2020 Spring June 9 Tuesday

#Purple_Days_and_Golden_Nights

#My_Journey_20

#Spring_of_20

 75 degrees this morning, 85% humidity 

Yesterday was another excellent day, sunny all day, high of 94 degrees.  Started he day sitting on the patio reading.

Last weekend I heard something unusual, it was about “Heat bursts”  At around 10 a.m., the temperature in city went from something like 78 degrees to 98 degrees in a matter of just minutes.  The weather person called it a “heat burst”. 

I did some quick research on “heat bursts," it is usually accompanied by a hot wind.  The worst was in Portugal where the temperature went from 100 degrees to 158 degrees in two minutes 

As they say, I learn something new every day! 

Walk yesterday was 24;57 minutes pace was 47 seconds slower than my goal. Temperature during the walk was around 92 degrees. Listening to the last part of the “Great Course” on Confucius, Buddha, Jesus and Mohammad.  

I twas an excellent course.  As I mentioned before, since I started off with little knowledge, I learned a lot.  It was an interesting and informative  audiobook.   

As I noted before I just started  reading the book  “Lincoln  on the Verge”.  I didn’t know what to expect, but it provides a completely different perspective on the state of he country at that time.  

I was amazed at how close the United States  came to a complete disaster right after Lincoln was elected and before he became President.  The president James Buchanan had completely given up and his cabinet actually had at least 3 Secretaries who were actually working against the country ad shortly would be Officers in the Confederacy.  The Secretary of Defense had sent weapons to the South, the Secretary of Treasury had looted the Treasury , etc. 

The Capital was only defended by about 500 troops and only General Scott (who by then was so large he couldn’t  get on a horse) and several other individuals took action to defend the Capital.  

Apparently the capital could have been taken over the South very easy.  Lincoln provided a hope for change. 

Won’t bore everyone with the details, but it really emphasizes you never know enough about an event.  I have read fairly extensively about Lincoln and the Civil War and I had never heard about how serious it was and what Lincoln really had to face. 

I didn’t know how a book that long could be about just 13 days, but now I know.  It is a fascinating book.

Was rather shocked today to find out they had suddenly changed their mind at work and now we will be going “in the field” about a month before we were advised, like next week.  I feel misled to say the least considering the seriousness of a mistake and catching the virus.

I figure there are politics involved somewhere, someone wanting to prove something about being able to “open up” as fast as possible without regards for the damage they do. 

That’s it for now, Tuesday, June 9, 2020

#Resist

2020 Skprint June 8 Monday

#Purple_Days_and_Golden_Nghts

#My_Journey_20

#S;pring_of_20

74 degrees this morning  82% humidity

  

Weights:  Sit-ups, barbells, bench press

Another great day yesterday, high of 93 degrees.  Wind up a little. Sitting on patio this morning. 74 degrees in the dark with a light wind is a little cool, but still nice. 

Finished “These Women” on the patio yesterday morning.  It was really a great book.  Always nice to find a new author I like.  

I actually guessed “who did it” before the author identified the person. It starts off different, you don’t even know where the book is going.  When you think one way, it suddenly verges off to another area.  

A good way of looking at this book is a quote from the book “Why are people always asking the wrong question?”. 

I got tired of many of the “pattern” novels that are almost the same except for (maybe) the names of the characters .  Of course, I quit reading most of those years ago.  Won’t name any authors names since it wouldn’t really matter anyway.

Of course, there are “pattern” novels that work out and I enjoy them anyway.  

Walk: 24:33 minuets, pace was 76 seconds  slower than my goal.  Temperature was 80 degrees at the time of my walk.

Cool-down walk was 15 minutes.  

After I walked this morning, we did some yard work.  Our yard work is “a little bit at a time," but eventually it gets done.  I’m not good at that kind of work, so I take it one step at a time and try not to get ahead of myself or get myself in a trap where I do something I can’t fix!  

With the internet it is a lot better, since I can search for instructions on some tasks.  Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.  

I have found even with my lack of skill, I can do a better job than many people we hire.  Obviously that doesn’t apply to plumbing , etc.  I don’t even think about that,’

Starting a new book, this is a book about President Lincoln.  It is by Ted Widmer, “Lincoln on the Verge”.  I have started it, it is interesting, but I am always a little overwhelmed by the size of a book like this. 

As I mentioned with yard work, “a little bit at a time” and I am done. 

It is only about the 13 days it took for Lincoln to go to Washington DC to become President.  Of course, the book goes into a lot of the history involved.  The differences between the North and the South were even more bitter before the Civil War than I realized.

