Nothing like a good yard clean up for an early morning workout. Three and a half hours and only part done with three bike loads and two wheelbarrow loads. That’s how you stay healthy. This got me thinking how it took me years to break the bad habit of going back and forth all day long. I’ve long since noticed how people who can’t stick with one thing for even an hour always seem to have predictable problems in life. My family were experts at coming and going every 15 minutes. It not only prevents them from getting anything done in life, it also prevents others. Plus, have you ever noticed how people who are inefficient always have suggestions on how you can improve? Funny, all that, but I was thinking about it. One person most unlike that is Jose, who was over today with his laptop. We spent five hours on it, mainly awaiting downloads. This gave us time to go over this establishment in detail.
Jose instantly spotted the potential of that spare room, although why other people who live a thousand miles from here can’t see it is beyond me. Jose says they should either get the facts or shut up, but what does he know? We took measurements and found several signs (such as painted over outlets) that the place had formerly been rented on this basis. Jose has the spare parts and tools and has agreed to help me get the place into shape.
It was late afternoon before we (Jose and I) got outside, and by then the antique car show was long over. We rode the bicycles uptown and stopped for a beer. The bottles of Rolling Rock that Wallace bought seemed like candy next to a good old Budweiser. Jose has tools, a door and a frame that will fit nicely into my blueprints and I hope you appreciate the level of planning going on, considering Jose speaks no English.
We also diagnosed the problem with the Taurus. It is the transmission after 160,000 miles. His friend fixes such things. That would be the first time in my life I had a transmission go before the motor. I’ve only owned four cars in my life and I still have two of them.
Trafalgar. Ever since I’ve begun to suspect several months ago that Nelson’s victory may have been less than perfect, I’ve read several other accounts of that battle. Trafalgar took place well before my own studies of warfare, but I recognize something very modern about Nelson’s methods. He took advantage of intelligence and logistics. He knew the Combined Fleet (Spanish and French) were short of everything, particularly trained manpower. Would his innovative tactics have been so innovative against an equally capable foe? I’m still reading.
I learned that Nelson painted his ship with yellow and black horizontal stripes. When the gun ports were closed, this gave the impression of a checkerboard. The guns of the time generated so much smoke that colors and flags were needed to tell friend from foe. The maximum range was less than a mile; manybattles could close to less than a hundred yards. This means it was an entirely practical idea to paint the sides of the ship. Still, it is typically English that such a simplistic idea requires an admiral to make it work.
