April 1, 2018

April 1, 2018 Sunday
Yesteryear
One year ago today: April 1, 2017 raiding Radio Shack.
Five years ago today: April 1, 2013, I'm a 71% match?
Nine years ago today: April 1, 2009, touring Wilmington.
Random years ago today: April 1, 2016, building the birdfeeder.

           Something is loopy. I believe I mentioned that I put larger than recommended A/C units in the rooms. So they don’t have to max out and can run more quietly. Y’day I went over the models at two stores and noticed the recommended sizes of the window openings. I mount the units through custom made wall cut-outs, which measurements I did not have on me. So think of my shock when I read the cutout sizes. 36” x 24”. No way were my cut-outs that big and the walls are already framed. Because the rooms are now properly (and fantastically) insulated, I don’t need 240V units, but the sizes given were all larger than my cut-outs, which are more like 22-1/2”x17-1/2”.

           I raced home and what the heck, I was right. The big 240V unit due to be removed will fit into the same size as the cut-out I built. Loopy is right. I took photos of the specs so what is going on? I mean, don’t scare me like that. Could 50 cartons be labeled wrong? My cut-outs are extra insulated and reinforced, with king studs to hold the heavy duty brackets I make out of expensive shelving supports, canted slightly to run off any condensation or hurricane rain. I don’t even like those silly plastic side wings they supply for when the window frame is too wide. So widening my cut-outs by even a fraction would be a onerous proposition.

Picture of the day.
Blue Star Highway (Michigan).
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           There’s the free stuff corner. They’re closed Mondays but I saw that headboard, and sure enough it is solid wood. It is destined for either casing around my A/C units or “overhead” shelving in the station wagon in camper mode. I priced out a 4” foam mattress, the one that is 2” each of regular foam rubber and memory foam. $205. I’m telling ya, prices are going to be murder in the next few years. You can’t see the two printers at this angle, but they came with all the cables, which are always handy.

           The other pictures I lost were damage to the work truck. At 3:45AM three punks heaved a stone through the windshield of Agt. R’s truck. Bit square hole in the middle, that’s like a $200 repair job, I think. Those pictures I can replace. I pointed out that because this is modern liberal America, nobody noticed on the security video that it was three blacks. I know that nobody noticed because nobody said anything. Nothing. Heck no, and nobody said a thing derogatory about that situation. Like what were they doing in that part of town at that time of day? My guess is that integration has worked so well that really, nobody noticed.

           This is also another example of using the car for entertainment. I drove some forty miles for recreation where I should be on the motorcycle. I take the same side roads and scenic routes. One day soon I’ll get a mood and just fire up the batbike. Who knows, if I keep saying often enough I’ll rewire that beast, maybe I will. (Later, in the end, it was more like seventy miles.)
           My lifelong insomnia is in overtime so I would not have done much work today anyway. I hauled out the bass and decided on five new tunes to suggest this Wednesday. She knows I’m more interested in her doing a better job of what we already have. It’s too observable that on stage I’m bolstering the show up and I need her to get good enough that I can focus on what I do. These are tunes I’ve done before, the rationale being she has veto power, plus I’m hesitant to learn new material before we get much better on the simple tunes.

           I'm not a Trump supporter as much as I am anti-welfare state. As long as he's in there, it stops people who want to change the character of the country without asking the people first. You know, the gang that is a little unclear on "majority rules".
           The strangest thing happened last evening. I've got it all on video. The electricity went out, so I clicked on my battery emergency light. In around 8 minutes, the power was restored. As I went to turn off lantern, I glanced out the windows. What the heck? The power was still out all round me. I grabbed the camera and took a 360 degree vista of the whole neighborhood. Everything was out except the orange (sodium vapor) street lights, one on each block.
           It was pitch black and quiet outside for another five minutes--but the electric to my house worked fine. Again, I have this on video. Me standing outside in the dark, 360°, except for my house, still lit up like a Christmas tree. No, I do not have an emergency generator. That isn't even budgeted for until next winter.

ADDENDUM
           Oh, trouble brewing. I went over to Howie’s sister’s place to borrow their 20’ extension ladder. And to chat. They don’t gossip, but they know everything that is going on. And everything I reported about that new city building inspector is accurate. He’s made enemies everywhere, nobody likes the guy except, as far as I know, a few ladies. But I covered that, how all bad cops are chicken-shits in some way around women. I said bad cops, and I don’t say the same about good cops because I’ve never met one. I also said how I’m staying out of it. Double that now. Biggest complaint is having to get a permit for ordinary repairs. The next hurricane could be the straw.
batt
           I’m still new in town, the people doing the loudest complaining are long-term. So if they get burned, there’s backlash. On the other hand, I don’t know anybody around here yet. If City Hall got on my case, I’d be on my own. That’s why I won’t be the lightning rod on this one. But if the guy gets run out of town, I’ll be sure to remind him I was the one that got the ball rolling. Kind of my parting gift. I don’t want the guy just fired, I want him run out of town.

Last Laugh

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