Summer 2015 July 31 Friday

79 degrees this morning, walk 40:32 minutes 

July of 2015 is over!  The year is flying by, soon I will be measuring the length of time here in “years” instead of months. 

I’m not sure where the tipping point is, but at come point the “time worked here” or “time lived here” becomes years instead of months, and then may even become decades instead of years as the days accumulate!

I used to always be surprised (well, somewhat shocked also) when my Dad mentioned he had had a pair of shoes etc. for 30 years or whatever.  Now I can date some clothes back to the early  70’s, many to the mid eighties etc. I understand.  Time passes.  

I have generally quit “saving”  things for “……..”  (insert whatever time or event you want).  I am using them now if I want to!  This refers to clothes, things like soap, shampoo etc., and stuff like flashlights, pens, journals etc. that I have been carrying around for years waiting for “……”.  or the “right moment” to use them.

I have decided the “right moment” is now or at least whenever I want to.  Believe it or not, I have t-shirts I haven’t worn for 30 years (at all) that I was keeping for the “right time” etc.  Now I wear them, or if they don’t, they become donations.  

I didn’t make it an overwhelming part of my life or anything, but there was always a small part of me that avoided wearing certain clothes or using some items until “that moment, event etc.”  that may never happen  

Well, I have decided the time is “now” and if I don’t use it, it will go.  (I guess the “Tidying up” theory “if it doesn’t bring me joy, don’t let it be a burden!”.

A few years ago, I realized the meaning of the term “don’t let your possessions possess you”  (or something like that).  When they become a burden and not a joy, it is time to  let them go!

Went to look at the nearest YMCA yesterday (about 2 miles from our house).  That decided us on what to do, it is the best YMCA or exercise facility of any type I have ever seen.  

I will just need to move on from the 24 hour type facility and realize I am going to continue doing my early morning and weekend exercises at home.  It worked in Lakeland well, but it just won’t work here and I will need to change my pattern, which is probably good for me.

I think I have always heard that as you get older you tend to become set in your ways.  Probably to some degree you do, because you find what you like and don’t like, but I still like to keep an open mind and maybe not welcome change, but accept it and consider changing my habits and behavior to accommodate change.

Sometimes, the full moon has a timeless nature (somewhat like “the endless summer”), but it is a fleeting moment.  I watch the moon each morning as it gets full, appears to be full for a few days and then starts receding.  

Somewhat like Summer, which as the days get shorter, is already starting to recede, but I don’t think about that and just enjoy the Summer.

In Lakeland, my patio faced the east and there were tall trees, so I never really noticed the moon like I do now, except while I was walking.  

Field day today, several interesting projects.  Had a good “office day” yesterday.  

Looking forward to the weekend!

That’s it for now, Friday, July 31, 2015.

Summer 2i015 July 30 Thursday

80 degrees this morning, walk 39:19 minutes

Patio again, with a full moon, or at least nearly full. A wonderful light breeze  

I don’t want to bore people with this, but these mornings don’t last long, as I noted, and 

While walking I noted the clouds hiding the moon, at intervals, kind of like hide and seek.  

When I see that I am reminded of a Stephen King novel, where, on such a night, someone picked up a hitchhiker (the bad guy escaped prisoner) and it was “the last time he ever picked up a hitchhiker”.  For some reason, the thought of the scene makes my blood run cold.  

Listening to “The Believing Brain” during my walk.  Some of the insights are interesting some not, probably the biggest insight is the process he mentions, not necessarily his belief’s (or lack of them” as far as the effects of uncertainty.   He mentions that baseball players have almost no rituals etc. for fielding where they have a 95%+ success ratio.  However, in batting, there their success ratio, at best, is 30%, they have all kine of rituals of “this leads to that” (a certain shirt will lad to a hit etc.)

I have found that the “app” for listing to the books is much better than downloading the actual book etc.  The problem is my old iPhones won’t run the app, nor will any of my iPods. 
My iPad I will run it, but it is awkward to carry an iPad while you walk although I have plenty of backpacks to wear with it. 

Strange dream yesterday morning, as perhaps all dreams are.  I try to note any dreams I remember so I can see if there are any patterns I need to be aware of.

