Lasterdays
So ends another month, they sure fly by. So much has happened in this one that it is hard to recap. Lets look at Chatterbowling for example. That league started as a 10 week league but we got 12 teams together, so it was expanded to 12 weeks. Then there was a sub-pool that saw lots of action but timing in the summer is bad even for subs the league had to take one week off near the end because 11 additional subs were needed, and there weren't 11 available. We also took the Memorial day Monday off to give many a 3 day weekend.
The end of the league saw the usual suspects near the front, and my team shamefully in 10th place, we had a run in he middle where we lost all the points three weeks in a row, that turned out to be an insurmountable obstacle for team glory.
Chuck Pace ©2009
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The end of the league saw the usual suspects near the front, and my team shamefully in 10th place, we had a run in he middle where we lost all the points three weeks in a row, that turned out to be an insurmountable obstacle for team glory.
Chuck Pace ©2009
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Best Time to Test Your Luck!
The last couple of times I drove the Blue Frankenstein (my term of endearment for my '86 BMW 535i) it was missing out pretty badly in slow idle, would try (often successfully) to die on take off from a stop. I talked to bowling buddy and BMW enthusiast Clayton Hamilton about this situation a few times at All*Star Bowl and the Chatterbox, he recommended fuel injector cleaner and a drive of 20 or 30 minutes minimum, well that's fine if you are driving in circles, but to drive 15 minutes away in a car acting wonky and then hoping to get back in another 15 minutes (or at all) takes a bit of a leap of faith.
Well I was planning on doing some yardening after my bowling outing ended at mid day, but the weather told me not to bother. So after puttering around I decided to take the Blue on a trip since I had put a bottle of injector cleaner in the tank. It was 3:50 PM and it was raining. The Car had been on a battery Charger in "maintain mode" for a few days because the battery had died before the last attempt to drive, about a week ago. This time it started right up, I put the windows up and closed the sunroof to vent position then backed out of the garage, two block later as the care started to warm up it also started to miss a bit, but I wanted to give the treatment a chance to treat so I stayed with it. Six blocks from home it died as I was getting ready to turn after waiting for a light, some anxious cranking then back under way.
This being a shakedown, and fuel-system clean-up check I did the only logical thing, I got on the interstate heading away from town with the early rush-hour 8 to 4 crowd. The maximum speed with this bunch was around 50 miles per hour because of traffic and
road work. I took I-70 east from Post to the Mt. Comfort Exit and back to 465 Northbound and the Shadeland exit ansd a quick loop at 71st St. then back to Shadeland, then 16th St. and home. Total travel time 52 minutes plus another 8 or 10 ofwarm up before leaving, and the prognosis is good. The idle smoothed out and the shi-shimmy's settled down too, I'm planning on driving it to work on Saturday.
You may have noticed that the Blue is kind of gray in places, that is primer on the hood and fenders and in some other spots as well. Some day I will either finish restoring it or sell it.
Chuck Pace ©2009
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Well I was planning on doing some yardening after my bowling outing ended at mid day, but the weather told me not to bother. So after puttering around I decided to take the Blue on a trip since I had put a bottle of injector cleaner in the tank. It was 3:50 PM and it was raining. The Car had been on a battery Charger in "maintain mode" for a few days because the battery had died before the last attempt to drive, about a week ago. This time it started right up, I put the windows up and closed the sunroof to vent position then backed out of the garage, two block later as the care started to warm up it also started to miss a bit, but I wanted to give the treatment a chance to treat so I stayed with it. Six blocks from home it died as I was getting ready to turn after waiting for a light, some anxious cranking then back under way.
This being a shakedown, and fuel-system clean-up check I did the only logical thing, I got on the interstate heading away from town with the early rush-hour 8 to 4 crowd. The maximum speed with this bunch was around 50 miles per hour because of traffic and
You may have noticed that the Blue is kind of gray in places, that is primer on the hood and fenders and in some other spots as well. Some day I will either finish restoring it or sell it.
Chuck Pace ©2009
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Always On is On. On and Off isn't.
There. Another attempt. power
Give Me Power, Or give me dark! Ummm, just power please. Please. Please
... as I was saying, I left off on the 13th thinking I'd be posting again in a day or two, but man life can sure get hectic.
I have every other Thursday off, so I'm off right now (insert predictable comment here) enjoying a pretty morning and getting back in the blogging.
My last Thursday off, the 16th didn't really go as planned, I had a big bonus on my check and I had options on how to stimulate the economy. I also had a few legitimate errands to run, one was to the Mac Experience where I hoped to get my iPhone debugged since it would not communicate with my Macs anymore since the last Mac iTunes firmware update. I talked to David Wainscott there and he got me back in the flow with their more modern and powerful computers. I considered bringing one home, then declined.
