Old Dog...

 

If you said, "Can't teach 'em new tricks," you get 10 bonus points; and welcome to my world.

Yeah, I'm still dealing with practicing on Pixelmator Pro instead of Photoshop.  Some of the quick commands are the same.  Not all, though.  The biggest difference I've come up against so far is being able to input numerical changes for RGB color - I did that for years with our color lab in the studio, and it was a relatively easy transition to Photoshop back in the 90s.  That was great for us as we made the transition from film to digital (in 2001).

 

We were early adopters of that technology; it was a major change for the photographic industry.  Photographers who had only used an outside lab (the vast majority) were at a disadvantage because they had to learn not only the digital imaging, but also how to work up a finished image (for color balance, exposure, contrast, and retouching).  We had been using digital and film side by side for a year before we made the switch.  I have to admit that I don't miss mixing and dealing with the chemicals in our color lab, and not having to work "in the dark" with film and when changing long rolls of photo paper.  With digital, we could work "in the light"... then, there was also dealing with the screen color on 4 different monitors.  Again, we had an advantage, because we had been balancing and adjusting the color on a VCNA (Video Color Negative Analyzer).  The VCNA was state of the art for getting the color balanced from a color negative to photo paper.

The change to a full digital lab had its challenges, but we were committed.  Or maybe we should have been committed.  ;-)

All this to say: I have about 30 years of nearly daily use with Photoshop.  I was first using it with version 2.0... before there were layers.  Layers didn't happen until V3.0.

I took one of the first classes offered by PPA (Professional Photographers of America) regarding using Photoshop.  The professional digital cameras were in their infancy... and were not good.  One really eye-opening experience: the guy teaching the class had us all go to the back of the room - then turn around and look at the monitors... they all had different color!  Without a color balanced monitor, the color you saw on the screen would not even be close to what you would get on printed media (color photo paper).  Thus began a steep learning curve of getting to that goal of "what you see is what you get."  We all learned that we had to by "spyders" - a device that hung on the front of your color monitor that would help you adjust the monitor.  And that became a start up routine: fire up the computers, let the monitors settle, then put the "spyder" on each monitor to "get close" on the color.  Then run a print test to see if it matched.

 

And I thought we were getting away from having to check chemistry on our 40" color paper processor in the days of film.

And now, I am working on making a change from Photoshop.  Not because there is anything wrong with that software, but because I don't like Adobe's business model of having to pay for a monthly "subscription"... forever. 

And now, all these years later, this old dog is having to learn new tricks. 

--------

Yeah, yeah, Photoshop, blah, blah - what about the cats?  Thanks for asking.

You are probably familiar with a Murphy bed.  We have a "Murphy chair."  Every morning, after Murph and I spend some time outside, when we come in, I move one of our kitchen counter bar stools in front of the glass patio door.  Murphy hops up there, so he can see what's going on out in the courtyard.  We have a cooling pad on that chair... and it is Murph's.

 

This morning, while Murphy was getting brushed, Stella jumped up in "the Murphy chair."  That didn't last long: Murphy was there in a shot to reclaim his chair.  ;-)

 

4 Virtuos...

 

The players?  Well, I'm talking about the Emerald Virtuo guitars in our group of 7.  Yesterday was music day, and the first time since last spring that all 7 of us have been together.

After being under the weather for a couple weeks, it was really good to get back together with my music buddies! 

A while back, I had mentioned to the folks at Emerald (the guitar maker from Ireland) that we now have 4 Virtuos in our group: Mark's, Tom's, Carl's, and mine.  In addition to those, Mark also has an X10 Slimline, and I have an X20, and X10, and an X7 (my first Emerald from 2016).  Alistair at Emerald said they'd like to see some photos or a video with our group.

Today, Cindy (Mark's wife) took some photos for us.  Here's a look...

 The 7 of us, truly a "garage band" today, at Mark's home.  L to R: Gil, Carl, Ron, me, Mark, Tom, and Danny.  It is always a good time when we are together.

 The Virtuo players...

 Cindy asked us to step outside to get a bit of Arizona in a photo...

 I wasn't sure how my singing voice would be - it has been nearly a month since I've gotten together with these guys.  I am over the nasty cold, but the lungs are still needing some re-build time.  Surprisingly, I was able to sing in my full range.  And, with 5 singers, I didn't have to do all the lead singing.  Plenty of good harmony.

