I'm making this up as I go along, so I don't know what direction it will take. Welcome to live blogging!
We had a good Thanksgiving, my family went to my mother-in-law's and we had a good visit. Traditional food was the order of the day, turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn, cole slaw, rolls, cranberry sauce, celery stuffed with creamed cheese, and of course pies. Two choices this year, pumpkin and chocolate. As I do every year, I asked for a small slice of both since I couldn't decide. And that's not a lie, I didn't want to pass one of them up. One of these years I might just choose one, and everyone will look at me funny and ask if I feel all right.
There's an old saying, "You can't have your cake and eat it too". No cake though, as I mentioned Thanksgiving was a day for pie. The early results are in, and it seems like the old saying applies to pie as well.
So I've been trying to come up with more stories. A few days ago, I thought of a dialogue that could happen between just some average guy, and an alien. It went on for a while, and I thought it was pretty clever. At the last, the alien starts to walk off (presumably to his spaceship), and said, "You won't see me again".
It had possibilities, and now I sure wish I could recall their conversation. I have got to start carrying a notepad at all times and write this stuff down while it's fresh.
It was a nice fall day today. The fall season ran kind of late here, but by now all the colors are over and most of the leaves are down. Except for the big pin oak tree in my front yard. It will release leaves a few batches at a time, and it's liable to still have some old leaves to drop through the winter and maybe as late as the first of spring. It does that most every year. What are you gonna do?
Tomorrow December begins, and it seems like a clean break between Thanksgiving and the Advent / Christmas season this year. For me, anyway. I know shopping and running around will happen, but I'm not in a panic about that. We have our tree up and the lights put on; the boxes of ornaments have been brought up from the archives. We're poised to begin.
Showing posts with label The Evening Rambler. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Evening Rambler. Show all posts
Saturday, November 30, 2013
Saturday, August 31, 2013
The Evening Rambler for about as late in August as you can get
This year will be remembered locally as one of the hot Santa-Cali-Gon festivals. Last year was the "downpour on Friday" S-C-G, and 2011 was the "microburst blowing some of the tents down" S-C-G. There have been other hot Santa-Cali-Gon weekends in years past, in fact, one was quite a bit hotter - like 105 or 107 degrees or some such insane thing.
I can almost hear you now, "What's with all this Santa-Caloo-Whatever"? Well they had to call it something, and "Big Fall Festival" was already taken. Actually, a big part of the local history here in Independence were the three trails west, the Santa Fe, the California, and the Oregon trails. The Santa Fe trail started over 100 miles to our east, in Franklin, Missouri; Independence was one of the last two stopping points (the other being Westport) where people could make repairs and stock up before taking the long drive west across prairies and mountains. At some point just west in Kansas, near Olathe or Gardner, the trails split apart.
The S-C-G festival for short (to save keystrokes, but I just blew that), has settled into a pattern over the years of a few carnival rides (always set up on the south end), food (funnel cakes, kettle corn, hot dogs, pickles, fried Pepsi doughnuts and the like), and crafts and clothing items (if any article can have a child's first name on it, it will be so). There's also a few music venues out in the open, and today I happened by one band who was playing some good blues. I also saw that a dulcimer club had set up under a tent, playing for all they were worth. They had a good sized, appreciative audience.
One thing you don't see there anymore are the re-enacted gunfights; that seems to have gone by the wayside here. Come to think of it though, I don't think we have a history here of shootouts, I always got the idea that was more of a Dodge City or Tombstone pastime.
And of course there are always crowds of people ambling along, though I think it was a bit less crowded than some times in the past.
Did I mention it was hot? Brutally hot?
My wife and I came with a bottle of water each, and it was a good thing too. We stopped by our church's booth for Fried Pepsi Doughnuts, and then began a search for a friend of mine, who helps his mom and dad sell some really good pickles (be forewarned, they have a bit of a bite). We finally found where Blake was set up, and found out that unfortunately his dad had fainted from the heat and dehydration, and had been taken to the hospital. We're still praying for Blake's dad, but we got an update that he's gotten good treatment and is doing quite a bit better now.
I hadn't planned on this whole Rambler being about Santa-Cali-Gon, but I think this has gone long enough. I'll save the other stuff for another time.
I can almost hear you now, "What's with all this Santa-Caloo-Whatever"? Well they had to call it something, and "Big Fall Festival" was already taken. Actually, a big part of the local history here in Independence were the three trails west, the Santa Fe, the California, and the Oregon trails. The Santa Fe trail started over 100 miles to our east, in Franklin, Missouri; Independence was one of the last two stopping points (the other being Westport) where people could make repairs and stock up before taking the long drive west across prairies and mountains. At some point just west in Kansas, near Olathe or Gardner, the trails split apart.
The S-C-G festival for short (to save keystrokes, but I just blew that), has settled into a pattern over the years of a few carnival rides (always set up on the south end), food (funnel cakes, kettle corn, hot dogs, pickles, fried Pepsi doughnuts and the like), and crafts and clothing items (if any article can have a child's first name on it, it will be so). There's also a few music venues out in the open, and today I happened by one band who was playing some good blues. I also saw that a dulcimer club had set up under a tent, playing for all they were worth. They had a good sized, appreciative audience.
One thing you don't see there anymore are the re-enacted gunfights; that seems to have gone by the wayside here. Come to think of it though, I don't think we have a history here of shootouts, I always got the idea that was more of a Dodge City or Tombstone pastime.
And of course there are always crowds of people ambling along, though I think it was a bit less crowded than some times in the past.
Did I mention it was hot? Brutally hot?
My wife and I came with a bottle of water each, and it was a good thing too. We stopped by our church's booth for Fried Pepsi Doughnuts, and then began a search for a friend of mine, who helps his mom and dad sell some really good pickles (be forewarned, they have a bit of a bite). We finally found where Blake was set up, and found out that unfortunately his dad had fainted from the heat and dehydration, and had been taken to the hospital. We're still praying for Blake's dad, but we got an update that he's gotten good treatment and is doing quite a bit better now.
I hadn't planned on this whole Rambler being about Santa-Cali-Gon, but I think this has gone long enough. I'll save the other stuff for another time.
Friday, November 11, 2011
The Evening Rambler for 11-11-11 (Six digits...all ones!)
I don't really have a plan for this, and I don't know where I'll end up when I'm done writing. This will be an Evening Rambler in the truest sense of the words.
In fact, I fully expect I'll go away...and then come back and write more. It's like some kind of law of nature...
The sun rises in the east - then sets in the west.
What goes up - must come down.
Bob goes away - then he comes back.
Before I forget, thank you Mike for the last two posts while I was having writer's block. The color wheel for all the Crayola crayons was really nice to look at. I did notice a bit of history revisionism on their part, one of the colors (I think it was Peach), used to be called Flesh. Somewhere in the 80s I think it was, they had collected enough complaints that they decided to change the name. In fact, I think they released new colors at that time in other flesh tones, but none of them named Flesh.
Day to day family life here at the northern annex to The Porch has been in upheaval lately. My wife's dad has inoperable terminal cancer along with other medical conditions. He has been in a hospice house for a week or thereabouts, and he is receiving good care. So my wife is staying with her mom for a while, a truly good deed which I fully support.
Of course, that means someone else has to cook dinner here, as the budget won't allow fast food every night. Daughter number two cooked chicken alfredo two nights ago, and it was very tasty.
Tonight was my turn, so we activated a test of the Emergency Food Warning System..."Dad is cooking...should this become an actual emergency, you will be instructed to seek aid..."
That kind of thing. I followed the directions on the box of fish fillets. I also got a few potatoes out of the bag to bake in the microwave. They'd been in the bag for a while and had kind of an earthy smell to them, even after a good washing. So I went ahead and baked them, then peeled off the skin, cut them up and fried them. Surprisingly, everything turned out good. Along with some baby carrots and some apple slices, we did all right.
Back after Fringe...
...And I came back. Told ya.
That Fringe episode was easily the best so far of Season Four. I've got an idea of one thing they could do from here on, but I won't say; especially since I know most of my readers are not regular fans of the show. The writers will probably take it in some other direction anyway.
Why do I like Fringe so much? Well for starters, it has a mad scientist! And at least one alternate universe! Not to mention some great acting and characters you grow to care about. What more could you want in a strange TV show?
Before the day gets any older, I'll wish all veterans a Happy Veterans' Day! I'm not sure if I have any readers who are veterans, but I always like to thank those in uniform, and those who used to wear the uniform, for our freedoms. Really, any day is a good day to do that.
Six days ago there was an earthquake in Oklahome. I forget the magnitude - somewhere around 5 - but strong enough to be felt across several states, including Missouri. I talked to some people at church who said they felt it here in Independence. I didn't notice it, and neither did anyone in my family.
And something like a week before that, there was a large solar Coronal Mass Ejection and geomagnetic storm which gave rise to the best auroral display seen in the USA in years. The northern lights were seen as far south as Arkansas. I heard about it while they were visible, so I grabbed my wallet and keys, jumped in my car, and drove out beyond the city lights.
See, you should know something about me. I've wanted to see the northern lights ever since I learned about them in grade school...and I never have. It's still one of the top things on my "bucket list"...and I say still, because by the time I got beyond the light pollution and got out of my car, the northern lights had subsided. I stood in the dark for a good ten minutes anyway, long enough for my eyes to adjust. No joy.
Sometimes I just get the feeling that I miss out on things.
In fact, I fully expect I'll go away...and then come back and write more. It's like some kind of law of nature...
The sun rises in the east - then sets in the west.
What goes up - must come down.
Bob goes away - then he comes back.
Before I forget, thank you Mike for the last two posts while I was having writer's block. The color wheel for all the Crayola crayons was really nice to look at. I did notice a bit of history revisionism on their part, one of the colors (I think it was Peach), used to be called Flesh. Somewhere in the 80s I think it was, they had collected enough complaints that they decided to change the name. In fact, I think they released new colors at that time in other flesh tones, but none of them named Flesh.
Day to day family life here at the northern annex to The Porch has been in upheaval lately. My wife's dad has inoperable terminal cancer along with other medical conditions. He has been in a hospice house for a week or thereabouts, and he is receiving good care. So my wife is staying with her mom for a while, a truly good deed which I fully support.
Of course, that means someone else has to cook dinner here, as the budget won't allow fast food every night. Daughter number two cooked chicken alfredo two nights ago, and it was very tasty.
Tonight was my turn, so we activated a test of the Emergency Food Warning System..."Dad is cooking...should this become an actual emergency, you will be instructed to seek aid..."
That kind of thing. I followed the directions on the box of fish fillets. I also got a few potatoes out of the bag to bake in the microwave. They'd been in the bag for a while and had kind of an earthy smell to them, even after a good washing. So I went ahead and baked them, then peeled off the skin, cut them up and fried them. Surprisingly, everything turned out good. Along with some baby carrots and some apple slices, we did all right.
Back after Fringe...
...And I came back. Told ya.
That Fringe episode was easily the best so far of Season Four. I've got an idea of one thing they could do from here on, but I won't say; especially since I know most of my readers are not regular fans of the show. The writers will probably take it in some other direction anyway.