Dream 7-29-Wednesday

Dreamed I was working in what appeared to be a big house split up into offices.

Not sure what I did, but I carried my briefcase and worked on my computer.

while working there, a small dog ran out an jumped on me.  I was like a small terrior with a long nose, honey colored except for a long brown nose and soulful eyes. I petted it and it tried to kiss me (like dogs do) until some children came out to claim their dog.  Of of the children, a boy, was wearing old style overalls.  

I got up and my feet hurt so bad I couldn’t walk  (this was in the dream). 

A large man with a heavy beard growth, but not a beard,  came in and I thought he was asking for me, but I woke up.

One character was the woman who was on t the City Commission in Lakeland. She was, to describe the best, a micromanaging nut who assumed she was a lot more intelligent that she was, a walking disaster and I was trying to figure out how to correct her micromanager mistakes.

the man with the heavy beard growth was someone I was apparently working with on an task similar to the work I do here.

For some reason I wake up about ten minutes early and my heart was beating fast, I woke up instantly.  I think the reason my heart was beating fast was because I had gotten up and couldn’t walk, and I thought, “Ok, this is what it is like” and I’m not sure what “this” was.

Office day today.  They have hired (actually replaced vacancies) more staff, so my territory will decrease.  I will miss the people I worked with and also the stimulus of always having something that is new and interesting to work on.  I’ll see what happens.  I’m glad I had the chance to work the areas I have now.  It should continue for another month or so until the new ones phase in.

That’s it for now, Thursday, July  30, 2015.

Summer 2015 July 29 Wednesday

78 degrees this morning, walk 41:59 minutes

Seems almost cool this morning, even during the first phases of my walk, before I started sweating.  

A full moon (or close to it) this morning.  Noted it during my walk, can’t see it from my patio due to the trees.  

It is still pretty much of a “dark sky” out here yet.  I can see the stars, which is nice.

I noticed a skunk during my walk yesterday morning.  I didn’t look too close, but I saw enough of a white stripe to assume it is a skunk.  Also, there was a “scent” in the air during various parts of my walk to indicate skunks are around.  Hopefully just the 4 legged variety.

Still trying to determine an exercise pattern, in addition to what I do in the morning already (walk, sit-ups and some barbell exercises, not much).  My dilemma is I like to shower after my first activity in the morning, so i can enjoy my journal writing, nap, breakfast etc. with some degree of feeling clean.  

The logical thing would be to do my exercise, etc. and then shower etc. right before I start work.  Sometimes logical just doesn’t work.

It kind of boils down to the daily papers again.  They just come too late to fit into my daily schedule, so I probably will need to go ahead and start the “electronic” newspapers so I can read them anytime I want.  

I would like to incorporate bicycle riding as a regular activity, I may start it several times a week and somehow tie in swimming at the YMCA also.  Anyway I’m sure I will work it out.

One thing I really enjoyed about China was the feeling that I was “a day ahead” of activities in the United States .  (For example, the stock market would close for what is Monday in the United States on Sunday evening in China, or something like that.)  

Obviously it is just a trick of perspective, but it was fun to think about being a day ahead of the actual events!

I can only call the planners in this city (for residential subdivisions) “unimaginative” at minimum and negligent is probably a better description.  To allow “cookie cutter” subdivisions (narrow streets, small lots, an inadequate park on waste ground, inadequate stormwater plan, HOA burdened with what the City should be paying for, lack of commercial buffering  etc.) is simply not good for the community.  

Top it off with allowing literally hundreds of apartments in small areas without any street expansion or park space and you are looking at developing some real problems.  So much for planning.

Then I go a half-mile east and see landscaped commercial areas, walking trails and bicycle paths, a variety of lot sizes and houses, large recreational areas etc.  Maybe it would have been worth it to pay more money, who knows.  Of course, they also have severe traffic problems etc.

Field day today.  It is getting toward the end of the month so I am currently mainly on either my real problems or just mopping up what tasks are left, so to speak.  

Next Monday or Tuesday, I will get a whole load of tasks again, so the fun begins.  I really enjoy the experience of string on a whole  new group of tasks, especially if the previous month is either resolved or at least stabilized!

