Offically Off, Get to Work!
It is upon us. It is all over us. Heck, we're soaking in it. Time off that we didn't even remember taking. Yep, Vacation pt. 3 is underway, and it is that "spend time in the house, around the house and in the yard" sort of getaway from work type of time off that we are indulging ourselves in. It didn't take us long to get into the vacation frame of mind either. It looks like we have created a whole new set of goals, chores and projects. We should be very rested by the time we get back to our paying for services 9 to 5 lives.
Here at CP.CWHQ/TV the projects will be going along simultaneously, this will keep the camera crews and the readers/viewers hopping as well. Last night, before a marathon session of Starz/Comedy until 3:45 this early AM I finished the garage door project. All sixteen panels of the door are now insulated against noise and weather from the inside. The garage is my safe-spot from the rest of the worlds trials at times, and it is with much pride that I have extended its seasonal refuge capabilities.
I have two outdoor projects on-going and one I'm still fermenting for the future, and today after this inter-tome is uploaded I start a new indoor project. Tomorrow will be divided between projects and bowling. Today it is projects inside so even the weather can not foil my plans unless it takes out the power grid.
Chuck Pace ©2008
Here at CP.CWHQ/TV the projects will be going along simultaneously, this will keep the camera crews and the readers/viewers hopping as well. Last night, before a marathon session of Starz/Comedy until 3:45 this early AM I finished the garage door project. All sixteen panels of the door are now insulated against noise and weather from the inside. The garage is my safe-spot from the rest of the worlds trials at times, and it is with much pride that I have extended its seasonal refuge capabilities.
I have two outdoor projects on-going and one I'm still fermenting for the future, and today after this inter-tome is uploaded I start a new indoor project. Tomorrow will be divided between projects and bowling. Today it is projects inside so even the weather can not foil my plans unless it takes out the power grid.
Chuck Pace ©2008
The Old In and Out
The signal splitters in the attic are as old as the cable and the house, approximately 17 years old to be exact. He replaced them and hopefully solved our Digital Cable problems. Ultimately I would like to replace the cables themselves with the newer higher capacity/lower resistance RG 6 cable that is used in construction these days. Through the access panel and into another world. Note the hand painted BMW Roundel that I put on the wall of my garage this spring, isn't it lovely?
Storm created Technical Difficulties, Chuck Pace © 2008
As if on cue, while Scott was here there came a freakish pop-up rain storm and what he thought was job over done-with and gone became lock-up and image scramble. The above image is what prompted him to replace more splitters and (hopefully) run down my viewing problems. Now I have to finish and upload this to the www and get back to the TV where we were watching the Spiderwick Chronicles on DVD since we didn't know how the cable visit might turn out.
Chuck Out!
Chuck Pace ©2008
A Sad and Sorry Testimonial
Jenni and I go to lunch together nearly every day. We work within a few blocks of each other, we ride in together most of the time and we deal with each other adequately most times. We know the things that annoy each other the most and play those cards when necessary. We know what pleases the other too, and withhold that as long as possible or until a need of some sort or another arises. Of course we would never say that or admit it to ourselves or to each other because we are actually like most couples that have seasoned together like fine food. We go together even if the ingredients don't always make sense. We play the subconscious chess game as wall as most couples.
Recently we both surprised each other. Knowing each other so well we were both just knocked for a loop.
Is age creeping up on us. Are we both slipping. Is this a case of cosmic coincidence? Worry is just around the corner. I think we are still too young for senility to start staking it's claims on our mental faculties. I think.
I get three weeks of vacation a year, that is how it works for a chap or chippy who works at Roberts for over 15 years. Now, once I finish this coming August and the first week of September I get four weeks from then on until the vague and indiscernible future. That is if I remember it.
Because there is very little sales floor employee turn over at the Roberts Rodeo the camera cowboys are all getting up in their vacation days. Being a smart wrangler like I am with a lot of experience at not getting the time off I really wanted I got me an idear this year. I moseyed into Evie's office on the third of January third and staked my claims on the calendar. There is a long standing rule in place that nobody gets to take two weeks in a row. I picked my weeks, and I confirmed them with Jenni via fax and telephone call. She in turn turned in her requests for sanity recovery times.
Tuesday last, when Jenni and I went to lunch she shared an amusing circumstance at her work-place. Lori, her "Lead" person sent an e-mail saying that because Jenni was going to be on vacation this coming week that they would taper off her work-load so that she (Jenni)could concentrate on closing all the work that was out there before the requested time out of the corporate mind. She told Rebecca, her long time friend and at work superior that she wasn't on vacation this week and that she would tell Lori not to limit her incoming appeals since the department was short handed (non-overlapping vacations were taking place there as well). I listened to her amusing recital with amusement (see, it was amusing as I have already stated). The next day Rebecca told Jenni not to tell Lori, that way her (Jenni's) work load would be a little lax for a bit, Jenni again took the high road because of the work-load /staffing deficiencies and went ahead and sent Lori the e-mail.
That same day, Wednesday. Evie handed out the upcoming month's schedule to the Roberts staff, there in black and white was my vacation this upcoming week June 30th through Tuesday July 8th. Humph, I said. Later I told Evie I had considered taking that week off with the possibility of visiting Washington DC for the 4th. She said you did schedule it off. I called Jenni and reminded her of the DC possibility plans and that she and I were indeed off this coming week.
Until that moment neither of us remembered the actual act of scheduling the time.
Now I'm a little confused and concerned.
I think Jenni might be losing her mind.
Chuck Pace ©2008
I HAVEN'T LOST MY MIND, I JUST HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT WHERE I LEFT IT, IT'S HERE SOMEWHERE.
Recently we both surprised each other. Knowing each other so well we were both just knocked for a loop.
