I'm Always Mentally on Vacation

Ouch!!!!

Breakfast tomorrow.

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We Suck, But The Tailgating is Fun

Me an Ty enjoying the tailgate.

My buddy Kevin and hid dad.

In the stands.

Frugal Wreggie

I moved into the soup world tonight and I feel so frugal.

First of all I have been doing all the cooking since Gigi went in the hospital 7 weeks ago. She loves good food like I do, but she doesn’t feel good enough to go out to eat often. Fortunately I love to cook and she likes my cooking.

Normally when I spin a chicken on the Weber, I take the meat for the meal, and leave the rest in the refrigerator to eventually go bad. What a waste!

We had a wonderful rotisserie chicken and rice tonight. After supper I stripped the carcass of residual meat. Then I cut some carrots, celery, onions and added the meat and chicken broth form a carton.

I took the leftover chicken carcass and slow cooked it to render some natural broth.

So I have two pots going and the kitchen smells like grandmas house.

After a couple of hours, I strained and poured the broth in the lager pot and added some green peas. Lord it all smells good and I haven’t even seasoned it.

I’m simmering it a few more hours and let it stand in the 30’s outside overnight. Tomorrow I’ll add seasoning and either noodles or rice and it will be homemade chicken soup.

Two Greats

Gone but not forgotten.

Still here and rotten.

And a few honorable mentions:

Houston....I Have a Problem

I have a widow maker or dog crusher that appeared in my side yard last night.

I've gotta get that thing down somehow.

It's rotten but dangerous to man and beast. WWMD? (what would Mic do?)

I Woke up from a Deep Sleep and This is What I Saw

My mortgage guy called me and said he could roll my loan and lock in 3.5% fixed on a 15 year loan. This would be the third substantial rate reduction in 2 years. My first home loan back in 1982 was 14 ½%, bought down from 17%, back in the Jimi Cawduh days.

Last Tuesday I went to a product presentation at Ruth Chris Steak house. I got butter splatter all over my pants from the steaks being served over my plate of Weight Watchers chicken.

Anyway, the crux of the product was a whole life insurance policy that would return your principal, and paid the client nothing. Zero. It had a death benefit and an assisted living benefit, but I couldn't get over the 0% rate of return. The presenter seemed so proud that they we able to pay nothing. I asked publically if that rate was locked in a guaranteed.

He didn’t think it was as funny as I did.

These two examples above prove money now is virtually worthless.

In sports, a coach is accused of raping boys while the others look the other way. Then students riot when the school cleans house after the gruesome story is revealed. I guess wining a damn football game and setting records is more important than protecting a child?

These are strange times.

Why do I scuba, raise chickens, have a Jeep, cook, golf, grill, travel, dream, laugh, RV, tailgate, and enjoy life under these conditions?

Mental Vacation keeps me sane baby.

Scientist and Space Stuff

The GPS phone arrived and it appears to be a piece of shit. I will try and salvage this scam from Amazon. No charger and no sim card with a worn out used phone.

Camera Issues

Man, I am getting too old for Daylight Saving Time, too lazy to change clocks, so I am confused most of the day.

I should have all components together by the weekend to start tinkering with the space capsule.

A 60 in parachute is on the way. It was a surplus military mortar parachute. I also have a 36 in chute on the way for testing.

A small 7 foot balloon for testing is in too.

The GPS should be delivered at home today.

The biggest obstacle I see is getting cameras to function reliably. I gave an older Canon SX110IS that takes might fine high res pictures and I no longer use it.

I also have a Cool Pix Nikon that could be used.

Third I have a buddy who has a camera store with a suggestion.

Whatever works, its going to have to function up to 3 hours in 70 below zero temperatures and winds up to 150 MPH. That is going to take some hefty power and heat to maintain the camera(s).

I am not sure if we will run non stop video or still shots every 5 seconds. I lean toward the stills.

Any ideas and suggestions would be welcome.

Observation

I like people watching at most any level. I am enjoying now watching liberals attack whomever they fear most.

Once upon a time they ridiculed Palin, then Perry, no wait, Cain.

They like Romney because he is one of their own.

All the while liberals sit in stone silence and accept the evident deficiencies of their own leaders.

