Welcome to the month of June!- very nice but hot day outside.
I did my stretches.
It is my neighbor Gloria’s birthday and I walked over to give her a cactus and yap a spell with her and Mark. They will be having a big party tonight and I am invited, but I really didn’t feel up to it because of my Dad is still in the hospital in Tucson. The doctors say he is doing real good; kinda makes me wonder. So later, I called my sister Paula; she had seen him today and says he is doing well and is sitting up telling jokes and annoying the staff. This made me feel much better.
It is my neighbor Gloria’s birthday and I walked over to give her a cactus and yap a spell with her and Mark. They will be having a big party tonight and I am invited, but I really didn’t feel up to it because of my Dad is still in the hospital in Tucson. The doctors say he is doing real good; kinda makes me wonder. So later, I called my sister Paula; she had seen him today and says he is doing well and is sitting up telling jokes and annoying the staff. This made me feel much better.
My friend Bonnie called to say she has her phone in her new house in Landers. I will go visit her tomorrow and bring her a gift for all the nice work she has done on my book covers. I am preparing her gift as I write this :)
Wednesday 05- still in the mid 90s with a slight breeze. I did my stretches, lifted weights, yoga, ran up and down the hill with 5lbs dumbbells, core trainer, and punched the heavybag for two minutes. I did my laundry over at Stoney’s and cleaned up the kitchen counter of mice droppings. There is poison left out and I’ll see if there are anymore droppings later in the week. I worked on Kelly’s swamp cooler; I took one from Andrew’s property and swapped it with her’s that was burned out. I fired it up and it started to smoke. I figured it was the engine that decided to die, or it was that the belt was on too tight and the squirrel cage needed lubricant. I will pick those up Friday when I go take Kelly shopping and also check the price of a new motor. I did my stretches, lifted 10lb dumbbells and went for my evening walk with my backpack. I talk to a FaceBook friend for a long spell. I did my stretches, lifted 20lb dumbbells, and went for a night run.
They transferred my Dan from the hospital in Tucson to a continuing care facility today. He is still a little weak and we'll have watch him carefully. ***** Stuff I Wrote this Week****** Fairies are swift and quick, among the mighty trees they hide. A spell they cast of innocents to those dear and pure of heart. Not to walk upon the darken path covered shadows fall, but up the sky they soar, on wings of glossimer strings, to become one with one and all. And now we read and write electronically with bits of electric current that transverse the world traveling at the speed of light. These keystrokes I type are broken down into what is called packets containing the information I have just written and each is sent on a different path, to finally be assembled almost instantaneously on your computer screen for you to read. Each day is a wonder; a new chance to realize how very fortunate and special we really are. Each and every one of us holds a key to a brighter future inside our minds, buried deep within the core of our very existence it lies waiting silently to burst upon the global theater to correct the wrongs and make things right for all humanity. Each day is a wonder; waiting, hoping, anticipating the rise of this Global Consciousness which will sweep like a wildfire throughout our planet and bring an end to the greed that chose to destroy it. Each day is a wonder... I remember sailing my small boat at night through the red tide that sometimes came to Redondo Beach during spring and summer. Streaming bright glowing luminescent rivlets flowed behind the boat as emerald waves broke upon a dark quiet sandy shore. Once a dolphin headed towards midship, a greenish trail like a torpedo speeding to our middle and diving down under our craft to emerge on the other side. This leaving this green dissecting line through our boat in the waters above. Yes it is really dark in the desert. The only light cast is that of the stars shining brightly on the black velvet carpet of space that is the firmament of our existence, overhead
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Sunday 09- another hot day with temps into the low hundreds.
I did my stretches.
I drove my scooter over to visit Bonnie and Larry. They invited me over for a BBQ and how could I turn that down. Larry had been working outside and Bonnie had been painting a trailer paver for a friend who is helping her out; it shows the space number and has a nymph with wings. Now she was in the kitchen getting all the fixin’ done for the BBQ. Ducky came to visit me on my chest and pick at my beard as me and Larry yammered on about this and that and ate watermelon. We had Jack Daniels burgers with cheese and a slice of pineapple.
