It's that time...

 

"Time when we reflect back on the happenings of the year?" you ask.  Yeah, that, too.  But around here, it is the time of the year that law enforcement has to run PSA spots on TV to remind people "Do not fire guns in the air to celebrate the New Year."

I'm still dumbfounded that the warning is necessary, but the report I saw last night said there were over 150 reports of "celebratory gun fire in the air" last year in the Rio Grande Valley at New Years Eve.

As usual, we are planning for a quiet evening in.  This was from the blog 8 years ago...

"So, an intimate little celebration for us tonight... just us...party, party!! I'm thinking: some raucous behavior, lewd dancing, debauchery, drinking, and nudity. I don't know what the Blonde is planning."

;-)

Happy New Year!

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The day started with a heavy fog - I put off my usual morning bicycle ride.  Around 11:00, Joan asked if I wanted to go bike riding with her... absolutely.  It's been a long while since we've ridden together.  My usual is around the streets on our island; she prefers to take the bridge off the island and ride around town... pick the crazies you want to be exposed to.  At least on our island, with the highest speed limit being 15, the odds are better that you'll survive the impact.  So, we compromised and went off the island, then rode back on and did a couple of the loops in our resort area.

I took a few photos with my phone in the mount on the handlebars - it's isn't meant to be used for photos, but to hold the phone so you can see it (I usually listen to music or podcasts when riding).  Not much in the way of composition, but proof that we were out riding together...

 When we got back, we did a "test fit" with the bikes on the heavy duty rack on the back of the Equinox.  Joan wants to order a cover for them, so they really needed to be in place to get the right measurements.  The only use this rack has seen since we traded off the truck (Big Red) was on the back of the motorhome once we were down anywhere for a while - as a lockable storage spot for my bike.

There was a lot of lifting and grunting; I didn't think to get a photo of it.  There is some discussion that we could once again haul bikes across the causeway to SPI to ride around there.

 

I remember this stuff...

 

I was heading out for a motorcycle ride; going past the parking lot of our Event Center, I saw a familiar sight; a beautiful navy blue hull Ranger Tug.  This means my buddy Leonard is here!  Heading off our island, I gave him a call to see when he was planning to launch and offer a hand; that is a lot of boat for one guy to launch, rinse the boat trailer, park the trailer, and get the boat to his dock.

Leonard and I can go for months without talking, and we're able to pick right up where we left off.  Siri connected me with his number and he answered, "Hello, Captain Jim..." We visited for a while, then determined that he was pretty close to launching.

I said, "Well, I'm on the causeway right now on my motorcycle.  How about I do a U-turn at the far end and come back and give you a hand."  We agreed that the timing would work.  As I drove by the boat in the parking lot again on the way in, I could see him under the boat doing something with the trailer.  I swung in the parking lot and asked if there was anything I could help with.  Nope, he had it all under control.  We met back at his house, I left my bike in his driveway, and we took his truck back to the boat.  He had me back it to the trailer while he guided me up to it.  The Ranger Tug is a big boat on the trailer, and the ball has to lined up just right - there is no moving a bit one way or the other.

I offered to bring his trailer back (and rinse it) so he could just pull the boat around to his dock.  As I was backing down the ramp, I asked about fenders for the side of the boat.  Apparently he has plenty... in his garage back in Kansas.  I called Joan and asked if she could grab some of our fenders from underneath and meet us at the ramp.  "I'll be right there," she said.  She is a champ.

It was nice to have a 3rd hand at the ramp.  I backed the truck in the rest of the way, Leonard backed the boat off, and Joan was able to fend off at the dock so he didn't have to stop.

As Leonard pulled away, I pulled the trailer out of the water and Joan closed the gates to the ramp behind me.  We have a nice rinsing station to get the salt water off trailers right at the newly build trailer parking by the ramp.  There was only one vehicle in that whole area: a guy who was washing his car at the trailer rinsing station.  I nicely went up to him, could see he was done washing, and was just wiping off his car... I asked, "Hey, amigo, is there any chance you could let me get to the rinsing station to get the salt water off the trailer brakes?"

He snarled at me and said, "I'll be done in about 5 minutes."  I didn't expect that.

I said, "Well, that is a trailer rinsing area you are washing your car in - I'm just asking you to give me a bit of room so I can get that done before this trailer dries."

He snarled again and said, "Fine, I'll move.  But calling me 'amigo' doesn't mean shit!"

He is right - I should have called him "asshole."  No good deed goes unpunished.

When he moved, I pulled the trailer into that trailer rinsing station.  Joan grabbed the second hose there and gave me a hand.  Did I mention: the lady is a champ.

From there, it was back to the parking lot, where Joan guided me into the spot Leonard had reserved.  Of course, the only car in that row was parked as far out from the Event Center, which put it in front of Leonard's trailer parking spot.  It took some maneuvering, and more guidance from Joan, but we got the trailer into its space.

I took the truck back to Leonard's place and his wife was unloading suitcases from the boat onto the dock.  I said, "Let me give you a hand with those."  Picking up one suitcase, I asked, "Did you bring a bunch of anvils from Kansas?"  Being a gentleman, I wasn't going to let her carry those bags up that flight of stairs to the front door of their Sea Cottage.

Doris said, "If you have it in you to do one more flight of stairs, those bags go up to our bedroom."  I swear those stairs looked longer and steeper than I remembered.  Five trips later, out of breath, and sweating like a farm animal, I was done.

"Um, I could use a glass of water, if you wouldn't mind."  Doris got me the water and said, "Sit down, you look worn out."  She was being kind... I thought "worn out and used up" was a more appropriate description.  I feel like I am in pretty good shape for a guy my age... but I was wiped.  I thanked Doris for the water and walked my rubbery legs down the stairs from their front door.  Rode my motorcycle back home.