Why do I like Fringe so much? Well for starters, it has a mad scientist! And at least one alternate universe! Not to mention some great acting and characters you grow to care about. What more could you want in a strange TV show?
Before the day gets any older, I'll wish all veterans a Happy Veterans' Day! I'm not sure if I have any readers who are veterans, but I always like to thank those in uniform, and those who used to wear the uniform, for our freedoms. Really, any day is a good day to do that.
Six days ago there was an earthquake in Oklahome. I forget the magnitude - somewhere around 5 - but strong enough to be felt across several states, including Missouri. I talked to some people at church who said they felt it here in Independence. I didn't notice it, and neither did anyone in my family.
And something like a week before that, there was a large solar Coronal Mass Ejection and geomagnetic storm which gave rise to the best auroral display seen in the USA in years. The northern lights were seen as far south as Arkansas. I heard about it while they were visible, so I grabbed my wallet and keys, jumped in my car, and drove out beyond the city lights.
See, you should know something about me. I've wanted to see the northern lights ever since I learned about them in grade school...and I never have. It's still one of the top things on my "bucket list"...and I say still, because by the time I got beyond the light pollution and got out of my car, the northern lights had subsided. I stood in the dark for a good ten minutes anyway, long enough for my eyes to adjust. No joy.
Sometimes I just get the feeling that I miss out on things.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
The Evening Rambler for the beginning of Summer 2011
Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? The jury’s still out on that, tonight’s contestant dropped out rather than tackle a fifth grade social studies question. So we don’t know, and we didn’t get to see the question to test ourselves. He ended up with $7,500 though, so that’s not too shabby.
That is of course, if that’s an after tax figure, which I kind of doubt now that I think about it. It would be nice if game shows did that, figure the tax owed and send it to Uncle, since they’re giving away that money anyway. But what I heard years ago is that the contestants owe the tax on the winnings.
Seems like a shame though. You get all excited that you’ve just won $7,500, only to discover that you end up with only thirteen dollars and eighty-five cents.
Much has happened since my last Porch post. The big news in Missouri was the Joplin tornado, back on May 22 nd. Much has been said and I don’t know what I can add…the whole event and aftermath was so tragic. My sister and her family lived in Joplin in the late 1980s, so I’m somewhat familiar with the city. That area will never look the same, and the recovery will be a long one. Rumor has it that our church will send some people down there, but I’m not sure of the details, whether soon for cleanup assistance, or later for help in rebuilding. I’m not sure how much I’d be able to do if I went down there, but I have the desire to help in some way, if I can.
The Kansas City Star last Sunday had an amazing article, a collection of first person reports of survivors at St. John’s Hospital and nearby.
Since then, we’ve had several rounds of rain and thunderstorms here, but they’ve only blown the tornado sirens once. No damage here, though.
My garden is doing well with the rain and the warm weather. I have several blossoms on the tomato plants, and the cucumber plants are growing well. We got the fence up, but it still needs adjustment to make it varmint proof. I’ll have to get to that before any fruit sets on the vines. The potato plants are bigger and healthier than any I’ve ever had. I guess we finally got enough compost worked into the soil in that corner.
Father’s Day was a simple celebration. What I really wanted was to get my family around the table all at once and play a board game; we haven’t done that in too long. So we chose Pictionary, and my second daughter and my son teamed up and ran away with the game. They ought to enter a tournament.
My first daughter called from California, which was a delight. I told her that was the high point of the day so far, and said I wasn’t sure that would stand because her mom had made me a peach cobbler. I did get to “talk” to my one year old granddaughter. It wasn’t real words yet, just sounds on her part. Practice talk.
As it turned out, the cobbler was great, but I’ll rate the phone call the high point of the day.
Of course I thought of my Dad. The question came to mind, how would I respond if someone asked “What words of wisdom did your dad pass on to you?” I’m not sure how I’d reply, though I suppose if I give it some time and consideration, I'd come up with something. Dad was a very intelligent man, but also a quiet person most of the time. I’m sure he kept many things to himself, and yes, I should have asked more questions when I had the chance.
While my Mom gave me an appreciation for music and art, Dad passed to me his interest in things technical. His interest in aircraft became my interest in rocketry. And I have good memories of working side by side at his electronics workbench, putting together some Heathkit project or other.
I’ve come to believe my odd sense of humor is about an equal mix of my Mom’s general good humor and creativity (sometimes moving across the line into silliness), and Dad’s quiet, unexpected, dry humor. Interesting that I’ve included comparisons with Mom into these comments about Dad. When I think of one, I think of the other…the way it should be, I suppose. Anyway, here’s what I’ve written before on Father’s Day, if you’re interested.
One of our digital TV subchannels, 9.2, changed formats today. It was one of two weather channels, but now it’s a MeTV affiliate. So far, I’m impressed. I’ve watched parts of The Streets Of San Francisco, Gunsmoke, Bonanza, the original Hawaii Five-Oh, M*A*S*H, and the Dick Van Dyke Show.
Rumor has it they also have The Beverly Hillbillies, but I don’t know in what time slot. I’ve also read on the internet that this fall they’ll be adding Star Trek (I assume it’s The Original Series).
And…Batman.
Who needs cable?
Oh, and happy Summer!
That is of course, if that’s an after tax figure, which I kind of doubt now that I think about it. It would be nice if game shows did that, figure the tax owed and send it to Uncle, since they’re giving away that money anyway. But what I heard years ago is that the contestants owe the tax on the winnings.
Seems like a shame though. You get all excited that you’ve just won $7,500, only to discover that you end up with only thirteen dollars and eighty-five cents.
Much has happened since my last Porch post. The big news in Missouri was the Joplin tornado, back on May 22 nd. Much has been said and I don’t know what I can add…the whole event and aftermath was so tragic. My sister and her family lived in Joplin in the late 1980s, so I’m somewhat familiar with the city. That area will never look the same, and the recovery will be a long one. Rumor has it that our church will send some people down there, but I’m not sure of the details, whether soon for cleanup assistance, or later for help in rebuilding. I’m not sure how much I’d be able to do if I went down there, but I have the desire to help in some way, if I can.
The Kansas City Star last Sunday had an amazing article, a collection of first person reports of survivors at St. John’s Hospital and nearby.
Since then, we’ve had several rounds of rain and thunderstorms here, but they’ve only blown the tornado sirens once. No damage here, though.
My garden is doing well with the rain and the warm weather. I have several blossoms on the tomato plants, and the cucumber plants are growing well. We got the fence up, but it still needs adjustment to make it varmint proof. I’ll have to get to that before any fruit sets on the vines. The potato plants are bigger and healthier than any I’ve ever had. I guess we finally got enough compost worked into the soil in that corner.
Father’s Day was a simple celebration. What I really wanted was to get my family around the table all at once and play a board game; we haven’t done that in too long. So we chose Pictionary, and my second daughter and my son teamed up and ran away with the game. They ought to enter a tournament.
My first daughter called from California, which was a delight. I told her that was the high point of the day so far, and said I wasn’t sure that would stand because her mom had made me a peach cobbler. I did get to “talk” to my one year old granddaughter. It wasn’t real words yet, just sounds on her part. Practice talk.
As it turned out, the cobbler was great, but I’ll rate the phone call the high point of the day.
Of course I thought of my Dad. The question came to mind, how would I respond if someone asked “What words of wisdom did your dad pass on to you?” I’m not sure how I’d reply, though I suppose if I give it some time and consideration, I'd come up with something. Dad was a very intelligent man, but also a quiet person most of the time. I’m sure he kept many things to himself, and yes, I should have asked more questions when I had the chance.
While my Mom gave me an appreciation for music and art, Dad passed to me his interest in things technical. His interest in aircraft became my interest in rocketry. And I have good memories of working side by side at his electronics workbench, putting together some Heathkit project or other.
I’ve come to believe my odd sense of humor is about an equal mix of my Mom’s general good humor and creativity (sometimes moving across the line into silliness), and Dad’s quiet, unexpected, dry humor. Interesting that I’ve included comparisons with Mom into these comments about Dad. When I think of one, I think of the other…the way it should be, I suppose. Anyway, here’s what I’ve written before on Father’s Day, if you’re interested.
One of our digital TV subchannels, 9.2, changed formats today. It was one of two weather channels, but now it’s a MeTV affiliate. So far, I’m impressed. I’ve watched parts of The Streets Of San Francisco, Gunsmoke, Bonanza, the original Hawaii Five-Oh, M*A*S*H, and the Dick Van Dyke Show.
Rumor has it they also have The Beverly Hillbillies, but I don’t know in what time slot. I’ve also read on the internet that this fall they’ll be adding Star Trek (I assume it’s The Original Series).
And…Batman.
Who needs cable?
Oh, and happy Summer!
Friday, December 31, 2010
The New Years Evening Rambler
Apologies to my few readers for the small number of posts here the last month or two. There are things I've been meaning to post about, but I've been easily sidetracked with other activities.
I have another installment in my "Astronomy Stuff" writings on the way.
And I need to finish posting photos and comments from the 2009 California vacation trip.
And rumor has it, there's another unofficial Marty story in the works.
And of course, I need to look through more recent photos from this Christmas season. We had a great visit from our California family - granddaughters and all, along with a fun day trip to Branson, where I had a good though short visit with other family members (and I got to ride in a small plane)!
At least it's not like I've been sitting here all by my lonesome. Check back here on The Porch for updates these next few days.
I had a couple of observations about New Year's Eve today. I saw this AP headline for a Yahoo News story...
"Millions gather worldwide to ring in the new year".
So now, what would happen if all the celebrations were cancelled, and the millions did not gather? Would the approaching 2011 stop in its tracks and say, "Hold it...what now?", or would it arrive anyway? If I were a betting man, I'd bet on the latter.
Then another thing. Holidays have colors, right?
Valentine's Day: red and pink
St. Patrick's Day: green
4th of July: red, white and blue
Halloween: orange and black
Christmas: red and green
I think New Year's needs official colors! It's wide open, so I'm going to start something, right here, right now. I took a poll of my family, and from now on, the official colors of New Year's will be...
purple and silver.
Who's with me on this?
Finally, I hope you all have a Happy, Safe, and Healthy New Year!
I have another installment in my "Astronomy Stuff" writings on the way.
And I need to finish posting photos and comments from the 2009 California vacation trip.
And rumor has it, there's another unofficial Marty story in the works.
And of course, I need to look through more recent photos from this Christmas season. We had a great visit from our California family - granddaughters and all, along with a fun day trip to Branson, where I had a good though short visit with other family members (and I got to ride in a small plane)!
At least it's not like I've been sitting here all by my lonesome. Check back here on The Porch for updates these next few days.
I had a couple of observations about New Year's Eve today. I saw this AP headline for a Yahoo News story...
"Millions gather worldwide to ring in the new year".
So now, what would happen if all the celebrations were cancelled, and the millions did not gather? Would the approaching 2011 stop in its tracks and say, "Hold it...what now?", or would it arrive anyway? If I were a betting man, I'd bet on the latter.
Then another thing. Holidays have colors, right?
Valentine's Day: red and pink
St. Patrick's Day: green
4th of July: red, white and blue
Halloween: orange and black
Christmas: red and green
I think New Year's needs official colors! It's wide open, so I'm going to start something, right here, right now. I took a poll of my family, and from now on, the official colors of New Year's will be...
purple and silver.