The book said that Troy, Kansas was as far West as Lincoln ever went, but I know he fought in the Mexican-American War, so I’m not sure if that is correct, unless he’s strictly speaking of campaigning. 

We did a “quarantine” Anniversary by picking up breakfast and supper “curbside” and taking it home!  Deal with the what is!  

Monday, start of another week.  I love the work, it is just frustrating having  to spend so much time documenting I have done what I am supposed to do!  What a waste of time.  I can understand documenting, but it is taken to the extreme, as frequently seems to happen. I expect I spend at least an hour a day just in unnecessary documentation.  

That’s it for now, Monday, June 8, 2020.  

2020 Spring June 7 Sunday

#Purple_Days_and_Golden_Nights

#My_Journey_20

#Spring_of_20

78 degrees this morning  76% humidity Wind 10 mph

23rd Wedding Anniversary today.  Certainly marrying Aliene is something I have never regretted.  I can’t believe how lucky I was!  The CMA Fest was almost always on our Anniversary the past 16 years or so, so we always said we “celebrated our Anniversary with 60,000 people in attendance”!  It will certainly be different this year!

Another wonderful Summer day high of 96 degrees.  Little wind, sunny most of day.

Although it is 78 degrees now, the cooling wind and the fact that it is still dark make it seem almost cool on the patio.  The moon is hanging what appears to be in the South.  

Walk:  25:21 minutes, pace was 74 seconds slower than my goal.  

Cool down walk was 15:10 minutes 

“Reopened” on several fronts today. Took one the cars in early for servicing, the first available appointment.  

On the way to the appointment, there was almost no traffic, where normally even on Saturday morning there is a lot of traffic.  I was surprised to find myself driving much faster than normal, I assume due to the lack of traffic. 

Also, when I first got in the car, I had forgotten how to adjust the radio stations!  I hadn’t driven the car by myself for a long time for any distance awe normally listen to an audiobook when we are in the car together. 

The dealership was set up relatively well, had sanitizer around, and even a way to pay ‘hands free” at the end.  

Although all of the personnel wore masks, I noted I was the only male customer wearing a mask and all of the female customers were wearing masks.  I’m not sure what that says, but it appears to be a pattern.  

As usual, the dealership had another “recommended” maintenance item.  I just have to assume they are being relatively honest with me.

Did the usual “curbside” pickup of a library and “contactless” pickup of groceries.  We aren’t ready to “re-open’ much more than that.  Every time we think bout going to a large store or restaurant with a lot of people, we just kind of cringe and decide we aren’t quite ready yet. 

I figure about the time I have to go “in the field” in July again, we might be ready. 

Almost finished “These Women”.  It is a really good book, as I mentioned , not my normal fiction reading.  It had some great quotes:

“Don’t just say you’re sorry, do something”.  Something I need to remember.  I think it kind of says we have a responsibility to assume some action when appropriate.  

“Why are people always asking the wrong questions”.  This is a fact of life I have seen (and done) many times.  It would take too much space to go into adequate detail on this one.  However, I like to remind myself, “Is that the right question?”.   That applies to questions I am asking as well as the questions someone is asking me.

“The moment after a crash seems to exist outside the convention of space and time,  a dead zone unreachable by the past or present”.  That describes it well for  a crash or any sudden unexpected incident. 

That’s it for now Sunday, June 7, 2020. 

#Resist 

2020 Spring June 6 Saturday

#Purple_Days_and_Golden_Nights

#My_Journey_20

#S;pring_of_20

80 degrees this morning,76% humidity

This is the time of year that I love, when it is 80 degrees when I get up!  I understand it is going to be cooler, but hopefully not much cooler.  

Weights:  Sit-ups, barbells, bench press.  Don’t do a lot of heavy weights, just maintaining.  I actually have been doing sits and lifting weights for almost 30 years, which is kind of a shock when I realize it. 

When I first started, I did’t really expect to really get into it, but I always have enjoyed it up to a degree. I just didn’t think it was worth the time to get beyond just some basic exercises although I enjoyed it.  At least I have  continued sit-ups, barbells and bench press for years.  

Wonderful day yesterday (again), sunny all day, high of 96 degrees.  Wind a little high, but not bad. Better yet, it was also Friday!

Walk 25:57 minutes today.  Pace was 52 seconds slower than my goal  Temperature was around 93 degrees during my walk.

I tried to walk a different route this time  I usually walk a walking trail along an electrical easement, so there is a lot of grass on both sides , etc.  I figured there may be more of a chance n a snake sunning itself in a trail with a lot of grass, but I really don’t know.  