Since it all took a while, Joan had fed Rufus his lunch (that's my job); the boy was grateful.  Joan said to me, "There was nothing I miss with any of what we did this morning," referring to the work necessary to get a boat launched and to your dock.  I have to agree with her, but I was happy to give Leonard a hand.  Could he do it by himself?  No doubt in my mind; but it is less wear and tear on these old bodies to have someone to split the work with.  That said, I won't be buying another boat anytime soon.

For any readers here who have been with this blog from the beginning, let me tell you a bit about my friend Leonard: he and I both had small sailboats that we would take out, including an overnight in the boats to the Arroya Colorado for the 4 of us.  That was the SunCat we had at the time, and he had a Potter.  After that, I mentioned to him that I would be interested in a boat like the Nimble Nomad he had at one time...

It's a cute boat that really caught my eye when I was considering making a move from our Corsair F27 Trimaran to a powercruiser.  Leonard said to me, "This boat is an OK 6 mile per hour boat - you want something more capable - something like a C-Dory."

"You are right!" I said, "What's a C-Dory?"  Seriously, I had never heard of a C-Dory before Leonard suggested one.  He was right.  We moved on that advice, went to the Seattle Boat Show that year, and ordered what became Wild Blue.

A couple years after that, Leonard asked how I was liking the C-Dory... "Couldn't be happier!"  I told him.  He was thinking about another cabin-type powercruiser and a C-Dory like ours was in consideration.  The other option: a Ranger Tug.  A few months later, he came home with a Ranger Tug...

That isn't Leonard's exact boat, but an example of that year Ranger Tug (for reference).  The cabin layout is similar to a C-Dory, but more upscale.  The boat is powered by a diesel engine instead of an outboard.

A couple years later again, we were cruising Wild Blue on the Erie Canal.  While tied off to a wall at one of the towns, waiting for a Jimmy Buffet tribute band to play, a Ranger Rug came through the nearby lock... yep, it was Leonard and Doris.  What are the odds that, without coordinating it, we'd both be on the Erie Canal at the same time?  Later that trip, we arranged "a trailer swap" where I overnighted the keys to my truck to Leonard (who was on the east end of the canal), and he drove my truck and empty trailer to north of New York City (near where his truck and trailer were located).  It saved us both some back-tracking on the canal with our boats.

I've been out with him on his boat; he's been out with me on mine.  We've been friends for a lot of years.  And when I last checked, neither of us are getting any younger.  Good to see my friend again... now, I need a nap.  ;-)

Pick any two...

 

It's an old builder's line: Fast, cheap, or good - pick any two.  You can have it fast and cheap, but it won't be good.  You can have it fast and good, but it won't be cheap.  You can have it cheap and good, but it won't be fast.

It reminds me of our weather this month: sunny, warm, no wind - pick any two.  Well, except for those days around Christmas where it was cold, windy and no sun.  But today, it is sunny and warm (high of 76º)... and blowing like stink.  Again.  Still.  Gusts to 45 mph today.  Oriented so it is coming right down our canal.

I did get out for a bicycle ride today; the "e" part of the e-bike helps keep the pedaling more consistent with and into the wind.  This afternoon, I took garbage do our island compactor (nicknamed "Jaws") - I took my electric scooter.  It has been weeks since I've had that out; and to be fair, I only use it for runs to the garbage and our mailbox.  The indicator light was showing that the battery was full on the way to the garbage (with the wind varying from tailwind to a crosswind).  A stop to pick up mail, and on the way back, the battery indicator went to "low."  In about a mile.  Pushing into a mostly headwind on the way back.

For full clarity: the e-bike and the e-scooter are two different conveyances.  The e-bike is a bicycle that offers pedal assist; a lithium-ion battery.  It is a nicely engineered conveyance.  The e-scooter was relatively inexpensive; looks like a wide skateboard with a seat and handlebars, and uses the old fashioned lead acid battery.  They do not overlap in how I use them.  The e-bike is my daily exercise (in spite of a dunbass neighbor who doesn't know anything about them, but called it "cheating" when Joan rode by him on her e-bike); the e-scooter is what I use to run errands on this island, much in the same way that most folks use a golf cart here.  It has a basket on the back that will hold a typical kitchen-size garbage bag.

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The wind died down to a mere 15 mph after supper, so I took Rufus for a walk.  What we saw along the way made me shake my head... mosquitos!  After days of cold weather, including one night in the upper 20s and a couple more in the low 30s, and then the last two days of gusty winds, I thought we were done with those flying vampires for a while.

I've heard that after the nuclear holocaust, the only living things on this planet will be cockroaches.  Pretty sure they'll have mosquitos to keep them company.

I don't think I heard what you think you said...

 

You know how they say that people who have been together for a long time can finish each other's sentences and thoughts?  I get that.  That's not always the case, though.

This is generally a family-friendly blog, but you may not want to have your youngsters read this, unless you want to explain something you probably don't want to explain.

I was getting ready to get into the bathtub when Joan said to me, "We have guys in two holes now."

"What did you say?"

She repeated: "We have guys in two holes now."

I said, "You may be having a more active sex life than I am, but I am absolutely sure I don't have any guys in any holes.  Not now, not ever."

She was talking about the water district workers.  There have been two leaks in the past two weeks, requiring them to bring in a backhoe and rip out a couple good size holes... and now you're thinking: "Oh, that's the holes she was talking about!" Yeah, a bit of context would have been helpful... the work crews have opened those two holes up again, and have people working in them.  And to add to the fun: a couple blocks away, a construction worker digging on someone's lot with a backhoe busted a major sewer line, causing raw sewage to spill into that canal.  So, that's fun.