They are only vocal on the blame game. It is the rich that made me poor, they are greedy, make me a job, it is Bushes fault, it is the republicans, I don’t want to pay back my Harvard loan, booo friggin hooo.

Steve Jobs was an observer of people and I think he said it best about the current administration. Obama's focus on excuses "infuriated" him.

Have we completely extinguished our can do attitude? Are we all just sheep?

It is fun to watch but it makes me sad to see how it unfolds. Good minds are being wasted on excuses.

If I Launched Now

This is the projected path.

You can see there is a rapid accent to 35,000 feet, the a slow climb from 60,000 feet to 100,000 feet and burst. Then she drops like a rock.

The landing spot is two counties over. It is all based on current weather information and must be passed on to the FAA prior to launch.

I Am Going To Space

Yes, I am serious.

If you know me, you know I like challenge, and I like to do outrageous things that no one else does. Sending a homemade space capsule to the edge of space fits the bill.

A lot of people have done this and in fact it is considered a hobby. What I like is the design challenge and the feeling of accomplishment if it all goes down.

The considerations are as follows:

Weather Balloon

Capsule design

Camera (s)

GPS

Insulation

Heat

Aerodynamics

Parachute

Strobe Recovery Light

On board power

Testing

Recovery

Here are some design plans and a video from another space pioneer.

FAQ

Why? – Because I have never been to space and never will. But if I can send something to space, and bring it back, then I will have fulfilled a childhood dream of something of mine going to space.

Can I join your efforts? – Yes. We are looking for talented men and women. We need ideas.

If I join, can I wear a lycra jump suit for the launch. – Yes…absolutely.

How much will this cost? – I figure I can get to space and back with a camera or two and a gps for less than $250. We already have funding.

Could I include something of mine like toenail clippings, or hair, to say I have been to space? – Hmmmm…maybe, but the payload is limited to 4 pounds. I will have to see how the weight works out.

Will there be an official patch and souvenirs? – Hmmm, no.

What is the name of the project? – Classified.

What is the name of the space agency? – TBA.

That Time Of Year

Saturday was spent blowing leaves. From the barn, to the coop, the guest house, the house, the front yard, the back yard, the lower yard, along the street and the driveway has been cleared of leaves.

They’ll be back and in a month I’ll do it all over again.

I love This App

It was a fun day on the North Shore.

Fone Call

I've Always Wanted to do This Effect

I've always wanted to be able to do this color in effect on a black and white. Now I can.

Good Things

Oregano is good in a lot of stuff. Try and use it more often. I love it so much I could make some oregano cologne just to smell it more often.

Ground black pepper is way under rated. Use it generously in cooking.

I bought a meat grinder for my 30 year old kitchen Aid mixer. I can’t wait to grind my own hamburger meat, cheese and whatever.

Onions are good with anything except chocolate cake. Use more onions.

Use more garlic, and for goodness sake, buy a garlic press and use fresh garlic.

I used all four ingredients tonight, and I will be able to smell the garlic and onions tomorrow on my hands. That is not a bad thing.

Be Still My Soul

A milestone was reached today... 100 days until we return to paradise. It doesn’t seem that long since we was marking 200 days.

I say we because Gigi plans on being there this time. She hasn’t made the last three trips because of her back.

Never again do I want to be more than 6 months from my next trip to St Croix. Sorry, I am spoiled. The 200 plus drought has been stressful.

I can deal with 100 days. Thanksgiving, Christmas, Kwanza, Festivas, MLK day, American Idol, and the Super bowl and I am home free.

I can’t wait to do some first class diving, see first class sunsets, and feel warm salt water.

Made Me Laugh

Where I Fit In

When I was born, I was the:

2,822,508,479th

person alive on Earth.

I was the:

76,274,731,967th

person to have lived since history began.

From the BBC.

I Knew It

I knew it would happen eventually. I am the Warren Buffet of eggs.

All I have been doing is collecting, washing and storing eggs. This is about a weeks worth. I have 20 in the sink ready to be cleaned, 3 dozen in the truck to give away and I haven’t collected the eggs this morning.

Gigi and I will have two each this morning and that will still leave 650,000 eggs.