Have you heard the saying...

 

"Perfect is the enemy of good"?

15 bonus points if you said "Voltaire."

Yep, an old guy in my neighborhood, Walter Voltaire, said that when I was mowing his lawn.  I told him I would make it look perfect.  That was 10 year old me selling him on paying me to mow his lawn.

"Perfect is the enemy of good" is an aphorism that means insistence on perfection often prevents implementation of good improvements.

Today was "Clean the Van Day" - I have been wanting to get at this for quite a while.  We've only had the van out twice since we got back from the Tetons.  Having driven through rain on that trip, and a couple monsoon events (blowing dirt and rain), the RoadTrek was in dire need of a thorough washing.

Adding to that: there is a RoadTrek Group on Facebook.  While some people post about their travels, a good portion of the posts are from owners who are having problems.  Many of those problems stem from the unique battery systems on these vans.  RoadTrek was the first in the Class B industry to utilize lithium batteries.  There is a learning curve with this battery system, and some owners don't understand how to best charge the lithiums, how to best store the van, and even the procedure to use with the batteries and inverter when plugging into shore power.  Add to that, RoadTrek has continuously updated the batteries as technology changes... so, the owners of a 2020 model year van may have a different use procedure than those with a 2025.  Questions and issues get posted on that Facebook group.

I like to get our van out regularly, to make sure everything is working and that the batteries, solar, inverter, air conditioning, under-hood generator, and motor get regular exercise.  And, it has been so damn hot that we haven't taken the van out in a while.

We got after it reasonably early, heading to pick up the van around 7:00.  It was already 90º.  We put it in the driveway at the house and went after it, with both of us cleaning...

 

Starting early, besides being a bit cooler, there is some shade in our driveway.  Some parts of the van, like the entire front end, the front of the awning (where Joan is scrubbing in the photo above), and the lower 1/3 of the sides were especially grubby, due to smashed bugs and driving on wet roads.  The solar panels on the roof needed rinsing.  Everything got soaped, scrubbed, rinsed... and repeat as necessary.

 Looking clean and shiny when we were done.  We then put in the floor liner Joan had ordered a while ago...

 Seems to be a good fit, but we'll see as it gets some use.

We finished up just after 9:00 - hot, sweaty, and tired.  Time to clean up ourselves and take on the rest of the day.

 

 

Waiting for the other shoe to drop...

 

"A post about kicking your shoes off, Jim?" 

No, but thanks for asking.  It's Monday.  Every Monday for the last month, there have been phone calls and texts regarding HOA stuff that needs to be addressed.  It is 10:09 am, and... not a single call or text.  One in a row!

To be fair, after meeting with landscape companies on Friday, I did let two other board members and the management company's rep know, "I'm taking the rest of the day off."  That didn't happen.  Phone calls, e-mails, and texts.  Oh my.  (Wizard of Oz reference: lions, tigers, and bears - oh my!)

The management company sent out an e-mail blast to the homeowners, letting them know well in advance for a board meeting we have coming up on August 28th.  Only problem: they sent it out late in the day with the WRONG dates on it.  Yes, two wrong dates.  I called our management rep immediately and she assured me it would get taken care of... ASAP.  And, here we are on Monday morning, and no correction e-mail, yet.

In the meantime, the guy who I have referred to as the shit-stirrer sent me 4 private messages questioning the dates.  Even though I assured him that the date is the 28th (that was correct in the link in the e-mail - it was the wrong date in the body of the e-mail).  When his 5th private message came, still questioning it (he may be on the spectrum) - I let him know that the "28th is ABSOLUTELY the date."  Of course, he thinks it is some kind of conspiracy theory for the board and management company to try to confuse the homeowners.  Same thing he said when we gave 72 hours notice for a town hall meeting that was quickly arranged to get homeowner input on agenda items... when 48 hours is required as per Open Meeting laws.  

Board member e-mails over the weekend, causing me to "draw a line" regarding some proposed board action.  I won't discuss specifics here; of course, if everyone (board included) could be neighborly, this job could be much easier.

 

They're home...

 

We picked up Steph and Dan at the airport last night.  They had a layover in Dallas - their plane coming into Dallas was about 15 minutes late, but they were good on time there.  When they boarded in Dallas, we got another text from Steph...

    "Let’s hope! There’s a baseball team on the plane. Every plane crash movie seems to have a sports team     onboard."  😳😱 

To which I replied: "Not funny."

We picked them up at the door they told us they'd be at in the text we received while getting close to the airport.  Sky Harbor International Airport is huge - nice to have the ability to coordinate so none of us had to wait.  Easy. 

We walked into their house with them after the drive from the airport - I wanted to see if the cats would all come running.  It wasn't the animal reunion like you see in the movies - Tango acted like he was afraid of them.  Joan scooped Tango up and put him in Steph's arms... he was fidgety.  

Ah, home sweet home.  Now, we can all get back to normal.  For a few days. 

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When I was a kid and complained about the weather, my Mother used to say to me: "Whether it's good or whether it's not, the weather we have is the weather we got."  Sage advice?  Not really.  It was her way of saying: "Nothing you can do about it (the weather)."

The "Extreme Heat Warning" were supposed to expire yesterday.  Didn't happen.  In fact, they have been extended through most of this next week.  No, I'm not surprised - it's the desert.  In August. 

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More GAS...

Gear Acquisition Syndrome.  While together with what I call "my local guys" at Allan's house on Friday, Allan asked me if I had any use for an acoustic amp.  I had seen it there in his rehearsal space, but didn't pay much attention - we don't play acoustic type music with this group.  I told Allan I'd take it home and give it a try...

 

It's a brand I'd never heard of (Monoprice Stage Right).  Small(ish) in size.  20 watts, 8" speaker and a tweeter.  I plugged it in and plugged my X20 into it... sounds decent.  It doesn't have the volume or tone of a similar size Fishman Loudbox, but it really is... decent.  At a budget price.

I plugged in a couple other guitars, first an Emerald X10, then a Taylor T5.  The T5 isn't an acoustic guitar - it is a semi-hollow body electric guitar that is what I consider a hybrid: it has both electric and acoustic pickups and a good variety of tones.  That unique guitar sounds really good in this amp.  The X10 is an acoustic guitar that has a humbucking pickup, as well as individual piezos; so, also a hybrid.  I guess I am drawn to these guitars.

Acoustic amps are generally "flat response" - they don't color the sound, but try to reproduce what the guitar sounds like (with varying success).  Electric amps have their own tone.  And some electric amps are "modeling," meaning they try to sound like (model) a variety of other amps.  This is why you often see electric guitar players with a variety of amps.  And why I have almost as many amps as guitars.  And that is known as "justification"... not really a technical term.  ;-)

And just for grins, I ran a line out from this Stage Right into the small Marshall amp I have - the combination sounds huge. In a small size.  No, I won't likely use it this way.

 

Sitting In the Morning Sun...

