The finished Aeroband video...

 

This link is currently "unlisted," but it will be public in a day or two.  Here's a preview if you want to check it out...

 I appreciate Mark's perspective on this.  Seems we both enjoyed the experience, but, no, it won't replace any of my current guitars.  But, a fun "add-on"... I especially like the piano sounds.

I sent Mark and Aeroband the link to the video.  Mark was happy with how it came out, and Aeroband responded right away: they like the perspective of an older player with some hand issues and appreciated getting two perspectives.

I put a link to the Aeroband Guitar in the description of the video on YouTube, and they asked if I could make a small modification to that link so they can keep track of how many people went to their site directly from my video.  No problem, and it doesn't change the link...

https://www.aeroband.net/products/aeroband-guitar?utm_source=referral&utm_medium=kollola-youtube&utm_campaign=captainjim605 

Click on the above link if you want to go to the Aeroband site for any more info on the guitar. 

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The link is now "Public".

 

 

If the Rain Comes...

 

An easy music trivial question this morning: "The Beatles, 1966, the first line from the song Rain."  10 bonus points for the complete answer.

Last night, the rain did indeed come.  It's monsoon season, after all.  It started with the distant rumble of thunder.  I had been texting with Mark - he said it was raining at his house (about 20 miles north of us).  Looking at radar, it was moving south.

The "official" rainfall for Phoenix is recorded at Sky Harbor International Airport - they received a grand total of... nothing.  Here in Laveen, the National Weather Service called our rainfall at .24"... it was obviously localized.  The rain pounded here; no idea what we actually received, but it was the first time we've seen large puddles in parts of our yard.  Under the turf, pavers, and gravel, the ground is hard and dry - it can't easily absorb that much rain all at once.

This morning, the puddles were gone.  It pounded hard enough that it actually rinsed off everything in the yard... instead of what we've come to expect: dirty water spots.

Steph and Dan are in California, the Guide Dog puppy they raised is "graduating."  Rubina has been placed with her person and there is a ceremony for that on Saturday.  So, we are kitty-sitting once again.  We spent the evening at their house, so the Grandkitties had human company.  The thunder didn't fire up until we were back in our house.  I went over to check on the kitties during the thunder and rain - they seemed chill.

It seemed like a lot of rain to us.

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Video Production...

I didn't get out of the house today, other than a couple excursions in the yard to get Murphy some outdoor time.  The reason...

 You may have to look close, but I have lights and a video camera set up in my music room.  I got the Aeroband guitar back from Mark yesterday and spent most of today shooting video and getting after the editing process.  Mark sent me videos from his phone while he checked out the Aeroband.

The editing is getting close - hope to have that finished by tomorrow.

 

This, right here...

 

 This was on Facebook last night.  I've said, something similar: "One cat does not replace another, but your heart can expand to love another."  It took me a while to come to that after we said our good-byes to our first cat, Smoke.  She lived to almost 22, and losing her hurt so bad that I said I could never do that again.

Of course, I was proven wrong when Molly came to visit.  And stayed.  Steph said, "She knew you had a big hole in your hearts that only another cat could fill."  Molly taught us that we could bring another cat into the family.  She was truly amazing - she is the subject of "Cat On A Leash."  Our time with that big girl was too short.  We started "dating her" when she was 6 years old.  I expected another 15 years with Molly... but, it wasn't to be.  We lost her when she was just 10.

And then, our sweet little Isabella (Izzy).  We went to the shelter looking for a full-grown mature girl, and this little bit of a thing locked eyes with Joan, and... that was that.  Izzy was small, not in good health, but we gave her great care and she thrived.  She grew to become an 8 pound cat with the heart of a lioness.  She and Joan had a special bond, but I was very protective of her.  Great personality, lovey, and an amazing traveler - by boat and RV.  Like Molly, she walked on a leash and was generally fearless.  Her time came too soon.  We were trying to get her to Phoenix where a pet surgeon gave us hope that she might live longer.  That was not to be.

Next came Rufus.  Regular readers here know about this big burly boy.  He was in real need of being rescued.  His look when we first saw him could only be described as "quirky," but his heart was full of love.  This boy was a Maine Coon mix (we didn't know that when we first adopted him, and he certainly didn't look it), and had all the wonderful attributes that breed is known for.  He and I had a similar "communication" as Molly and me.  He walked tall and proud on his leash and just knew that anyone we came across was there to see him... people and dogs.  I felt we hit the feline jackpot with this boy - we were fully retired when we adopted him and he was our constant companion.  He seemed to settle in just fine when we moved to Phoenix and he loved our large yard.  We took him to the vet when he developed a cough, and... another heartbreak.  We had Rufus for 5 years and it wasn't enough.  My Facebook Memories are full of Rufus posts - each one brings back wonderful memories.  And the heartache of losing that wonderful spirit.  I had said that "This boy needs to outlive me," because the thought of life without Rufus was unbearable.  It will be two years this November and I still think about him every day.  That boy gave the best "kitty hugs" ever: pick him up and he would put a big paw on either side of your neck and hug you in.

And now, Murphy.  This boy is the most cat of any of our cats: he has spunk and personality.  He was handsome from the moment we first saw him.  In the year and 8 months we've had him, he has grown into a big boy and is playful and a bit of an imp.  He does not snuggle like all our previous fur babies.  But, he sits right beside Joan all the time... or follows me around like a puppy.  He can walk on a leash, but he gets the freedom that the 6' block wall around our property affords... but one or both of us is always out there with him.  He will look you right in the eyes.  Where Rufus was Thor, the God of Thunder, Murphy is Rico Suave.  We could not love him more.  He is not a fan of being held, but we are patient, and he is learning that we are a huggy family.  As I am writing this, he is sitting beside Joan, leaning against her.  Progress.  Murph is the most athletic of any of our cats, but that may be due to his young age (coming up on 3 years old).  He is strong; both physical and in attitude. 

The image I posted at the beginning of this post describes us and the wonderful felines who have been a member of our family.  My heart has the scars from the holes left when our cats have crossed that Rainbow Bridge.  Each has been so very different, but all of them truly special.  If you read this far, my thanks.  That statement really touched me.

 

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.