What we've been doing lately

[meteorite]

So, I'll get the ball rolling by saying among my accomplishments today was to activate MG and lowdrag as new members, and get this subforum created (about time, right?) Also got busy - have a classic computer setup coming to me from Saskatchewan in dribs and drabs, from a guy who couldn't bear to put it in the landfill and wants me to recycle it. One box today was over 50 lbs, and getting it down the basement stairs with my broken back was a bit of a challenge. But I managed.
Also it was time to restock the white wines in our cellar, so I went over to the government store and got me a dozen and a half, split roughly half domestic and half foreign. Ontario produces some particularly delicious white wines. Got them packed into three boxes so they were easy to carry down to the cellar. So now were're set for 36 weeks. Or stay tuned.

[meteorite]

Indeed does sound like fun, and I guess if you know the people involved it definitely cuts the risks, too. The Australian swap should be a major prize. Colour me green!

[Jay]

We toyed with that idea, but it came to naught. We have hosted teachers and students from Denmark the last couple of years, and have a standing invitation to stay with these fine people if and when we go over there. That may become a reality after the big move to Greenville, whenever that comes about.

MG, I did enjoy your blog that you did on your trip to Oz last April. It makes me want to visit there, myself...although, I don't know if I could stand to be confined in a plane for such a long time. Any accommodations for doing bong hits while in flight?

[Jay]

Today I finished up in the master bedroom. The ceiling, walls and trim have all been painted, outlets, switches and cable wall plate replaced, and new hardware (door knobs, towel racks, etc.). So now, it all looks pretty good with the newly redone master bath. The Mrs. just has to pick out a new ceiling fan.

[meteorite]

Shopping day today, late because I got up late. Don't know why I was so incredibly tired, but I was. Even do, dragged myself out and did my medicine walk - it was such a balmy, glorious spring day, and I missed yesterday.

Got two more big boxes from the minister in Saskatchewan. He just can't bear to send the computer he used and loved for two decades to the landfill, and hopes I can find a home for it.
I will obviously do my best. One box yesterday was marked as overweight by the post office and a serious beast to get downstairs and one today was little better.

Tonight I will likely talk about them in our computer chat. I think I have seven boxes now, out of ten or more.

[Jay]

I will definitely check it out.

It's nice to see Bill the Cat back again.

[Jay]

Tomorrow I am going to Cleveland, OH. The '94 Mustang convertible that the oldest son has been using is on it's last legs...has over 200,000 miles on it (about 70,000 on the engine), and he just isn't able to keep up with everything that's wearing out. He would like to get another Mustang convertible, but doesn't want to spend over $7000. So, that limits our options. I think he may settle for a manual transmission instead of an automatic, which will bring more cars into the choice. He wants dear ol' Dad there to look over any prospect, and to lend him some of the money, which I have no problem doing. He's in a good job, and repayment will be prompt.
The Mrs. is bringing the laptop, so I shall be able to update the adventure.

Then, on March 31, we are off to Greenville, S.C., to engage a realtor to assist us in the finding of our retirement home. If I could have the ideal setting, it would be on a lake near the mountains near the ocean...but, that won't happen. A view of the mountains is the best I can hope for, since Greenville isn't near the ocean, and the wife doesn't want to be on a lake.

Why do wives ALWAYS have to get their way?

[meteorite]

3/25 - well, as it turned out, four boxes arrived this morning and they were all big. Fortunately they came before Mrs. M. was up so I was able to smuggle them downstairs before she saw them, and find an acceptable location for them to inhibit complaint. But I do hope it's the last of the shipment. We still have to rearrange and compact all the contents of the trailer which is spread over the same area but much less efficiently packed. Still waiting to hear from the adjuster.

Since Mrs. M. had business downtown, we went out to dinner when she got home, the local chicken and ribs place. More grease and salt than I needed, but I was wicked hungry for some reason. Go figure; I ate well yesterday so who knows?

[Jay]

Good ribs are hard to turn down. There is a place in down town Greenville that has fantastic ribs. I imagine we will dine there one night. It happens to be the place where I first tried "Fat Tire" beer.

[meteorite]

An icy day but the bright sun made my walk tolerable. No more boxes; I hope I have the lot! Saw two robins in the park, likely migrants passing through. Seem on alternating days we have the white or chestnut-sided nuthatches at the feeder, and male or female downy woodpeckers, sparrows or juncos in the yard. But our winter bird mortality must have been horrific. The flock of starlings that drifted by today was very small, too. Pushed the appraiser on the trailer, hope for action Monday.

