ramblings2010b » Page 1 of 1

5/18/10

I came inside to cool down and knew I hadn't updated the Ramblings for a little while. It wasn't until I pulled it up in my web editor that I realized it had been almost THREE weeks! Part of my reason (okay, excuse) is that I've been spending most mornings doing the household routine stuff, trying to get stuff done before Mom notices it needs doing and then, over-doing. The other reason, folks, is that the Ol' Coyote is just that...getting old. I find myself, more and more often, taking a little nap in the afternoons. I also find the memory is going a bit, too.

I do manage to get out to PMS most evenings that it is open, if only for a "hi & bye". I did NOT make it to Thunder Beach, though. Despite Mom's improvement, I still find myself so antsy after 2-3 hours that I have to come back and check on her. She's always okay, but I can't seem to convince myself of that when I'm out riding. That said, I've had to satisfy the riding bug with trips of 100-125 miles or so. Most of those have been over in Baldwin County since there's a whole lot less traffic to contend with. Scooter-wise, the turn signal lenses seem to be staying in and my lower mileage has meant that I'm not changing the oil as often. Today though, after laundry and vaccuming the house, I decided to check on the brakes. If this Retro model didn't have the swoopy fenders it would be a hell of a lot easier to do but, to be certain, I have to remove the calipers to inspect the pads. It'd been 10k miles since I'r replaced them but they still have a goodly amount of wear left in them. It was also a good opportunity to blow all the dust out forgetting that I was sweating like a hog! I'm a little greyer than usual today.

Okay, that's all the update you're getting this time...and I really had to work for this, too. Y'all take care, ride safely and I'll seeya out and about!

5/25/10

You can thank the heat and the weather for this update; it's been so damned hot that I didn't feel like riding, and the thunder outside (non-productive, so far) hasn't been real inviting, either. That didn't slow me down this past weekend, though. I did take a ride east into Okaloosa county and then back along the beach road from Navarre to Pensacola Beach. Part was because I knew I wouldn't want to go there Memorial Day weekend, and part to see if I could smell anything of the oil spill. Although I did stop several times along the beach, the only oil I could smell was the coconut oil from suntan lotion. The traffic and crowds did convince me that I should avoid that route until after the end of summer. I also discovered the Taco Bell in Navarre now doesn't offer the senior discount until after age 70! Must have been a hell of a lot of us old'ns looking for a bargain.

Sunday was spent riding around Baldwin county, but even there, traffic anywhere near the beach was getting downright unpleasant. Combined with the sudden onset of Summer heat, it wasn't a pleasant ride in the countyside. Maybe, as I become more acclimatized to the heat again, I'll get out for some more lengthy jaunts but, for now, I think I'm gonna stay close to home and air conditioning.

My internet has also been down for a bit. After running every diagnostic I could think of, up to and including Cox's automated phone walk-through (PPPPttt!)I figured out my cable modem was kaput. I've got a new one now and everything seems to be working properly. Mom's doing well....again, for 91.... but I'm still sticking pretty close around here for the most part. If I get to see anyone at all, it's usually up at PMS. Y'all take care out on the road and stay hydrated; you need all the concentration you can muster to avoid the crazy cagers. I'll seeya when I seeya!

6/2/10

Sorry, but if you're looking for this one to be comedic or uplifting, just stop reading now! Between taking care of Mom, watching BP's misadventures with our Gulf of Mexico, or watching the forecasts of Hurricane Season 2010, I'm just tired...bone-weary, waking at the slightest sound in the night...tired! Despite the normal afternoon (and, sometimes, morning) showers, my gas-mileage and service spreadsheet tells me I'm getting an average of 30+ miles of riding a day but it doesn't seem to be helping my dispostion a great deal. Maybe it's the heat and the traffic but it just doesn't seem to be able to blow the crap out of my brain like it used to. Damn, that's a lot of negativity I just wrote.

In the past, I would probably just have deleted this entry and left y'all to fend for yourselves. If you're a regular reader, you may have noticed such gaps but I decided not to this time...for whatever reason.

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Break there...Mom isn't feeling well and I made her some toast and tea. Then, I'm going to get myself something for breakfast before I drive over to pick up a prescription refill from her Doc and then wait at the Naval Hospital to get it filled. Thank goodness for Medicare and TriCare. Maybe I can get a ride in sometime today.

Y'all take care and ride safe and I'll catch ya when I catchya.

