoon!!!
This is looking off our deck on the front of the house- looking South, I suppose.
I like that in this picture all the prayer flags are flapping up...
This is looking off our deck on the front of the house- looking South, I suppose.
I like that in this picture all the prayer flags are flapping up...
Friday, July 27, 2007
Official Checks.
I have one- from my bank- made out for a large amount of money- to my old boss.
Tomorrow at 8am- D and I will pick up a cargo van and drive four hours to where my old boss now lives- and be done with this whole thing.
By which I mean we'll both sign a contract- I'll give her money- and she'll give me a great deal of property (hence the cargo can).
The check isn't for the largest amount of money I've ever held in one hand- but it certainly is the largest amount of money I've given over without some certain guarantee of equitable exchange.
While almost half of these funds are for concrete assets worth a certain amount of money- the other half is for things much less easily accounted. What is the value of a name- a web address- a design- a way of doing things- a reputation???
While I'm certain I've calculated its value, to me, accurately- I'm still exchanging certain money for uncertain certainties in my head.
I'm certain I can effectively run this business. I'm certain I have ideas that will grow it. That I can find others who will work with me- to do the things I can't all do myself. And that the less obvious assets that I'm buying can be put to uses, by me, the products of which will far exceed the value of what I'm paying.
But those certainties in my head- are still, in the larger world- certainly uncertainties.
I've now certainly used the derivatives of "certain" far too many times.
All I need to do now is sign my name and initial where indicated.
Tomorrow at 8am- D and I will pick up a cargo van and drive four hours to where my old boss now lives- and be done with this whole thing.
By which I mean we'll both sign a contract- I'll give her money- and she'll give me a great deal of property (hence the cargo can).
The check isn't for the largest amount of money I've ever held in one hand- but it certainly is the largest amount of money I've given over without some certain guarantee of equitable exchange.
While almost half of these funds are for concrete assets worth a certain amount of money- the other half is for things much less easily accounted. What is the value of a name- a web address- a design- a way of doing things- a reputation???
While I'm certain I've calculated its value, to me, accurately- I'm still exchanging certain money for uncertain certainties in my head.
I'm certain I can effectively run this business. I'm certain I have ideas that will grow it. That I can find others who will work with me- to do the things I can't all do myself. And that the less obvious assets that I'm buying can be put to uses, by me, the products of which will far exceed the value of what I'm paying.
But those certainties in my head- are still, in the larger world- certainly uncertainties.
I've now certainly used the derivatives of "certain" far too many times.
All I need to do now is sign my name and initial where indicated.
Friday, July 20, 2007
2:33 minutes
My brother called a short while ago.
Me- Hello
Brother- Hey- uh- is it your birthday today???
M-Yeah
B- Oh- uh- Happy Birthday then.
M- Thanks
B- Hey- I'm buying a Mercedes too
Then we discussed what kind- and that he was on his way to get plates for it. He asked if mine was "like drivable" (which it is). And then we parted ways.
It took an entire two minutes and 33 seconds.
It's the most I've talked to him in months- I felt special.
Me- Hello
Brother- Hey- uh- is it your birthday today???
M-Yeah
B- Oh- uh- Happy Birthday then.
M- Thanks
B- Hey- I'm buying a Mercedes too
Then we discussed what kind- and that he was on his way to get plates for it. He asked if mine was "like drivable" (which it is). And then we parted ways.
It took an entire two minutes and 33 seconds.
It's the most I've talked to him in months- I felt special.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Secondly-
I forgot to mention- Crested Butte also had mad huge Alpine Columbine- on crack (aka Miracle-Grow)- no pictures though...
and the last Harry Potter book comes out in three days...
and the business purchase is on hold for the moment as I wait to see if the old owner can handle a reasonable non-compete.
and the last Harry Potter book comes out in three days...
and the business purchase is on hold for the moment as I wait to see if the old owner can handle a reasonable non-compete.
Firstly-
Crested Butte was just as beautiful as I remember it. At first appearing quaint- until you realize all that charm is strategically staged- in a lot of new buildings being specifically built to coordinate with the older ones.
Still delightful- but a tidge out of our price range.
In comes Silverton. Everyone should move to Silverton- but only after I've moved there- so I'll still be able to afford a house.
As I explained it in an e-mail to a friend-
"There is nothing in Silverton- except some abandoned mines, pretty old buildings, and an extreme ski area (extreme mtn bike area a few months a year) and a few B and B's. The state of Colorado has actually declared it one of about a dozen "Enterprise Zones" where they'll give you tax breaks if you start a business there. It's the only town in the county- the county has a population of 540.
It's situated between two passes, both above 10,000 feet. So every once in a while you'll have a day or two between January-March where you can't leave the town in either direction. The average temperature in winter at night is negative 20 to 20 degrees. Winter day is negative 20 to 60 degrees. Summer night is 20 to 40 degrees and summer day is 20 to 80 degrees.
However- it's only 50 miles to Durango- which gives you someplace to buy groceries (tourists take an old narrow gauge train from Durango to Silverton- which supplies the town with tourists from 11:15 to 3:30 pm everyday during the summer months).