Is age creeping up on us. Are we both slipping. Is this a case of cosmic coincidence? Worry is just around the corner. I think we are still too young for senility to start staking it's claims on our mental faculties. I think.
I get three weeks of vacation a year, that is how it works for a chap or chippy who works at Roberts for over 15 years. Now, once I finish this coming August and the first week of September I get four weeks from then on until the vague and indiscernible future. That is if I remember it.
Because there is very little sales floor employee turn over at the Roberts Rodeo the camera cowboys are all getting up in their vacation days. Being a smart wrangler like I am with a lot of experience at not getting the time off I really wanted I got me an idear this year. I moseyed into Evie's office on the third of January third and staked my claims on the calendar. There is a long standing rule in place that nobody gets to take two weeks in a row. I picked my weeks, and I confirmed them with Jenni via fax and telephone call. She in turn turned in her requests for sanity recovery times.
Tuesday last, when Jenni and I went to lunch she shared an amusing circumstance at her work-place. Lori, her "Lead" person sent an e-mail saying that because Jenni was going to be on vacation this coming week that they would taper off her work-load so that she (Jenni)could concentrate on closing all the work that was out there before the requested time out of the corporate mind. She told Rebecca, her long time friend and at work superior that she wasn't on vacation this week and that she would tell Lori not to limit her incoming appeals since the department was short handed (non-overlapping vacations were taking place there as well). I listened to her amusing recital with amusement (see, it was amusing as I have already stated). The next day Rebecca told Jenni not to tell Lori, that way her (Jenni's) work load would be a little lax for a bit, Jenni again took the high road because of the work-load /staffing deficiencies and went ahead and sent Lori the e-mail.
That same day, Wednesday. Evie handed out the upcoming month's schedule to the Roberts staff, there in black and white was my vacation this upcoming week June 30th through Tuesday July 8th. Humph, I said. Later I told Evie I had considered taking that week off with the possibility of visiting Washington DC for the 4th. She said you did schedule it off. I called Jenni and reminded her of the DC possibility plans and that she and I were indeed off this coming week.
Until that moment neither of us remembered the actual act of scheduling the time.
Now I'm a little confused and concerned.
I think Jenni might be losing her mind.
Chuck Pace ©2008
I HAVEN'T LOST MY MIND, I JUST HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT WHERE I LEFT IT, IT'S HERE SOMEWHERE.
Mind Games:
Where can one go for satisfaction? Attorney General's office? Better Business bureau? S.H.I.E.L.D.? The Just League of America? League of Extraordinary Gentlemen? 6 news call for help? I'm not sure any of those exist or if they do they most likely won't have jurisdiction here in Cumberland. Why do I need an intervention of a mythical mystical magnitude? Well there can only be one answer. Comcast.
Jenni and I are again reduced to having to look at and talk to each other, or find our amusement in printed word form. Oh, sure there is the smaller "crt tube" moving phosphor delivery device in the sleep chamber for squinting at; with its archaic two point front projection of audible content or the still even smaller "monitor" in the World HQ. But since neither of those receive a Digital signal they are exempt from this current battle-royale!
The Box! There-in lies the Problem.
Did you know that Comcast can send an autonomous multi-celled organism to your cable reception location on the weekend? It is rarely done as these organisms require advanced or accelerated remuneration at the Cable Conglomerates expense. Well, ultimately at the end user/viewers expense, but still at considerable inconvenience to the Entertainment delivery megalomonster. Would you further entertain the proposition that there are still two days in a "weekend" cycle? Now that I have you readily suspending your disbelief, and thinking outside the cable-box here comes the blow the shock the point where I might lose you. Comcast will send this organism on a Sunday. No really, I do not fabricate an alternate reality here or "Jump the Shark" is to scheduled to happen here at the chuckpace.com
world HQ tomorrow. I will no doubt take some pictures of the momentous event, I wouldn't be too surprised to see some of my friends and neighbors documenting the event as well. Heck, some of them might be seen scrambling to get to work thinking that they missed their alarms, and lost a day off.
I am so hoping to not have to do a "Big Cable Company Commercial" for dish network or Direct TV soon. But it might be my chance to meet Ed Begley Jr. If my next post is in this vein I may have to call Anthony Kiritsis for resolution counseling. I here that Hellboy and the League of Extraordinary Gents are tied up right now.
Chuck Pace ©2008
Footnote: I just tried to post at 9:09 and All my cable services are down now not just "digital cable."
Jenni and I are again reduced to having to look at and talk to each other, or find our amusement in printed word form. Oh, sure there is the smaller "crt tube" moving phosphor delivery device in the sleep chamber for squinting at; with its archaic two point front projection of audible content or the still even smaller "monitor" in the World HQ. But since neither of those receive a Digital signal they are exempt from this current battle-royale!
The Box! There-in lies the Problem.
Did you know that Comcast can send an autonomous multi-celled organism to your cable reception location on the weekend? It is rarely done as these organisms require advanced or accelerated remuneration at the Cable Conglomerates expense. Well, ultimately at the end user/viewers expense, but still at considerable inconvenience to the Entertainment delivery megalomonster. Would you further entertain the proposition that there are still two days in a "weekend" cycle? Now that I have you readily suspending your disbelief, and thinking outside the cable-box here comes the blow the shock the point where I might lose you. Comcast will send this organism on a Sunday. No really, I do not fabricate an alternate reality here or "Jump the Shark" is to scheduled to happen here at the chuckpace.com
world HQ tomorrow. I will no doubt take some pictures of the momentous event, I wouldn't be too surprised to see some of my friends and neighbors documenting the event as well. Heck, some of them might be seen scrambling to get to work thinking that they missed their alarms, and lost a day off.