We are all in our 70s.  With a combined playing experience on the far side of 400 years.  Whew - now I feel even older.  We all use iPads for our charts.  It is easy to put your nose in the iPad and not look up to see how much fun we're all having... I had issued a challenge for today: each person submit two songs where they don't even look at the iPad.  Yes, we did it.  I first used an iPad when playing out in 2012 - it was for my set lists and an occasional glance at a chart to check lyrics.  With these guys, we play a lot of songs that are new to us (unlike the songs I've been doing for years when I play solo) - it is helpful to have the lyrics and chords while playing.

I had been looking forward to this for weeks - a truly good time!  And Ron brought pizzas!  We generally get set up, run though a song for a sound check, then have lunch before going after it for the afternoon.  Oh, and a short cookie break - 'cause man does not live by pizza alone.

 

 

Walking Bacon...

 

 I was reading through some van groups on Facebook and came across this...

From Seniors and Camping group. I found my new favorite takeout. Walking Bacon. LOL

 

We like to travel to new places at least once a year. Last year we got up into Pennsylvania in a little town south of Altoona called Roaring Spring. We were walking down the street looking in shop windows and it was getting close to lunchtime (nap time) and we were standing in front of a sandwich shop. They had an outdoor menu so my wife decided what she wanted and I did too. She continued to look in store windows and I went in to order.

 

I got the sandwiches and the guys asked me if I wanted some “walking bacon.” I’m like what? He said "Walking bacon, we give you 3 slices of bacon to get you home." Well I just stood there and he said, "I can tell by the bewildered look on your face the answer is yes. " So I got my sandwiches and bacon went and found my wife and she said, "Are you crying?" I said I didn’t want to talk about it, but this town has to be the greatest place on earth and that sandwich shop is more than likely the center of the universe. I’ve met very few true geniuses in my life, but that guy……sorry I’m tearing up again.

 

Cracked me up.  And now, all I want in the world is... Walking Bacon.

 

 

Anticipation...

 

If you said, "Carly Simon, 1971," you get 15 bonus points.  If you said, "From the catsup commercial," you get an additional 5 bonus points for having a sense of humor.

Today, I am full of anticipation.  If you said, "Well, he's full of something," no bonus points, but thanks for the chuckle.  It's gonna be a good day.  I am feeling better.  Not 100%, but definitely better.  Getting over a cold with asthma takes time.  While in the car yesterday, I sang along with the radio.  Not loud, but I could push out some sound.

Tomorrow, I get together with "the big group"... that is 7 of us.  First time since we played out late spring last year.  Mark, Ron, Danny, Gil, Carl, Tom, and me.  They got together two weeks ago, but I was sick... I missed seeing my friends.  I may not have full voice, but I'll sing what I can and the other guys will do their part (and some of mine).  I am already anticipating what gear I'll take.

 

A file photo from the last time the 7 of us were together. 

This morning, when I got up and started getting breakfast ready for Murphy and Stella, they played together.  Nicely.  No growling or hissing.  After their breakfast, Murphy and I went outside for our "walkabout and guy time."  Back inside, when I sat down, Stella jumped up on my chair and into my lap; a first.  And right now, they are sitting by the patio door, looking out...

 They share plenty of toys, but that is Murphy's chair.  It has a cooling pad on it, for his comfort; we move the chair in front of the door so he can look out.  This morning, Stella joined him; well not on the chair; he fills that.

Murphy gets to go outside, in our yard, not on a leash.  I am anticipating that the time will come soon for Stella to go outside - in a backpack, in a stroller, or on a leash (with a harness - if we can find one to fit her wiry physique).  Stella often looks through that patio door glass to see what we are doing.  Yes, Stella survived on her own, in a parking lot, before we rescued her.  While I'd like to think that she knows she has a good deal here with us, I have no idea if she is a flight risk.  And, I don't want to chance it.  At this point, she has made no attempt to get out the door when I am coming or going with Murph.  I'd like to keep it that way.

 

 

Snuggle Time...

 

Is this going to be a TMI post, Jim?

No, but thanks for asking.  I was needing a "feel like a real person" day.  Joan had talked about picking up some stuff at Sam's, and I suggested lunch out.  A real lunch out, not her picking up something and bringing it home; but, a sit-down, order off a menu kinds lunch.

We did just that.  After walking around Sam's - and adding to my spring wardrobe - we went to Olive Garden.  My choice.  I know some people think of Olive Garden as the "McDonald's of Italian food," but I do not agree with that.  I was really feeling like a bowl of their Pasta Fagioli soup.  And some pasta.  And some bread sticks.  Mission accomplished.  Topped off with Black Tie Mousse Cake.  A treat.