 

If you said, "From the song Dock Of The Bay, performed by Otis Redding, written by Redding and Steve Cropper, 1967," you get 20 bonus points.  If you said, "Redding actually recorded that song twice in 1967, including the second time just 3 days before his death," you get 25 more bonus points.  Partial credit will be given if you didn't have the co-writer and year.  If you said, "Steve Cropper has played for/with many of the greats, written some well-known songs, and was involved in virtually every recording from Stax Records from 1961 to 1970.  And, is the guitarist for the Blues Brothers," you get another 30 bonus points.

A good bit of music trivia this morning. 

I was up at 6:30, got Murphy fed, took him outside, then went next door to feed, med, and visit with our Grand-kitties.  Came back home and dealt with some HOA board e-mails, enlisted Joan to be a voice of reason in my responses, then sat down to chill.

The hot tub was 103º when I checked it this morning.  I left the cover open to let some of the heat dissipate.  Joan took this shot with her iPad while she was out with Murphy...

 The furry boy is checking out the hot tub.  No, he has never shown any desire to get in it; but, he does hop up on it from time to time when the cover is closed.

Joan suggested that I might want a morning soak.  I had been too busy already to even consider that, but what a great idea!  The water temperature had cooled a bit, even though the outside air temperature was working its way up... a good time to enjoy a soak, and Joan joined me.

I like when we do that together - it gives us time to talk, without any distractions or devices.  A great way to start the day, even though we had both been going for a while already.

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A lot of good "Facebook Memories" for me today... memories of posts featuring Rufus and Izzy, time with friends Herb and Wilma when we were in North Carolina a year ago, several memories from different years of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, and one that stuck with me: getting my first carbon fiber guitar...

That was a pivotal point in my life-long (well, since I was 11 years old) guitar passion. 

And one of Joan's favorite images, featuring Rufus...

 We were playing Monopoly Cards while sitting at the dinette in the motorhome.  Ruf gave Joan his best "poker face" and she managed to catch that.  So much personality in that big furry boy.

 

Like a Sturgeon...

 

If you said, "Weird Al Yankovic's parody of Madonna's Like a Virgin; released in 1985,"... oh, so close!  Weird Al's version was Like a Surgeon - 3 bonus points if you got the date right. 

The August Full Moon is known as "the Sturgeon Moon."  Named after the world famous Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, now happening in the Black Hills.  Yes, that is fake news.  These full moons are generally named based on Native American or early settler traditions.  The name "Sturgeon Moon" comes from the abundance of sturgeon fish in the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain during this time of year, which were an important food source for Native Americans and settlers. 

A hot, breezy night when stepping out to get this full moon shot...

 How hot was it?  Thanks for asking - still 100º at 9:50pm.

 

And the winner is...

 

"The rear passenger side tire on the Equinox!"  And the crowd goes wild!!

This morning, before the heat of the day really kicks in (it was 118º yesterday, but today is only forecast to be 113º), we had a few chores to deal with.  Joan started on the trash cans (garbage and recycle) yesterday, with a soak and scrub.  There is also a shared COP (Container O' Poop) that bagged cat and dog waste goes into.  You can imagine how that smells when being cooked in this heat.  Joan took it upon herself to give all that a rinse-scrub-rinse-soak-rinse.  She finished that up this morning.

All our vehicles have tire pressure monitors in them.  My morning chore was go air up the tires on 6 vehicles.  The only tire that was right where it was supposed to be was the rear passenger-side tire on the Equinox.  All the rest of the tires on 3 crossover SUVs and 3 bikes (one motorcycle and two scooters) needed to be topped off.  Of the two-wheel conveyances, the tire that was closest to the specified pressure was the rear tire on the CTX.  If anyone is keeping track, that is the tire that I plugged last year, after picking up a screw in it.

We have a really good small air compressor - a Worx brand.  Battery operated (interchangeable  batteries), with the clamp on nozzle and an automatic shut off when it gets to the correct pressure.  It would handle the higher pressure tires on the motorhome without breaking a sweat.  I couldn't say as much for me, as it was 91º when I went out at 7:00.

After feeding cats.  And for the record, I spend time with each of the Grand-kitties before and after feeding and giving meds.  The Grands miss their Mom and Dad, and are happy to have some human interaction.  And, of course, take a couple photos for "proof of life" for Steph.  They will be home tomorrow evening; they will all be happy to see each other.

Now, time to jump in the shower - I have music with Allan and the guys today.  Time to rock.

And a heads up for you.  Literally.  The full moon for August will happen around 1:00am tomorrow, so it will appear full tonight and tomorrow night.

 

Education...

 

Learnin' is good.  No, I don't know who said that, so no bonus points.  We're just friends visiting.

This morning (7:00am to be precise), the HOA board vice president and I met with landscaping companies.  Clarifying some things in their bids, clearly stating concerns and expectations of the homeowners, and listening to their best pitch.

I got an education.  No, I am not ready to move into the fast-paced, high-paying world of being an arborist.  But, I know a lot more about desert plants, native and non-native plant species, watering needs, irrigation procedures, trimming, SLM (sustainable landscaping management)... the whens, whys, and why nots of various trimming schedules.

Homeowners see some trees in front of their homes and feel "something needs to be trimmed"... not everyone in this community is from Arizona.  What works in the northern Midwest or California, isn't what you should plant in the desert.  But, people like what they know.  He pointed to South Mountain and said, "If it isn't growing naturally up there, it is going to take more work, water, fertilizer, and money to make it grow here.  And that's what we deal with.  The developer had a contractor plant things in the development that shouldn't be here.  And now we get to deal with."

To their credit, each company offered to hold an educational session for homeowners.  No doubt that would help the homeowners learn how to better care for their own plants... but I see the potential for a lot of slings and arrows directed their way.

Unfortunately, we can't have the whole board in on sessions like this because of Open Meeting Laws.  So, that means that the two of us who were there will be making recommendations.  Each board member had access to the well-over-150 pages of bid information.  I learned a lot more about landscaping in these meetings as opposed to looking only at bids.

Apparently, there was some lack of understanding about the purpose of these vendor meetings this morning by some who were not involved, with some thinking it was an opportunity to complain to a landscaper about "this tree or that bush."  More misinformation for me to deal with after the fact.  The main thing I learned: each of these companies

On the bright side, things seem to have cooled on some of the other issues that were discussed in the Town Hall Meeting last week.  More budget stuff to deal with as the time to get things nailed down is coming up fast.

Yep... learnin'.  Old dog, new tricks.  I got into this because I wanted to be a good neighbor and try to give back to this community.  My buddy Mark cautioned me: "Be careful what you wish for..."

  

A "Me" Day...

 

"Aren't all your days "Me" days, Jim?"  Oh, if only that were true.  Yesterday was supposed to have nothing on the schedule.  The first call came in before 8:00, from our account manager at the management company.  Yep, HOA stuff to deal with.  That led to 3 more hours of phone calls.  Yeah, I was about to clean up when that first call came in.

