Our Flight from Florida to Baltimore to Indy. Chuck Pace ©2005
Thinking about their flight up from Florida, I went back to my photos of our flight up from Florida on March 11th. The Kids flight should be here at 2:50pm Indiana time. They are on the same flight pattern as we were.
It seems like the more you want something to happen the longer you have to wait for it. Like the kids getting here from Florida. I am so anxious to see them I am unable to sleep. So inevitably when they do get here I'll be to tired to be at my best. Thus my posting this at about 4:43 AM.
Well I re-retire to get a few more hours of sleep. Fitful though it may be. Enjoy the post. I'll be putting some Airport shot up later today I'm sure. "Til then.
Passenger, Seat 23. Jenni Pace ©2005
Don't swat those bats, they may actually be your loved ones! Happy Halloween!
Chuck Pace ©2005
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There's no better way to start a Sunday post than by quoting the Great Elvis Costello! Well that is my opinion (and I'm sure it's shared by my friend Brock in Columbus Ohio too). Tomorrow David and Meredith descend from the clouds to visit the parentals. I have been waiting since March 11th to see these extremely important peeps again (that's when Jenni and I flew back from Orlando to Indy by way of Baltimore). We will be having an early Thanksgiving dinner with the kids, since I didn't get to have thanksgiving at all last year.
Sombrerobots on Mass en masse. Chuck Pace ©2005
I was nearly attacked last night by the dreaded Sombrerobots that were out on Massachusetts Avenue for halloween! I got off this one shot before ducking into Luna Music, the city's greatest indie music connection! Nobody else saw them I hear, but they seem to have posted a sentinel on the patio at the box, so just be careful if you are out tonight or Monday.
The new autumn colored stickers (gold and orange) are in LUNA Music, get yours!
Happy Halloween! Drive safely nobody wants to terminate the un-dead.
Chuck Pace ©2005
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A moment captured in time. Chuck Pace ©2005
Here it is Saturday, the last day before the First day. But the next day is tomorrow and that day never comes (unless you're in Japan, it's tomorrow there already) so let's put yesterday behind us and get on with today, there's always tomorrow. There's no time like the present (what the heck does that mean), time is a constant, time is unchanging, yet time is change. Time is flowing like a river to the sea. I just lost track of time there, did I waste time? Am I wasting your time? Got the time? Yes, we all do. But you're on my time now. I haven't got time for this right now (really?). Every moment is unique and can never be copied or repeated. If we fail to learn from our past mistakes we are doomed to repeat them. History never repeats. No one is living in the past. Mister speaker I yield back my remaining time. He's never on time (nope, he's in it)! Time is the same in a relative way but your older, shorter of breath and one day closer to death. All in due time. Quick, call a time-out. I'm writing this like there's no tomorrow. Whatever it is I haven't got time to let it ruin this day. I'm on vacation when the foreman pulls on the tail feathers of the alarm bird. Yabba Dabba Doo!
Yesterday evening (sure the yesterday's still seem to pile up awfully fast) my bowling team won 5 points, our best effort through eight weeks into this league (largely due to the fact that two of the opposing team's members were absent). Ed let Jeff (Skippy) fill in for him so he could make up some time and head home to Gosport early. Mel was the first one of us at the alley for the first time all league and her game was much improved because she wasn't rushed (she carried us the first two games). I maintained my 155 average with a 472 series (It's about time, 157.33 per game). Rich struggled for the first two games before closing with a timely team evening high 179. We will still be 12th out of 14 teams after the night's modest success. Hopefully we have narrowed the gap to 11th, who knows our time may be coming, there's still time. Regardless it was a fun night, we all had a good time and that is the point. I needed to take a few seconds to point that out. Time sort of got away from me. Would you look at the time. Where does the time go?
Sorry, I just had a moment there. Well I'm out of time here. See ya next time. Or some other time then. Hope you had a good time if not we'll get 'em next time for sure.
Is Swiss time full of holes?
Cathy Morris and Monika Herzig at the Chatterbox. ©2004 Chuck Pace
Two more days of work then the kids will be here! This will be the first time they have been back home again in Indiana (made you burst into song didn't I) since Thanksgiving last year. Technically they don't get here until Monday, Halloween, but I'll be on vacation after 4:31 Saturday, so I don't care! Looks like their comings and goings coincide with holidays now.
Yesterday on my day off I went to Cathy Morris' studio. We had a good time hangin' and I got to see some of her husband Brian's art. He is quite good. Airbrush, stained glass and other media too. Really impressive. She said she's going to be doing a few more Mondays at the Chatterbox with Monika Herzig. So I'll be doing a few more Monday evenings there too. You should come and join us some time. It's always a great time.
