Raining and wet? Or we get a break and things dry out? Dunno what’s going to happen in Houston this weekend but I hope to get time to mow the lawn at the BOL. All the rain makes the grass grow like crazy.
Friday I avoided most of my obligations and list. I did one pickup. The rain made it impossible to do some of the stuff I had hoped, and malaise made the rest difficult. Some domestic bliss happened. One kid went to nursemaid her friend, the other was babysitting. Left the house kinda quiet. Wife decided she didn’t want to drive to the BOL in the rain and dark by herself. She might even stay home today as she dislikes a quick trip up and back.
I have to go though. If I can cut the grass, I have to to keep on top of it. It is twice as hard and takes twice as long if I let it go. Same goes for treating for fireants. It’s a constant battle and if you let them get a toehold they’ll have a foothold in a week. I’ve also got a bunch of stuff to take up and get out of the library/toy room.
I’m also a bit worried about my buddy and want to see him and his wife and get a feeling for how they are doing. Between the cancer treatments for both of them and the death of their grandson, I am amazed they can get out of bed. Country folk are tough, but that’s a lot of burden to carry.
Hopefully, I’ll get out of town fairly early, without getting rained on, and I can get stuff done today at the BOL. If not, there is tomorrow.
Work smart, stack.
nick
First post. Off to do some cave kayaking in transparent plastic canoes in 50F water. What could go wrong?
Weirdos underwater taking photos of you from below.
taking photos of you from below.
– “show us your undercarriage dearie… show us your larboard side….”
———
76F and light overcast. Rain stopped at some point and the street is dry.
At some point I’ll be heading to the BOL. Gotta get moving and loaded up first though.
n
Took a while to change the battery and back glass on my phone. The stuff arrived yesterday.
It shouldn’t have taken as long as it did, but I was super slow and careful, and I had to clean a lot of dust, dirt, hair, and glue out of the phone without damaging it.
IDK how long it was popped open by the swollen battery, months at least, so a lot of pocket lint got inside.
That stuck to the adhesive (modern phones are mostly glued together.)
The end result looks factory, everything seems to be working so far, and it’s on the charger. Time to shower and start loading up.
n
“Come Fly With Me”
https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/1948390296565219455
Where can I email the DHS editor?
Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye – Steam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PxanXM48gI
(Yeah, one of the worst lip synch ever. DeCarlo could win a “most wooden” contest with 2×4’s)
After ‘Horrifying’ Findings, HHS Orders Reform to Organ Transplant System
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/leahbarkoukis/2025/07/26/hhs-organ-transplant-system-n2660969
“At least 28 patients may not have been deceased at the time organ procurement was initiated—raising serious ethical and legal questions.”
Criminal negligence, manslaughter, potentially murder if it can be shown that the driving force was monetary gain.
With the medical schools firmly in the hands of woke zealots and many of the graduates already practicing*, who has a warm and fuzzy feeling of confidence that the system isn’t completely corrupted by racist ideologues?
* see:
Southern California Surgery Center Staffers Who Blocked ICE Apprehension Are Charged With Obstruction
https://redstate.com/jenniferoo/2025/07/25/southern-california-surg-center-staffers-who-tried-to-obstruct-ice-charged-with-impeding-federal-agents-n2192082
“Capitalism is Racist”
https://areaocho.com/capitalism-is-racist/
“Kroger closed a store that wasn’t turning a profit because it was seeing a large amount of theft. The Party for Socialism and Liberation staged a protest.”
So acting in your own best interest is racist. So this means that everything is racist.
This is circular logic. In other words, not logical at all.
“How to groom your dog (sort of)”
https://bayourenaissanceman.blogspot.com/2025/07/how-to-groom-your-dog-sort-of.html
“Daddybear, also known as our online and meatspace buddy Tom Rogneby, has published a helpful guide to washing your Labrador retriever. It’s packed full of helpful advice. For example:”
Most Labs I know, once clean head for the nearest mud puddle.
