WEEK 18 2010
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First Post,
17 March 2002
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Eight Years
Ago, This Week, 2002 |
Seven Years
Ago, This Week, 2003 |
Six Years
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Five
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Three Years
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Two Years
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One Year
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Saturday - just a normal chores day, trying to get ready for the trip down to Ventura, then up to Martinez, then over to Florida.
The good news is that the causeway passes finally arrived, so we're
mostly good to go there. There isn't a vehicle "placard", so we
apparently have to show up early to drive onto KSC. Maybe we can pick
up a placard on Thursday? The landing is scheduled for 2:20pm, so it's
a long wait from 6:30am when they close the gate to non-placarded
vehicles. Sounds like a kind of stupid arrangement, hopefully it's not
even more screwed up when we get there (no toilets or water or
whatever).
I need to get a suitcase - I no longer own one. Not sure what happened
to the old. I suppose I'll put my cameras in a carryon - no sense in
entrusting them to baggage roulette.
The manual arrived, so I can put the belts on the tractor, and adjust
it properly. I'd like to change the spark plugs and oil as well.
Book #29 was Way of the Pilgrim,
by Gordon R. Dickson. Again, a journeyman effort by an experienced
writer. Little new or unusual in the plot or characterization. Dickson
found, and used and reused, a formula that his readers liked (though
never as formulaic a writer as Modesitt has become).
I need to pick up something to read on the plane to/from Florida, I guess.
Friday
- we went to an LPAC performance of the Smothers Brothers. Amusing.
They haven't changed much in the last 40 years. Much the same schtick,
amusing and light. Tom is still an idiot, Mom still likes Dick best.
The first digital picture I took with the Canon was Riley. Being a cat
he turned away and presented a somewhat ...unattractive... aspect.
First pic with the new zoon lens was Phoebe, and not quite as bad:
Phoebe, at 70mm with the new lens.
Thursday 6 May
2010
Thursday
- working on various things. The belts arrived for the mower, but I'm
waiting for the manual so as to be sure I install them correctly. I'd
hate to break another, brand new, belt!
Working on this and that...
Wednesday 5 May
2010
Wednesday
- back in Lancaster, but too tired to do much.
I am trying to get 'scalped' tickets for causeway viewing of the space shuttle launch. Apparently you have to pay to watch the vehicle you already paid for get launched. KSC apparently can't be bothered to keep the scalpers away. Losers.
Book #28 was Babel-17,
by Samuel R. Delaney. This is an old school (1966) sci-fi novel, but
well done. The style is a bit old-fashioned, very modern in 1960's but
dated now, but the concept is interesting. During a long intergalactic
war a series of sabotage attempts are correlated with mystery radio
broadcasts in code. Failing to decrypt the broadcasts, the government
turns to a poet and free-lance cryptanalyst for help in deciphering
Babel-17. With a motley crew she sets out to solve the mystery,
realizing early that it isn't a code but a highly sophisticated language...
Tuesday 4 May
2010
Tuesday
- clearing the brush and debris in the back yard. My brother came by
for a couple of hours and helped. We stuck the 36" teevee in the
Explorer - it won't quite fit in my stereo cabinet but I am tired of
moving it about from room to room in Martinez.
The house is getting emptier. Almost all the personal items are gone,
and most of the good furniture. There is a really nice - but large -
mirror, a hospital bed, a small cherry endtable, and my father's old
desk. It's big, nice to work at, but a pain to work around.
By late afternoon I had enough and hit the road, back to Lancaster. In
after midnight sometime. An uneventful drive for me, but likely
unpleasant for occupants of the overturned SUV I saw, halfway down the
valley.
Monday 3 May
2010
Monday
- cleaning the walls in the hall and the den of tobacco stains. TSP
works well, but it's a tedious and disgusting process. Bought some
painting supplies, did some other minor chores.
Sunday 2 May_2010
Sunday
- I spent a good 8 hours just cutting brush and weeds in the front
yard, it was incredibly overgrown. My sister came by and helped, but it
was ferociously hot and not much fun. We filled three green waste
containers - ours and the neighbor's on either side. There is a slash
pile thirty feet long, six feet wide and three feet high along the west
side yard.
We did take a break and go down to the marina for a couple of hours. I
brought the camera and took some pictures with the new zoom lens.
Book #27 was Falling Free,
by Lois McMaster Bujold. This was set in the Miles Vorkosigian
universe, but only distantly related to the Miles stories. A well
written book by a journeyman writer.
