Cool-ish, then warmer, maybe all the way to hot. It was very nice yesterday, with some clouds but no rain. Forecast has us in the clear for a couple more days. I did some flood watering of the front yard yesterday, and I have to check the sprinklers today.
I got a few things done yesterday. Not finished, but steps on the path toward finished. I put another coat of drywall mud on my laundry room repairs. I watered the yard. Cleaned the water feature and got the pump reconnected to the little waterfall thing. I think I’ll add some goldfish this week as there were little tiny worms in the filter material. The sound of the water is nice.
I also did some minor rearranging in my office, adding some mini wire shelves to stack some of the radio and test gear a little more neatly, which gave me some more room to put stuff away. It also got the shelves out of the kitchen where they were [temporarily] stored. A couple of other small jobs got done too. It was more productive than just sitting around, but while it was progress it wasn’t huge. I did keep me moving toward the goal.
Since the tasks are big, even small steps are helpful.
Today I’ll do some more and hopefully several ‘in process’ tasks will complete to make some real progress. There is so much to do it’s a bit overwhelming and disheartening. It’s taken a while to overcome the inertia so I want to keep making progress.
I’ll also be getting some of the Halloween stuff out. I’ve got a reputation to uphold, after all. Being part of the neighborhood and community is important.
D1 is sick again. Swollen neck glands, and a constricted throat. Doc in the box prescribed antibiotics because the flu test is only about 70% accurate. If she responds well, we’ll know it was an infection, not a virus. She is confused and unhappy because she never really got sick as a little kid and she doesn’t like it.
By the time I was her age, I’d had the real flu with all the puking, serious fevers, a couple dozen stitches, nose bleeds, a black eye, strep, mono, and chicken pox. I’d had an infection of my optic nerve, and various other things, including serious burns, and before I left high school, a few car accidents, and some traumatic brain injuries, and dozens of hangovers. Oh, and severe allergies and chronic bronchitis. I tore something in my shoulder wrestling, and was diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome, although we went with physical therapy and not surgery. I knew the receptionist at the local hospital by name and even tried to date her later on.
Oh, and a full series of rabies shots.
FWIW, it didn’t get any better over the next few years either. My list of injuries just grew from there.
My siblings had much the same. My cousins too, and worse.
I’m glad my kids haven’t had all that, but hearing her cry last night because a cockroach landed on her makes me wonder how she’s going to cope when Real Life ™ gets around to kicking her in the teeth. It’s especially worrisome because of what I believe is coming for us all.
But that’s a different sort of prep, one that isn’t really solvable by stacking. Stacks will make everything else better though. Get to it.
nick
Enlist her in the Marines. They’ll make a man out of her. This may not be the ideal outcome but desperate times call for desperate measures.
Jeff knows all and sees all when it comes to his drivers. Everything is a number to optimize in the system, down to the number of left turns they make vs. right.
My wife has several full time drivers as patients since the depot is just down the street from the main Austin VA. They are always in for stress-related issues.
If you want to get an idea about Jeff’s obsessions, consider the odd ratios of length, width, and height of the trucks you see with that logo. The intent there is to game the toll systems which use laser measuring systems to attempt to categorize larger two axle trucks into “personal” or “commercial” categories and charge more for the latter.
The former DE Shaw quant knows that the laser systems cannot measure width or axle sepration accurately and takes advantage. Tollway authorities often give up on the classification because getting five or six personal statement trucks wrong in a shift costs lot more in customer service time than letting a commercial vehicle slide on increased tolls.
“Ah, say, boy, that is mah truck. That is not one of those commie union transports run by those Brown Shirts at UPS.”
The original name for the company Jeff and MacKenzie came up with driving the Bronco across the country was Relentless.
Enlist her in the Marines. They’ll make a man out of her. This may not be the ideal outcome but desperate times call for desperate measures.
The ladies I met in the Marines were tough. One was six months pregnant, I had no idea. 200 situps a day makes their abdomons super tight.
All Marines have to do 3 straight arm pullups. Very tough for the ladies.
We took a little trip on The Blue Ridge Parkway as told earlier. It was great weather, the color was a little disappointing. Either past prime, not prime, or just not great colors this year. We did learn some things about the area and it will make for better planning next year.
https://www.raymondthompsonphotography.com/BlueRidge
Rookie. I can add getting run over by a farm implement, being gored in the arm pit by antlers on the side of the barn. kicked unconscious by a cow, getting thrown off a D2 dozer while it was moving (fortunately very slowly), getting tangled in an electric fence (a shocking experience),
Yeh, life on a farm is dangerous.