I am so hoping to not have to do a "Big Cable Company Commercial" for dish network or Direct TV soon. But it might be my chance to meet Ed Begley Jr. If my next post is in this vein I may have to call Anthony Kiritsis for resolution counseling. I here that Hellboy and the League of Extraordinary Gents are tied up right now.
Chuck Pace ©2008
Footnote: I just tried to post at 9:09 and All my cable services are down now not just "digital cable."
The Battle Rages On...
Thursday the long awaited day off. Thursday I was ordered to be up and cogent at 7:00 AM. A cruel thing to do to a man's day off. But it was for the arrival of the cable company commandos that the order was so given. They arrived at 7:11 (and didn't bring slushies or hot dogs) determined that which I already knew. My in-house cable receiving equipment was tip top and the signal strength was aces. I, like my wife before me (even though she was on her way to work and not at all before me) recommended a look in the junction box outside where twice in our digital storied past comcastic commandos had put some sort of signal filter in for denizens of the cul-de-sac further down the road. Twice before this filter or filters disrupted our signal and caused us untold grief (can you say Colts Playoffs 2006?). Twice before a technician had danced with my A/V equipment and found it a worthy dance companion and then found the culprit to be lurking inside the junction box outside. I said such to the dynamic duo. Yes they sent two, one to subdue the angry customer who was lacking digital cable for a fortnight, and one to repair the problem I suspect. As I proposed the box solution and filter tampering they looked on with curious and circumspective gaze. They must have thought the consumer of a querulous nature but after about twenty minutes they came back in to announce, "Well there is a problem with that box (junction) and someone will be out later today or tomorrow to look at it, you do not have to be home and they don't need to come in." I took note of the use of "look at it" instead of "fix it", and signed their silly paperwork.
6 Days Later...
Oh my god!!! It is still hit or miss, now every day that it rains the digital cable goes out completely, and it stays off for the better part of 24 hrs. We didn't get our full channel line up until Monday or Tuesday of this week, and since yesterday's pop-up storms we have been completely without digital cable again! If digital cable and HD are the current and future of cable then I think I would prefer a simpler time...
To Be Continued... yet again
6 Days Later...
Oh my god!!! It is still hit or miss, now every day that it rains the digital cable goes out completely, and it stays off for the better part of 24 hrs. We didn't get our full channel line up until Monday or Tuesday of this week, and since yesterday's pop-up storms we have been completely without digital cable again! If digital cable and HD are the current and future of cable then I think I would prefer a simpler time...
To Be Continued... yet again
Last Night Standing
Friday came and went with even more car concerns and costly costs, but I think that may be the last major non elective auto-rehab for a spell. At least that is the optimistic hope.
My friday morning post with the lizard was a bit vague on the workings of that old black magic "Pace Luck!" Here is a bit more detail.
It started on Tuesday, the day (way early in the morning) that Meredith and Michael arrived. I got just enough sleep to be punchy all day at work, and looked forward to a nice collapse. Instead after sleeping the majority of the sunshine hours off for "road-cuperation" Meredith and Michael decided to come downtown. They picked Jenni up from work and we caravanned from the parking lot to the Chatterbox. I introduced Meredith and Michael to LeAnne L-Train bailey, Kristofer Bowman and Chris West, we made short work of a couple grain-barley concoctions and then hopped into Luna to see Maggie H. for a split second. Just long enough for me to purchase the latest Portis Head CD for the loving and lovely daughter. Home and discussions of eat. Eat was to be accomplished in the convertible with a jaunt to New Palestine's Frosty Boy drive-in. Packed it was with moms, dads and little leaguers from half pint to quart sizes, and one truly great great dane. Consumption happened to the food stuffs and a ride back was in order. I chose Gem road out of New Pal towards U.S.
40 and the roads namesake berg, Gem. Not three miles out of New Pal the car decided to jump into 2nd gear from a full on trot, and we experienced what is known in automotive parlance as "limp-mode." I got us home at 40 MPH the rest of the 7 miles and parked the car in the drive. A dark cloud had positioned itself over my reunion with daughter and a 'glorious only' week of happiness. No little blue pill solution would bring the White stallion Sebring out of limp mode. Jenni did what all super hero geek-types do in a time of crises. Searched message boards for failures like ours. Darkness followed the dark in the form of night.
Jessica and Alex joined Meredith and Michael in the gardens with copious amounts of "The Captain" and I Jenni and I took our leave of the day in slumber.
Wednesday I drove the Bimmer. I sulked and moped at work until lunch time when Meredith and Michael again joined us (the Wife and I) for lunch at the Claddagh. Jenni had more news on the probable problem that limp-ered the Sebring. A solution part might exist for under $30.00. After work ended I drove Jen and I home, stopping briefly at O'Reilly Auto to find that the note from lunch was now vapor ware and that the remembered name of said solution was an error, and no such thing existed. I dropped the maiden off at the World HQ where she reproduced the information and item by merely placing hands beside the keyboard of her computer. I then hopped back into the Bimmer again to try an procure part. It was there under its real name and under $20.00 then it was not (for it was now in my possession, my precious). Apparently in the under-construction to and from drives I damaged my rear drivers side tire. It failed to do its primary design function, hold air, and I had brought another dark cloud to bear on my world.
Thursday the long awaited day off. Thursday I was ordered to be up and cogent at 7:00 AM. A cruel thing to do to a man's day off. But it was for the arrival of the cable company commandos that the order was so given. They arrived at 7:11 (and didn't bring slushies or hot dogs) determined that which I already knew. My in-house cable receiving equipment was tip top and the signal strength was aces. I, like my wife before me (even though she was on her way to work and not at all before me) recommended a look in the junction box outside where twice in our digital storied past comcastic commandos had put some sort of signal filter in for denizens of the cul-de-sac further down the road. Twice before this filter or filters disrupted our signal and caused us untold grief (can you say Colts Playoffs 2006?). Twice before a technician had danced with my A/V equipment and found it a worthy dance companion and then found the culprit to be lurking inside the junction box outside. I said such to the dynamic duo. Yes they sent two on to subdue the angry customer who was lacking digital cable for a fortnight, and one to repair the problem I suspect. As I proposed the box solution and filter tampering they looked on with curious and circumspective gaze. They must have thought the consumer of a querulous nature but after about twenty minutes they came back in to announce, "Well there is a problem with that box (junction) and someone will be out later today or tomorrow to look at it, you do not have to be home and they don't need to come in." I took note of the us of look at it instead of fix it, and signed their silly paperwork.
