Almost perfect weather

I would say that today was a 9 out of 10. It would have been a 10 but the breeze kicked up a bit.

I will take a sunny day in the upper 60s, lower 70s, any time.

⧫

After 30 years of living in this house and never needing a pressure washer, we find ourselves needing a pressure washer.

I used OxyClean on our back concrete patio and it did a great job but I want to pressure wash the slab to get the last bit of dreck out of the concrete. I was going to borrow Johns but my wife said, "We need one for other stuff as well, just buy one."

So I did.

Amazon had what I wanted and it will be here on Friday. Turns out I got the same one that John has and he told me, "Make sure you don't use the 0° nozzle. It will cut wood."

When my daughter heard that, she said, "Challenge Accepted!" so at some point in the near future we will be trying to slice wood with water.

I'll let you know how that goes.

⧫

There is no baseball or hockey tonight so I guess I'll be watching some of my Gold Rush DVRs.

While I do that, you can do these:

• To misquote the tagline from the movie Alien, "In space, no one can hear you flush."



• The year 2020 just keeps getting better and better.



• I actually like these things.



• Gives a whole new meaning to the term, "smoked bacon".



• I'm including this story just so I can say, "Ben Dover".



• Um, okay....

I'm pretty sure the gardens are now done.

My back is also done. I have a feeling it's going to be a couple of days before I can stand up straight again.

⧫

Not much to prattle on about today but I do want to show you the following graphic:

That graphic is from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and it is part of the daily Covid-19 update released by the state. If you are having trouble reading it, let me tell you what it says.

It says that of the 6,768 deaths in Massachusetts, 6,439 were people over the age of 60. That means people under the age of 60 have a pretty slim chance of dying from the virus. As a matter of fact, you have a far better chance of dying in a car accident.

Here's another graphic:

That graphic says that people with no underlying conditions have almost no chance (less than 2%) of dying from the virus.

So if you are under 60 and have no underlying medical (probably respiratory) condition, you have a better chance of dying in a shark attack.

In other words, don't panic like the health department in East Longmeadow who shut down the Fenway driving range and fined the owner. If you want to be afraid of something, be afraid of getting into your car and driving to the store.

⧫

Here are some links that you can click on while I watch some old hockey and ancient baseball:

• This is why I have New Ol' Bess.



• Key phrase in this story: "...he believes drugs and suspected prostitution were involved."



• Oh goody. Let's just toss this into the cesspool that is the year 2020.

Man, it's muggy

Thank goodness it wasn't sunny today. If it had gotten hot, the combination of heat and humidity would have killed me.

And I'm not quite ready to die yet.

⧫

I added a little peat moss to my backyard today in the hopes the dirt may one day turn into soil. Hopefully the predicted rain seals it to the ground and makes a nice little moisture blanket for the grass.

Grass likes moisture.

⧫

See if you can find anything interesting in these links:

• Oh Canada.



• Only in Florida.



• Well, it is the City of Brotherly Love...



• Quite a loving family.



• Australia: What doesn't kill ya, is, well, pretty freakin' weird.

Annoyances....

What follows is a list of things that annoy me:

• A Saran Wrap cutting edge that is so dull the plastic wrap tears in your hand before the blade actually cuts it.
• Nesting robins that think anything within 100 yards of their nest is a threat and they make it their life work to verbally assault the intruder.
• The constant media reminder that "We are all in this together!" No, we are not. We are in it by ourselves. How you perceive and deal with the threat of 'rona is different than the way me and my family deal with it.
• The nightly 'rona body count.
• They are playing baseball in Korea but not in America.
• My hair has not been this long since the early 90s.
• Drivers that habitually drive 5 mph below the speed limit. GET OFF THE ROAD fer cripes sake.
• People that think everything bad is [insert name of politician you disagree with] fault and everything good is because of [insert name of politician you agree with]. You all need to recognize that your politician is just as self-centered and arrogant as the other guys politician.
• Speaking of annoying politicians: Joe Kennedy's commercial is beyond annoying. The only political ad he should run should say, "I'm Joe Kennedy and I was born with $20 million in the bank. I have no idea what it's like to work or struggle. Vote for me if you want yet another self-centered, arrogant person. who knows what is best for you."
• Car alarms that are so sensitive the wind can set them off.

I think that's enough annoyances for now.

⧫

The gardens are looking pretty damned good.

Two of the bushes that got moved are showing signs that some parts or dying and other parts are going to be just fine. I put one of them at 50% dead, 50% alive. The other one is 20% dead and 80% alive.

She has a stretch of maybe 75 feet left to do along the side of the garage and the back fence. Fortunately, I don't think she'll need to move anything, just clean out the weeds and turn the dirt.

We really need to get some peat moss and mix it into the dirt because the dirt is just dirt, very little organic. By mixing in the peat, the dirt will become soil and it will retain moisture.

Plants like moisture.

⧫

Speaking of plants, I never created a video that shows my grass growing but I do have a before and after picture:

I am not yet unhappy but I suspect I will be unhappy soon. That green grass is actually hiding a large crop of crab grass and I know that at some point in the next month, the grass will be overwhelmed.

Oh well, I'll just keep trying.

And for the record, the stick in the middle is a plant hanger. Not sure if she'll hang any plants on it but she wants it there so there it stays.