Who's with me on this?
Finally, I hope you all have a Happy, Safe, and Healthy New Year!
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
The Evening Rambler for November 10, 2010
I've been thinking about the last entry of the Music List Project. It bothered me for a while and I wasn't sure why; now I think I have the answer. The top 39 songs (including ties) I'd still say were my favorites for the year. The other songs on the list I like well enough when they come on the radio, but to describe them as "favorites" would be stretching the point. So I'll go back and edit that post a bit, and in the future, I'll try to keep the lists simpler.
How about a couple of fall photos?
The colors weren't as intense as last year, but it would have been hard to beat 2009. Anyway, here's our maple.
I didn't go on the pumpkin patch outing this year, so I'm seeing this picture for the first time.
My son, doing a great job carving...
...Pumpkin Bubs! You know, the Jack-'o-lantern version of this character, from the Strong Bad e-mail "Original", from the Homestar Runner site.
That's about all for now, other than a friendly reminder that tomorrow, November 11th, is Veteran's Day. By all means, if you see a veteran, thank him (or her) for his (her) service!
How about a couple of fall photos?
The colors weren't as intense as last year, but it would have been hard to beat 2009. Anyway, here's our maple.
I didn't go on the pumpkin patch outing this year, so I'm seeing this picture for the first time.
My son, doing a great job carving...
...Pumpkin Bubs! You know, the Jack-'o-lantern version of this character, from the Strong Bad e-mail "Original", from the Homestar Runner site.
That's about all for now, other than a friendly reminder that tomorrow, November 11th, is Veteran's Day. By all means, if you see a veteran, thank him (or her) for his (her) service!
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
The Evening Rambler for October 13, 2010
I'm back.
It's been a long time since I've posted, shame on me. There hasn't been a lot on my mind that I've thought was "Porch-worthy", or that wouldn't be much improved by waiting, word processing and editing a time or two. On the other hand, if I ponder all the details and wait too long, I lose enthusiasm for it and nothing ever gets posted. So I have a few comments in mind...and it's time to let fly!
I haven't been just sitting around though; at least not all the time. I've spent quite a bit of time on a garage de-cluttering and cleaning project. It had gotten really bad, stuff had just been dropped on the floor or stacked or leaned against the walls for a long time. So my goal was a makeover. Throw out the obvious trash, recycle what I can, and actually put the shelves to good use so I can find what I need in the garage. One thing that I will enjoy this winter is being able to easily open and close my car door. That should be obvious, I suppose, but it wasn't a reality last winter.
Without boring you with all the details I'll just say that today I cleaned a wall mounted tool case (folding doors that swing open to reveal an expanse of pegboard and hooks), began arranging and putting the tools back, and removed old weatherstripping from the bottom of one garage door. My wife sanded and painted the bottom edge of the door, and after the paint dried we nailed up the new weatherstripping.
The rescue of the miners in Chile has been an ongoing news item and really caught our attention. Today's successful conclusion was inspirational, and I applaud all the smart people who planned where the shafts should be drilled, how the rescue capsule would work, what would need to be done in what order; in short, all the preparations and the operation of the rescue. Every one of these people deserve a bonus. A big bonus.
What I'm still not clear about is how many paramedics went down into the mine and when. My guess is that the first thing that happened - after the capsule was tested - was that one paramedic rode down to where the men were, then the first man was put in the escape capsule and lifted out, and so on. I wouldn't be surprised if someone else was sent down to assist; I haven't read anything about that one way or another.
All that to say, after the last miner was brought up to the surface, were there still paramedics or engineers down there to be brought up? Also, is there anything down there worth retrieving...lights, food, medicine, things of that nature that were sent down? Or did they just get All the people out? Which also begs the question, will that mine, or at least that part of it be closed and sealed?
Now, I've been in caves before; it was interesting and I might even do that again. Maybe.
And I have a lot of respect for miners.
But I would never go down a mine shaft. Well, maybe if Bill Gates gave me half his money on a dare. But maybe not even then.
It's been a long time since I've posted, shame on me. There hasn't been a lot on my mind that I've thought was "Porch-worthy", or that wouldn't be much improved by waiting, word processing and editing a time or two. On the other hand, if I ponder all the details and wait too long, I lose enthusiasm for it and nothing ever gets posted. So I have a few comments in mind...and it's time to let fly!
I haven't been just sitting around though; at least not all the time. I've spent quite a bit of time on a garage de-cluttering and cleaning project. It had gotten really bad, stuff had just been dropped on the floor or stacked or leaned against the walls for a long time. So my goal was a makeover. Throw out the obvious trash, recycle what I can, and actually put the shelves to good use so I can find what I need in the garage. One thing that I will enjoy this winter is being able to easily open and close my car door. That should be obvious, I suppose, but it wasn't a reality last winter.
Without boring you with all the details I'll just say that today I cleaned a wall mounted tool case (folding doors that swing open to reveal an expanse of pegboard and hooks), began arranging and putting the tools back, and removed old weatherstripping from the bottom of one garage door. My wife sanded and painted the bottom edge of the door, and after the paint dried we nailed up the new weatherstripping.
The rescue of the miners in Chile has been an ongoing news item and really caught our attention. Today's successful conclusion was inspirational, and I applaud all the smart people who planned where the shafts should be drilled, how the rescue capsule would work, what would need to be done in what order; in short, all the preparations and the operation of the rescue. Every one of these people deserve a bonus. A big bonus.
What I'm still not clear about is how many paramedics went down into the mine and when. My guess is that the first thing that happened - after the capsule was tested - was that one paramedic rode down to where the men were, then the first man was put in the escape capsule and lifted out, and so on. I wouldn't be surprised if someone else was sent down to assist; I haven't read anything about that one way or another.
All that to say, after the last miner was brought up to the surface, were there still paramedics or engineers down there to be brought up? Also, is there anything down there worth retrieving...lights, food, medicine, things of that nature that were sent down? Or did they just get All the people out? Which also begs the question, will that mine, or at least that part of it be closed and sealed?
Now, I've been in caves before; it was interesting and I might even do that again. Maybe.
And I have a lot of respect for miners.
But I would never go down a mine shaft. Well, maybe if Bill Gates gave me half his money on a dare. But maybe not even then.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
The Evening Rambler for April 14, 2010 (Tax Day Eve)
When I was younger, my dad would deliberately wait until April 15th to send in his tax return. Mind you, he already had it done, but the IRS wasn't going to get his check any earlier than necessary. His quiet mannered form of protest, I suppose.
He got audited one year; someone at the IRS questioned the amount he deducted for meals and lodging. Gee, I wonder if they looked at the line where dad wrote his occupation...Airline Pilot. Do you suppose staying at a lot of motels when he was away from home and eating out in restaurants had anything to do with that? Anyway, I could tell he was steamed, and I remember him putting all the receipts - he'd saved each and every one, of course - in a shoebox and wrapped it up.
It was a Big shoebox. It could be he took it to the local IRS office, or maybe he mailed it in; I'm not sure now (this was back in the 1960's). Long story somewhat shorter...he got the box back; as if to say "You're okay, never mind".
For some years I followed in the wait until April 15th tradition, but in recent years I've opted to get it done early and save the last minute rush.
So this isn't really about taxes, that's not what I sat down to blog about anyway.
Let's see, where was I...
Easter 2010 was a quiet day, just the family. Church was good, and I had it in mind to choose a particular scripture from the service or line from a hymn to post here, as a follow up to my Good Friday post. But I couldn't choose, it was all good and encouraging. Choose your favorite Gospel account and read the whole thing.
He is risen indeed!
The passage that did catch my attention was from a devotion for Monday, April 12th, titled "Our Certain Hope in Christ". Romans 8:38-39 has been a favorite passage of mine for years, but the devotion began earlier, and I was struck by the power of the statement in these preceding verses (31-37), and it stayed with me since...
31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all - how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died - more than that, who was raised to life - is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: "for your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. (New International Version, italics mine for emphasis)
There will be big news tomorrow. Daughter number one is scheduled for a c-section to deliver her second child.
The word excited doesn't begin to cover it here.
He got audited one year; someone at the IRS questioned the amount he deducted for meals and lodging. Gee, I wonder if they looked at the line where dad wrote his occupation...Airline Pilot. Do you suppose staying at a lot of motels when he was away from home and eating out in restaurants had anything to do with that? Anyway, I could tell he was steamed, and I remember him putting all the receipts - he'd saved each and every one, of course - in a shoebox and wrapped it up.
It was a Big shoebox. It could be he took it to the local IRS office, or maybe he mailed it in; I'm not sure now (this was back in the 1960's). Long story somewhat shorter...he got the box back; as if to say "You're okay, never mind".
For some years I followed in the wait until April 15th tradition, but in recent years I've opted to get it done early and save the last minute rush.
So this isn't really about taxes, that's not what I sat down to blog about anyway.
Let's see, where was I...
Easter 2010 was a quiet day, just the family. Church was good, and I had it in mind to choose a particular scripture from the service or line from a hymn to post here, as a follow up to my Good Friday post. But I couldn't choose, it was all good and encouraging. Choose your favorite Gospel account and read the whole thing.
He is risen indeed!
The passage that did catch my attention was from a devotion for Monday, April 12th, titled "Our Certain Hope in Christ". Romans 8:38-39 has been a favorite passage of mine for years, but the devotion began earlier, and I was struck by the power of the statement in these preceding verses (31-37), and it stayed with me since...
31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all - how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died - more than that, who was raised to life - is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: "for your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. (New International Version, italics mine for emphasis)
There will be big news tomorrow. Daughter number one is scheduled for a c-section to deliver her second child.
The word excited doesn't begin to cover it here.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
The New Year's Eve Evening Rambler
My last post of the year.
Christmas update, part 1
Well, Christmas Eve the power stayed on, the dimming of the lights was caused by an infrared heater cycling on. In fact, the sleet quit just a few minutes after I posted, and it snowed the rest of the night and pretty much all day on Christmas. We got five inches of snow here, and I heard mention that some parts of the metro got as much as 11. Another inch and a half fell on Sunday the 26th. That's a bit misleading if you expect I could measure 6 1/2 inches of accumulation out there now...since then, the snow's blown around some and compacted some. And Tuesday (or was it Wednesday?) it got up to 34 briefly, so some has melted. It's colder now, and it may get down to the teens or even single digits tonight.
I took a lot of pictures this week, and I planned to transfer some of them from my camera to the computer earlier in the day, to post here. But that didn't work for some reason, and I'm not sure what I was doing wrong. So for now, allow me to back up to late November, and show you a few older pics...
Lights!
It was a reasonably temperate day the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, when I finished putting up my outside lights and tested them.
A few days after that, we had a visit from my Sister and Brother-in-law. They gave me the address of a good friend of theirs who lives on the Kansas side, and who is seriously into decorating.
This display really has to be seen in person to be fully appreciated.