Dang, I was pretty healthy as a kid. I don’t remember ever being really sick. I did have to visit the ER for stiches on my chin and my head (separate incidents) around age 4. I also tore my knee open in second grade. Around 10 stitches were needed, and only 4 put in. It got infected, of course, and I remember having to stay inside while the rest of the class went out for recess for a long time (probably only a couple weeks, but forever to a kid).
The temptation in the services is the disability grift leading to early discharge before participation can make much of an impression on a young mind.
Just allegations of harassment without any physical contact can get a female $3000-4000 cash, education benefits, mortgage help, and lifetime healthcare at the VA.
2% of the Federal Budget and growing if Caleb Hammer’s frequently cited stat is accurate.
We have a warrior class developing in this country, and, anymore, many have not made much of a sacrifice for that status.
During my time on the farm I managed to accumulate about 100 stitches for various cuts. One time I came really close to losing a finger when a mower blade slipped. Some of the cuts were just wrapped tight with a scrap of clothe as going all the way to town for two or three stitches was not worth the journey.
Tetanus shots were fairly often when the stitching was accomplished. In spite of the same short on an earlier visit. Too risky as the cuts were usually in very dirty environments involving animal manure.
The worst was the goring incident. Eight stitches, two internal. The antler missed my vein in my armpit by millimeters otherwise I might have bled out. I was hung about one foot off the ground and I had to pull myself off the antler using the other arm. That really hurt bad and it was difficult to use my right arm fully for several weeks. I did manage to rip out two stitches.
Getting run over by the farm implement was bad. I fell off the tractor (I was not operating), got trapped under a fertilizer spreader, doubled over with my head between my legs, and drug a few feet. That really hurt and I was in bed for almost a week. I never went to the doctor and probably should have gone to the ER. Some serious muscle damage.
Almost all of the stitches I incurred I removed myself. The doctor did not like me doing it, but it saved a 30 mile round trip on country roads. And it was a simple process with very little discomfort.
The last set of stitches I have had (except for the knee surgery) was when I cut my finger badly on a computer case. There were some really sharp edges. I went to the doctor as required by workman’s comp, and the doctor said I would need two stitches. The doctor (my PCP) said it was good for him to have something different than the normal sniffles. He said the numbing injections would be as painful as the stitches so he did the stitches without numbing the site.
But I’m sure the Covid test is/was much better than that. Trust me.
And it picked up all 20 variants of SARS-CoV-2 and none of the other thousand coranaviruses. Trust me, bro.
There’s a drawback to this getting older thing.
I volunteered at the Wings Over Houston airshow yesterday, and I was supposed to go again today. But I canceled, because I’m just not up to it.
I provided Ham radio support to the medical volunteer staff, and spent all day walking up and down the taxiways looking for people needing care. Mostly heat related. We had 10 teams of doctors, nurses, and medical students roving the crowd, and two tents staffed by doctors and assistants, one North, one South. City of Houston had 2 ambulances on site for evac, and they got used.
There was a lost child alert that took ever 2 hours to resolve (successfully!). It turns out that it’s hard to find a child that doesn’t cooperate to be found.
I’m overweight but I walk 1.5 miles most days and lift (and sauna) twice or 3 times a week. Nonetheless, I really felt the strain in my hips and back from all that standing and walking. I slept 11 hours and I’m still stiff and sore.
I suppose I need to increase the walking distance and lifting frequency.
Safe and effective. Hecho en China.
The first time I got a “professional” test, something was off with my sinuses for several days afterwards.
I got the gold star marking registration of my status as a member of the “unclean” class with the government in order to attend an event at the performing arts center downtown, but I never got another one.
Sickness Kabuki.
I have just been travelling through the Westerwald and the Vulkaneifel. It is chilly and sunny, after a few cold, dry nights, and the autumn colours were absolutely spectacular. Yellows, greens, golds, browns and occasionally stunning reds. Recommended.
Looks like a nice enough day. Not super hot or humid, yet.
Up and moving, coffee should be ready.
Time to get back at it.
n
Well that didn’t take long…
n
Well that didn’t take long…
I am shocked !
I’m overweight but I walk 1.5 miles most days and lift (and sauna) twice or 3 times a week. Nonetheless, I really felt the strain in my hips and back from all that standing and walking. I slept 11 hours and I’m still stiff and sore.
