Pajama Party!

 

And I'm in charge!

Steph and Dan are out of town at a "dog event."  I am kitty sitting.  The cats are generally OK with that, exept the little orange boy (Tango) needs regular human interaction.  We let him come to our house a couple times most days, so he and Murphy get some play-time.  And so Tango can eat some of Murphy's food (Murph shares nicely).

But, with Steph and Dan gone, I like to give their kitties some people time.  Yes, I feed them on schedule, and give them all some individual attention.  And, treats; they do like treats.  I decided that tonight, we will have a pajama party.  Tango (the little orange boy) has SpongeBob SquarePants pajamas.  Alfie, their big furry boy prefers silk pajamas and a robe, much like Hugh Hefner (no pipe, though).  And Tasha, the large queen, said she will put on... "A cute little babydoll set."  I have no words.

I don't wear pajamas.  "OMG, is this going to be TMI, Jim???"  Seriously, is that where you think I take every subject?  Wait - don't answer that.  I remember seeing Rock Hudson and Doris Day movies when I was a kid, and I recall a scene or two where they only had his pajamas... he wore the bottoms and she wore the top.  Joan and I are going to do that... well, except the opposite: Joan will wear the bottoms and I will wear the top.  "Oh, dammit, Jim (StarTrek reference) - I knew you would go there!!"  Glad I didn't disappoint you.  Half of that image sounds lovely, the other half is kinda cringy.

If you think that is cringy, imagine how Steph and Dan are going to feel about me sitting on their pretty buff colored (pun intended) leather living room furniture.  Now, try to get that image out of your head.

My work here is done.  Well, except giving the cats before bedtime treats.

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Pedal Pushers...

"Another bicycle?"  No, but thanks for asking.  Really, this blog would be rather one-dimensional if you weren't asking all these questions... so, thanks for that.

I have made a guitar decision.  No, I am not getting another guitar... but, now that you brought it up... no - I'm good on guitars.  Really.  Who said that?  Digressing.  I have several guitar pedals, but I generally only use them when I'm recording.  I'm thinking an acoustic guitar pedal board would keep things interesting when I get together with my music buds.  My favorite "pedal" is actually a collection of guitar effects (like: reverb, chorus, compression, body resonance, etc) and vocal harmonies.  It is a TC Helicon Play Acoustic - I've had it for years, but I rarely use it when playing with the guys: it takes time and cords to get it set up.  But, with that and a couple other interesting pedals (some that I already have) mounted on a pedal board, it would just be a matter of plugging one thing in connecting my guitar(s) to it.

I'm not one to "chase tone" - if it sounds like a guitar, that's good.  But, since I have the equipment (except a pedal board with a built in power source so I wouldn't have to run cables each time), it would be fun to get even better guitar tone.  Or, a variety of tones.  Or, an octave pedal.  Oh - or maybe a pedal that simulates the sound of a Leslie speaker!!

Yeah, this could be a "rabbit hole"... so many options.  ;-)

 

The end of a long streak...

 

That's right - after 160 days of no precipitation in Phoenix (the last measureable precip was August 22nd last year), .01" of rain fell at the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport (the official measuring place for Phoenix).  Yes, a whole 1/100th of an inch.  'Cause it's the desert.

Kidding aside, this was the 2nd longest dry spell since they started recording this sort of thing.

I have no smart-ass weather comment to make.  It's really dry here.

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One of my music buddies had hand surgery 12 days ago.  He is also a guitar player.  I got to see him and his new scar today, a zigzag slash across his palm.  On the bright side, the cast is off, he is healing nicely, and he is working on getting his fingers moving again.  He played a couple chords on a guitar for me.  I understand the concern and know there is a lot of work ahead for him.  

He had a contracture of the hand, meaning he couldn't put his hand palm down flat on a table; it was causing his fingers to "pull in," making many hand movements (including playing guitar) painful or impossible to do.  Surgery is not a cure, but it can relieve symptoms.

This is a big deal for a guitar player.

Hanging Out...