Before the "two holes" comment, Joan said to me, "You should probably clean up early today, in case they have to shut off the water."  I was still catching my breath from my morning bicycle ride.  Quite a bit of time passed between those comments, and she was looking at one work crew from the kitchen window she was cleaning.  So, the "two holes" comment make perfectly good sense to her.

But not to me.

It's about time...

 

"You got a new watch?"  Same old Series 3 Apple Watch.  Ancient in terms of tech stuff, but it works for me.  But, I digress... it has been since last Thursday since I got out on my bicycle and the motorcycle.  Got 'em both in today.  It didn't get as warm as the weasels said, but when it hit 53º this morning, I bundled up and got out on my bicycle...

 When I got back, I went around the house and swept up "tree debris" that blew in over the past 3 days.  When palm branches come down, there are always little strings of palm tree fiber that get scattered about.  Our tree didn't shed any branches (we keep ours trimmed), but the trees from two houses north of us make a mess when the north wind blows.  And, it has been blowing.

Joan finished her puzzle - of course, there is a cat in it...

It kept her occupied during the crappy weather.

Out for lunch to a nearby Mexican restaurant, then back home where I put on some motorcycle gear and headed out.  It was all the way up to 61º... the weasels had predicted 65º for a high; close.  No photos, but the sky was clear blue, the water was relatively calm, lots of boats out on the Laguna, and plenty of people on the island.  If you had come from up north to get some "Island Time for Christmas," Mother Nature wasn't very kind... so this is the first real opportunity since last Thursday for people to be out doing the touristy stuff.

The Lifestyle...

 

When you were a kid, did you read about someone and thought to yourself: "That's what I want to be when I grow up"?  Sure, we all did.  Only, instead of being a baseball or football player, I wanted to be like Hugh Hefner.  "Hefner?" you ask, "Like the guy who started Playboy?"

Yeah, that guy.  I may go into more detail about that in another post (remind me), but I remember thinking: "What a lifestyle - this guy can wander about his house (the Playboy Mansion) in his pajamas and a robe, might have a Playmate sitting on his lap, and a couple more scantily clad young ladies having a pillow fight in the background.  No schedule, other than a magazine deadline, but he has people to deal with that."

And, I realized today, how close I have come.  Well, except for that pajamas and robe thing - I don't wear pajamas and I don't own a silk robe; OK, I don't own any kind of robe.  I didn't have a schedule today, so I was able to wander around the house (Rufus thinks its a mansion after being in the motorhome) this morning (in sweatpants and a sweatshirt), not accomplishing much of anything (I did get in a nap right before noon).  I got out of the bathtub around 1:30 pm, shaved and brushed my teeth, then went out to my easy chair.  Instead of a Playmate on my lap, I have a big ol' furry feline... and instead of scantily clad females nearby, there is a pretty Blonde (dressed in a sweater and jeans because it's only going to get to 60º today) working on a jigsaw puzzle.

So, almost exactly the same... except for those few details I mentioned.  But, about the same.  Mostly.

Well, if we decide to sell this house and move to somewhere warmer (I have no idea where that might be), I'm hoping Joan won't put a clause in the sales contract that "Jim gets to live in the house until he dies."  The way Hefner went out.  Yeah, I think I'm over that whole thing... mostly because once I got there, I figured out I really didn't want to be a grown-up.

Puffy Coat...

 

A couple times a year, I need my blue puffy coat.  During this current cold spell is a prime example.  Most often, it is when we are heading to Arizona in January.  How do you feel about matching puffy coats?  Fortunately, while Joan and I both have them, they are different styles and different shades of blue.  And now, Rufus has his blue puffy coat...

 Well, more like a small version of a horse blanket, it goes from his neck back to a few inches from his tail.  Doesn't cover his mid-section.  While he is a husky boy, that is a lot of belly fur hanging below the jacket.  He seems to be fine with it.  Not sure how much warmth it provides, but it does have fleece lining.

Yeah, it's still chilly.  Better than the past 3 days, with 51º this morning.    On the bright side: the wind isn't howling.  We both had our puffy coats on this morning.

FaceTime...

 

We had a nice visit with Steph and Dan on Christmas Eve.  While it was the 4 of us on all the time, the furry family members all made an appearance.  Their three cats walked in front of the camera, mostly out of curiosity I think.  Dan brought their puppy Blaine (from the Guide Dogs for the Blind program) on camera for a bit.  Joan brought Rufus... so, everybody got to see and be seen on the call.

I like to talk to my kid on the phone; it makes us feel more connected (to me).  Before my Mother passed away (almost 12 years ago), I made it a point to call her every night at 9:00, in the years after my sister Joan passed away.  I was concerned that she might be lonely.  When I stayed with her for a few weeks after getting her out of a rehabilitation nursing home (after a broken pelvis due to a fall), I learned that she had a lot of people who visited her.  I continued with the calls until the stroke that took her.

FaceTime didn't exist back then.  But, I have to say I like it even more than a phone call... for some calls.  It was great to see Steph and Dan while we talked.  Mark and I have done FaceTime calls.

Maybe if "spam callers" had to show their face... nah, nevermind.  It isn't for every call.

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It was 41º when I got up this Christmas morning; warmer than it has been in several days.  I said I wasn't going outside "for anything" during this cold spell.  I had to eat my words and bundle up when the desire for a Russo's pizza struck.  A reason for the heated seats in the Equinox.

And then, that sweet face telling me he really wanted to go for a walk...

I told him, "I just checked, and, no, you don't want to go outside."  He wasn't deterred by my logic.

