Rufus - about time...

It has been a while since an "all about Rufus" post... time to take care of that.

A couple days ago, while out walking Rufus, a pickup stopped, the window rolled down, and the driver said, "This must be Rufus - we've heard all about this cat that walks on a leash."  We saw that same couple walking the next day, and they asked if they could take a picture of Rufus... of course, he walked right up to them, ready for his close-up.  ;-)

What can I say?  He is a rather dashing furry fellow...

In spite of his "celebrity status," he hasn't changed - still the same lovable boy who likes being with his Mom and Pops.  Likes to take walks, sniff grass, play with his toys...

... and take naps.  The day Joan and I got our vaccine shots, we needed an afternoon nap; Rufus joined me...

Really, we are both more energetic than these photos might suggest.

Joan took this photo this afternoon...

There is some concern that he has outgrown "the big chair" and now needs half the couch to stretch out!

Two months...

 

Time flies when you don't know what you're doing.  Two months today since my prostate went missing.  Physically, I am back to what passes for normal.  Still wearing my big-boy pull-up pants, but (apparently) that is typical for surgery where they take more tissue than just the prostate.  I have an appointment next week to get blood tests done, presumably to see if there is any indication of a PSA number that would reveal any spread.

On the bright side, we won't have to wait in the car for hours for that doctor visit... usually, we just wait for an hour an 15 minutes, based on past visits.  ;-)

In the meantime, we'll just keep keepin' on.

 

SS Part 2...

 

We got the call yesterday afternoon: “If you can come to City Hall before 5:00, you can pick up a voucher.”  Yes, we can.

It means we can get up early again and, hopefully, get the vaccine.

So, up at 4:00 and a drive to Los Fresnos (a half hour away).  The line to get to tHe grounds where they are doing the shots was 2.4 miles long.  It took just over two hours to get to the fairgrounds parking.  Then we were directed to parking that looked more full than they get when the rodeo is going...

No movement now for over two hours.  So, we sit.  Joan brought fruit and muffins; and cards.  That kept us occupied for a while.  A walk to some skanky porta-potties.  Someone came by, asked to see our vouchers, and put a pink card on our windshield.  Seems that we are about 3/4 of the way back in line... no guarantee we will get shots today.  People are tired of sitting in their cars and are getting out and walking around aimlessly.

Shit-show part 2.

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Just coming up on noon.  Got the shots and we are home!

Now that I have my computer to work with, here's the timeline:

After 2 hours in the traffic line, we were within a half mile of the fairgrounds...

Once into the fairgrounds and heading for another bunch of lines, we saw the sunrise...

Parked with the engine off, it was another 3 hours of just sitting.  Looking at the lines with hundreds of cars, I have to shake my head at the incredible waste of time.  Granted, this is the 65+ age bracket, so most of them aren't missing work, but by the time they directed our line to move, there were still cars coming into the fairgrounds.  I would have no issue with coming at whatever time they'd schedule, but hopefully those in charge of this will learn how to be more efficient.

When the time came for the line of vehicles we were in to move, things happened pretty fast...

There were 6 bays at the fire station, with 3 shot stations in each bay...

We heard that last hour we were there, they gave shots to over 750 people.  This part was efficient: we pulled up to a station, there was someone at each side of our vehicle; they did my shot through the window, they had Joan open the door and swing around (she preferred to get the shot in her left arm).  The took our paperwork and the vouchers and we were done.  One more line to a parking spot to wait for 15 minutes to be sure there were no adverse reactions (many people were leaving after a couple minutes).  A guy came to our vehicle and asked if we had a headache or any breathing issues, after 10 minutes.  No.  You can go any time you want.

Done.  Really.  Four weeks before we have to come back for the second shot (the Moderna vaccine) - I'm guessing they will be better at it by then.  My biggest concerns today (besides dumbass people wandering around without masks) were: the lack of information, the inefficient waiting, and not knowing if they'd have enough vaccines for all the people who were lining up.

Seems to me that it would have been far more efficient (and not need so many people guiding you where to park) to just give you a time range (like: between 8 & 9 pm) when we had to pick up the voucher (in person).

Now that it is done, we are grateful to have this first vaccine.  We know this changes nothing as far as the need to mask up, keep a distance, staying away from groups of people, and constant hand-washing.  Nothing about that will change for months.  But, there is hope that if we are exposed to the virus, the vaccine will provide some measure of protection from getting it, and/or lessen the effects if we do get it.

I am going to need a nap this afternoon.

Up before the sun...

 

We saw on Facebook last night that you could get a voucher for the vaccine at our local city building starting at 8:00am Thursday.  So, this morning, we were up at OMG:30 to see what was going on there.  We agreed in advance that we would not stand in line for hours, hopeful that we'd be able to get a voucher from our car.

Nope.  There were people standing in line in front of the city building.  NO social distancing, and some of the people without masks.  Total shit-show.  No dissemination of information ahead of time other than the time.  We drove on by.

Joan suggested that we go to the city building on South Padre Island, as they were doing the same.  When we got there, there were two cars ahead of us in line and several police officers giving out information.  We we got to the police officer, he gave us a Q-code to scan and we could register on-line.  He thought that someone would be contacting us later today to give us more information.  Pretty much the opposite of the situation in Port Isabel.