I was able to get into the hot tub around 6:30am (before the calls) - it was relaxing.  It was too hot last night to even think about taking a soak.  Hot?  Yeah, 114º on Tuesday, 117º on Wednesday, and 118º predicted on Thursday.

Between 11:00 and noon, I was able to work on a set-list for the upcoming gig with Mark and Podge.  There are considerations to that: you want the music to flow, but we need to take into consideration guitar changes for Mark.  So, we'll run through that to see how it feels.

Joan and I got out for lunch at In and Out Burger, home at 1:20, then more HOA phone calls and dealing with a "Facebook shit stirrer" who just delights in trying to turn people against the board, and is happy to use misdirection and outright lies in his attempts.  Our policy is generally "don't feed the trolls" on social media.  He reminds me of a former competitor of mine who said, "Love me or hate me - just don't ignore me."  My style is more: "let's work together to get things done."

This was the theme for the rest of the day: I didn't get back to our house until just after 7:00pm; except a break around 5:00 to get kitties fed.  A lite supper for the humans, take Murphy out for some hot patio time (still 105º after the sun went down).  Then spend some time with Steph and Dan's furry kids until their bed-time.

First time in years I had to plug my phone in during the day - it got a lot of use on Tuesday.  

The neighbor "kids" while I was cleaning dishes this morning so I could prepare their food...

 

"Hurry up, Grandpa!" (all three in unison).

"Chill, my little fur babies, this all takes time."  Still not as whiny as the shit stirrer.

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Music with Mark and Podge today.  We will get one more rehearsal in before we play out.  Something goofy with my pedalboard and amp combination, making some odd noises.  I just bypassed the pedalboard so we didn't lose any rehearsal time.  I will get it figured out in the next couple days.

In the words of the philosopher Rosanna Rosannadanna: "It just goes to show you, it's always something."  ;-)

 

Incident Reports...

 

"What did you do now, Jim?"  Thanks for asking.  I didn't do nuthin' - you can't prove nuthin' - and I wasn't even there - I have an alibi. 

Sorry, old habits.  As you might know, we are about mid-way into kitty-sitting while Steph and Dan are enjoying some time off with Dan's family.  In a rented house, ocean front, in Alabama, right on the Gulf.

Their cats get fed twice a day, meds for two of the cats, on a schedule, plus Joan and spend time with them each evening (yes, we bring Murphy along with us).  Here, I am being adored by "the boys" (Alfie and Tango)...

 The kitties have adapted to this new routine, and come running when I come into their house.  For the record, Joan has been helping, too: when Tasha needs her meds, it takes two of us - one to hold her, the other to administer the pill.  Tasha is a big beautiful girl, and can be very strong willed.  Joan has also been doing litter box duty.  We work together to keep things as normal as possible for the "herd" (yes, at times it is like herding cats).

I send Steph updates twice a day, after each feeding.  I call it "proof of life" and include photos, always one with all three cats at their food bowls...

 That photo gets repeated a lot.  Joan said, "You could probably send the same photo over and over."

"Well, sometimes the cats are in different positions - Steph would know."

Last night, I did have to send Steph an "incident report":

08/03 Tasha bit my left hand while administering her pill.  Blood drawn.

08/03  Someone pooped in the corner by the front door.  DNA testing shows it was Alfie.  He denies that.

08/03  Alfie bit my right hand after I stopped petting him (duration estimated to be 30 minutes - for the petting, not the biting).  Blood drawn.

08/04 Someone yakked up a fur ball and brown barf… on Tasha’s towel and the kitchen counter.  DNA tests are inconclusive.  Additional costs incurred for handling barf… I was told there would be no barf.

08/04  Obviously influenced by Budzban cats’ bad behavior, Murphy scratched the hand that feeds him.  Blood drawn.  He said something about me “having another family - and who are these twins that the girl next door keeps talking about?”  Libel charges are being considered.

08/04  Breaking and entering.  An orange cat (suspected to be Tango Foxtrot Budzban) was seen sneaking into the Bathurst residence and stealing food… right out of Murphy’s bowl.  Witnessed by two adult humans and one traumatized feline who testified: “Yeah, I saw him.  That orange one right there (let the record show that he was pointing at Tango)."

This is clearly a pattern of bad behavior.  I will be recommending CMS (Cat Military School).

In spite of this crime spree, we will be spending time with the Budzban cats this evening, modeling what good behavior looks like.

You’re welcome.  Love you! 

I try to write some interesting for her with each "proof of life", but after doing this as needed over the past year and 9 months, it is hard to come up with something new each time.  For the record, we are glad to help - when Steph and Dan have to stay late at work, they know they can call and we will get the kitties "fed and med"... it takes some stress off them.  Before we moved here, they would hire a pet-sitter to come to their house twice a day when on vacation.  I hope this makes it easier for them to get away.

There will be another trip for them in a couple weeks: Rubina, the Guide Dog for the Blind that they raised has completed her final training and is being matched with her new human.  Steph and Dan want to be there at the Guide Dog campus for this "graduation ceremony."  Yes, this is a big deal to know their work will change a life.  We are proud of the work they do with this organization (and it is a lot of voluntary work).

 

Some days off...

 

"You have a break coming up, Jim?" 

No.  After getting the cat crew taken care of this morning, I decided to get out on one of the bikes - today, it was the CTX.  When I got up this morning around 6:00am, it was 80º outside.  80º is almost refreshingly cool.  The high for today is predicted to be 113º.

It takes a while to get 4 cats fed, 1 gets his meds, and take Murphy outside for bit.  It was 84º when I started gearing up to head out on the bike around 7:00.  There is road construction at one intersection along the way, and they are stopping traffic all 4 ways, then allowing one lane at a time to pass.  You feel 10 minutes of just sitting in the sun while you wait your turn.

With the backup at that intersection, the next couple 4-way stops are usually crowded.  But, once clear of that, the traffic was in my rear view mirror.  Unusually quiet on the mountain... 2 bicyclists, 2 cars, and 1 pickup in 15 miles of twisty roads.  I stopped at the top to rehydrate.  I would say the ride is a refreshing way to start the day, but the heat was quickly rising.

It was 94º when I got home just after 8:30.  This week is going to be a hot one, with temperatures climbing each day until Thursday, when the predicted high is supposed to be 118º.  Yes, that will be a record.  Looking at those temps, this will be the only day this week that I'll get out for a morning ride.

So, those "days off" will be from riding.  Otherwise, it is a typically busy week.  HOA stuff scheduled today and Thursday, music on Wednesday and Friday.  And cat-palooza every day.

We have been spending evenings at Steph and Dan's house so the cats get some human interaction besides meal times.  Last night, Alfie and Tango took turns sitting on my lap.  Murphy watched them from a few feet away... I could tell he was thinking: "Suckups!"  (Murph isn't keen on lap-sitting.)