Monday 10- a little cooler but lots of smoke in the air from some fire far away.
I did my stretches, lifted weights, yoga, ran a mile and a half with 1.5lbs around each wrists, core trainer, and punched the heavybag for three minutes.
at around 2pm I noticed smoke and looked outside and the sky had darkened from a fire in the San Gorgonio Wilderness in the San Bernardino Mountains near Banning Ca. I decided to stay inside the rest of the day and not do my exercises; my eyes got irritated by the smoke.
While waiting for the gamma-delphinids meteor shower (which was a no show), I watched two movies, “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, and The Cradle of Life”; I thought both were very good.
Tuesday 11- over 100 and the air is still filled with smoke but not as much as yesterday.
I did my stretches, lifted weights, and punched the heavybag for two minutes.
Linda H. called to say she was home from Iowa and for me to come on over. We sat around yammering about computers and desert tortoises that she tracks for the National Parks system. I let Linda try riding my scooter and she did very well; she is thinking of buying one for short hops around locally. Seimi came to collect his hat he left when picking Linda up from the airport; all three of us went for a nice walk around the desert.
Wednesday 12- smoky from the fires and hot.
I did my stretches. I didn’t do my exercises because of all the smoke in the air.
I went to Palm Desert with Kelly in her car to pick up her prescription. On the way we stopped at the pet store to get dog and cat food. When we tried to start her car to leave it wouldn’t start. I lifted the hood and found that one of the battery cables had come undone; makes me question her mechanic’s skill she has working on the car. We finally got her prescription and stopped to get gas; again it wouldn’t start when we went to leave. The cable was on the battery and everything I could see was okay, but still it wouldn’t start. Remembering we had parking brake and gas cap warning lights come on when there wasn’t a problem, I disconnected the battery and left it that way for ten minutes hoping that it had something to do with an electrical sensor. I hooked it back up and she started and drove just fine the rest of the night. Later when we went to WalMart, I had Kelly buy new battery connectors to have her mechanic replace. We ate Chinese, grocery shopped, and drove back home.
Thursday 13- still a whole lot of smoke and hot outside.
I spent the first half of the day getting ready for my trip to Tucson to see how my birth father Joe is doing after being in the hospital for two weeks and has now be released to a continual care facility. At around 5pm I had the Cougar fueled, loaded up with supplies, washed down and ready to roll. I hugged my home before I left to go to my three hour CERT training course.
The CERT class was on Unit 4: Disaster Medical Operations. This included treatment of burns; fractures, dislocations, sprains and strains; hypothermia and heat related injuries... and more. We went through setting up a triage and locations to put the different categories of injured and also a morgue. The Chief carried in a practice dummy and showed us all how to perform a head to toe exam and what to look for. It ran a little over 9pm and I had to help carry a body (practice dummy) out to the CERT van.
I jumped in the Cougar and drove all the way to Tucson without stopping and arrived there at 3:45am. I didn’t get to sleep till around 5am.
Friday 14- clear skies and 102 degrees in Tucson.
I got up a little bit before 11am when I heard my brother Kevin coming in the door of the family home. We sat at the kitchen table yakking for a spell before we drove to my sister Audrey’s house across the street (my brother is sometimes lazy). We chatted with her for a spell talking about Dad’s condition. Then me and Kevin drove to the continual care facility so I can have a look-see for myself. He looked frail lying in bed. He just completed his physical training for the day and was about to have a nap. We spoke for a very short time and we left to get lunch. We visited my sister Paula and she said that he has his ups and downs especially after PT and that I should see him a couple of times before I come to any conclusions. Kevin and I went back to see Dad at 6pm and he was sitting up talking to my Audrey and was very active and cracking jokes; which is a very good sign and a lot better than when I saw him earlier. This made me feel a whole lot better than I felt on the first visit.
Saturday 15- the high temps went down when it rained for the first time this year in Tucson.
My sister Sheila came by to the family house to see me and ended up going to the continuing care facility with me and Kevin. We timed it so our arrival would coincide with him having his lunch. He was alert and talkative after the nurse woke him up for his meds. His lunch soon arrived and we all had a nice chat. He is looking better!