Before I left the house I paid my ATT bill and saw that I could update to the newer iPhone 3G or 3Gs, contemplated that move but thought it best to get the current iPhone back in contact with the mothership iTunes software first. Good call.
After lunch and that visit with the Mac Experience fellows, I drove back home and stood in the back yard contemplating the patio/deck. I could add on. I had the truck and time and I had money for treated lumber. While in the yard I decided I'd water the garden as I contemplated yet other valuable uses of my time and efforts and well the center of the hose bib for the garden hose stripped out, I thought well maybe I'm going to office depot to get a new hose bib assembly instead of lumber. I unmounted it from the wall, saw where the pipe goes into the bib and took my pipe wrenches to those to disconnect it, instead of a successful quick and easy plumbing task I got troubles for my trouble. The poor grade copper pipes from the builders and contractors who assembled our home for us 17 years prior twisted in two making a simple job impossible for my plumbing skill set.
Here is where I have to mention that a several years ago the single knob faucet in the guest bathroom shower and tub started leaking into the tub. My father (a veritable renaissance man and jack of all trades) offered to assist me in replacing the failing unit (we were in Florida at the time it was offered, and he had not seen the unit first hand). Time passes, more water under the tap (bridge just doesn't work here) and the problem gets worse. Finally a year ago Mom and Dad are up visiting and a unit is purchased to replace the failing constant-runner. Upon further review, dad was reluctant to tackle the project, since the wall would have to be cut through from the backside. Not only that but pipes would need to be cut and fitted and brazed back together too. I didn't have the torch and tools at the time to make that happen nor the budget to get them.
Back to the day of concern, Thursday the 16th it was still early in the day around 12:30 and I had turned the water off inside the house to keep a bad situation from getting out of hand totally. Next step Dial-One, and within an hour a Benjamin Franklin Punctual Plumber was pulling up in front of the house, I told him of the problems I had had with my bib (without getting any one me) and he said no problem money can't fix (in completely different phrases, but that was the gist), next I walked him into the secondary bathing area and explained the situation there, he thought the guts could be replaced and quoted me the flat rate total for both jobs. Just under $500. I said have a good time and stayed out of his way. The hose bib was project one and took a goodly piece of time (but it was not an hourly deal, flat rate quote and all), that job done on to the bath. Here he came to the inevitable conclusion that the piece in there was also cheap-ass crap and could not be repaired, therefore replacement would be the only way. I brought him the unit we had purchased and asked if he could install that, he said it would save money and proceeded. That took a long time too but finally the job was done, Jenni had been home for over an hour, the water was back on and not trickling when the tap was off and Michael the plumber was leaving at 7:45. The bill with the cutting brazing and install was more ( $908) than a simple parts replacement and I was able to spend all of my bonus pay for a hard month of sales on one days efforts. I didn't get to buy toys bit it was worth it, and had to be done, and my water bills are going to shrink!
Chuck Pace ©2009
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Give Me Power, Or give me dark! Ummm, just power please. Please. Please
... as I was saying, I left off on the 13th thinking I'd be posting again in a day or two, but man life can sure get hectic.
I have every other Thursday off, so I'm off right now (insert predictable comment here) enjoying a pretty morning and getting back in the blogging.
My last Thursday off, the 16th didn't really go as planned, I had a big bonus on my check and I had options on how to stimulate the economy. I also had a few legitimate errands to run, one was to the Mac Experience where I hoped to get my iPhone debugged since it would not communicate with my Macs anymore since the last Mac iTunes firmware update. I talked to David Wainscott there and he got me back in the flow with their more modern and powerful computers. I considered bringing one home, then declined.
Before I left the house I paid my ATT bill and saw that I could update to the newer iPhone 3G or 3Gs, contemplated that move but thought it best to get the current iPhone back in contact with the mothership iTunes software first. Good call.
After lunch and that visit with the Mac Experience fellows, I drove back home and stood in the back yard contemplating the patio/deck. I could add on. I had the truck and time and I had money for treated lumber. While in the yard I decided I'd water the garden as I contemplated yet other valuable uses of my time and efforts and well the center of the hose bib for the garden hose stripped out, I thought well maybe I'm going to office depot to get a new hose bib assembly instead of lumber. I unmounted it from the wall, saw where the pipe goes into the bib and took my pipe wrenches to those to disconnect it, instead of a successful quick and easy plumbing task I got troubles for my trouble. The poor grade copper pipes from the builders and contractors who assembled our home for us 17 years prior twisted in two making a simple job impossible for my plumbing skill set.