This is an actual show or program, computer controlled, synchronized to music which is broadcast by a low power FM transmitter to your car radio. There was the effect of motion; different segments of the tree would change color in synch with the music, at times a star on top of the tree appeared to spin, there were "leaping arches" around the tree, the lights outlining the roof would change color and so on. Planning for this year's display started months in advance, and I understand there is a group of people who put on these elaborate displays in different locations all across the country. My Brother-in-law helped set this up in October, and mentioned a big, thick three ring binder with page after page of detailed instructions, and custom made wiring tagged with numbers or letters to keep the assembly in the proper order while hooking it all up.
By the numbers:
5 - days to set up and test
14 - minute program
47,000 - lights.
More Christmas stories and photos to follow. Also, I plan to start January with a few blogs with some highlights of 2009 - things I should have posted months ago but somehow didn't get around to.
For now, have a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year! And remember...it'll be 90 years before we have two zeroes together in a year again. I don't know what that bit of trivia does for you, but there it is.
Christmas update, part 1
Well, Christmas Eve the power stayed on, the dimming of the lights was caused by an infrared heater cycling on. In fact, the sleet quit just a few minutes after I posted, and it snowed the rest of the night and pretty much all day on Christmas. We got five inches of snow here, and I heard mention that some parts of the metro got as much as 11. Another inch and a half fell on Sunday the 26th. That's a bit misleading if you expect I could measure 6 1/2 inches of accumulation out there now...since then, the snow's blown around some and compacted some. And Tuesday (or was it Wednesday?) it got up to 34 briefly, so some has melted. It's colder now, and it may get down to the teens or even single digits tonight.
I took a lot of pictures this week, and I planned to transfer some of them from my camera to the computer earlier in the day, to post here. But that didn't work for some reason, and I'm not sure what I was doing wrong. So for now, allow me to back up to late November, and show you a few older pics...
Lights!
It was a reasonably temperate day the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, when I finished putting up my outside lights and tested them.
A few days after that, we had a visit from my Sister and Brother-in-law. They gave me the address of a good friend of theirs who lives on the Kansas side, and who is seriously into decorating.
This display really has to be seen in person to be fully appreciated.
This is an actual show or program, computer controlled, synchronized to music which is broadcast by a low power FM transmitter to your car radio. There was the effect of motion; different segments of the tree would change color in synch with the music, at times a star on top of the tree appeared to spin, there were "leaping arches" around the tree, the lights outlining the roof would change color and so on. Planning for this year's display started months in advance, and I understand there is a group of people who put on these elaborate displays in different locations all across the country. My Brother-in-law helped set this up in October, and mentioned a big, thick three ring binder with page after page of detailed instructions, and custom made wiring tagged with numbers or letters to keep the assembly in the proper order while hooking it all up.
By the numbers:
5 - days to set up and test
14 - minute program
47,000 - lights.
More Christmas stories and photos to follow. Also, I plan to start January with a few blogs with some highlights of 2009 - things I should have posted months ago but somehow didn't get around to.
For now, have a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year! And remember...it'll be 90 years before we have two zeroes together in a year again. I don't know what that bit of trivia does for you, but there it is.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
The Christmas Eve Evening Rambler
This has been a pretty good day, I managed to get everything I had to get done, done. And at a reasonable pace, too.
Only one problem. The much anticipated Winter Storm began to make itself known right at 4:30, when we were going to leave for the 5 PM Christmas Eve candlelight service at our church. Right as my kids were getting into the car and I was about to close the garage door, the sleet began in earnest (it had been raining on and off all day).
I don't like snow, but I'd take a foot of it over any amount of sleet any day. My wife and I hadn't gotten in the car yet, and we looked at each other and briefly discussed the pros and cons. We decided we'd stay home and have a last Advent devotion instead. After an hour and a half of sleet, who knows...it might be difficult to walk from church out to the car, much less drive home.
That's been three hours ago, and even though this is supposed to change over to snow any time, I still hear sleet hitting the window. Four to Eight inches of snow predicted...and while four isn't that uncommon, eight is pretty rare around here. At least we haven't lost power yet.
Well, I really shouldn't have typed that last bit; the lights just flickered. I've already rounded up candles, flashlights, and batteries. This could get interesting.
Years ago in similar situations, adults would joke about too many kids praying for snow. But I wonder if kids do that much these days.
Anyway, If any of my readers are traveling in this mess tonight, you're in my prayers. A safe and Merry Christmas to you.
(Man, that was kind of loud...something bigger than sleet just twanged off a window or the siding. Tree branch, maybe. Hopefully nothing big.)
Think I'll shut this down now.
Only one problem. The much anticipated Winter Storm began to make itself known right at 4:30, when we were going to leave for the 5 PM Christmas Eve candlelight service at our church. Right as my kids were getting into the car and I was about to close the garage door, the sleet began in earnest (it had been raining on and off all day).
I don't like snow, but I'd take a foot of it over any amount of sleet any day. My wife and I hadn't gotten in the car yet, and we looked at each other and briefly discussed the pros and cons. We decided we'd stay home and have a last Advent devotion instead. After an hour and a half of sleet, who knows...it might be difficult to walk from church out to the car, much less drive home.
That's been three hours ago, and even though this is supposed to change over to snow any time, I still hear sleet hitting the window. Four to Eight inches of snow predicted...and while four isn't that uncommon, eight is pretty rare around here. At least we haven't lost power yet.
Well, I really shouldn't have typed that last bit; the lights just flickered. I've already rounded up candles, flashlights, and batteries. This could get interesting.
Years ago in similar situations, adults would joke about too many kids praying for snow. But I wonder if kids do that much these days.
Anyway, If any of my readers are traveling in this mess tonight, you're in my prayers. A safe and Merry Christmas to you.
(Man, that was kind of loud...something bigger than sleet just twanged off a window or the siding. Tree branch, maybe. Hopefully nothing big.)
Think I'll shut this down now.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
The Evening Rambler for November 15, 2009
This rambler will be short...
I meant to put this in my last post, in response to Cousin Mike's comment:
"A lot of warehouse-type places are named for Crazy Dave or Crazy Joe or some other guy who is crazy. Sure you can buy an end table...from Crazy Bill, but your fireworks? From a crazy man? No."
Actually the best fireworks warehouse around here is...
wait for it...
Mike's Fireworks in Riverside (okay, technically Kansas City north, but right on the edge of Riverside). They're kind of hard to find...unless you live right in that area or happen to be driving along Vivion Road and notice it, you'd have to find out how to get there and drive a bit out of the way.
They pride themselves on storing their stock properly. Other places may be cheaper, but if you buy from those other places you may have more duds; if you buy from Mike's you'll have more of a chance of everything working. At least, that's what I heard a salesman there say several years ago. It could be that some of the new places are now up to speed and equally good.
I do wonder about the place out east with the inflatable King Kong on the roof. Buy fireworks from a gorilla? Let me ponder that for a while.
Here's another post on Strange Maps...not a map actually, but a flowchart of The Lord Of the Rings. Click on this link right here, and you'll notice it's the movie version (Look at "Isengard Flooded" and you'll see the flowchart has both Saruman and Wormtongue die there).
I meant to put this in my last post, in response to Cousin Mike's comment:
"A lot of warehouse-type places are named for Crazy Dave or Crazy Joe or some other guy who is crazy. Sure you can buy an end table...from Crazy Bill, but your fireworks? From a crazy man? No."
Actually the best fireworks warehouse around here is...
wait for it...
Mike's Fireworks in Riverside (okay, technically Kansas City north, but right on the edge of Riverside). They're kind of hard to find...unless you live right in that area or happen to be driving along Vivion Road and notice it, you'd have to find out how to get there and drive a bit out of the way.
They pride themselves on storing their stock properly. Other places may be cheaper, but if you buy from those other places you may have more duds; if you buy from Mike's you'll have more of a chance of everything working. At least, that's what I heard a salesman there say several years ago. It could be that some of the new places are now up to speed and equally good.
I do wonder about the place out east with the inflatable King Kong on the roof. Buy fireworks from a gorilla? Let me ponder that for a while.
Here's another post on Strange Maps...not a map actually, but a flowchart of The Lord Of the Rings. Click on this link right here, and you'll notice it's the movie version (Look at "Isengard Flooded" and you'll see the flowchart has both Saruman and Wormtongue die there).
Saturday, October 31, 2009
All Hallow's Evening Rambler for October 31, 2009
I'm not one of those people...
who are Really into Halloween. You know, those people...the ones who spend money and put up a whole lot of decorations in their front yard. Fake tombstones, fake bats, fake ghosts and the like. Or the adults who go to costume parties. Not that there's anything wrong with that, as long as it's all in good fun and you're keeping things in perspective.
It's just not all that big a deal to me. My Christian faith likely has something to do with it - I've never totally understood why people feel the need to turn the spotlight on the Enemy one evening of the year. Let me hasten to add though that I am Not on a crusade against trick-or-treating.
I think it's more my reserved temperament, I've never had much interest in costume parties or big crowds. Also the neighborhood I grew up in didn't have many kids, and the houses were on pretty big lots spaced kind of far apart. We would buy candy and turn on the front light, but even on our busiest Halloween, we only had 11 trick-or-treater's, and some years none at all.
Of course there was always candy left over for us, and that was usually the highlight of the day. All that said, I have some Halloween memories...
Punkins of the past
Yes, I know it's pumpkins. I just like saying punkins.
We'd usually buy a pumpkin, cut a hole in the top and empty out the seeds and wet stringy stuff (what impressed me the first time I did that was how cold all that gook was). Then I'd draw the face I wanted on my pumpkin, and when I was little, Mom would carve it. Later when I was trusted with a knife, I'd do that. My jack-o-lanterns had the typical triangular eyes and nose, and always a smiling mouth; usually with square teeth, but at least once with pointed teeth.
Once as an adult while working at a mapping company, I entered a pumpkin carving contest. I carved a pumpkin globe, the natural creases on the pumpkin made dandy longitude lines to help in spacing and figuring the shape of the continents.
Fun stuff all that...a temporary sculpture that doesn't have to be perfect. And as a bonus, you get to put a candle inside and set fire to it!
One thing I'd like to try, out in the middle of the yard of course, is to replace the candle with a sparkler, or a cone, or a roman candle. Can you imagine?
My last trick-or-treat outing
Earlier this week I recalled the last time I went trick-or-treating, when I was in Junior High (when I was a boy we didn't have "middle school").
First, let me set this up a bit. My best friend lived three blocks away, in a neighborhood with more kids; Halloween was a bigger deal over there. It seemed he could engineer and build anything, and his younger brother had quite a lot of artistic talent. I don't recall how many years they did this, but they would come up with really elaborate spook houses in their basement. The lights would be out, my friend would be the guide, and at some unexpected point his brother would jump out and like to scare the wits out of me.
So one day my friend said, "Robert, let's you and me make our own costumes and go trick-or-treating in the neighborhood". That sounded like fun, and we both agreed it was now or never. The next year we knew we probably wouldn't want to do that.
Our costumes weren't quite like the ordinary, which was the idea. His started out as an old sheet with eye holes, the basic homemade ghost outfit. His added touch was a battery powered blinking red light from Radio Shack, which he had on top of his head under the ghost sheet. Why a blinking light? Well, why not? It was neat.