Then, to PetSmart.  Kitty food (we are still trying options for Murphy).  We saw a deal on some dog toys, texted it to Steph, and she told us what to get.  Joan got a couple cat toys, as well.

Back home, I tried on my new wardrobe - 3 long sleeve pull-over shirts, for layering, as one does here in the desert.

I am still recuperating from the lung and sinus bug that got me, so time for a mid-afternoon nap.  Old guy or going back to my kindergarten childhood... no matter; it helps.  I was joined by a snuggle buddy...

 My big furry boy Murphy.  He doesn't spoon with me like Rufus used to, but he seems to be happy being "right there" when I need the company.

--------

The Facebook Memory from 8 years ago today: the day we adopted Rufus...

 That quirky-looking boy turned into the incredibly handsome cat that drew people in.  With a personality as big as he was.  It makes my heart heavy that we only got 5 years with this boy.  Definitely, one of a kind.  He was there to get me through the hip replacement; and the cancer surgery.  And so many good times.  He was beyond the kitten stage when we found each other - a strong, stable force.  I miss you, big fella.

 

The Big Game...

 

I'm in it for the snacks and the commercials.  Apparently, there is a football game being played, too.  Oh, I get it: everyone is a football fan on Superbowl Sunday.  Some more than others.

We're not getting together with Steph and Dan, since Joan and I have both been under the weather.  Steph did bring over a spicy cheese dip she made - tasty.  I am told there will be cheese sticks and burgers, maybe some chicken wings.  Into the second quarter, I haven't seen any of that.

Maybe it is sports overload? Already.  We've had the Olympics on since Friday.  Only six more weeks of that. Could be the "All Kitty Wrestling, All The Time" playing live in the living room.

I think I need to get out of the house.

 --------

I did it.  I downloaded two of the Apple apps from their Creative Suite: Pixelmator and Final Cut Pro.  I shot some video with the HoverAir X1 Pro drone to test the video production and pulled a couple still images from my files.  Yeah, I can work with this.  Probably.  Old dogs, new... you know.

Pixelmator seems simple, but less precise than Photoshop: using a slider rather than putting in exact numbers for color correction.  Final Cut Pro has more options but isn't as intuitive as iMovie.  I will work with them for the next 29 days (free trial), then make a commitment.

 

Edit That Out...

 

What'd ya say this time, Jim?

I didn't do nuthin'.  This time.  I am getting tired.  Not sleepy tired, tired of giving my money to Adobe every single month.  For years.  Ever since they switched to a subscription business model instead of the customer buying the software.  I get it from their point of view: the customer owns nothing, but pays every month.  It is steady income that doesn't wane if the customer chooses to not "update" - the customer is always updating, whether they want to or not.

Photoshop was not inexpensive, even back in the day; around $700 for the original purchase.  Then, another $99 to $129 for updates... or, whenever you updated your computer's operating system.  Still, it was less expensive than this monthly subscription.

Plus, I am looking to upgrade my video editing software.  I have been using iMovie for the last 10 years or so... it comes free on your Mac.  But, I have reached the limit for what I can do with that software.  So, the big decision: what video editing software to buy (or "rent")?  Adobe Premier Pro, Apple Final Cut Pro, or Divinci Resolve.  They each have their pros and cons.  And, a new learning curve.  

Apple has a subscription, kinda like Adobe; OR, you can buy each individual program outright.  Big difference: Apple's monthly subscription is $12.99 (for now) and it includes all their Creator Suite programs.  That is less than just Photoshop per month.

For full disclosure, I have never tried Apple's Pixelmator, their option to Photoshop.  But, I am thinking it is time to find out.

Apple gives you a "free trial" depending on when you purchased your Mac.  I'll check into that.  Probably.

 

 

Shhhhhh...

 

We had to make a trip to the store - we are in the process of switching Murphy over from the prescription food he has been eating for almost two years to "over the counter" cat food.  He has been enjoying the new options, and we have been trying only a couple cans of any one flavor at a time.  If you have never had a cat in the family, you may not know the experience of "Oh, he likes this flavor"... only to stock up on that and have him decide that is the worst food possible.

So, we try a new flavor and keep track.  And make sure that there is no issue with it.  The vet, after trying a bunch of different things to cure the ear infection he had when we first got him, thought it might be a food allergy.