Here is where I have to mention that a several years ago the single knob faucet in the guest bathroom shower and tub started leaking into the tub. My father (a veritable renaissance man and jack of all trades) offered to assist me in replacing the failing unit (we were in Florida at the time it was offered, and he had not seen the unit first hand). Time passes, more water under the tap (bridge just doesn't work here) and the problem gets worse. Finally a year ago Mom and Dad are up visiting and a unit is purchased to replace the failing constant-runner. Upon further review, dad was reluctant to tackle the project, since the wall would have to be cut through from the backside. Not only that but pipes would need to be cut and fitted and brazed back together too. I didn't have the torch and tools at the time to make that happen nor the budget to get them.
Back to the day of concern, Thursday the 16th it was still early in the day around 12:30 and I had turned the water off inside the house to keep a bad situation from getting out of hand totally. Next step Dial-One, and within an hour a Benjamin Franklin Punctual Plumber was pulling up in front of the house, I told him of the problems I had had with my bib (without getting any one me) and he said no problem money can't fix (in completely different phrases, but that was the gist), next I walked him into the secondary bathing area and explained the situation there, he thought the guts could be replaced and quoted me the flat rate total for both jobs. Just under $500. I said have a good time and stayed out of his way. The hose bib was project one and took a goodly piece of time (but it was not an hourly deal, flat rate quote and all), that job done on to the bath. Here he came to the inevitable conclusion that the piece in there was also cheap-ass crap and could not be repaired, therefore replacement would be the only way. I brought him the unit we had purchased and asked if he could install that, he said it would save money and proceeded. That took a long time too but finally the job was done, Jenni had been home for over an hour, the water was back on and not trickling when the tap was off and Michael the plumber was leaving at 7:45. The bill with the cutting brazing and install was more ( $908) than a simple parts replacement and I was able to spend all of my bonus pay for a hard month of sales on one days efforts. I didn't get to buy toys bit it was worth it, and had to be done, and my water bills are going to shrink!
Chuck Pace ©2009
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Surges cancel urges.
07/29/09 11:57 PM | Permalink
The power went off three times yesterday while I was engaged in the World Headquarters. This makes it incredibly difficult to maintain a cohesive thought line of conversation, even to an unknown body of reader(s). I know I continue to fail my constituent audience, whatever that ma be now after only posting twice in the month prior to yesterdays feeble power-grid aborted attempt. Lucky for you that I really had nothing vital to convey, that whatever I prattle on about today and in future blogs will be freestanding and not connected to a greater truth to be revealed by connecting the dots that missing one diatribe about bowling, or racing. or gardening , or my bad luck with cars won't make you miss the bigger picture of my plans for world domination, since I have none. you are save in the knowledge that what ever I do jot down on my ether post-it notices you can miss one or two or twenty and not have missed the secret formula for happiness in the chuckesphere!
Chuck Pace ©2009
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Chuck Pace ©2009
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Ten. I did not intend at ten to jump in again.
Funny how time slips away.
Distractions distract, routine fails to hold sway.
Until the old routine is discarded and a new pattern takes the day!
It's not like I haven't done things to talk about or been places to mention or failed to do anything interesting along the way.
My last post was on July 3rd, and on that day I already had grand plans for the next day, plans that should yield a spectacular post too I might say!
It was all about Jenni, she loves Chi-town but hasn't been there in years,
I've been on day trips to Sox games and such and even an autoshow but she stayed home (in tears).
So on the second I got up on the 2nd I was already spinning my mental gears,
a day off can give you the time that you lacked to address such problems horribly in arrears.
The solution to this, a wonderful a weekend trip with Jenni to Chicago for sight seeing and fireworks cheers!
The Holiday already had me off for the day.
So on the third I told Jenni it's your time to play.
Call the Priceline negotiator, and arrange a double day stay.
She was bowled over, and flabbergasted and hardly knew what to say.
The room would be ready for check-in at three.
Ninety-nine dollars at the Hilton for two days, we were getting one free
And in the attached garage parking was cheaper too, a most reasonable fee.
We would walk around in the rain for hours, taking photos and talking, hardly holding our glee.
To see Jenni so happy and sunny and excited and joyful was really more like a present for me.
Taste of Chicago was on in Millennium Park
A lucky coincidence for an impromptu trip taken on a lark
A day spent walking and smiling and completely hitting the mark
Would only get better when the skies turned to dark,
And the band-shell concert was turned over for a quarter hour display of firework spark.