To Be Continued...
My friday morning post with the lizard was a bit vague on the workings of that old black magic "Pace Luck!" Here is a bit more detail.
It started on Tuesday, the day (way early in the morning) that Meredith and Michael arrived. I got just enough sleep to be punchy all day at work, and looked forward to a nice collapse. Instead after sleeping the majority of the sunshine hours off for "road-cuperation" Meredith and Michael decided to come downtown. They picked Jenni up from work and we caravanned from the parking lot to the Chatterbox. I introduced Meredith and Michael to LeAnne L-Train bailey, Kristofer Bowman and Chris West, we made short work of a couple grain-barley concoctions and then hopped into Luna to see Maggie H. for a split second. Just long enough for me to purchase the latest Portis Head CD for the loving and lovely daughter. Home and discussions of eat. Eat was to be accomplished in the convertible with a jaunt to New Palestine's Frosty Boy drive-in. Packed it was with moms, dads and little leaguers from half pint to quart sizes, and one truly great great dane. Consumption happened to the food stuffs and a ride back was in order. I chose Gem road out of New Pal towards U.S.
40 and the roads namesake berg, Gem. Not three miles out of New Pal the car decided to jump into 2nd gear from a full on trot, and we experienced what is known in automotive parlance as "limp-mode." I got us home at 40 MPH the rest of the 7 miles and parked the car in the drive. A dark cloud had positioned itself over my reunion with daughter and a 'glorious only' week of happiness. No little blue pill solution would bring the White stallion Sebring out of limp mode. Jenni did what all super hero geek-types do in a time of crises. Searched message boards for failures like ours. Darkness followed the dark in the form of night.
Jessica and Alex joined Meredith and Michael in the gardens with copious amounts of "The Captain" and I Jenni and I took our leave of the day in slumber.
Wednesday I drove the Bimmer. I sulked and moped at work until lunch time when Meredith and Michael again joined us (the Wife and I) for lunch at the Claddagh. Jenni had more news on the probable problem that limp-ered the Sebring. A solution part might exist for under $30.00. After work ended I drove Jen and I home, stopping briefly at O'Reilly Auto to find that the note from lunch was now vapor ware and that the remembered name of said solution was an error, and no such thing existed. I dropped the maiden off at the World HQ where she reproduced the information and item by merely placing hands beside the keyboard of her computer. I then hopped back into the Bimmer again to try an procure part. It was there under its real name and under $20.00 then it was not (for it was now in my possession, my precious). Apparently in the under-construction to and from drives I damaged my rear drivers side tire. It failed to do its primary design function, hold air, and I had brought another dark cloud to bear on my world.
Thursday the long awaited day off. Thursday I was ordered to be up and cogent at 7:00 AM. A cruel thing to do to a man's day off. But it was for the arrival of the cable company commandos that the order was so given. They arrived at 7:11 (and didn't bring slushies or hot dogs) determined that which I already knew. My in-house cable receiving equipment was tip top and the signal strength was aces. I, like my wife before me (even though she was on her way to work and not at all before me) recommended a look in the junction box outside where twice in our digital storied past comcastic commandos had put some sort of signal filter in for denizens of the cul-de-sac further down the road. Twice before this filter or filters disrupted our signal and caused us untold grief (can you say Colts Playoffs 2006?). Twice before a technician had danced with my A/V equipment and found it a worthy dance companion and then found the culprit to be lurking inside the junction box outside. I said such to the dynamic duo. Yes they sent two on to subdue the angry customer who was lacking digital cable for a fortnight, and one to repair the problem I suspect. As I proposed the box solution and filter tampering they looked on with curious and circumspective gaze. They must have thought the consumer of a querulous nature but after about twenty minutes they came back in to announce, "Well there is a problem with that box (junction) and someone will be out later today or tomorrow to look at it, you do not have to be home and they don't need to come in." I took note of the us of look at it instead of fix it, and signed their silly paperwork.
To Be Continued...
Cable Guy pt 2
Goodness what a busy week. A week in which cable finally got fixed (and other things broke).
Meredith and Michael arrived on Tuesday morning at 4:32AM. I got to sleep that morning for about two and a half hours before heading off to the retail factory.
A no Frills day off. I have the scales under my eyes!
Cars. Travels, travails and a bit of honey in the shape of my only child.
Yesterday was like half a week just in itself. One car to the tire barn for new tires on the front. (An unexpected flat going to get a part for the other car which had its own unexpected surprise for the family). Another car to the shop to put on the (parenthetical) part, a trip to the zoo, and movie and, and.
Oh I'm out of time here I will relate when I won't have to be late.
Chuck Pace ©2008
Meredith and Michael arrived on Tuesday morning at 4:32AM. I got to sleep that morning for about two and a half hours before heading off to the retail factory.
A no Frills day off. I have the scales under my eyes!
Cars. Travels, travails and a bit of honey in the shape of my only child.
Yesterday was like half a week just in itself. One car to the tire barn for new tires on the front. (An unexpected flat going to get a part for the other car which had its own unexpected surprise for the family). Another car to the shop to put on the (parenthetical) part, a trip to the zoo, and movie and, and.