We dropped Sheila back at the family home and Kevin decided he wanted to eat at Arby’s. I wasn’t impressed with the beef sandwich one bit; it kinda lingers around for hours. I inquired about the ingredients and if it had sodium nitrate. The counter person didn’t know, she left to ask the manager who didn’t know, so nobody knows.
We went to my niece Tifany’s apartment to see her and her two kids who were overly rambunctious but cute. I didn’t know that Tifany played violin and she played it mighty well for me and her father Kevin.
Kevin dropped me off at the family home and I walked over to have a short chat with Audrey and John before they left on a five mile bike ride. So I was left to my lonesome in a home full of memories that I wasn’t part of. Looking at pictures of family I’ve never met or younger versions of the family I do know. Pictures going back before the 20th century I could only imagine who or where they were, but all related to me. I felt a kinda happy emptiness, a sad nostalgia, a kind of belonging and being apart; I felt calm.
***** Stuff I Wrote this Week******
Don't tell anyone, it's our secret meeting place; a watering hole you might say. To dance together upon fields of lush green grass and hide among tall reeds. There we gather to swap our tales of future goals and of dreams yet to be revealed.
A love, so tender yet so wild, danced their song upon sacred grounds. Together they sang amidst the dark of uncertainty which sprang from poisoned wells. Young lovers will always find a way to dance and sing their song. A song so bright it brings us cheer to those who can love no more. And the name of that song shall carry forth from sugar cherry lips so sweet, a melody so fine, heavenly and pure, it caresses the Moon, and resonates the Earth, to outshine the gloom of a day yet to be, making way for morning's first light.
Oh that is so true, one little thing to get done, one little thing left to do. It never ends, it never shall until all our days are through.
Microsoft really made a big error thinking a touch screen was the way to go and that Windows 8 would be popular among users on desktops and laptops without touch screens... unfortunately for Microsoft not every user has a touch screen or wants fingerprints on their computer’s screen, besides on an ultralight laptop you could tip it over poking at the screen.
Win8 gets in the way of me getting things done... some folks like it, but I don't and the majority of users don't either; it shows in the lack of sales and angry comments people leave after being stuck with it. I want to get on my laptop and get my work done without going through some Metro Start screen social App doohickey thingy. They will hopefully fix this error on Win 8.1, rumored to be out in August, and give us the choice to bypass this monstrosity of a baboon's butt and let us users get some work done without the hinderance.
Sorry, I get carried away harping on Win 8...
Maybe a story:
A thermonuclear device was detonated off the coast of Florida last night at 1am turning night into day. This photo was taken seconds after the blast. Updates will follow.
What a wonder it all is, what a wonderful life we live...
A question was asked wondering what a camera from Vietnam he was give saw... I replied:
Your words made me stop to think what the camera seen. Then I closed my eyes to a place far away, where laughter turned to tears, the green of plants turned a bitter black with woes of children running wild...
******
******
Sunday 16- cooled down some in Tucson with a hint of rain here and there.
Kevin picked me up around 11am. We had breakfast at Carl’s Jr. and then headed over to see Joe. He was up and having lunch when we got there and we jawed for quite a spell. I had made up my mind last night to leave Tucson today and told him so before I left the care facility.
My niece Crystal stopped by the family home to give me a hug and so I could see her kids before I left. Kevin helped me gather all my belongings and toss them into the Cougar and I left for home around 4pm.
What a wild ride it was too!
I arrived at Yucca Valley about 10:15 or so; it’s hard to look at my wristwatch and drive! I stopped at Carl’s Jr. and had a coffee and burger before I topped off the gas tank and went home.
Kevin picked me up around 11am. We had breakfast at Carl’s Jr. and then headed over to see Joe. He was up and having lunch when we got there and we jawed for quite a spell. I had made up my mind last night to leave Tucson today and told him so before I left the care facility.
My niece Crystal stopped by the family home to give me a hug and so I could see her kids before I left. Kevin helped me gather all my belongings and toss them into the Cougar and I left for home around 4pm.