Little Stella seems happy with whatever kitten food we put down for her.   And, at some point during the day, they each try out the other's food.

But, right now, I have just gotten up from a short nap.  Murphy laid there with me.  He stayed on the bed when I got up.  Stella is snoozing in her catio.  Joan is watching the opening ceremonies for the Winter Olympics, with the volume quite low.  It is peaceful in the house. 

I know the cats will have renewed energy after their naps.  Let the games begin!

 

Blood Letting...

 

You donated blood, Jim?

Not willingly.  We had a vet appointment for Stella this morning - they thought she might be anemic after her spay surgery.  She is not.  But, to maintain an income flow, they (the vet) recommended with have this blood test done.  10:00 appointment this morning.

At 9:30, we started to corral her to put her in her carrier.  It did not go well...

 

That image above is one of 4 wounds she inflicted on me.  I did not get her in the carrier.  I got her to the carrier before she escaped again.  After running all around the house, she finally went into the bathroom.  Joan grabbed a small kitty blanket, went into the bathroom, and shut the door.  The screams that came from that room sounded like a much bigger animal.  Murphy and I stood on the other side of the door; Murph looked very concerned.  Joan eventually came out with something bundled in the blanket.  And put that something in the carrier.

We were 5 minutes early for the appointment - that included 20 minutes of getting Stella in the carrier.  Even though we had an appointment card, the woman at the front desk had no record of us having an appointment.  I said, "It is an absolute that this cat isn't anemic, based on her physical activity since her surgery.  If you don't have time for this today, we'll just take her home.  They weren't going to miss out on the $71 for the blood test.  They took her in back.  We waited.  About 15 minutes later, I got a phone call from the vet: "Stella's test is fine - she is not anemic."

"Great," I said, "Can we have our cat back?  We are still sitting in your waiting room."  Disorganized.  The vet brought Stella out to us.

Back home, it took more wrangling to get the bandage off Stella's back leg...

 All the kitties in this household are good for the next 11 1/2 months.

Wednesday Morning Smackdown!

 

You're watching wrestling, Jim?

Yes, but it isn't a network production; it is live in our living room.

Joan smacked you down?

Funny.  Not.

Of course, I am talking about the family felines.  Stella is comfortable in her place in the family.  She doesn't just growl whenever Murphy gets close.  She is more often the instigator in their "play time."  And by "play time," I mean: she jumps on him.  "And, they're off!"

Murphy has much more stamina.  So, the wrestling generally ends when Stella is tired.  Or, when Murphy puts her in a headlock.  

--------

"How's your equilibrium?"  That's Joan asking me.

"Seems good right now.  Why?"

"I was thinking about taking the scoot out for a ride."  That's Joan telling me.

"I would love to give that a try, if you'd like some company."

I gave the kitties a slightly early lunch, and we geared up.  Before heading out, I checked tires and oil on both scoots.  Good to go.

Along the way, I stopped for gas in the Burgman.  84 miles per gallon on that last tank.  On to the twisties!

I took the lead, keeping speeds moderate, but entertaining.  At the top of the mountain, we stopped to take a drink of water.  "Is this clearing your head?  You doing OK?"]

"I am good.  Tired, but good.  How's my riding?"

"You are doing fine."

A lady walking by said, "It's good to see people wearing all the proper riding gear."

I said, "That's how we roll," and then asked if she would mind taking a photo for us...

 The ride was good.  Just what I needed.  I am not 100%, but this was my first day where I truly felt better.  We had talked about taking the scoots somewhere for lunch after riding the mountain, but Joan suggested heading for home, then getting the car to go to lunch.  Yeah, a good call.  And the ride: good for the soul.

 

Worn Out...

 

Cold still got you down, Jim?  Yes, but this is something that wears me out, just from watching.

Of course, I am talking about Murphy and Stella.  She is healed and more rambunctious than ever.  I gotta give it to her - she will go after Murphy (who is more than twice her size).  He is gentle and patient, to a point.  And when he reaches that point, fur may fly.

I find myself being the unpaid referee... "Take down, Murphy, two points"... "Escape and reversal, Stella, two points"...  it goes on.  And on.  It isn't just wrestling - there is also a component of steeplechase.  And MMA.

Murph looking down from his tower...

 Stella looking up...

 More than half the time these days, she is the instigator.  Like this...

 "I couldn't help it - his tail was just asking for it!"  Situations like this lead to me refereeing.  I can send them to their separate corners, but one of them always sneaks out.  Joan and I take turns: "I have to go to the bathroom, you're on."