We are trying to be pro-active regarding the vaccinations, but we are not willing to expose ourselves to the virus by standing in line for hours with a crowd of people.  Steph and Dan registered on-line and were able to go to a mass vaccination site run in an orderly fashion in Arizona.  Here, it is one line after another, with no info given out ahead of time, and no guarantee that standing in line for hours will get you a voucher, much less a vaccination.

We're ready.  We are now on several lists (valley-wide, county, state, and local), so it isn't like we aren't trying. 

Evolving...

 

Another day where the wind is blowing like stink.  Gusting to 35mph out of the north.  It's that time of year.  It was 63º when I went for my morning walk... a "feels like" temperature of 60º.  ;-)  It gives the local weather weasels something to talk about.  Otherwise, a generally sunny day.  To match my sunny disposition.

I decided to do another "Staying at Home" video, after playing some music for Joan and Rufus.  A kinder, simpler project this time, more in line with what I was thinking about when I first started these "Stayin' at Home" efforts.  More on that in a bit.

With a song picked out, I went to work.  Instead of just playing for the camera, I recorded a guitar and a vocal track, then went to work on the video.  After doing the "full band" videos, this felt like it needed something more than just a guitar... I added a quiet(ish) bass track to it.  While working on the video, only one view seemed almost too static... I added a couple short clips with some close-up chording.  Yeah, that seems better.

While doing the editing, Rufus hopped up on my lap - he's very helpful that way.  Joan saw that and came in to get a photo...

 I put that image as an ending to this video.  Oh, and the video...

The song is a cover of James Taylor's Country Road.  I didn't realize it until I went to save the video, and the computer wanted to add a "1" or a "2" to the title... seems I already recorded this one.  Well, to be fair, I have recorded a bunch of "Stayin' at Home" videos.  Which brings me to the "evolving" part: I had to look back to see if that title situation was because of an earlier rendition.  The thumbnail of that older version was a bit weak.  I didn't listen to it, but I can see that the video/audio work has evolved over time.  I have learned to not trust YouTube with selecting the thumbnail preview image.

This thumbnail...

Rubbing my eyes...

 

Ever have that film on your eyes that you have to rub out first thing in the morning?  No, me either.  But, it was a foggy start to the day today.  Out for my morning walk...

The canal behind our house...

We had talked about getting out on the scoots today, but we'll see what Mother Nature has in store.  We aren't the only ones: SpaceX has another test launch ready to go, just waiting for a weather window.  Tomorrow is supposed to be quite windy again; it looked like today between 8am and 5pm was their hopeful launch window.  We'll see.

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We were ahead of SpaceX - we did get out on our scoots today (they didn't launch).  Early afternoon, we decided on a loop through Los Fresnos, Brownsville, then back home.  We picked some take-out to eat when we got home.  It was humid when we left home... I was already sweating like a farm animal, waiting for Joan to gear up.  We probably should have gone without coats, but I do like to wear my mesh motorcycle jacket when the humidity isn't 147%.  Yes, I'm kidding - it was 253%.  Heading west, then south, the temperature continued to climb; I can't state with accuracy the actual temperature, but while waiting in the drive up, my radiator fan kept spooling up and the outside temperature read-out on Joan's bike was 106º... of course, it wasn't 106º - I think it was being affected by the heat pouring off my body.

Probably wasn't much point in showering this morning.  Riding back towards home on Hwy 48, I had my elbows up high and all the zippered vents on my jacket open... I call it "OMG, I'm boiling like a lobster" position.  That said, I enjoyed the riding part.  First time Joan and I have ridden together since the infamous flat tire episode.  Good times.

A New World Record!

 

Well, for me.  After getting a bicycle ride in this morning, the wind really kicked up... there were whitecaps in the protected turning basin in our local harbor.  Looks like another good day for staying at home... and another "Stayin' at Home" video.

The record? Six music tracks, the music production, a bunch of video, then editing it all together... less than 5 hours.  "Looks like it," you say.  ;-)  It keeps me occupied.

I was on my own today, since Joan was back at another quilting project...

 

It's been a while since she's had the opportunity to work on that, so I wasn't going to take her away from it.

My project for the day...

First time I've done all the video myself.  Used my Apple watch to frame the shot and start/stop the video.  Not the same as having a pretty videographer to keep my attention, but these are unusual times.  I started the project by recording the different instruments and vocals with the Spire Studio.  I've been using the Spire for several years now, so that part generally goes fast, if it's a song I know.  The video doesn't take that long to shoot if you aren't doing a bunch of angles and locations.  Editing it all together is the big time suck.  But, it keeps me off the streets.

Hope you enjoy it.

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Hand me downs... 

No, I'm not talking about being a poor kid and having to wear my sisters' hand-me-downs... junior high kids can be so cruel.  I'm kidding - it was the 60s and I looked pretty good in those white go-go boots.