[Jay]

We had a nice drive to Ohio. By the time we left Maryland at 2:00PM, the rain had stopped and the roads were dry, so my clean Edge remained that way all the way...except for the occasional bug on the windshield. My anal compulsion makes me have to leave on a trip with a clean car.
The traffic wasn't too bad--ran into some commuter traffic going by Pittsburg, but it's nothing like the hell that is the D.C. metro area at rush "hour" ( it's certainly longer than an hour). Soon after that, we hit Ohio, and the wide open straight, level Ohio Turnpike. It's hard to keep the car under 80mph on that road...but, I wasn't the fastest one on the road, so I had some "bear bait" in front of me. The only negative about going 80 is that my mpg went down to 20mpg from 25mpg that I get at my usual 73mph.

[meteorite]

Haven't been over that way lately, but for years Ohio was notorious for tough enforcement - troopers with radar behind every bridge, aircraft, unmarked cars, and zero tolerance. When I discovered event the truckers were doing a very conscientious 55 or whatever the limit was at the time, I decided the stories had a certain level of truth, and held to what it said on the signs.

Of course my van was never meant for high speeds, so when running around Ontario I just set the cruise control to the point at which I am being passed about as often as I am passing, which on 401 is 17 klicks over the limit or 117 kph. I find I can ride along quite happily the length of the day and nobody gives me a second glance. That's fine, I've never had a moving violation or at-fault collision in my life, so I think it's a little late to start now anyway.

[Jay]

I did not see one policeman the entire trip out to OH. Nada. Zilch.

The speed limit is 65mph, and even most of the truckers were exceeding that.

I am more cautious in PA, though. They add in a bunch of costs to the fine that help pay for emergency services and local court costs. A minimum speeding ticket will cost you close to $200.

I find, though, if I stay 8mph over the limit, the cops leave you alone. I've gone through several radar traps in several states over the last year, doing 8 over, and they haven't bothered with me.

Good for you, Met, for a good driving record. I've gotten a few moving violations, but it's been about 20 years since the last one.

I hope I didn't just jinx myself!!

[meteorite]

Used up the whole afternoon waiting to see the doctor - he was running way behind when I arrived. Spent the time napping. He ran an ECG and confirmed I indeed was in a-fib. Got a chest x-ray but the blood test lab closed too early so do that tomorrow. Now we begin the game of which way to change the dosage of what, while guessing what external factors are disguising the facts.

Got to add CV Joint to our list of members - a good Texas welcome to you, sir, from all of us!

[Sean]

Started working on a formal lab report due tomorrow (really today, now) at about 8 pm. It is now 2:21am and I am still polishing up graphs and tables and doing maths and trying to say what they want me to say. I need to start doing this work before the night before it's due.

[Jay]

So, MG....is Blueberry Point in any danger of going underwater with all this freakin' rain you're getting?

[Jay]

The latest conundrum is figuring out why the 3 way switches I replaced don't work properly now. I have enlisted the help of a master electrician (Barry) in figuring it out. What gets me, is that I put the wires on the new switches exactly as they were on the old switches....of course, there are also people out there that swear they were standing on the brakes when the car was accelerating out of control when in fact they were standing on the gas pedal........

[meteorite]

Still having a tough time with the a-fib. Got up late, slept most of the day, but did manage to get to the lab and have the blood-test gore drawn without knocking any corners off the van on the way. Had a bit of fruit for lunch and finished most of my dinner.

[Sean]

Been having weird chest pains, which is slightly disturbing to an 18 year old.

[Jay]

Well, today (Wed.) about noonish, it's off to Greenville, S.C. to interview a couple of realtors and buyer agents to find one to engage their services in our hunt for a house...plus, to check out a few more neighborhoods and schools...It's about an 8 hour trip from here, mostly down I-81 through VA, then I-77 to Charlotte, NC, then I-85 into Greenville. The worst part is I-81...lots and lots of truck traffic.
Last time we were in Greenville last June, there was a BMW hybrid prototype at the hotel. As you may or may not know, BMW's North American plant is about 10 miles outside of Greenville. We were going to try for a plant tour, but it's shut down for the Easter break.

I believe it is a BMW X6. The regular car sells for $60,000.00 The hybrid goes for $80,000.00....just to get 20% better gas mileage from a 400+ HP engine. I tried to be out there when the driver came out, but I kept missing him!
It's a really nice looking car, inside and out. I'd love to be able to afford one.

You can see the right front corner of my Edge in the first picture.






Right across the street from the hotel was the North American headquarters of Michelin.