Taking the car in for service this morning .  It is the first time the I will go to someplace like the in almost 90 days.  I decided it was best to go very early in the morning when everything is clean and there are fewer people around.  I made the very first appointment.  

Other than Walgreens, the Braum’s and Doctor’s office, this will be the first place I’ve been to in 90 days.   I’m sure I’ll be using sanitizer a lot and  make sure my mask is on tight. 

Usually I take the car in every 5,000 miles.  This time I am taking in because six months have passed, not because I reached 5,000 miles.  My driving went from about 1400 miles per month to about 150.

We have talked about going shopping in a store , etc., but always decided it was’t worth it.

The only reason I hesitated about taking he car in the first thing in the morning is that ai won’t get a chance to sit out on the patio after my morning nap!  I didn’t really hesitate, I wanted to get there early.  

  

It is looking like we will go “in the field” starting around July 1 or so.  I will need to do something about my “quarantine beard” and “quarantine hair” by then.  Or just don’t worry about it!    

Even worse if my “quarantine pounds”.  I hope I can still get I my dress clothes for work!  I am working on it, without a lot of success except at least I know what I am eating and how much I weigh!

Reading “These Women” some more, it is a really interesting book.  I am trying to get it finished so I can read the next book, which is a book about Lincoln I have been wanting to read. 

I am glad th weekend is here.

That’s it for Saturday, June 6, 2020.

#Resist

2020 Spring June 5 Friday

#Purple_Days_and_Golden_Nights

#My_Journey_20

#Spring_of_20

72 degrees this morning  65% humidity wind 10 mph

Another wonderful day yesterday, high of 99 degrees, sunny most of day, with some clouds late evening.  Supposed to storm last night, but never did .  (I’m not complainingI)

Currently sitting on the patio, listening to the night air (and the sprinklers kicking on), with a semi-full-moon hanging in the sky.  This is wonderful!   At least I have at least four months of being able to sit on the patio.  

Sat out on the patio before breakfast yesterday morning (after my morning nap) and read “These Women” by Ivy Pochoda. 

 This is one of the books I picked up from the Saturday Wall Street Journal and checked out of the library. At first I thought I might quit reading it, but then I got hooked on it. Not my normal kind of  novel, but it is interesting. 

I have a feeling it will end bad, but…  

Walk yesterday in 95 degrees weather, with the sun.  Walked 25:10 minutes, pace was 68 seconds slower than my goal. Didn’t really bother me, I am just  glad I am walking. I just kind of walk without worrying about the pace in this kind of weather.

I monitor my heartbeat on my walk, which is about 15 bpm more when I am pushing myself to walk faster than when I am just strolling.  

For some reason, I have thought it was Thursday all week and it is finally Friday!  Glad another weekend is here finally!

Looks like we will be going “in the field” at work July 1, or possible later on July 15. We will have PPE and will actually be equipped to use it to insure the safety of all.  Of course that is subject to change.  

I have mixed feelings about it, in some ways will glad to get out, other ways, I don’t want to take any chance after all this time of “sheltering in place”.  All it takes is one lapse and suddenly you could be extremely sick.

I always try to wait as long as possible to water the lawn, because I just feel it is such a waste of our resources to put water on a lawn, trying to make a non-native grass green  Of course, we water it anyway, but I still delay it as long as I can and just water it enough to keep it reasonably green. 

I am really shocked at how much our HOA spends on landscaping, watering a lot and then mowing a lot!  Doesn’t really make much sense.

We got an e-mail the other day which more or less indicates there won’t be any AAA ball this summer.  Not surprising, since as the time went by we just couldn’t figure out how they could have a season of any type with summer with any type of safety for the crowd. As I have mentioned before, AAA baseball isn’t the type that can be played without any crowds and have any kind of success.

Basically they are offering some incentives to “wait till next year” if you have any type of ticket package for this year. 

Hopefully we will be able to travel some this year and feel reasonably safe.

That’s it for now, Friday, June 5, 2020.

#Resist 

2020 Spring June 4 Thursday

#Purple_Days_and_Golden_Nights
#My_Journey_2020
#Spring_of_20

75 degrees this morning  70% humidity, Wind 10 mph 

Yesterday reminded me of a good Summer day, 94 degrees and relatively hot.  Some wind, but it acted as a cooling factor.  

Supposed to rain and have  thunderstorms this afternoon.  

Yesterday morning went out in the patio for a little while before work, drank some coffee, read some newspapers on my computer.  (Of course the “delivered” newspapers didn’t get here until 8:20 a.m, which was worthless.) Nice to sit on the patio in the morning, I’ll probably start going early on mornings it is 74 degrees or above. 