Joan said, "I'll open the door and let him see how cold it is..."  (33º at that time)

"Look at that fur coat he is wearing - the cold won't bother him..."  He stepped out the door and started on a walkabout.  I grabbed my winter coat and followed him.  Without his harness and leash, I knew he wouldn't go far.  We did a casual lap of the house - the boy was happy to be outside; you could see it in his face and his walk.  I figured that would be enough for him, but as we came back toward the front door, he made a left and started on the next lap.  No, he didn't have on his sweater or the "puffy coat" we recently got him... I think those are more for us than him, but he doesn't mind wearing them.  He was just happy to be outside after being cooped up in the house for a couple days.

The forecast for today and tomorrow is improving, with highs being back to normal by Tuesday.  And that is a gift.

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A Conundrum...

So many Christmas Day Facebook Memories... how to choose?  I couldn't.  One from a year ago...

That Vespa was a great scooter.  Yes, I miss it sometimes (but the CTX is a great bike).

And from two years ago...

That's my handsome boy.  Looking pretty darn Christmassy.  Plus, he's a good boy.

Lying bast...

 

Yeah, the weather has been bitter cold.  For here.   "It's pretty mild compared to what's happening in the frozen northland."  I agree.  Still, when it gets to or below freezing, it becomes "a situation" here.  We all depend on weather forecasts to have some idea of what to expect.  I have come to expect our local weather weasels will be lyin' bastards.  Our local NBC affiliate takes the cake.

I may have said here that they "rerun" weather on Saturdays and Sundays for the local breaks during the NBC Saturday and Sunday Today Shows.  "Rerun?" you ask.  Yes.  Really.  They don't just play something from the night before, they pull something from months ago.  It is beyond stupid.

It is 33º this morning.  If it plays out the way the forecasts are predicting, we may get into the 40s today.  This is what the local NBC affiliate put on during the Today Show this morning...

I am not rerunning photos.  You can see some of the Christmas decorations in our house.  Look close at that weather station at the lower left on the bottom photo - yep, it is 33º outside.  I could understand if they reran a human interest story, but you shouldn't just pull out a weather forecast from a month ago and say, "That should be close enough."

Yep, lyin' bastards.  They should get coal in their stockings.  Even better: let the reindeer crap in their stockings so they get a "special treat" when they reach in.

Less than 24 hours ago...

 

Yesterday late afternoon, I took Rufus for a walk.  We checked out the sunset...

 Looks nice and warm compared to right now (30º was our high for the day, still blowing like stink).  Rufus was enjoying the walk...

We walked a block over to the gazebo area - Ruf was enjoying the late day sun and the grass.  (Notice the reddish look to his fur with the warm sunlight.)

He's a good boy.

I feel for him right now - he would like to go outside for a walk and doesn't understand why I am not getting his harness and leash ready... "It's too cold, buddy - you don't want to go out there."

"I think I do."

I would open the door and let him experience that arctic blast, but it would let that cold air in the house.  The only good thing about this situation: we don't have to be out in this weather.  

Well, that happened fast...

 

When I took Rufus for a walk last night, I was wearing shorts.  We heard the cold front blow in about 9:00 pm.  Joan switched the thermostat from a/c to heat before we went to bed.  This morning when I got up just before 7:00, it was 32º outside, wind out of the north at about a million miles per hour.  By 8:00 am, it was down to 29º.  Yes, below freezing for the "Tropical Tip."

Tropical, my ass.

Glad to have gotten in a motorcycle ride yesterday, as well as a couple cat walks, and two meals cooked outside on the griddle.  None of that will be happening for a while.  Yes, I know the whole country is experiencing ugly winter weather... I'm glad that we aren't traveling.  And while I miss them a bunch, I'm relieved that Steph and Dan aren't traveling here for Christmas.  We'll see them in another month or so when we head that way.

Speaking of Steph and Dan, they welcomed a new addition to their family yesterday.  Meet Blaine...

 Steph and Dan are working with a group that trains guide dogs for the blind.  This young fellow will be with them for a year while he gets socialized and trained before he goes on for more specific training and will eventually make a real difference in someone's life.  This is a selfless act on their part - I'm very proud of them.  The way we get attached to the 4 legged members of our family, I don't know if my heart could handle the "giving them back" part of this program.  But, they go into this knowing how it all works.

They just picked him up at the airport yesterday.  At 9 weeks, Blaine is about the size of Steph and Dan's big cats... that will change quickly.  So far, all the 4 legged critters in their home are getting along fine.

Bundle up and stay warm.

Aerostat...

 

No, that's not a new model Ford.  An aerostat is a lighter than air aircraft, generally tethered to something on the ground.  There used to be one at the US Coast Guard Station on South Padre Island, but it was destroyed by some strong wind during a storm.

There is another one here...

 And just in time for a strong cold front that will be coming through tonight, with winds on the island predicted to be 50+ mph.

This aerostat is equipped with surveillance radar with a range of up to 200 miles.  It will be able to detect aircraft as well as movement on the ground and water.  One more tool in the defense of our southern border.

The day started out chilly: in the low 50s.  I bundled up and got out on my bicycle.  Today is supposed to be a gorgeous day... until that aforementioned cold front blows in tonight.  It didn't seem so gorgeous while I was out on my bicycle - cold and damp, fog.  I was wet when I got back from that ride.  I had to run an errand after that, and the fog wasn't letting up.

I made us breakfast on the electric griddle; first I've used that when it is chilly outside.  Yes, that does affect the temperature of the cooking surface.  Made it through our new 1/1/1/1 favorite: one egg, one strip of thick bacon, one sausage patty, and one pancake.  Each.  Joan heated up some of my favorite cheesy potatoes.  We are using no-sugar stuff, and this was actually a healthy meal.  And tasty.