Oh wait I forgot!!! In good Colorado tradition- it does have it's own micro-brewery :)"
It also has a Barbershop Music Festival (Telluride's Bluegrass Festival can eat its heart out). And possibly best yet- its small newspaper has a snarky backpage called The Caboose where they quote articles from 1898 and the like.
So- why don't you all just e-mail what size place you're looking for and I'll start figuring out who's going to live where- and don't worry- there's no shortage of housing- 2/3 of the town is for sale. (Including their classic old stone hotel from 1882- the one on the corner, with shops on the ground floor- you know what I mean- there's one of these in every old frontier town... though not Crested Butte oddly enough... and it's only 3 million- What a Steal!!!)
Okady- well. Anyway- this is my favorite picture of the "War Council". We were sitting around camp- and all of a sudden one of the boys mentioned he was getting out a map to look at the race course- and next thing you know there are four ladies sitting by themselves, and five boys running giddy over to look at the map- this is the view the ladies had of the whole affair-
Still delightful- but a tidge out of our price range.
In comes Silverton. Everyone should move to Silverton- but only after I've moved there- so I'll still be able to afford a house.
As I explained it in an e-mail to a friend-
"There is nothing in Silverton- except some abandoned mines, pretty old buildings, and an extreme ski area (extreme mtn bike area a few months a year) and a few B and B's. The state of Colorado has actually declared it one of about a dozen "Enterprise Zones" where they'll give you tax breaks if you start a business there. It's the only town in the county- the county has a population of 540.
It's situated between two passes, both above 10,000 feet. So every once in a while you'll have a day or two between January-March where you can't leave the town in either direction. The average temperature in winter at night is negative 20 to 20 degrees. Winter day is negative 20 to 60 degrees. Summer night is 20 to 40 degrees and summer day is 20 to 80 degrees.
However- it's only 50 miles to Durango- which gives you someplace to buy groceries (tourists take an old narrow gauge train from Durango to Silverton- which supplies the town with tourists from 11:15 to 3:30 pm everyday during the summer months).
Oh wait I forgot!!! In good Colorado tradition- it does have it's own micro-brewery :)"
It also has a Barbershop Music Festival (Telluride's Bluegrass Festival can eat its heart out). And possibly best yet- its small newspaper has a snarky backpage called The Caboose where they quote articles from 1898 and the like.
So- why don't you all just e-mail what size place you're looking for and I'll start figuring out who's going to live where- and don't worry- there's no shortage of housing- 2/3 of the town is for sale. (Including their classic old stone hotel from 1882- the one on the corner, with shops on the ground floor- you know what I mean- there's one of these in every old frontier town... though not Crested Butte oddly enough... and it's only 3 million- What a Steal!!!)
Okady- well. Anyway- this is my favorite picture of the "War Council". We were sitting around camp- and all of a sudden one of the boys mentioned he was getting out a map to look at the race course- and next thing you know there are four ladies sitting by themselves, and five boys running giddy over to look at the map- this is the view the ladies had of the whole affair-
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Humphreys
I'd like everyone to think really hard about just how large this flower is... my hands aren't tiny little girl hands...
They had superb bright yellow interior petals with stark, clean white outsides.
I think columbine are the only flowers that are as pretty from the back as they are from the front. Even when not talking about flowers- that's a hard statement to make about most things...
I liked the contrast of yellow and blue.
From our hike today.
They had superb bright yellow interior petals with stark, clean white outsides.
I think columbine are the only flowers that are as pretty from the back as they are from the front. Even when not talking about flowers- that's a hard statement to make about most things...
I liked the contrast of yellow and blue.
From our hike today.
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Getting in gear-
Oh no- not in regards to Selma Lee- dear me- she's enjoying being neglected... I swear.
However- I did attend my first Spin class last night. Presumably the first of many as I begin my laze to blaze transformation for TransIowa. I guess since D outed me already there's no harm in admitting it... I intend to line up for TransIowa '08 or v4.0??? One of these days I'm going to have to start one of those insipid riding blogs, where I do nothing put talk about how much my legs hurt, and how my home trails are cooler than everybody else's- bonus points for pictures (but everyone who doesn't live in Alaska always losses the unannounced, but none-the-less important photo contests)... no really- neither are they insipid, nor am I going to start writing one :)
In more exciting news (does this demonstrate a bad priority list...) I've reached an agreement with my previous employer to purchase her business. There are some legalities that need to be worked out- but the price and assets have been settled on. Now to do the fun part- start the freakin' business.
Anyway- Dave can't make a joke of my non-existent company anymore- and I'm officially declaring myself Self-Employed- take that.
Thank you world- please come again.