Digressing again.  Joan sent a package to Steph on Friday, and it showed up at their house today.  There were several things in there, including an apron restructuring Joan did for Steph (it holds teacher supplies when they have to go back to in-school teaching again)... but the big star in the package was a hand-me-down.

One of the first things we got for Rufus when we adopted him was a "big boy" kitty hoodie...

Hard to believe he fit in that bed and the hoodie.  Well, that "full grown cat" (that's what the vet in Arizona told us) is a LOT bigger now.  Joan was going through some things and came across that hoodie... we decided to surprise Steph with it for Tango, their youngest furry boy.

She sent us a photo...

 Looks like it fits him just fine.  He is a different physique than their other two "big cats" (Siberian Forest Cats).  But now he looks like a big tough boy in his new hoodie.  Almost a year that this sweet boy has been a part of the family.

Another first...

 

Well, first in a while.  I have been walking for exercise since the big poke.  It has been almost two months now - time flies when you're looking for your missing prostate - I decided to try a bicycle ride this morning.  I put the battery in the e-bike (yes, I will be pedaling) and rolled it out from our underneath storage area; besides the nether regions, another reason why I haven't ridden in a while: the bike weighs 55 pounds, and I have to lift it up onto the stairs to get to the street level.  Heaviest thing I've picked up in a while.

Into our driveway, the next concern... Joan told me to do a "test sit" before committing to a ride.  The seat on this bike is tall enough that by the time your ass is on it, you can no longer touch the ground.  Well, I can't touch the ground... if I'm on the seat, I'd better be rolling.  ;-)

It certainly isn't as comfortable as the saddle on the Vespa, but... it wasn't bad.  It felt good to be moving at a pace faster than walking, and instead of a half mile walk, my goal was to do a couple miles on the bike.

 

My arms aren't long enough to get the bike in a photo while I'm riding, but that's the shadow of me on the bike in the photo above.  I did about 2 1/2 miles; into and with the breeze.  And, some hazy sunshine.  It wasn't bad; may be a while before I make this part of my daily routine again (need to toughen up that nether region - gradually), but this is a good start.

Vespa in Gray...

 

Wait a minute - isn't your Vespa that classy blue color?  Thanks for asking, and yes, it is blue.  Another gray day here in the Tropical Tip.  That's about 3 in a row... apparently Mother Nature thought I was missing the Pacific Northwest.  She'd be wrong.

In spite of the overcast, it was good riding...

 71º, so comfortable with a mesh jacket and jeans.  I put my 360 camera on the bike - it has been months since I had it out of the case.  I was surprised the battery in it still had some life; the phone wanted me to update the app... no, thanks. It took me a while to remember how to work up the videos and grab a snapshot (above) from that.

I stopped to gas up (crappy 64 mpg), then headed across the causeway to shoot some video...

A decent shot of the Vespa in front of the Wyland Whaling Wall...

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And for my friend Greg in Florida (who is a great photographer when he isn't busy with his day job of being a pediatrician), the same image worked up with some effects in Photoshop...

Son of a Son of a Sailor...

 

Joan shot the last bit of video this morning for this project.  Another "Stayin' at Home" video, but this time with "a full band"... well, a one-man band.  A fun project, playing each part, doing each vocal track, mixing the music, then doing the video production.  It keeps me off the streets.

Click below for the video, a cover of the Jimmy Buffett song Son of a Son of a Sailor...
 

I started with a guitar track on the Spire Studio.  Then, one-by-one, added bass, drums, electric guitar, and 3 vocal tracks.

Hope you enjoy this one; I had fun making it.

Take two...

 

Not talking about me sneaking cookies.  Continuing to shoot some video for the next project.  A foggy morning adds to the atmosphere...

 Yes, that is a bass guitar.  I play drums, too...

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A Rumble...

No, not the music nor a fight between scooter gangs.  We don't have any scooter gangs here, but I digress.  At about 4:45pm today there was a rumble that sounded like very close rolling thunder.  It wasn't.  Joan checked: SpaceX did a static firing today on the engines for the next "hop"... which should be happening soon.  From the rumble, it was pretty obvious they fired up.  No idea if all went as planned.

Inauguration Day...

 

No, still not about politics.  We watched a portion of the Inauguration ceremony this morning.  Biden's speech was hopeful and impassioned.  Regardless of your political leanings, I hope he is able to bring this country together.  The divisiveness has reached a boiling point and we have to decide if we are ready for a move towards more civility.  The President can call for it, but it is up to each individual to put it into action.  It is up to each political party to work for what is best for the country, and not make their end game the destruction of the other party.  The American people are weary... the political rancor, the changes in lifestyle brought about by the virus, the racial divide.  I don't speak for the American people, but I am ready for a change.

Perhaps with a new administration there will be better logistics with the vaccination situation?  Maybe those who feel disenfranchised can understand protest doesn't mean burning and looting?  Maybe those you don't agree with don't have to be considered... the enemy?

The news media will have to change.  Ruling by Twitter has proven to be a colossal shit show.  It will be a refreshing change if there will, indeed, be transparency in government.  So much has been made about the Georgia Senate race and the 50-50 division in the Senate... maybe those people who were elected to serve us will come to understand that doesn't mean shutting down our government to spite the other party?  Truly, I don't have a lot of faith in politicians, but the last decade plus has been more about harming the other party than doing good for the country.  It is time for a change.

