Happy Birthday to...

 

Murphy!  We were told that this furry boy was "around a year old" when we adopted him two years ago; Joan declared his official birthday as December 3rd.  The day after our anniversary, to make it easy to remember.

Joan got him another tunnel (small, to use in the RoadTrek) and a soft blanket.  I had his blanket wrapped around my shoulders this morning, to get my smell on it.  He did check out the tiny tunnel right away...

 I guess it isn't really "a tunnel" - it has an opening on one end and that round porthole kinda opening towards the other end.  We'll see how he takes to it... he loves his big tunnel that is a fixture in our living room.

--------

Some music today with Mark and Ron.  We worked up three new songs to add to the set list.  Songs with these guys almost always has 3-part harmony, and these new ones (well, new to us) have some nice harmony in them.

Ron brought a new addition to the percussion gear: a set of hi-hats; or, as Mark called them: cymbal clappers.  ;-)  It adds another dimension.

Cindy took this photo of us today...

 Having fun and makin' music.

 

It's beginning to look a lot like...

 

Well, you know...

 Turning over the new month on our Murphy calendar, the above photo is the December image.  I won't mention what list he is on right now... well, he scratched my hand again in one of his "sneak attacks" that happen as I'm just sitting down in my chair in the living room.  OK, that would be the "shit list."  And, as I told Stephanie when she was little: Santa is a close personal friend of mine.

--------

In the past, we have often decorated for Christmas on this particular date.  Kind of a family tradition.  Why this date?  Thanks for asking.  On this date in 1972, a cold blustery day in the exotic land of Eye-Oh-Wha, a young couple was joined in holy matrimony.  As in: "Holy matrimony, Batman!"  All these years later, we have stayed together and outlived most of the people who said, "It'll never last."

Wait! You two were the young couple?

Yeah, we were young.  Once.  A long time ago.  

Cyber Monday...

 

"Americans will be 'clicking away' all day long."  That's a quote from the Today Show.

Are you "clicking away" all day today?  Yeah, me, neither.  One of the "deals" that popped up when I got online this morning: an additional $3 off from the Black Friday deal on an Apple iPad.  $3.  Whoohoo - now Mom can have that operation.   

An observation...

 

I was behind a guy in line at a store today.  While the woman at the register was scanning his items, she asked, "Do you live around here."  Just making conversation, I'm sure.

The guy said, "I moved here from New Jersey 4 months ago.  Seems like most of the country thinks people from Jersey are mean and nasty - they are way meaner here in Phoenix."  The lady at the register agreed with him, and they discussed road rage and other recent incidents.

They aren't wrong.

To be fair, this is a big city.  And, I think it's a given that people in big cities are less friendly people than in small towns.  To be even more fair, that is a gross generalization - it depends on the person.  I've come across some very nice people here in Phoenix.  And, cold, prickly people, too.  There's just so many more people, and you tend to notice the nasty ones more.

I have a theory.  It's not just the big city thing.  When I first posted photos of our house here, a few friends asked me about the 6' wall around the property.  It isn't just this community - I would guess that over 95% of the homes built in the Phoenix area in the last 30 years have a block wall around them.  Maybe it's a desert thing, as I've seen this in other desert areas.

Here's what AI came up with when I asked about these walls: homes in Phoenix have block walls for several reasons, including

durability, privacy, security, and adherence to local codes. Block walls are resistant to Phoenix's extreme weather, can help keep out wildlife like coyotes, and are often required by homeowner associations (HOAs) for privacy and fire safety.

Seems to me that those block walls keep people from knowing their neighbors: they landscape their walled-in yards for outdoor living... swimming pools, hot tubs, outdoor kitchens, pergolas/ramadas (providing shade), patio furniture and umbrellas (for more shade).  They don't get to meet their neighbors like back in the good ol' Midwest.  

Summer is too darn hot to be outside, even in the shade.  This time of year, though, is pretty nice; it was mid-70s for a high today.  As it gets colder (and it will), some of us have propane patio heaters.  Ours is like new 'cause the only time it was used was to try it when we first got it.  I enjoy being outside, but not enough to try to heat the whole outdoors.  Sounds like something your parents said to you when you left the door open when you were a kid, huh?  ;-) 

 

 

Feline Saturday...

 

Yeah, I know it is supposed to be "Small Business Saturday," in keeping with the theme from the last few days.  But, we'd rather spend time with Murphy than be out shopping.  Which is why they invented Amazon: so people didn't have to leave their home to shop and could spend all that extra time with their fur baby.

This afternoon, I got out my Sony mirrorless camera while Murphy was wandering around the courtyard...

 Unlike previous felines, Murphy is not a poser.  I don't mean that in a derogatory way - he doesn't "find his light" the way Izzy and Rufus did.  I have to grab a shot when I can, with this guy.  On the flip side, I did get these 4 shots in fairly quick order, without having to delete a bunch of images...

