Tuesday 01- a sweltering 112 degrees.
I did my stretches, lifted weights, took Cassie for a mile run, core trainer, and punched the heavybag for two minutes. I did all this just before the temps shot up to over 112; a neighbor of mine said it got to 118 on her porch!
Went over to Kelly’s to install her Air Conditioner into her bedroom window. When I arrived there was water flowing from a burst pipe; these pipes are over fifty years old.
Cassie stayed in the house while I was gone and was a good girl and happy to see me return.
Wednesday 02- a nice 111 degrees.
I did my stretches and took Cassie for a walk.
I worked on and off trying to get the area for the pool leveled. Just too dang hot and muggy to work very long outside.
I took Cassie for her evening and night walks.
Thursday 03- 108 degrees.
I did my stretches, lifted weights, yoga, took Cassie for a walk; too hot for a run, core trainer, and punched the heavybag for three minutes.
Slow work on the new pool because of the heat.
Took Cassie on her evening and night walks.
Friday 04- 106 degrees.
I did my stretches and ran a mile with Cassie.
Kept working on leveling the area for the pool.
I stayed home with Cassie to see if she would be okay with the fireworks but the out-of-towners who usually fire them off up here didn’t show.
Took Cassie on her evening and night walks.
Saturday 05- 105 degrees.
Cassie was whining and work me up. I heard honking outside and it was Sherry dropping by to say hi. I let Cassie out the door and she ran to the gate happy to see Sherry. It was raining when I finally got my pants on and went outside to greet her.
I did my stretches.
I was working on leveling the ground to put the pool on and cleaning up stuff along the way when I realized I was getting kinda dizzy so I quit and went inside to rest; it was over 100 degrees outside and the humidity from the rain was what finally got to me. I took a shower and will take a rest for a spell. I decided to just chill out the rest of the day except taking Cassie for her night walk. I will finish putting the pool together tomorrow.
***** Stuff I Wrote this Week******
When investors see no end to the highs of the market and think it will continue to rise forever... it is time to move on. What I do is put it in a money market and wait until everyone starts selling then I cost average into an Index fund (Usually Vanguard) all they way to the bottom and keep buying as it climbs back up until I think the market is getting too risky. I don't get greedy and sell shares in the Index fund and put it back into the money market until another slump or crash happens. This takes a lot of patients but that's how I do it and made a modest sum and never lost a cent.
To leave something behind, something outstanding and wondrous, be it our children, poems, stories, inventions or living an altruistic life, these we create, these ideas we gave birth to cries out to the stars our very existence through generations yet to be born, saying we were here, we made a difference on this small planet Earth. That’s what life and death is about; to me anyways.
We are the sum of our experience and this is how we perceive the world around us. A very dynamic ever changing perception indeed. Some are influenced by religion and a belief in God/gods or some supreme being and that’s okay, some are not influenced by dogma and that’s okay too. I go out at night to stare into the cosmos to drink it all in until I become one with infinity and feel at peace and unafraid; to live in the Moment.
Out of step: The Art of Being Mistaken... Possible title for a new book?
I was outside working on my pool when I saw this fire and called 911
All up! Needs filter pump installed and filled with water
Sunday 06- hot cloudy with sprinkles and some rain!
I did my stretches and took Cassie for a mile walk.
I called family and friends throughout the day.
I got right to it and little by little put the pool altogether and started to fill it up. I can’t imagine what my water bill will be.
I saw a house fire and called 911. Cassie was excited to see the firetrucks!
I took Cassie for her evening and a night walks.
First step into my new pool
Monday 07- 105 degrees.
I did my stretches, lifted weights, yoga, took Cassie for a mile run, core trainer, punched the heavybag for three minutes and swam in my new pool for the first time. It took several hours to fill the pool; I turned it off last night and continued when I first woke up this morning.
I took Cassie for her evening and a night walks.
Tuesday 08- 109 degrees.
I did my stretches and took Cassie for a walk.
I went to WalMart and Home Depot looking for a timer for my new swamp cooler and a chlorine floating thingy for the new pool. I had left Cassie inside the house and all seemed to be alright when I came home and she greeted me with much enthusiasm when I opened up the door.
I took Cassie for her night and evening walks.
Wednesday 09- a 106 degrees.
I did my stretches, lifted weights, yoga, took Cassie for a mile run, core trainer, punched the heavybag for three minutes and swam in my new pool wearing this belt I wear to do stationary swimming with. I swam for about 45 minutes until my arms and legs tired out; I love to swim!
I took Cassie for her evening.