What a wild ride it was too!
I arrived at Yucca Valley about 10:15 or so; it’s hard to look at my wristwatch and drive! I stopped at Carl’s Jr. and had a coffee and burger before I topped off the gas tank and went home.
Monday 17- the temps were into the high 90s.
I did my stretches, lifted weights, yoga, ran a mile and a half with 1.5lbs around each wrists, core trainer, and punched the heavybag for five minutes.
I watered the outside plants really good.
I finished putting away all the stuff I had brought to Tucson that was still in the Cougar that I was too tired to deal with when I got home last night.
I did my stretches, lifted 10lb dumbbells and went for my evening walk with my backpack.
I did my stretches, lifted weights, yoga, ran a mile and a half with 1.5lbs around each wrists, core trainer, and punched the heavybag for five minutes.
I watered the outside plants really good.
I finished putting away all the stuff I had brought to Tucson that was still in the Cougar that I was too tired to deal with when I got home last night.
I did my stretches, lifted 10lb dumbbells and went for my evening walk with my backpack.
Tuesday 18- temps are still in the 90s with a little breeze with some smoke from some fire somewheres far away.
Last night around 1am I fell asleep with my computer on and woke up before noon sometime. I guess that all the traveling and being around folks and stuff really zapped me out finally. I did my stretches.
I decided to work on chapter one on “Rainbow at the End of Tomorrow” and get it out of the way and hopefully acquire some momentum to complete the book; this will be my final edit of the book before I send it to Kindle for publication. I edited the chapter all day long and into the night; almost as long as it took to write the dang chapter in the first place. There was a bunch of stuff I didn’t like or didn’t sound complete. I also added a few paragraphs to round out the beginning.
Last night around 1am I fell asleep with my computer on and woke up before noon sometime. I guess that all the traveling and being around folks and stuff really zapped me out finally. I did my stretches.
I decided to work on chapter one on “Rainbow at the End of Tomorrow” and get it out of the way and hopefully acquire some momentum to complete the book; this will be my final edit of the book before I send it to Kindle for publication. I edited the chapter all day long and into the night; almost as long as it took to write the dang chapter in the first place. There was a bunch of stuff I didn’t like or didn’t sound complete. I also added a few paragraphs to round out the beginning.
Wednesday 19- a very nice but hazy day. The winds picked up in the afternoon but settled down around sunset.
I did my stretches, lifted weights, yoga, core trainer, and punched the heavybag for five minutes. My CPR class is at 1pm and I needed to get ready for and didn’t go on any run today.
I arrived at the CPR class a bit before 1pm. The whole class took four hours and covered: CPR for Adults and Pediatrics, choking, poison, strokes, burns, controlling bleeding, how to use an AED shocking device to stop the heart and to use CPR to start the heart again. I also learned you do give breaths of air while doing CRP; it was widely suggested on news broadcasts and on the Internet that you only had to do chest compressions, which is false!
I arrived at the lake campground for the Marian Call Concert at 6:45pm and set up my folding chair near the front so I could take some nice photos of her and her guitar player Steve. I especially liked her song Karaoke; Marian played it the last time she was here in July 2010. She sang a song about all the travels she done on her 50 state tour and mentioned Joshua Tree several times. Marian played till 9pm and then hung around jawing with folks and her admirers. Marian told us all that she will be her next year which got a huge round of applause.
I did my stretches, lifted weights, yoga, core trainer, and punched the heavybag for five minutes. My CPR class is at 1pm and I needed to get ready for and didn’t go on any run today.
I arrived at the CPR class a bit before 1pm. The whole class took four hours and covered: CPR for Adults and Pediatrics, choking, poison, strokes, burns, controlling bleeding, how to use an AED shocking device to stop the heart and to use CPR to start the heart again. I also learned you do give breaths of air while doing CRP; it was widely suggested on news broadcasts and on the Internet that you only had to do chest compressions, which is false!
