Apr 5 - first the bad news

My uncle isn't doing very well. He's in the hospital at this point; I didn't get much more from Anne. I had to ask, even though I suspected that the answer wouldn't be positive.

I've got the Fleche as organized as possible, with a tentative plan for rides, meals, stops and have even been able to print card stock out on my new laser printer that will replace the old laser printer once its toner cartridge dies. Of course it will never die now :).

Anyone want an all-in-one that doesn't quite work ? The outbound fax and copier and scanner don't work because the scanner is basically dead. Printing and inbound fax are ok.

I've done some more bicycle fiddling, swapping some wheels around. I'm going to use my old Dura-ace wheels that I built oh-so-many years ago, as backup. Right now I'm using the rear while I'm waiting for the new hub to arrive. I stripped the old hub and ordered a rim and spokes from Excel.

I made some 15 bean soup that is somewhat like chili. I used some hot Italian sausages that I cooked on the grill and then sauteed along with onion etc. in the pressure cooker. Add the beans, tomatoes, spice mixture, a couple of garlic cloves and I'm there. Had I added mushrooms and green pepper it would have been a great chili ...

Sandy and Marda are out with the Marine Discovery Center cruise.

I went to Publix earlier today to pick up some groceries, but mostly, tell the truth, to see what the voltage is in real use with the X5 vs the M5. It's not a whole lot different, except that at idle with all the accessories and lights on, the voltage stays over 12. On the M5 it was dropping below 12. How long can I continue to use the M5 like this ? Who knows. Will it outright die ? Who knows.

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I just had some of the "soup" for lunch. I know, I'm late in posting this blog. What of it !?! I've already had a busy day !

John worked me over at 7am again, leaving my drenched. Since I was already drenched, I mowed the lawn. While I like the electric mower, it is a pain diddling with the cord. I then diddled some more with the trimmer, also electric, and the blower, also electric. I figured that I might as well get it over with.

I got approvals from Crista a short while ago for my new routes from St. Augustine Beach to NSB and return (requested by the Jacksonville folks), from NSB to Titusville and return (my regular route south) and from NSB to Flagler Beach and return (almost my regular route north). I extended the route north somewhat so that the route would get somewhere with a Control location, which my turnaround at Highbridge doesn't.

Next week, I'll start doing these Permanent Populaires. In the meantime, I've got to setup Control Cards.

I started organizing my clothes etc. for tomorrow and realized that I do some laundry, so that's underway. Sandy already has the clothesline occupied -- the new clothesline, by the way -- I replaced the line, but not the posts, yesterday.

Clothes are now hung up on the dog run. Yes, it was cheaper to buy the vinyl-coated galvanized wire line as a dog-run pre-packaged than by the foot, even though I end up with a whole bunch of useless hardware.

We had pork tenderloin for dinner last night, with 21 oz leftover for a stir-fry later.

I'm really anxious to start work on the car; these parts are burning a hole in the box in the garage. Monday ...

In the last hour I talked to Tony, at Satent Systems in Powassan; Xplornet, my satellite internet provider up north; and Bonnie, who is thinking about upgrading from dial-up. I'm trying to get this all organized for when we get back up north. Bonnie is going to call me back later today. I don't think that it's urgent that I hear back today, but hey ... she volunteered.

What else ... don't know ... Onward !