 While out there, the moon was showing off in the middle of the afternoon...

 Not a bad shot with, considering it was an 85mm lens that I had on the camera to get the photos of Murphy.

 

Black Friday...

 

The term "Black Friday" originated in Philadelphia in the 1950s, where police used it to describe the chaotic and heavy traffic caused by crowds of suburban shoppers and tourists on the day after Thanksgiving.  The name was initially negative, reflecting the strain on law enforcement, but retailers later embraced and redefined it by the 1980s to mean the day their stores went "in the black," or became profitable for the year due to high sales.

In the word of the philosopher Paul Harvey: "And now you know the rest of the story." 

Did you get caught up in the hype, spending the night in a lawn chair in front of Best Buy so you could be one of the first ones in the store when they open up at 6:00 am?  Yeah, me neither.  Years ago, Steph and Dan used to get up in the middle of the night to get to the stores to buy things for the kids on the Angel Trees at the school where they used to teach.  Joan and I would go along to help coordinate ("We'll go to this store, you go to that one") and make trips to the car.  The school district where they now work does not do the Angle Tree.

They would research where they could get the most for the budget, and buy a new outfit and a toy.  Joan and I would donate, and many of our friends did so, as well.  With a coordinated effort, we could take care of every kid on the tree.

Things have changed; we have all aged.  Since Covid, none of us want to fight the crowds.  And to that fact, I do believe the crowds are less because most retailers started their Black Friday Sales the day after Halloween.

 

Happy Thanksgiving, and the pitter patter of little feet...

 

Even on a holiday, the morning routine goes on: after eating his soft food, Murphy likes to have some outdoor time before coming back in and eating his hard.  It's our thing.

Most mornings, he likes to walk around to the neighbor's patio door - I call it "being a creeper," since he feels the need to peek in...

 "Murph - stop spying on those people!"

 "Me?  I wasn't spying."  Yeah, pretty much every morning.  Except on this holiday, the neighbors are home.  Then, a look around to the east...

 The sun is just coming up over South Mountain, making for nice light on his fur.

Once back inside, I went next door to visit with the neighbors.  And that's the "little feet" from the title: they have a young Guide Dog puppy for a few days...

 This little girl is Vinnie.  I think her actual name is Vinka.  Vinnie's raisers are gone for the holiday, so Dan and Steph are caring for her, and someone else from their Guide Dog group has Dicha.  This is also part of what the group does, so the dogs get experience with other raisers.  As you can see from the photos, Vinnie is a youngster.  Sweet girl, and early into her training.  Steph and Dan have had black labs they have raised, so this girl is a "bright" change.  Good temperament.

When discussing Thanksgiving plans with my music buddies yesterday, I related that our plans are "to go to our daugher and son-in-law's house."  We'll check the traffic reports, but it isn't a long distance.  No "over the river and through the woods."  As I understand, Steph is doing most of the cooking this year.

I smelled apple pie being cooked when I went to visit with them last night.  I will be partaking of all the culinary delights, A1C be damned.  For today.

Happy Thanksgiving! 

--------

The high today is supposed to be around 75º.  At 11:30 am, after adding some water and checking the chemistry in the hot tub, and getting Murphy some more outdoor time, I was thinking: "It would be a nice day for a ride."  We aren't doing our Thanksgiving meal with Steph and Dan until 3:00 or so... Joan encouraged me to take her Xmax out.  I didn't have to be asked twice.

I geared up and headed out.  Yep, this is a fun scoot.  Bigger than my Burgman, smaller than my CTX, plenty of power and very nimble.

It was a good ride.  More traffic than I've seen on the twisty roads in quite a while.  Obviously, I am not the only one feeling like a holiday outing.  More motorcycles than I've seen in quite a while, and a lot more cars and trucks.

I stopped at the top to get a photo of the Xmax, then me with the Xmax...

I used the DJI Pocket 3 for this shot.  It is primarily a video cam, but it does a decent job on stills.  And, it is controllable with my phone, so easy.

It is a lovely day.  The views from the top of South Mountain were crisp - you can see all across the Valley (of the Sun) from there.  The Pocket 3 is less great for distant scenic images, since is had a relatively wide angle lens (and no zoom).

Back home and chilling until mealtime.  Murphy is watching the National Dog Show on TV.  The boy cracks me up.

--------

Our Thanksgiving meal was outstanding - Steph did a great job!  Besides the typical turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, greenbeans, cranberry sauce, and rolls, there were a couple fun additions.  Joan found "Texas Roadhouse Rolls" in place of the usual rolls; and, yes, they did taste like the rolls from Texas Roadhouse.  For pies, Joan bought a pumpkin pie at Costco that is the size of a manhole cover, and Steph made a deep-dish apple pie.  All 4 of us had some of each... and with 4 slices out of the pumpkin pie, there was 3/4 of a pie left.