Oh I'm out of time here I will relate when I won't have to be late.
Chuck Pace ©2008
Cable Guy
Another week is gone almost before it started. It seems like these days just fly by. But today is the equalizing day. Today after waiting since Last Sunday. The Cable guy is supposed to be here between 7:00 and 9:00. This will get the slow time back in the system. This will be like drinking powerade to replenishing the today after a hard active day. We have had computer access and non-digital cable at the other sets but the digital and HD have been out for most of the week. Here is the weird part. One of those really bad stormy days, when there were power outages and such, that day when the power came back on and we reset all the clocks. That day the digital cable was back on for the night. The next morning? Nada. So here we are not going to work on time. Here we sit, waiting for the technician or someone like him.
"Forgive me father, it has been 9 days since my last cyber-confession." My sin is one of time. I have wasted a little, lost a lot and never had enough. I have let people down and left them wandering in a desert of darkness about my shabby meager existence, I offer an act of contrition. I offer an apology. I offer this post as a foundation for light in the growing darkness.
I know it has been 9 days since I posted, I know many of you have been anxious. I know many of you have abandoned me all together, I know some things. I have been busy. I have been tested at the bowling arena and fond wanting. I have been working, and that has been hard. People off, people missing days, lots of people last minute remembering that they have fathers and there is a day to remember on the event horizon.
What has been the hold up? Weather and weather, wether you believe it or not.
Here is where I wanted to add a bunch of pictures of my work on the patio and the decking extensions I added, here is where I was going to a show some pictures of the flowers I bought and planted in pots and beds and such, after the decking was decked and just needed to be decked out in color.
Here is where I head back to the confessional of my mind and not to the cyber-attrition outlet mall. This time it is time again not weather but the continuity of existence and the requirements that that places on a linear being like myself. Maybe pictrures soon...
... maybe.
Chuck Pace ©2008
"Forgive me father, it has been 9 days since my last cyber-confession." My sin is one of time. I have wasted a little, lost a lot and never had enough. I have let people down and left them wandering in a desert of darkness about my shabby meager existence, I offer an act of contrition. I offer an apology. I offer this post as a foundation for light in the growing darkness.
I know it has been 9 days since I posted, I know many of you have been anxious. I know many of you have abandoned me all together, I know some things. I have been busy. I have been tested at the bowling arena and fond wanting. I have been working, and that has been hard. People off, people missing days, lots of people last minute remembering that they have fathers and there is a day to remember on the event horizon.
What has been the hold up? Weather and weather, wether you believe it or not.
Here is where I wanted to add a bunch of pictures of my work on the patio and the decking extensions I added, here is where I was going to a show some pictures of the flowers I bought and planted in pots and beds and such, after the decking was decked and just needed to be decked out in color.
Here is where I head back to the confessional of my mind and not to the cyber-attrition outlet mall. This time it is time again not weather but the continuity of existence and the requirements that that places on a linear being like myself. Maybe pictrures soon...
... maybe.
Chuck Pace ©2008
A Bridge Too Far Gone
The Moscow Bridge in Rush County 10/20/2007 , Chuck Pace ©2007, 2008
I got this e-mail from Kay last night:
To which I replied, "Yes I got a couple of dozen photos of the Moscow Bridge last fall";
The date was 10/20/07 and we, Jenni and I arrived at the Moscow Bridge at around 3:08 in the afternoon, I did take a plethora of pics of this most astounding bridge marvel. One of the longest standing Burr Arch style bridges in existence. Built in 1886 by Emmet L. Kennedy it was over 347 feet long (over the length of a Football Field) it had two internal arches and spanned the Big Flatrock River, and a feeder creek. Here are a fews of my shots from that day. I too am sorry about the loss of this historical monument to the past. This bridge was put on the National Register of by the U.S. Department of Interior, and its loss is another disconnect to our past and the ingenuity of the people of Indiana and America.
Here are some of my shots:
Above: The Entrance. Below: One of the Giant Arch spans.
Each side seen from the bank.
May she always be remembered for her 122 years of service.
Chuck Pace ©2008
The Work Continues
Well, or should I say Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho. In 75 minutes my vacation will be officially over. Jenni said it was so at Midnight last but I beg to differ. I am my own man until I clock in I say, shoot, were I of a mind I could shoot off to Borneo or Kazakastan, or even Sri Lanka and just not return to the rigors of laboring for a wage at all. But no I am of a mind to survive and thusly I will be taking my place among the ranks of the gainfully employed again in some scant 75 minutes. Wish me well. That bag is now catless. Good day.
Chuck Pace ©2008
Chuck Pace ©2008
Loss: Storms and Damages
Before we left Geneva for the second time on Wednesday night, I suggested that we get a room in Portland 11 miles to the south and take up the search again in the morning, it was around 11:15 PM then instead we headed back to Matthews and the Cumberland bridge which was the last place that we had gotten out of the car that had to be retraced. From there it was the interstate and home as quick as possible. Thursday I was in no mood to retrace the route and had resigned to the fact that the iPhone was gone, besides I had much more home-work to attend to and didn't really feel like another day on the road. Like I mentioned in the Mad Scramble Post I purchased a "cheaper" phone which had taken just about all the patience I had left.
One Room School from 1913 in a Jay County field on a Friday Afternoon.
Friday Morning: I ought to have my head examined. Well I am actually going to have my eyes examined at 9:40 roughly 20 minutes after Jenni goes in to have hers examined. By the time I get out of my optical observation and examination Jenni is already ready to get her glasses started in the about an hour process, We look at the 5 or so pairs of frames she has winnowed down to and I pick two that I like the best then she and I and Eve our optical consultant land on the pair that will be gracing her face from now on. In a similar process I narrow the ranks of ocular enhancement holding devices from four to one and we are off to the lab. They say about two hours total and we go home. Jenni is on a crusade to find a metal detector so we can storm the wooded path near the Ceylon Covered Bridge which is where I added my last notes on the iPhones note pad, and the last place I could place having the phone. At home Jenni calls our Wal-Mart and then the one in Portland Indiana too, then after none of them have a detector she tries Dicks and they say the have them.