You need some really good shoes with support and cushioning.
I need some too.
@ lpdbw– try a different pair of shoes next time. I’ve found that some of my shoes really make my back and knees hurt later, and some don’t.
n
“You need some really good shoes with support and cushioning.
I need some too.”
“try a different pair of shoes next time. I’ve found that some of my shoes really make my back and knees hurt later, and some don’t.”
Weight is not simply a matter of stress on the joints due to static forces resisting gravity. Carrying extra pounds in the gut greatly increases the torque on your joints and the consequent wear. Whatever the difference between your current body weight and your ideal weight of goal, you have to lose every pound in between to get there. Choose an intermediate goal of 5 or 10 pounds and game out how you are going to get there–a small decrease in carbs and a small increase in exercise is a start.
Note that this is advice from someone who has seen few cookies he didn’t like.
If you are on your feet and stationary, get an anti-fatigue mat. However you are on your feet, you need good shoes, good insoles (which usually wear our before the shoes), and good socks. For all-day standing, swapping morning shoes for a different pair in the afternoon can make a big difference. You might want to try compression socks if you have even a hint of circulation issues.
Saw this recently:
https://www.sciencefocus.com/news/critical-problem-womens-running-shoes
which is not directly applicable, but indicates that for al the improvements of the last 50 years, shoes are still evolving with our understanding.
Modern shoes are designed as tools, especially anything athletic. Don’t wear running shoes for walking around, or walking shoes to run. Crosstrainers are probably the best all around everyday athletic shoe (sneakers for us old farts).
I like a few that I’ve found, and I do wear tacticool boots for moving around and working outdoors.
I wear a different pair most days just to keep the wear distributed, and my feet and back from getting a ‘set’ in it.
Always socks with high wool content.
And I’ve found that my knees and back are better if I NEVER walk barefoot. Even from the bed to the bathroom I wear my Dr Scholls slides. The cushion helps a lot with that first impact on the floor in the morning too.
n
Barefoot style shoes for me. Barefoot at home. No socks. I’m overweight, but never had a problem going BFshoes.
AIrplane at 30K feet was struck in the cockpit window by an unknown object, shattering one layer of the glass and causing glass debris cuts to a pilot’s arm. Plane landed safely.
The artical from Ars Technica stated:
The baseball theory is possible, based on his performance in the game last night.
A drone or balloon is far more likely.
Or “blue ice” from another aircraft.
The story – and my comment – state that the event occurred at about 30K foot altitude. Pilots did not report any balloon or drone sighted. And not sure that other aircraft were in the same area. So don’t think those were the cause.
Windshield is being inspected to see if there are indicators that would help determine the cause. I think that space debris or small meteorite is more probable.
Although the ‘home run ball’ theory cause a chuckle here.
Interesting. I’m barefoot in the house. Ok, socks in the winter because feet sweaters. Teva flips outside because sticker burrs.
My feet don’t hurt. Maybe it’s years of working retail? Where you are always on your feet?
I know that when we went to DC for tourist stuff I was the only one not complaining about aching feet. Ditto Hawaii and that was flip-flops if anything.
Tonight’s movie was The 15:17 to Paris. A Clint Eastwood directed movie.
Pretty darn good. A keeper.
Not going to spoil the plot beyond saying that while casting for actors, Clint decided to use the actual people involved. Three bubbas that have been friends since 2nd grade. And they are great.
Big River finally delivered an undamaged range hood.
So, let’s see. Even if I don’t vent it out the wall, I’m gonna have all this done in about 3 days. New range hood, an outlet under the sink fed by the disposal switch and lights in the cabinets. Oh yeah. and replacing the controller for the big front burner on the range.
BBQ ribs should be ready shortly. I peaked a bit early with the sauteed brusselsprouts. Corn is in the microwave. Warming some King’s Hawaiian Rolls in the grill.
Did get some stuff done, and some stuff that I moved to the “LATER” list.
n
Ribs were delicious. Brusselsprouts were pretty good, even if they weren’t the way I usually do them.
And a big fat Lil Debbie Peanut Butter Cream ‘pie’ for dessert.
mmmmm
n
Warner stiffed Clint Eastwood with marketing on “Juror #2”, what may be his last film.
After passing on funding “Million Dollar Baby”, Warner never told Eastwood ‘no’ again when he asked for money, but the later films didn’t receive a lot of support from the studio beyond the minimum to get considered for Oscar noninations.