After that, Joan gave me a haircut out on the deck; got to look good in case Santa Claus comes.  By 1:00 it had warmed up to 64º, the fog gave way to beautiful blue skies, very light wind... yeah, I needed to get out for a motorcycle ride... because it is going to be a while before our weather is nice again.  This one will have to hold me for a while.

Looking at the water of the Laguna Madre as I went across the causeway, it was flat and calm.  A gorgeous light blue.  In 12 hours, it is going to be a churned up snarl.  In the meantime, it was a beautiful afternoon for a ride.  Crossing the causeway was when I got the first view of that aerostat.  It is big.

I met Joan back at home.  She had been out to do a bit of grocery shopping so we can cocoon until after Christmas.  She had a surprise for me... sugar free chocolate covered peanuts (Russell Stover).  A lot of the sugar-free stuff we've tried hasn't been good; this one, fortunately, tastes about the same as the sugared-up variety.  I had mentioned to Joan the other day, "I am doing fine with skipping the sugary treats, but I sure do miss chocolate covered peanuts.  She found these for me and I am very appreciative.

Another griddling for this evening: smash burgers.  It may be too ugly to griddle the next few days.  Really?  Yes, really.  The weasels are talking about lows near freezing here on the coast (colder than that inland), with windchill in the teens!  Not what we are used to in the Tropical Tip.

There are warming shelters that will be available in towns around the Valley.  The local Police Department will be handing out blankets to those in need (Joan donated 3 blankets).  One of the local TV stations does a "coat drive" to give coats to those who need them ("Tim's Coats"); they've been doing this for 40 years.  It used to be: donate coats in good condition, and one of the dry cleaners would clean them before they were handed out.  Since Covid, it is now: please donate money and they will buy coats to be donated.  There is a need.

I am thankful that we have heat and an electric fireplace.  Some people are holding their breath, waiting to see what will happen with the Texas power grid after the fiasco with the severe winter storm that hit all of Texas in February 2021 and left much of the state without electricity.  Yes, we have a gas can at the ready in case we need to fire up the generator.  I hope it doesn't come to that.

I truly appreciated this gorgeous day.  We'll hunker down until after Christmas.  Stay warm for the holidays!

Be Vewy, Vewy Qwiet...

 

If you said, "What Elmer Fudd said to Bugs Bunny when he was hunting wabbits in a bunch of cartoons," you get 10 bonus points.  If you said, "You?  Quiet?  That's funny?" you lose 25 bonus points and Rufus is going to come to your house and poop on your pillow.  (He's very protective of his Daddy.)

I'm protective of my hearing.  Last time I had it checked, it was still very good.  Surprising considering years of rock 'n roll music, airplanes, and motorcycle riding.  I have been using Apple Air Pod Pro earbuds under my helmet when riding by myself.  I use a different helmet when Joan and I are riding together; one with a helmet communicator so she and I can talk safely from bike to bike.  I do generally wear a molded ear plug that works good with the communicators, and still cuts wind noise.

The Air Pod Pro earbud have ANC - active noise cancellation; they do a good job at cutting the wind noise in the helmet, plus they give me access to my phone (mounted on the handlebars) for hands-free music, podcasts, and receiving a phone call or text... "Siri, read that latest text to me"... and she will ask if I want to respond.

Apple came out with the second generation version (Air Pod Pro 2) about 3 1/2 months ago.  Yesterday, I saw that Amazon had them for 20% off - a rarity for Apple products.  Joan checked around locally and found that Best Buy in Brownsville had them at that same 20% off price.  She ordered them online for us to pick up this morning.  Part of her rationale: she was going to get Apple News, Apple Music, and Apple TV... if you buy these Air Pods, you get 4 months of each of those for free.  And then we discussed her taking my current Air Pods Pro.  Win/Win.  I suggested we stop at Chick-fil-A for breakfast before going to Best Buy... Win/Win/Win.  ;-)

After our chicken breakfast, we got to Best Buy about 10 minutes before they opened... there was already a line at the door, waiting to get in...

There were about 12 to 15 people ahead of us.  Fortunately, they weren't all going to the Customer Service counter, where Joan had to show the order on her phone and some ID, and we were done.  Back home again before Rufus woke up from his morning nap.

The new Air Pods are about the same size as what they are replacing, so just as comfortable under my helmet.  And, quieter.  Early Christmas.

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Transfer...

Taking a bus ride?  No.  I was getting a bit rusty on frustration, so... time to mess with a phone again.  This time, it is Joan's phone.  Fortunately, her "upgrade" will take a physical SIM card as well as an eSIM.  So, it was just a matter of moving a SIM card from her iPhone 8 to the 11 Pro.  Even with that, while we waded through the Visible app to change the phone over, it wanted to put an eSIM on her phone.

The transfer of data from her phone went relatively fast and easy.  Then, getting Visible to recognize that she has a new phone.  It is already listed on her account; we are just waiting for the service to kick in.  They said it may take up to 15 minutes... about 20 minutes ago.  Tick, tick, tick.

So, only an additional hour and a lengthy "chat" with a Visible rep... done.  Joan said, "Hopefully, we won't have to deal with this for 5 years or more."  I think she means during the next phone update... I hear the iPhone 27 is supposed to be really cool.

--------

The Winter Solstice...

Do not listen to the people in the media: today is not the shortest day of the year.  It has the same 24 hours as every other day.  It is the day when you will have the least amount of daylight for the year.  After today, we gain a few more minutes of daylight each day, until the Summer Solstice... when the hours and minutes of daylight will get fewer each day until... well, you get it.

NPD...

 

"New something that starts with a P day?"  Right you are - you are getting the lingo down quite nicely.  The P stands for "phone"... well, it should be "iP" for iPhone (NiPD?).  Since we switched our carriers to Visible, this seemed like a good time to upgrade my phone, so I can take advantage of "Nation-wide 5G Coverage" (in small print: where available - and it isn't available in many places, yet.)