Enough.
Chuck Pace ©2005
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I didn't leap out of bed and Tigger into the den on springs first thing this morning and just throw something up to appease my adoring public (I'm trying more pith and content in my blog cocktail!). I figure I can't be all things to all people yet. I still have to work on the omnipotence to go with my newly acquired omnipresence!
About the site. Please feel free to make comments or suggestions in my comments area (that's going to be the most effective I feel, your priest or mother confessor may agree with your ideas about my sight, but if it doesn't eventually get back to me, then what's the point, Not Omniscient just yet, remember? One Omni at time). Any suggestion I implement will give you a free five minute pass to my sight, no questions asked. (One suggestion I already like is putting a tip jar on the site, so you can get on with the buying me a beer thing, I'll get right on that, buddy. I'll let you know when it's up so you can enjoy your five minutes access!) Any really good suggestion may even get you the acclaim that you (and Travis) crave right here on the Thoughtpuke itself! Imagine your name being read by literally dozens. (With the potential for many more), five minutes of free access and my undying gratitude. (Sorry offer not open to residents of Wallawalla Washington or Vilnius Lithuania at this time.)
Chuck Pace ©2005
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The first three photos are during the leading edge of Wilma.
The next three are while the Eye was passing over.
The next two are the during the backside of the hurricane.
The last three photos are from tuesday morning, the aftermath.
All photos David Hightshoe ©2005
The back eye-wall and the backside of the hurricane were much more fierce than the front, David chose to stay more protected during this phase of the blow. They got their power back on yesterday, therefore I got these photos just after midnight. But Stuart is going to be slow in recovering. The Stuart airport was damaged this time after surviving Jeanne last September. The major bridge that connects Stuart (an Island) to the mainland was damaged during Wilma's rampage, as was the BestBuy that Meredith works at. She was there yesterday and will go in today to help with clean-up. Luckily her payroll is direct deposit so there should be no interruption in her fiscal programs.
Chuck Pace ©2005
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Logan Edison ©2005 Age four.
When we were in Tennessee the first week of October one would have thought that halloween was just days away, instead of four weeks. David and Laura (Sissy) had a full regalia of halloween items in their apartment, on the windows, covering the entertainment center and everywhere. At the Edison houshold Katie and the boys had similar decorations and items around. Katie, Jenni and I went to see Corpse Bride with Logan and Hank, then hit a target that had halloween items on every end cap, and every where else as well. My nephew Logan drew the skeleton and pumpkin picture for us to bring back to Indy. Well now it is less than a week away, and I'm excited. (Meredith and David fly in on Halloween afternoon).
In other news, Bella, (who looks a lot like Scott's cat) who Meredith and David rescued from a house full of cats has gotten an infection in the left eye again.
Chuck Pace ©2005
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Windows boarded up in Meredith's complex. David Hightshoe ©2005
I talked to David and Meredith all through the day yesterday. The events were harrowing to say the least. They lost all power before 6:30AM, but the cell phone still worked (most of the time). The windows at the back of their apartment were bowwing like playing cards against the wind, hurricane driven water was blasting through the gaps it created. In the kitchen at the front of the apartment water was coming through the ceiling from the apartment above. Every hour or so prior to Wilma's arrival David and his friend Jamie would go out and video tape the wind and do a dred-o-meter update (Jamie has dreds, so they were filming the effects of the wind on his hair). Meredith said she learned somthing interesting about herself, "I know I can sleep through the first half of a hurricane now, Daddy."
Red Statue dug up by David prior to Wilma's arrival. David Hightshoe ©2005
According to projections Wilma was supposed to take three or four hours to cross Florida. Instead she made the trip in just over two, her speed kept her ferosity high as wall, instead of dropping to a week catagory two or catagory one, she stayed a catagory three all the way, with winds up to 120 mph.
At 8:40 AM Indiana time David said the trees were already almost laying over (like Wilma's comb-over). I talked to them again as the eye neared, they were inside it at the top, Meredith said it smelled like the Ocean. It should have, it was picking up vast amounts of ocean to dump back on them! They survived the eye wall coming through as well, that's when a light pole decided to park on Merediths car. Then the apartments directly behind them were severly damaged. David was in the window (foolish boy) video taping these events. Shortly after that I lost communications with them for an hour. Knowing that the trailing end of the hurricane is often the worst, I began to worry. I got in contact later and every thing I said into the phone echoed three or four times, so David kept his answers to my inquiries to one word bursts. I learned that they were all right. That was the important thing. I will post some of the pictures David sends onece they have electricity again.