Well, there goes my plan.
“Outstanding Drama Series Nominee Andor Up for 14 Emmy Awards”
https://www.starwars.com/news/andor-emmy-awards
“The critically acclaimed and fan-favorite Star Wars series is also nominated for guest acting, production design, costumes and more!”
Did anyone watch this ? I have yet to get around to it. The wife watched the first season and liked it.
It’s logical… it’s all the fault of racist white honky haterz.
That their logic comes from somewhere that makes Ferengi and Klingons look normal is another matter.
“California Dems Reportedly Scrambling To Find Buyer For Refinery After Running Owner Out Of Town”
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2025/07/24/california-dems-reportedly-scrambling-to-find-buyer-for-refinery-after-running-owner-out-of-town/
“California Democrats are reportedly rushing to find a buyer for a refinery scheduled to shut down in 2026 as a potential gas crisis looms over the state, according to Reuters.”
“The California Energy Commission (CEC) is reportedly actively seeking buyers to stop the upcoming closure of the Valero refinery in Benicia, California, according to three people familiar with the matter that spoke to Reuters. Democrat officials are now reportedly scrambling to keep the refinery operating in California after enforcing stringent regulations that have helped prompt refineries to close across the state for years.”
Stupid is as stupid does.
I‘ve watched both seasons. 14 Emmy’s? Nah. I liked it, though. Dennis Miller: “Another awards show where actors give each other bj’s.”
US EPA: “The permits have lapsed. The re-permitting process will take 12-24 months. Issue permits to a state? There’s no provision in the laws for that.”
Speaker Johnson: “You want to fast track a new section in oil refinery permitting law? I’ll ask a couple committees to study that…”
Refineries in other states: “You want us to make gasoline to your 57 different recipes?”
Other states: “You want emergency rules for transporting huge quantities of gasoline?”
Bicycle makers in China: “You need how many bicycles next week?”
Popcorn growers: “We’re out of stock until next year.”
TTGNET board: “We stacked enough popcorn to get us through this one.”
Kayaking pictures.
https://www.raymondthompsonphotography.com/Kayak
Waste your time on this Saturday, or maybe Sunday morning.
The Geico Gecko, sainted liberal icon, owns 7% of Kroger.
I went ahead and bought a new battery for the phone. From eBay, about $20 with tax. Big River wanted more. The standard battery is (I think) 3200mAh. My current battery, the spare of which puffed up like an overstuffed ravioli in the file cabinet, is 4600mAh. The new battery is rated as 5520. Chinese technology marches Onward to Glorious Future Comrades!!! That ought to be an extra two days between charging. Assuming they didn’t fudge and fib about the rating. Shrug. Just don’t catch on fire when I’m not watching and I’m cool.
The current battery has been getting weak. Down to four days between charging. I could get nine days when it was new. In the new phone, I just don’t know, But it was fully charged at this time yesterday and is now down to 34%. I suppose the “My Verizon” app sucking down 12% until I disabled it this morning made a difference. I don’t recall that app ever showing up in the battery usage. Meh. The battery is three years old. No complaints.
New phone. Same model. Same OS. It feels different. I reckon it’s like installing Windows. Sometimes it just ain’t right and you have to format c:\ and start over. New phone isn’t that bad though.
It’s acting just as stupid as the old phone. Verizon has something going on and service simply drops. Which is lovely in the middle of a phone call.
The “My Verizon” app is sort of useful. It had a whatever you call it, widget?, that showed how much data you have used. That changed so now it takes you to the Verizon site where first thing is trying to sell you a new phone. Oh. And it randomly crashes. It does some kind of Health Check. Clear cache. What cache? Browser cache? I don’t know. I like the Delete Duplicate Pictures message. Gonna show what pictures? Oh, heck no.
Anyway. I have 6GB data and the most I have ever used is 5.5 GB. I think I’ll suffer through the rest of my miserable life without their glorious app.