 

Joan is getting some tests done: new doctor, Joan has good insurance - the math is pretty easy.  Knowing this was going to take several hours, I offered to take her, then I could hang out in the van.  She wasn't keen on me having to wait, but I'd just be setting at home.  This way, we can visit on the way there and the way back.

I dropped her off, then went to a nearby mall that Joan had seen on Maps and suggested that it might be a good place for lunch.  I parked in an out of the way part of the lot, then went for a walk around the mall.  Biltmore Fashion Center.  Not new, but pretty swanky feeling.  I walked through a Macy's and Saks 5th Avenue, then decided to look around for lunch.

The only thing for food that attracted my attention was The Cheesecake Factory... and I thought I'd be tempted to devour a big ol' slice of cheesecake, because... well, it's right there in the name.  Instead, I went back to the van and have Siri find me some other options - just a mile down the road is a Five Guys.  That's more my style.

As I approached the van, there was a guy with an older small Toyota pickup parked next to the van; his hood was up and he was walking around.  Not really doing anything under the hood.  I got into the van, locked the doors, and sat for a while.  That guy must have decided there wasn't anything wrong under the hood, closed it, and drove away.  No, I'm not paranoid.

I drove down to Five Guys, had a leisurely lunch, then came back to the mall...

Joan and I traded texts (between her tests).  I brought along some camera gear to keep me occupied - I almost sent her a photo so she could see I am comfortable...

Well, I don't look too happy in that one; let's try again, this time with a smile...

That makes me look demented.  I decided to go with an "everything's good here" note, instead.  Sounds like they are moving along with her various tests.  In another hour or so, I'll mosey back to the medical building and see if I can find a park spot there.  They have a parking ramp - the van is too tall for that; limited open parking in a small lot in front of the building.

I was expecting a text from Joan for a pick up between 4:30 and 5:00 - it came at 3:44.  Impressive; anything medical that gets you out ahead of schedule!  One in a row!

Do I have a sling bag somewhere?

 

Of course, Joan knew right where it was.  It is designed to be a camera bag - even has a "hammock" of sorts to cradle a DSLR camera.  I've had it for years and never used it... I honestly don't remember buying it.  I got it out and tried to figure out how to strap it on.  Really, there are two straps; it shouldn't be that hard to figure out.

For some perspective, I was looking at a YouTube video this morning and saw that someone was using a sling bag over one shoulder to hold small camera gear.  It looked easy.  This bag I have is not easy.  Figuring I am not a bright child, Joan came over to show me how to strap it on... I am pretty sure a sling bag is not supposed to have a strap that comes up between your legs.  Or around your throat.  Assuming I am not even close to having a "normal" physique, she tried it on herself.  Nope, there was no way to attach the two straps with a clip on them that didn't look... wrong.

After wrestling with it for a while, she said, "I think I've got it."

"I am pretty sure whoever designed this bag didn't intend the opening for the main camera to be falling out the bottom."

Two reasonably intelligent adults... well, one intelligent one, and me - you would think we could figure out how this damn thing should go on.  When it doubt, look it up on YouTube.  There were two videos on this camera sling bag: one from 11 years ago, and one from 12 years ago.  I knew it had been a long time.  Obviously, the company no longer makes this model.  The first video showed the guy loading a camera and some other stuff into the bag... it has one main pouch and several smaller pouches; the guy put a camera in the main pouch, then started stuff things haphazardly into the other pouches.  Not a great demonstration.  The other video showed a guy using only one of the two straps, but didn't show him putting any gear into the bag.

A clip from one of the videos...

It looks simple enough, doesn't it?  Using only one strap, that pouch hangs absolutely sideways.  The bottom of the bag is the part closest to the back of that old DSLR camera.  I didn't even try my new Sony camera in that location - I wouldn't want it to fall out the side of the bag when you unzip it.

On the bright side, the fabric is so stiff that you have to pull like crazy to get the zipper to that compartment open or closed.  Another reason to not like this camera carrying solution.  This thing is brand new; well, Joan thinks it is about 10 years old, but it's never been used.  I can't imagine I would have ever picked out something like this.

Impressive Customer Service...

