July 7, 2025

Yesteryear
One year ago today: July 7, 2024, hmmm, I understood it.
Five years ago today: July 7, 2020, remember the “final stage”?
Nine years ago today: July 7, 2016, a leisurely 15 hours.
Random years ago today: July 7, 1980, I scored.

           Nothing happens on Mondays. The dog turns out to be the most unenthusiastic so far, balking at even stepping off the porch. I pulled the van into the driveway and finished loading my tools in time for a thunderstorm. Moving fast, I pulled into the driveway to examine the electric problem with the van. We have a short, I was just about to start pulling fuses when a blue truck pulls up. It’s the photographer and he can use a lift to the airport. Of all the things, I forgot Tennessee was on daylight savings and lost an hour, but we got him to BNA.

           I stopped at Elm Hill on the say back to discover that ordinary heart worm pills are now $1.35 per pill, cash only. Three times the price of my own heart pills, I bought the package of 100. That’s when I noticed this was the infamous Ivermectin. The Reb owes me. Next to Wal*Mart and some hardware to fix that tree, the plan is to snip off the top ten feet and see if the bottom ten feet can be helped back into place with some rope. I know nothing of this sort but I remember JZ kept a tree away from his dad’s den wall in a similar way.

           [Author's note: it turns out this is the wrong medicine. There was some new staff at the clinic, but they had access to the pet files and should have known she wanted some kind of de-worming preventative gummie. So, now a trip back for the Reb, who insists she had cleared the order with them by phone and they should have know. Myself? Now I know if I'm ever stupid enough to believe the COVID hoax, I have an idea where to waste any money I'm not using.]

           Next, I checked and there is no break for a second vehicle on the insurance. The premiums for six months would be over $900, something I’d really have to think about. I took the pooch with me up to the store to where he refused to either lay down or get out of the van. I bought a cleaver and a big tree-size pair of tree clippers. The clippers are coming back to Florida with me. There are some other items I wanted but money has run out super-fast this trip.
           Primitive, that’s the way I look at most “tools” made from things like bones and vegetable husks. That would include ocarinas and this animal horn trumpet that was in the living room. I don’t look at such things as musical instruments, but more like objects that can make a sound. This is where I discover the photographer guy plays many of these oddball gadgets Lyres, pan pipes, you know, the things that blur the line between instrument and decoration.

Picture of the day.
West Texas, I think.
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           At 4:30PM, the Reb calls to say the flight was cancelled, would I pick up her friend at the airport since the next flight is noon tomorrow. As I approach Donelson, the airport traffic was backed up two miles. Finally at 6:30PM I got the guy to find another hour getting out of the airport. Fortunately I had the audiobook and we learn Eve has finally been exposed. It is the cafe owner, worried about loss of business if the Germans find his staff are spies, that systematically breaks all 28 of Eve’s knuckle bones. He’s just turned her over to the authorities, but it seems he drugged her with opium and may have got her to talk about the spy network.

           Everything is packed up and ready for the return trip, yet I have not decided to leave. Somethings are not right yet, including the finances and that move in September will be here fast. A substantial amount of walking brought back the weakness in my spine but not the pain. I’m back where I was two years go in overall condition—except for all this weight gain. That’s one condition I would be ashamed to die of, yet it is a long time before I can exercise like I want to.

           I had another go at getting the laser to work standalone. Nope. It is, mind you, a very sturdy and well designed unit. The laser assembly I have seen somewhere before. I have the 5W model which the on-line demo shows slicing balsa wood. Rather than tinker with the unit, I packed it up ready for transport back to Florida.
           It took an hour to inch up to the arrivals to find one distraught and grumpy photographer, which I understand. The American airline industry went for a dump in 2002. The US version of the flying cattle car. I don’t know the guy, but one look and I said, listen dude, I’m going for a beer and you better tag along. He knew the place, Shooters, and now he knows the staff. And that I don’t play billiards.

           I am not a happy camper this trip. While it is no different than ever, I would stress that when I say “efficiency”, I mean the kind I studied in school, not my personal agenda when others disappoint me. I understand most people optimize their own activity, and all too often without a thought how that might not be the best overall strategy. It is also why they so often get stranded. And have nothing the Monday after payday.
           I’m going to cash in Caltier unless they begin explaining things same day as questions are asked. It was my mistake using a gmail account to set that up, but I point out it was not really meant to be more than a trial for on-line investing. It has been 16 months without explanation what this “pause” is all about, and no disbursements since March. The attached gmail is not being forwarded and there are other issues all linked in some way to refusal to institute even the most basic forms of computer security. The more I look at that gmail account, the more convinced I am I don’t like it.

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