"I don't want to be on."

Eventually, they both wear out.  After lunch, nap time.  A temporary peace.

 

More of the same...

 

Yes, I am aware that over the counter cold meds don't "cure" a cold; at best, they lessen some of the symptoms.  I'm OK with that - slow down the flowing snot and ease the lung congestion, thank you very much.

A cold becomes a complication for someone with asthma.  I'm not playing up the "man cold" schtick - it gets in my lungs and kicks my butt.  I had to do a breathing treatment yesterday to help ease a coughing fit.  I mentioned that to my buddy Mark when he and I were coordinating music get-togethers for the month.  I told him I'm hoping to be better for next week, but to not schedule me for anything this week.

A "breathing treatment" uses asthma meds in a nebulizer which converts it to a mist - you inhale it through a tube, so it gets into your lungs and helps break up the congestion.  It doesn't get rid of the congestion, it thins it enough so you can, hopefully, cough it out on your own.

 

Consider it to be like an asthma inhaler that you breathe in for 15 to 20 minutes.  It isn't uncomfortable and it does provide relief for lung congestion, especially after you cough out the nasty stuff.  Better to get on it right away rather than let that congestion sit in there and turn into an infection.  OK, TMI once again.

So, a week into this crappy cold.  According to everything I read, I am beyond the being contagious stage, but I still have to cough frequently to keep my airways clear.  Joan's rule: if you are coughing, no going out in public.  I am sure it is not because she doesn't want to be seen with me in public.  Probably.  I get that: I remember the death stares given to anyone who coughed in public during Covid.

Asthma primarily makes it harder to breathe out due to the inflamed, narrowed airways and excess mucus - this is part of why I cough.  Or exhale sharply, which sounds like a sigh.  While exhaling is usually the main issue, the narrowed airways also make it difficult to breathe in, resulting in overall shortness of breath.

Today is the first day that I feel better than the day before, since the start of this cold.  I probably should not have written that - the "cold fairy" may bite me in the ass.  In the meantime, I am also doing the "tried and true": drinking plenty of liquids, taking naps, and having chicken noodle or turkey noodle soup.

 

Full Snow Moon...

 

Not much of a guess needed on how this full moon got its name.

 The explanation behind February’s Full Moon name is a fairly straightforward one: it’s known as the Snow Moon due to the typically heavy snowfall that occurs in February. On average, February is the United States’ snowiest month, according to data from the National Weather Service. 

Another theme of this month’s Moon names is scarcity. The Cherokee names of Month of the Bony Moon and Hungry Moon give evidence to the fact that food was hard to come by at this time. 

And how the full moon looked here in Phoenix...

 No snow here in the Phoenix area; it was 63º at 9:30 pm when I took this photo.  There is snow in Arizona this time of year, but you have to go into the mountains to the north and east part of the state to find it.  No, we're not looking to find it.  ;-)

For those interested in the specifics: full manual, f8 @ 1/1250th sec, ISO 200; telephoto zoom lens; Sony a6700 mirrorless camera.

 

A Rager...

 

informal•North American English

a wild party, typically involving the consumption of alcohol.

 

No, Joan and I did not have a party last night.  Judging by what I saw when I got up this morning, the cats did.  Beer cans and booze bottles strewn about.  Confetti everywhere.  Disco lights.

 

OK, I may be making that up.  Murphy's tower was tipped over.  The pad on the 4th level of the catio had been knocked down to the lowest level.  The cats had been rowdy during the night.

 

I think we'll all need a nap this afternoon.

 

--------

 

Getting Nekkid...

 

I've explained the difference between "naked" and "nekkid" before, but here it is again, in case you missed it: naked means you are unclothed; nekkid means you are unclothed and up to something.  Today is day ten since Stella's spay surgery; time for the pink onesie (surgical recovery suit) to come off...

 

 There is a lot of fur in need of being bathed.  Joan thinks she looks bigger now, without the pink onesie; still seems pretty scrawny to me, though she has filled out since she first came to live with us.

 

A Scream!

 

You know what they say about kids playing in the park?  Yeah, even though they're all making noise, you can tell when your kid screams. 

This morning, after getting up a second time - I'll get back to this thought, but I got up, fed the cats, did my morning routine, then took Murphy out in the yard.  Back inside, Joan made me a breakfast sandwich... and I went back to bed.  And, now back to getting up a second time. 