⧫

Tonight's baseball game is game 1 of the 2007 ALCS between the Indians and the Red Sox. I remember that series. It went the full seven games and both teams played some great baseball.

Right now, I'm going to watch a little hockey and figure out what I want for dinner. You can click on these if you want:

• Here's your Naked Guy In The News story.



• Either it's a slow news day in Ireland or the Irish are kinda nuts. I'll let you decide.



• When I read this, all I could think of was this.



• Of course they are.



• It's the old, "I was just looking to warm up my Hot Pockets!" defense.

Yard work is getting done

My wife has been plowing through her gardens, ripping out weeds and moving plants to give them some space. I am the designated digger. I dig plants out of the ground and I dig holes to put plants into the ground.

I also use my lawn tractor and a length of nylon rope to pull bushes out of the ground. Some of the bushes she wanted moved were big and my old back just isn't in any mood to try and pull them out. Using the lawn tractor is the perfect solution. It has variable clutching so I can keep it nice and slow while it puts all 22 horses to work slowly dragging the bush out of the ground.

Works like a charm.

⧫

After that it was order some takeout from a local establishment and then settle in to watch some hockey. After that it will be game 3 of the 2007 ALDS between the Red Sox and the Angels.

Spoiler alert: The Red Sox win.

Here are some links for you to enjoy:

• Just keep them away from my house.



• Proof that our society has some incredibly stupid people in it.



• Yea, we're just here to "help" with the cleanup.



• Pak Suspected Spy would be a great name for a Bond villian.



• In other news, maybe it's not really a Pak Spy.



• Key phrase in this story: "In the autumn, there will be a second wave. Sweden will have a high level of immunity and the number of cases will probably be quite low."

Finally!

I managed to get an hour+ of flight time today. I did 2 touch & go's plus 1 full stop landings up at Orange Airport, 3 touch & go's over the Turners Falls Airport and then finally 1 full stop landing at Northampton.

I am very rusty and my flying buddy kept me on track with reminders for the little things like, "You should probably put the landing gear down before we land...."

Here's what air traffic control saw of my flight.

Some parts are missing because I was below the hills that surround Orange Airport.

It felt great to fly again.

 ⧫

Still working from home and, to be honest with you, I'm not looking forward to being back in an office.

Despite my initial reluctance to work from home, I've grown fond of my morning commute from the bedroom to the family room. I also find the little restaurant known as "my kitchen" not only serves what I want but they serve it the way I like it. And the prices are very reasonable. Also, The Small Dog is excellent company.

⧫

The vet started her first day of work today and I am waiting to hear how things went. I think she was pretty excited to return to the animal clinic as "Doctor" instead of "Tech" so I hope her day went well.

As for The Small Dog, she was a little whiner. She missed her buddy. I keep telling her that she will be home soon but she doesn't listen to me.

It's like she doesn't understand english or something.

⧫

Here are some links:

• Yes, alcohol was involved.



• Oh Canada.



• Add this to the list of things I did not need to know about.



• Key phrase in this story: "...repeated and serious acts of misconduct."



• This, my friends, is a prime example of Survival of the Fittest.



• I'm still not planning on inviting them into my home.

It's Memorial Day.

You may not memorialize anyone but you may know someone who does. No member of my family has died in battle but I know people who have lost husbands, sons and daughters.

You may not agree with the cause for which they died but that didn't matter to them, they went anyways. I think it's important to think about their sacrifice.

⧫

Turns out I am a baby killer, in a roundabout way.

The baby mouse discovered one of my peanut-butter baited traps in the garage and that was all she wrote for the little devil.

I have to admit that I don't really feel all that bad. Mice are a problem in this are and the more I kill, the fewer are trying to get into my house.

No one wants mice in their house.

⧫

I'm going to watch some Bruins and then some Red Sox. Not sure how much baseball I'll be able to watch because the game is on from 8:00 to 10:00 and 10:00 is past my bedtime.

Here are some links for you to enjoy:

• Key phrase in this story: "The clerk refused to comply."



• Social distancing.



• Key phrase in this story: "This is the second porta potty fire in the South Bay in one week."



• Only in Florida.



• Key phrase in this story: "She made it quite plain she didn't like that visit."

I have to remember to bring my flag in

I know that tomorrow is Memorial Day but I decided to put my flag out this afternoon. I just have to remember to take it in tonight. I'll put it back out tomorrow morning and leave it on display for the day.

⧫

I ran a final test of my code and scheduled it to run every Monday morning at 1:00am. That way when the work day starts, the process is done and the reports are available.

I will probably hear from the end-users that things need to be changed but until then, I'm done.

⧫

My daughter has been rebuilding what used to be the kids playroom into what she has dubbed, The Den". This means it will house all of her hobbies, games and gadgets. And trust me, she has a lot of hobbies, games and gadgets.

And her movies. Lots of movies.

She has more movies than anyone I've ever met. So much so that she asked me to build her a shelf to hold the overload from her DVD storage tower.

What can I say, she likes her movies.

⧫

There is no baseball tonight. Tomorrow starts the 2007 playoffs, beginning with the ALDS and ending with the World Series.

I will be watching all of that.

Right now I'm going to go cook some steak on the grill. Or, as the Australians like to say, toss ol' bessie on the barbie. While I do that, you can do these:

• Aggressive Rodents would be a fantastic name for a 1980s big hair band.