I arrived at the lake campground for the Marian Call Concert at 6:45pm and set up my folding chair near the front so I could take some nice photos of her and her guitar player Steve. I especially liked her song Karaoke; Marian played it the last time she was here in July 2010. She sang a song about all the travels she done on her 50 state tour and mentioned Joshua Tree several times. Marian played till 9pm and then hung around jawing with folks and her admirers. Marian told us all that she will be her next year which got a huge round of applause.
Thursday 20- a very nice day outside.
I did my stretches, lifted weights, yoga, ran a mile and a half with 1.5lbs around each wrists, core trainer, and punched the heavybag for five minutes.
I worked on chapter two of “Rainbow at the End of Tomorrow” editing and changing this and that. I will try to start chapter three tonight after CERT training.
I arrived for CERT training at 5:20pm. We did a little review of Unit 4 and then proceeded to Unit 5: Light Search and Rescue. This consisted of search and rescue size up, Conducting interior and exterior operations, and conducting rescue operation. After a slideshow and lecture, We broken down into groups and each group given different scenarios of a disaster. We were then given about 15 minutes to come up with a plan of action. Then each group gave a presentation of their plan and it was critique by our instructors. After this we trained on different methods of how to carry victim from a disaster scene, and how to remove a victim from debris by using Cribbing and leverage.
I started editing of chapter three and finished it before I went to bed.
I did my stretches, lifted weights, yoga, ran a mile and a half with 1.5lbs around each wrists, core trainer, and punched the heavybag for five minutes.
I worked on chapter two of “Rainbow at the End of Tomorrow” editing and changing this and that. I will try to start chapter three tonight after CERT training.
I arrived for CERT training at 5:20pm. We did a little review of Unit 4 and then proceeded to Unit 5: Light Search and Rescue. This consisted of search and rescue size up, Conducting interior and exterior operations, and conducting rescue operation. After a slideshow and lecture, We broken down into groups and each group given different scenarios of a disaster. We were then given about 15 minutes to come up with a plan of action. Then each group gave a presentation of their plan and it was critique by our instructors. After this we trained on different methods of how to carry victim from a disaster scene, and how to remove a victim from debris by using Cribbing and leverage.
I started editing of chapter three and finished it before I went to bed.
Friday 21- nice and pleasent day...HAPPY SUMMER!
I did my stretches and yoga.
I picked Kelly up to go to town around 2pm. We went to the pet shop to get her critters some food, Vons to get some of their wonderful sourdough bread, and then to the Sizzler to scarf down at their salad bar. We were there for over an hour eating and messing around on our Android tablets. After we were all stuffed with food we ventured into WalMart and then Staters Brothers to finish off our shopping. I stuck around her house watching several episodes of “Burn Notice”, finally leaving at midnight.
I did my stretches and yoga.
I picked Kelly up to go to town around 2pm. We went to the pet shop to get her critters some food, Vons to get some of their wonderful sourdough bread, and then to the Sizzler to scarf down at their salad bar. We were there for over an hour eating and messing around on our Android tablets. After we were all stuffed with food we ventured into WalMart and then Staters Brothers to finish off our shopping. I stuck around her house watching several episodes of “Burn Notice”, finally leaving at midnight.
Saturday 22- a little overcast but still into the low 100s.
I did my stretches, lifted weights, yoga, core trainer, and punched the heavybag for five minutes.
I went to visit Denny and Judy and their grandson Dustin who are staying at Stoney’s house. They had been here earlier the week before but we had missed each other by me being in Tucson and them going to Disneyland for a few days to celebrate Dustin graduating from High School. We sat around for a few hours catching up on news and such. Dustin finally got a chance to ride his ORV he had for a few years now, only to have the fan fall off and the battery die after a days hard riding. Dustin had brought a friend along but I never got to met him because he was sleeping in the trailer and never came out. It was good to see them all.
I then went over to my vacationing friend’s house to spend an hour watering her yard. I spent the time reading my astronomy book as the plants drank down their life’s blood.
I finally got home and finished editing chapters 3 and 4. This took the rest of the day and well into the night to do. I’m trying to stay focused...
I did my stretches, lifted weights, yoga, core trainer, and punched the heavybag for five minutes.