That’s it for now, Wednesday, July 29, 2015.

Summer 2015 July 28 Tuesday (Earthquakes and Light Bulbs)

81 degrees this morning, walk 39:55 minutes 

Earthquakes are becoming more frequent and strong in this area.  There were two 4.5 earthquakes near us yesterday and a number of smaller ones.

I never have felt an earthquake, although people around me have. I guess I’m not paying attention!  

Eleven light bulbs have now burned out since we moved here June 6.  We are starting to become a little paranoid about the electric wiring in our house.  Maybe they just installed chep light bulbs, we shall see.  

We replaced the light bulbs in my office with LED “daylight” bulbs, but the main problem is the fixture is really not appropriate for an office even though it was built as an office, if that makes any sense.  

Although we still need to hang pictures/paintings etc  and still have some putting away, and throwing away, a large portion of our moving is completed.  There is still always something to do (including replacing lightbulbs).  

Read the book on “tidying up” and picked up some pointers that I will test and see how they work.  I don’t doubt a bit they will work if I fully implement them.  I have already found it easier to send some things to the “out” box.  I noted some of her main points and am going to go back and review them.

Nice breeze this morning.  It is almost too much, but isn’t, still what I consider a nice breeze.  It will be too windy to read the paper out here this morning (I’ll need to read it on the inner part of the patio.)

Reading the latest Stephen King novel.  At least I think it is the latest.  Years ago, I would have stayed up all night and  read it.  Now I am lucky if I can read it in a month.  I think, at least for now, I just don’t want to read a novel unless it is somehow different or a new perspective.  

When I start a novel now and know how it is going to end, I probably simply won’t read it.  

Of course, moving etc. has taken a lot of time (of if you  aren’t working on moving, you feel like you should be), and I am trying to improve my computer literacy. 

 Maybe I am spending too much time on trying to save time!  I can see where that could become a problem. 

Stopped by the Apple store yesterday for my problem with “Notes” duplicating  themselves.  That is a major reason why I use Apple products is if I really have a problem, almost 90% of the Apple employees take a real interest in the product and customers.  Not that other stores don’t, but it isn’t near as high, at least in my opinion. 

Listening to the “Believing Brain” during my walk this morning. I considering stopping it for another book, but decided I will continue listening.  I have a backlog of books I can listen to as well as read.  I have almost stopped subscribing to magazines, depending on the internet and the “next issue” app.  I expect eventually newspapers will be next, but not yet.

Office Day today, have a number of phone calls to make.  Between e-mail and texting, I realize how much time a phone call takes, although (at least for my work), a phone call is usually much more effective and a personal visit is probably the most effective.  

That’s it for now, Tuesday, July 28, 2015.

Summer 2015 July 27 Monday

81 degrees this morning 38:02 minute walk

No breeze this morning and you can really tell the difference in the way the temperature feels.  Sitting outside is a little hampered by the fact our sprinkler system isn’t adjusted yet so the patio gets a good watering in addition to the grass.  Of course, I could adjust the time so it wouldn’t water right before I come out.  At least it isn’t on when I am out here.  

It is bad enough so  use water just to keep  grass unnaturally green, must less water concrete!

Overall good weekend, ready to start the last month of July as  we race to 2016!  

Right now, the forecast is for “hot and dry” for the rest of the week, my kind of weather!  

Started listening to a book about “the believing brain” during my walk.  I realized after I had started I had heard it before, but I may just go ahead and listen to it again.  It is about how we build our belief systems, including beliefs in a number of areas.  

Going to stop by the Apple Store today, one of the reasons I remain committed to Apple products.  I can always (as long as I remain near one) stop at an Apple Store and get answers to my questions.  

For some reason, the “iCloud” storage reverted back to the basic storage, which isn’t enough for me.  I am going to stop by the Apple Store and make sure I am not double charged as well as get some instruction on getting some items corrected.  (Notes is doubling up on me for some reason, I can’t always get my devices to show up in “Finder” and I am having a hard time putting audible books on CD’s to listen to in the car.  