A fine Round Barn in Jay County.
We pack up the car and cooler with waters and sodas again, but no cheeses or wines this time. This time it's not for leisure,and we high-tail it up to the Marion exit on I-69 and we're at the picnic area in just about 2 hours. No luck there so it's the Water tower spot and the Gene Stratton Porter home again and a call to the Geneva Marshall, who offers to write a letter for insurance purposes, but with a deductible there is no point. I decide that the trip to Matthews should be an experience at least now that the other three spots have failed to pan out. So it's small roads and bergs and missing towns like Corkwell, Center, Pony and Dunkirk which is a very nice little town. Just past where Pony should have been on Jay County CR 800 W a 1/4 mile south of Division Road was a nice Round Barn, and a mile and a quarter further south of that just off on CR 200 S was a dilapidated 1913 one room school house in a field. Matthews was a bust too as I had already expected, although we did uncover a copper belt buckle or a hair pin or something and two pennies with the metal detector. South out of Matthews we hit Gaston, Cammack, Yorktown, MIddletown and Markleville. Going south out of Markleville we found a farm selling brown eggs for $1.50 a dozen and relieved them of two dozen. Another couple of miles and we hit SR 234 which goes into McCordsville, then it was South to Mt Comfort, and bing, bang. boom we are home.
Friday Night: Just a couple miles north of us tornadoes touch down at 42nd St. and Mitthoeffer, then they continue due east through, Mt. Comfort RV and down a route I like to take to Greenfield, CR 200N which turns into New Rd in Greenfield.
No place for baby-dolls, straight line winds or Tornado, it was devastating.
The Power Towers look on at fallen comrades on either side of CR 200 N, you can almost see the sorrow in their drooping arms and slumped shoulders.
Saturday Morning: Up at the crack of early-enough we head to the LensCrafters and pick up our specs, then East on the National Road to Greenfield for breakfast at the Cracker Barrel there. We saw a few trees uprooted in Greenfield and some other storm related damage as we headed up SR 9 towards New road and the Breakfast. After eats I suggested we go home the way I like, and a couple of miles before Mt. Comfort Rd (CR 600 W) we encountered a road closed sign. We went on anyway until we were stopped by power lines down in the road , there was a lot of damage to trees and barns and a few torn up roofs on the area. We saw miracles like a huge tree broken off four feet from the ground not 25 feet from a small house without a scratch on it, or a canoe in the middle of a field, or a top of a pine tree a good half mile from any pine trees.
We had a few small branches broken and a couple of bushing plants looked as if a hippo had sat on them but other than that we suffered no real ill effects from the storms. During the downpour of rains and heavy winds we noticed that our downspouts and gutter were clogged, so Saturday after getting home from Greenfield I took my handy ladder and cleaned out the gutters, I also got up on the roof and looked around. There are a few shingles damaged up there.
Parting Shot: Pine Tree where is thy Home?
Chuck Pace ©2008
One Room School from 1913 in a Jay County field on a Friday Afternoon.
Friday Morning: I ought to have my head examined. Well I am actually going to have my eyes examined at 9:40 roughly 20 minutes after Jenni goes in to have hers examined. By the time I get out of my optical observation and examination Jenni is already ready to get her glasses started in the about an hour process, We look at the 5 or so pairs of frames she has winnowed down to and I pick two that I like the best then she and I and Eve our optical consultant land on the pair that will be gracing her face from now on. In a similar process I narrow the ranks of ocular enhancement holding devices from four to one and we are off to the lab. They say about two hours total and we go home. Jenni is on a crusade to find a metal detector so we can storm the wooded path near the Ceylon Covered Bridge which is where I added my last notes on the iPhones note pad, and the last place I could place having the phone. At home Jenni calls our Wal-Mart and then the one in Portland Indiana too, then after none of them have a detector she tries Dicks and they say the have them.
A fine Round Barn in Jay County.
We pack up the car and cooler with waters and sodas again, but no cheeses or wines this time. This time it's not for leisure,and we high-tail it up to the Marion exit on I-69 and we're at the picnic area in just about 2 hours. No luck there so it's the Water tower spot and the Gene Stratton Porter home again and a call to the Geneva Marshall, who offers to write a letter for insurance purposes, but with a deductible there is no point. I decide that the trip to Matthews should be an experience at least now that the other three spots have failed to pan out. So it's small roads and bergs and missing towns like Corkwell, Center, Pony and Dunkirk which is a very nice little town. Just past where Pony should have been on Jay County CR 800 W a 1/4 mile south of Division Road was a nice Round Barn, and a mile and a quarter further south of that just off on CR 200 S was a dilapidated 1913 one room school house in a field. Matthews was a bust too as I had already expected, although we did uncover a copper belt buckle or a hair pin or something and two pennies with the metal detector. South out of Matthews we hit Gaston, Cammack, Yorktown, MIddletown and Markleville. Going south out of Markleville we found a farm selling brown eggs for $1.50 a dozen and relieved them of two dozen. Another couple of miles and we hit SR 234 which goes into McCordsville, then it was South to Mt Comfort, and bing, bang. boom we are home.
Friday Night: Just a couple miles north of us tornadoes touch down at 42nd St. and Mitthoeffer, then they continue due east through, Mt. Comfort RV and down a route I like to take to Greenfield, CR 200N which turns into New Rd in Greenfield.
No place for baby-dolls, straight line winds or Tornado, it was devastating.