• These are people that get mauled taking selfies with grizzlies and bison. Good luck getting them social distance.



• Key phrase in this story: "...animals are not involved in war and politics and it is absurd to blame them for human sins."



• I use to work security in a retail store. This behavior is not unusual.



• Well, it's called "weed" for a reason.



• There is an old saying that really applies to this corona reopening thing: Just because you can doesn't mean you should...



• Add this to the list of things I did not need to know about.

People are out and about

We took a jaunt out to some stores today to get our basic needs taken care of. Also to make some purchases to help set up my daughters living spaces.

I gotta tell you, it was packed out there. The stores were jammed with people which means the register lines were long. I don't know if people are getting ready to bust out of there three-month long isolation or if they all just suddenly decided to go shopping at the same time we did.

Oh, and I was able to pick up some new masks so I guess we're good to go on the social distancing/face covering thing.

⧫

This evening's baseball game is from August 3, 2018 when the Yankees came to town to get whipped by Rick Porcello.

While I watch that game, you can click on these:

• They're gonna need to skim that pool and probably backflush the filter.



• If you ever wanted to know how much it costs to overreact, wonder no more. The answer is $21 million. That's how much it costs to overreact.



• Key phrase in this story: "...eye-catching boobs are a 'cheat code' for the game of life."



• Oh Canada.



• Someone should give Sam I Am a call.

Frustration level is way down

I am a coding genius but it turns out I work best with two screens.

I went to the office today so instead of trying to code and test / test and code on a tiny laptop screen, I was able to do my coding and testing on two large screens. As petty as it sounds, having two computer screens helps. It helps a lot.

On one screen, I have the code. On the other screen I have the test files and log file. I can step through the code and review the output without opening and closing program windows.

So anyways, my code is working exactly the way I want it and I am, once again, a coding super genius.

⧫

I'm going to watch Jon Lester throw a no hitter.

While I do that, you can click on these:

• Key phrase in this story: "...terrified tenants Natalie Wattenbach, 27, and Charlotte Morley, 28..."



• Key entry from our favorite police log: "6:40 a.m. There were six to eight buffalo standing in the road near “the buffalo place” near Kalispell."



• Owls are very cool.



• Pay what youse owes or da dog gets it.

Frustration level is rising

I am slowly losing my mind over some code. Basically I am comparing two files to look for matches on a shared key field. The problem is I am never processing the final record of a series of duplicates in one of the files and I can't figure out why.

Somehow I'm skipping over records. I hate when I skip over records.

⧫

Other than that, it was a pretty quiet day for all of us except The Small Dog.

She discovered a baby (and I do mean baby) mouse living in one of the bushes just outside our back porch and it's driving her nuts.

She presses her face up against the screen and growls, whines, barks and moans at this mouse. The mouse, however, doesn't really seem to care. It just climbs up one of the branches of the bush and stares at The Small Dog, taunting her.

I don't like mice and I usually kill them on sight but this guy is as small as my thumb. I'm no baby killer. Give it a few weeks and it will be a grown mouse and shortly after that, it will become an ex-mouse.

I do, however, really like having a dog back in the house. She is working hard to keep me informed about the mouse.

⧫

I've got a webinar to listen to and a baseball game to watch (I'm a multi-tasker!) so let's get to the links:

• I guess she finally decided to listen to her lawyer.



• This is going to get interesting.



• Fortunately, this is not my problem. My little sister down in North Carolina however....



• Key phrase in this story: "Just to be clear: DO NOT RECYCLE CANNONBALLS FROM ANY WAR"

I miss The Red Green Show

I was talking to someone on a video chat today and we were talking about a small project that was turning into a real shit show. I said, "Well, we could always call in Rothschild's Sewage and Septic Sucking Services" and he immediately said, "Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati".

For those of you that are not fans of that fantastic Canadian television show from a bygone era, The Red Green Show, Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati is the official motto of the Possum Lodge which is located along the shores of Possum Lake in the scenic town of Possum Lake Canada.

One of the recurring characters was Winston Rothschild III, owner and sole proprietor of Rohtschild's Sewage and Septic Sucking Services. (Official Company Motto: "No tank too big, no tank too small, teacup or cesspool, we suck 'em all!")

Red Green gave us such fantastic sayings as, "Keep your stick on the ice" and "If the women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy" and my personal favorite, "I'm a man, but I can change, If I have to, I guess."

As far as I'm concerned, The Red Green Show was one of the finest things to come out of Canadian television. It ranked right up there with SCTV (Second City Television) which, if you know anything at all about comedy television, gave us greats like John Candy, Harold Ramis, Catherine O'Hara, Dave Thomas, Rick Moranis, Eugene Levy, Martin Short and Andrea Martin.

Canada is a very funny country.

⧫

Ten years of college at various institutions came home to roost this morning. It all arrived in this little box:

You have no idea how glad I am that my daughter and her little dog are back home.

⧫

Apparently this week's baseball theme is "complete games / no hitters". Last night was Hideo Nomo (I'd forgotten about him). Tonight's game from June 7, 2007, features Curt Schilling taking on the Athletics.

While I enjoy the game, you can enjoy these:

• I don't know what a 'slut drop' is but it doesn't sound good.