Chuck Pace ©2005
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Hey! It's not my fault some of you are up before the Amish! If it's so all fired important to read my thought-pukes first thing then you may not be getting the best production out of my warped perspective. But here goes! So this is my preemptive post. Read at you own risk. You've forced my hands (all 10 fingers). As long as I have something up by 7:00 I will have won!
Chuck Pace ©2005
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Google Maps and Chuck Pace. Stuart is just about at the bottom of the i in St. Lucie.
About an hour ago Hurricane Wilma made landfall near Cape Romano, FL. The projected path will most likely carry the Eye over the Stuart, Port St. Lucie area between 11:20AM and 1:20PM this afternoon. That is where my Son-In-Law and Daughter live, not much more than a mile from the St. Lucie River. I'm understandably pre-occupied today by this Hurricane. Which was catagorized as a strong Cat. 3 at Florida landfall. By the time she reaches the Atlantic side they say possible a Cat. 1 or weak Cat. 2 (weak as in 75 to 100mph winds). The other possible problems are spin off tornados. The kids said that the wind was incredibly strong last night at 9:30 PM when I was talking to them. Excuse me for not being glib or flippant this morning. I am just a little worried. As I write the eye has passed over the coast as well.
A fireant explores a flower obvlibious of the danger that looms near! David Hightshoe ©2005
My Colts continue to dominate (the 2nd half at least) and took a 14 all halftime score and posted a 38-20 victory over the winless Texans. In the process Robert Mathis notched his 8th sack of the season (he's had at least 1 in each game) to lead the NFL in that catagory. Tony Dungy earned his 100th career win as a head coach. (Number 101 needs to be in two weeks against our nemisis the patriots!)
7-0 COLTS!
STOP THE 'CANES!
Chuck Pace ©2005
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Another angle of the old boat that died at waters edge at may parents house in Greentown. October 6th, 2002, just about a month before they moved to Florida permenantly. Chuck Pace © 2002
Sometimes Sunday's are especially melancholy. When my parents lived in Greentown we would often drive up there to watch a Colts game, Pacers game, a Nascar Race or just to visit. Their being nearly a thousand miles away on the Suwanee River means no easy visits to just spend a few hours. The same with Meredith and David they're even farther away. The are over 500 miles from mom and dad, on the opposite coast right off the Atlantic Ocean. It's fewer miles and takes less time to drive interstate from Indianapolis to Ashland City Tennessee than for Meredith and David to visit my parents from Stuart Florida to old Town Florida. Well all of that being said. I wish I were knee deep in family getting ready to watch the Colts and/or the Good old boys (I'll be flippin' back and forth between the two today I'm sure), having a family size meal and good times today. I'm sure Jenni and I can get to a reasonable level of revelry (enough to scare the cats into hiding) but it's just not the same in an empty nest, now is it!
I still don't know about the Nascar Chase. I think the format works to make the last ten races more competitive and exciting to the fans of the guys in the top five or six spots. But it also seems to punish the guys who really surged to get to the top two or three spots in the first 26 races.
Tony Stewart has been the most consistent, all but flawless in the last 16 or so races ( last weeks demolition derby tire fiasco at Lowe's not withstanding). Didn't it used to be the restrictor plate races and the under a mile venues were the total wild card races? To put it another way, Tony would have had a 195 point lead over Greg Biffle after the week 26th race instead of 5 points, and a 184 points over Greg now instead of 11. Jimmy Johnson would still be in third place had he to make up more than a 10 point difference behind Tony and a 5 point deficit from Greg Biffle. As it sits going into todays race at Martinsvile Tony and Jimmy are tied for the lead. Imagine all sports if you discounted the first 72% of the season and only counted the final 28% to achieve a champion.
Take football. Discard the records after the first 12 games. Give the leader of each division 4 points for leading, second 3, third 2 and last 1. Then give the winners of each game 2 points and 1 to the losers. Then take the highest from the NFC and the AFC and see who is in your Superbowl this year. I bet you wouldn't want to watch it. Sort of like letting the electorial college decide who is to be the next , Nascar, NFL or NBA champ. I don't go into the College BCS because I don't think the media (aren't they all based in the major markets?) and coaches (vested interests) should pick a champion either, but I don't know a better system for them. Maybe they should have a big dinner party after about ten weeks and ask all of the college coaches who they would least like to play against this year, and make them the champ! Shoot, do it at the beginning of the year and you won't even need to play the games.
GO COLTS! STAY UNDEFEATED! 7-0
Chuck Pace ©2005
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This Orchid was growing wild through a piece of lumber. I love the sensual coloring.
This shot of the black shutters is on the same house as the electrical boxes photograph
below.
This shot reminds me of something? Hmmm. What could it be. Oh, I know my Electrical service photo in my site banner above, maybe? Oh, David. When does inspiration become emluation?