I was in the bathroom cleaning up, when I heard a cat scream coming from the living room.  It was definitely Stella - my first thought was: Murphy is hurting her! Looking into the living room, Stella was on top of her tower (we call them his and hers towers, but they can both use whichever one they want), screaming and hissing - no one around her!

Joan got there first.  Stella had somehow managed to get her leg tangled up in a ribbon that has been wrapped around the top perch on the tower for several cats.  She has chewed it and pulled it... it is kinda mangled.  But now, she got her leg caught between wraps - and the more she pulled, the tighter it got.

Joan was trying to untie the ribbon and said to me, "Bring me some scissors!"  I was almost in my underwear (not to sick to share TMI) as I went for the drawer with the scissors; but the time I got them, she had the ribbon untied.

Joan was soothing Stella.  And in a sweet move, Murphy jumped up on the tower and put his nose up on Stella... not in a threatening way.  I know this because I have seen him move on her in a threatening way. 

Crisis averted, no harm done.  Joan removed the ribbon from the tower.

--------

"My house is back!"

Time for us to bring the catio back.  Stella's incision is healing nicely.  We appreciate Steph and Dan loaning us the large crate they have for Dicha... they will be needing that back: Dicha goes in to get spayed next week.

So, today, Joan cleaned the crate and the catio and brought the catio back into the house (it has been in the shed, so it wasn't out in the weather).  It has 4 levels - more fun for an active cat, but the crate was better to keep Stella from jumping when she was recuperating.  She seemed excited to have the catio back...

 Yes she is still in her pink onesie; a few more days for that.  The vet recommended 10 days to two weeks, so we're getting close.

 

Feeling Better...

 

Me?  No, I'm still at the point in this crud where each day is worse than the day before.  But, little Stella is feeling chipper again after her spaying surgery: when Joan got up this morning, Stella had wriggled her way out of her surgery recovery suit.  Considering that it closes down her back with Velcro® and an adjustable neck opening, I have no idea how she could have done that.

Today, Stella is darting all around, playing with a bunch of toys, following Murphy around like an annoying little sister, and climbing both towers like a spider monkey.

She is especially fond of this "racetrack/scratcher"...

 There is a ball in that purple part that she can knock around (captive) and the center part is a scratch pad.  This one is a "family heirloom" from back in Izzy's time.  Izzy, Rufus, Murphy, and now Stella have all played with it.  The scratcher part has been replaced many times; we used to be able to buy an exact fit replacement, now we get as close as we can find in size and cut it to fit.

It makes our hearts happy to see her active and playing again.

She engages Murphy in play...

 Things will progress until he is getting the better of her, then she will scream, "Mom - he's picking on me!"  

--------

Somebody whose name I won't mention was getting a bit rowdy.  Joan decided on this instead of "time out"...

 "I didn't do nuthin'."  It did slow him down a bunch.

--------

I didn't do much today: eat, sleep, take cold meds, repeat.  I did feed cats.  Well, to be fair, Joan fed our two first thing this morning before I got up (that almost never happens).  I did watch our two cats play much of the day.  I finally decided to clean up around the crack of late afternoon.

Joan sat with Murphy and Stella for quite a while...

 I took Murphy outside for a while around his supper time.  It was a gorgeous day... I would have enjoyed getting out on two wheels, but my equilibrium is a bit off with this crud.  If felt good to get a few minutes of sunshine.

When I came back in, Stella was napping on the couch...

 Joan thought it was cute, too: she sent me this photo from a different angle...

 

A Man Cold...

 

For those not familiar with the term, it is: a cold/flu/covid/plague worse than anything you've had before.  If you ask Joan, she had the same thing last week; and while she had it, she cooked, cleaned, rotated the tires on all our vehicles (and that is a lot of work on the bikes), harvested a crop of potatoes and baled hay.  And, we don't have a field of potatoes or hay.

Sarcasm?  Ya think?

Whatever it is, it knocked me on my ass.  Worse today than yesterday.  Feels like it is settling in my lungs.  I am taking over the counter cold and flu stuff... which tends to make me feel like I'm moving through glue.

After getting kitties fed and sitting up for a bit, I went back to bed.  I am told that "sleep helps."  Maybe it's a delayed reaction?  Joan brought Murphy into the bedroom to lay with me.  "This will help relax you."  He stayed almost 4 seconds.

When I got up for the second time, Stella was laying on a cat pad on the couch.  I sat down next to the pad and put her on my lap.  She growled for a couple seconds then settled into a nice purr.  I guess Murphy didn't want Stella to have all the attention, so he hopped up and laid down on the pad...