• Some people are stupid and some people are dumb. Then there is Daniel Armendariz who is a moron who is probably going to end up in jail.



• Hey, leave her alone. She's helping keep their spirits up.



• Is there any chance we can get Jacinda Ardern to run for President of the United States?



• I'm gonna need to get smarter mouse traps.

I was supposed to fly today

I was scheduled to fly with my instructor this afternoon but last night he informed me that the airport was still closed and would be closed for another week at least.

I really do not like this corona thing. No sir, I don't like it at all.

⧫

There is an old lesson that every child must learn. Simply put, that lesson is, "Never poke a hornets nest with a stick." That lesson is both literal and figurative.

Literally, you never want to poke a hornets nest.

The figurative part of the lesson is, "Don't do something that you, or others, will regret later on."

It appears that Obama never learned that lesson. He has decided to start making public statements about Trump and how Trump is doing things.

Here's the problem: We currently have a president named Trump because we used to have a president named Obama.

Trump was elected because people were sick and tired of Obama and his condescending, arrogant attitude. They didn't like how he treated cops, they didn't like how he treated the military and they certainly didn't like how he told us all how to behave.

If it wasn't for Obama, Trump probably never would have gotten elected. Obama forced the pendulum to swing from the radical left to the radical right.

I'll say the same thing about Obama I say about Trump: He should shut up.

Obama should take his guidance from George Bush.

Bush retired from the office and never once said anything about Obama even though Obama spent the majority of his two terms blaming "the previous administration" for every problem on the planet, including the problems created by Obama.

⧫

Tonight's baseball game is from April 4, 2001.

The twin towers of the World Trade Center were still standing, no one outside of the US Intelligence Community had ever heard of Bin Laden, if you took someone to the airport, you could walk with them to the gate to see them off and the Red Sox went to Baltimore to play the Orioles.

Enjoy these links while I watch a baseball game from a far more innocent and free period in our world:

• Gee Mrs. Cleaver, that sure is a lovely apron your wearing today.



• Well, it was kind of a crappy song.



• This strikes me as the kind of thing that would be very popular in Japan.



• Key phrase in this story: "Stop listening to Beshear. He’s a dumbass."



• Key phrase in this story: "It was a crappy ending to the unofficial start of summer."



• In Massachusetts, I can't go out for a beer with my friends but in Wyoming...

CoViD-19 has not affected all of us

I saw a television commercial today with the tagline, "CoViD-19 has affected all of us."

My initial reaction was, "No, CoViD-19 has affected a certain percentage of us. That percentage varies depending on where you are and what kind of testing is available."

My next thought was, "Government oversight and control has affected all of us and they are using CoViD-19 as a means to increase that control."

I'm no conspiracy theorist but if I were to learn through reputable sources that an authoritative body, either state or federal, was taking steps to increase its power over citizens by using a pandemic to its advantage, I would not be shocked.

It is my believe that the government should be issuing clear recommendations and it should be up to the people to decide if they want to follow those recommendations. If I want to go to a bar and hang out with my friends, I should be allowed to do that. If the government recommends that I not go out to diner with some friends and I decide to go, it is on my head if I come down with the flu.

I am considered "elderly". I am one of the people that the government is using as an excuse to control everyone. They are saying, "You have to do this because of the vulnerable members of our society." I would like the government to stop using me as the reason no one is allowed to act like a mature, intelligent adult with free will.

• Being an adult means that when presented with evidence that a certain action is hazardous, you review the evidence and make an informed decision.
• Being a mature adult means you recognize the value of the evidence and don't question it based on misguided opinion.
• Being an intelligent adult means you weigh the risks of your decision and you pick the best course of action based on not only your wants & needs but on those around you as well.
• Being a mature & intelligent adult means you don't do something that will cause harm to someone else.

I am a mature & intelligent adult and I would like to be treated like one.

⧫

That's enough 'rona bullshit.

Tonight's Red Sox game is from June 15, 2011 when they went to Tampa to play the Rays. Now usre what the feature is this week but I'm pretty sure the brawl thing is behind us.

While I watch the game, you can click these if you want:

• Key government 'rona rule in this story: "You can kick their balls, but you can’t touch them."



• Only in Florida.



• Oh Canada, dude...



• Pretty soon they're gonna tell everyone to self-quarantine.



• Seems like the British really like the penis.



• Yes, alcohol was involved.



• If you've ever wondered what a two month old banana looks like, wonder no more.



• What do you get when you give a bunch of drunks some fully mobile inner-tubes? I don't know but I bet it's gonna be a riot.

Random thoughts

My buddy Walt sent me the following text:

He's a funny guy.

⧫

Here are some links:

• Some people are taking this whole mask thing a bit too far.



• The newest pickup line in Dutch bars is, "It's government orders."



• The state of New Jersey has figured out how to make money off the 'rona.



• Oh good, just what we need right now. The leg brace industry will be making a come back.



• Stay off the tracks.

My lights turn on and off just fine

Last night, my outside lights turned on just before sundown and then turned off at 9:30.

Once again, all is well in my gadget world.

Now if I can get my car back into running condition, I will be a happy guy.

⧫

Yes, there was a brawl featured in last night's baseball game.