This one is actually from David and Meredith's friend Jamie Baker who was also the best man at their wedding. I called it yellow guys. It was taken outside the Art Institute of Chicago. I don't know if I was the inspiration for this or not. So I'll arrogantly say I was.
This shot was originally taken by David. I took the liberty of messing with it in photoshop before displaying it to the world. Technically it is now a different piece of art, and I own this version. But I still credit David for the original.
David Hightshoe ©2005 except as noted, Jamie Baker ©2005
Chuck Pace ©2005
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Photo Credit: David Hightshoe ©2005
Hurricanes again, scenes from last year. Hurricanes are what took Meredith and David away from Indiana and me. Literally. On Thanksgiving Day two months after they were married they left for Stuart Florida. They spent a couple of days with the grand parents in Tennessee then drove down. Meredith transfered from BestBuy. David and his father took lucrative construction work on Florida's Jensen Beach. Last year's rash of Hurricanes had ravaged Florida's Treasure Coast. In fact, Hurricane Jeanne tore up Stuart and Jensen Beach on the day the kids were married. The eye hit the Stuart, Fort Pierce area just before midnight on September 25th 2004.
Chuck Pace ©2005
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Postcards from Scenic Florida Distributors (945) 641-0433
I know that vacant stare! I've upset you I can tell. I'm trying to make it up to you.
I guess it's becoming like a relationship. I give my heart and soul to the page. It gives me attention in return (yours). I do whatever I can to nurture the relationship, keep it fresh. Do little add-on stuff to stimulate the SITE. Then something like yesterdays power outage comes along and I can only look at the site from someone else's eye (to the internet). I feel I let my little thoughpuke down but the circumstanses were beyond my control. Like an argument the night before, I'm trying to make up now. Please except this my token of affection, my make-up post dearest web-site. (You know I like to post you everyday, and I missed it so much yesterday I thought we could do it twice this morning).
Chuck Pace ©2005
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When Life Gives You Lemons...
This is the Tattoo I got during the Harbaugh years. Who's sorry now? (I never was). ©2005 Chuck Pace
I'm going Alfred E. Newman on you here. I wasn't worried when the Rams scored on their first drive. I didn't even frown when they took the Rhodes fumble and got into scoring position in the red zone again next possession(the could only get to our 11). When the Cots held them to three I knew our defense would be alright . The 17-0 first quarter score. Ha! It was 17 all at half time, and we got the ball first to start 3rd quarter. Defense, defense, defense I wish I were there to yell along with the 63,000. Cato June is leading the league in interceptions with FIVE an almost unheard of thing for a linebacker. We took the ball away four times and scored on each of those possessions. Then came history. Marvin and the toe drag. Make a good career film highlight with textbook style. 28-45 so they were able to put up 1 less point than the sum of all our other opponents. The Colts are now allowing 9.5 points per game. Darn. END. 6-0 still undefeated and facing the 0-5 Texans next.
But what about funny Chuck, irreverent Chuck, pithy Chuck. He's hoarse. Fan Chuck is driving this blog.
GO COLTS!
Chuck Pace ©2005
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I made the Cheerleading squad for 15 seconds at the Browns visit.
Left to right: Monica, Holly Anne, Chuck, Jennie and Wendi. Goooooo Colts!
©2005 Jenni Pace (used with permission)
Now I look forward to the BIG GAME: Monday Night Football. I will be listening to Bob Lamey and Great Grandpa Ted call the game unless I hear that the Madden Cruiser went up in a Sixteen Turkey Leg explosion! BOOM! At a confluence of highways! Tough Actin' Tinactin ! Better Call Ace! Boom! Wish I could Telestrate that for you!
I will be giving (Boom!) up my mindless (Here's a guy, right here's a guy) commentary for, "Well, Be-a be-a Bob bob that's exactly right. That's exactly right, I p-p-pplayed with his grand father in leather he-a he-a helmets". More records stand on the precipace tonight waiting for Peyton and the Colts to knock them into the history books. (Be-a be-a b-boom! Th-that's exactly right Ch-ch-chuck, I was playing with the Staleys when Edison was per-per-perfecting the rec-rec-re-a ...Gramaphone!)
Let's go 6-0 for the second time in franchise history and match the 1958 Baltimore: Colts 9-3 (World Champions)
GO COLTS!
Chuck Pace ©2005
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The Scene of the Shame! ©2005 Chuck Pace
This just in: Our Friday Night bowling team, 4 Get It. Sucks! We've only managed to procure through our "rolling moderately heavy, hard balls at inanimate object skills" 11 points of a possible 42. This is week 6 of 30 total, looks to be a long hard(wood) lane ahead.