 

Duties X 4...

 

Maybe I should have written that as: doody times 4?

With Steph and Dan on vacation, we have 4 times the cat duties.  Last night, we went to their house so their cats had human interaction for several hours.  We brought Murphy with us, so he gets to spend time with his "cousins." 

In the grande scheme of things, there is a hierachy: their "cat status" is Tasha as the Queen; Alfie is their special needs boy who needs neurological meds on a schedule; and Tango, their orange boy, who is just a sweet youngster at heart.  Toss Murphy into the mix and it changes things.  Murphy tends to be the Alpha Male with Tango, but they behave differently when at our house than when they are at Steph and Dan's house.

Murphy is curious about Tasha.  He is smart enough to not get too close or playful with her.  One hiss from Tasha last night put Murphy in his place.  But, there is no animosity there - they all seem to get along.  Murph seems to be considerate around Alfie (who moves a little slower... except when snacks are involved).  He and Tango are two young boys; sometimes they are rough and tumble, sometimes they are just chill.

This morning, Joan and I were able to sleep in until almost 7:00; that was a rare treat.  I took care of Murphy's feeding and while Joan took him outside, I went to Steph and Dan's to get their 3 "med and fed."  Yes, they were happy to see me.  It takes a little longer in the morning feeding, because food and water dishes need to be washed and there are some supplements to be added to their food.  Then, at least one photo (usually more) to send to Steph for "proof of life."

 When we were done with cat stuff, Joan, Murphy and I went back to our patio to continue the "Morning Concert Series"...

 Yesterday, it was an hour long Beatles set before going inside to get out of the heat.  Today, after seeing a piece on CBS Sunday Morning about the Latitude Margaritaville 55+ "active adult" planned communities, I did a Jimmy Buffett set before going back inside to the air conditioning.

It's a good start to the day.

 

An Early Morning Schedule...

 

We had to be up early this morning.  A 6:00 departure.

No, we aren't going anywhere, but we are taking Steph and Dan to the airport.  Departure from our house at 6:00am.

Not sure why this happens, but if I have nothing on the agenda, I am generally up between 5:30 and 6:00.  But, if I have to get up early for a reason, I wake up and check my watch (on my nightstand) at least once an hour.

We were out of the house right on time.  Dan drove to the airport, they got out at the Departures drop off, we had our hugs, then we took off with Dan's car.  Leaving the airport at 6:30, it only made sense to stop for breakfast on the way home.

Joan suggested Waffle House, and there happened to be one near the airport, right on our route.  I am always up for Waffle House, and even better when it isn't my suggestion.  The food was good, some to take home, and we were back to the house at 7:38.

Morning patio time.  In the 80s that time of day, expecting to see 114º for a high today.  Yeah, upper 80s feels almost refreshing, knowing what is coming.

Steph and Dan are off for a vacation with Dan's sisters and their families.  They trust us to take care of the cats and the house while they are gone.  Of course, we may have let it slip that we are planning a blow-out party at their house while they are gone.  What's that?  No, I have never had a blow-out party, but I've seen enough movies to to know that there will have to be a bunch of people we don't know, mass consumption of alcohol, and rowdy behavior by all involved.  It probably makes sense to have the party tonight so we have the whole week to clean up and repair or replace broken furniture and dishes.  And sober up the cats.

I may have to watch Risky Business again to make sure I have it all down.  I've been practicing sliding across the floor in socks, shirts and underwear while lip-syncing to Bob Seger's Old Time Rock 'n Roll... I'm going to have to get some tighty-whities to pull the look together.  And a Porsche.  And hookers.  Steph and Dan don't have a cut-glass egg, so we may have to toss around a different prized possesion of hers... like her TV remote.  Yes, these are all references to that movie. 

Just kidding.  We'll have to substitute Dan's Buick for the Porsche.

 

If the Rain Comes...

 

If you said, "The first line from the Beatles' song Rain, 1966," you get 5 bonus points.  Only 5??  Yeah, we covered this in the not too distant past.  Well, I guess it's been a while, since precip isn't a regular thing here in the desert.

But, it is monsoon season.  And in the middle of the meeting last night, I heard a sudden downpour.  For about 10 minutes.  But, it did sound heavy.  Caught in the meeting, I couldn't step away.  Joan was watching the meeting from our house (I was in my music room) - she dashed outside and put down the patio umbrellas that were up.  Wind generally comes with the rain during monsoon season.

I assume this was a very isolated storm, as no precip was predicted, and there was no mention of rain on TV this morning, or on any of the precipitation apps.  But, it poured right here.

Generally, if there is precip predicted, we will cover the patio furniture or remove the cushions.  That didn't happen.  Joan went out when the downpour started and put down the umbrellas.  When the rain quit, she stood the furniture cushions so the water could drain out of them.  They were still wet at the lowest part of the cushions when I went out there this morning.

So, glad to have some rain, but it would have been nice to know it was coming.  But, as in the second line of the song: "They run and hide their heads"... Joan didn't have the opportunity to run nor hide her head.

Mother Nature does what she wants.

 

Another Board Meeting...

 

This evening, it will be the "town hall" type of meeting.  The board won't be discussing business, but the meeting will be opened up for comments from homeowners regarding 3 "hot topic" subjects.  In reality, there would be no discussion necessary, if homeowners would abide by the CC&Rs that they signed when they purchased a home here.  Personally, I don't agree with everything outlined in the CC&Rs, but I signed them... for the good of the community.

These rules are put in place for the safety and security of the community and to protect the homeowners' property values.  As a homeowner, I don't get to pick and choose which rules I will follow.  Some people don't understand that.  "They can't tell me what I can do with my own property!"

They probably should not have bought into an HOA community.

Oh, I get it: everybody loves to hate HOAs.  The terms I see used for us online: "Money grabbing and power hungry!"  Yes, bullshit.  Money grabbing?  Each of us on the board pay the same HOA dues as everyone else... only we are responsible for spending the HOAs funds in a way to get the most value for those dues.  We understand that costs on almost everything have gone up; landscaping and water costs are up significantly.  Don't want to clean up after your dog?  We have to pay a licensed company to do that.  Don't want to pick up trash that someone else has tossed?  The landscape companies will do that - for an extra fee.  And for all the work the board members put into the budget and other things that come up - we get paid a grand total of $00.00.

Power hungry?  Oh, please.  I would be delighted to turn over this work to someone else.  Any homeowner can say whatever they want, including outright lies, on Facebook (I have come to call this "trial by Facebook") - the board has to be open and transparent in all dealings.  In fact, in order to not run afoul of the Open Meeting Laws, we can't have 3 or more of us get together (that would be a quorum), even in a social situation.  Our emails and texts are subject to scrutiny.  But, complainers on Facebook can post anonymously.  There is no "power" here, just another job with no pay or benefits.  And the knowledge that you are doing something for your community.