I went to visit Denny and Judy and their grandson Dustin who are staying at Stoney’s house. They had been here earlier the week before but we had missed each other by me being in Tucson and them going to Disneyland for a few days to celebrate Dustin graduating from High School. We sat around for a few hours catching up on news and such. Dustin finally got a chance to ride his ORV he had for a few years now, only to have the fan fall off and the battery die after a days hard riding. Dustin had brought a friend along but I never got to met him because he was sleeping in the trailer and never came out. It was good to see them all.
I then went over to my vacationing friend’s house to spend an hour watering her yard. I spent the time reading my astronomy book as the plants drank down their life’s blood.
I finally got home and finished editing chapters 3 and 4. This took the rest of the day and well into the night to do. I’m trying to stay focused...
*****
Sunday 23- temps into the high 90s. I did my stretches. I called Family and Friends to yack at them for a short spell. I then spent the rest of the day editing, proofing, changing my first Sci-Fi book, “Rainbow at the end of Tomorrow. Monday 24- Getting hotter all the time... I did my stretches, lifted weights, yoga, ran a mile and a half with 1.5lbs around each wrists, core trainer, and punched the heavybag for five minutes. I continued to edit my book all day and I still have many chapters to do. I did my stretches, lifted 10lb dumbbells and went for my evening walk with my backpack. I got so focused on my editing that I forgot to go for a night run. Tuesday 25- the temps are starting to climb back into the hundreds. I did my stretches, lifted weights, yoga, ran a mile and a half with 1.5lbs around each wrists, core trainer, and punched the heavybag for five minutes. Almost done editing! I did my stretches, lifted 10lb dumbbells and went for my evening walk with my backpack. I published the book, “Rainbow at the end of Tomorrow; book one” as a Kindle ebook at Amazon and priced it at 99 cents. I got to figuring that $2.99 is too much for an ebook, but that is the cutoff for me getting 70% royalty and Amazon getting 30%. Anything under $2.99 Amazon get 65% and I get 35%. Now if I go with the 99 cent I believe folks will think that is a fair price for an ebook that doesn't have to be printed and bound on paper and everything is done electronically saving everyone money and they’ll buy it. Would you feel right about paying the same price for a paperback book as you would for an ebook? I sure as hell don’t. So I even brought down the price of my very first book “A Little Desert Home to 99 cents. 99 cents is as low as Amazon will go before you have to put it up for free; and I ain’t gonna do that! I did my stretches, lifted 20lb dumbbells, and went for a night run. Wednesday 26- temps are around 104 degrees today but with a few clouds. I did my stretches, lifted weights, yoga, ran a mile and a half with 1.5lbs around each wrists, core trainer, and punched the heavybag for five minutes. I studied Unit 6 for my CERT training class. I did my stretches, lifted 10lb dumbbells and went for my evening walk with my backpack. I kinda kicked back today and watched two episodes 13 and 14 of “Warehouse 13” on Hulu; The Big Snag, and The Skies The Limit. I did my stretches, lifted 20lb dumbbells, and went for a night run. I downloaded a copy of my Sci-Fi book onto my Kindle and found a few errors and a few things I can include to enhance the beginning. So I spent the wee hours of the night doing the update and resubmitting it. Thursday 27- temps hovering around 100 degrees. I did my stretches, lifted weights, yoga, ran a mile and a half with 1.5lbs around each wrists, core trainer, and punched the heavybag for five minutes. I reviewed Unit 6 of the CERT training class. I did my stretches, lifted 10lb dumbbells and went for my evening walk with my backpack. I arrived at the community center for the CERT training class at 5:30pm for Unit 6: CERT Organization. This unit covers how to organize and deploy resources, how to protect CERT personnel during search and rescue, strategies for documenting situations and resources, and team organization and structure. After a short review of Unit 5 and a long lecture on UNIT 6 by Judy and the Chief on how to fill out forms; we were broken down into four groups and given different scenarios of a disaster and given twenty minutes to make a report up on how we responded. The overall scenario was a magnitude 7.1 earthquake that hit our area and our four CERT team deployed at different areas. One student was chosen from the whole class to be the Incident Commander/Team Leader who we would radio and report to. Teams would radio in their reports and updates and it was the IC/TL to setup his command structure according to CERT guidelines, allocate resources, and radio back to the individual teams his response. I would have to say this simulation was a very productive and informative demonstration of how CERT performs its function during a disaster. After CERT I drove to WalMart to get a motor for Kelly’s burned out one on her swamp cooler. It has been getting really hot in her house and I thought I’d help her out. When I went to check they were out. I asked them to check in back and was told that most of the merchandise has already been sent to the new store down the block that will open on July 17. I stopped off at Carl’s Jr. and got a couple of burgers for us; I didn’t want to arrive at her house empty handed with the bad news of the motor. Friday 28- temps into the the teens, like over 114 or more degrees. I did my stretches. I went to Home Depot as soon as I woke up and picked up the motor and had it all installed by 2pm. I was a little overheated and I hung around at her house to cool down and didn’t get back home till midnight; the swamp cooler is working very well.