6/11/10

Feeling better than the last Ramble so I won't bum you as much this time. Despite the 5.8" of rain over last weekend, we had a blast at the 1st Annual BON party at PMS. I guess we can put it down as a 3-day wet t-shirt contest. I've been able to fit in some riding OUT of the heat of the day but I think the Summer is here to stay for a while.

I'm not the only one here noticing the heat; Mom usually takes to the rocking chair on the front porch for her relatively infrequent cigarettes (you think at 91, I'm going to try to get her to cut THAT?) and the heat is really too much for more than about 10 minutes. This, coupled with the hurricane forecast for this year, made me decide to start looking into a full-house automatic generator. Researching on-line, I came to the conclusion I wanted a Generac natural gas model so I started looking at contactors. I've never made a major purchase like this without multiple bids so I contacted the Generac-authorized service folks, a big-box home improvement store, and 2 local contractors recommended by a neighbor and friend I trust, asking him who HE would use. I called all 4 last Thursday. By the end of the day, I had call-backs from all but the big-box.

With 2 of them, I was able to set up appointments for the following day and one said he could get back to me as soon as he could free up the time. Come Friday morning, the first(Generac Man) called me a half hour before his appointment and said he was running a little late and asked it were alright if he were about 15 minutes late. 13 minutes late he showed up and got all the info and made some suggestions. I had scheduled them 2 hours apart and the second showed up 20 minutes late...without a call. We went over the same ground as the first, actually faster as I then knew some of the things he'd be asking about. I had already prepared an anaylysis of my last 18 months' electric usage from my Gulf Power bills and included my name, address and e-mail addy, which I gave each a copy. I still hadn't heard from the other 2.

Monday morning, I got an e-mail with 2 alternate proposals from Generac Man with a turn-key price(equipment, install, permits, inspection, testing, instruction, etc. Later that day, there was a message on my answering machine form the big-box guy with an out-of-state phone number...scratch that one. Tuesday, I called the second contractor to ask if his proposal was ready and he said it was, but back at the office. He was on his way to a service call but would get back with me by the end of the day with the numbers...cool. On Wednesday, I called Generac Man to discuss the relative merits of the 2 alternative proposals and made a decision on which was better for my situation. Still no call-back from the third contactor, OR the proposal from my second appointment. I waited until noon yesterday for the second proposal, and then went to Generac Man and signed a contract. While I was yacking with the office manager, I saw the order being faxed to Generac and was told it should be here within a week. At 4PM, #2 showed up at my door with his proposal which indicated I had to seperately contract with a plumbing contractor for the gas hook-up instead of his including the plumbing sub-contract in his bid. Never mind, Fella!

So, Boys and Girls, that's what I've been doing (besides laundry, grocery shopping, cooking, yadda, yadda) besides riding since we last met. Y'all take care and ride safe, y'hear!

6/26/10

Sorry for the long pause...yes, I've been reminded of it...but time just kinda gets out of hand. I'm tired, bone tired, but not in the physical sense. Mom's been having what the Doc describes as mini-strokes so it's been the rounds of MRI's, scans and pharmacy runs. The utter fatique is from trying to maintain the upbeat facade to help keep her spirits going. I do so appreciate the times you let me unload on you, AND the offers of help but it seems there's no way to turn my brain off. Well, there ARE, but drugs would seem to be rather counter-productive, and make things worse. Okay, end of pity-party!

As you may expect from the above observations, the riding time has lately tended to get shorter and shorter but I have tried to get out for an hour or so whenever Mom is feeling good and settled in. The urge to turn back and check on her, though, comes more frequently now. On the plus side, I don't have to change my oil as often as in the past and it's too damned hot to even think about it, anyway.

As far as the generator project goes, we know it has physically left Minnesota and is probably receiving a nice vacation tour on it's way to Pensacola. That, at least, was the word as of this week. The contractor says that's all he is waiting for as everything else is all lined up and ready to go. Of course, that only slightly helps my anxiety level as the first tropical depression of the season does it's little trip through the Carribean. I wonder if it just happens to be a coincidence that, should it develop, it'd be named after Mom....Alice. Hmmmm?

Thanks, guys...I'm feeling a little better...so I'm going to cut this down for now. If you are riding out there in this heat, do remember to stay hydrated (with water, NOT beer) and alert on the road. I've seen so many close calls with red-runners in the past couple of weeks that I wonder if the oil spill is causing more insanity amongst cagers than even before. Take care, y'all!