While other people get to pick apart any decisions we make, on Facebook, and without any consideration of doing anything for their neighbors.

-------

Yep; the Town Hall Meeting went about as expected.  We had an attorney there to explain the legal aspects of each of the items on the agenda and answer questions.  Not much argument on the first two topics, but the same arguments regarding people using their garages and driveways before parking on the street.  Every homeowner signed the CC&Rs that are explicitly spelled out.

The attorney stated categorically that the board is required to follow and enforce the CC&Rs.  Those opposed to that section of the CC&Rs felt they should not have to abide by those regulations, because... well, no one presented an argument that made sense.

But, everyone who wanted had the opportunity to speak.  Fewer than 20% of the households in the community participated, so no clear way of knowing what the majority of homeowners want.  And, it will take a 67% vote to change the CC&Rs.  That isn't going to happen.

So... fun.

 

Doctor, Doctor, Give Me the News...

 

If you said, "I got a bad case of loving you! The name of the song is: Bad Case Of Loving You (Doctor, Doctor) by Robert Palmer, 1979)" you get 15 bonus points.

Yep, another visit with the doctor today.  Hopefully, it will go better than my last scheduled visit, where they kept me waiting for a half hour, then told me "The doctor is in an administrative meeting right now, so we'll have to reschedule you."  Needless to say, that didn't go well.  All I really needed that visit was to have bloodwork done and get prescriptions renewed.  After a heated discussion with the administrator, that was accomplished.

Pretty much the same reason for going today, so I'm hoping it won't be a repeat... especially after they call, e-mail, and text to remind me of the appointment.

From there, it will be off to Mark's house, to make some music and see what he thinks of this newly received Aeroband Guitar.

--------

A good visit at the doctor's office today: my numbers are all good; and I was there early and they took me in early.  I don't have to go back for 6 months.

I left the Aeroband Guitar with Mark.  He only played it for a few minutes, but I think he enjoyed it.  It sounded good in his hands.  He's going to try some things with the midi features on it, which I will include in the video.

 

Monday, Monday...

 

If you said, "A song by The Mamas & the Papas, 1966, from the album If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears," you get 10 bonus points.

Joan said to me, "You better get in the shower early, because it is Monday."

I said, "Monday?  I'm retired, remember?"

"You're going to get some calls.  Since being on the HOA board, you always get calls on Monday." 

Of course, she was right.  The calls started around 8:00 and went on through the morning.  More than usual, including an hour with the new attorney for the board.  We are now set up with a Town Hall type meeting for Thursday evening, to get input from homeowners on 3 issues that have folks concerned.  I've mentioned before that after taking over from the developer, this board has had a lot to deal with.  And, also of course, there is a shit-stirrer who gets on social media to try to float conspiracy theories about what he thinks is an agenda that the board has.  Not true, but it gets people stirred up, and we won't get sucked into that fray.  Yes, this is the same guy that sent me 38 private messages in less than 2 hours about 10 days ago.  Further proof that no good deed goes unpunished.

On the bright side, by noon it was mostly done.  And Joan and I went out for lunch.  Then took on the rest of our day.

And the beat goes on... but that's a different song.  ;-)

 ------

Keep on a Rockin' Me, Baby...

If you said, "Steve Miller Band, 1976, Rockin' Me, from the album Fly Like an Eagle," you get 20 bonus points.

After another day of dealing with HOA stuff this morning (Tuesday), Joan and I did some grocery shopping and a light lunch out.  Nothing interesting there, but when we got back to the house, I went into my music room and hooked up my pedalboard, a guitar, and a mic to my Bose PA.  I haven't used that since we played out in April.  We've all gotten together more often since then, but I didn't need to bring a PA or my pedalboard.

We have another gig in August, so I need to rehearse a bit with the equipment I'll be using.  Not a big deal, but damn that Bose PA sounds good!  And the gear I have on the pedalboard adds to the guitar tone and vocals.  I don't often play plugged in here at the house, so this was a definite change of pace.  And quite entertaining for me.

It also turned out to be a "Wood kinda day."  I spent some time playing for Joan and Murphy with a couple of my Taylor wood acoustic guitars: for those interested in these things, a lovely 814ce with a tobacco burst finish, and a 652 Builder's Edition 12-string with a satin honey burst finish.  It has been a while since either of them got more than just a few minutes of playing time.  I admit my preference for my Emeralds, but these Taylors are very nice guitars, as well.

 The playing is good for the soul.  My head gets into the music and I have peace.  Nothing all new-agey, just nice to leave the community concerns behind for a while.

 

Music, man...

 

Not to be confused with "The Music Man" - a classic American musical by Meredith Willson, first performed on Broadway in 1957."  If you said that, you get 15 bonus points.  If you can name one of the two big hits from that musical, you get an additional 25 bonus points.  If you said, "76 Trombones or 'Till There Was You," collect your bonus points at the cashier's cage.  We're on the honor system here.

It was 78º when I got up, just before 6:00am.  I did my morning routine, then took Murphy out.  A half hour or so later, Joan came out to relieve me on Murphy-Watch.  I came inside, grabbed a guitar (Emerald X20) and went back outside to entertain Joan and Murphy.  For a bit over an hour.  Mostly Beatles songs this morning, followed by some Billy Joel and James Taylor tunes.

Coming back inside, Joan started on a tasty breakfast skillet meal, while I swapped guitar and experimented with the new Aeroband Guitar.  Switching immediately from the Emerald to this one highlights just how different the Aeroband is...

 Mostly just experimenting with the Aeroband.  And taking some measurements and notes for the upcoming video.

 

Returning to the scene of the crime...

 

Nothing to do with CSI Phoenix.  I felt it was a crime that I didn't get much of a ride in yesterday, before the battery crapped out.  I took care of that today: same bike, same route, and I rode past "the scene."

It was a good ride.  Some weekend traffic; more bicycles than anything else.  A dozen or so motorcycles, one other scooter (a Burgman 650), and a few cars.  I was behind a car for a short time - a guy on a sportbike came up behind me fast and passed me and the car in front of me... just as we were all coming up on a blind curve.  He got away with it.  This time.  But, I have seen lifted pickups come around that same curve over the center line.  The options wouldn't be good: head-on with the pickup, smash into the cliff on the near side, or into the guard rail and off into space on the far side.

I didn't mind trailing behind that car until there was a safe place to get around.  I think the car driver may have been a bit freaked out, as well.  He slowed and waved me around shortly after that.  Passing is tough on this road, because it is double yellow line most of the way.  And, it isn't like the car was driving slow: he was at or above the speed limit while I was behind him.

The scoot is a lot of fun on these tight, twisty roads; certainly more "flickable" than the CTX.  But, the CTX feels better when you twist the throttle (good low end torque).