Oh, there are some other upgrades, like the cameras and processor.  But, Joan's iPhone 8 it getting long in the tooth.  We discussed her getting a new phone, but she said she'd rather have my current iPhone 11 Pro and I could go for the new model... since I do a lot of photos and video.  But now, she doesn't have to rely on my phone as a hotspot, since Visible only allows one device on a hotspot... but her coverage includes a hotspot, so she will not have to depend on me being there when we're out and about; she now has her own hotspot.

The iPhone 14 Pro arrived yesterday.  Ordered on Friday, "next day delivery free"... and here it is on Monday.  Still faster than what I was quoted for the delivery time on Visible's website.  No advantage to ordering from them, other than the fact that getting the same phone from Apple would take 4 weeks.

We had to sign for the delivery.  The FedEx guy was quite taken with Rufus, as he stood in the doorway beside Joan.  "Can I pet him?"

"Sure, he's a very social boy."

I brought in the box, opened it, and checked out the phone.  It is pretty: silver finish, and not a fingerprint anywhere... I almost felt bad about touching it.

Visible had all 4 colors in stock.  Since my phone has been known to get quite hot when out on my motorcycle, I decided to go for silver instead of black.  Not that it matters, because it will have a case on it... when the case gets here.  Joan also ordered a new case for what will be her new phone.

I plugged in the phone to make sure it had a full charge.  Uploaded the most current operating system.  And then, putting the phones next to each other to start the transfer process...

The phone told me, "This will take about 45 minutes."  We'll see.  One minute away from finishing, and...

All that was left: transfer the eSIM to the new phone.  That didn't go so well.  It did not transfer using their info, so I got on a chat with a Visible rep.  He tried a couple things, and that didn't work, either.  So, I was "moved up to a specialist" who supposedly can do the change from their end and will let me know by email that the switch is complete.  "In a couple hours."

This is a known issue with Visible, so not unexpected.  I just thought they might have it fixed by now.  Getting on their Community chat, there are iPhone 14 Pro owners who aren't happy with how long the fix is taking, and a couple who never got the problem resolved.  Which would be crappy, to get a new phone that you bought from this company and they can't connect it.  So, waiting...

Never got the e-mail from Visible, so I went after it myself while getting back in the que with Visible "Customer Care."  The guy I got didn't have any notes on the issue I was dealing with, so it was like starting over.  And speaking of "starting over," he had me reset my phone to factory specs... meaning all the data, apps, etc went bye-bye.  Then, he wanted me to load just the Visible app, and put everything else off... meaning I would have to manually reload apps, and download photos, etc, from iCloud.  I nicely explained where he could put this phone.

He sent me a QR code to load a new eSIM... after I dumped any sign of an eSIM that was already on the phone.  Three times.  I started working on this at 5:00 pm (after spending an hour transferring data)... I finished up with most of the info back on my phone, an actual working phone, text enabled, and data.  Around 10:30 pm.  So, a win.  After a long, frustrating wade through what Visible says "is an Apple software issue."  I'm not aware of anyone other than Visible having these issues.

Going through it all on the phone, it doesn't want to let me do "wifi calling" on this phone... it says, "Contact Visible"... that shit ain't gonna happen tonight.

So, this morning, I got on Visible's chat once again, and the "robot" that starts the chat always asks what the issue is.  It told me to check to make sure I had the latest version of Visible on the phone... 40.0.  I have 53.0.  It's a bigger number, so I assume that it is the latest version; the phone didn't tell me to update.  Shut the phone off again, turned it back on, and now wifi calling is able to be turned on.  It is helpful here because our Verizon signal is one bar at the house.

I will check through other stuff on the phone at my leisure.  I remember back in the good ol' days, when getting a new phone meant "usually something smaller"... as phones have become "more capable," updating phones has become an ordeal... and usually with some lost data (such as photos) and having to re-input every password.  So, other than the phone not wanting to be a phone, and spending hours on the Visible chat to get that resolved, the transfer of photos, contacts, passwords, etc seems to have happened.  Of course, I had to do that transfer twice yesterday, so I'm getting good at it.  Maybe that will help me in getting Joan's phone switched next?  In a couple days.

--------

Pairing my Apple Watch.  I had to go through the procedure several times to get the new phone to recognize my nearly ancient Apple Watch.  I think it is in the pairing process right now, but it is taking more time than I expected.  The phone finally gave me the "Apple Watch is Syncing" message.  Joan said, "You need a new watch."  I like my watch.  Yes, it is an old version, but it does what I need: tells time, taps me on the wrist when using the phone to navigate, gives me local weather at a glance on the watch face, and has a bunch of apps I use, like working as a shutter release for the camera on my phone.  Or checking the tide.

Looks like the pairing has finally completed.  Joan equated it with: "Using an 8-track tape player to try to update the modern navigation system in the car."  Funny.

I have ordered a Quad Lock phone case for this phone, since it is infinitesimally larger than my previous phone.  Just enough that the old case won't work.  And I am set up to use that Quad Lock feature on my bike, motorcycle, in the car, and on a tripod mount.  Not sure when the new case will come in (it was ordered right after I placed my order for the phone); coming directly from Quad Lock.  In the meantime, this new phone is slippery.  It feels like it is going to squirt right out of my hand.  Not unusual, as my previous iPhones felt the same... until I got a case on them.  Yes, another first world problem.

Going Postal...

 

A couple decades ago, if you heard about someone shooting up their workplace, it was a US Postal worker... often enough that the term "going postal" was something we all understood.  These days, it is hard to understand what sets people off.