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Here's a change: last night and this morning, I recorded some more music tracks, this time for another video project that Joan and I will be working on.  Here's a preview...

Gray...

 

My hair?  Goatee?  Yeah, mostly.  I'm talking about the start to the day...

That almost looks like a black & white photo.  It isn't.  Just a mostly overcast start to the day.  Looks like it should be chilly.  It isn't.  70º at 9:00 am, high today is forecast to be 74º.  Not much change.  It was breezy when I went for a walk this morning, but not unpleasant.

Even so, I'm seeing this as a mostly indoor day.  Not because of the weather.  My buddy and music partner Mark has had some computer issues, just got his laptop back, and is wanting to make some music... he told me to pick something "rock 'n roll and let's record some files."  So, a pretty loose plan.

Joan has been asking me to record something for her, as well.  This is a lot of pressure.  ;-)

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While Joan went to the store, I started some recording... a scratch track (as a guide), drums, bass, a couple guitar tracks, and several vocal tracks...

 

I sent the files on to Mark to have him add his tracks and do a mix in Logic ProX.  Yes, I used the new guitar on this project.

 

Thar she blows...

 

No, I didn't see any whales.  In fact, I have never seen whales in deep south Texas.  But, I did see 3 dolphins while out for a scooter ride today: one in the Laguna Madre from the causeway, and two others from the swing bridge going onto our island.

This is another weather stuff post.  A renter a couple doors down from us asked me if the wind always blows around here... "Well, calm is not typical, but it does tend to be a bit breezier in the winter," I told him.  He is from Iowa, doesn't think I have any understanding of the word "winter."   There is a reason that South Padre Island is one of the Top 10 wind surfing destinations.  ;-)

The wind is supposed to get up above 20mph by noon, so after breakfast and a walk, I took the Vespa out for a ride.  I didn't take a camera with me, so a description will have to suffice: riding across the causeway was a delight... not only was the speedometer on the Vespa accurate, but the view was gorgeous... the water of the Laguna Madre was calm and a gorgeous turquoise-blue.  I rode around the island a bit.  Not a lot of people on the main drag on this Monday holiday, but quite a few people walking and riding bicycles on Gulf Blvd.  Temperature already 70º, sunny, and calm.

By the time I came back across the causeway, the wind was starting to build.  Home, put the scoot away, and took a shower.  By the time I was dried off and dressed, Joan said we need to roll up our sun screens on the deck.  It is a precaution to keep them from getting beat up in the wind.  She decided to take down the US flag flying off a post on the deck; it was flapping pretty good.

It doesn't look like this will be a norther; daytime highs are going to be in the 70s all week... but a forecast for windy for the next few days.  Glad I got out on the Vespa when I did.  Oh, sure, it handles the wind fine, but it is less pleasant, and I'm riding for the fun of it.  Rufus probably won't be too excited about going for a walk - he doesn't mind walking into the wind, but he doesn't like it blowing up his hind end.  Who does?  That's rhetorical, no need to answer that question.  :-)

Bread...

 

That baked stuff made with dough.  Money.  The soft rock band that had 13 songs in the Top 100 in the 70s.  This is about the first one.

A couple weeks ago, I forwarded a recipe I saw on Facebook to Joan... it was bread that had ham, bacon, cheese, and olives baked into it.  I haven't had anything like that, didn't expect her to run with it, mostly just asked if it sounded good to her.

This morning, after pancakes and sausage, Joan showed me a bowl full of bacon and ham... "Um, we already had breakfast."  Another bowl of green and black olives.  And cheese.  And before long, the smell of fresh bread baking.

Remember the old commercial for Campbell's Chunky Soups?  "Soup that eats like a meal."  This is bread that eats like a meal.  Tasty.  She put a little pizza sauce on a slice; butter on another slice.  Yep, eats like a meal.

The only meals out that have been happening for us in a long time have been take out.  Joan keeps things interesting.

Whole lotta...

 

Love?  Shakin' going on?  Both good guesses, but not the subject of this post.  Today: whole lotta stupid out there.

We made a loop today.  Nothing to do with sewing or knot-tying.  Out to the storage unit to drop off some stuff for the coach and pick up a couple things.  Then south to Brownsville, and a stop at PetSmart (more Rufus food).  Raising a little cane... our first time at Raising Cane (chicken), through the drive-up.  It's no  Chick-fil-A, but it was good.  Then, back home.

Where's the stupid?  I'm getting there.  A chilly day (high of 62º), but sunny and not windy... good for some scooter time.  I rode across the causeway and up the island a ways.  There's the stupid.  People driving 15mph under the 30mph limit; people driving 15mph over the 30mph limit.  Red lights?  We don't stop at no stinkin' red lights.  10 people in a souped up golf cart... with short sleeves and shorts... in 60º?  The red light thing?  Yes, really.  Saw it twice today.  One would have taken me out if I had pulled out when the light turned green for me.  I ain't stupid.

Feels good to be out on the Vespa.