The Power Towers look on at fallen comrades on either side of CR 200 N, you can almost see the sorrow in their drooping arms and slumped shoulders.
We had a few small branches broken and a couple of bushing plants looked as if a hippo had sat on them but other than that we suffered no real ill effects from the storms. During the downpour of rains and heavy winds we noticed that our downspouts and gutter were clogged, so Saturday after getting home from Greenfield I took my handy ladder and cleaned out the gutters, I also got up on the roof and looked around. There are a few shingles damaged up there.
Parting Shot: Pine Tree where is thy Home?
Chuck Pace ©2008
Amble and Mad Scramble
Wednesday: The National Road, US 40 which cuts through the center of Indianapolis goes West as far as St. Louis MO (originally only to Vandalia Illinois) and East all the way to Maryland. Wednesday morning I proposed to my wife a trip that would take us as far as Richmond to the east and then North to Ceylon. Now the most brilliant of you will sparkle like Rubies and Sapphires from exotic Ceylon just of the southern coast of India, but I do not mean Sri Lanka which was know as Ceylon until 1972. I mean Ceylon Indiana (see; adding the extra na after India moves you thousands of miles closer to Indianapolis --at a considerable savings in gas too).
Gas in the car, crackers, cheeses, wine and sodas coolered and in the trunk, top down boot in place for added aero and the Garmin on the dash, we headed out at 1:18PM. A leisurely pace set (for two leisurely Pace's) we stopped at several of the Historic National Road Yard Sale stops. This is the 5th year that the states of Maryland, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois have held this event, and it will continue yearly until at least 2012 on the first Wednesday after Memorial day thru the following Sunday.
Downtown Lewisville and a Public Works. Chuck Pace © 2008
During the northward leg of the days adventure we drove through the towns of Chester, Fountain City, Lynn , Winchester, Randolph, Deerfield, Bluff Point, College Corner, Portland, Pleasant Ridge, Antiville, Bryant, Geneva and Ceylon. All during the trip from our leaving Indy to our destination I would use the iPhones "notes" feature to record times and places and oddities. The trip from Cumberland to Ceylon's Bridge took us 112 miles and 4 hours 20 minutes.
Looking SE at the Ceylon Bridge over the Wabash. Chuck Pace ©2008
Since I had gone to Matthews alone and taken photos of the Cumberland Bridge on the Mississenewa River in the late fall of '07 on one of my Thursdays off, I thought Jenni might like to see it in all its splendor with her own eyes. Besides it was on the route I chose to head back to Indy, on a day of wander-lost. she readily agreed and we headed back down US 27 to SR 18 which goes East and West from Ohio to Illinois. Our trip would only use 20 of its approximately 150 or miles, and we joined it already in progress at Bryant leaving it again at Roll after having driven through Fiat, Matamoras and Montpelier. South on SR 1 to Hartford City then West again on SR's 26/22 until SR 26 it splits with SR 22 and heads south 2.5 miles before again turning West. At that turn point there is a road that takes you into Matthews and becomes of all things Massachusetts Avenue a 1/2 mile strip of road at a 45° angle to the N/S-E/W grid that is Indiana. Having been there once before I drove straight to the bridge and we de-verted and stretched and photographed and marveled. Then back on the road back up to SR 26 and to the Interstate for a short jaunt.
We exited I-69 at the Muncie/Alexandria exit SR 28/US 35. The Petros truck stop allowed us to fill the cars tank and empty our internal tanks. Alexandria and then Elwood where I stopped to put the top up since sunburned arms were getting cold and dusk was upon us. At the southern tip of Elwood IN 13 joins up with SR 37 for about 7 miles until SR 13 continues nearly due South and SR 37 goes S/SE to Noblesville and then Indy. We stayed on 13 through Perkinsville, Fishersberg, Lapel and Hardscrabble. A mile south of Hardscrabble, less than twenty miles from Fortville I reached down to adjust my belt and seat-belt. That's when it happened. That's when I noticed.
"WHERE THE HELL IS MY iPHONE!!" I pulled over at the next crossroads, got the car out of the road and then the mad scramble and panic. Under the Seats, the armrest and glovebox, the trunk, pockets, door pockets. The trunk again all the other spots again under the spare tire in the trunk in the cooler the bags again and again.
After a 10 minute repetitive search with a full barrage of expletives a minute to compose thoughts, mentally retrace steps, plan a course of futility or recovery.
Places out of the car. McClure station at SR 28 and SR 37 to put top up. Petros fuel station and restroom SR 28 @ I-69. Matthews Bridge and park. Turn of the last century Indiana author Gene Stratton Porter house in Geneva. Geneva water tower photo opp. Ceylon Bridge, woods, park and picnic area.
The Water-tower photo and the Gene Stratton Porter domicile, CDP © 5/28/08
WE turned around and went back, at McClure I asked and got the nopes from two station employees. Then I spent $7.00 on a shitty flashlight and two re-packaged Duracell D batteries. Petros. Nope-os. Now it is dark, we take 69 North to Marion exit then 18 east all the way back to Bryant and up to Geneva. Not in Stratton Porter parking or areas outside I visited. Spot from which I photographed Geneva tower. Nada. Ceylon Bridge in the dark, headlights , fog lights and intermittent flashlight to no avail. Back on SR 18 then to Matthews and the Cumberland bridge. Then depression set in. We were home at 1:30 AM Thursday morning for a nights sleep. 10 am Thursday at ATT to see what, and if and now what. A new iPhone is coming in a few months with newer, better and more features. so the Idea is to wait. The clerk suggests an upgrade which is in reality a downgrade and almost a torture device by comparison.
Any device designed and based on a illogical and counter intuitive Windows system is going to be difficult to use. Nothing is as easy and intuitive as the iPhone which since day one I never had to refer to a manual or even looked up anything on the computer with the iPhone. Like they say. It just works.
