Category: Random Stuff

66F and saturated this late am. Everyone slept late.

Office cleanup and reorg continues slowly here. I made some minor changes to my radio layout, and spent some time dialing around the bands last night. Had some weird pockets of DX, and noise levels changed dramatically over an hour or two. Heard some fun music for a change.

Started putting some Christmas stuff out. Maybe more today. Neighbors are putting up displays, which is nice to see. We were the only ones on the street when we first moved here.

Looks like Brexit will continue. My very uninformed take is that it looks like most stuff will continue as it did. Which makes sense, no one that really runs things wants much change.

I wonder if the rioting in France, which doesn’t look like the usual suspects from the pictures, will continue or lead to a more general unrest. Some people are mentioning the general dissatisfaction with the diversite’ and what’s become of traditional France. Maybe they’re waking up like Germany.

I guess we’ll see.

In the mean time, I sure wish I had gotten some garden in this fall…….

n

Currently 51F and saturated.

Missed the garbage truck this morning. I usually hear them in plenty of time. Bummer.

Despite Friday of color shootings and fights, it was probably less violent than most weekends in those areas. And the cops might have shot the wrong guy in Alabama…

The malls and stores I drove past yesterday didn’t look particularly busy, and there wasn’t any traffic to speak of. Goodwill had shoppers…

An estate seller I chatted with, who might be a LMI, said their business was way down, all the antique business was hurting, and all the sellers he knows are slow. He’s made plans to bug out after riding thru the first wave of violence and looting in the collapse he thinks is coming soon. He’s adamant that the economy is actually doing very poorly, and any good news is lies.

5000 refugees and it’s a humanitarian crisis when it’s in Mexico–

“Tijuana declares ‘humanitarian crisis’ and asks for help from the United Nations as 5,000 migrants from Central America descend on the border city”

Huh. Imagine that.

Stack it high my friends!

n

Currently 60F and slightly less wet than yesterday.

Kids and guests let me sleep until 9am. Which was good. Had a bit of trouble dropping of last night, which rarely happens so it was nice to get the extra time.

Got my first print off my salvage/surplus 3D printer last night. I only spent the time because it is in my office, and as part of my cleanup, stuff has to WORK to sit in here. My wife and guests both asked what I’ll use it for, and I don’t have a good answer. I wanted one for a long time, but couldn’t come up with a good enough reason to spend the money. When the cost went to [very freaking little for a pro machine] I couldn’t say no. OF COURSE I had a discussion about 3D printed guns, and Cody Wilson. My guest knew he’d been arrested, but not the circumstances. She also had a typical (media consumer) idea about printing guns. I did my best to remove the errors.

Breakfast and more later….

n

(If you go out, go heavy and keep your awareness UP.)

52F and wet. Rained off and on all night, very lightly, spatter and drizzle.

Today is the day we take some time and give thanks for the blessings we have. Which is a very religious statement at its base. But even if we are not religious, we can and should pause in our lives and consider what we have.

So, I’m thankful for my family and friends, both here and departed. I’m thankful to have known and been shaped by them. The ones who are gone left their mark on me, and continue to live on through their influence and example in those of us still here.

I’m thankful we’ve avoided both violence and disaster as a nation. I think both are coming, but the longer they can be delayed the better we can be prepared. I’m thankful for the time.

I’m thankful for the opportunities I’ve had, for the support I’ve been given, and for the successes and failures that made me who I am.

On a more local level, thank you to everyone here, who reads, lurks, and comments. This place is more than the sum of its parts because of you.

Enjoy the day!

nick flandrey

Weather station says 45F and wet, and the sun is out. Haven’t poked my head out yet, the dog has a doggy door he can use…

Problems continue for Wall Street. Other economic news has grim stuff in it too.

Thanksgiving will be a nice break from the litany of doom and gloom, if I can survive houseguests. I’m on edge and easily angered. Watching my tongue and unable to talk about anything substantive. Good thing there is a place on the net to vent 🙂

Start thinking of what you’ve got to be thankful for…

n

46F and 99%RH at 730am. Yuck.

Had rain, drizzle and sprinkles yesterday from afternoon on. Put a damper on my yard work.

Hah.

One guest gone, 2 more arrived. No fights yet.

#2 daughter had a 100F fever last night. She’s the only one who didn’t get sick on our vacation. I guess I’ll be taking her to the doc to see if she has flu or something else. Lots of sick kids at school and adults too.