This morning is the first of hopefully a summer of early morning patio sittings.  Something about the wind in the trees and the nighttime air and the moon hanging in the sky.  

I do keep my eyes open for any wild animals.  I’m not too worried unless it is a snake (not likely at this time) or a skunk (more likely), but since I sit in the light I should be ok. 

I’d like to take my morning nap out here, but I’m not sure quite how I would do it.  

Of course, when I was a kid, we slept outside every night during the Summer, although we had a dog to protect us. He was actually very protective of us, and probably would have fought to the death to protect us.  Fortunately the issue never came up. 

Walk 24:49 minutes, pace was 49 seconds slower than my goal.  I didn’t think I was walking that slow.

I was thinking during my walk that I am used to walking early (very early) in the morning when it was still dark , etc. Even it was 85 degrees, it was relatively cool without the sun.

When I walked yesterday it was 91 degrees when I walked and the sun was shining down.  I decided to just walk at a good pace  I always thrived in sun and heat, but it’s been a few years since I have done fast walking in the sun from mid-day to late afternoon.

In fact, I think the last time I exercised when I walked in the sun was about 25 years ago, and when I walked in the hot sun was more like 30 years ago.  I enjoyed walking in the hot sun, but time became a factor.  Actually I starting walking early in the morning get the newspaper and then I added bicycling. 

Anyway, yesterday I realized how hot I had gotten (not dangerously so, just sweating a lot), I decided to just enjoy the walk and not worry about my pace, although I will keep track of it.

Keeping up with “My Fitness Pal”  Generally keeping up with the food I eat, water drink , etc.,  and it correlates with my walking.  

I can take pictures of myself to follow progress in that area, but it’s kind of difficult to get a good picture.  Actually very difficult until I lose some weight! 

I happened to see a picture of myself taken about 18 years ago (and a few pounds lighter) which has provided some incentive to keep on the diet!  

Actually I don’t like to think of it as a “diet," I like to think of it as just my eating pattern.  I have to admit a relatively low card eating pattern is best for me.

I ignore the carbs in fruits and vegetables. They are usually “slow”carbs anyway and I figure the benefits outweigh any carbs.

That’s it for now, Thursday, June 4, 2020.

#Resist 

2020 Spring June 3 Wednesday

#Purple_Days_and_Golden_Nights

#My_Journey_20

#Spring_of_20

74 degrees this morning 71%  humidity 

Yesterday was another nice day, wind up a little, high of 89 degrees

Walk: 22:36 minutes, pace 7 seconds slower than goal.

Not a bad time on my walk, but I thought I was walking a little faster than that, but it is what it is!  As I mentioned it is difficult to determine if I am walking fast or slow.  

Listening the “Great Course” on “Confucius, Buddha, Jesus & Mohammad”.  It has been an interesting course.  I am just finishing with the philosophy of Jesus and ready to start with Mohammad.  

I have found the books very interesting in a non-religious way.  I am looking at it in the historical perspective, which is the perspective of the course.  

I thought maybe I walked faster listening to music, but actually my best times were when I was listening to the “Great Course," for whatever than means. 

As I mentioned before I am starting from very limited knowledge so I am learning a lot.

My “virus” beard (or maybe quarantine beard would be better) is moving along.  I used to trim it, but I decided why trim it?  I’ll let it grow and then trim it so it doesn’t look too wild when I have to work in the field or otherwise join the great opening.  

To go along with my beard, I haven’t had my hair cut for 3 months, (Aliene does trim it), but actually I like it longer anyway.  

I am assuming the virus won’t peak and spread again, we are in “shelter in place status” for longer than the first part of July. 

We are heading to 90 days already.  I never really thought it would last this long when it first started.  I really thought a month or so.  Somehow it kept stretching out until we realized it my be much longer than we thought.  

Mentioned our experience at “Braum’s," our favorite ice cream place.  It seemed like a virus pit to us, since we hadn’t been out for over two months.  Almost no one wearing masks, I didn’t see any really preventive measures.  

I sent an e-mail to corporate Braum’s, just politely pointing out they could be more preventative.  I got a response saying something about every State and city laws were different.  That didn’t really relate to anything I had mentioned.

It seems they could wear masks, as a courtesy at least.  Actions speak a lot louder than words!

May be good, since now we probably won’t go anyplace for longer than we expected.  Hopefully the virus will continue to fall.

It is finally warm enough to sit outside on the patio this morning.  

That’s it for now, Wednesday, June 3, 2020.