I was a walking television set. My Dad had a glass face plate for an actual television, and I found a cardboard box big enough to cut a hole for that glass plate. I attached a couple of knobs on the front of the box for on-off and the channel selector, and I used half a Styrofoam ball and a couple of soda straws for the "rabbit ears" antenna on top.
Right after sunset on the 31st, we each grabbed a bag and started to make the rounds in his neighborhood. Once or twice we'd get the look - you know, "aren't you kids a bit big for this?" - but people were nice and we did get some candy.
More often than not people thought I was trying for a robot costume ("no, I'm a teevee"), and my friend's flashing light earned some puzzled looks. We got our picture taken at a house or two. Still a fond memory, to this day.
Trunk-or-treat
We went to "trunk-or-treat" for the first time this year, at our Church parking lot (they held it last year too, but this was a first for us this year). The weather cooperated, and there was quite a turnout. About two dozen cars and trucks parked, and some were decorated elaborately. We got out lawn chairs and sat down with our bucket of candy. A lot of kids came in from the neighborhood around the church, and everybody had a good time.
Next to our car was one of the Elders, who was dressed in an old fashioned black and white striped prisoner's uniform. Possibly the highlight of the evening for me was when a family came to our car with a nine year old (or maybe ten?) daughter dressed as a policewoman...an excellent costume. After my wife gave her some candy, I pointed over to our elder and said, "Officer! Arrest that man!". She and her whole family smiled at that.
(Well, my family's downstairs watching "The Nightmare Before Christmas" DVD. I'd better go down and see if there's any candy left.
who are Really into Halloween. You know, those people...the ones who spend money and put up a whole lot of decorations in their front yard. Fake tombstones, fake bats, fake ghosts and the like. Or the adults who go to costume parties. Not that there's anything wrong with that, as long as it's all in good fun and you're keeping things in perspective.
It's just not all that big a deal to me. My Christian faith likely has something to do with it - I've never totally understood why people feel the need to turn the spotlight on the Enemy one evening of the year. Let me hasten to add though that I am Not on a crusade against trick-or-treating.
I think it's more my reserved temperament, I've never had much interest in costume parties or big crowds. Also the neighborhood I grew up in didn't have many kids, and the houses were on pretty big lots spaced kind of far apart. We would buy candy and turn on the front light, but even on our busiest Halloween, we only had 11 trick-or-treater's, and some years none at all.
Of course there was always candy left over for us, and that was usually the highlight of the day. All that said, I have some Halloween memories...
Punkins of the past
Yes, I know it's pumpkins. I just like saying punkins.
We'd usually buy a pumpkin, cut a hole in the top and empty out the seeds and wet stringy stuff (what impressed me the first time I did that was how cold all that gook was). Then I'd draw the face I wanted on my pumpkin, and when I was little, Mom would carve it. Later when I was trusted with a knife, I'd do that. My jack-o-lanterns had the typical triangular eyes and nose, and always a smiling mouth; usually with square teeth, but at least once with pointed teeth.
Once as an adult while working at a mapping company, I entered a pumpkin carving contest. I carved a pumpkin globe, the natural creases on the pumpkin made dandy longitude lines to help in spacing and figuring the shape of the continents.
Fun stuff all that...a temporary sculpture that doesn't have to be perfect. And as a bonus, you get to put a candle inside and set fire to it!
One thing I'd like to try, out in the middle of the yard of course, is to replace the candle with a sparkler, or a cone, or a roman candle. Can you imagine?
My last trick-or-treat outing
Earlier this week I recalled the last time I went trick-or-treating, when I was in Junior High (when I was a boy we didn't have "middle school").
First, let me set this up a bit. My best friend lived three blocks away, in a neighborhood with more kids; Halloween was a bigger deal over there. It seemed he could engineer and build anything, and his younger brother had quite a lot of artistic talent. I don't recall how many years they did this, but they would come up with really elaborate spook houses in their basement. The lights would be out, my friend would be the guide, and at some unexpected point his brother would jump out and like to scare the wits out of me.
So one day my friend said, "Robert, let's you and me make our own costumes and go trick-or-treating in the neighborhood". That sounded like fun, and we both agreed it was now or never. The next year we knew we probably wouldn't want to do that.
Our costumes weren't quite like the ordinary, which was the idea. His started out as an old sheet with eye holes, the basic homemade ghost outfit. His added touch was a battery powered blinking red light from Radio Shack, which he had on top of his head under the ghost sheet. Why a blinking light? Well, why not? It was neat.
I was a walking television set. My Dad had a glass face plate for an actual television, and I found a cardboard box big enough to cut a hole for that glass plate. I attached a couple of knobs on the front of the box for on-off and the channel selector, and I used half a Styrofoam ball and a couple of soda straws for the "rabbit ears" antenna on top.
Right after sunset on the 31st, we each grabbed a bag and started to make the rounds in his neighborhood. Once or twice we'd get the look - you know, "aren't you kids a bit big for this?" - but people were nice and we did get some candy.
More often than not people thought I was trying for a robot costume ("no, I'm a teevee"), and my friend's flashing light earned some puzzled looks. We got our picture taken at a house or two. Still a fond memory, to this day.
Trunk-or-treat
We went to "trunk-or-treat" for the first time this year, at our Church parking lot (they held it last year too, but this was a first for us this year). The weather cooperated, and there was quite a turnout. About two dozen cars and trucks parked, and some were decorated elaborately. We got out lawn chairs and sat down with our bucket of candy. A lot of kids came in from the neighborhood around the church, and everybody had a good time.
Next to our car was one of the Elders, who was dressed in an old fashioned black and white striped prisoner's uniform. Possibly the highlight of the evening for me was when a family came to our car with a nine year old (or maybe ten?) daughter dressed as a policewoman...an excellent costume. After my wife gave her some candy, I pointed over to our elder and said, "Officer! Arrest that man!". She and her whole family smiled at that.
(Well, my family's downstairs watching "The Nightmare Before Christmas" DVD. I'd better go down and see if there's any candy left.
Friday, August 28, 2009
The Evening Rambler for August 28, 2009
Goodbye analog television
A few months back - June I think it was - the switch to digital tv happened. We had applied the government coupons we got in the mail to the cost of two Zenith converter boxes, weeks ahead of the deadline. I didn't know if the picture would be that much better, after all, it would end up on an old analog tv picture tube anyway.
What I hadn't taken into account were all the additional sub-channels. Instantly we went from 10 local channels to 22, and a 23rd channel, a free movie channel, was added later. (And no, I won't buy cable or satellite. Thanks for asking.) Two of the channels show the local weather radar, and that has come in handy more than once. Also, the image is noticably better.
One thing I'll miss though, is those times when odd atmospheric conditions would allow long distance stations to skip into my tv. When I was a kid, it wasn't all that rare to pick up channel 6 from Sedalia Missouri, 7 from Pittsburg Kansas, and the two 13's, Topeka Kansas and Columbia Missouri. I recall watching the old black and white movie, "The Fly" on 13 out of Topeka one night. Every so often the picture would dissolve in static - interference from Columbia 13 maybe - then come back. That made an already scary science fiction / horror movie even more intense. We'd rarely get the Springfield Missouri stations though, their channels 3 and 10 were usually clobbered by "bleed-through" from our local channels 4 and 9.
Years later, I made a game of it when I noticed the atmospherics were especially good. In the 1990's we had a small portable color set that was excellent at picking up those weak signals. If I could spare the time, I'd set down with paper and pen and channel surf, noting all the unusual channels. Then I'd try to make out where the broadcasts were from. That little tv would pull in stations, not only from other parts of Missouri (Columbia, Springfield, Joplin, St. Louis), and Kansas (Topeka, Pittsburg, Wichita), but also from Oklahoma, Iowa, Illinois, and I think Fayetteville Arkansas once. Not all at the same time, of course. The long distance champ...channel 55 out of Springfield ILLINOIS, of all places. I have absolutely no clue how that high of a UHF frequency could have skipped that far, but it did...briefly.
Digital tv is definitely an improvement, but it's a whole different animal. Pulling in long distance television signals will never happen again.
I have questions for my readers
Speaking of missing things, here's the first question...
1. If you could travel back in time to the 1960's, what modern thing that didn't exist then would you miss most? (It doesn't have to be just one thing, list all you want)
2. If you knew you could Not fail at something, what would you attempt?
3. Phooey, there was a third question...maybe it'll come back to me. For now I'll turn it around...What would you like to ask me?
Ah, I've got it, the third question was...well, I guess it has to be number 4 now...
4. What's the oddest tourist attraction you've ever seen on vacation? (Again, list more than one if it's a toss-up.)
I'd really like to get comments from you all. I'm curious what thoughts I've jarred loose with this.
A few months back - June I think it was - the switch to digital tv happened. We had applied the government coupons we got in the mail to the cost of two Zenith converter boxes, weeks ahead of the deadline. I didn't know if the picture would be that much better, after all, it would end up on an old analog tv picture tube anyway.
What I hadn't taken into account were all the additional sub-channels. Instantly we went from 10 local channels to 22, and a 23rd channel, a free movie channel, was added later. (And no, I won't buy cable or satellite. Thanks for asking.) Two of the channels show the local weather radar, and that has come in handy more than once. Also, the image is noticably better.
One thing I'll miss though, is those times when odd atmospheric conditions would allow long distance stations to skip into my tv. When I was a kid, it wasn't all that rare to pick up channel 6 from Sedalia Missouri, 7 from Pittsburg Kansas, and the two 13's, Topeka Kansas and Columbia Missouri. I recall watching the old black and white movie, "The Fly" on 13 out of Topeka one night. Every so often the picture would dissolve in static - interference from Columbia 13 maybe - then come back. That made an already scary science fiction / horror movie even more intense. We'd rarely get the Springfield Missouri stations though, their channels 3 and 10 were usually clobbered by "bleed-through" from our local channels 4 and 9.
Years later, I made a game of it when I noticed the atmospherics were especially good. In the 1990's we had a small portable color set that was excellent at picking up those weak signals. If I could spare the time, I'd set down with paper and pen and channel surf, noting all the unusual channels. Then I'd try to make out where the broadcasts were from. That little tv would pull in stations, not only from other parts of Missouri (Columbia, Springfield, Joplin, St. Louis), and Kansas (Topeka, Pittsburg, Wichita), but also from Oklahoma, Iowa, Illinois, and I think Fayetteville Arkansas once. Not all at the same time, of course. The long distance champ...channel 55 out of Springfield ILLINOIS, of all places. I have absolutely no clue how that high of a UHF frequency could have skipped that far, but it did...briefly.
Digital tv is definitely an improvement, but it's a whole different animal. Pulling in long distance television signals will never happen again.
I have questions for my readers
Speaking of missing things, here's the first question...
1. If you could travel back in time to the 1960's, what modern thing that didn't exist then would you miss most? (It doesn't have to be just one thing, list all you want)
2. If you knew you could Not fail at something, what would you attempt?
3. Phooey, there was a third question...maybe it'll come back to me. For now I'll turn it around...What would you like to ask me?
Ah, I've got it, the third question was...well, I guess it has to be number 4 now...
4. What's the oddest tourist attraction you've ever seen on vacation? (Again, list more than one if it's a toss-up.)
I'd really like to get comments from you all. I'm curious what thoughts I've jarred loose with this.