This morning, I needed to take a package to the Post Office; returning a pair of shoes to Kizik.  The last Kiziks I bought fit my fat feet nicely.  This pair didn't.  A different style.  Nice thing about buying from this company: if it doesn't fit or you just don't like 'em, send them back; they pay the shipping.  So, all I had to do was get to the counter in the Post Office and drop 'em off.

Easier said than done.  Yes, I know it is less than a week until Christmas.  Everybody is trying to get stuff sent.  Six people in front of me; one person working the counter.  And, in between waiting on the next person, the woman at the counter would go in back and bring packages to the front to toss in a bin.  Toss.  Literally.  Since there were that many people in front of me, I got to watch this in between each person.  Before she waited on me, she came back with an arm-load of packages, and on her way to the bin, she dropped one.  I thought: "She'll toss the other packages in the bin and come back for that one."

I was mistaken.  She kicked the dropped package to the bin.  Yes, really.  Then tossed the packages in her arms into the bin and picked up the dropped package and tossed it in.  It was like a bad comedy sketch.

No, I didn't comment on the "performance."

Fa, la, la, la, la, la...

--------

The house is full of good smells.  Joan declared this a "cookin' day."  While I went to the Post Office, she was making chicken noodle soup from scratch.  I got to smell the savoriness while the soup cooked down.  And then...

I am told there will be a (no sugar) chocolate cake coming this afternoon.

She likes to have music playing when she's cooking.  I came in and there was a kick-ass version of "Down to the Nightclub" by Tower of Power playing.  I used to play that one in my old band days.  I started moving around, and said to her, "I still got the moves."

She said, "Well, you might go find them, 'cause that isn't it."

Wow.  OK, maybe I never had 'em.  Didn't stop me from trying, though.  ;-)

--------

More good smells in the house this afternoon.  Chocolate cake is one of those smells like bacon: the should bottle that smell - it will attract men like flies on... um, white on rice.

Joan made a change to insure "portion control" - instead of a cake pan, she made them into cupcakes...

 No sugar, not many calories, and it tastes like... chocolate cake.  Really, no "sawdust taste."  A sugar-free frosting goes on, right before you eat the cupcake.  Creamy.  Tasty.  Most of these will go in the freezer for later enjoyment.  But, for now...

Every bit as tasty as they look.  My Honey is a great cook!

 

Not Givin' Up...

 

"Does this have anything to do with the newest song you and Mark are working on?" you ask.  Well, that is the theme behind the song, but we're discussing video themes, so it will be a while.

No, this is in regards to the ads I had in the FB classifieds for our village.  The flood of questions died off fast as I posted "SOLD" on the various items.  But, some people don't give up... this morning, one woman wanted to know "How much for the Hobie kayak?"... even though the price was in the ad AND it was marked "SOLD" in two places.  Looking at the time stamp on her question, it was from about 4:00 am... maybe she was posting in her sleep?  I saw she had questions on a couple other ads around that same time.

I think I can safely delete the ads now.

Mother Nature hasn't given up, either.  After some truly delightful weather, the next norther blew in overnight.  I woke up to spitty drizzle and strong north wind.  There won't be any bike riding today, pedal or motor.  I was on my motorcycle yesterday when I got a call from the guy who picked up the Hobie, asking if "20 minutes from now" was a good time to come for it.  I said, "Make it 30 - I'm out on my motorcycle right now and I'll turn around and head for home."  I cut the ride short.  But, blue sky and no wind; that ride may have to hold me for a while.  Looks like a week of this cooler blustery stuff ahead.  We may be in for some binge watching.  ;-)

--------

The binge watching is underway: I figured it would be a Hallmark Christmas Movie marathon, but Joan said, "This one sounds interesting"... it's about a guy who kills his family, then commits suicide... so fun holiday viewing.  I will be sleeping with one eye open tonight.  Yeah, just like Rufus does sometimes...

Speaking of Rufus, we aren't doing any outside walks today, thanks to Mother Nature.  But on our evening walk yesterday, a couple walking their dog made a big fuss over Rufus.  She asked if she could pet him... "Sure, he's a social fella."

Then she said, "He walks like he owns the resort."  The boy does have a good swagger at times.

 

Gone...

 

If you said, "Hall & Oates, 1973," that's a good old song, but that is "She's Gone."  The major stuff we had for sale is gone.  The people who did what it said in the ad and called bought what they came to check on.  Well, except for the Hobie kayak - that guy really wanted it, but he is out of town right now.  He Paypal paid (Friends & Family, so no take-backs) and had three guys pick it up.  While we had him on the phone, they looked it over and confirmed that everything works (I demonstrated the pedal system and rudder), told him that it is now up to them to get it to his place in one piece.  He agreed; it's paid for and gone.

I am officially out of the "water activity" lifestyle.  It made my heart hurt when we sold Wild Blue years ago.  I didn't feel a thing but relief when we sold the pontoon boat.  Pretty much the same with these "water toys."  They have been taking up space and not getting used.  And clutter reduced which makes Joan happy.  Which makes me happy.  Which makes Rufus happy, 'cause he just had lunch.

So, all the big items sold in less than 24 hours.  Just a portable grill and some kayak J-hooks are left; minor stuff.  And now I don't have to deal with people who can't read an ad.  Whew!

Posted...

 

Joan hauled everything out from the storage area while I was out riding her bike... after I was done riding my bike, then making breakfast on the Blackstone e-griddle.  I was being a thoughtful husband, riding her Xmax to keep the battery charged up.  I'm thoughtful that way.

While on that ride on her scoot, I saw the dumbest thing in quite a while.  "What that, Jim?" you ask.  Hey, I was getting there.  A woman driving a minivan with Minnesota plates (it's always Minnesota) turned from a side street onto Gulf Blvd, drove across both driving lanes, then proceeded to drive up the bicycle/pedestrian walkway.  There are posts separating that walkway from the street.  So, it was the equivalence of that woman driving up the sidewalk!!??