 

I have been making a change towards DJI video gear over the last year or two.  Starting a few years ago with my first DJI purchase, a Mavic Mini 2 drone.  It worked great but I found I wasn't using it much, due to the set up time and need to clear permissions to fly.  That was followed by a DJI gimbal for my iPhone, then a DJI Mic 2 kit with two mics and a receiver.  Then, an Action 4 camera, an adapter to connect the mics to a Sony camera, and most recently, the Pocket 3 video camera.  I think I am covered.

DJI came out with the Action 5 a few months ago, an update of the Action 4.  One of the useful features of that camera is the ability to connect 2 Mic2 mics to it wirelessly.  You can only connect one mie to the Action 4.  Using this camera in the van works great, with the camera clipped to a visor.  Being able to connect two mics to that camera would make my editing faster and easier.

I've never written to a manufacturer before to suggest what I think would be a useful upgrade to one of their products.  With time on my hands last night, I sent a note to DJI Customer Service, suggesting a firmware update to the Action 4 to allow it to connect to two mics.  Surprisingly, when I checked e-mail this morning, there was a response from DJI.  Not a "canned" response, but a real person writing back to suggest a work-around and to let me know my suggestion would be forwarded to their Product Development Team.  I am impressed.  Honestly, I didn't expect anything beyond the "We have received your inquiry..." note.

I tried what was suggested, and it works.  With an additional receiver hanging out the body of an already small camera.  So, not wirelessly, but a solution.  I'll try it in the van soon to see if it holds up while driving.  I would not be comfortable trying that on the scoot or motorcycle.  But, did I mention: an actual response from a big company?  That is the take-away here.

Fire On South Mountain.

 

Yeah, no joke.  That said, it was just reported on the 9:00 News...

 And, by 9:30, the media was saying the Phoenix FD was getting it under control.  Doing a bit of digging, I found that the fire is on the north side of South Mountain (same as us), and is about 8 miles east of our location.  The mountain tapers down in that area, so this fire isn't happening anywhere high enough that we can see it.

South Mountain is not forested - some brushy desert plants, saguaro cacti, and the like.  Much of the mountain is a Park and Preserve run by the City of Phoenix.

It has been 156 days since there has been any measurable precipitation in the Phoenix area.

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Update: the fire is out.  It burned about an acre.  Phoenix Fire Department, aided by a Phoenix Police Department helicopter (to provide light) quickly got the fire under control, then put out.

 

 

Doctor Visit...

 

Not Joan or me, this time - Murphy was due for his annual wellness check-up.  Last year at this time, we were dealing with an ear infection, that we are sure he came us with.  This year, we anticipate no "issues."

The boy was not happy about being put in the carrier...

 "Have I been bad?"  Look at those ears - not a happy expression.

The exam went well.  Murph did fine; the vet tech and the Dr both told him how handsome he is.  13.4 pounds (he was less than 10 pounds when we got him 13 months ago).  He has grown to be a big boy.  The vet declared him healthy and said he looks good.  We feel he is thriving.  He eats well, isn't overweight, and gets plenty of exercise - he is the most "athletic" of any of the cats we've had.

I held my breath when the vet examined his ears... she said, "Everything looks great."  Joan is good about giving him "spa days," where he gets ears cleaned, teeth brushed, and claws trimmed; he handles all that just fine.

Sweet boy.

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Recording (Is this thing on?)

This afternoon, Mark and I got together to record some vocal tracks... Joan and Cindy had a nice leisurely lunch.  Mark was at his DAW (digital audio workstation), while I sang...

 

Still a work in process.

Just playing...

 

Music?  Yeah, Joan and I sat out on the patio this afternoon, making some music for an hour or so, but that's not the playing I'm talking about.

Also not the playing I'm talking about, Joan asked if I wanted to try out her exercise bike.  "Sure."  She set me up as an additional user.  It is a nice bike, considering it doesn't go anywhere.  She adjusted the resistance for me, which makes it harder or easier to pedal.  After just a mile, I could feel it in my thighs.  It was an interesting experience, and I think I'll do it again.  I haven't ridden my actual bicycle often since we've been here; I used to ride every morning when we were in Texas.  That may be weather dependent, as it is too chilly here to ride first thing in the morning.  You feel the breeze when you're riding an actual bike... although this exercise bike of Joan's has a fan built into it.  ;-)

The playing I'm referring to in the title is me checking out the DJI Pocket 3 camera.  There is a lot to learn to use this camera to its full potential.  I didn't shoot much video, but I did take the time to go through all the settings in it, manual and automatic.  It really is geared towards video, but is capable of shooting still images, too...