When's the last time...

 

... you sent a thank-you for someone doing what they're supposed to do?

This morning for me.  I sent a note to the owner of AF1 Racing, thanking Steve and the service staff for the good experience I had there.  His response to me: "Thank you for being a good customer"... and letting him know about my experience.

Goodness knows I have had some less than great service and buying experiences.  I like it when things go as planned, and AF1 has lived up to expectations each time.

A sunny, but chilly and windy day here; otherwise, I would have been out on the scoot.  Yeah, I'm secure in my candy-ass-ness.

 

The Big House...

 

Going to the big house, gonna get the chair.

No, I am too pretty to go back to prison.  After a couple nights away, Rufus was looking forward to getting back to "the big house" (his words, not mine) and having his chair.

An easy drive today.  We got the coach ready to put in the storage unit (tanks flushed and dumped); Joan cleaned inside and packed up most of what we took, while I worked outside (not cleaning - that will have to be another day).  When we left that RV park at 10:20, we knew we only had to do a couple hours.  We stopped for fuel 20 miles before the storage unit, so we can be ready to roll when the next trip comes around. 

The swap (car out, stuff loaded into the car, trailer off the coach, trailer on the car) at the storage unit went quick.

 

Back home, we took Rufus and his potty box inside, then parked the cargo trailer and went to work unloading the car.

Of course, I was anxious to try out the Vespa to see if the speed ring made a difference in the accuracy of the speedometer... yep.  About 1mph off up to just over 40 mph... I'll check it at higher speeds another time.

We were only gone 2 1/2 days; felt longer than that.  The cold weather in Austin probably had something to do with that.  It was 73º, sunny and breezy when we got home.  Rufus is a good traveler, but he isn't a big fan of riding in the car... and he is happy to be in his "big house."  Joan put him down outside the car and he walked right up to the door.  "I missed my house."  It shows.

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I got out for another ride late this afternoon; this time across the causeway so I could run the scoot up to 60 mph to check the speedometer accuracy... 1 mile per hour off up to 40, 1 or 2 off between 40 and 50, and right on at 60 mph.  That is better than I expected!  Plus, I got another ride in.

 

Service...

 

With a smile.  We are at AF1 Racing, parked comfortably in their parking lot.  They came out and wrote up the service order before they were officially open (at 10:00).  Plenty of room in their parking lot for our rig, since their sales floor is open by appointment only (no walk-in traffic).  When you see the name "Racing" in their business name, you probably don't immediately think of Vespa.  ;-)  They are also a dealer for Aprilia, MotoGuzi, Zero (electric motorcycles), and others.  They build race engines for motorcycles and race cars.  Since Vespa is owned by the same parent company (Piaggio) as Aprilia and MotoGuzi, it make sense.  AF1 has a great reputation with Vespa owners.  They ship parts all over the country.  A good service department.  Knowledgeable sales staff.  A good inventory of new Vespas.

Back before Covid, we got a tour of the place when I first brought my other Vespa in for service.  Kind of unassuming from the outside, but well-set-up inside: a good size showroom, large service department, and a parts department with a smart shipping area.

It was a cold start to the morning... 34º.  We discovered that the heating blanket in the coach had quit working.  Joan turned up the heat and put extra blankets on the bed... I had flashbacks to my childhood, where there was no heat upstairs; "Mom - can you come up and lift the blankets so I can get out of bed?"  ;-)  Well, not quite that bad.  Rufus usually sleeps on the covers down by our feet; he came up to our heads to get under the covers.  Still, I slept good last night; probably because I didn't get much sleep the night before and had a long driving day yesterday.

The plan is to start heading south when AF1 is done with my scoot.  In the meantime, this is kick-back time in the parking lot.

A bit over an hour, and I just saw one of the techs go by on a test ride on my scoot.  Hoping that's a good sign.  There is a somewhat grassy area by the parking lot, Rufus got a short walk while we're waiting... the traffic noise doesn't bother him, but he wasn't impressed with the short scrubby grass.  We have different priorities.

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AF1 came in right where the estimate was, and right on the time.  We were rolling out of there by 12:10, heading south.  We knew it would be well after dark by the time we could get back to our storage unit, so we had already made a reservation for a park a couple hours from the storage unit.  When we get in tomorrow, we will have freshly dumped tanks and all our stuff packed up to go in the Honda after we put the coach away.  Less wear and tear on this old guy.  Speaking of which, this trip was as much about me spending plenty of time behind the wheel as it was about getting service for the Vespa... I was glad to be off the road before 5:00 today; tired, but happy I can do it.

The drive today was uneventful - just the way I like it.  Rufus got lunch before we left AF1, Joan and I ate finger food along the way; I was ready to make some miles.  I always mention that "Rufus is a good boy," which is true... most of the time.  Today, he was under foot... not good when I am driving in heavy traffic and Joan is getting us a snack.  He got put in "time out"...

Well, not really.  Joan put him up on his short tower, which was behind my driver's seat.  He stayed there, with his handsome face facing the wall.  Until Joan got up again, at which point Rufus took her seat...

"What?  She didn't call 'saved'!"  The boy cracks me up.