We didn't think to get a photo of the meal, but I did get this shot of Dan with his 2 slices of pie...

 Joan and I are back home, and... no room (in my belly) for a turkey sandwich this evening.

 

Green Wednesday...

 

Maybe you know about this?  I didn't.

Today is Green Wednesday: the second highest (pun intended) sales day for the cannabis industry.  A bit of history: The phenomenon started in the mid-2010s.  Cannabis retailers and delivery services noticed that sales on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving were unusually high.  Over time, as legalization expanded, dispensaries leaned into this trend; offering promotions, running events, and effectively turning it into a holiday.  This Thanksgiving, weed smokers are grateful for "Green Wednesday." 

"Green Wednesday is the second-largest holiday for cannabis behind April 20th," said Joyce Sinali, co-founder of the Cannabis Media Council, a trade group that seeks to improve the public perception of weed.

“Green Wednesday is not a real holiday,” said Jennifer Bartholomeo, a general manager of the Travel Agency, a New York dispensary chain.  “But if you think about it, you’re traveling home to see your family, extended family is visiting and everyone is taking a walk with their cousin.  And what do you think you’re doing on that walk?”

Whether junior relations are sneaking away from the gathering to smoke together or popping an edible to assuage their anxiety before they face the rest of the family, getting high on the 17th century feast day is an emergent 21st century tradition. 

“Green Wednesday is a relatively new term for a familiar phenomenon: Old friends get together in their hometown and party on the eve of Thanksgiving.  As cannabis products became legalized across the US in the mid-2010s, the industry started using the term in marketing to encourage friends to head to local dispensaries to get their fix," Sinali said. 

“We want folks to come and get nuanced, interesting products and take them to the dinner table for their Thanksgiving holiday,” Sinali said.

The ploy has worked: Sinali said about 10 to 20% of customers at dispensaries on Green Wednesday are first-time shoppers. 

“I think it’s a way for the younger generation –– and I mean, honestly, the older generation; everyone is smoking weed, whether they share that fact or not –– to have the family come together.”  * 

And now you know.  Plus, when you get the munchies, your Thanksgiving feast awaits.  ;-)  I have asthma, so I won't be smoking anything.

 

* Source: CNN

--------

Music with the guys today, at Mark's house.  Well, in Mark's garage; yeah, we were a garage band.  This is what I usually call "the big group," which isn't the same personnel as the Hip Replacements.  Mark, Ron, and I are in both groups.  I enjoy these guys, and we had fun playing.

Gil showed up with a new guitar!  That is exciting!  A Fender Telecaster.  So, I suggested we make it "All About Gil Day"... we had Gil pick the songs to play.  Well, to a point.  After he picked a couple in a row what the rest of us would call obscure songs, the rest of us took a turn.

It was my turn to bring lunch, and I had planned for Oregano's (pizza).  There is an Oregano's just a few miles from Mark's house, so I usually pick it up on the way.  Except, we found out that Oregano's is closed for remodeling.  The way it usually works: Joan orders the pizza for me on-line; it's generally ready when I get there, so it's still warm when I get to Mark's.

We had to punt today.  Joan let me know while I was enroute that I'd have to change the plan.  I asked for her to see if there was a Marco's Pizza anywhere near Marks... she looked... it's closed.  What??!!  I knew Mark would suggest that we just get sub sandwiches from Firehouse, but I had already told the guys we were having Oregano's.  I had Joan order a large pizza from Oregano's in Goodyear.  Yes, that is out of the way, but the new plan was to get that there, take the Loop 303 to Northern Parkway, take that to the Loop 101.  I had to wait a bit for the pizza in Goodyear, but the people at that Oregano's were very nice - the young lady who helped me said they'd move it up in the order and have it for me in about 10 minutes.  The rest of the drive to Mark's went as planned.

As it worked out, there was an accident on I-10 that would have prevented me from getting on the Loop 101.  And another accident just beyond my exit for the Loop 303 (two minutes later, I-10 in that area would be a big parking lot) - so, my timing and routing was actually good.

The drive home from Mark's was surprisingly not bumper to bumper - I was going the right direction, as I could see the ugly stop and go traffic going the opposite direction.

So, a good day.  When I got home, Joan reminded me that "You have been with Mark and Ron 3 days now since Saturday night"... the Hip Replacement played Saturday night, we did the turkey loaded at the St. Mary's Food Bank yesterday, and the getting together to make music with the guys today.  Fortunate that we are all good friends.

And, for tomorrow: Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Turkey Tuesday...

 

Like last year, Mark and Ron invited our family to join them in working at St. Mary's Food Bank to help distribute turkeys, produce, and canned goods to families in need.