Kelly and I went shopping in her car at 7pm. We went to Vons and WalMart and that was all and didn’t get home until 2:30am. I left Cassie in the kennel because it was cool enough and I thought I’d be back sooner. I still took Cassie for her night walk when I finally got home.
Thursday 03- 107 degrees.
I did my stretches, yoga and ran a mile with Cassie.
Kelly had a doctor’s appointment at 2pm and said she’d pick me up. Well it was going on 12:30 when I got worried and called her up and she was still asleep. I told her I’d drive my car over to her house and then drive her down to Palm Desert. We made it just in time for her appointment. We sat in the office for a long spell and finally got out of there at 4:17PM and they only saw her for 10 minutes.
Took Cassie on her evening and night walks.
Friday 11- 101 degrees.
I did my stretches, lifted weights, yoga, took Cassie for a mile run, core trainer, punched the heavybag for three minutes and swam in my new pool for 40 minutes.
I did my stretches, lifted 10lb dumbbells and went for my evening walk with Cassie.
I posted on Facebook that I would be away from there for a
I did my stretches, lifted 20lb dumbbells, and went for a night run with Cassie.
Practiced my guitar for a spell.
Saturday 12- 113 degrees.
I did my stretches and took Cassie for a walk.
Bonnie and Larry came out to visit and swim in my new pool! We had a wonderful time floating around and Bonnie bought me lunch; a meat burrito with lots of cheese!
I took Cassie for her evening and a night walks.
***** Stuff I Wrote this Week******
We can also say we are held chained down in a prison of our own beliefs and/or possessions.
**********
My pool highly photoshopped by Bonnie who is also in the pool
Sunday 13- 116 in the dang shade on the porch at 4:30pm!
I did my stretches, took Cassie for a walk and swam for about 40 minutes.
I worked on the 4th book rereading and re-editing it most of the day.
I took Cassie for her night and evening walks.
Monday 14- 102 degrees and really muggy with all this humidity.
I did my stretches. Even Cassie didn’t want to go outside, but we went for a short walk anyways.
I worked on the book and took Cassie for her evening and night walks.
Tuesday 15- 103 degrees but minus the humidity.
Dang... I couldn't get to sleep until very late thinking about a bad situation, then Cassie wakes me up at 6:30am to be let out and I lie there for an hour thinking and decided to just get up. I did my stretches, lifted weights, yoga, took Cassie for a mile run, core trainer, punched the heavybag for two minutes, ate breakfast and finally fell back to sleep at 9:30am and woke back up at 12:45pm!
I took Cassie for her night and evening walks.
Wednesday 16- a 105 degrees.
I did my stretches, lifted weights, yoga, took Cassie for a mile run, core trainer, punched the heavybag for about two minutes and swam wearing a stationary belt for about 35 minutes until my arms and legs tired out.
I took Cassie for her evening.
I worked and completed rereading and editing three chapters bringing me to start chapter 13 maybe tomorrow. There are 20 chapters altogether and I’ll have to then retype it all up.
Thursday 17- 102 degrees.
I did my stretches, lifted weights, yoga, took Cassie for a walk, core trainer, punched the heavybag for about two minutes.
I had to wait around the house for FedEx to deliver closing papers for the house in Tucson that I would have taken down to Yucca Valley to have signed and notarized. I worked in the yard potting plants and doing a little work around the yard. Unfortunately FedEx Called around 1pm asking me where I lived because the Escrow company put the wrong address on. I gave them the right address and continued to wait until 6pm when I figured they weren’t coming. All the plans I had when I went to town and having dinner with Sherry were for not. I called my realtor and she contacted the Escrow company and they will email me the PDFs tomorrow to print out and taken to town and have signed and notarized.
I took Cassie on her evening and night walks.
Friday 18- 102 degrees.
I did my stretches and took Cassie for a walk.
I printed out the PDFs that the Escrow company sent and had everything filled out except what I needed notarized and was walking out the door to my car for the drive to town when FedEx shows up; oh the irony!
I went to a place called Goin’ Postal to take care of the whole shebang. I called them yesterday and I was told everyone of the employees have a notary license and can also ship my papers FedEx overnight. When I was done I stopped off at Vons that was in the same shopping center to get a few things like fried chicken for me and the dog. Then I went to Star Pharmacy to pick up Kelly’s prescriptions. I then drove to Home Depot to pick up a switch I ordered and had delivered there. Then it was on to Kelly’s house to drop off her pills and home to my dog. Cassie was kept in the house because of the heat and she was being a good girl this time; last time she tore up a whole roll of paper towels.
Cassie play fetch with me in the evening.