Actually, in one car, we have it worked out so that “bluetooth” works well with one the iPhone works well with our audio books so we may not need the CD’s anymore, but I  still want to have the option.  

I always think I am going to listen got podcasts so I can learn different subjects, but thus far I have continued listening to audio books or music on my  walks and when I am in the car, either by myself of with Aliene.  

Ron and Vicki are heading back today.  It has ben nice having them visit.  It is nice to have them stay at the house to provide a chance to visit more.

Speaking of Apple, one thing I really don’t like about Apple is the type “bait and switch” they do with the iCloud.  The first is a very small amount of money, but soon your storage is exceeded and I get these continuous messages that I don’t have enough storage and I should upgrade at a much higher costs.  

When Google, Flickr etc. offer unlimited (for all intents and purposes) storage (and at least in the case of Flickr) much better services, it is hard to stay loyal to Apple.  Especially when you know they may come out with a new product and make all of your devices obsolete without any attempt to allow any kind of upgrade.  

Field Day today.  I actually have to start fairly early since I have an early appointment, which is relatively unusual, since most retail doesn't open until at least 9 am., and even then you try to avoid disturbing them during a busy  time.    

I am starting an hour early today, so  I can stop an hour early.  It is nice to have that option!

I am going to buy some new walking shoes in the near future (this week).  I learned the hard way I need to go to a exercise shoe shop and have my feet measured etc. so out of fairness I also buy my shoes there.  

I read a story about New Balance 990 shoes.  Any comments you have on them, please let me know!  They cost about double my usual max for walking shoes  since the Dr. told me to see a shoe shop before buying shoes and about 8 times what I used to spend on exercise shoes, so I don’t want to make such an investment if it isn’t worth it!

That’s it for now, Monday, July 27, 2015.  

Summer 2015 July 26 Sunday

78 degrees this morning. Walk 42:30 minutes 

Sitting on the patio this morning with a light breeze cooling the air as insect sounds carry over the night air.  Soon the birds will start waling up. 

I don’t mean to run this into the ground every day, but it isn’t that many days that it is this nice and I want to note each one of them because they are valuable! 

I guess I value them because they are so relatively rare and I don’t want to take them for granted.  

Finished listening to “The Innovators’ this morning for the second time.  It is really an excellent book.  

After finishing the book I spent the rest of the time listening to my Spanish language tape, although I have a feeling I will never really learn it.  I really would like to learn enough to verbally greet people and carry on a minor conversation.  Google Interpretor can do a lot.

Of course, my area not is so varied, I need to not only know Spanish, but also Chinese, Vietnamese, and a number of other Asian and African and Arabric languages.  Of course, that is one thing that makes my job so interesting. 

It is a true tapestry of languages and cultures and all of them are trying to make a success in their business.  While some of the normal stereotypes apply, for the most part there is a wide variety of businesses.

Undecided as to what book I will listen to on my walk next.  I may just listen to musics for a few days, or I may continue to list to my Spanish and Chinese tapes.  However, I am so backlogged with books I want to listen to (and re-listen to) that I probably will start another book.  I always think I will start listening to a book during my time in the car on “field days”, but I normally end up listening to music or CNBC.  

We have had ten (yes 10!) light bulbs burn out since we moved into the house about six weeks ago.  It hasn’t been just any one type of lightbulb, it has been a variety.  We reported it under the warranty as a defect, but don’t know if that is it or they just used cheap bulbs.  Lighting fixture manufactures deserve a special place in hell for their poor designs of their products and the way it is impossible to change some of their lightbulbs. 

We are replacing some of the bulbs (such as in my office) with LED bulbs that are supposed to last 13 years and consume almost no electricity.  We shall see.  Actually, right now, we are using up the light bulbs we have, although we will probably use LED bulbs for the lights that are on all the time or especially difficult to replace, or where the design or poor construction of the light fixture makes it more feasible to use an LED bulb.  Assuming, of course, that they don’t  burn out in a month also.

For some reason, our electric bill last month was at least double an triple some of the same types of months in the other house.  We really feel like the electricity wiring has a problem, but we’ll see.  Both houses are almost exactly the same size, so it should be somewhat comparable.