St. Mary's is a large operation.  For this particular day, they have two shifts, plenty of corporate volunteers, and individual volunteers like us.  It is set up with two lanes of vehicles, 7 stations in each lane.  There is a group of volunteers at each station, the cars are marked with the number of family meals they are receiving (generally one, but up to 5).  It is a bit of an assembly line, but a lot of families receive these ready to be cooked meals in a relatively short time.  Efficient.

This was our group...

 Twelve of us working at two tables.  Other tables were manned by a large group of police officers, another by a group of young Mormon men, another large group from a financial company.

Steph was in charge of "flagging" - stopping cars at the right spot, the letting the traffic coordinators know when we had a vehicle loaded.  Three of us were loading goods into cars, and two others staging food onto tables so we could keep the flow going.

A few other photos I was able to get...

Steph and Dan on the bus that took us from parking to the food distribution areas (the parking was about a mile away).  Steph on the job (below)...

Steph and Dan with the line of cars...

Walking back to the buses after our shift...

 It's a very worthy cause.  Their Mission Statement: Bridging the gap for Arizona communities with nourishment for today and hope for tomorrow.  There are St. Mary's outlets around Arizona - they feed more than 250,000 people each day.  They partner with more than 600 non-profit organizations to insure Arizonans in need have access to food, including children's programs, and operating a skills center with programs in warehouse logistics and food service.

 --------

A couple photos from Steph's phone...

 As you can see, there was tenting overhead, but we were working in the sun.  It had gotten too warm to actually wear the hoodie I had on, so I put just the hood part over my head to keep the sun off.  Not particularly stylish, but you do what you gotta do, since I forgot to bring a hat.

 

They aren't all good...

 

People?  Yeah, that's a fact.  No bonus points, though; all you have to do is watch the evening news.  But, I digress.

The Facebook Memories hit me like a big kick in the guts this morning: it was 2 years ago today that we said good-bye to the best "good boy."  Rufus was a truly unique feline... and we've had some pretty great felines.

I knew this would be coming up; I guess I just wasn't expecting it to be so soon...

 I could go on and on, talking about the many wonderful attributes of this big furry boy, but I will just say: I miss the light that this boy spread.  People who weren't "cat people" would come up to meet him while we were out walking.  He never had a bad day, even at the end.

And, the end came too soon.  We only had 5 years with Rufus, but they were joyous years, and he left us with so many great memories.  I miss this boy every day; there are reminders of him in our home.  The memories make us smile.  But, this day, my heart hurts.

You were a very good boy, Rufus.

 

Here we go...

 

I have some PA equipment loaded in the car.  Not for the gig with the band this afternoon, but just in case a crowd shows up for this morning's Meet the President Q&A in the park.  I just want to be prepared.

Steph and Dan are delivering one of the Guide Dog puppies back the California today, so they won't be there.  Steph asked, "Are you nervous?"

"Well, sure.  It's the unknown.  I'm putting myself out there, and people can ask me anything about the HOA.  I have facts.  I'm willing to share my opinion.  I'm hoping it won't be confrontational, like things can get on Facebook.  I expect that people will be civil in public, but... the unknown."

Steph asked if I'd call or text to let her know how it went this morning.

And then, back home, load up more gear, and get ready to head to downtown Phoenix where The Hip Replacements will be playing this afternoon.  I'm less concerned about the unknown with that, although we have to be adaptable with the change from playing outdoors to inside.  We rehearse so we have the song arrangements down.

While the organizers have made arrangements for us to be indoors, we'll have to load-out in the rain,though.  Assuming the weather weasels are accurate with the hourly forecasts.  Yeah, this music stuff is glamorous.  ;-)

 --------

So, how'd it all go?

Thanks for asking.  I think I was able to get through to people that "the board doesn't do business on Facebook."  I was expecting to explain how they can access any financial information on the Homeowners' Portal (and I did), but some people just weren't ready to accept that "anyone can set up a Facebook Group and have the name of our community in it.

"You should do something about that - it is misleading."  

"I can't do anything about either of these two groups because they are NOT affiliated with the HOA, the board, or the management company in ANY way."  As usual, I steered them to the Homeowners' Portal.  Interestingly enough, the husband of one of the board members was there, offering to "explain things, to help me out."  He was not trying to help me out.

There were some of the snarky Facebook people there, but no one got unpleasant.  No doubt, being face to face, with people in attendance who were being reasonable, helps.  All in all, I think I was able to answer questions with factual information.  It wasn't a bad experience.

And the music gig?  It is a LOT of work to haul all that gear: it is 4 loading situations... house to the car, car to the event, set up, play, wait around while the people putting it on used our PA for their awards ceremony and keynote speech, then tear down, load it into the car, drive home, load it back into the house.  We are not youngsters.  Time there was over 4 hours, even though we were scheduled to play for around 90 minutes.