 The three of us sat together for a half hour or so.  Not sure how Murphy and Stella felt about it, but it sure made me feel better.

 

It Got Me...

 

Joan was under the weather last week.  Sore throat, body aches, sinus issues.  It hit at the same time that Stella went into heat, and then taking her in for the spay surgery.  While sleep was lacking for the whole household, I thought this crud had missed me.

I was wrong.  Last night, it hit me hard.  The "razor blades in the throat" feeling, snot coming out like a leaky faucet, and body aches.

I stayed away from my music buddies last week, missing a rehearsal with Mark, Podge, and Ron on Wednesday, and a jam with Allan and the guys on Friday.  And now I will miss the "big group" tomorrow; would have been all 7 of us there for the first time since we played out at a party at Ron's house last spring.  I miss the music and my friends.  Last week, I stayed away because of being exposed to Joan; didn't want to bring that to anyone.  This week, she is better and I get my turn with the crud.  

A Blast From The Past...

 

If you said, "Something that every radio DJ would say when playing an old song," you get 2 bonus points.  If you said, "What is a radio DJ?" get off my lawn, ya damn whippersnapper.  If you said, "A romantic comedy film from 1999, starring Brendan Fraser, Alicia Silverstone, Christopher Walken, and Sissy Spacek," you get 25 bonus points.

I am talking about a blast from our past: I recently heard from the guy who is the current owner of Wide Open.  "What's Wide Open?" you ask.  Thanks for asking.  Wide Open was the F-27 Corsair sailing trimaran we had before Wild Blue.  Great boat; fast, sleek, and stable.  It could sleep 5 (never slept more than just Joan and me when we had it), comfortable cockpit, great lounging on the nets between the main hull and the amas.

 My two favorite memories with that boat weren't while sailing (although it was a great sailing boat): lying out on the nets while watching a meteor shower in South Dakota, and watching dolphins swim around the boat in the moonlight while anchored overnight in the Laguna Madre in Texas.

The reason we sold it: we had ordered Wild Blue and were looking forward to boat cruising US and Canadian waters.  A power cruiser with an enclosed helm made more sense for us.  Both boats were towable, but going from land to water (and vice versa) was so much easier with the C-Dory.  Plus the stand up height (6'10") cabin in Wild Blue vs the 5' cabin height in Wide Open (except for the area right under the hatch when popped up that allowed full standing height when at the galley).  Each of those boats were outstanding in their own right. 

The gentleman that recently bought the boat has been trying to find information on the previous life of Wide Open (owners, where sailed, upgrades).  I was able to fill in some of that; we gave the boat that name.  We bought the boat through a dealer in Dallas, picked it up in Corpus Christi.  We owned it from 2001 to 2006; sold it through that same dealer (La Vida Starships).

We had the boat in South Dakota and Texas.  Kept it at a marina at Lake Angostura in South Dakota, using it on weekends.  Then hauled it south for winters in Texas.  The top photo above was at Angostura with Steph and Dan, the lower photo was at our dock in Texas.

The boat would fold for towing.  Not a fast procedure, but a clever design.  Here it is on the trailer behind the American Dream coach we had at the time...

 That rig was 78' long as pictured above.  Joan would drive separate in the Tahoe we had at the time, acting as the escort vehicle.  We couldn't fit in most parking lots or RV parks, so it took some logistics.  Once down, the Tahoe (or the Leisure Travel Van) could haul the boat for launching and retrieving at a boat ramp.  Setting up or de-rigging the boat was done on the trailer, using the trailer winch to raise or lower the 38' mast.  The amas (outriggers) were folded up or extended on the water.  Yeah, that part was a lot of work... and the reason we switched to Wild Blue, with our retirement plans for boat cruising.

For as big as that boat was, the design was ingenious and reasonably lightweight to allow for a (supposed) 8.5 foot width for towing.  Weight on the trailer was just over 5,000 pounds.  While called an F-27, the boat was just over 30' long.  In that photo above, you can see the windows on the rear cabin (which would sleep 2, but we used it for storage).  Width on the water was just over 19'; the draft (depth) of the boat was 5' with the daggerboard down, 1.2' with the daggerboard and rudder up.  The design displacement was just over 2,600 pounds, actual weight with motor and sails was around 3,200 pounds.  Keeping the boat light made for faster sailing speed.  Top speed Joan and I had the boat was 21 knots (about 24 mph) under sail.  Most often, an easy sailing speed would be 10 to 12 knots.