I think there is supposed to be one more morning of reasonable temperatures (it was in the mid-70s when I got up shortly after 6:00am).  If I get out on one of the bikes tomorrow, it won't be a trip up the mountain... it will be "Silent Sunday" - on the 4th Sunday of each month, the road is closed to motorized vehicles.  Biking (bicycling) and hiking, only.

 

Rescue Me...

 

If you said, "Aretha Franklin," you lose 50 bonus points.  That song was co-written and recorded by Fontella Bass in 1965.  30 bonus points if you said, "Fontella Bass."

I had to have Joan rescue me once again this morning.  I was out on the Burgman scoot, heading up South Mountain.  I stopped to take a photo of the new road surface...

 No idea how far up that new surface goes, because my scoot wouldn't start when I was ready to roll again.  "Well, crap!"  (I may have said something a bit harsher than that.)  Assessing the situation, it was slightly downhill to get to some shade, maybe 1/4 mile away.  As I started walking the bike towards that, I called Joan to see if she could bring me a jumper battery.

Unfortunately, I had my AirPods in (still wearing my helmet) and the phone didn't allow the microphone in those AirPods to work (I have no idea why)... so, I could hear Joan, but she couldn't hear me.  Of course, she suspected the worst.  I hung up and called back - same thing!  I took my helmet off, and called back... yes, Joan was very worried.  I explained what was going on and asked if she could bring a jumper battery to me.  "I'll be there as quick as I can," she said.

While walking the bike towards the only bit of shade I could remember seeing, a guy in a car stopped and asked if he could help.  He didn't have a jumper battery or cables, but he offered me water and a ride to the Ranger Station.  I let him know I had help on the way and a container of water.  Nice of him to stop.

When I got to the shady spot, I called Joan again to let her know where to find me.  There was a crew with a crane removing a light pole not too far away.  One of the workers came over to see if there was anything I needed: "If you have jumper cables, we can bring a truck over to get you started."  I thanked him, told him I didn't have jumper cables on me, but I did have help coming.  He asked a couple questions about the Burgman...

 Joan called when she got close and I stepped out into the road so she could see where I was.  The building in that photo above is no longer used, but it provided some shade... but also put me where you couldn't see me until you were right there.

Joan pulled in, I had the bike battery compartment opened, put a jumper on it, and it popped right off.  Joan followed me back home (no issues).  So, I didn't get my morning bike ride in.

These days, I ride early; for the enjoyment of the ride, but also to keep the batteries charged up.  The heat is hard on batteries, and this is a pretty small battery in the Burgman.  It did start right up with no issue before I left the house; I would have thought that riding it would have charged it even more, but I guess this battery is a goner.

Not the first time Joan has come to my rescue, but not because of a bike issue for a lot of years.  Needless to say, it is fortunate that I wasn't further up the mountain (or out in the middle of the desert) where there is no phone service and miles from any shade.  It must be the good, clean living.

--------

I had music with my local guys today.  Yeah, we played loud - it's what we do.  In the grand scheme of things, I'd rather play quieter and have more emphasis on the vocals, but I am still "the new guy" so I go along.  And, I have fun with these guys.  It's a once every two weeks jam, but there are some songs we have down pretty tight. 

When I got back from that, I had a couple HOA things to deal with.  Seems that is a daily occurrence anymore.

And, to follow up on a comment from my buddy Earl regarding the battery: there are currently 4 things charging, and the Battery Tender is on the Burgman.  I'm lucky (or crazy enough) to get in a couple rides a week and generally trade off.  I've been paying more attention to my CTX lately, so it has probably been about 3 weeks since the Burgman got out on the road (although I have started it and let it run in between).  I will make it a point to moved the Battery Tender around on the bikes.

 

Touring...

 

It means different things to different people.  Back in the day, big road bikes were often referred to as touring bikes.  It might be what a performer does while playing multiple dates out.  Some people think of it as taking an extended journey.  For many, though, it means getting to a specific site, often led by a guide.

Today, we will be touring an Amazon Distribution Center.  Joan found this opportunity, asked if I was interested ("Absolutely!") and signed us up.  Its been on our agenda for a month now, and today is the day.

She is always interested in how things work.  When we went to the Gear Fest at Sweetwater Music years ago, our sales rep gave us a tour of the facility - besides the music store, stages, recording studios, I think the area that fascinated her most was their shipping and receiving area.  A lot of stacked storage, automated forklift-type things to get the higher stacked items, and conveyor belts to move it to stations where orders are boxed, then moved on to be loaded into trucks/trailers.

This should be interesting.  She was really hoping to get a tour at the Amazon facility in Tolleson, where they make some deliveries using large drones - no tours available there.  Yet.

Amazon gives you guidelines on what to wear and info that you will be walking a mile or more, including some stairs.  No cameras or video recording devices, but we can take our phones.  No loose clothing or jewelry.

I'll post more on this later.

-------

So, how was the tour?

Interesting.  The take away: with this being just one of their Fulfillment Centers, you really appreciate how HUGE Amazon is.

On the way there, a pickup passing us on I-10 kicked up a rock into our windshield... big ol' star chip.  "I guess we'll see what can be done with that after the tour."

We were at the Amazon building early...

 Going inside, there are a bunch of entrances that require a ID badge to scan to open the doors.  No sign about the tour.  Just this...

 A guy from Security came over and told us: "Just wait out here - someone will be out to take the tour in."  We were the first ones there, and over the next half hour or so about 25 people showed up to take the tour.

You can't take photos or video, have to leave your phone "in your pocket, with the camera facing in."  Their house, their rules.  The guy leading the tour took us to an employee lunch room where we got fitted up with headsets that provided hearing protection with duplex audio, so you could hear him and ask questions.  Good thing, because it is loud in there. 

The guide took us to several different areas in this massive building (he called it "The largest building in Goodyear; about the size of 14 football fields.  Four levels.  Everything tracked by computer and much of it that seemed random.  I expected bins of stuff, with people picking stuff out of those bins and putting it in boxes on conveyor belts.  Not even close... conveyances that look like tall racks of bins arranged in a huge cube, with a robot (think: a HUGE Rumba) underneath that propels it around like a 40 lane urban interstate highway.  More conveyor belts, ramps, and circular slides than I could have imagined, and fewer workers.  Don't get me wrong, there were scads of workers, but an endless mass of items and packages moving all around.

We walked a lot, stood and watched a lot, climbed stairs, walked some more, stood some more.  The tour attendees asked some interesting questions, some moderately stupid questions, and tried to remain in "two single-file lines"... some of these people obviously never had to line up for anything.

After about 90 minutes of that, we were ushered back to the area where we came in, asked if we wanted him to take photos of us...

 Then, back out into the blazing sun.  I have a new appreciation for what happens after you click "Buy Now."

We went out for lunch, during which I called SafeLite to see what it would cost to get a big windshield chip repaired.  You have to wade through their 800-number that gets you to a centralized booking center - it took 15 minutes just to find out that they charge $165 dollars to repair one chip.  Pass.