Believe it or not we are not in last place, we occupy 12th of 14 places. (That was prior to tonight's 2 points out of 7 showing. I won't know the results of the nights frustration until they post online later in the week!) This is supposed to be a fun weekly endeavor and often is, but it's also very frustrating sometimes (like Friday nights). I took the camera with me, planning to capture a team photo to place here for the recap. Know what? I didn't friggin feel like capturing this particular moment to share with a global internet community.
I still have another day of work to look forward today (Saturday), then the NASCAR race tonight. I will have to miss the Penn State at Michigan -Big Ten showdown on ABC at 2:30EST because I'll be earning my keep at the store. Then there's NFL Football on Sunday (although the real meat is on the Monday Night Menu: St. Louis Ram vs. Indianapolis Colts at Indy), and surely more website maintenance throughout the weekend. Domicile and grounds keeping chores await also, like mowing the yard, picking grapes, raking leaves, staring dumbly off into oblivion, and winterizing the hacienda. There's a possible trip to the Chatterbox on Sunday also, since the Colts aren't playing. I haven't been to a Sunday Boxxing yet, this will only be their fourth Sunday open, I believe. So I do have stuff to do this weekend. Wish me luck. I'll be back with more thoughtpuking good times on Monday Morning.
GO COLTS!
Chuck Pace ©2005
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Well, our Nutty Buddy has had another eye infection. I did the drawing last time this occurred in the spring. Really, our eyesight is so precious we have to do all we can to preserve it. Trust me I know. I need to have another eye exam myself, it's been three years since I went to bifocals, and they are really getting ineffective now.
When I have to work on Saturday the whole TGIF thing doesn't really have the teeth that it does when I have Saturday off. I'm not complaining. I need all the hours I can get right now, since I was off on vacation for a week already in this month it is highly unlikely that I'll make my monthly projection. Saturday also means another visit from the matriarch of the business. Another reason why Saturday's off are even more special.
Chuck Pace ©2005
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Not bad when there aren't any hurricanes around. ©2005 David Hightshoe
No I'm not going on about some silly abduction deal. My son in law took some shots from the work site he was on Thursday. Looks miserable doesn't it. Meredith and David are giving that up for a week to visit us. They will most likely get 50º frostbite in Indiana.
©2005 David Hightshoe
They were telling me they keep their AC at 78º and have to wear long sleeves or sweaters when it gets down to upper 60's now. So if you see us about town in two weeks they'll be the blue people with me. (No, not like the Andorian in Thurdsay's post.Give the Alien thing a rest, Dang!)
Chuck Pace ©2005
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This Andorian's picture was taken in the store On Tuesday. His name is
Schoch (that's not a human name I can tell you!) Photo: Jeff Barber ©2005
I have every other Thursday off from work, today is one of the off Thurdsay's. It didn't start out as a party mode Thurdsday I can tell you that. I had my teeth cleaned at the dentists office. So my gums are a litlte sore. Teeth a little sensitive. I get home and sit down to do this update. And the computer crashed. I was trying to burn a CD and that kept failing. So I put a lens cleaning CD in and that crashed the computer. I had to Hard Start the thing after it wouldn't respond for 15 minutes, ejected the CD, reset my I-Tunes preferences and finally got the CD to burn. Whew.
I griped about the cold weather yesterday morning, and by Noon it was shirt sleeve weather again. So I'm hoping this gripe makes my computer work better. Maybe the Aliens who abducted me gave me control over these sorts of things. We'll see. There was one in the store on Tuesday trying to teach us about some his hi-tech devices.
Chuck Pace ©2005
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Self Portrait Painting circa 1980.
It's funny. The week before I left on vacation I picked up the mail-order flu at work. A severe bronchial, upper-respiratory congestion that just doesn't quit. It's in it's third week and evolving. The first week it hit very hard, more sneezing and head stuff, I missed two days of work, which were followed by a scheduled day off where I felt no better and stayed in bed. But I was dutifully back on station the last two days before my scheduled departure, by then it had moved into my chest, and I do mean moved in. This stain of mail-order flu started about five weeks ago with the entire mail-order department at work, all six of them, getting this junk in varying levels of severity. Christy and Ed both missed days. Ed still has some remnants of this now and he was the first to miss work, and Christy is still suffering from bronchial problems as well. So I don't look forward to an awfully quick recovery. During those two weeks, the flu beginning and vacation, Indiana went from mid 70's weather to downright cold. Short-sleeve weather to jacket weather with no long sleeve stage in between? Or to put another way, patio weather to jukebox weather at the Chatterbox in two moves, checkmate. Last week 250 hundred miles south of Indy in Tennessee it was upper 80's all three days we were there. Tell me that a body doesn't get confused going from that; tank top and shorts to thermal undies in ten hours. I may never recover!