The sprinkler system is basically fixed, just has to be adjusted.  Now, I have to find out what the minimal amount of water is that is needed to keep the grass and shrubs at least on minimal life support for the rest of the summer.  I don’t like to watch water being wasted for just grass (that you then have to mow) and I don’t like paying for it!

I wish there was a way I could sleep out on the patio, at least in the early morning.  

That’s it for now, Sunday, July 26, 2015.  

Summer 2015 July 25 Saturday

77 degrees this morning, 38:20 minute walk 

Sitting out on the patio with that cooling breeze.  

I need to bring some of the toads out in front back here to take care of some of the bugs, although right now with the breeze it is nice and the bugs aren’t out.  

Last night I saw the toads (there are at least two of them that come out for a late buffet of bugs every night after dark.  There tongues are FAST!  I don’t even see their tongues move, but the bug is gone!  

Listening to “The Innovators” again on my walk, and it is just as interesting as the first time, as I pick up new ideas to think about.

He mentions that computers won’t truly be “like humans” until they have a “sense of consciousness”, perhaps a sense of their own uniqueness.  

I look at that as something like a child who starts to develop her own identity, a process that starts as a baby and then probably continues until adults and probably continues all of your life as you develop a sense of who you are. 

I think “partnering” with machines is probably a a lot better concept than trying to make machines “human”.  There are things a machine can do a lot better than I do, but there are some things I (in the universal sense of human beings) can do that it doesn't make any sense to even try to make a machine do it.

The book mentions that in a chess contest were humans and computers are “partners”, the best Grandmaster doesn’t win, nor does the most powerful or “smart” computer.  The winner is always the  humans who understand how to utilize the computer the best.  

Of course, his entire book is about how “partnering”, including using techniques from all fields, including art, science etc., are the integration of these are the major contribution to innovation.  

Yesterday we had a “pizza party” at our house  I am always amazed when everything goes right.  On a Friday evening (where everyone driving seems to go nuts), I had a easy trip to pick up pizzas from two places, and in each place a car pulled out from right in front of the store as I drove up, so I had a parking place right in front of the store!  Then I het almost all the lights green on the way back.

We are pleased that our house proved  to be very suitable for this type of event.

We are rather puzzled by the fact that ten light bulbs have burned out since we moved in.  Ten light bulbs seems like a lot and we have mentioned it to the builder as a possible electrical defect, if nothing else so we have a record of it.  Ten light bulbs burned out in one month is  lot.

We are using one of my pet projects, LED bulbs where it is appropriate to do so (where the bulbs are lit for long periods, since as my office, the garage etc.)

Another dream 

Dream 7 24 15

Intense dream about 3 former employees.  I was somewhere  and I called them to have breakfast with two of them.  After breakfast, I was driving them to our motel room to see Aliene and ended up getting lost in some area with large houses.

I used my GPS  to find the way to the hotel, but somehow ended up with them in a large basement where you parked and walked underground.

I was driving  when I realized I just had my wrap around and shirt on that I put on after I take a shower.

I was supposed to meet them for breakfast after I got  dressed.  Somehow I couldn’t find my way out of the basement and realized it was 7:30 a.m. and too late to have breakfast.

At the end of the dream, I heard the voice of another former employee and turned around.  He kept on walking and then turned around and said my name, when i woke up.

Setting was in some kind of valley, the building was like one of those big old high schools except it had a huge basement area.

The dream was very real, although the setting was very unreal.  When I woke up, I was very surprised it was a dream.

That’s it for now, Saturday, July 25, 2015.

Summer 2015 July 24 Friday

Summer 2015 July 24 Friday

80 degrees this morning, walk 41:25 minutes 

Nice breeze this morning, as the breeze has a cooling effect as I sit on my back patio and feel the breeze and listen to the morning birds (not many yet).  

A friend read my entry yesterday and noted that small trees actually do grow well and large trees can be a hassle to maintain as well as very costly.  Point well taken!  

Actually, that led me to thinking, is cutting older trees actually good (to a point), since they may be diseased, subject to damage due to age and weakness plus their possible high maintenance costs.