We stopped for fuel (cheaper on this end of town... and will be even cheaper next year when a HUGE Buc-ee's opens in Goodyear).  Do I seem to be using the word "HUGE" a lot in this post?

From there, I drove to that SafeLite business to see if they really charge $165 for one windshield chip.  The nice lady at their front desk said, "That is kind of the going rate."

To which I replied, "No, it really isn't."

To which she replied, "Well, that is what the national office tells us, but since you are here in person, we can do it for $64."  Yeah, $101 less than what I was quoted on the phone.  I asked how soon we could get in, and it a bit of luck, the guy at the counter next to me was cancelling his 3:00 appointment.  The nice lady said, "How about right now?"

It took about 40 minutes (as estimated) and the tech brought out my keys and took us out to the car to show me the repair.  I'm satisfied.

Yeah, all this kinda ate up the whole day.

 

It's Hump Day...

 

If this brought memories of the camel saying, "Mike, Mike, Mike, guess what day it is..." you get 10 bonus points for having those good memories.

A variety of things today: HOA stuff for the first couple hours.  If there seems to be a lot of that happening right now, its because... there is a lot going on.

Jump in the shower and get ready to head to Mark's to make some music.  We picked up an Oregano's pizza on the way for the guys, and the ladies when out to Kneader's.  We have a show scheduled for August, so we're working on a set list for that.  Once a week is about the best we can do to get the time together.

When Joan and I got home, there was a package waiting for me.  Not a surprise - I knew it was coming.

"Is it a guitar, Jim?"

Seriously, do you think I need another guitar?  So... yeah, it's a guitar.  This is a different situation and a very different instrument.  The company that makes Aeroband Guitar (in case you want to look them up) sent me a guitar to do a video review.  They would like a "geezer perspective" (my words) on this very different instrument.  It is certainly not a guitar in the traditional sense - we all know what acoustic and electric guitars are, I would consider this to be a digital guitar.  The neck is detachable and there aren't traditional guitar strings on the fretboard; rather, there are silicone "strings" and frets that are mounted on the fretboard.  Sensors under that produce the sounds.  So, it only needs a light touch on those "strings" to get sound out of it.  There is a built-in speaker in the body of the guitar; or, it can be plugged in via a 1/4 guitar cable to an amp or an audio interface to connect to a computer.  This instrument has midi built in, so when connected to a typical digital audio workstation, you can produce any kind of instrument sound with this.  As it is, there are 5 different guitar models (3 acoustic, 2 electric), bass, piano, banjo (no, I don't know why), and a clavinet.  All at the press of a button on the headstock.

And speaking of headstock, there are no tuning keys on this - it is always in tune because it is digital.  Using the app that comes with it, there are a bunch of different tunings (drop-D, open-G, etc, etc), as well as being able to change the tuning as if you were using a capo, in half step increments - an octave up and another down.  There are drum tracks built into it, as well.

The app has songs in it you can play along with (doubt I'll be using that).  You can make adjustments to "the strings" (each individually) for sensitivity.

There are some things this can't do compared to a regular guitar: bend strings (since there are no actual strings on the fretboard); play harmonics (guitar players will know what I am talking about).  As you get close to a fret, you may get a "warble" in the note as it tries to determine where your finger wants to be.  There is no nut between the fretboard and the headstock, so your fingers can slide beyond the first fret (never had that happen on a typical guitar).

Here's the first look at opening the box...

 I figure it will take me at least a week to get down the technique to best play this and then shoot and edit a video.  I'll post something here when that happens.

Playing it for an hour or so this evening, it is a unique experience; certainly not like any other guitar I've played.  At first blush, I'd kind of compare this to a regular guitar as playing a Casio keyboard with a bunch of built-in sounds to a Hammond organ.

This should be interesting.

 

Where do the hours go??

 

An hour on the phone this morning with the HOA rep from our management company.  Lots to go through in the near term.  It is a period of adjustment when we continue the move from the developer being the HOA to an actual board elected by the homeowners.  There is a lot of information that needs to get distributed so homeowners understand why CC&R rules haven't been enforced for the 4 years this community has been here.

Then, this afternoon, interviewing attorneys to determine who will be the best fit for advising and representing the association.  I've read that some (very few) homeowners think we are hiring an attorney to "go after" violators or to try to force people into compliance.  Absolutely not true; we are looking for legal guidance so we know things are being done properly as we work into this new role.

As I've said before, people love to hate HOAs... and lawyers... and rules of which they are clearly in violation.  So, we move deliberately and with the majority of homeowners in mind.

And more time going through bids for services for the community.  With an annual budget that serves 367 homes, it's a lot.

--------

Other things got done during the day.  Of course, Murphy got some outdoor time, especially after showing this face while on the couch, waiting for me to get off the phone...

 And Joan wanted some help taking down and disassembling our largest patio umbrella, looking for any missing bolts.  Yeah, she found a bolt in the yard, right by the umbrella - makes sense that is where it came from...

 Didn't find where any missing bolts should go.  Another time, we'll look at the underside of our patio furniture.

I remember the olden days of sailboat racing, where some snarky competitors thought it was potentially unnerving to toss a loose bolt or screw onto the deck of another boat, right at the base of the mast.  Yeah, that would get your attention!  Pretty sure we don't have any patio umbrella competitors, though - just trying to stay on top of things.

Also, each of the bikes got run today.  Not ridden, but run enough to juice up the battery and bring the oil up to operating temperature.  Yes, it would be more fun to ride them, but you have to do what time allows.

 

Dirty, Rotten Thieves...

 

I got a text around 6:00am this morning from a fellow board member: she and her husband were out walking their dog and saw that a backflow that controls the water flow to the irrigation in our community park was spewing water.  Some thieves ripped the heavy metal cage off the backflow and had tried to cut it with a Sawzall... they must have gotten interrupted, because they didn't get away with the backflow.

But, they did plenty of damage in the process.

I met Shannon there, I turned off the the valves on the backflow, but there was a lot of pressure built up in the lines - water still spewing.  Shannon and I divided calling duties: I called the Police while she got ahold of our managment company on their emergency after hours line.  Then, a call to Agave, the company that does our landscaping and takes care of the irrigation in our common areas.  A call to Backflow Pro that did the original install.

We waited onsite until Agave got there; fortunate that they had a crew 2 miles away.  That supervisor called in another guy to bring the proper tool to shut off the water at diversions valves that were located a ways from the backflow.  Water spewing stopped.

The backflow will need repairs, so Agave removed it so they could take it to their shop.  With that done, I went back home.  An hour later, I got a call from the Police officer who was at the scene; drove out to visit with him.  Nice guy; understood the situation, but didn't give me much hope on finding the people responsible.

So, a fun start to my Monday morning.

What's a backflow look like?  Thanks for asking...