Every Eastwood-directed movie at Warner made money for the studio, and his catalog is a reliable revenue stream. Right now, for some strange reason, Eastwood’s “Absolute Power” appears to have attracted a new audience on streaming.
If you see “Space Cowboys” in the bargain bin somewhere, I imagine that will be an instant keeper.
I also have a soft spot for “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” even if it does distill the four (!) separate trials into one. Eastwood got good performances out of John Cusack and Kevin Spacey, both still in prime parts of their respective careers.
And the “Dirty Harry” films.
IIRC, the first “Clint and a monkey” movie, “Any Which Way But Loose”, is still his highest grossing film.
Somewhere in my stash, I have a picture I took duplicating the opening shot of that film, looking up the street just outside Warner Bros. studio lot.
Clint never wasted the studio’s money.
Here in the Great White Commie Plot, I am legally entitled to call myself a veteran. I prefer former- (or ex- when I’m feeling petty, as in the military is my abusive ex) military, as I’ve never been deployed much less in a war zone. As for sacrifices, I don’t think I made any significant ones. I had shelter, food, work, purpose, and many avenues of entertainment, some not available to civilians for any price. Although after leaving I did find many civilians who also had reason to drink as much as I did.
That said, I do feel kinship with my brothers and sisters in uniform. Except the ones who publicly stated things like “I’m here to go to college, and if anything kicks off, I’ll be a conscientious objector.” No time for them.
(link)
I recall asking here “What could go wrong?”
That’s why they closed the road, in case something went wrong…
n
hmmmm…
Don’t do UK-pinko-commie links.
Had to surch for NYT-pinko-commie link:
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/19/us/politics/shell-interstate-5-marines-california.html
Glad to see Mr. Grewsum so concerned about humans lives. Too bad couldn’t be concerned before multiple humans lives lost in Palisades fire, millions stole in FireAid scam by pinko-commie-plt-puke NGO’s, and CDL’s issued to illegal aliens who spread across U.S. slaughtering innocent American families.
Yup. Very concerned about a bit of hot ash from fireworks. Maybe have to shut all Cali refineries and all Internex-states before having proper 4th of July festival next year. Call meeting at French Laundry to discuss.
Final Q: How many Marines you lovin’s at once-time, Mister Gel-Man?
“Glenn Beck exposes the REAL reason Canada keeps expanding euthanasia”
https://www.theblaze.com/shows/the-glenn-beck-program/glenn-beck-exposes-the-real-reason-canada-keeps-expanding-euthanasia
“Is Canada’s universal health care system quietly turning euthanasia into population control?”
“Canada continues to slip even farther into a totalitarian, dystopian nightmare. On the global playing field, the nation is the front-runner for euthanasia, which it euphemistically calls medical assistance in dying.”
Unreal.
I hadn’t realized we were that far ahead of the curve, but I think that’s exactly what this is. High medical costs are the driver, coupled with the delays inherent in a universal care model. The elderly, the chronically ill, and the systemic abusers of the system are the major cost centers, and if you stall enough, you make life far more difficult and painful for them than they will consider worthwhile, while simultaneously providing opportunities for the imported medical staff (more than ⅓ of the medical professionals) to encourage an easy way out. Think 20 years out, and any country with a publicly-funded medical system will be doing the same, but on a larger scale.
Step 1, import medical professionals and staff with no personal or familial links to the majority of the people they serve.
Step 2, reduce quality and timeliness of care to cut costs.
Step 3, encourage the old and indigent to consider their quality of life with reduced medical care.
Step 4, ‘ease their transition’ to being dead.
Step 5, tax any inheritance in the case of the elderly.
Step 6, Profit!
My HEB was strange tonight. Over half of the red meat (chicken and beef) was gone from the store. They moved the sausages in their place. I am wondering if they are cutting back their red meat permanently.
Diwali. The Colonists say they’re mainly vegetarian, but put a plate of chicken in front of them, and they will practically unhinge their lower jaws to consume as much as possible. We used to see it at school events all the time.
Beef consumption is less common in my direct experience, but those cows aren’t that sacred, especially among the Muslim Colonist population.
Consumption of mass quantities of alcohol is a given, hence the increased stock of Heineken and other mid range beers this time of year. OTOH, I saw plenty of Busch moving last year on the Sunday before the big day of the Diwali season.
We avoided Sam’s/Costco this weekend. On a normal weekend, the checkout line at the nearest Coscto runs the entire length of the store, all the way back to the loss leader $5.00 rotisserie chickens.