We got to the RV park around 4:30; I was ready to rest for a bit.  Our first time in this park, and it is pretty nice... long concrete pull-thru sites...

After his supper, I took him for a walk.  He is generally curious about new places, but he was a bit miffed...

"This grass is fake!"  Yep, Astroturf.  The bush was real, though.  He saw a dog coming at us as we were walking down the street; when the girl walking the dog looked up from her phone and saw us, she turned her dog around the other way.

"I think you scared that dog, Rufus," I said to him.

"I just wanna be friends.  I won't hurt him."

He's a good boy.  ;-)

Rollin'...

 

If you said, "Limp Bizkit, 2000," you get 200 bonus points, 'cause I've never heard of it.  ;-)

We were up early - no, we didn't set an alarm.  My mind was working all night long; making a mental list of what not to forget for today's trip.  We are headed north to Austin, with a service appointment for the new Vespa scheduled for tomorrow morning.  We had the coach ready yesterday (except for a few last minute things) and the cargo trailer was hooked to the CR-V in the driveway.  We loaded the few things into the car, put down the big hurricane shutter, turned off water, grabbed Rufus (and his litter box and a couple toys), and hit the road at first light.

Out at the storage unit, we loaded the last stuff into the motorhome, dropped the trailer from the Honda, then backed the motorhome out, and hooked up the trailer to that.

The goal: get to Austin before dark, where we'll check into an RV park reasonably close to AF1 Racing.

The reality: we were out earlier than expected and made good time.  Rufus was a little fussy, mostly because he got a small breakfast to start the day.  Don't worry - he got plenty to eat along the way.

It was a cold start to the day: 41º at the storage unit, and didn't warm up from that until we were almost to San Antonio.  Overcast, but pleasant driving.  Of course, a headwind, but it wasn't howling.  Traffic was light until we got to San Antonio, then pretty solid the rest of the way.

Outside of San Antonio, Mother Nature decided we weren't dirty enough...

 About 60 seconds of rain - just enough to put on another layer of road grime.  Yes, that is blue sky ahead - in the words of the philosopher Maxwell Smart: "Missed it by this much."  ;-)

One stop between San Antonio and Austin...

Buc-ee's.  While I gassed up, Joan went inside to get us a BBQ sandwich.  Picnic in the Aspect in Buc-ee's huge parking lot.  Less than 40 miles to go.  One mile from our exit (coulda bailed one exit sooner had we known) and the traffic was down to 2 mph...

When we got off on that exit, we saw the issue: no photo, but a Penske rental truck had somehow ran up onto a concrete barrier, dangling precariously.  It would be interesting to see how they will get that off...  the back tire was gone and the wheel was mangled; the front passenger tire was hanging over the other side of the barricade.  That driver is having a very bad day... sure hope he popped for the insurance.

We got to the RV park between 2:00 and 3:00.  And to think I was concerned we wouldn't get here before the office closed.  We can have a relaxing evening and not have to get up too early tomorrow.

This is the first long driving day since the big poke.  I'm a little achy, but a walk around the park should help.  Rufus might even be up for a walk... after he catches up on is napping.  I could tell you that Rufus is a good boy, but you already know that.  He was pretty vocal the first hour or two... and he has a big voice to go with that burly physique.

The RV site we are in...

With just the trailer behind the motorhome, we can fit in pretty much any RV park.  This one isn't anything special, but it is close.

I got out for a walk after getting Rufus his supper.  When I came back, he was ready for a walk - he likes to look around and does a good strut when people comment.  Joan made us supper tonight, comfort food: meat loaf and mashed potatoes.  And now settling in for the evening.  It is going to be a chilly night... 35º for a low.  Look at the trees in the photo above... all our trees at home are green, bare sticks here in the Austin area.  I think we need to get the work done on the Vespa and head back south.

We want to pump you up...

 

If you said, "Hans and Franz from Saturday Night Live, played by Dana Carvey and Kevin Nealon," you get 20 bonus points.

I'm talking about the tires on the motorhome: each tire was down just a bit.  Not surprising, considering it was 45º when we got to the storage unit.  We took a load of stuff to put in the coach and turned the fridge on.  We plan to head out tomorrow morning, for a quick trip to Austin and back.  To not have any surprises, I made reservations for an RV park there and on the way back.

Our service appointment at AF1 Racing is for Wednesday morning.  If all goes as planned, two hours later we'll load up the Vespa and head for home. 

Rufus knows something is up.  He is not only a good boy, but he is very perceptive... and there has been a good deal of scurrying around the house today.

It's back...

 

What passes for winter here in the Tropical Tip.  I got in one walk today, but Rufus has stayed inside... he does not like the north wind blowing on his hind end.  Yes, he has a cushy life.

There is snow in the Austin area right now.  That is 350 miles from our storage unit (which is about an hour from the house).  The plan is still the plan.  There's a plan?  Yep.  There's a new tire and a speed ring with my name on it at the Vespa dealer there.  A speed ring?  Well, it does add about 5 mph to the top end, but the most important thing is it makes the speedometer more accurate.  Vespas seem to show 8 to 10% optimistic on the speedometer (my previous Vespa was the same).  This ring on the rear wheel (where the speed is read) corrects that.