And people wonder why I talk about the crazy drivers here.  Yes, some of the locals drive just as bad, but we are now well into the "Winter Texan Season."  She drove for just over a block down that bike lane, when someone on a bicycle stopped and the woman drove further to the right (she needed to go left to get back to the actual driving lane).

I got photos of all the stuff for sale and posted it on Long Island Village Classifieds on Facebook.  The Tohatsu motor sold almost immediately.  He took the Merc 2.5, too.  I've had a couple calls on the Hobie and the Tower stand-up paddleboard.  And a shit ton of people who can't read, as I specifically stated for people to call me and gave my phone number, which means I had to turn off the call blocking for numbers the phone doesn't know.  Those non-readers can't seem to understand that I am not posting my address so they can "drop in whenever they feel like it."  This ain't a retail store.  And people ask the price when it is posted right there in the ad. 

In the last half hour, a guy called, came by, and took the Tower Stand-Up Paddleboard and the blue Pelican kayak.  The main thing that is left is the Hobie kayak - I have that posted at $750, and that includes a two-wheel caddy and a sail kit.  If new, that would go for about 4 times that amount.  No, it isn't new, but it is in decent shape.  And will give someone a lot of fun on the water for the price.

That is a lot of "lifestyle" stuff going away.  No, I am not sad about that.  It is time to move on.  I don't want to take a chance on this expensive hip.  Good memories, though.  And hopefully it is going to people who will make more memories with it.

:-)

Committed...

 

If you said, "Did Joan finally get the guys with the white jackets to take you away?" you get zero (goose-egg, nada, zilch, zippo) bonus points.  First, they have to catch me.

No, I committed to the Blonde that I will divest of some lifestyle items that are in the storage area under our house; things that haven't been used in a long while.  Things that I have "aged out" of using... well, it isn't the years so much as the mileage.  ;-)  That's mileage on me, not the stuff.

"What kind of stuff?" you ask.  Thanks for asking... and that was way less snarky than your "guys with white jackets" comment, but I digress.

The stuff:

A Hobie pedal kayak, with a 2-wheel dolly and a sailing kit.

A Pelican sit-in kayak.

A Tower inflatable stand-up paddleboard.

A Tohatsu 3.5 hp outboard with less than 10 hours on it.

A Mercury 2 hp outboard that is froze-up (but, it's free)

A Weber portable propane grill (with a rusty stand).

There may be some other stuff after we get down there.  I heard Joan was considering: "Husband for sale: high mileage, missing some parts, make an offer."  No, that isn't funny, either.  Well, maybe a little funny... 'cause its true.  I'll get photos and more details to make up an ad tomorrow.

 

The UPS vehicle...

 

It's not the brown truck that we're all used to.

It seems like UPS and FedEx have mostly dispensed with that little formality of knocking or ringing the doorbell when they leave a package.  The security camera on our doorbell lets us know when someone gets close.

Last week, Joan said, "UPS just left a package and it wasn't with their brown truck - it was someone in a gray sedan."

I thought to myself, "Self, that seems odd." 

Today as we were heading out for a late lunch at the Mexican restaurant just across our bridge, Joan said, "Did you see that?"

"What?"  I had no idea what I was supposed to be look at or for.

"There's that car again that dropped off our UPS last week, and it was full of boxes."  I was busy looking at the speed bump as you come onto the bridge.  She pulled up her UPS app and it said one package was loaded on the vehicle, but not the usual "out for delivery" - no status update on the other package she is expecting.

When we got back from lunch, there were two packages at our front door.  No notice of delivery on her app.  Oh well, she got the packages she was expecting, even if UPS doesn't have that in their system, yet.  I'm thinking this is a new "stealth delivery" being tried by UPS: no big brown truck to draw attention to themselves.  I have seen people here stop the truck to ask if their package is on there, even though the truck is blocks away from their house.  No guy in a brown shirt.  Maybe this is the UPS equivalent of Walmart's "self checkout"??  Maybe it's a slow news day for this blog?

;-)

Just out of curiosity, I had to look it up... yep, UPS is asking some temporary holiday workers to use their own vehicles for deliveries.  I read it on the internet, so it must be true.

The best part of getting a UPS delivery... boxes!

It was a good resting place after a nice long walk this evening.  Joan put the cushy cat bed in there (that he for some reason doesn't like), and he couldn't get out of that box fast enough.  Took the bed out, and he was back in a flash.  He's a cat - logic doesn't apply here.  ;-)

Lighted Golf Cart Parade...

 

This year, the people who put on the Lighted Golf Cart Parade here on our island are having a truck traveling with the parade - they are working with the Port Isabel Police Department to provide toys for kids for Christmas.  People are encouraged to have toys to donate and can put them in the truck.  Joan bought a girl present and a boy present... and they can figure out who gets what with no direction from us.

I took photos, but my phone had trouble capturing the images without movement.  So, these are a but fuzzy, but you will get the general idea...

Some of the participants were tossing candy.  No, I can't eat any of it, but I did bend over to pick it up to keep the birds, mice, and bugs from gathering.  A fun evening.  I think most of the people in the parade were having fun and started their partying early.

Merry Christmas!

Shorts...

 

If you said, "What you're wearing today, December 12, 2022," you get 5 bonus points... I'm almost always wearing shorts while we're home here in Texas.  But, this post is another "Facebook Shorts" - a whole 45 seconds of the ride I took this morning.

 

A few stills...

 These #Shorts are kinda fun - it doesn't take much time, even with the video editing.  Nice to be riding in a mesh armored shirt as we get close to mid-December.