(What a big whinner!)
"Til next time, stay healthy, now hand me a kleenex.
Chuck Pace ©2005
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Speaking of that coincidence thing, I was talking to "Lightning" at work about my Where does the time go? posting. He's pretty sure that the larger circled object is some new fangled one winged airplane (or the world's highest hit, largest shuttlecock maybe!?) so I remonstrated, Occum's Razor! He had no idea what I was expostulating! So here (also in simple terms) is part of the the Wikipedia page on Occum's Razor:
Occam's Razor (also spelled Ockham's Razor), is a principle attributed to the 14th-century English logician and Franciscan friar, William of Ockham. It forms the basis of methodological reductionism, also called the principle of parsimony or law of economy.
In its simplest form, Occam's Razor states that one should make no more assumptions than needed. Put into everyday language, it says
Given two equally predictive theories, choose the simpler.
There, Lightning! I hope that clears things up a little. Discuss.
Chuck Pace ©2005
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As a creature of habit, a man used to a routine, it is always good to get back from a satisfying vacation into just that, a routine. I know there have been some changes at the store. So the routine will vary at first, then it will become, well the routine. Tonight after work I plan to visit The Chatterbox so I can begin recounting the adventures I had on my vacation. Living vicariously through myself? Is that possible? Living in the past. It's not just for Jethro Tull anymore. (That's a song reference, I'm full of them, I have over 5000 CD's, and I'll be darned if every one doesn't contain at least one song, most have eight or ten)! I have written entire letters and e-mails just quoting song titles from one particular artist before, and they made just as much sense as this rambling I'm doing now.
Above is some of the big game I hunted in Tennessee last week. Some kind of moth I guess. Well I'v fulfilled my obligation to write sumpin' (Hint: it was all that between here and the picture up there.)
Peace Out.
Chuck Pace ©2005
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Is it just me, or is this a little creepy? Chuck Pace ©2005
So, I started straightening my workspace yesterday at about 2:00 PM. I got enough done that I was ready to sit and make my evening post by 9:00 PM. After that I ordered my sitemeter counter and did a little site maintenance. Then it was Sunday morning 1:40 AM! I just don’t have any explanation as to the time loss. I remember going out to the couch at 2:26 AM, then back to bed at 4:00 AM. Weird. My back and left shoulder hurt this morning when I got up and I had a fitful nights sleep. Conclusion? Well, I think its obvious, I was abducted by aliens! I must have struggled something fierce to hurt myself like I did according to my aches and pains. I was going through some of my photos and I think I found alien craft tracking me!
Original photo darkened to show unidentified (craft)
Detail from above photo. Hummmmm. Chuck Pace ©2005
Now, I’m not paranoid. No, Really. But I’m pretty sure that was the eye of Sauron watching me from over the Brandenburg KY Telephone company sign earlier in the week. Coincindence? I Don’t Think So!
Spooky Chuck Pace.
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'Bout time for me to check out. I'm heading straight for time-on!
Today was (supposed to be) a fairly lazy day. Which is good because Sunday I've got nothing but stuff to consume my time! First of all there's the Rileyfest in Greenfield, Jenni and I are going to try and make it to that. There's a Nascar race at Kansas at 12:30 EST. I have to defend my Nascar.com Fantasy league victory of last week. There's the Colts in San Francisco to attempt to go 5-0 at 3:05 EST. Then there's all the inconsequential stuff that eats the hours away faster than a flesh eating virus!
I said today was supposed to be calm and lazy. It mostly was, but I did have to go get some bad news about my car. While in Columbus (near the little pink house; two posts down) I lost the muffler off the Bimmer. I've decided that it's only about a block from that domicile, in an alley where I doubled back like Roy Rogers to capture the house unawares. I say I've decided that's where the muffler resides because when my son-in-law owned the vehicle, he cobbered a muffler on to keep the law off his backside. Unfortunately after further review, there's a big gaping hole in the exhaust pipes between muffler one and muffler two on this hi-po auto, and a lot of noise has always been coming from there, hardly muffled at all. So other than an short dragging sound in the bumpy alley, there was no discernable difference in tone of said exhaust. Therefore the bit of speculation as to the place where my former cherry-bomb found repose. The fellows at Car-X (a trusted name in auto-service) said I'd best leave it. They aren't exactly knee deep in '86 BMW exhaust parts right now, and would have to "get some" to which I said I'd drop 'er off Monday morning. Back home I decided to take a metaphorical backhoe to the mess where I left the den and computer. I cleaned and straightened my possessions then trashed most non-essential crap to the tune of two trash bags full. I can pirouette in there now. Well, I could if I hadn't worn myself out doing all that other stuff. So now I need to rest so I can enjoy my scheduled day of leisure tomorrow.