I guess at this point I have to mention I have not had anything but a small twig of a tree on any property I have lived in since 1998!  I do remember Aliene having to pay a large sum of money to have a tree removed from her house, so they do have a cost.

Fortunately, both at Lakeland and here, I am able to enjoy the trees without worrying about taking care of them.  Here, the trees are so small, even if they blew over, they wouldn’t do much more than damage the fence anyway, which I don’t think belongs to us anyway.  

Yesterday morning during my walk I heard what sounded like an explosion or gunshot.  After hearing three more (two while I was sitting out on the patio and it sounded like it was right in back in the area with the trees).  I went ahead and called the Police to report it, don’t know if they found anything.

Probably someone hunting the deer or the wild turkeys in this area, although I don’t know what kind of person would be so foolish as to  hunt in a residential area. 

Attended the second seminar on “Legal aspects of Homeowner Associations” (or something like that) last night.  It was interesting and also a little scary on how  HOA’s can do the wrong thing.  

I planned to go to a prevention on “planning” by this city’s planners next week, but it is full.  May be just as well considering my view of the “planning” they do in this city, although I think the problem is with the elected officials.  I’ll see.

It did motivate me to enroll in the “WordPress” class before it filled up.  I really do need that class so I can expand my WordPress site, and improve it.  I know there are a lot of things I could do with it that I’m not doing.  (www.RobertWherry.com)  Basically right now it is just a blog with some autobiographical information.  

Expecting a great-grandchild today (a grandson), Aliene’s daughter’s son and his wife.  Their first child, so exciting times are ahead.  This is the third great grandchild, and assuming it is a boy as predicted, it will be two boys and one girl, the boy is about 30 months and the girl is slightly over a year.  

I have actually really enjoyed the great grandchildren, it is really interesting to watch them develop and be a part of their lives.

A day in the office today after two days in the field.  Catch up on the paperwork and prepare for m fled day Monday.  I meet some really interesting people on my “field days” and it reinforces my view that people are basically good and mean to do well.  I may be suckered in occasionally, but I’ve learned the signs and I would rather help 10 people and be suckered in by one (for a short while) that not help the ten people because I didn’t trust them.  

As always, I am impressed by just how much commitment people make to their jobs and businesses.  

Aliene’s son and daughter in law coming out today for a weekend visit and to attend the 95th birthday party of their great grandmother.   This will be our first guests who are staying here overnight.  Between that and the birth of the great grandchild, this will be quite  a weekend!

That’s it for now, Friday. July 24, 2015.

Summer 2015 July 23 Thursday

82 degrees this morning, Walk 42:08 minutes

The breeze is back this morning, which is really nice.  As long as it doesn't  develop into aa full wind.  

The breeze is too high to read the newspaper, but is perfect for the computer since it is a cooling breeze and keeps the bugs from me.  

Thinking about our use of natural resources.  My sprinkler is running this morning, at least partly.

Cox cable, in all its’ wisdom, cut the sprinkler system in three places.  Complete arrogance and irresponsibility is only  a minor way of describing it.  

However, again, I have to wonder about using a scarce resource to merely make grass or flowers that don’t want to grow in the summer, grow. 

Every tree, and I mean every tree, was destroyed when building this subdivision and now we are wasting water to keep the grass green?  If the trees had been left, (at least where possible), it would have been much cooler and not near as much water would be wasted on grass and replanting scrawny  little trees that are  going to die anyway.

I read in the paper yesterday about “yard management” practices which utilize natural plants and landscaping to minimize the use of water and I’m gong to check into that.  

I am preparing a speech for Toastmasters describing the “commercial/developer/builder complex in this city and how the residents are ignored.  Some of the items I will emphasize are:

-Home Owner Associations paying for services that should be public services

-Lack of screening between commercial and residential areas (I have seen some real horrot stories here, almost criminal negligence  in allowing commercial buildings right next to existing residential with absolutely no screening)

-Lack of connectivity, bike paths and walking paths

-Lack of screening of commercial/industrial areas

-Lack of adequate recycling 

-Lack of enforcement of drainage and erosion control regulations 

-Balkanization of neighborhoods by these policies leading to unequal services and “instant slums” of new houses when the HOA’s go bankrupt or have so many expense that residents can’t pay the fees.