The boat was designed by Ian Ferrier and built by Corsair Marine, which was in Costa Mesa, California, at the time, but has since moved building operations to Vietnam (lower labor costs and less environmental laws for the building materials/process).

--------

Joan and I reminisced about Wide Open when I told her about getting an email from the current owner.  "How did he find you?" she asked.

"Internet search.  I was pretty active on the Trailer Sailor Forum and an administrator on the F-Boats forum.  He had an older email address for me."

She also said, "That was a younger person's boat... but I guess we were younger at the time."  That's relative.  ;-)  It took both of us to rotate that 30' boat (with a 19' beam) in a 55' wide canal, using a line on the dock and motor power.  Once moving forward, we didn't have much steerage until doing about 2 1/2 knots.  We could only put the daggerboard down a foot or so until out of the canals, which made the steering less effective.  Coming in and out of the canals was always an adventure, if someone on a fishing boat coming the other direction around a corner wasn't paying attention - we would sound a horn blast as we approached a 90º corner in the canal.

When just cruising on the boat, one of us would handle the tiller and mainsail, the other would handle the jib sail when tacking.  The sails were big and powerful enough that tightening with a winch was always necessary.  When racing, I handled the steering, Joan was usually out on an ama, moving back or forth to give us the best balance for speed.  We were a good team.  When the wind was howling, we had roller furling for the jib and a roller boom for reefing the mainsail.

The first time we ever saw a Corsair F-boat in person was during a 60 mile race: the wind was blowing like snot, we were on the MacGregor 26x sailboat we had at the time.  We were taking a beating in the wind, wet and tired.  It was a staggered start - our boat had a slow rating, so we were one of the first to start.  Towards the mid part of the race, this sleek trimaran blew by us like we were still tied to the dock. The guy at the helm was steering with one hand, holding a soda in the other hand; his wife and kid were on the upwind net, relaxing; they all waved as they went by.  Joan asked, "What was that?"

"Our next boat."

 

Together Again...

 

No bonus points, because I used that title a while back and told about songs by that name by Buck Owens and Janet Jackson.  No, not the same song.

This afternoon, Murphy was laying on the couch.  Joan scooped up Stella and put her on a cushion next to Murphy's.  They have been doing really good together, but would they lay side by side?

 Pretty sweet, huh?

 

So this is what sleep feels like...

 

We all got a good night's sleep last night.

Finally.  Stella and Murphy are mostly back to being "brother and sister" again, as opposed to Romeo and Juliette.  Bonnie and Clyde?  Playful instead of salacious.  Not sure how they feel about that, but I am relieved.

8:00 am, both cats have been fed; Murphy got to have some non-prescription food and he licked the bowl clean.  They had a bit of supervised play time; supervised to make sure Stella doesn't overdo the activity.  Murphy and I went outside for some time in the yard (Stella watched through the glass door).  Back inside and treats for both.  And now they are each on their respective towers.

This is more like it.  Murph is not acting like a horn-dog and Stella has not twerked in front of him.  If he gets too close, she hisses.  SO much better than "Bring it on, big boy!"

Last night before we went to bed, Stella laid on a pad on the couch, next to Joan.  Where she welcome the petting.  Murphy stayed on the foot of our bed through the night.  They were both watchful as I got their food ready this morning. 

I feel like we are going to make it through this chapter.

 --------

After getting the cats settled in, I opened my laptop to get going on my morning.  First thing: an email from the current owner of Wide Open, the sailing trimaran we used to have.  He managed to track me down (the internet) and had a couple questions.  Interesting throw back.

The next was a gut-punch: we had to say good-bye to our sweet Izzy 8 years ago.  Facebook Memories can be sweet or heart-breaking.  I felt the lump in my throat the instant I saw the photo...

 

She was our most traveled feline.  And the most comfortable with all the traveling.  They have all been great, each in their own special way. 

--------

Some lite playing this morning...

 Murphy is being gentle with her.  If you can't tell from these images, Stella is instigating the play...

 Murphy's legs are tucked.  They will play for a while, then go to their separate areas.  Joan and I are keeping tabs so nobody gets too rowdy.

--------

Stella rested in Joan's arms today.  Sweet.  And then a nap this afternoon...

 "Why do you take so many photos, Dad?"  I like that she calls me Dad already.

"Because we don't have grandkids, my little girl."  I'm not sure she understood.