Hopefully, the weather will improve, but I'm ready for an actual (short) road trip.

Road Trip!

 

Well, a little one.  Maybe more of a roadette trip?  Joan wanted to make a Sam's Club and PetSmart run into Harlingen.  And I got to go along.  Well, more than go along, I was the chauffeur.

We had a discussion while in Sam's Club... seems that several outside vendors (as in: cell phone service sellers, women's make-up, etc) have taken to coming up and getting right in your face.  As well as blocking an aisle while stalking another customer.  I feel it is OK to lightly nudge them to let them know to get out of the way, and if that doesn't work, run them over with the huge Sam's shopping cart, and step on their head.  Joan feels that isn't polite.  I tried polite, by saying, "Back off," as they get close.  Apparently, that isn't considered polite by some.  Polite, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.

I think the situation is easily solved: stay at least 6 feet away from me, or I will consider it an invasion of my personal space, and I will take appropriate action.  No, I won't define "appropriate action" here.

Other than that, Sam's was reasonably easy.  We used their app to scan our purchases as we put them in the cart.  When you're done, you press "Pay" on your phone and head for the door.  No waiting in line and schlepping things out of the car, scanning, then back in the cart.  At they door, they scan your phone, then scan a few random items in the cart to make sure you are being honest.  I thought that was pretty slick.

Then on to PetSmart, where I waited in the car.  Probably a good thing, because Joan was frustrated with being 6th in line and one one check-out open.  I would have been OK with picking up one of their phones and saying, "All available employees to the check-out counters NOW!"  Probably why I got to wait in the car.  Well, that and the probability of me browsing the shelter rescue cats to see if Rufus could use a little sister.

Final stop: Chick-fil-A.  The government needs to hire them to administer the vaccine distribution... 12,000 cars in line ahead of us, and we were through there in 10 minutes, our order perfect, a receipt in hand, and they were friendly and polite in the process.  My pleasure.  ;-)  It took longer at the bank where there were no cars in front of us and we just needed to deposit a check.  Another guy in a car over from us appeared to be asleep, or maybe dead... no idea how long he had been waiting.  Obviously, he didn't have a box of 30 chicken nuggets to keep up his strength.

Off to see the Wizard...

 

And by "wizard," I mean: doctor.  And by "doctor," I mean: Rufus had his annual checkup at the vet today.  All is good - the boy is big, happy, and healthy.  I would almost describe him as a lean, mean, snuggle machine.  Lean?  Well, last year he weighed 16.8 pounds and Dr. Julie said he needed to lose some weight.  I cut back on his food portions and we do a couple walks on the leash each day.  Sometimes we walk a lot, more often it is a lot of standing for me while Rufus sniffs every blade of grass... because, apparently, each one smells different.  And sometimes we sniff the trees where every dog on the island has peed.  And by "we," I mean: just Rufus... I don't sniff any of that nature stuff.

Rufus is now a lean, just under 15 pound, big boy.  I was surprised.  Could be that I am getting weaker, 'cause I expected him to be up just a bit in weight... feels like it when I pick him up or when he walks on me.

Dr. Julie wasn't there today, so we got to meet the other vet, Dr. Lee.  She commented on how handsome Rufus is, so we like her.  ;-)  I asked about getting the carrier out to transport Ruf, but Joan said she'd just hold him on her lap.  The Covid protocol at the vet is: you call when you get there, then wait in your vehicle until someone comes to get you.  Rufus was looking all around while in the car...

 

As you'd expect, he was well-behaved in the car and in the vet's office, because... he's a good boy.  ;-)

We got back in time for his normal lunch schedule.  Then to Burger Fi for our lunch schedule.  Then out for a walk with the big furry boy.

-------

I will hug Rufus a bit tighter this afternoon, when he and I take a nap.  We heard this morning that friends of ours lost their sweet furry girl, Gracie, on Tuesday morning.  We know that heartbreak.  Gracie was an Australian Shepard, with a great personality; loved to be with them out on their boat; or on the golf cart.  RIP Gracie.  My heart hurts for the family you leave behind.

Protestors Storm Capitol...

 

That's the headline on the national news.  We watched as protestors moved from in front of the Capitol Building, knocked down barricades, onto the steps of the Capitol, and then into the Capitol Building.  That is crazy... third world kinda stuff.

I don't get political on this blog, and this isn't intended to be.  There is a photo of a guy in Nancy's Pelosi's office, with his feet up on her desk.  That isn't political, it is criminal.  I'm all for the Constitutional right to gather and the right to protest peacefully.  That is criminal trespass.  Blatant disrespect.

My biggest concern of the whole election shit-show is coming to pass.  People, including the sitting President, refusing to accept the results of the election.  Yes, we saw it in 2016 when some people didn't want to accept the results of that election... resulting in riots.  It is both sides.  It is disregard for civility.  Both sides.  It is people who think their way is the only way, with no regard for the law.