However- I did attend my first Spin class last night. Presumably the first of many as I begin my laze to blaze transformation for TransIowa. I guess since D outed me already there's no harm in admitting it... I intend to line up for TransIowa '08 or v4.0??? One of these days I'm going to have to start one of those insipid riding blogs, where I do nothing put talk about how much my legs hurt, and how my home trails are cooler than everybody else's- bonus points for pictures (but everyone who doesn't live in Alaska always losses the unannounced, but none-the-less important photo contests)... no really- neither are they insipid, nor am I going to start writing one :)
In more exciting news (does this demonstrate a bad priority list...) I've reached an agreement with my previous employer to purchase her business. There are some legalities that need to be worked out- but the price and assets have been settled on. Now to do the fun part- start the freakin' business.
Anyway- Dave can't make a joke of my non-existent company anymore- and I'm officially declaring myself Self-Employed- take that.
Thank you world- please come again.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Vacation-
we just returned from a week of vacation. Some plans changed in the end- but for the most part is was all good.
Above is myself in the bucket of a digger that was left around a bit of torn up earth on Chamberlain Ranch (we speculate they're subdividing and selling off some land for vacation homes)- just north of Zion National Park- you walk through a bit of the ranch to access the Virgin River just above where it enters the park and slots up into The Narrows. Which we through-hiked in just ender 8 hours (the norm being doing it in two days with 10-12 hours of hiking total. It's only 16 miles- but those are river miles, which have you rock hopping and sliding around crossing back and forth across the river from sand bar to sand bar in search of easier hiking.
There was some great red and yellow columbine in The Narrows. They grow out of the sheer walls, forming hanging gardens where various springs and seeps exit the canyon walls.
Unfortunately we didn't see any of the purple and white Rocky Mountain Columbine- which apparently haunt Boundary Canyon (around Zion)- the friends we visited, Ariel and Phillip, had pictures of some they saw when they did said canyon several weeks ago.
Above is myself in the bucket of a digger that was left around a bit of torn up earth on Chamberlain Ranch (we speculate they're subdividing and selling off some land for vacation homes)- just north of Zion National Park- you walk through a bit of the ranch to access the Virgin River just above where it enters the park and slots up into The Narrows. Which we through-hiked in just ender 8 hours (the norm being doing it in two days with 10-12 hours of hiking total. It's only 16 miles- but those are river miles, which have you rock hopping and sliding around crossing back and forth across the river from sand bar to sand bar in search of easier hiking.
There was some great red and yellow columbine in The Narrows. They grow out of the sheer walls, forming hanging gardens where various springs and seeps exit the canyon walls.
Unfortunately we didn't see any of the purple and white Rocky Mountain Columbine- which apparently haunt Boundary Canyon (around Zion)- the friends we visited, Ariel and Phillip, had pictures of some they saw when they did said canyon several weeks ago.
I'm pretty certain columbine are my favorite flower- you can't tell- but the ones in the picture are two and a half to three inches long from front to back with their long tails. They're intricate without being delicate- but they only grow in very wet places, the sides of stream beds, etc. so you don't often fine the density and profusion of them you do in The Narrows.
I'm also quite upset with Xanterra Parks and Resorts (the only concessionaires in many of the National Parks... I'm always upset with them about something- but this time even D thinks it's warranted) when we were at The North Rim Lodge- we quite clearly heard the hostess of their fine dining restaurant tell two twenty-something ladies that they had to have reservations (in the snottiest, drawn-out tone, I couldn't believe my ears). Then a thirty-something couple walked up not two minutes later and she told them she could seat them if they could dine immediately... (the ladies had not asked for a later time, they had simply inquired if they could be accommodated at all that evening)
excuse me???
I work in restaurants- I know how reservations work- and that sometimes someone gets up before you think they will, you can move a few things around, and seat someone on the spur of the moment that you wouldn't have thought you could... but this hostess didn't look around- didn't talk to any other staff between talking to these two pairs... if a table had opened up- she wouldn't have known- she was making a judgment based totally on what she thought they looked like.
Why must Xanterra make our parks cheap and trashy??? Why can't they step up their service and services to match the fact that they're located in some of the most beautiful, treasured, and historic places our country has???
Bah.
I'm also quite upset with Xanterra Parks and Resorts (the only concessionaires in many of the National Parks... I'm always upset with them about something- but this time even D thinks it's warranted) when we were at The North Rim Lodge- we quite clearly heard the hostess of their fine dining restaurant tell two twenty-something ladies that they had to have reservations (in the snottiest, drawn-out tone, I couldn't believe my ears). Then a thirty-something couple walked up not two minutes later and she told them she could seat them if they could dine immediately... (the ladies had not asked for a later time, they had simply inquired if they could be accommodated at all that evening)
excuse me???
I work in restaurants- I know how reservations work- and that sometimes someone gets up before you think they will, you can move a few things around, and seat someone on the spur of the moment that you wouldn't have thought you could... but this hostess didn't look around- didn't talk to any other staff between talking to these two pairs... if a table had opened up- she wouldn't have known- she was making a judgment based totally on what she thought they looked like.
Why must Xanterra make our parks cheap and trashy??? Why can't they step up their service and services to match the fact that they're located in some of the most beautiful, treasured, and historic places our country has???
Bah.
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