 That imaged is compressed for use here, but that is good resolution.  I had the set to track me, while I walked around the room - it followed like there was a little camera operator in there.  I continue to be impressed with it.  There is still more to learn when using it on full manual, but I think I have a pretty good understanding of how to use the various settings.

That thing on the left is the camera, with the additional battery bank/handle and the small tripod attached.  It is surprisingly small.

What you heard is true...

 

No fake news here!

It was time to put the van back into its storage spot - I have had fun using it as a daily driver the last 4 or 5 days.  I topped off the gas tank, then Joan met me at the storage lot so we could get it put away.

With that done, we discussed lunch.  I suggested Panera Bread... because I thought they would have the sandwich and soup fare she likes.  Instead, she said, "How about Chick-fil-A?"

That surprised me, but she said that she can get a grilled chicken sandwich there (healthier eating), and I have been wanting to try their "new fries."  In researching it when they first announced it, the most significant change I could figure out was some kind of new oil to fry them in.

When they brought our order to the table, I could see right away that the fries looked different: more golden and perhaps a bit crispier.  The first taste confirmed it - these waffle fries are much better than their previous recipe!  I declared the Chick-fil-A fries are now in my "Top 5" of fries... as opposed to their previous ranking: in my "Bottom 7."

"Really, Jim, you have 12 places ranked based on their fries?"  Hey, you don't kid around about fries.  Rather than cause a panic in the fry market, I won't rank them here.  You'll just have to try them yourself.  These are a definite improvement in the frydom world.

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When Steph got home from work, she came to our house and asked about our day.  She was not aware that Chick-fil-A has a new fries recipe.  She was talking about some other fast food place that puts their fries in cold water before they fry them... and how gross that water is afterwards with all the starch that comes out.

That gave me a reason to tell her one of my favorite Dad jokes...

Didja hear about the new detective show that will be staring an Alaskan dog and Mr Potato Head?

It's called... Husky and Starch.  (rimshot) 

Making music with my buds...

 

No, not my ear buds - making music with my friends.  We were missing one guy today: our friend Ron had hand surgery last Friday.  He tells us he is doing well, but I know he is concerned about when he'll be able to play guitar again.  Looking forward to getting him back with us, even though he won't be playing for a while.  Maybe one-handed percussion and vocals until his hand is healed?

Three of the six there have seen the Bob Dylan movie, so there was more than a little interest in doing some Dylan songs.  Mark had one stipulation: "No Bob Dylan impressions!"  It is his house.  I couldn't control myself... after a half hour or so, Bob Dylan impressions came out of my mouth like green puke and obscenities came out of Linda Blair in The Exorcist.  I think it may be some form of Tourettes Syndrome: whenever there is a mention of Bob Dylan, my mouth spews out lame Bob Dylan impressions.

That bit of indiscretion aside, I think we all had a good time today.  Mark asked everyone to come with 2 or 3 songs they want play... I suggested a challenge to go along with that: "Let's try to play some songs where we don't have to read the chords and lyrics from our iPad.  Get our heads and eyes out of the iPad and onto each other..."  There seemed to be more smiling happening after that.  And that is the whole point in getting together: make some music and having fun with friends!

Cindy took a couple photos, these are courtesy of Cindy Lamkin...

You can see what I'm talking about with the iPads; they certainly make it easy to introduce new songs, but it was fun to see the guys looking at each other while we were playing.

Yeah, there was iPad watching during this particular song.  ;-)

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A rambling video on the drive to "Band Camp", DJI Action 4 clipped to the visor.  Audio is less than great, coming direct from the camera, rather than that DJI Mic 2 (that didn't want to connect, for the first time ever)...

Is that a cat killer??