Very cool photos, Mr. Ray.
@paul
Chinese battery manufacturers may be more truthful than Subic Bay whores, but it’s never been proven.
I’ve yet to visit Subic Bay so I’m just going to have to take your word.
What I found interesting is almost all of the eBay sellers for the battery I bought are in Diamond Bar, California. Never heard of it. And all have all been in business since about 2009. It’s like they set this up so each child has their own business. For tax purposes maybe. There are different labels on the batteries. Prices vary a buck or so.
Sue me. I paid the extra 35¢ for the pretty label that I’ll never see when the battery is in my phone. 🙂
Yeah, my question now is what I do with the puffy ravioli of lithium fire? Not going in my regular trash can. Not sitting in my truck until I can put it in a commercial dumpster… right now it’s on a rock out in front of the house.
I was going to leave for the BOL after a shower, but got caught up in some online stuff.
I did get a few flagstones re- set in new concrete and regrouted the lines between them. Much less of a tripping hazard on the front walk. It’s not “right” because I’m not a mason, and it doesn’t have to last forever or result in warranty claims.
Now I need to shower and hit the road.
n
I was thinking to put a pair of real shoes, instead of flip-flops, and stomp mine. Jump up and land on one foot in case it squirts. Well away from the house. It was a plan. But I forgot. I tossed it in the trash Friday. It’s gone and can burn wherever the trash truck empties.
Correction – The Geico Gecko owns 7.59% of Kroger as of 3/31/2025.
The Gecko along with corporate DEI boosters Vanguard, Blackrock, and State Street own nearly a third of the grocery chain.
Gee, you would think that, together, they could solve the problem of the modern urban “food deserts”.
cities and counties often have an E waste return or recycle site. You might check the local fire department webpage.
In theory, Home Depot and maybe Lowe’s and Best Buy take them. In theory.
I see on Facebook once in while that Burnet has haz waste collection events. Worthless for me. I don’t live in town.
safely at the BOL. Lake level is normal. Grass is knee high.
I thought about poking the battery, or hitting it with a hammer. Don’t want to get splashed with fire or battery juice though. And I’m not 14 years old.
Just had a breakfast burrito for dinner, and I think I’ll do some reading, with a tiny little fire, down on the dock.
n
Canada continues march into the communist abyss:
https://redstate.com/jimthompson/2025/07/26/ohhh-commieda-canada-bans-christian-concert-cops-allow-antifa-thugs-to-throw-smoke-bombs-n2192128
Call Batteries Plus and ask.
New Update: 11 Injured, 6 Critically in ‘Random Act’ Stabbings at MI Walmart, Lone Suspect in Custody
https://redstate.com/beccalower/2025/07/26/at-least-11-injured-in-multiple-stabbing-incident-at-michigan-walmart-suspect-in-custody-n2192131
Not targeting people the suspect knows is not “random” until the suspect has been thoroughly interrogated and reveals if there was, in fact, some criteria for selection.
As always, initial reports are usually proven wrong.
So, can I apply for refugee status yet?
@gavin, do you have a way to get some money out? I’m thinking about the way the .gov.ca locked the bank accounts of the people supporting the trucker convoy. If they could do it for that, they could do it for other reasons.
The old advice of having a couple of months’ worth of expenses in ready cash is good advice for everyone. The US .gov put the laws in place to freeze and seize anyone “helping terrorists” and we know that a terrorist is whoever they say it is.
Remember when Cyprus gave all those Russian mobsters and oligarchs a 50% haircut on their funds?
Or when the country that begins with a letter H that I can’t remember the name of closed all the banks and people were moving bitcoin and paypal around online so they had money to eat?
I know it was a joking comment but it gives a scenario to look into and wargame a bit…
n
Had a nice night on the dock. Radio was weak and noisy, but the temperature and cool breeze off the lake were very nice. Had a tiny little fire and read my book. I love it up here when it’s quiet.
Now for a shower and bed.
n