Saturday 29- I was too busy to noticed the temps but I am sure they were well over 115 degrees.
I cooked up my usual beans and rice surprise and headed down to the community center for Potluck. There were twenty folks showing up on this very hot day with lots of food to go around.
Tim Ayzei cooked and simmered to perfection the sauce for his fancy Italian spaghetti. Indy and his gal wiped up salad tabbouleh which mysteriously disappeared soon after. Mary Koval and daughter Chris cooked up a storm by bringing garlic bread, chocolate cookie bars, cowboy casserole, and WalMart cheese chicken. Dorothy Jacobsen and Dyan Carroll performed their magic at the stove with their Hawaiian rolls, kalua pork, shaved ice coolers, fruit bowl, and a banana cream pie; I done died and gone off to heaven seeing all this tasty food! Cal Myer’s brought a fruit and vegetable plate for all to enjoy. Kip Fjelds mixed up his wonderful Guacamole. Stephanie and Jay created a special edamame and feta salad, yum! New to potluck, Nancy Hanson and Corinne Lery carried in an angle food cake with white frosting and pumpkin Muffins. Finally let us not forget the world renowned master chef Chris Jonas and his splendidly supreme macaroni salad!
Afterwards I took some leftover to Kelly. She was cleaning her house and asked if I would help; hey sure why not... I was there working with her until 2:30am helping her clean.
Sunday 30- temps over 118. Excessive heat warnings in effect until July 4th at 11pm.
I did my stretches.
I decided to worked getting my own swamp cooler working. It is the earliest in the season I ever remember connecting it up; some years I never need it. I had to hunt around for all the parts to connect it up to the water, but unfortunately some parts were missing and I’ll have to use a hose to fill it up for right now until I can get to Home Depot.
I called Family and Friends, but most were not home and out doing something or saw it was me and decided not to answer; damn that caller ID thingy.
I am still editing, proofing, changing my first Sci-Fi book, “Rainbow at the end of Tomorrow. It is funny how reading it on my Kindle Reader I am finding all these little mistakes that need correcting. I am going over it now chapter by chapter correcting them.