 

I once read that cats put everything into one of three categories:

* Cat Toys

* Do Cats Eat It?

* Does It Eat Cats?

That seems about right.  This afternoon, Joan put a plant cover over one of her hanging plants in the courtyard.  Murphy was very concerned about this new addition (you can tell by his posture)...

That is not an unusual camera angle - the furry boy is leaning.  And, the thing causing all that cat angst...

It doesn't look particularly threatening to me, but I am not seeing it through his eyes.  In fact, the leafy pattern on that cover looks pretty friendly.  From my non-cat perspective.

All the comforts...

 

Of home.  Yes, I'm talking about the Roadtrek.  Joan had an appointment today, I offered to drive her.  She anticipated it would take at least an hour; we took the van, and I settled in to wait for her.

"Hmm, I guess I'll turn on the TV.  Check out my favorite sites on my computer."  The Visible service on my phone gives me unlimited hot spot, so one click to get my computer online; anywhere we have a data signal.  Which is almost everywhere.

It made the wait quite comfortable.

MLK Day...

 

A day of remembrance and a hope for equality.  Or, for most folks: another Monday off.

Arizona was the last state in the Union to accept MLK Day as a holiday... and that was after the NFL pulled the Superbowl from them that particular year, depriving the state of around $200M into the state economy.  Money talks.

For discussion sake: we are all created equal - we come into this world with nothing.  What you do with yourself sets you apart from others.  That document that founded this country doesn't say we are all equal, it says with have the right to: "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."  It doesn't guarantee you happiness; you have to make your own.  It doesn't say that your income will be equal to anyone else's - it says you can get out there and make your way.  We aren't all granted equal intelligence, either.  That's life.  Same with determination and willingness to work.  That said, you shouldn't be disadvantaged because of your race, color, beliefs.

We've all heard: "That's not fair!"  Especially if someone gets an advantage and you don't.  Life isn't fair.  It would be good if there were no advantages or disadvantages, but that isn't realistic.  But, you get to go out there and pursue that "happiness" thing.  

Get an education.  Learn a trade.  Find someone to go through life with who makes you happy... and who you can make happy.  Yeah, that isn't always equal, either.

Pursue.

I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride my bike...

 

If you said, "Queen, 1978," you get 15 bonus points.  No, I haven't been riding my bicycle lately... it is too chilly to ride in the mornings, and I have other stuff going on by the time it warms up enough for this displaced island boy.

That said, Joan talked to me about getting an exercise bike.  She looked around online and decided to check out Offer Up.  There was one on there for about half the price of a new one.  She made an offer on it, and didn't hear back.  She looked out in a wider radius... and found a nicer model at an even better price.  We took the van the 44 miles, knowing it would fit in the van.

The lady selling it wanted it to go away - she and her fiance are "merging" households, this exercise bike is his, and they don't really have the space for it.  The price was very good.  We plugged it in to make sure it works, paid her, loaded it into the van (it looks new), and headed home.  Joan was happy; I got to drive the van, so I was happy.  We stopped for lunch at Texas Roadhouse.  Win/Win.

When we got home, there were packages from Amazon waiting for us.  After unloading the bike and putting it where Joan wants it on the patio, she opened packages.  One of the things in those packages was elastic straps with clamps - that is one of the last things Joan wanted for the van bedding.  We put those on, and...

Now, I just want to go sleep in there.  :-)

While Joan set up and did a test ride on her bike (all good), I took some video clips over to Dan to try them out on his Adobe Premier Pro video software.  He showed me his work flow for making videos for the school district and let me play with some of my files... this software is a lot more comprehensive than the Apple iMovie software that I have been using.  I plan to upgrade my video software to go along with the new cameras... decisions, decisions.

It was very nice of him to spend time with me on his day off (doing what he would be doing at work).  It was interesting for me to see what can be done.  And this software has a similar "feel" to it as Photoshop, with which I am very familiar.  Photoshop for still photos, Premier Pro for video, both owned by Adobe.

Cat Yoga...

 

"Oh, is that like 'goat yoga,' where people do the moves with a baby goat on their back, except with a cat, 'cause that would be really cute?" you ask.

