One year ago today: May 4, 2025, fines for phones.
Five years ago today: May 4, 2021, my peach tree, sigh.
Nine years ago today: May 4, 2017, remember the lantern.
Random years ago today: May 4, 2004, one mixed-up day.
A perfect morning and the now mature youth red downey woodpecker outside totally agrees. He’s having his favorite raw peanuts for breakfast. Did you know the raccoon has a favorite feeder as well, an old frying pan. Don’t encourage her (an assumption) but when there is something special, treat the gals. I always do. She especially likes butter that has gone slightly rancid, not an unusual incident in Florida. Today I served it melted into a heel of bread, her favorite.
Vivitar should join in, they are all jokers over there. None of their cameras pass the user-friendly test. Oh, I hear them arguing, but they do not build a camera that you can pick up and take photo like you expect. And this morning’s video shows I missed the entire neat and fast build of this small box. There is no indicator on the front of the Vivitar to signal it has quit recording. I’ll get it, but sad how each camera has to be learned from scratch. What is this box with three sides. Anyway?
It’s for the laser etcher and the latter part of the video shows the projected operation. This is only a prototype. It works fine so more slots about an inch apart will allow the sliding plate to be adjusted for height of objects too tall to fit the plastic cavity, as shown here. Some design pointers for those who like this idea, the wooden box is larger than the base of the tool because the print area is only 3”x3” and you’ll need flexibility. The tray has to slide because the laser head is hefty compared to the chassis and movement can wobble the assembly if it is not firmly seated. Too much will cause the whole thing to topple.
To start on the KIA hose, I dragged out my tire blocks and positioned each as shown here. These weight some 30 pounds each, I got them from the back yard to the van, maybe 30 steps each. And it wore me back to a frazzle. I barely got inside to plop down. This is my warning how hair-trigger a heart operation leaves you.
See the jack in the upper corner? I was fully ready to get underway noticing only that it got warm quicker than I was ready. But so what, Florida is hot. Then, like a mouse battery when you were counting on it, the energy died. I’m inside with bowl of microwave soup hours later, by noon, and barely mobile. I left a text for Rick, the guitar player that any time is fine with a day’s notice. It is siesta time for me. Later, I don’t think this new guy is all that bright, but nor is that a precondition for guitar-playing.
Dreams are so rare, they become important enough to log. I just awoke from crossing a bridge at some border. I had got to the far end by taking a wrong turn. As I got to the other side, I saw a return lane and a border guard lady waved me through. Or so I thought. Next think, I’m in the middle of the bridge being yoked to a tow bus. Not a tow truck, a bus. Then the phone rang. It was the new guitarist. Seems he does not, after all, play the tunes on the list he sent. That’s off to a good start. How do I know he does not play them? When asked, he does not recall the key.
Carnival safety first!
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I got a separate on-line music inquiry for a bassist, but the players are a third of my age or less. My ad clearly shows my age and my experience quote of “40+ years” (the maximum option) is a giveaway. That they’d even consider me is your sign what an empty bucket the Florida musician scene has become. I looked over their song list and even the Chiodos twenty years ago is kiddie-bop music to me.
This photo shows the entire repair tools and parts for the KIA. A hose clamp and a nut driver. All else, the fluid and the towing and the jacks are all to support this tiny part. And I cannot get at it, so return tomorrow for a progress report.
Let’s look at airbikes. These are the multi-rotor electric flying toys and they are getting better by the year. Every model has it’s advantages, such as range, speed, and payload. There’s also recharge time and it’s only a matter of time until we see the heist movie. At low-end prices of $200,000 I won’t be parking any in my back yard.
Alberta. Told you to watch, as they have collected 300,000 signatures for the separation ticket. That’s far more than they need to force an October vote. Ottawa will not make it easy, but then, all reasonable access to the Pacific goes through Calgary. Virginia has gone third-world with adding taxes on everything. Amazon deliveries, gym memberships, home repairs, and streaming movies or data. Virginia elected a socialist.
ADDENDUM
Today’s start was happier due to progress. That heart tube incision on my leg which took forever to seal has now been good for two days. It has faked us out before, always returning after a few hours. It was painless and harmless, but much worse after the operation and I do not like it. With 100 days time to heal, it was an unwelcome thing. The other leg healed in a couple of weeks, though still bearing a persistent lump under the spot. My fingertips on both hands still have a slight paralysis and tingling from poor circulation last year.