Rounder
07/03/09 07:37 AM | Projectile | Permalink
July 2nd was a day of displacement. One of those days where everything aligns, but it doesn't matter. I had chores to do. I had Lots of time to think and imagine. I had no inspiration. Even though it was a scheduled day off, one of my alternating Thursday's off to be exact if felt all wrong. The weather was mild, the sky semi-threatening all day but that was just a meteorological head-fake for most of the State. I got up at 8:20, grabbed an over-shirt due to the mild temps, walked the dog, scoped out the yard and ended up staking Charlie and weeding the vegetable garden for 35 minutes before heading back inside. While weeding I made a discovery of sorts. tiny little spiders that to the naked eye looked like glistening jewels as the scurried away fro the place where the grass plant they inhabited was yanked out of the earth. I thought I'd try to photograph them later.
Inside I dragged around still with no purpose, the night before I scanned more photos so I formatted them for my Facebook site, and moped about a bit and before you know it it was 10:45 and I still didn't feel like making breakfast. I thought about lunch as an opportunity to get away from the hollow hacienda, but where to go? I went on-line to find out why my iPhone won't connect due to an exasperating error code, one that many people have been getting (and not seeing any solutions for them either). I thought I'll drive to the Apple store and see what they can tell me. Then I though I will e-mail Cigh, she works right there on Haverstick two blocks from the Fashion Mall and kill two birds with one phone. Her company was being sent home early to start a 3 1/2 day holiday so that quickly conceived plan was right out the window.
The new construction Round Barn in Henry County, noticeable from the Interstate 3/4 of a mile further south.
At 11:55 I decided to drive somewhere, anywhere. I grabbed the Indiana and Illinois Atlas and Gazetteer's and got in the car. I sat looking west on the maps, still no inspiration. Finally I started the car and headed east on US 40.
Lacking inspiration I thought I'd maybe grab a bite at Culver's and go from there. When I got to county road 525 W. I headed up to 200 N. and took a scenic drive instead of the highways, 200 N. turns into New Rd in Greenfield and empties out on highway 9 across from strip malls and the Home Depot. At that intersection and light I made a first real decision. I went to the Quiznos's in the strip for lunch, then the Starbucks right next to it.
After lunch I stepped up my game, I remembered a round barn that we saw when we were driving to Hagerstown a couple of weeks ago. I was determined to find it again, and did. I documented it's existence, realizing it is a new structure and not an old one after all when I arrived. it is in the middle of a soy bean field and a good job so for to this point in the building process.
Having found my mojo at the button of a camera again (like so many times before) I wound my way back home satisfied that I had wasted a day of in the most enjoyable way. Once home IO took some flower shots, weeded in the garden again for 3 more hours and did get a few shots of the "jewel'"spiders.
Butterfly Weeds, rescued from Paradise Kentucky over a decade ago.
An Asiatic Lily about the same color as the Barn I photographed in Henry County
Inside I dragged around still with no purpose, the night before I scanned more photos so I formatted them for my Facebook site, and moped about a bit and before you know it it was 10:45 and I still didn't feel like making breakfast. I thought about lunch as an opportunity to get away from the hollow hacienda, but where to go? I went on-line to find out why my iPhone won't connect due to an exasperating error code, one that many people have been getting (and not seeing any solutions for them either). I thought I'll drive to the Apple store and see what they can tell me. Then I though I will e-mail Cigh, she works right there on Haverstick two blocks from the Fashion Mall and kill two birds with one phone. Her company was being sent home early to start a 3 1/2 day holiday so that quickly conceived plan was right out the window.
The new construction Round Barn in Henry County, noticeable from the Interstate 3/4 of a mile further south.
At 11:55 I decided to drive somewhere, anywhere. I grabbed the Indiana and Illinois Atlas and Gazetteer's and got in the car. I sat looking west on the maps, still no inspiration. Finally I started the car and headed east on US 40.
Lacking inspiration I thought I'd maybe grab a bite at Culver's and go from there. When I got to county road 525 W. I headed up to 200 N. and took a scenic drive instead of the highways, 200 N. turns into New Rd in Greenfield and empties out on highway 9 across from strip malls and the Home Depot. At that intersection and light I made a first real decision. I went to the Quiznos's in the strip for lunch, then the Starbucks right next to it.
After lunch I stepped up my game, I remembered a round barn that we saw when we were driving to Hagerstown a couple of weeks ago. I was determined to find it again, and did. I documented it's existence, realizing it is a new structure and not an old one after all when I arrived. it is in the middle of a soy bean field and a good job so for to this point in the building process.
Having found my mojo at the button of a camera again (like so many times before) I wound my way back home satisfied that I had wasted a day of in the most enjoyable way. Once home IO took some flower shots, weeded in the garden again for 3 more hours and did get a few shots of the "jewel'"spiders.
Butterfly Weeds, rescued from Paradise Kentucky over a decade ago.
An Asiatic Lily about the same color as the Barn I photographed in Henry County