Tonight's game is from April 11, 2018 and, if my memory is still functional, this may very well be the game that launched the "Joe Kelly Fight Club".

While I enjoy tonight's game, you can enjoy these links:

• I'm not entirely sure we needed these but then again, I'm a guy, so what the hell do I know.



• One more reason why I think we need to reopen the loony bins.



• He was a pretty funny guy.



• Key phrase in this story: "I know that my God is bigger than this virus..."



• Key phrase in this story: "Perhaps it was a little stupid of me to bring the sword..."

Wink can kiss my ass

Several years ago I received a smart home hub. It was a Wink hub and I happily set it up, added some smart lights and some automation to turn those lights on and off depending on certain events. It worked great...

...for about 3 years.

Then one day, it received a software update and I immediately noticed it was having problems maintaining its connection to the Wink service. I also noticed that it was having trouble with the automation.

One thing I programmed was to have my outside lights turn on 10 minutes before sundown every day. Sometimes they would turn on, other times they wouldn't. I also programmed them to turn off at 10:00 every night and that just wasn't happening.

So suffice to say that the service was sketchy at best and the hub was unstable.

Flash back to two weeks ago and I got an email from Wink saying they were changing their business model. They were now going to charge $4.99 per month for the service.

The last thing I'm willing to do is pay $60.00 a year for a sketchy, unstable service. I'd rather pay $60.00 for a new hub from a reputable company.

Jump forward to today and my brand new shiny $59.00 Samsung SmartThings hub arrived. I plugged it in, set it up, created my account and set about connecting all my lights. Once the smart hub found my lights and was all set, I set up my automations. Finally, I tied it into my Alexa account and I can once again tell Alexa to turn on my lights.

I realize this makes me the epitome of lazy but dammit, I like my gadgets.

And I know I said it before but it bears repeating: Wink can kiss my ass.

Their POS hub is in my pile of old dead gadgets in my basement. One of these days I'll crack it open to see if there are any usable parts inside and throw the unusable crap away.

⧫

Tonight's baseball game is from July 8, 2011 when the Orioles came into Boston to get their ass kicked by the Red Sox. During yesterday's game, NESN ran a promo that said this week was brawl week which explains why every game they've shown this week has included a brawl.

I have a feeling that tonight's game will also include brawl.

Here are a few links:

• Accidentally?



• This may be the best idea yet.



• Freeze-Dried Black Soldier Fly Maggots would be a petty good name for a 1980s punk / metal band.



• Religious fanaticism is stupid, no matter what your religion is.



• It's 1967 all over again.

I hate when this happens

I have no idea what is wrong with my car but I suspect it's going to cost me a lot of money.

I took my care in for it's annual inspection today and they found that the inside of my left front tire is bald. The rest of the tire is fine, just 25% of the tread on the inside of the wheel is basically gone.

Suspicion at this time is a bent strut or tie rod. Possibly a bent axle.

I have a feeling my $35.00 inspection is going to turn into a $1,000.00 inspection.

I hate $1,000.00 vehicle inspections.

⧫

Now that The Small Dog is back with us, I am once again being yelled at for not moving fast enough and giving her a cookie in the morning.

It is a ritual in this house that my wife feeds The Small Dog before she leaves on her morning walk. I usually get out of bed just after my wife leaves and I go downstairs to find The Small Dog politely talking (yelling) at me in her gruff little dog voice.

Basically she grumbles, "Harrrhh harraah hrrrrrr" at me until open the pantry and get her a dog biscuit. She then takes the biscuit and runs into the play room where she consumes it with great joy.

You gotta love dogs.

⧫

Tonight NESN is continuing their coverage of the Red Sox slaughtering the Rays. This game will be from June 5, 2008 when the Red Sox took the Rays to school and beat them 7-1.

The other thing these games include have been bench-clearing brawls and player ejections. I'm wondering what fun spectacle tonight's game will feature.

Here are a few links you may find interesting:

• I tried to find this video on a non-facebook platform but I can't. I hate facebook but I really need you to see this so here it is.



• I'm not a fan of him but I gotta admit this is pretty decent of him.



• Meep-Meep. Plfltllfttfttltl.....



• This is NOT how you get a date with a girl.



• Rumor has it that when the Puritans first decided who was going to be allowed on the boat trip to the new world, they specifically forbid lawyers. I don't know if that's true or not but it sounds like a good idea to me.



• Listen up boys, wear your freakin' masks. Stop frightening people. The 80 year old lady trying to buy her toilet paper doesn't need to be terrified by you and your ego.



• California is kinda weird.

And they're home

After driving for two days, my wife, my daughter and The Small Dog arrived home this evening.

All is well with the world.

No links today.

I feel old

I found out today that George Thorogood is 70 years old.

Holy crap, when the hell did this happen?

⧫

I have some observations and requests

We have diluted the meaning of the word "heroes" to the point where it no longer has any meaning.

When we start calling the kid who bags my groceries for me a "hero", we are belittling all the people who have done something truly heroic.

Stop it.

Also, I would like to formally request that politicians and the media stop using the phrase, "new normal". It has no meaning, it provides no information and it's being overused more than the phrase "heroes".

Stop it.

⧫

My wife, my daughter and the Small Dog are currently in Indiana and will all hopefully arrive safely in Sandusky, Ohio in the next few hours. Once there, they will get some food, get a good night's sleep and finally get a good breakfast in the morning before hitting the road for home.