No.  Just no.  I would not try any kind of move with Murphy on my back, for concern about a trip to the ER with severe back lacerations.

I'm talking about Murphy doing his own form of yoga...

You may have heard of the "downward dog" position?  I call this one: upward cat.  But, if you rotate the image 90º counterclockwise, it will look like downward dog.

How many of you turned your phone, iPad, or laptop sideways to see if that is factual?  This blog is an institution for truth and honesty.  I only report what I see... unless it is stuff that I make up... 'cause there is always that kinda stuff going on in my head.  You should see what I don't post here.

Digression aside, here's more Murphy content: Murphy backlit...

I hope I haven't overhyped the Murphy content, while trying to make this all look cinematic.  If you don't know what I'm talking about, check out one of yesterday's posts.  And, try to keep up.

Here is Murphy playing in his tunnel...

The furry boy does have fun with his tunnel.  He can launch sneak-attacks on me from there.  I have thought about playing Whack-a-Mole with him in there, but I don't think his Momma would be too happy about that.

Murph did surprise me yesterday... with a head butt.  Not on my head, but on my upper arm while I was sitting in my living room chair.  I do miss the head butts I used to get daily from Rufus, but this is a start.  He may have been giving me a heads-up that it was getting close to mealtime, but I'm going with: he likes me.  

Test Fit...

 

We did a "test fit" of the Beddy's bedding in the Roadtrek today.  Joan is still working on cutting a quilt to fit that will be a bed cover when we're using the beds as our couches.  Here's a look:

The bed on the right with the Beddy's, the left bed is the tan leather...

 I was originally not in favor of covering that pretty leather, but this makes more sense on how we will use it.  In the photo above, the bolsters (backrests) are out.  Odds are pretty good those will stay out; again, the bolsters look great, but take up a LOT of room when you move them to make that area into twin beds.

Covering the passenger side bed with a mattress pad Joan cut to fit...

The Beddy's put in on both sides...

Adding some pillows...

The bedding has sheets top and bottom that unzip to take out for washing.  The ends of the beds (at the far end in the photo) raise up to make a recliner of sorts (that's a Roadtrek feature).  Some people use these fans for day-tripping, so the seating is more essential than the fact that they make into beds.

Next step: trying a quilt on the left side...

The quilt will be the bed cover so we don't grub up the bedding while sitting back there.  There will be another one on the right side when Joan is done with it.  I think the quilt is a good compliment in color and style.  We picked out the colors/patterns on the bedding and quilt to match the tan on the walls, gray flooring and cabinets, and the white countertop.

Without the leather bolsters in there, we need to have something to make it comfortable for sitting.  We tried a couple things that are made for sitting up in bed, but they weren't comfortable.  Joan suggested that we use pillows so we can add, subtract, and move them around as needed... that worked out to be comfortable and looks good.  We have shams that match the quilt and the Beddy's.  They will go behind our backs as necessary when sitting, then moved to the head of the bed for sleeping.

Joan is deciding how to shape and stitch the quilt so it won't move around when we're driving.  That's in the works currently...

Overhyped...

 

If you look through YouTube videos much (I do), you will see that word: overhyped.  A lot.  As in: "Is this the most overhyped camera this season?" or "Is Tail of the Dragon the most overhyped motorcycle road?" or "Is this video camera Overhyped or is it Truly the Best?" or "Is the Emerald X20 the most overhyped carbon fiber guitar?"

You could say that the word Overhyped is... overhyped.  ;-)

I have been watching a lot of DJI Pocket 3 videos on YouTube... this camera may be overhyped, because there seem to be more people using this camera than any other recent cameras, based on the seemingly endless numbers of videos either using or featuring this camera.

Whew!  It's good to learn about the features, but when it comes to determining exposure or color balance, I have a bit of experience in that area... from back in the day when everything on our studio cameras was full manual.  Including the focus.

It has been interesting learning another new camera.  I don't think the features and use have been overhyped.

 

Oh, I just saw another video pop up: "Cut through the hype - a 6 month review of the DJI Pocket 3."  ;-)

One other over-used word: cinematic... "How can I shoot more cinematic video?" or "Use this technique to make your videos look more cinematic" or how about: "Is the word cinematic overhyped?"  Yeah, that last one is mine.