I can go over 1/2 mile (to the city to the east) and find all of these.  Of course, I would pay about 50% (literally) more for the very same house.  May have been worth it.

I don’t know if I will ever give the speech to the city but at least I can practice it and it will help me organize my thoughts on the matter.  

Busy day yesterday “in the field”.  One of those days when I was able to be very productive, almost everyone I needed to see was there and cooperative!  Probably was able to knock off about 14 task items.  

Planning on spending another day in the field and then spend tomorrow catching up on paperwork again. 

That’s it for now, Thursday, (where did the week do?), July 23, 2015.

Summer 2015 July 22 Wednesday

75 degrees this morning  Walk (est due to not stopping stop watch) at 42:00 min.

Wednesday, July 22 already!  Time really does fly.  It seems like Monday is here, and then suddenly  Friday, I get up and suddenly it is time to go to work etc.

Sometimes I want to say, “hey, let me enjoy the time” and then I realize that enjoying the  time as it goes is the only way to appreciate it, so you won’t regret not enjoying time.  As I  read when I was a child, something to the effect of time is 60 golden minutes set with 60 diamond seconds.  

Actually, I looked it up and what I read was:  Lost — Yesterday, somewhere between sunrise and sunset, two golden hours, each set with sixty diamond minutes. No reward is offered, for they are gone 

Speaking of Google, I am astounded that someone (or it almost has to be “group  think”) thinks I really want Google to do automatic collages and “trip journals” for me?  What they come up with is hideous and laughable  

I wish instead of “telling” us, Google (and Apple etc.) would facilitate us doing it ourselves.  There actually are some good programs, and I have done collages just for the fun of it.  At least I wish Google would ask me before they produce it so I wouldn’t have to delete it. 

It is kind of like the e-mails from Amazon insisting they know what I want to  read, but or listen too.  They don’t.  

Felt good to walk again this morning, and mostly be able to dodge the mud from the irresponsible builders who won’t maintain their erosion control.  There was a thunderstorm going through south of here, but it was nice here.

Sitting outside, I knew something was different  No wind.  I actually like the light breeze although I don’t like wind as such.

Stayed in the office yesterday and caught up on paperwork, phone calls etc., and prepared for, probably two days (today and tomorrow) in the field.  

I was thinking, it actually takes about anywhere from ten minutes to an hour of research and recording (before and after) each case, for what is usually several minutes of actual physically visiting.  Of course that varies, there have been cases where I spent an hour or more with one business. 

Another dream I had, actually Monday morning, a very intense dream:

7 20 15 dream

Highly intense dream this morning based on the farm i grew up on (even though event nothing to do with it), with several other cities also involved..

Alene and I were there.  

I was doing something at work and forgot my computer so had to go home and get it   (A bunch of weird events I can’t remember)

I drove home and picked up my computer and then droverby the farm where I was a child.  Obviously things had changed, but what was surprising was we drove up  where the house had been I grew up in,  there was a wall of water come over the drive way, much more than just rain water.

We looked a each other and thought “what a water leak!, they’d never fix it”, but also wondered where such a wall of water had come from.

We next drove down by the pond that had been by our house.  There were people playing in the pond  (several children) and Aliene asked  what that was and i told her I had played in in when I was  child (I never swam in it though, it was really just a large muddle that retained water.)

We went to City Hall and went back to sit in the swing, but the swing was down.

We walked over to swing (in a two person swing) and a couple followed us and good naturedly   picked up the swing and started to put it together while Aliene and I looked at the pole and tried to figure where the swing was.

Lots of scenes from when i was a child, intermixed with scenes from past jobs.

Really strange, very intense dream.  The wall of water was really amazing 

Don’t know what were we were driving or who we got around, it was almost like we walked, but very fast.  

One scene I remember from the first of the dream (prior to going back to pick up my computer) was with a child hood friend of mine.  We were trying to cut up a huge pencil.  

also a scene from the one room school where I went to grades 1-4 and many scenes from the farm and Holton Kansas, but I don’t remember the specifics.

That’s it for now, Wednesday, July 22, 2015.