GO COLTS!
Chuck Pace ©2005
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With my vacation winding down I now sit and reflect on some of the moments of the vacation. On Tuesday I took my nephews (8 year old Hank and 4 year old Logan) on their first hike. We went through a woods (Hank called it a forrest), down a tall steep craggy hill and down to the creek that borders the Mason property. Once at the creek we wound our way to Porter Morris Road another boundary of said property.
The creek itself is very rocky and shallow and we were able to cross over it several times on the tops of rocks. By we I mean Hank and I, Logan being only four is subject to gravitational forces that don't pray upon us older humans and was repeatedly pulled into the water, often over his shoe tops. I admonished the forces at play on poor Logan a few times, knowing full well that rocks and water in conjunction can keep a four year old from being able to hear or comprehend any staying out of the water style instructions.
I captured a crayfish and got Hank to pose with it. Logan captured at least three dozen elusive rocks and redistributed them to the more splashy areas of the creek. An improvement I must say. Then I got both boys to sit on a log over the creek for a photo opp. Jolly Good!
Though a very satisfying adventure we failed in our main objective, that being capturing a Copperhead Snake or discovering a Tennessee Python. We'll get them next time. That's why I packed my pith helmet, ol' boy!
Chuck Pace ©2005
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Little Pink House @1040 Fletcher St., Columbus Indiana Chuck Pace@2005
The night before we left for Tennessee, Jenni bought this awesome Indiana map that divides the state into a 47 grids. Each grid being approximately 26x38 miles. So an inch equals 2.5 miles. This gives incredible detail. Our drive to the Kentucky border only took us through 4 grids. The map also contained a bunch of historical site info, including 96 of Indiana's nearly 600 Covered Bridges (Indiana is the Covered Bridge Capitol of the World). Within our grids were five Covered Bridges, four were in a nice path down. from Columbus, Seymour, Salem and on down to Maukport on the Ohio River just southwest of Corydon. Therefore I designed an itinerary to visit all four on the trip to Tennessee. The first (New Brownsville Bridge, 1840, 102' length) was restored and moved to Columbus' Mill Race Park. The second (Bells Ford, 1875, 325' length) just west of Seymour is the only post truss Covered Bridge in the world. Sadly it's in a terrible state of disrepair, the sections that touched land have been removed for public safety, leaving only the center between two piers. The third (Shieldstown Bridge, 1876, 331' length) in Jackson County eluded us on the trip down, but we were able to find it on the return trip. Our fourth and final attempt for the trip going (Medora, 1875, 458' length) is in impressive shape, (it was in active use until bypassed in 1978) has three spans and is the longest Covered Bridge in the U.S.
After spending a couple of days in Chapmansboro Tennessee, we came back north. I designed a completely different route for the return trip, (adding a small detour to find the Shieldstown Bridge mentioned above) that took us through Nashville Indiana where to find the fifth Bridge on my list (Ramp Creek Bridge, 1838, 60' length) and the only two lane Covered Bridge in Indiana. There were plenty of other sites and photos on the trip including the house above in Columbus, many of which will find thier way to these web pages in the near future. But for now I say Success! There are 5 covered bridges in the path I chose and I was able to find and document each one for this journey with aid of my trusty navigator (my bride Jenni) at my side. Until we post again, adieu.
New Brownsville, Batholomew County. Columbus IN (Mill Race Park)
Bells Ford Bridge, Jackson County, Seymour Indiana
Bells Ford Bridge, up stream side E. Fork of White River
Shieldstown Bridge, Jackson County, N.E. of Brownstown, Indiana
Shieldstown Bridge, upstream side E. Fork of White River
Medora Bridge, Jackson County, East of Medora Indiana
Looking back from 1/3 of the way into Medora, E. Fork of White River
Ramp Creek Bridge, Brown County, B.C. State Park, Nashville IN
Ramp Creek Bridge viewed from the east over Salt Creek.
Chuck Pace©2005
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The Question Remains. Does She Go? Know What I Mean? Nudge, nudge.
I've packed a flashlight. I'm off to put tires on the front end of this "Rocket" in a few minutes. The trash is on the curb for Tuesday pickup and the cat box is clean. All that's left now is to grab the desert eagle, the elephant gun and my pith helmet, say what ol' chap? Adventure awaits beyond yonder gates. Talley Ho! Sally forth, and all that rot! This is my last posting until Thursday. Sadly, it's to late to have one of you fine people give me a iBook, what to continue my ramblings from the veld. Faithful Charlie will be in tow, spirited animal, and my dutiful bride (darling girl) has consented to make this fretful trek at my side as well (I only hope to keep her safe from the savages!). I've got the mosquito netting and provisions for three days, not sure if I'll be able to get a message out of this dark country. Best to all, should anything happen to your intrepid explorer give my love to Muffy and Chad . Damn the tsetse flys, full speed ahead. Chop, chop!