Monday, April 27, 2009
The Evening Rambler for April 27, 2009
Happy Samuel Morse birthday!
The way my computer is set up now, on my way to my Yahoo page, I first go through the Google page. I use Google sometimes, but being the creature of habit that I am, I'm used to my Yahoo setup.
Here's how the Google logo looked today.
Well I thought it was neat, anyway. I was reminded of the times I studied Morse Code with my dad. For those who don't know, he was an amateur (ham) radio operator.
So I could read "GOOGLE" right off (and if I close my eyes I can imagine hearing it at five words per minute). So, what's the occasion, the anniversary of the invention of the telegraph? A quick roll of the mouse, and the comment Samuel Morse birthday appeared.
Let's all say some "dits" and "dahs" for Mr. Morse.
Leavenworth County Tornado
The weather turned severe two counties to the west of us on Saturday afternoon. I happened to turn on the tv as one of the news helicopters was showing live video from near the storm. No luck finding that clip to link to here, unfortunately.
The rotating wall cloud was evident, and the funnel was already starting down, then it would appear to stop, raise back up, pause, and then head down again. What I'm told is that usually the funnel is twice as far down as it looks, as the condensation darkens the upper part from the top down. The funnel continued to lengthen when suddenly in the blink of an eye, there was the tornado all the way to the ground. Just that quickly.
I got excited "You oughta see this", which brought my son into the room (I'm sure he was thinking "What's with dad?"). I told him, "See, that's just how they look!".
Well, duh. Now that I think back on it, that was a bit obvious.
The tornado persisted and tracked through a rural area, damaging some houses and destroying a few barns. As a precaution, people were evacuated from the Kansas Speedway and some of the local shopping areas in Kansas City, Kansas. Thankfully, no serious injuries or deaths due to the tornado (I heard there was one lightning fatality, though).
But...the ability to watch live coverage of a tornado forming two counties away...what a world.
"To save them, we have to eat them."
A strange statement, that. While I was trying to find that tornado video, I came across this, and found it interesting. I wasn't aware there were endangered breeds of chickens.
I'm all for clean air and water, not littering, that sort of thing. But I've never been all that gung-ho for environmentalism for It's Own Sake; when it's the be all and end all of some political movement or a religion of sorts.
But it would be a shame for some of those breeds of chickens to go extinct. Another quote:
"At least 19 heritage breeds, such as the white Delaware with the mottled neck, the white-egg laying Holland and black mottled Houdan, have been designated as critically threatened, which means there are fewer than 500 left. Dozens of others are in danger of disappearing without a market to sustain them." (italics mine)
That reminds me of something I heard of Rush Limbaugh's radio show once. Something to the effect that if you want to protect an endangered species, the best way to do that would be to allow the endangered animal to be raised for food. The market would make sure there was a plentiful supply.
Finally...
Hats off to cousin Dolores, who had the correct answer for the latest music lyric game challenge. Check back on The Porch soon for a new challenge!
The way my computer is set up now, on my way to my Yahoo page, I first go through the Google page. I use Google sometimes, but being the creature of habit that I am, I'm used to my Yahoo setup.
Here's how the Google logo looked today.
Well I thought it was neat, anyway. I was reminded of the times I studied Morse Code with my dad. For those who don't know, he was an amateur (ham) radio operator.
So I could read "GOOGLE" right off (and if I close my eyes I can imagine hearing it at five words per minute). So, what's the occasion, the anniversary of the invention of the telegraph? A quick roll of the mouse, and the comment Samuel Morse birthday appeared.
Let's all say some "dits" and "dahs" for Mr. Morse.
Leavenworth County Tornado
The weather turned severe two counties to the west of us on Saturday afternoon. I happened to turn on the tv as one of the news helicopters was showing live video from near the storm. No luck finding that clip to link to here, unfortunately.
The rotating wall cloud was evident, and the funnel was already starting down, then it would appear to stop, raise back up, pause, and then head down again. What I'm told is that usually the funnel is twice as far down as it looks, as the condensation darkens the upper part from the top down. The funnel continued to lengthen when suddenly in the blink of an eye, there was the tornado all the way to the ground. Just that quickly.
I got excited "You oughta see this", which brought my son into the room (I'm sure he was thinking "What's with dad?"). I told him, "See, that's just how they look!".
Well, duh. Now that I think back on it, that was a bit obvious.
The tornado persisted and tracked through a rural area, damaging some houses and destroying a few barns. As a precaution, people were evacuated from the Kansas Speedway and some of the local shopping areas in Kansas City, Kansas. Thankfully, no serious injuries or deaths due to the tornado (I heard there was one lightning fatality, though).
But...the ability to watch live coverage of a tornado forming two counties away...what a world.
"To save them, we have to eat them."
A strange statement, that. While I was trying to find that tornado video, I came across this, and found it interesting. I wasn't aware there were endangered breeds of chickens.
I'm all for clean air and water, not littering, that sort of thing. But I've never been all that gung-ho for environmentalism for It's Own Sake; when it's the be all and end all of some political movement or a religion of sorts.
But it would be a shame for some of those breeds of chickens to go extinct. Another quote:
"At least 19 heritage breeds, such as the white Delaware with the mottled neck, the white-egg laying Holland and black mottled Houdan, have been designated as critically threatened, which means there are fewer than 500 left. Dozens of others are in danger of disappearing without a market to sustain them." (italics mine)
That reminds me of something I heard of Rush Limbaugh's radio show once. Something to the effect that if you want to protect an endangered species, the best way to do that would be to allow the endangered animal to be raised for food. The market would make sure there was a plentiful supply.
Finally...
Hats off to cousin Dolores, who had the correct answer for the latest music lyric game challenge. Check back on The Porch soon for a new challenge!
Thursday, December 11, 2008
The Evening Rambler for December 11, 2008
Genealogy
I've enjoyed hearing family stories and looking at old letters and photographs about as long as I can remember. In 1979 I found out that one of our local libraries has one of the best genealogy collections in the country, and there were a couple of librarians who specialized in the study. I read a couple of books, looked at a lot of forms, learned how to view the census records on microfilm, and in the early 1980's took an adult education class on the subject. Genealogy has been one of my hobbies every since, but in a kind of half-hearted, on again, off again way. I would go through a phase where I would research and write down a lot of stuff, but not record the source.
Word to the wise: Don't do it that way. Always record your source for every bit on information...right from the start. That way, you don't have to do almost everything over, like (ahem) someone I know.
About a year ago I decided to stop worrying about my family tree not being complete, and go ahead and compile everything I had up to now, and get it word processed and scanned all in one place. Then, I'll make CD's for whoever in the family would be interested. Later I could continue my research when I could, and make corrections and updates as I went along.
But I did want to organize the information in the proper format, so it would make sense and not have to be done over again. I checked out a small book on "Numbering Your Genealogy", and learned that of the many numbering systems, four are currently used most. Of those four, I already was familiar with "Ahnentafel" numbering. You start with yourself (or with whoever you make the chart for), and that person is number 1. Then your father is number 2, your mother is number 3, your father's father is number 4, and so on. The more generations back, the larger the number. This is probably the most common system, and works great for ancestry charts, which often show six or seven generations on one page.
What I wanted to learn was a system where you started with the earliest ancestor you had information for, and numbered forward from him or her. I decided to try the "NGSQ" numbering, and started on my father's side, with my great-great-great-grandfather, John C. Wingate. That project is going well, and I really appreciate word processing software for this use. I know some of my information is still scattered about, and I will be adding and editing for a while.
Stories
A list of names and dates can get boring after a while, if there are no stories or photos to go along with the data. So I've started to word process what I can remember hearing about my ancestors. All I know about John C. are names, dates and places...no stories. All I heard about his first son, Isaac E. Wingate, was that his first marriage ended in divorce, and he re-married. I do have a few stories about Isaac's first son, Jacob Wingate, my great-grandfather. Here's part of what I know.
Jake and his horses
Jacob Wingate leased a farm near Beaverdam, in Allen County, Ohio. At one time he had two horses named Tom and Jerry. The photo below, taken on that farm shows Jake with two horses.
(I don’t know if these horses were Tom and Jerry, or two other horses.)
Jacob married Emma Yoakam, and Jake and Emma’s first child was Harry Dale, or as I called him, Grandpa Wingate. Harry had an interesting and exciting life, and there’s much I could say about that, perhaps at a later time.
The musical saw
One talent Harry had was that he could play the musical saw. I was told a story once that he started with a bow made from a piece of lumber the size of a yardstick – or maybe it was a yardstick – strung with hair from the tail of one of the horses. In later years he used a real bow…
Harry playing the musical saw, at his home in Lima, Ohio. Cousin Ron looks on.
(I’m going to guess 1971 here, but I may be off a year or two either way.)
The tie-in with Poppy's front porch
Harry could play entire songs. One summer, Grandpa Wingate came to our house, and then we caravanned south to Poppy’s farm (Grandpa Wingate preferred to drive as fast as he could keep his car on the road, and had little patience for riding with people who kept to the speed limit…people like his son, Albert. Dad didn’t want to ride with Grandpa; hence the two car, 212 mile caravan.)
One day, we were sitting on Poppy’s front porch, and Grandpa got out his saw and bow. We were all an attentive audience as he played. I was just a young kid at the time, but in later years my Mom talked about Harry playing an old hymn, “In the Garden”, and said “It brought tears to your eyes”. I think Mom meant this in a good way, that Harry could really put some emotion into it. What little I remember is that while I didn’t know the song to recognize it, I thought Grandpa’s saw music was nice.
Somewhere along the years, my sister Connie came to find out that our Dad also knew the basics of how to play the saw. In the late 1970’s (maybe 1980), she gave him a bow, and he got a saw and showed us how to play it. Dad made some different notes, but I don’t think he got a whole song out of the saw like his dad did. I then gave it a try and got a note or two, but I didn’t quite have Dad’s skill. And neither of us could play as well as Grandpa Wingate.
Not to change the subject, but...
...after all, this is the Evening Rambler. We had a beautiful sunset here yesterday, so I grabbed my camera. Enjoy...
And finally, here's a clever advertisement.
This came in the mail yesterday. It's a coupon from AMF for one free game of bowling for up to 10 people.
Keeping with the subject of kids and department store Santas, James Lileks posted a fun video on his blog today. Here's the link. Enjoy!
I've enjoyed hearing family stories and looking at old letters and photographs about as long as I can remember. In 1979 I found out that one of our local libraries has one of the best genealogy collections in the country, and there were a couple of librarians who specialized in the study. I read a couple of books, looked at a lot of forms, learned how to view the census records on microfilm, and in the early 1980's took an adult education class on the subject. Genealogy has been one of my hobbies every since, but in a kind of half-hearted, on again, off again way. I would go through a phase where I would research and write down a lot of stuff, but not record the source.
Word to the wise: Don't do it that way. Always record your source for every bit on information...right from the start. That way, you don't have to do almost everything over, like (ahem) someone I know.
About a year ago I decided to stop worrying about my family tree not being complete, and go ahead and compile everything I had up to now, and get it word processed and scanned all in one place. Then, I'll make CD's for whoever in the family would be interested. Later I could continue my research when I could, and make corrections and updates as I went along.