I am the guy anxiously awaiting their arrival.

⧫

Tonight's baseball game is from August 29, 2000 when the Red Sox went to Tampa to play the Rays. For the record, the Rays were still called "The Devil Rays" back then and they really sucked.

While I watch some of that game, you can click on these:

• My question is, "What kind of moron gives an 18 year old a car that can go 191 miles per hour?"



• I'm thinking there might be a bit too much inbreeding going on there.



• I still think there is going to be a bunch of babies being born in December, january and February.



• Attention criminals: Make sure your care is in good shape.



• Just because you don't like a business doesn't mean it isn't a business.



• Australia: What doesn't kill ya, makes you laugh.

Angel has Fallen sucks

My recommendation is that you social distance from the movie Angel has Fallen.

I figured any movie with Morgan Freeman can't be all that bad.

Turns out I was wrong.

Freeman was in the movie for all of about 10 minutes. Then he went into a coma 10 minutes into the film and the remainder of his acting was him lying unconscious in a bed with tubes and beeping machines. He portrayed a comatose guy very well but he did not top his role as God in the movie Bruce Almighty.

The movie is a "action / mystery / whodunit" that had very little action and very little mystery. As for the whodunit part, I'm pretty sure I figured out who the bad guy is in the first 15 minutes of the movie.

Don't waste your time.

⧫

NESN has finished the 2004 world series and are back to showing random games. Tonight's game is from the 2003 ALCS when on October 11, the Red Sox lost to the Yankees.

Despite the loss, I will still watch the game.

While I do that, you can do these:

• Only in Florida.



• Seems like they are kind of jumping the gun a bit...



• Key phrase in this story: "People are afraid of the wrong thing."



• The French are a bit odd.



• This is your brain. This is your brain on drugs.



• Rest easy Uncle Bunky. Your family obviously loved you.

My front lawn looks beautiful

With all the rain and the recent fertilizing, my front lawn looks like a fairway at a high-end country club - thick and green.

I am fully aware that come July, it will look like a scene from an old western, dry and dusty, but for now, I'm going to enjoy it.

⧫

So I got this email the other day and it made me laugh.

Not only does Gina / Ginger have a split personality and isn't certain what her name is, she seems to think I have something to do with a Mexican beer virus.

⧫

Enjoy these links:

• I was pretty sure this was porn.
  (And after reading the story, I still don't know what a "knob" is.)



• Only in Florida.



• Key phrase in this story: "...police say he then stole several pairs of 'ladies underwear'..."



• For the record, I'm not entirely sure we are doing this pandemic thing the right way.

She is now a veterinarian

Iowa State University held a virtual graduation today and we all watched it.

Just before reading all of the graduates names, the president of Iowa State said, "By the authority vested in me by the State of Iowa, I now confer upon you the degree of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine."

I am, as always, the proud dad.

Now if her and her mom finish packing all of her belongings into the Pod and get back here to Massachusetts, I will be the happy and proud dad.

⧫

Despite yesterday's proclamation of snow from two of our local weather dweebs, I awoke this morning to no snow whatsoever. I will admit that it was a bit cold and the heat actually kicked on but no snow.

My little maple trees are grateful because there was no wet snow on their delicate leaves and branches.

⧫

While I enjoy my daughter's accomplishments, you can enjoy these links:

• I could use one of these right about now. My hair hasn't been this long in at least 15 years.



• For the record, I'm pretty sure Gary De Noia needs to be put into a loony bin.



• Ron the Bull would be a great name for a 1970s wrestler.



• Remember yesterday when I said we lived in interesting times? Add this to the list....



• As far as I'm concerned, this should be the law in all 50 states as well as the US Senate and House.



• It's like Goldilocks in reverse.



• Attention criminals: When being chased by the police, roll the window down before attempting to throw your cocaine out of the car.

They tell me it's gonna snow

There is an old curse: "May you live in interesting times"

It's a curse because the best times to be alive are times of peace and tranquility. Interesting times are times when all kinds of things are going on.

We are living in interesting times.

- We have a pandemic and are pretty much confined to our home.
- We have an economy that is faltering at best.
- We have an unemployment rate per capita that is close to approaching that of the great depression.
- Now, to top it all off, climate change is gonna hand us a big ol' pile of shit by dropping 1-2 inches of snow on us on May 9th.

All I know is that I really hope my little Japanese Red Maple trees don't get damaged by this alleged snow.

⧫

They delivered my daughters cap & gown today.

She won't get to wear it in an official graduation ceremony but you can bet I'll have her put it on and take pictures of her wearing it.

It kind of sucks that after working so hard for the last ten year to achieve her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine she doesn't get a ceremony with her classmates but I like to think her mom and I will do something to recognize her accomplishment.

I am, as always, the proud dad.

⧫

I'm going to watch a fairly modern hockey game (it's from 2009) and then watch game 4 of the 2004 World Series.

Well, maybe only six or seven innings of game 4 of the 2004 World Series.

While I do that, you can click on these:

• What the hell was he growing?



• Key phrase in this story: "...shoppers at that Dollar Tree were disgusted..."



• Attention criminals: Take your BeanO before you commit your caper.



• Even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while.