 --------

Most of my morning was taken up with dealing with the above situation.  The Police did come out and take the information; the officer was friendly, professional, but didn't give much hope that there would be anything they can do, since no one saw it happen.  That said, a police report in our neighborhood means we may get more patrols through here.

Posts made to inform other board members and homeowners.

Joan spent some time with me, going through landscaping bids that seem like a large amount of money to me.  Trying to compare things between the 4 making bids is complicated, but Joan helped me go through it all, outlining things in a way to make it easier to compare.  I have now spent hours on these bids... everyone should have a Joan, who is so organized and detail oriented.

It was nearly noon before I had a chance to get in the shower.  But, cleaned, shaved, and mostly ready to take on the day.  Yeah, after noon.  I chose to take a break and make some music: it is good mental floss for me... hard to be mulling over events and numbers when you're playing and singing.  A high point: Murphy hopped up next to me on his own...

 It makes my heart happy when the boy wants to sit by me... and is even better therapy than making music.  And that is saying a lot.

Maybe things will settle down for the rest of the week?  Hahahahahahahaha!

 

Still sorting and wading...

 

More HOA business.  Today was sorting through bids from landscapers so we can have an intelligent discussion with each of them next week.  The numbers are startling; well, at least to me.  People out there see a landscape crew two or three days a week and assume "It can't cost that much."  We have a large community-owned park, meaning weekly mowing and edging, "summer and winter" grass, trees and plants to be cared for, then add in all the other common areas in the community.

I think I may have choked a bit when I saw the value of just the trees in the common areas in the community.  Yeah, we want to take good care of those.  There are also trees and plants lining the streets in the community - all those need care and upkeep, too.

The cost for watering all this is a very big number, as well.  A common concern from homeowners is "What do we get for our HOA dues?"  These two things are a big portion of the budget.  Add in insurance, repairs,  and maintenance costs, and you have a good portion of the answer to that question.

Once again, Joan's organization and input is invaluable in sorting through all this.  I made notes for questions.  Tomorrow, I will contact some of the references these companies have provided.  And make some inquiries for locations where we might be able to have a Town Hall Meeting.

And the beat goes on.  And, on and on.

--------

And now for something completely different...

The weather.  "Oh, yeah - hot, blah, blah, blah, Jim."

No, not really.  It was only 93º here today.  Cloudy all day.  I actually had to turn up the temperature in the hot tub late this afternoon.  Murphy got to go out several times today, with no concern about burning his paw pads.  He got to see Dicha this afternoon, when they were both outside at the same time.

Stephanie was almost giddy about the overcast; she was hoping for rain.  Honestly, I think she would be happy living in Seattle during the winter.  We won't be following her there.  

Joan likes the desert, but she was happy to go outside late this morning and work on potting some plants.  And not come in fried to a crackly crunch.  (10 bonus points if you said, "Oh, you're referencing a Cheetos TV commercial from the 70s.")

All in all, a nice break from the triple digit temps.  Another day in the 90s predicted for tomorrow.  It doesn't suck.  ;-)

 

 

Another day older and...

 

If you said, "Deeper in debt, from the song Sixteen Tons by Tennessee Ernie Ford, written in 1946 by Merle Travis," you get 10 bonus points.  Only 10?  Yeah, it wasn't that long ago that this same song was mentioned here.

I am now a year and a day older.  As far as I know, no deeper in debt.  I had a good birthday.  Joan and I went out for lunch, finishing with a decadent dessert... it's been a while since I indulged like that, so it was a treat.  Steph and Dan came over last night.  Before that, I played some music for Joan and Murph, but the kids (??) got in on some when they first got there.  I had to explain how some sort of applause or cheering is expected after each song; yeah, they caught on.

And then the adoring...

Notice the shirt in the photo above - Joan had me open that gift first thing yesterday morning, so I could wear it - a "classic" from 1953... can't say I have all my original parts.  ;-)  The thing I am holding in the photo below is a remote temperature read out - for the hot tub.  I have to do a bit more fussing with the tub this time of year to keep the temperature cool enough to soak.  This will be very handy, to know if I need to open the cover or turn the heater in the hot tub up or down.

And, some no sugar brownies instead of a cake (my request).  No way to put that many candles on a browning, so...

 It was a good day.

 

It's a marathon, not a sprint...

 

"You think you're fit enough for that, Jim?"

Thanks for asking.  My idea of working out is when I flip my underwear up with my feet so I can catch them and put 'em in the hamper, without having to bend down when I take them off.  You do that, too?  I had a sneaking suspicion I am not alone in this.

Regarding the title here, I am talking about last night's HOA board meeting.  Starting at 5:00 with an executive session to hear appeals from several owners, then going right into an open meeting on Zoom with homeowners able to watch and participate.

There was a lot to go through, the most significant being the consideration of a new landscaping company.  This is not a matter of having someone mow the lawn in the park - bids from 4 different companies were all in excess of $150,000.  Surprisingly, this topic received little discussion from the homeowners; the big topic there was street parking and hiring a dog poop removal company.  Yes, really.

I had done my homework beforehand...

 Over 200 pages of bids to sort through and compare, agenda to set, CC&Rs and Design Guidelines to consult.  Joan helped me sort through it and get the info arranged so it was easier to absorb and have it collated so I could refer to it during the meeting.

The meeting started at 6:00 and ran until after 9:00, with no breaks.  I think it went well.  Of course, there are comments allowed during the meeting.  Most were encouraging, one guy thinks we are probably the Antichrist.  So, yeah, the usual.  I did my job as president to keep things moving, encourage votes, manage comments, and keeping order.  As expected, about 10% of the homeowners participated.

Joan occasionally poked her head into the music room (where I was set up at my desk) to make suggestions and offer water and support.  And then fixed us something to eat before going to bed.  It was along day and evening.

And now this morning: Happy Birthday to me.  Yep, completed another trip around the sun.  I should be dizzy from all those revolutions.  ;-)  Joan and I will go out for lunch and then get together with Steph and Dan this evening, for a proper amount of adoring the old guy.

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Joan and I went out for lunch.  I got a phone call during lunch from our HOA management rep: the crazy guy who is going out of his way to create havoc asked for a list of all homeowners, including addresses, and asked the rep how to go about filing a complaint against the board and the HOA with the Arizona Department of Real Estate.  She had to tell him she couldn't help him because she has never had to deal with that before.  He is soliciting "donations" to hire an attorney to bring suit against the HOA because of a discussion about the CC&Rs and parking.  He is the admin for a Facebook Group from our community (not vetted) so he has a social media platform.  Of course, the board has done nothing illegal or even remotely shady, but he can get on his FB Group and call us liars and declare "Fines Coming!", even though nothing has been done regarding that.  And then declare that we are causing "division" within the community.  For full disclosure, this guy sent me 38 private messages through Facebook yesterday morning in a 2 hour period.  Hopefully, people can see through his actions, while the board will be retaining legal counsel.  So... no good deed goes unpunished.

Lunch was good.  ;-)