The making music part is fun... the rest is just a lot of work.  This is the 4th time this group (or a subset of this group) has had us play; we may have to talk about timing before we commit to this in the future.

That said, the playing is good - I like these guys and we work together well.  A couple photos courtesy of Joan...

 

But, yeah, it was a long day. 

One last run-through...

 

It looks like there is a good chance of rain tomorrow afternoon, starting around 5:00.  The event we are playing for runs from 3:00 to 6:00 pm.  Our playing time is scheduled for 3:30 to 5:00, then backing the choir for a song.  Their awards presentation (they'll be using our PA) will follow that.  Even though we will be wrapped up playing shortly after 5:00, we can't start our tear-down and load out until they are done.  It is likely we'll be loading out in the rain.

We were told that the band has been moved indoors and the vendors will be cancelled; I am sorry to hear that, for the vendors' sake.  For the band, it means we can load-in lighter, since we won't need PA gear to project as far.

I loaded the set list for this gig last night; we are flexible and can change things around on the fly, but it gives us an idea of timing and order for any gear changes.  This afternoon, I'll run through the set list to make sure I'm comfortable with all the arrangements.

--------

The other "event" for tomorrow is the "Meet the President" question and answer get-together in our community, 9 to 10am.  This isn't anything formal, the plan is to meet in the park.  I have no idea how many people will be there, and if it will be angry homeowners because the HOA dues increase $20 starting in January, or if there will be friendly supporters.  I'm OK with however it plays out.

I scheduled this because there is a lot of mis-information, unfounded rumors, and general ugliness on Facebook between a couple different "community" groups.  My hope is to clear up the fact that "the HOA board does NOT do business on Facebook."  There is a Homeowners' Portal run by the management company that is the official conduit for information or issues with the HOA.

I expected some homeowner concern about the dues increase - people want to know how their money is being spent and on what.  I've stated this before (at every board meeting, but those are not well-attended), that every dime is accounted for.  There are expenditures we have to do, and some that homeowners have asked for.  With a budget over a half million dollars, opinions differ on how those funds are allocated.  Some have never looked at the financial reports on the Portal, but they call for "get rid of this board that is wasting our money!!"  It goes with the job.

Some people don't understand the purpose of a board for the HOA.  Some don't understand that they are a part of the HOA (it's right there in the name: Home Owners Association).  We are not some entity that sits around thinking up ways to tell people what they can't do - the Association exists to protect the home values for each member, preserve our common-owned property, and run the business of our community.

This will be the opportunity for homeowners to look at someone (little ol' me) and ask their question.  Face to face.  Hopefully, instead of making an angry post on Facebook, where they don't have all the facts.

"Why would you put yourself out like this, Jim?"  Good question.  I care about this community; this on-line bickering isn't good for the community.  We are better when we work together.  Truly, I have nothing to lose: if I can't get the truth across, or if there is general lack of interest in knowing how the board works and the money is spent, I will have a clear understanding of the direction the community wants to go.  The "bullying" that gets done on Facebook, offers no solutions and shows no interest in looking at the financial facts on the Homeowners' Portal.  I believe that is a small minority.  There is also a minority who show up for board meetings, Block Watch meetings, community meetings with our City Council members, and understand how the Portal works.  (Joan has offered to show people how to get on and use the Portal while I answer questions.)  I think the majority of people just want to live their lives, come home from work, spend time with their family, and not have to be concerned about the HOA; they expect the people they elected to the board to do their job and keep the community running.

If asked, I will explain the bidding process.  And the fact that the landscaping bids varied by over $60,000 from the highest to the lowest.  I have all the bids, and have the numbers broken down.  For most people, that stuff is boring; and why they don't want to be bothered with sitting in on a board meeting, where these decisions get made.  In front of the homeowners.  Because the financial matters of the board ARE completely transparent.  That word gets tossed around a lot.  The numbers are all there, right on the Portal.  The financial reports are presented at every board meeting.  The board meetings are open to homeowners, so they can see the process.  Yet, someone who has never attended a board meeting or looked at the Homeowners' Portal, can get on Facebook and state, as though it is fact, that "the board isn't being transparent."

We'll see how this Q&A goes.   

Can I Have Your Autograph?

 

You got recognized (as part of the Hip Replacements) by the choir group yesterday, and it's gone to your head?  No; I'm pretty grounded.  Joan and Steph keep me that way.

Today, I did have a neighbor ask for my autograph... she saw me on TV this morning.  It was on a news piece that was shot last week; just ran this morning.

An investigative reporter for the CBS affiliate here in Phoenix ran a piece a couple weeks ago regarding 3 homes near our development that were having flooding issues after the unprecedented rain last month.  They felt the issue was the development south of us that was changing how water flows off of South Mountain.  The result of that news piece: the City pointed at the County, and the County said the flood/water-flow plans that were in place were doing just what they were supposed to do.