Saturday 19- 109 degrees.
I did my stretches and kinda kicked back today. I took Cassie for all her walks.
I watered the plants.
Sherry came by making her rounds and Cassie is always thrilled when Sherry arrives to say hi and give her doggie treats...
Another photo of clouds I thought were cool.
***** Stuff I Wrote this Week******
To dream and put it into words is an awakening!
~RD
******
Sunday 20- 102 degrees.
I did my stretches and took Cassie for a walk.
I was going to go for a swim when I noticed that my right rear tire was flat. So I spent an hour in the heat removing the tire, plugging the hole, filling it with air and placing the tire back on the car. All was going well and decided to fill the other tires on the car that seemed to be low. I was in the process of doing just this when to my dismay the electric pump died and was letting air out of the other tires I was trying to fill. I had to use a manual foot pump and a lot of effort to get even 30lbs of air into them when it calls for 44lbs.
I worked on the 4th book rereading and re-editing it most of the day.
I took Cassie for her night and evening walks.
Monday 21- 107 degrees with clear skies.
Sherry came by with the USDA bag of food for me and doggie treats for Cassie.
I did my stretches, lifted weights, yoga, the ground was too hot for Cassie so I went for a mile run by myself, core trainer, punched the heavybag for about two minutes and swam wearing a stationary belt for about 35 minutes until my arms and legs tired out.
I talked to my good friend Doug Dorney and I am getting him one of my laptops ready for him to use. I set him up with a Gmail and FaceBook accounts so he wouldn’t have to deal with that. I will ship it to Canada in the next few days.
I did my stretches, lifted 10lb dumbbells and went for my evening walk with Cassie.
I worked on the book; chapter 14.
I did my stretches, lifted 20lb dumbbells, and went for a night run with Cassie.
I practiced playing my guitar.
Tuesday 22- 109 degrees and clear.
I did my stretches.
I boxed up the laptop for Doug and drove to Yucca Valley to Goin’ Postal and had them do the honors of sending it out. I just didn’t feel like standing in line at the post office. Cost me $60 for a box and to send it to Canada; may have to rethink about that standing in line at the post office thingy. I stopped to get gas. Went to Bank of America to take care of some business there, then on to Home Depot to get a hose for my propane stove that has sprung a leak. Went to WalMart for a few items and got myself back home. Cassie was a bad dog this time and chewed up my boxer shorts, another had, a whole roll of toilet paper was all over the place and one of my new running shoes was sitting on the couch was her next victim but I got there just in time to save the shoe from a horrible fate. All I did was say “did you do that” and “bad girl” while she hid her face from me or did the walk of shame. I really can’t complain or be mad at her and everything can be replaced.
I took Cassie for her night and evening walks.
Wednesday 23- 111 degrees... it was 104 degrees at 9pm!
I did my stretches, lifted weights, yoga, went for a mile run with Cassie, core trainer, punched the heavybag for about two minutes and swam wearing a stationary belt for about 35 minutes until my arms and legs tired out.
UPS arrived with my Raspberry Pi for Dummies book; last week I bought a Raspberry Pi starter kit which is a small tiny computer for learning about computers, Linux and programming in Python among other things.
I did my stretches, lifted 10lb dumbbells and went for my evening walk with Cassie.
I worked on the book and finished chapter 14.
I did my stretches, lifted 20lb dumbbells, and went for a night run with Cassie.
I practiced playing my guitar.
Thursday 24- 112 degrees.... it was 103 degrees at 9pm!.
I did my stretches.
Me and Cassie went to Sherry’s so Cassie can visit Barney and Sneakers and we can go eat at the Sizzler and stop off at WalMart to get her a hepa filter air purifier for her bedroom.
I got home when Sherry called crying telling me our good friend Chris Jonas has passed away. I didn’t really feel like doing anything after that.
Friday 25- 104 degrees and overcast.
I did my stretches and moped around.
I finished editing the printed paper part of the book and now for the finale edit!
I took Cassie for all her walks or she’d bite me....
I had severe stomach pains during the night making it hard to sleep; I don’t know if it was something I ate or stress but it was very debilitating.
Saturday 26- 102 degrees with rain thunder lightning chaos.
I slept in late and felt a bit better from my ordeal of last night. I did my stretches and took Cassie for a short walk.
It was raining with lightning and thunder when I started off for potluck with my Mexican Surprise Casserole. I disconnected all the electrical and took the inverter offline from the batteries; I lost two inverters last year during two different storms and didn’t want to that any chances.