I spent the rest of Thursday cussing the damnable Blackberry Pearl II, and adding insulation to the garage doors. Gardening and Watching "The Good Shepherd."
The Cumberland Bridge re-revisited. Chuck Pace © 2008
Friday we went to Dick's Sporting Goods and bought a metal detector (if Travis was not on vacation too, I would have borrowed his. I have run afoul of my Luck-Dragon I guess) and went back to the 'out of car' sites again in daylight. Guess what? We found out that I still had the Phone on my hip when we left the Ceylon Bridge from photos Jenni downloaded after we got back from Fridays re-occuring day-mare.
At least I added more photos to my growing Cumberland Bridge library. More about Friday's trip in the next post; I am here for 4 1/2 hours doing this one with photos and research and I now have to go make 'eat on fire outside'. Ugg!
Chuck Pace (CDP) ©2008
Prior to Amble
You will think this strange. When in reality it is a balance achieved. Yin and Yang are served. There is a part of each in the other and they cannot be separated.
I chose the past week to take my second vacation for a reason. That reason is my daughters birthing anniversary. Lovely Meredith's birth remembrance day was on the 27th of May, the last day in which I posted, until now.
Much has befell me and my wife since the great day of daughter. Shall I illuminate your path of my recollection with a beacon of words gentle traveler?
When the time off was first requested (way back in January) it was my thought that we drive to Florida and surprise Meredith on her day. This was prior to the death of das Mädchen, or the rebuilding of the Blue Frankenstien. Then there came the great Convertible buy (under extremely sad conditions), and a open air drive was added to amend the trip plans. Before that happened but not long after that Meredith the brave, bold and brilliant bought a black beauty. She did her homework as befits a bold, brave...etc. and after a few days of haggling drove off a Dodge dealership with her very first new car. A Dodge Caliber to be exact, this gave my darling daughter happy feet (well foot actually, since there is only one actively involved in most of the automatic transmission motoring). She declared to her mother, (who's own birthing remembrance is in this newly born month) that she would be upon our doorstep prior to the celebrated day. Another decision was reached and our plans of a Florida in the sun became vapor.
Saturday May 24th: At precisely 4:31PM my vacation began as my workweek came to a close. I had thought that since the vacation trip to The Sunshine State was aborted that a three day affair in West Middle Tennessee might indeed be in order. Wednesday would have been the target day of exodus. Yet again a decision was made and it came not to pass my brethren.
Sunday: Race day and Cathy Morris w/ Darrell and Jack at the Chatterbox afterwards.
Monday: Memorial day. I tried to reach my brother Dennis near Kokomo and found that the phone numbers were no longer available. Called dad and wished him a happy memorial day, and got Dennis and Cathy's new cell phone numbers (like so m,any others they have ditched the land line and gone cell phonly, brain tumors be damned! I spent the day choring and projecting, the night aching.
Tuesday: Planting and more chores and tasks knocked off the list. Bowling: a resurrection of sorts, after a major correction series the week before rendering my high average and low handicap ineffectual I recovered a bit with one game over handicap (the only one we won).
Wednesday: With two plans already aborted and a bit of hey we should be having fun because it's our vacation we decided to take a road trip. I chose a destination based on those bridges that are to shy to be uncovered (which Indiana has an abundance of I might add).
This is when it happened, the absolute low point of the entire vacation and a major bummer for the year I also add.
I think Wednesday requires its own post.
CDP ©2008
I chose the past week to take my second vacation for a reason. That reason is my daughters birthing anniversary. Lovely Meredith's birth remembrance day was on the 27th of May, the last day in which I posted, until now.
Much has befell me and my wife since the great day of daughter. Shall I illuminate your path of my recollection with a beacon of words gentle traveler?
When the time off was first requested (way back in January) it was my thought that we drive to Florida and surprise Meredith on her day. This was prior to the death of das Mädchen, or the rebuilding of the Blue Frankenstien. Then there came the great Convertible buy (under extremely sad conditions), and a open air drive was added to amend the trip plans. Before that happened but not long after that Meredith the brave, bold and brilliant bought a black beauty. She did her homework as befits a bold, brave...etc. and after a few days of haggling drove off a Dodge dealership with her very first new car. A Dodge Caliber to be exact, this gave my darling daughter happy feet (well foot actually, since there is only one actively involved in most of the automatic transmission motoring). She declared to her mother, (who's own birthing remembrance is in this newly born month) that she would be upon our doorstep prior to the celebrated day. Another decision was reached and our plans of a Florida in the sun became vapor.
Saturday May 24th: At precisely 4:31PM my vacation began as my workweek came to a close. I had thought that since the vacation trip to The Sunshine State was aborted that a three day affair in West Middle Tennessee might indeed be in order. Wednesday would have been the target day of exodus. Yet again a decision was made and it came not to pass my brethren.
Monday: Memorial day. I tried to reach my brother Dennis near Kokomo and found that the phone numbers were no longer available. Called dad and wished him a happy memorial day, and got Dennis and Cathy's new cell phone numbers (like so m,any others they have ditched the land line and gone cell phonly, brain tumors be damned! I spent the day choring and projecting, the night aching.
Tuesday: Planting and more chores and tasks knocked off the list. Bowling: a resurrection of sorts, after a major correction series the week before rendering my high average and low handicap ineffectual I recovered a bit with one game over handicap (the only one we won).
Wednesday: With two plans already aborted and a bit of hey we should be having fun because it's our vacation we decided to take a road trip. I chose a destination based on those bridges that are to shy to be uncovered (which Indiana has an abundance of I might add).
This is when it happened, the absolute low point of the entire vacation and a major bummer for the year I also add.
I think Wednesday requires its own post.
CDP ©2008