7/5/10

A rainy Monday after an absolutely gorgeous 4th of July! I was going to cut back some bushes this morning but the pleasant awakening to the sound of rain on my steel roof saved me from that. On the other hand, I don't think I now have the luxury of avoiding vaccuming the house. I really do need to clean up what I've tracked in while watching my whole-house generator being installed. That was last Thursday and, despite my usng extra floor mats at the doors, I managed to make a visible trail. The job should be completed tomorrow and I'll rest a tad easier this (and subsequent) hurricane season.

Between the heat, rain, and care-giving duties, I haven't gotten in much riding since the last update but Sunday was the exception. Mom was up and settled in early enough that I was able to get on the road before 10. Feeling the need for speed, I decided to use as much superslab as I could to get up the Milton for the Firecracker Bike Show. Not to enter; just to visit for a bit. I was feeling great until I got off at the Bagdad exit and realized that last cup of coffee was annoyed with me. I never realized before just how bumpy the back way into downtown Milton was. After a rapid trip to the "facilty" I got to see a bunch of folks I haven't seen for a while, and probably won't again until the Toy Run in December.

Getting back on the interstate, I collected some more wind until I decided to get home and into the A/C by 2. Dammit, I just ain't as young as I used to be! (But I may be able to get older if I can just remember that!) Since the weather forecast seems to indicate more of this pattern, I doubt I'm going to get a lot of miles in before I'm back here. For you more intrepid souls, be careful out there; the heat, rain AND traffic can all be killers and I don't want to lose any more friends...even ones I haven't met yet. Be good to one another and I'll catch you next time.

7/16/10

...and time keeps on slippin', slippin', slippin' into the future... Not really a lot to say except, IT'S BEEN HOT! I've tried a few morning rides but found the temperature is just so oppressive as to make it not worth it. Of course, it's been pretty comfortable on the Interstate at 70 and above but I feel like passing out getting to and from. Evenings haven't been too bad and, in fact, it was real nice to take in Bands on the Beach this Tuesday and there was even a nice breeze there.

The generator is completely done and I have the supplies laid in for first 2 oil changes. This should almost guarantee we won't need it! Of course, if I hadn't gotten it, we'd be slammed with power outages this season. Oh, and by the way, there are apparently no alternatives to a Generac air filter. Plugs and oil filters, yes; air, no!

Mom seems to be benefitting from the change in meds but the ol' machine is still wearing down, day by day. even just riding in truck for sight-seeing is wearing, but she enjoys getting out of the house. Last week, she wanted to go Perdido Pass to look at the oil booms and, on the way, I noticed thhat the old Hawgs Heaven building is now a BBQ joint. We stopped on the way back for lunch and I was pleasantly surprised by the pulled pork sandwiches. Melt in the mouth tender...and thick.. Try them if you're hungry and out on Perdido Key.

Okay, grocery shopping day and I smell my coffee calling. Y'all be safe and I'll drop back in when I can remember to. Maybe this heat will break and I can actually have some riding to tell you about.

7/26/10

Okay, I see the pattern forming, with 10 days being the new norm instead of a weekly update. Maybe it's because, being retired from occupational restraints, I don't have a normal (for you still-working stiffs) week. On the other hand, maybe it's because my life has kinda slowed down and this is my "new" week. I do know that my life, as well as many others', is now emptier with the loss last week of my friend, Karl Murray. Most knew Karl as the retired Navy Chief who was President of P.M.S. and a fun-loving spark plug of energy. He was all that, and more, but I knew him as a kindred spirit who had taken care of his aging and ailing parents. He was the one I could always confide in with my own doubts and inadequacies and come away with renewed strength and energy to continue taking care of Mom. I miss you, Karl.

Alright, Folks, I'm now ready to take donations from anyone who's glad that Bonnie kinda petered out over the gulf. You do realize that was all my doing, by putting in my whole-house generator. Now that I've paid for it, I won't need it and everyone in the P'cola area is now under my umbrella of superstition. So, maybe it doesn't really work that way, but it never hurts to ask. It's kinda like politics, that way. Between the heat and the rain, I haven't ridden much although I DID wash the bike and change the oil. Of all the oil changes I've done over the years, I think this was the only one that took me over 2 hours, start to finish. I had to break it down into discreet segments, seperated by cool-downs in the house, whenever the sweat got into my eyes too much. I'm sure it was just the heat and humidity..not the effort of getting up and down off the ground.

'Nuf for now and the laundry is probably ready for the drier. DO ride safely, and watch your 6 as well as the idiots in front of you; I can't afford to lose any more friends.