I didn’t really feel up to going to potluck because my friend Chris who runs it had passed on last Thursday, but I went anyways. We had 17 folks showing up and I asked everyone for a moment of silence for Chris Jonas and it went very well.
We had a very large storm cell pass through our area, not as bad as the one in September 9th of last year but still moved a lot of mud came down the hill into my yard and blocked off a few roads making getting home from potluck an adventure.
I couldn't get home from potluck that Saturday by way of Winters rd because it had turned into a river so I took a different route. Instead I went down Pole Line rd and crossed what I thought was a pond at the bottom of the hill and sped up to 35mph to cross this so called pond not to get stuck in its mud. I found out too late the pond was a small river. The other side had been eroded away about a foot by the swift moving water and I hit the bank with such force I thought I might have blown both front tires out. I kinda briefly lost control on the other side. The impact had knocked my battery loose and caused slight damage to my low hanging front grill, otherwise everything seems to be okay I hope.
I stopped off at Kelly’s on the way home to see how she was doing (she called me worried about the storm twice) and wait for the water to drain from the desert. The electricity had been out at the center during potluck and Kelly also didn’t have any power; it finally came back on around before 8pm.
I finally got back home only to see all the water and mud damage I had been cleaning up from the last two storms had all come back to haunt me.
Cassie was in her kennel that had managed somehow to stay dry; I was only going to be gone an hour or so.
***** Stuff I Wrote this Week******
Sometimes we reach too far and that's okay, but if a goal you set is unattainable and holding you back you must let it go. I wanted to be a doctor when I was a little kid and then an astronaut. As I grew older I had other goals, some I achieved (surprising many people) and some I didn't (the doctor and the astronaut thingy) but all throughout my life I have always strive to do something, to make a positive difference in my life and the lives of others. Now I do what I want to do and that is write books that nobody reads and play songs I've written on guitar nobody hears, but that's alright too because it is what I love to do and nobody can take that away me.
***********
Sunday 27- 102 degrees.
I did my stretches and took Cassie for a short walk because the ground was still muddy from yesterdays storm.
Lots of humidity and decided to stay inside.
I took Cassie for her night and evening walks.
Monday 28- 107 degrees with clear skies.
Kelly’s cat Graybush butt dialed my emergency phone number (kinda like the Batline for certain friends) I answered it and there was short breathing on the other end. I thought the worst and got Cassie in the car and drove over and banged on Kelly’s door surprising her. She had left her phone out and the cat called me while she was cleaning house.
I did my stretches, lifted weights, yoga, took Cassie for a short walk because the ground was still muddy, core trainer, punched the heavybag for about two minutes and swam wearing a stationary belt for about 35 minutes.
The storm cell passed by over an hour ago with just a little rain here. I was in the pool at the time when all of a sudden the clouds built up just south of me and there was thunder and lightning. I decided being in a swimming pool wasn't such a good idea at the time. I unplugged everything; did the same Saturday before I left for potluck when the big storm cell came through. I lost two inverters last year because of storms and lightning and I wasn't going to lose another.
I took Cassie for her evening and night walks.
I practised playing my guitar.
Tuesday 29- 105 degrees and clear.
I did my stretches.
UPS arrived with my new ASUS MeMO Pad 8 ME181C-A1-WH 8-Inch Tablet with a 1.33 GHz Intel Atom Quad-Core Processor. It runs Android 4.4.2 and is very quick. I didn’t like the 7 inch form factors of the older ones but found the 8 inch to be just perfect for me.
My good friend Doug Dorney called to tell me that his laptop arrived and I helped him logon to it which took about 20 minutes. All he need to do now is call and setup an appointment for his wireless internet to be hooked up.
Wednesday 30- 106 degrees.
I did my stretches and took Cassie for a walk and swam wearing a stationary belt for about 35 minutes.
I fired up the Harley and noticed a black snake with white bands slither into the woodwork. I turned off the bike and put Cassie into the house so she and the bike wouldn’t disturb it. By the time I got my camera it was well hidden but I did get a pic of part of it; A California Kingsnake- nonpoisonous. I wouldn’t mind for him to stick around for a spell.
I’ve been kinda down lately because of developments of late and just kicked back today. I might kick back tomorrow too.
Thursday 31- 105 degrees.
I did my stretches, lifted weights, yoga, took Cassie for a mile run, core trainer, punched the heavybag for about two minutes
I worked on Cougar front right fender removing screws and nut no longer holding it together. I will have to find a way to connect it altogether correctly.
I took Cassie for her evening walk and played in the yard for a long spell. I was just too worn out for a night walk and I think Cassie was too.