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Sunday 23- temps into the high 90s. I did my stretches. I called Family and Friends to yack at them for a short spell. I then spent the rest of the day editing, proofing, changing my first Sci-Fi book, “Rainbow at the end of Tomorrow. Monday 24- Getting hotter all the time... I did my stretches, lifted weights, yoga, ran a mile and a half with 1.5lbs around each wrists, core trainer, and punched the heavybag for five minutes. I continued to edit my book all day and I still have many chapters to do. I did my stretches, lifted 10lb dumbbells and went for my evening walk with my backpack. I got so focused on my editing that I forgot to go for a night run. Tuesday 25- the temps are starting to climb back into the hundreds. I did my stretches, lifted weights, yoga, ran a mile and a half with 1.5lbs around each wrists, core trainer, and punched the heavybag for five minutes. Almost done editing! I did my stretches, lifted 10lb dumbbells and went for my evening walk with my backpack. I published the book, “Rainbow at the end of Tomorrow; book one” as a Kindle ebook at Amazon and priced it at 99 cents. I got to figuring that $2.99 is too much for an ebook, but that is the cutoff for me getting 70% royalty and Amazon getting 30%. Anything under $2.99 Amazon get 65% and I get 35%. Now if I go with the 99 cent I believe folks will think that is a fair price for an ebook that doesn't have to be printed and bound on paper and everything is done electronically saving everyone money and they’ll buy it. Would you feel right about paying the same price for a paperback book as you would for an ebook? I sure as hell don’t. So I even brought down the price of my very first book “A Little Desert Home to 99 cents. 99 cents is as low as Amazon will go before you have to put it up for free; and I ain’t gonna do that! I did my stretches, lifted 20lb dumbbells, and went for a night run. Wednesday 26- temps are around 104 degrees today but with a few clouds. I did my stretches, lifted weights, yoga, ran a mile and a half with 1.5lbs around each wrists, core trainer, and punched the heavybag for five minutes. I studied Unit 6 for my CERT training class. I did my stretches, lifted 10lb dumbbells and went for my evening walk with my backpack. I kinda kicked back today and watched two episodes 13 and 14 of “Warehouse 13” on Hulu; The Big Snag, and The Skies The Limit. I did my stretches, lifted 20lb dumbbells, and went for a night run. I downloaded a copy of my Sci-Fi book onto my Kindle and found a few errors and a few things I can include to enhance the beginning. So I spent the wee hours of the night doing the update and resubmitting it. Thursday 27- temps hovering around 100 degrees. I did my stretches, lifted weights, yoga, ran a mile and a half with 1.5lbs around each wrists, core trainer, and punched the heavybag for five minutes. I reviewed Unit 6 of the CERT training class. I did my stretches, lifted 10lb dumbbells and went for my evening walk with my backpack. I arrived at the community center for the CERT training class at 5:30pm for Unit 6: CERT Organization. This unit covers how to organize and deploy resources, how to protect CERT personnel during search and rescue, strategies for documenting situations and resources, and team organization and structure. After a short review of Unit 5 and a long lecture on UNIT 6 by Judy and the Chief on how to fill out forms; we were broken down into four groups and given different scenarios of a disaster and given twenty minutes to make a report up on how we responded. The overall scenario was a magnitude 7.1 earthquake that hit our area and our four CERT team deployed at different areas. One student was chosen from the whole class to be the Incident Commander/Team Leader who we would radio and report to. Teams would radio in their reports and updates and it was the IC/TL to setup his command structure according to CERT guidelines, allocate resources, and radio back to the individual teams his response. I would have to say this simulation was a very productive and informative demonstration of how CERT performs its function during a disaster. After CERT I drove to WalMart to get a motor for Kelly’s burned out one on her swamp cooler. It has been getting really hot in her house and I thought I’d help her out. When I went to check they were out. I asked them to check in back and was told that most of the merchandise has already been sent to the new store down the block that will open on July 17. I stopped off at Carl’s Jr. and got a couple of burgers for us; I didn’t want to arrive at her house empty handed with the bad news of the motor. Friday 28- temps into the the teens, like over 114 or more degrees. I did my stretches. I went to Home Depot as soon as I woke up and picked up the motor and had it all installed by 2pm. I was a little overheated and I hung around at her house to cool down and didn’t get back home till midnight; the swamp cooler is working very well.
Sunday 30- temps over 118. Excessive heat warnings in effect until July 4th at 11pm.
I did my stretches.
I decided to worked getting my own swamp cooler working. It is the earliest in the season I ever remember connecting it up; some years I never need it. I had to hunt around for all the parts to connect it up to the water, but unfortunately some parts were missing and I’ll have to use a hose to fill it up for right now until I can get to Home Depot.
I called Family and Friends, but most were not home and out doing something or saw it was me and decided not to answer; damn that caller ID thingy.
I am still editing, proofing, changing my first Sci-Fi book, “Rainbow at the end of Tomorrow. It is funny how reading it on my Kindle Reader I am finding all these little mistakes that need correcting. I am going over it now chapter by chapter correcting them.
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