Well. All the creatures are stirring, so I guess I’ll head to the kitchen…

n

62F and saturated.

I got a bunch of little tasks done yesterday. Took down most of the Halloween decor, started moving Christmas stuff around. Then alternated thru about half a dozen little projects.

Did hit a couple yard sales on the way home from soccer. Got a burner phone for $1 to keep in the car. You can always call 911 from any cell phone, and that’s what this one will be for. Also got some safety equipment that I’ll probably flip, and a school calculator that I’ll def sell. I make pretty steady money finding TI 83 and 84 calcs for <$5 and reselling them for >$50. They are not cheap. I wonder if the parents selling them didn’t have to pay for them….

Yard sale season was very short this year due to heat and rain.

Ayy, kids are screeching. Better feed the kraken.

n

50F and wet this am.

The title refers to my guests for the next 10 days, but could as easily refer to the US, Germany, the UK, or most other places. This is not a good thing.

Lots to do today, more later. Probably a lot more as I’ll be living with the blue state for a week….

n

Weather station says 38F and wet this morning. THIS I believe, although I didn’t change the batteries yet. Yesterday was sunny all day, so the solar had a chance to recharge them somewhat… cold and unpleasant.

I’ve got guests from now thru Thanksgiving.

I did pick up a spot of work, and I’m nearly done with the thing I started in SPRING, so there will be some cash coming in. Some of it will go toward ammo.

The advice “don’t be there” was only ever meant in a narrow case, and it’s harder and harder to justify as any sort of usefulness at all. Trouble is finding people in their homes, in their schools, and in their cars. Vigilance and preparedness are increasingly in order.

Since we haven’t done it in a while, you can include any preps made since the last time…and recap if needed (to be interesting.)

I bought some more storage in the form of a safe and a fire resistant file cabinet. I intend to fill them both…

I bought and installed an upgraded camera, and ordered another. The IR illuminator, and image rez are big upgrades from my old but high end cams. I moved the NVR software to a stand alone box, increasing capability and usability.

I added a couple of books to my library, including a pure “after the fall” volume of engineering formulas and practice. MOST of my library is good solid reference. Some is for the bucket for recovery. I hope I never need those.

Used some of my store medical supplies. Vet-wrap ages poorly. I need to replace what I used.

Both kids and spouse have their Girl Scout First Aid badges. I was able to supply an extensive kit for meetings, and lots of training materials.

Bought a 3D printer.

Didn’t get any winter garden in.

Didn’t get rid of the rats. Have to restack the food anyway, as it will freeze in the driveway. That sucks.

Am cleaning and organizing my office, and the garage.

Need to finish the closet/bath/hurricane room project. It’s cool again, so I don’t have the excuse of heat. I do have the excuse of company and holidays….

Need to get the gennie connected to the house and the transfer switch. Pure laziness that that isn’t done yet.

And now I need to feed the kids….

So what did you do? What skill are you working on? Who have you met? What needs addressing?

n

53F and 35%RH NOPE, 35F at 6am here in Houston. At least according to my weather station [time for new batteries in the station]. I haven’t stuck my head out the door to confirm. [just did, frost on roofs]

Daughter got back from her school trip without incident. She figured out how to get connected to WiFi on the bus, and then later on one of the mom’s hotspots. We don’t have phone service on her iPhone, and she can’t carry it normally, but we let her take it ‘as a camera’. Good thing she’s not sneaky as she sent us multiple text messages revealing her ability. Clearly gonna have to have some more conversations with her about device usage.

The lawyer that was instrumental in the ongoing harrasment of President Trump was accused of beating his girlfriend. He claims it’s “bullshit.” Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha…………………….. Schadenfreude, it’s what’s for breakfast! Can’t wait to see how he feels with the shoe on his foot.

The story about the cabal within the German military is gaining traction.

Brexit is causing issues.

Russia may have jammed the GPS system during the wargames, ya know, just to let people know they can…. I guess the FAA won’t be approving GenNext air traffic or whatever it’s called this week….

Outright criminal conduct by .gov in Florida, and where’s the outrage? They’ll try to steal another one. Pretty soon, this is just “normal” behaviour and the butt of jokes… instead of the shot heard round the world.

Gun registration and confiscation is back on the table too. GO BUY GUNS. GO BUY AMMO. GO BUY MAGS AND PARTS KITS. Get ahead of the next panic. Even better if you can do so legally person to person, without paperwork or credit cards. Estate sales are good for that BTW.

Relaxation time is over. Get back to work.

n