I reached out to that reporter and let her know that debris that came down from the mountain clogged the wash built to handle water flow around our community.  She and her camera man came out, met with another board member and me, asked some questions on camera.  Shannon, the other board member, gave the reporter video that she shot when the water flooded one of the main streets in our community.  The reporter, Susan Campbell, said she would take this to the City and County and try to get more information.

Turns out, the City and County do have a plan, but apparently couldn't come up with that info when the reporter first asked about it.  There is a flood control project that is scheduled for 2028 (formulated in 2022) east of our community, and another for 2031 (just formulated) on the western side of the community.

Not the immediate resolution hoped for, but there is a plan.  I guess we can hope there isn't another one of those "once in a decade" rains in the next 6 years.

The reporter reached out to me yesterday to let me know the piece would run during the 7:00 news hour.  I thanked her for the heads-up.  About 15 minutes of shooting video, edited down to about 30 seconds of each of us talking about the situation, and other video and stills that we provided.  She got a response from the City/County, and it is good information for the 3 homeowners from her earlier piece, and for the 367 homeowners in our development.

Being human, I was relieved that I didn't look like a dufus on-camera.  And the end result: definitive information.  Just trying to do good for the community.

 

 

Second verse, same as the first...

 

If you said, "A line from the Herman's Hermits song I'm Henry the 8th (VIII),  1965," you get 15 bonus points.

You sang the second verse to a song, Jim?  Well, I sang a bunch of second verses today, but this was more about the gig we have coming up Saturday afternoon - The Hip Replacements are back at Banner Health for another show for the Dementia/Alzheimer's group.

If the weather allows (a 50% chance of rain on Saturday is predicted as of right now), they are planning for about 30 vendors on hand.  We are supposed to be playing outside, but the contingency plan is to move indoors for the band, but they will have to cancel the vendors.

One of the things we were asked to do: accompany a choir group of VIPs on a song; the song they picked: John Denver's Take Me Home Country Roads.  None of us have played it before, but we assured the organizer that, with over 200 years of musician experience between us, we'll be able to handle this coordinated effort.  Today, Mark, Ron, and I went to one of their rehearsals about a mile away from where we were rehearsing at Ron's house.

We walked into the room where they were rehearsing, and... "It's the Hip Replacements!"  I guess we are pretty well-known with this group.  We spoke with the young lady who was directing the choir about the layout of the song as they do it: verse, chorus, verse, bridge, verse, chorus, outro.  "OK, we got it," I told her... "Although, when we do this song, we like to put a kick-ass guitar solo in the middle and about a 5 minute drum solo."

"OMG - that would be awesome!"  I had to tell her it was a joke: a ripping guitar solo and a drum solo wouldn't really work well with this folk-pop John Denver song.

Instead, I said, "Let's run through it."

"You're ready?"

"Yep, that's why we brought a guitar.  On Saturday, we'll be backing you with two guitars, bass, and percussion."

With the chart on Mark's iPad, we played along with them like we've been doing it for years.  They were pleased - we thanked them, said, "We'll see you Saturday," and headed out to get a quick slice of pizza before going back to Ron's for rehearsal for the rest of the afternoon.  Podge joined us around 1:30 and we went right to work.

I really enjoy playing with these guys - everybody contributes, any suggested arrangements/songs are given consideration, and we decide together how we want any particular song to go.  With Mark on lead guitar, Podge on bass, Ron on percussion, guitar, and mandolin, and me on rhythm guitar, the sound is full, and we have 3 or 4 part harmony on most songs.

Here's a promo piece...

 

If the Rain Comes...

 

... they run and hide their heads.

If you said, "The first line from the song Rain by The Beatles, 1966; released as the B-side of Paperback Writer," you get 15 bonus points.

Of course, I'm talking about the rain gutters that were installed yesterday.  One of the young men doing the work said, "The sealant I'm putting in should have 24 hours to dry."

I said, "You know it's going to rain here before that."

He shrugged his shoulders and said, "Let's hope it holds off."  So, there's a plan.

I woke up at 4:25 this morning to the sound of rain outside.  "Well, almost 12 hours," I thought to myself.  I went back to bed for an hour, but didn't get back to sleep.  After getting Murphy his breakfast, I went out in the dark to see how things were working with the rain gutters... OK, with what I could see.

We have music rehearsal today for a gig on Saturday.  We'll be at Ron's house, which is in the downtown Phoenix area.  The hourly forecasts show the heaviest rain in that area over the noon hour.  Timing.  I am not a fan of loading-in in the rain.  We also will be going to where a women's choir is rehearsing, because we agreed to back them on one song this Saturday (they asked, we try to oblige).