Chuck Pace ©2005
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Spanish Moss drapes a tree over a calm Crystal River, Florida CP©2003
I love to drive, anytime I'm behind the wheel and not running an errand or going about a daily routine I'm happy. When I'm going new places or new ways I'm in adventure mode. Tomorrow Jenni, Charlie (our 24 lb. Rat Terrier) and I are on that open road, I've got Dire Straits' "Southbound Again" cued up on the in dash CD, I've got camera batteries charging, I've got a loosely planned route through personally undiscovered country, and all day to get there. No schedule, no time table, no rush. That's the best way to drive roads that are new to you. Always try to enjoy the trip. My wife and are known to yell at convertable drivers on warm sunny days for driving with the top up. What! Did you accidentally buy a convertable? Gonna muss your hair? Buy a brush at the next convience store. You gotta buck nineteen? Really. I had a convertable, I kept a jacket in it so I could drive topless anytime it was not raining and above 50º. I had my head shaved, no muss, no fuss. Mobile tanning. Joy, Joy. My convertable caught fire and burned up this spring and broke my heart. Hey, put that top down. Please. Thank you.
Pre-flamethrower. Hey look, the top's down.
When I was a kid we would do these one day adventure trips. We'd all pile into the car and head off in a direction. Any direction. Gas was less than 40¢ a gallon then, Coke or Pepsi out of a machine in a glass bottle was 25¢ and a jumbo size candy bar (just one you don't want to ruin your appetite) was 15¢. My dad has always had an uncanny sense of direction and never got us lost, was almost never chided by mom to stop and get directions. What directions? We're going to wanderlust, we've got all the directions we need. He might say. "Don't worry Madge, we'll sleep in our own beds tonight." He never failed to deliver a good trip, occasional history and learning situations and a great day. Dad's still like that in Florida. When I get down there he'll say someting like, "Hop in the truck, I want to show you a place your mom and I discovered drivin' around a few weeks ago." That's an offer no rational person could ever refuse. Let's go!
Tomorrow I hope to make one of those adventures. We are driving to Chapmansboro Tennessee, but very little of that is going to be interstate travel. I plan on getting off I-65 at Columbus to make a small detour to Mill Race Park to photograph the New Brownsville Coverd Bridge. I've planned an itenerary that will take us near four of Indiana's covered bridges before we pass into Kentucky at Mauckport on Indiana-135. Before getting to Maukport we go through the state's first Capitol in Corydon Indiana. Then open-minded exploration through Kentucky. I love to drive. Five forward gears minus time restraints equals unlimited possibilites. You do the math.
Chuck Pace ©2005
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Heading into the heart of New Palestine from the North. Keep Right!
A sample from my upcoming My Indiana pages. CP©2005
I woke up into a 30 second coughing fit. A corkscrew headache slowly twisting an inch above my brow. 2:43 AM. I'd only slept for about two and an half hours. Fully awake, brain buzzing, back spasming from the after affects of the coughing fit. Time to get up. Leave the bedroom roam the house like a flu zombie looking for brains to devour. The dog, the cats a couple of spiders? Not the brains I needed. I sat down in front of the computer. There's an intelligence to it. I would devour and be devoured at the same time. I loaded some of my photos into iPhoto, transtered a few into Photoshop and began the arduous task of perfecting them. Selecting ones that I might put up here. I plan to catagorize a few pages of images in the near future. Vacations: Garden Shots: and another heading I plan to undertake called My Indiana. Being a lifelong Hoosier, and having lived much of it in the really rural areas, the burbs beyond the suburbs, I have a view of Indiana that is quiant and smalltown. Having lived my adult years in Indianapolis, I also have a view of Indiana that is starting to go more domestic. Not big time city yet, but walking through the streets on a Saturday isn't like a Rod Serling script of the day after something awful anymore. There's life, there's activity, even hustle looking for a bustle! My Indiana pages will fill in some of the gaps from weed chewing rube (like myself) to poly-syllabic erudite urbanites like... Well they know who they are.
I got back to bed at 4:00. Alarm went off at 6:00, I got started in ernest at 7:15 AM the rest (if not the rest) is now history. Off to Roberts for the last time before my much needed vacation.
Toodles, my dears.
Chuck Pace©2005
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