#Resist

2020 Spring June 2 Tuesday

#Purple_Days_and_Golden_Nights

#My_Journey_20

#Spring_of_20

70 degrees this morning, 73% humidity 

Weights yesterday  morning (sit-ups, barbells & bench press)

Yesterday was a good day, a little more gloomy than I expected, although it was a good day overall, not as much sun as I expected,  but no wind and it got to 85 degrees.

Walk yesterday, 22:22 minutes, pace was 20 seconds FASTER than my goal.  That is the fastest pace has walked in a long time.  Hopefully I can maintain it so I can lower my goal.

Like any goal, I’m not planning on moving it faster all the time, at some point the goal is simply the goal and it won’t move.  

5 years 11 months since we moved to this area, 5 years 9 months since I started my current job.  

Time goes fast.  This year, without of all the activities to make the year, it has flown.  

The lying coward lunatic is really showing what a lying coward he is. What a disgusting sight to see such a cowering lying clown as “president”.  A real sick joke.

The picture tonight with a bible in his hand was especially sick.  

Even George Will, a life long conservative (and one I have always respected) is calling for the coward and the congressional cowering cowards (he called them “enablers”) to be removed.  He actually had an excellent term for them “invertebrates”, no backbone, which describes it well.  

As one commentator said, he is losing it.  I really thought he had already lost it, but he is even losing it more than I expect.  

Only about 3 weeks (actually less) until the start of the official Summer, when the days start to get “shorter” until we go though Winter again.  

It will be like a “year without Summer” in a way.  Of course, the writer of “Frankenstein” wrote the book because a volcano made the “Summer” so cool that people stayed in and told stories and they were telling scary stories.

Apparently it gave her the idea to write Frankenstein, so (assuming you feel it was good), good things happen even from bad events. 

Going to be a busy week, we have the “new” assignments at work and this month some people are working “in the field” so it is going to busy as we catch up on field work.  Actually I won’t go “in the field” until at least after July 1.

We are still “sheltering in place”.  As I noted the other day, we tried to go out a little, but decided it was still too early!

That’s it for now, Tuesday, June 2, 2020

#Resist

2020 Spring June 1 Monday

#Purple_Days_and_Golden_Nights

#My_Journey_20

#Spring_of_20

68 degrees this morning 68% humidity

Another wonderful day yesterday, very little wind, sunny, up to 85 degrees, had breakfast on patio.

Walk 23:25 minuets, pace was 3 seconds FASTER than my goal!  Glad to see me finally get back to exceeding my goal!  I’m not going to worry about maintaining my goal, I’m just glad I’m starting to exceed my goal occasionally!

Cool down walk:  15:02 minutes 

Friday, I about decided to cancel my “delivery” papers and what happens but Saturday morning the I can’t get the electronic version to come up!  Of course that was a rare occurrence.

However, I have decided to take what for me is a historic decision, to stop my “delivery newspapers” soon.  They are just being delivered too late and pose a security problem if we have to go someplace early and the papers come late.  For example, they came after 10:00 a.m. Sunday morning, which simply is unacceptable.  Also, it would save a lot of recycling.  

Kind of reminds me when I was a kid and delivered the daily newspapers.  Since we were kind of off the beaten path, the papers always arrived  late and I’d have people cancel because they came so late.  Understandable. 

I expect a lot more things will be on-line now.  I expect we will return to shopping in stores sometimes.  Although delivery and curb pickup (of grocery items etc) is great, it is nice to actually go into the store.  

While “curbside” pickup of food has been ok, we miss the experience of actually sitting in the restaurant.   I never could understand the reason for ordering from a restaurant at full price and then picking it up or having it delivered to eat at home.  Just doesn’t make any sense and still doesn’t.  (Other than fast food, such a pizza , etc.)

I’m glad it is available now, but not something I’ll miss when the chance to eat in a restaurant comes again.  

I’m not sure if I will ever be big fan of ‘virtual conferences”, Zoom, Microsoft Teams , etc., although they are certainly better than nothing.  

I just realized sitting on the patio this morning, how much I all miss sitting outside watching the AAA baseball games.  I miss the games also, but what really enjoyed was sitting outside in the nice (or hot) weather and just relaxing.  

I really doubt that there will be a minor league season this year, I doubt there is much of a market for a “fan-less” season.  The experience is the main factor in minor league baseball. 

While I really like being able to enjoy the weather at the AAA ball games, I also enjoy the food, the other fans who become more or less “baseball friends” and especially seeing some of the players actually make it to the big leagues.  

That’s it for now, Monday, June 1, 2020.

#Resist