• If I remember my teenage years correctly, they left the word "permanently" off this headline.



• I knew they were good but I did not know that the Patriots were considered a military asset.

I'd forgotten how good the Bruins were in the 90s

I'd also forgotten how poor the TV picture quality was back in the 1992.

The difference between a television picture from 1992 and one from today is like comparing a movie film from the 1800s to one from today.

At one point in my life, I said, "I don't need HDTV. I'm happy with the TV I have now."

Man, am I glad I didn't listen to myself back then and I got myself into HDTV.

Another thing I notice when I watch a Bruins game from the 1992 is the advertising along the boards and the number of companies that no longer exist.

Here is a montage of the boards from tonights game showing some of the ads:

• Northwest Airlines merged with Delta.
• Lechmere was bought by The Dayton Hudson Company and was closed down in 1997.
• BayBank was bought by Toronto Dominion Bank and is now called TDBank.
• U.S. Healthcare was bought by Aetna.
• NYNEX (New York/New England Exchange) is now known as Verizon.
• Shawmut was bought by Fleet Bank and Fleet was bought by Bank of America.

History is history, even when it involves corporations.

I can't help but wonder what current companies will not exist in 2050.

⧫

Here are a few links that you can click on while I watch game 3 from the 2004 World Series:

• They were not social distancing...



• Roll Tide.



• Yes, alcohol was involved. Lots and lots of alcohol.



• Here's your Naked Guy in the News story.



• Sometimes Florida sends it's weirdos to other states.



• One day. They couldn't even go one day before beating the crap out of each other.



• Whatever floats your boat.

Not a lot to talk about.

I'm about done with talking about the Wuhan Boogaloo and this whole quarantine thing. We get enough of that crap from the media. The nightly body counts are getting more than a little morbid and the lack of factual information is frustrating.

Here is some factual information for you:

• I hope you are all doing well and I really hope none of you get sick.

Here is some more factual information for you:

• According to the Mass.gov Covid-19 website, there have been 4,420 deaths from Coronavirus.
• According to MassDOT, there were 4,561 deaths from traffic accidents in 2019.
• According to the Boston Globe, MassLive and WBUR, there were 7,440 deaths from medical errors in 2019

By the way, those 4,420 covid deaths come from 72,025 confirmed cases. That's about a 6% death rate. The 7,440 deaths come from 62,000 medical errors. That represents a 12% death rate.

Interpret those numbers anyway you want. As for me, I can't help but notice that we are all up in arms about the virus but not about the medical errors.

⧫

Enjoy these links:

• Key phrase in this story: "...neither counsel was a role model of professional conduct."



• Would they have left it alone if it said they were "tame"?



• I don't know about you but I am not shocked by this revelation.



• This is why women live longer than men.



• Oh Canada.



• I have no idea what is being repaired but the headline is funny.

Nope, still no 'rona.

To my knowledge, no one in my family has been diagnosed with CoViD-19. That does not mean no one in my family has had it, it just means none of them have been diagnosed.

Based on his two weeks of nasty flu-like symptoms back in mid-April, I figure there is a pretty good chance my cousin had it.

I also figure there is a pretty good chance my brother, my oldest son, my oldest nephew and my only niece have been exposed to it. One is a cop, one is a pharmacist at a Boston hospital, one is a physical therapist and one is a nurse so they are, to use the phrase I constantly hear on the news, "on the front lines".

Then again, I'm would not be shocked to discover that both my wife and I have had it. Back in March, we both spent a week or so with a headache, a runny nose and some mild aches. That could be a cold or it could be something else.

⧫

The owls are still with us.

The big one, a.k.a Albert, seems to be doing some hunting and has lost quite a bit of his baby fluff. The other two are still fluffy but they are definitely getting bigger.

As for mom, she seems to be spending less time with them. She's still there, just in a different tree than where they are. They seem to like hanging out on a dead white pine tree while she seems to prefer sitting in a live white pine. I personally think she likes her alone time because those babies are pretty demanding.

⧫

You might like these links:

• Yes, alcohol was involved.



• Humanity has reached incredible levels of stupidity.



• And yes, alcohol was also involved.



• Ratting out your neighbors is a pretty shitty thing to do and it should be on the public record.



• Key phrase in this story: "...its bite can also cause an erection lasting up to four hours."



• Huh. I thought cougars only hung out in sleazy college bars.



• Here's your Naked Guy in the News story.



• Here's another Naked Guy in the News story.

Pretty sure the new boss is going to work out okay

Once this whole Wuhan Boogaloo thing thins out a bit and we all start returning to work, I'll be doing about 20% of my time working from home. With a cut in hours, I'm only going to be on campus 3 days a week and those three days will be 5 or 6 hours long. The rest of my time will be working at home.

Not a bad gig. I feel like I'm easing into retirement.

Now if the market will start cooperating again and kick my investments back into high gear....

⧫

I'm going to keep saying that I need to mow my lawn again while I still can because I know that come August, I'm going to be bitching about how brown and dead my lawn is.

⧫

Speaking of grass, I found a way to make a timelapse movie of my daily grass growing pictures.

I did a quick test and it looks like crap but that's because 1) I didn't align the camera with a single point so the pictures dance around and 2) I suck at using movie making software.