Murphy enjoying some outdoor time...

 

Joan is progressing with the bedding for the van.  Murphy and I are staying out of her way, unless summoned.  Murphy likes to get some outdoor time before he settles in to have his supper.  The sun gave way to overcast, but the weather is still lovely - into the low 70s again today.  Murph likes to "hang out" when it isn't cooking or freezing out there.

I got my Sony camera out, along with the 85mm lens - that's my favorite combination.  Time to get a few stills of the furry boy...

 "You're probably wondering why I called you here - we need to talk about supper."  And then, checking under the gate...

"There's people walking by out there!  They have a dog... do you want me to chase them?"  No, Murph, it is not nice to chase dogs.  (He chased Elsie around the yard last night.)

Some images while sitting on the pavers...

This is his Robert De Niro impersonation...

Walking about...

Doing his Lion King impersonation...

He's quite entertaining.  Then, back inside and time for his supper.

A Bed On A Bed...

 

Joan's latest project: working on a bedding solution in the van.  Some decisions to be made.  In researching, I found a company named Beddy's that has zip-on/zip-off bedding.  It is not made specifically for RVs, but they had a lot of reviews from RVers.  The other option would be for Joan to make something specifically for those beds.  We have tried blanket/sheets and sleeping bags... neither was a good solution: the leather is pretty, but it is slick.  Anything you put on top of it is going to slide around if you turn over in your sleep.  And, I do.

We have decided that making the beds up each night and putting away the bedding each morning isn't what we want to do.  That means covering that pretty tan color Italian leather seating/bed surface.  I have to admit, that leather was one of the things that attracted me to this model.  I have been dragging my feet on a solution that would hide that leather.

I asked about bedding solutions on a Roadtrek group on Facebook that we belong to - and received a lot of helpful responses.  Beddy's products received a good amount of positive reviews, some suggested using a daybed quilt, about the same number suggested sleeping bags.  We decided to go for the Beddy's.  The twin bed size is a pretty close fit for our beds.

We brought one of the sleeping mats (not really a mattress) in the house and started fitting things...

Fortunately, we have Murphy to help us with all this bedding stuff (playing in the covers while the bed is being made is his absolute favorite thing)...

Joan is cutting and sewing a queen size mattress pad to put over the leather, and then the Beddy's bedding will go on top of that.  The key to making this all work: having that surface comfortable for sleeping and for sitting on (those beds are our couches during the day).  Joan will be adding a quilt over the top of each bed that will be fitted; and can be used as an extra blanket if we are somewhere that it is cold.

It's a good plan, one that should work well for our use.  It is going to take some time.  I will be doing my part by trying to keep Murphy out from under foot while Joan is working on all this.  In legal terms, I think this would be considered "an attractive nuisance" from Murphy's perspective.  And will likely be several days in the process.

I'll post some photos when the project is done.

Looking back towards the couches/beds...

It's a Beautiful Day In the Neighborhood...

 

If you said, "Mr Roger's Neighborhood," you get 10 bonus points.  If you added: "Would you be my neighbor?" you get an additional 10 bonus points.

It was a lovely day in the desert - a high of 72º and abundant sunshine.  An outing so I could try out the new camera (DJI Pocket 3) in a moving vehicle; we had a few errands to run, so it worked out.  Joan drove, I filmed.  Does anyone use the verb "filmed" anymore?  When one runs a video camera, there is no film, so I guess, technically, I "data-ed."  But, again I digress.

I shot way more video than necessary, anxious to see how the Pocket 3 does with the movement in the car.  Spoiler Alert: I'm impressed.  I'll put together some video later.  Here's a still from the Pocket 3, looking out the windshield...

Crisp image, good color.

After taking care of our errands, we had lunch at Oregano's; Joan was feeling like salad, I could easily be talked into pizza.  They have a basket of fortune cookies there - no, I don't know why an Italian eatery has fortune cookies.  I think the cookie got my fortune right...