8/4/10

After Karl's funeral on Monday, the heat and the event so wiped me out that I didn't even try to ride yesterday. Today, though, I decided to beat the heat and get an early ride in; I didn't realize I was going out to play rain tag. I lost...big time! The one saving grace was that it sure as hell cooled things down for me on the road. The downside was I couldn't see diddly through the downpour. I've finally gotten my soaked gear off and dried off enough to hit the keyboard without shorting something out.

I wish I had something more interesting to pass along but everything seems to be in a state of suspended animation for the time being. I do have a routine follow-up with the VA on Friday and maybe I need to adjust the dosage on the Synthroid. It would make me feel better than just getting old. Y'all take care and ride safely. Pay close attention to hydration and heat...even in the evenings and keep an eye out for the Cellphone-eared Lane-drifter; they really ARE out to get you!

8/10/10

I stil haven't been doing much riding in the daytime...or at night, for that matter. It seems the heat and humidity has been sticking around later and later into the evening and it just seems to sap me. Friday's trip to the VA was a non-event; my T4 and TSH are right where the Doc wants it and my prescription wasn't changed. What I did change was to switch from the VA pharmacy to WallyWorld's. My co-pay went up and I can get a 90-day supply there for only a buck more than my 30-day co-pay, so that'll save some over the next year. If you're on a maintenance drug, you may want to stop by a WalMart pharmacy and get their list of low priced generics to see if you can save some moolah. Unfortunately, my omeprazole ISN'T on their list, but $9 a month through the VA is still okay.

Mom's still plugging away a day at a time, although she is spending more and more time resting in bed. She had her outing yesterday while we took the long and winding way to Halsey's Index for more books...only to realize once we got there that they're closed on Mondays. At least, though, we had an early dinner at Happy China and she got her fill of moo goo gai pan. She goes real light on the chicken and heavy on the mushrooms and we both like them.

So what's happening now? I'm just waiting for cooler weather or, at least, lower humidity so I can ride more comfortably. We're watching a couple of low pressure areas to see what develops...if anything. Beyond that, it's just running the household and getting rid of the moles in my yard. I've gotten 5 and there have been no new trails for a couple of days so I guess I'll have to find a new diversion. Y'all ride safe, stay hydrated, and I'll seeya when I seeya!

8/17/10

A week and 4.5" of rain later, that low pressure area is STILL hanging around the area! I have been doing enough riding, playing rain tag, to determine that it was absolutely necessary to finally wash the scoot. I've been giving her little spit-baths, now and then, but even I was starting to be a little ashamed... and I don't shame easily. There was a window of opportunity yesterday morning and I did manage to get her clean and dry before the sprinkles started but I finished some extra polishing in the bike barn. That's when I was rudely reminded I had some leaks in the roof. That was actually cold on the back of my neck, but I still didn't appreciate it.

This morning, I realized I had built the bike barn over 11 years ago (before I was aware of gasketed roofing screws), and used 3/4" roofing nails to put the corrugated metal down. With enough heat and cool cycles, buffeting winds, and general age a few of the nails were letting seepage into my inner sanctum. Since I'm not going to crawl onto the roof and replace them with screws, I'm going to try and seal them with rubberized spray undercoating...if this rain will ever quit for a day or so.

I wish I had some kind of news or gossip to send your way but, until the weather cools and/or dries some more, I'm kinda in stick-around-the-house mode. Mom seems to being doing better on the new meds, with no more (apparent) mini-strokes, but she is slowing down more and more, with less and less energy. For 91, she's doing great but she IS 91 and stubborn, to boot. Y'all ride safe when you can get out and, just maybe, I'll seeya on the road.

8/26/10

Okay, here it is, several hundred miles, 3 soakings, a dribble and a drenching since our last chat. I just got tired of riding only at night so I risked a few games of rain tag. I don't think I'm gonna buy any Lotto tickets if this is the way my luck is going to run. I will submit that I made it home today after a few hours in the relatively early daytime woth the only dampness experienced being sweat! I took a run over into Baldwin county and decided to go check out Barber Marina since it was some months since I had. He hasn't added any new dinosaurs in the woods, but there are a few new Roman gods and miscellaneous beasts lurking. I'll expand on that if I run into you out on the road, somewhere, but suffice to say I do reccomend anyone to take a little jaunt down Baldwin 95 and check out this future millionaires' enclave.

Other than that, the evening routines have been Bands on the Beach for Tuesdays, Famous Dave's on Wednesdays and PMS the rest of the time. As I have ridden around, there seems to be a dearth of bikes anywhere. I attribute a lot of that to heat and the economy...but what do I know? Y'all take care and ride safe.