Maybe I'll have it done in a week or so. If I can't get the pictures to align correctly, I won't publish it because I don't want to be responsible for giving any of you a seizure.

⧫

Last fall we planted a Horse Chestnut tree in our side yard:

My daughter said, "Wait until those chestnuts start falling in your yard. You're gonna hate them." Well, I think we're about to find out if she is right:

⧫

I have a cordless electric Black & Decker weed whacker for whacking my weeds. It's about 5 or 6 years old and the NiCad battery packs have finally reached the point where they no longer provide enough juice to do the job.

Now I paid about $40.00 for this whacker and it came with two 18volt battery packs. When I discovered that replacement battery packs cost $70 each, I damned near had a coronary. When I discovered that buying a new whacker would also cost around $70 but with only one battery pack, I said, "Screw that."

I did a little research and found a 18volt NiCad battery pack at Harbor Freight for $12.00 and said to myself, "Self, you are a handy guy. I'm betting you can gut both battery packs and put the Harbor Freight batteries into the Black & Decker shell and, presto-chango, you've got new battery packs that didn't cost you more than buying a new whacker."

So that's my plan.

I'll let you know how it goes.

⧫

Here are today's links:

• Toilet Frog would be a fantastic name for a 1960s rock-a-billy band.



• I got a dollar says that we'll be reading about some sort of "incident" in the next few weeks.



• Taylor Swift ain't got nothin' on Jolee Dunn.
  ("Maybe there are astronauts! Maybe there are aliens!")



• Only in Florida.



• Another reason to not live in New York City.



• When mom is day-drinking the chablis, the home-schoolin' usually doesn't go to well.

A brief taste of summer

It was in the upper 70s today and with the bright sun, it was almost muggy. According to the weather dweebs, it won't last and we can expect our damp spring to return during the coming week.

⧫

Time for an update on the grass:

This has been your update on the grass.

⧫

Here are some links that you might find interesting:

• Oh good. Just what we need, giant orange hornets.



• Key phrase in this story: "Sat there for two hours, everyone sucking everyone’s coronavirus."
  (This is why I got my pilot's license.)



• Australia: What doesn't kill ya, scares the shit out of you.



• It's bad enough they want you to rat out your neighbors. Now they are telling everyone you ratted out your neighbors.



• I think they're just making this shit up now.



• Sure, why not.

Nice day to get stuff done.

We got the grocery shopping done this morning. When we go grocery shopping, we are shopping for ourselves, my wifes mom and our next door neighbors so it's an important event.

After that it was time to get some yard work done. Fortunately I didn't have much to do so I took my time. I got the leaves out of the gardens and then spent a half hour pulling a bunch of dandelions out of the backyard. If I had left them to go to seed, I would have a backyard of dandelions instead of grass.

Finally, the last thing to do was a trip to the butcher shop at the Village Food Mart for some bacon-cheddar burgers.

If you have never had a bacon-cheddar burger from the Food Mart, I highly recommend them. To quote Jules Winnfield from Pulp Fiction, "Mmm-mmmm. This is a tasty burger."

⧫

Here's a thought I had:

This whole deal with wearing face masks must make it easy to become a ventriloquist.

This has just been a thought I had.

⧫

You can enjoy these links if you want:

• I miss the Bob & Tom show.



• This is a pretty good idea. At $6.00 a pop, I'd buy four of them.



• Australia: What doesn't kill ya makes your boobies pop out.



• Key phrase in this story: "He lost the home to foreclosure two years ago and now lives above a garage in a friend’s home."



• Only in Beverly Hills would plastic surgery be considered essential.



• Damn. I missed it again.

Not a bad day

I managed to get my lawn mowed today. I also managed to cancel my flying lesson that I had scheduled for May 5th. It's now scheduled for May 19th.

⧫

Speaking of May 19th, Connecticut has decided to begin the process of reopening on May 20th. That means every person in Massachusetts that is sick and tired of being cooped up in their home is going to head to a restaurant/bar in Connecticut. I'm betting the joints down in Enfield are going to have a great couple of weeks.

Meanwhile, Charlie Baker is saying that he doesn't think the state will actually be ready to open on May 19th. He said the 19th is just another point in time to evaluate the status.

This is getting ridiculous.

I get it. This is not about stopping me from getting the virus, it's about preventing the hospitals from getting overwhelmed. This is all about spreading out the infections over longer periods of time so we don't end up like New York City with bodies stacked in refrigerator trucks out front of hospitals.

All I'm saying is we need to start being human beings again.

Soon.

But not too soon.

⧫

Because NESN has decided to run the baseball games at 8:30 at night, I have not been able to stay awake to see the endings. Tonight's game is scheduled to go until 11:30 and that is way too late for me.

Don't get me wrong, I'll still watch.

My evening schedule has become Bruins from 6p to 8p. Then a half hour of Tom Caron sitting in his house talking to different people and finally Red Sox from 8:30p until I fall asleep.

So while I do all that, you can do these:

• Only in Florida.



• Nothing like a shitload of hurricanes and other natural disasters to help lighten the 'rona mood.



• Headline writers are struggling to entertain us.



• Things a 12 year old should never have to say: "I died and came back."



• Key phrase in this story: "CHP Hayward wants to remind you it is never safe to step out of your vehicle on an active freeway."



• Presenting this episodes Brilliant Criminal of the Year.