My heart hurts for our country.  I am sickened by the fact that there are people out there (did I mention: both sides) who think they can bully their way over legal proceedings.  People who think force trumps (yes, I know what I did there) all.

The country is divided like no time that I can remember.  I don't know how to make it better when some people have so little regard.

Congress needs to certify the election.  They have to show that the rule of law still stands.  There needs to be bipartisan cooperation to bring this country back together.

The more I see of this kind of human behavior, the more I like my cat.

Guitar Tech...

 

That is someone who works on guitars.  Sometimes in a music store, where they work on customers' guitars.  If you are at the height of your game, you may have a gig with a band, where you make sure the guitars are tuned up, action set, controls set - ready to hand the guitar to the guy in the spotlight.

Or, if you live at the edge of the country, you learn how to do your own set-ups to make the action on the guitar just the way you like it.  I have never had to do fret work on any of my guitars... until this new one.  The tools for filing and dressing the frets arrived today... so, today I am a guitar tech.  The pay sucks, but I can set my own hours.  ;-)

Before doing the actual filing, I watched a bunch of videos... I went with the technique that I saw the most.  I set up my work area (the island in our kitchen), got the tools ready, took off the strings that would be in the way, put painters tape on the binding on the side of the fretboard, took a deep breath, and took a file to the new guitar...

 

I took my time.  Still, it went faster than I thought it would.  The specially designed file worked just like it is supposed to: the smooth edges protected the fretboard while the coarse sides ground down the "meat hook" edges of the frets.  One by one, 24 frets.  With the sharp metal ground off, I took what looks like an emery board to smooth it all out.  Then progressively finer polishing pads, working up from 1500 grit.

The end result: it is about 90% better.  Frankly, better than I had hoped for on a first effort.  When I do the first string change on this guitar, I will do a bit more work on the frets.  I didn't want to over-do it and take too much off or scar up the fretboard or the binding.  Mission accomplished.

This is much easier on my left hand.  Six days with this guitar, and I think it is Joan's favorite... with the daily concerts for Joan and Rufus, the request has been: "Play the electric."  It will now be less wear and tear on my hand to do so.

Oh, yeah...

 

That's flat.  With the scoot in the cargo trailer, up on the center stand, and not in bright sunlight... I put some air in the tire and found the puncture.  No idea what it was, but it left a hole big enough that the air comes out as fast I the compressor was putting it in.

Decisions: patch it or replace a brand new tire (less than 1,000 miles on the scoot)?  Do I trust a patch?  Pulling the rear wheel off would be a good time to switch out the speed ring on the real wheel and put a differently calibrated ring on there, which would add 5mph to the top speed and make the speedometer more accurate.   Something to consider.

If I had a shop with a lift, I would remove the wheel myself and take it somewhere to get a new tire mounted.  Nearest Vespa shop?  About 350 miles away.  More decisions.  Any place locally to do this?  Last time I had a motorcycle/scooter tire mounted locally, the shop (a Honda dealer) scarred up the wheel.

I think I'll visit with my friends at the Vespa shop where I got this new scoot before making any of those big decisions.  Of course, they aren't open today.

One of us (it wasn't me) said, "You have the time, and you are off the road and safe.  No rush."  We'll see how long it will take to get a new tire in.  Decisions.

She saved me again...

 

The plan: an afternoon ride on the scoots.  A lovely day here in the Tropical Tip, and we haven't ridden together since the big poke.  I got the scoots out, we geared up, and headed out.  Didn't get far, when we got stopped at our swing bridge to let a boat go through.  I took the time to get a selfie...

We headed out of town for some highway cruising.  We stopped at a wildlife pull out so I could get a couple photos...

We were heading back home when something didn't feel right.  I told Joan the Vespa was cutting out and I needed to pull over.  As we got off the side of the road, she said, "Your back tire looks low."

Close.  It was flat.  The new Vespa has a traction control feature that cuts power to the engine if it senses that the front and rear wheels are turning at different rates (if you were sliding on gravel)... yep, the traction control warning light was on.

What to do?  We are about 15 miles from home, not close to anywhere safe to leave the scooter... Joan said for me to take her bike and go home to get the cargo trailer.  No way in Hell would I leave her alone on the side of the road... it means that she will have to get the cargo trailer, move it around, put the hitch on the CR-V, hook 'em up, and come get me.  Yes, she is perfectly capable of doing all that, generally though, we hook up the trailer together... ease the work and double check each other.  Not this time.

She called me to say that she was "all hooked up and on her way" about 35 minutes later.  In the meantime, I had walked the scooter to a gravel driveway of sorts (leading into the maintenance road for the windmills); I also put the scoot on its centerstand to give that rear tire a thorough look-over; nothing obvious...

Before long, Joan to the rescue...

It took us a few minutes to roll the Vespa in and get it strapped down.  And head for home.  Not quite the way I planned it.  Yes, she has a bottle of water in her hand, for me.  She is my angel.

We have been riding bikes for decades.  Never a flat tire until recently, and now two of them in 6 months, on two different bikes.

Once home, I put a compressor on that tire and could hear the air hissing out of it almost as fast as it was going in.  Tomorrow, I'll find the source and figure out what to do next.