But I did want to organize the information in the proper format, so it would make sense and not have to be done over again. I checked out a small book on "Numbering Your Genealogy", and learned that of the many numbering systems, four are currently used most. Of those four, I already was familiar with "Ahnentafel" numbering. You start with yourself (or with whoever you make the chart for), and that person is number 1. Then your father is number 2, your mother is number 3, your father's father is number 4, and so on. The more generations back, the larger the number. This is probably the most common system, and works great for ancestry charts, which often show six or seven generations on one page.
What I wanted to learn was a system where you started with the earliest ancestor you had information for, and numbered forward from him or her. I decided to try the "NGSQ" numbering, and started on my father's side, with my great-great-great-grandfather, John C. Wingate. That project is going well, and I really appreciate word processing software for this use. I know some of my information is still scattered about, and I will be adding and editing for a while.
Stories
A list of names and dates can get boring after a while, if there are no stories or photos to go along with the data. So I've started to word process what I can remember hearing about my ancestors. All I know about John C. are names, dates and places...no stories. All I heard about his first son, Isaac E. Wingate, was that his first marriage ended in divorce, and he re-married. I do have a few stories about Isaac's first son, Jacob Wingate, my great-grandfather. Here's part of what I know.
Jake and his horses
Jacob Wingate leased a farm near Beaverdam, in Allen County, Ohio. At one time he had two horses named Tom and Jerry. The photo below, taken on that farm shows Jake with two horses.
(I don’t know if these horses were Tom and Jerry, or two other horses.)
Jacob married Emma Yoakam, and Jake and Emma’s first child was Harry Dale, or as I called him, Grandpa Wingate. Harry had an interesting and exciting life, and there’s much I could say about that, perhaps at a later time.
The musical saw
One talent Harry had was that he could play the musical saw. I was told a story once that he started with a bow made from a piece of lumber the size of a yardstick – or maybe it was a yardstick – strung with hair from the tail of one of the horses. In later years he used a real bow…
Harry playing the musical saw, at his home in Lima, Ohio. Cousin Ron looks on.
(I’m going to guess 1971 here, but I may be off a year or two either way.)
The tie-in with Poppy's front porch
Harry could play entire songs. One summer, Grandpa Wingate came to our house, and then we caravanned south to Poppy’s farm (Grandpa Wingate preferred to drive as fast as he could keep his car on the road, and had little patience for riding with people who kept to the speed limit…people like his son, Albert. Dad didn’t want to ride with Grandpa; hence the two car, 212 mile caravan.)
One day, we were sitting on Poppy’s front porch, and Grandpa got out his saw and bow. We were all an attentive audience as he played. I was just a young kid at the time, but in later years my Mom talked about Harry playing an old hymn, “In the Garden”, and said “It brought tears to your eyes”. I think Mom meant this in a good way, that Harry could really put some emotion into it. What little I remember is that while I didn’t know the song to recognize it, I thought Grandpa’s saw music was nice.
Somewhere along the years, my sister Connie came to find out that our Dad also knew the basics of how to play the saw. In the late 1970’s (maybe 1980), she gave him a bow, and he got a saw and showed us how to play it. Dad made some different notes, but I don’t think he got a whole song out of the saw like his dad did. I then gave it a try and got a note or two, but I didn’t quite have Dad’s skill. And neither of us could play as well as Grandpa Wingate.
Not to change the subject, but...
...after all, this is the Evening Rambler. We had a beautiful sunset here yesterday, so I grabbed my camera. Enjoy...
And finally, here's a clever advertisement.
This came in the mail yesterday. It's a coupon from AMF for one free game of bowling for up to 10 people.
Keeping with the subject of kids and department store Santas, James Lileks posted a fun video on his blog today. Here's the link. Enjoy!
Sunday, November 23, 2008
The Evening Rambler for November 23, 2008
Something new, well new to me anyway.
In looking through a bookshelf a few months ago, I came across my dad’s four paperback Zane Grey novels. Westerns aren’t my main interest when it comes to reading for pleasure, so I don’t plan to keep all four; there’s just so many books in this house as it is. It’s time to edit and get organized. I do want to keep one though, after all, these were dad’s. I gave him at least one for either his birthday or Christmas, though I don’t recall which one…and it might have been all four. So, which one to keep? I figured eventually I’d read them all, and probably I would like one more than the others.
A month or so ago, I picked up the oldest of the four stories we have here...”The Heritage of the Desert” (original copyright 1910). Then on to “The Rainbow Trail” (1915), which I got part way into, then put down. It wasn’t quite working for me, though in fairness I probably ought to finish it. A day or two ago, I finished “The Man of the Forest” (1920), which I guess I’d call a western romance. The relationships and conversations between the characters seemed to be more developed; I’ve liked this one best of the three I’ve read so far. And yesterday I started “To the Last Man” (1922).
I won’t pretend to make this into a book review, I’m really not qualified to judge western novels (ask me about science-fiction sometime). I will say I was surprised these were written that long ago. Had you asked me before, “Bob, when did Zane Grey write his novels?” I probably would have answered, “Oh, I dunno, 1940’s maybe?”.
These have been easy to read, though there were some words and turns of phrase no longer in common use. There were some regionalisms like “I reckon”, or “savvy” for understand. Also some spellings to emphasize the western drawl (“Wal,” at the start of a sentence for “Well,”; also “shore” for sure and “pore” for “poor”. Sometimes it was “horses”, unless spoken by an outlaw in a gang, when it would be “hosses”).
One thing I liked was how the curse words were edited. A few times one character or another would get agitated and I’d read a “h---“ or a “d---“. I knew what was meant, and I appreciated it was a time when you just didn’t publish words more explicit and put them in front of the readers faces. They were fans of your novels, and the last thing you wanted to do was offend them. (Then again, It’s possible Mr. Grey spelled the entire words and the publisher said, “No, that won’t go”. I don’t know.) In one particularly angry confrontation, a sentence began with the word “----!”.
I’ll never know for shore what that cowboy “said”, which is just as well. I reckon it was a powerful bad word.
The other thing I’ll say is that Zane Grey was very descriptive, he could, as they say, paint a picture with words. Enough so, that I wonder if he ever tried his hand at landscape painting. In these novels he showed a love for the deserts and forests of southern Utah and northern Arizona.
Anyway, it’s been good for me to read something different from my usual. It may help me develop more of a general feel for how novels are crafted.
Travel memories.
I’ve been out west a few times. To me, “out west” is kind of a flexible definition which could mean west of Hays or Great Bend, Kansas; or in or west of one of the panhandles (Nebraska, Oklahoma, or Texas). My first big western vacation was our family trip to Colorado and New Mexico in 1957 – July, I think. Then in 1968 a big road trip through the Oklahoma and Texas panhandles, New Mexico, Arizona (Meteor Crater, The Petrified Forest, and The Grand Canyon), Utah (Bryce Canyon), Colorado, and back through Kansas. We were chased by a tornado for a while, just out of sight but according to the radio it kept pace about half a county behind us until about the time we stopped at WaKeeney, Kansas for the night. We chose to stay at a motel that night. Dad pulled a Starcraft pop-up camper behind our Thunderbird for that trip.
Then in 1972 another camping trip, this time with a Holiday Rambler travel trailer, to Colorado, Wyoming, and back through Nebraska.
(I'm just lazy enough tonight to keep my searching for photos to a minimum, but I had this one close at hand. An old church or school building somewhere in Colorado, 1972.)
In May of 1976, twelve of my college friends and I caravanned two cars and a pickup through Nebraska, Wyoming, and Montana. We made it as far as Glacier National Park, a truly beautiful place; then came through South Dakota and stopped at Mount Rushmore on the way back.
Almost a year after I got married, my wife’s insurance job at the time sent her to a branch office in California. I flew out there (yes, on an airplane) to join her for the better part of a week. I rented a car and we drove up and down the coast and saw parts of Los Angeles, visited friends in Laguna Beach, went to Disneyworld one day, then up to Edwards Air Force Base (or as close as they’d let us get) to witness a night landing of the Shuttle. Of course, all the lights were off for security so we saw nothing, but did hear the sonic boom as the shuttle decelerated and landed. Then we drove north to see the Monterey Peninsula (Monterey, Carmel and Pebble Beach), and spent much of a day in San Francisco (Fisherman’s Wharf, Lombard Street – the famous winding back and forth drive down the hill, the Ghirardelli Chocolate factory, and across the Golden Gate bridge to Muir Woods).
Since then, most of our trips out west have been return visits to Colorado. Once we flew out and rented a car, and spent time in the Denver and Colorado Springs area. Another time we drove out through Denver, up the mountains with a stop at Georgetown, then through the Eisenhower Tunnel, then down to Vail. Rode the alpine slide there twice. The last time our whole family has been in Colorado at the same time was a trip in late July and early August of 2000.
So more and more lately, I’ve been thinking how good it would be to take a trip out west again. Part of that may be from reading those western novels, but mostly it’s been such a long time since I’ve seen that interesting country. That and I would like to go see our eldest daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter at their place in California.
One thing that’s kind of funny. That time in 1968 when we traveled through desert areas of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah I was aware that roadrunners supposedly live there. So I had it in mind to take notice as I was watching the scenery pass by while dad drove. Never saw one that trip. A few years later in northwest Arkansas I saw two of them. Go figure.
Along those lines, I’ve been up and down I-35 and I-45 in eastern Texas several times, and have seen a few dead armadillos. Never a live one though, at least in Texas. I did finally see a live armadillo in Florida once.
The most surprising thing I’ve ever seen along the roadside was on one of the Texas trips. We had left Houston heading northwest on I-45, and were maybe 20 miles past the northernmost edge of the suburbs. Off to the right, just in the grass off the side of the road was a huge black cat. A panther, sitting pretty as you please, just watching the traffic go by.
In looking through a bookshelf a few months ago, I came across my dad’s four paperback Zane Grey novels. Westerns aren’t my main interest when it comes to reading for pleasure, so I don’t plan to keep all four; there’s just so many books in this house as it is. It’s time to edit and get organized. I do want to keep one though, after all, these were dad’s. I gave him at least one for either his birthday or Christmas, though I don’t recall which one…and it might have been all four. So, which one to keep? I figured eventually I’d read them all, and probably I would like one more than the others.
A month or so ago, I picked up the oldest of the four stories we have here...”The Heritage of the Desert” (original copyright 1910). Then on to “The Rainbow Trail” (1915), which I got part way into, then put down. It wasn’t quite working for me, though in fairness I probably ought to finish it. A day or two ago, I finished “The Man of the Forest” (1920), which I guess I’d call a western romance. The relationships and conversations between the characters seemed to be more developed; I’ve liked this one best of the three I’ve read so far. And yesterday I started “To the Last Man” (1922).
I won’t pretend to make this into a book review, I’m really not qualified to judge western novels (ask me about science-fiction sometime). I will say I was surprised these were written that long ago. Had you asked me before, “Bob, when did Zane Grey write his novels?” I probably would have answered, “Oh, I dunno, 1940’s maybe?”.