 And more camera testing on the way home.  We tried the camera with the DJI Mic 2 wireless mics and with the internal mic in the camera.  I had concerns that there might be some "bouncing" with the footage - a gimbal (this DJI is made with the camera on a gimbal).  For those not familiar with using a gimbal, it does a great job of physically stabilizing camera movement.  But, most consumer gimbals still have an issue with "the up and down" movement.  In fact, there is a technique for walking with a camera on a gimbal: the "ninja walk"... knees slightly bent, heel and toe walking, trying to keep your upper body and arms from bouncing while you walk.  Really, it's a thing.  And while trying to hold a lightweight camera in a moving vehicle, as you go over bumps and imperfections in the road, there is going to be some up and down movement.

We'll see how the test video turns out.

When we got home, I downloaded the videos to my laptop, did a very brief look, breathed a sigh of relief, then decided to get out for some scooter time...

This was shot with the DJI Action 4, a true "action camera."  It uses software stabilization - a very different camera from the Pocket 3.  The Pocket 3 has a longer focal length.  It will have a different function from my other action and 360 cameras.

A couple stills from the scooter ride...

Check back here later for another "private" test video from the car.  A good day!

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Here's the raw video we shot in the Equinox...

 No, this won't be going onto Facebook or any other social media - this was a test for me to see if the Pocket 3 camera could keep the footage smooth in a moving vehicle - yep.  I'm pleased with how the camera (and the mics) did - we'll be ready to use this when we get out and about in the Roadtrek.  I am liking this camera!

Woohoo - 2 videos in one day.  One test, the other just for the fun of it.

 

A chilly start...

 

30º this morning.  Joan went to the grocery store.  Murphy and I went out into that brisk desert morning.  I brought the new camera to see how it would do following Murphy (tracking).  The boy can move faster than the camera operator... and the camera is only as good as its operator.

I was impressed with how smooth the video was - the stabilization with the built-in gimbal is good.  It's a different look from the software stabilization on my other cameras.  I think this is going to be a good addition.

Here are a few still images of the outing...

 The image above is a jpg, taken as a still.  Decent resolution, but still photos are not this camera's forte.  The images below are stills taken from video...

Images taken in Steph and Dan's yard, 'cause that's where Murphy likes to go.  No dog to stalk; she went to work with them.

An Outing...

 

Pretty exciting stuff: we're heading to Sam's Club and Costco.  I know - all this on a Monday?  How are you gonna keep us down on the farm?

I was determined to try another video capture with my Sony a6700 camera.  In the car.  No, not while I'm driving... Joan took the helm so I could shoot...

 Heading off the Loop 202, towards I-10...

And into traffic on the surface streets...

I won't be showing the 7 video clips I took.  Even at my advanced age ("Oh, come on, Jim, you aren't that old!"  Thank you for sucking up.), I am pretty good at holding a camera steady.  The movement in the car is more than the IBIS (In Body Image Stabilization) of the a6700 can handle.  Looking at the screen on the camera made me queasy... looking at the video files was almost painful.  So, that's a big nope.

That said, the Sony does a great job, even with hand-held video (as long as you aren't in a moving car).  But, I'd like to shoot video through the windshield of a moving car (or Roadtrek van).  So, while at Costco, we picked up another video contraption... more on that when we get a chance to use it.

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The camera mentioned above is another DJI - the Osmo Pocket 3.  It is not an action camera, in the traditional sense: not rugged, not waterproof.  But, it does have a built-in gimbal... in fact, it is the camera and gimbal from one of DJI's drones.  This has a bigger sensor than my other action cameras, the lens is 20mm (significantly less wide angle); like my other action cameras, it is controllable from my phone or you can use the viewing screen to run the camera.

It remains to be seen (and used) if this unique camera can capture video from a moving vehicle.  According to what I've seen online, it can.  May be a while before I can run a good test on that.

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A short test of the tracking on the Pocket 3...

Nothing fancy.  Another "unlisted" video for proof of function.  You can set the tracking feature on this camera - select a subject by dragging a box around it on the screen, and the camera will follow that subject, thanks to the built-in gimbal.  I'm thinking this might be useful on the back of one of the scoots for filming the other bike.