For anyone keeping track, Saturday is the day for my Meet the President get-together at 9:00 am, then the gig for Banner Health in the afternoon.  Chance of rain on Saturday is 50%.  Yes, we're playing outside.  I'll bring a 10'x10' pop-up kiosk, but that won't help if it is windy.  I find myself saying, "We'll see how that plays out," a lot these days.

 

The predicted accumulation totals for now into Saturday...

Phoenix averages over 300 days of sunshine per year, which accounts for over 85% of daylight hours.  Alas, this is proving out to be a rainy week here in the Valley of the Sun.

 

Body Cam...

 

This is a test.  In an actual emergency, you would be instructed on where to tune for information.  How many of us remember that all-in-one emergency shelter: the school desk?  It could be used to protect you from a tornado, or even possible nuclear bombs.  Well, that's what we used to believe.

We know better now.  A tornado could be filled with sharks (10 bonus points if you said: "Sharknado"), and a shark can obviously get at you under your desk.

I may have digressed again.  Joan suggested that I might want to wear a body camera for this Meet the President get-together on Saturday - some way to keep track of what questions are being asked and a record of my answers to the questions.  Probably a good idea.

Since I have several cameras that I shoot video of motorcycle and scooter rides, or van outings, or music videos, I have options.  The Insta360 Go3s I have has a pendant that you wear around your neck that the camera sticks to magnetically.  It is really designed to be used with the small camera portion of the Go3s, but that will only record for about 30 minutes.  With that camera in the action pod, it will record up to 2 hours.

I put that camera on the pendant and gave it a shot.  Here's Joan looking at me from across the kitchen counter...

 It does a decent job of the video and audio.  I walked around outside with it on for further testing...

 

That is Murphy checking me out through the door.  This camera will certainly work for this purpose.  I have two other DJI cameras that will allow me to attach a wireless microphone, which will provide much better audio.  So, more options.  I will narrow it down to the best tool for the job.

"Do you really think you need a body cam for this meeting, Jim?"  Well, not for the same purpose as a police body cam.  But, having video during a board meeting has been important to determine what was really being said on more than one occasion.  With this being just little ol' me fielding homeowner questions, I won't have time to take notes; a video will allow accurate follow-up on anything I might not have the answer to on the spot.

 --------

We had two appointments at the house today: the first one was with the pest control company; we were told "between 8 and 10am.  The guy was there at 9:00 and was right on it.  Friendly and professional.  The second was with the rain gutter installation folks; we were told "between 11:00 am and 3:00 pm"... they showed up at 3:22.

Oh, you're probably going to say, "Hey, that was pretty close."  It has been a stormy day in much of the Phoenix Valley today - as in: rain, hail, and wind warnings in the Goodyear and Avondale area (less than 14 miles from us.  The weather here at the house has been: a bit of rain between 6:30 and 7:00 am, and no precip the rest of the day.  Mostly sunny, a bit of breeze.  Not the 60mph winds they were getting in Avondale.

Why the weather report, Jim?  Thanks for asking.  This company is located in the middle of where it is storming.  IF they were waiting to see if the weather was going to break, they were burning daylight here at our house.  By 1:00, I suggested we give them a call to "exchange information."  That was vetoed.  At 3:05, the party doing the veto gave the company a call... "Yes, they are still coming.  Let me check their location... the crew is about 8 minutes away from you."  Good that they keep track.

So, time counts.  It is sunny here right now.  Looking at the clouds over the mountains, that could change at any time.  Sure would be nice if they could get this done before the rain hits again.  But, they're here now.  One of us really wanted these rain gutters, so I just want these guys to do a good job to keep that person happy.

The follow-up: the guys doing the install were young, 23 and 25.  They seemed plenty efficient, although I did have to get up on the ladder and point out an issue.  They understood, did what was asked, and everyone was happy.  That was the goal.

The work got completed without being rained on.  Some of the sealant they use is supposed to dry for 24 hours... that may not play out.  Joan is happy with the look, I am happy with the install.

 

Up On The Roof...

 

If you said, "Up on the Roof most commonly refers to the hit 1962 song by The Drifters, written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King, which became a major hit in 1963," you get 20 bonus points.

If you said, "Jim, you do know that falls are the most common cause of injuries for people over 70, don't you?  You weren't up on the roof, were you?" you get 50 bonus points for your concern.  And, no - I wasn't up on the roof... I was up on a ladder, near the roof...

 But, there is nothing bonus point worthy for up near the roof.  ;-)  There was a security light/camera in that location, and it needed to be taken down.

Why?  We have rain gutters scheduled to be installed tomorrow, and that light would have been in the way.  There is a 55% chance of thunderstorms tomorrow.  Will they install rain gutters in the rain?  Probably not.  Will they install rain gutters in a thunderstorm?  Not if they have any functioning brain cells.  So, it may not happen as scheduled.  We can be flexible.

We'll see how that plays out, but we are ready for them if/when they show up.