These have been easy to read, though there were some words and turns of phrase no longer in common use. There were some regionalisms like “I reckon”, or “savvy” for understand. Also some spellings to emphasize the western drawl (“Wal,” at the start of a sentence for “Well,”; also “shore” for sure and “pore” for “poor”. Sometimes it was “horses”, unless spoken by an outlaw in a gang, when it would be “hosses”).
One thing I liked was how the curse words were edited. A few times one character or another would get agitated and I’d read a “h---“ or a “d---“. I knew what was meant, and I appreciated it was a time when you just didn’t publish words more explicit and put them in front of the readers faces. They were fans of your novels, and the last thing you wanted to do was offend them. (Then again, It’s possible Mr. Grey spelled the entire words and the publisher said, “No, that won’t go”. I don’t know.) In one particularly angry confrontation, a sentence began with the word “----!”.
I’ll never know for shore what that cowboy “said”, which is just as well. I reckon it was a powerful bad word.
The other thing I’ll say is that Zane Grey was very descriptive, he could, as they say, paint a picture with words. Enough so, that I wonder if he ever tried his hand at landscape painting. In these novels he showed a love for the deserts and forests of southern Utah and northern Arizona.
Anyway, it’s been good for me to read something different from my usual. It may help me develop more of a general feel for how novels are crafted.
Travel memories.
I’ve been out west a few times. To me, “out west” is kind of a flexible definition which could mean west of Hays or Great Bend, Kansas; or in or west of one of the panhandles (Nebraska, Oklahoma, or Texas). My first big western vacation was our family trip to Colorado and New Mexico in 1957 – July, I think. Then in 1968 a big road trip through the Oklahoma and Texas panhandles, New Mexico, Arizona (Meteor Crater, The Petrified Forest, and The Grand Canyon), Utah (Bryce Canyon), Colorado, and back through Kansas. We were chased by a tornado for a while, just out of sight but according to the radio it kept pace about half a county behind us until about the time we stopped at WaKeeney, Kansas for the night. We chose to stay at a motel that night. Dad pulled a Starcraft pop-up camper behind our Thunderbird for that trip.
Then in 1972 another camping trip, this time with a Holiday Rambler travel trailer, to Colorado, Wyoming, and back through Nebraska.
(I'm just lazy enough tonight to keep my searching for photos to a minimum, but I had this one close at hand. An old church or school building somewhere in Colorado, 1972.)
In May of 1976, twelve of my college friends and I caravanned two cars and a pickup through Nebraska, Wyoming, and Montana. We made it as far as Glacier National Park, a truly beautiful place; then came through South Dakota and stopped at Mount Rushmore on the way back.
Almost a year after I got married, my wife’s insurance job at the time sent her to a branch office in California. I flew out there (yes, on an airplane) to join her for the better part of a week. I rented a car and we drove up and down the coast and saw parts of Los Angeles, visited friends in Laguna Beach, went to Disneyworld one day, then up to Edwards Air Force Base (or as close as they’d let us get) to witness a night landing of the Shuttle. Of course, all the lights were off for security so we saw nothing, but did hear the sonic boom as the shuttle decelerated and landed. Then we drove north to see the Monterey Peninsula (Monterey, Carmel and Pebble Beach), and spent much of a day in San Francisco (Fisherman’s Wharf, Lombard Street – the famous winding back and forth drive down the hill, the Ghirardelli Chocolate factory, and across the Golden Gate bridge to Muir Woods).
Since then, most of our trips out west have been return visits to Colorado. Once we flew out and rented a car, and spent time in the Denver and Colorado Springs area. Another time we drove out through Denver, up the mountains with a stop at Georgetown, then through the Eisenhower Tunnel, then down to Vail. Rode the alpine slide there twice. The last time our whole family has been in Colorado at the same time was a trip in late July and early August of 2000.
So more and more lately, I’ve been thinking how good it would be to take a trip out west again. Part of that may be from reading those western novels, but mostly it’s been such a long time since I’ve seen that interesting country. That and I would like to go see our eldest daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter at their place in California.
One thing that’s kind of funny. That time in 1968 when we traveled through desert areas of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah I was aware that roadrunners supposedly live there. So I had it in mind to take notice as I was watching the scenery pass by while dad drove. Never saw one that trip. A few years later in northwest Arkansas I saw two of them. Go figure.
Along those lines, I’ve been up and down I-35 and I-45 in eastern Texas several times, and have seen a few dead armadillos. Never a live one though, at least in Texas. I did finally see a live armadillo in Florida once.
The most surprising thing I’ve ever seen along the roadside was on one of the Texas trips. We had left Houston heading northwest on I-45, and were maybe 20 miles past the northernmost edge of the suburbs. Off to the right, just in the grass off the side of the road was a huge black cat. A panther, sitting pretty as you please, just watching the traffic go by.
Thursday, September 18, 2008
The return of The Evening Rambler
Every so often I think of something I want to write here. Short stuff usually, a little of this and a bit of that. Of course I don't always have time right then to blog...and so I don't forget (ahem), I'll word process a list of titles or short descriptions.
An outline without the Roman numerals, capital letters, or indentations.
A grocery list without the food.
Yeah, I can hear you all now, "But Bob, a list is no good if you Can't Find It!"
So I guess I'll have to wing it...
Where are they now?
Last November I had a job assignment through a local temp agency, at a big insurance company with their North American headquarters in the metro. My task was to enter data into a secure database for the Salvage department; mostly account numbers and vehicle identification numbers. The paper file folders included photographs...some of the cars / trucks / etc. looked barely wrinkled, but were a total loss anyway. Others were barely recognizable as cars. Most were somewhere in between.
As I went along I noticed something interesting. Most of the vehicles were made in the 1990's or 2000's. Part of the reason was there were claims for entire car dealers with huge losses due to floods, hurricanes, etc...that, and attrition. There's just more of the "recently" made cars still on the roads...more that could be involved in accidents at any given time. There were quite a few cars from the mid and late 1980's.
Some days into the project and hundreds of listings later, I noticed I hadn't seen anything older than 1978, so I started keeping a mental list. Eventually I noticed some older cars, a handful from 1974 - 1976, and a very few from the early to mid 1960's, say, 1963 - 1965. Just two or three days before the end of the month long assignment I finally found one 1957 Chevy. Got me to thinking back...it doesn't seem all that many years ago that you'd still see lots of cars from the sixties and seventies on the road, and cars from the late fifties weren't all that rare. Not like they are now.
I did see one beauty of a classic, maybe six or eight weeks ago. It was either a 1955 or 1956 Chevy Bel Aire...in motion and just far enough away that I'm not sure which year. (And not that I'm a car expert - but I can recognize a few.) This car looked to have been restored, with a really nice dark blue and white paint job. I'd like to see it again.
So, my question for the evening...what old cars have you seen lately?
Logos! Get your logos!
Cousin Mike has been adding some eye catching logos to his blog (scroll down a bit an start looking in the column on the right). Mostly these are professional sports teams, and it's a neat assortment. I'd like to do something similar here, but right now I seem to be drawn more to scans of nostalgic stuff that has gone away...old pop bottle caps, old gas station signs, a stack of 45 rpm records...stuff like that.
So I need to figure out how I want to go about that. One thing I've thought of, a scan of the week "feature" might be fun. Something that would be in the same location on this page, just the image would change from time to time. I wonder if besides the Blog Archive I could set up a second "Scan Archive" for the older images. I'll have to read up on that.
In the meantime, I've started collecting images. A few days ago I got to thinking of old electron tubes. I have some from my dad's collection still in boxes, but I wanted to go online to see what else I could find. One thing I clicked on was a wall chart of tubes. This was in a photo stream called Diagram Diaries, on a site of charts and graphs...lots of creative ways to show data. I started clicking on the photos to see what else was there. I stopped when I saw something really different...which leads to the following...
Fun stuff...you've got to see this.
Check this out...click here.
I've got to admire artists who can work at that scale and keep that perspective all in their head.
September 18th
Happy birthday, Sis! I'll see you soon.
September 19th
Shiver me timbers, it's that time again!
Ahoy, mateys! Everybody be practicin' yer "Arrghs" and "Landlubbers" fer tomorrow!
An outline without the Roman numerals, capital letters, or indentations.
A grocery list without the food.
Yeah, I can hear you all now, "But Bob, a list is no good if you Can't Find It!"
So I guess I'll have to wing it...
Where are they now?
Last November I had a job assignment through a local temp agency, at a big insurance company with their North American headquarters in the metro. My task was to enter data into a secure database for the Salvage department; mostly account numbers and vehicle identification numbers. The paper file folders included photographs...some of the cars / trucks / etc. looked barely wrinkled, but were a total loss anyway. Others were barely recognizable as cars. Most were somewhere in between.
As I went along I noticed something interesting. Most of the vehicles were made in the 1990's or 2000's. Part of the reason was there were claims for entire car dealers with huge losses due to floods, hurricanes, etc...that, and attrition. There's just more of the "recently" made cars still on the roads...more that could be involved in accidents at any given time. There were quite a few cars from the mid and late 1980's.
Some days into the project and hundreds of listings later, I noticed I hadn't seen anything older than 1978, so I started keeping a mental list. Eventually I noticed some older cars, a handful from 1974 - 1976, and a very few from the early to mid 1960's, say, 1963 - 1965. Just two or three days before the end of the month long assignment I finally found one 1957 Chevy. Got me to thinking back...it doesn't seem all that many years ago that you'd still see lots of cars from the sixties and seventies on the road, and cars from the late fifties weren't all that rare. Not like they are now.
I did see one beauty of a classic, maybe six or eight weeks ago. It was either a 1955 or 1956 Chevy Bel Aire...in motion and just far enough away that I'm not sure which year. (And not that I'm a car expert - but I can recognize a few.) This car looked to have been restored, with a really nice dark blue and white paint job. I'd like to see it again.
So, my question for the evening...what old cars have you seen lately?
Logos! Get your logos!
Cousin Mike has been adding some eye catching logos to his blog (scroll down a bit an start looking in the column on the right). Mostly these are professional sports teams, and it's a neat assortment. I'd like to do something similar here, but right now I seem to be drawn more to scans of nostalgic stuff that has gone away...old pop bottle caps, old gas station signs, a stack of 45 rpm records...stuff like that.
So I need to figure out how I want to go about that. One thing I've thought of, a scan of the week "feature" might be fun. Something that would be in the same location on this page, just the image would change from time to time. I wonder if besides the Blog Archive I could set up a second "Scan Archive" for the older images. I'll have to read up on that.
In the meantime, I've started collecting images. A few days ago I got to thinking of old electron tubes. I have some from my dad's collection still in boxes, but I wanted to go online to see what else I could find. One thing I clicked on was a wall chart of tubes. This was in a photo stream called Diagram Diaries, on a site of charts and graphs...lots of creative ways to show data. I started clicking on the photos to see what else was there. I stopped when I saw something really different...which leads to the following...
Fun stuff...you've got to see this.
Check this out...click here.
I've got to admire artists who can work at that scale and keep that perspective all in their head.
September 18th
Happy birthday, Sis! I'll see you soon.
September 19th
Shiver me timbers, it's that time again!
Ahoy, mateys! Everybody be practicin' yer "Arrghs" and "Landlubbers" fer tomorrow!
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