--------

More HOA stuff to deal with during the late morning and afternoon.  People don't know that some of what gets done has nothing to do with CC&Rs and financial stuff.  This would be considered more potentially giving a homeowner some help when they are having a tough situation.

Joan also quizzed me on questions that people might ask at Saturday's Meet the President get-together... to see if I am up on all the different topics.  I appreciate her time; I think she learned that I do have a handle on what's going on.  She helped me organize paperwork, so I can have info easily at hand for any specific budget and financial questions.  I am hoping Steph will have time in the next few days for another Q&A session.

And, yes, Murphy got several walks in today.  He did not have to go up on a ladder.  But, he could.

 

 

(Sigh)...

 

Just when things are starting to settle down, the handyman for the management company put up a sign in our park.  That's not the issue: he was supposed to put up a sign.  He put up the wrong sign; with wrong park hours.

Some people in the community believe that the board can't do anything right.  Last thing I needed was this.  I found out about the sign last night (after some of the angry ones saw the sign and posted about it on Facebook); I drove to the park and took it down.  No, that isn't in my job description.  Something had to be done.  Now.  People love to point out a mistake; some consider it deliberate.

For the record, I am serving in good faith.  The board actions are voted on in open business meetings.  And still, there will be someone who will get on the Homeowners' Portal, copy something on the financials, post it on Facebook, and write "That is transparency!"

So, posting something that every homeowner has access to is transparency?  These financials are presented at every board meeting.  This is transparency.  I wish I had some way to make the homeowners care enough to participate.  I wish people wouldn't get on Facebook, posting half-truths and outright lies, with the sole intention of stirring things up and not offering a solution.

Yes, I understand that this is the world today: that some people have miserable lives and their only way to make themselves feel better is to try to tear others down.

That doesn't mean I won't try my best for the community.  For as long as I can take it.

 --------

 With rain in the forecast for the next several days (it rained this morning), Joan covered our patio furniture.  The good thing: it protects the cushions on the furniture and keeps them dry.  The bad thing: Murphy runs under the cover, and it is like playing Whack a Mole trying to get him to come out.

The solution: he has to be in his catio or on a leash until the covers come off the furniture.  I took him out for a while this morning, in the catio.  He is fine with the catio.  This afternoon, I put his harness on him, clipped on the leash, and... he walked like a champ...

I wondered how he would do, since the last time he had his leash on was when we were in California last month, and he didn't really want to get too far away from the van (lots of activity there - people walking and riding bikes).  As you can see on the video above, he did fine - walking with his tail up, not pulling on the leash, and staying right with me as we walked.

 

Organ Stop...

 

Oh, no - it wasn't a vital organ, was it??

No, but thanks for asking.  Last night, we met Joan's sister Beth and her husband Rob in Mesa for an interesting dining experience.  They are from Silver City, New Mexico, but they do come this way from time to time.  We saw them just a couple weeks ago.  Rob got hearing aids, and his audiologist is in Phoenix.

Beth picked Organ Stop as a meet-up place.  I was not familiar with it, but Steph and Dan have been there, and they said it was a lot of fun.  It is a pizza place, but the big draw is a giant Wurlitzer Theatre Pipe Organ that rises up out of the floor.  Organ pipes all around - 23 ranks of pipes.  The organ is powered by three Spencer turbine blowers (with a fourth as a standby), spinning at 1800 RPM with a combined 60HP, moving 10,000 cubic feet of air.  The Wurlitzer has more than 6,000 pipes.  The largest pipes are 32 feet long and could fit four people inside.  Yeah, it's big...

 The organ and organist rise up out of the floor.  The organist plays all types of music, not just what you'd expect from this amazing and interesting giant instrument.

But, what about the pizza?  Crispy crust - just the way Joan likes it.  We got a table on the upper level so we could get an overall view.

The restaurant opens at 4:00, the music starts at 4:30.  I'm glad we were there when the place opened... not to get a table, there were plenty available; but so we had a chance to visit for that first half hour before the music fired up.  The volume fills the room; with those giant pipes, it sometimes rattles your innards.  But, the organist was very talented and it was a fun experience.

Beth and Rob...

 Us...

 And, the part Stephanie would have enjoyed the most: "dancing cats" marionettes...

 After a couple hours (the organist took a break every 45 minutes or so), we took things outside so we could continue to visit.

By the time we left, the seating had increased to a good crowd.  This giant organ, the music (they encourage requests), and the atmosphere are an attraction.  This place has been in business since 1972.  They moved to this location, a larger building (seats 700), in 1995 to accommodate the continuously expanding organ, which is now considered the largest Wurlitzer theatre pipe organ in the world.

 Worth a visit?  Absolutely.  But, after a couple hours there, I was ready for some quiet time.  ;-)  And, another piece of pizza after we got home.

A short video...