That was sooo close!

Posted on 01/31/2010 by RLW3

On the way home from church, I drove by the little frozen waterfall…

As I drove by, I thought that it was worth taking another picture. So…

I started backing up…

Made sense to me. Evidently, my wife didn’t think so.

As I put it in reverse, Bunch said, “What are you doing?”

“Backing up.”

“You can’t back up! That’s illegal!”

I kept going…

“You can’t back up on a curvy road like this! It is SO dangerous!”

I kept going…I could see down the road. In fact, a car did come by and I had plenty of time to pull safely off to the side of the road to let him pass.

And then I resumed backing up…

“This is so unsafe!”

By now, we had made it back to the waterfall and pulled off to the side of the road. If women had their way, we wouldn’t have any fun…

Well, not exactly any…

but…

you know what I mean!

As I was getting out of the truck, she said, “What kind of an example are you setting?”

“A terrible one…Not only was it ‘unsafe’, ‘illegal’ and a bad example, you forgot to mention that I am a 50 year old man dressed in a suit on a Sunday and that I had my wife and daughter in the car while I did it!”

I got her with that one. She laughed and laughed.

Oh yeah, the waterfall…

I took a picture because it was sporting a Laurel and Hardy mustache…

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Are we on TV?

Posted on 01/29/2010 by RLW3

When I walked outside early this morning, I did a double take…

I couldn’t quite figure out what I was seeing.

It snowed last night. That’s not really news any longer. After all, it is winter and this is the Midwest!

But, it was how it looked..

.

(click on the pictures)

Our apartment complex looked like it had become a very large coloring book! Snow perfectly blanketed the streets and the sidewalks but not the grass!

Whoever did the coloring did a very good job of staying in the lines! Only the stones were covered on the walkway to the sidewalk!

Actually, it was too perfect…

As I headed back inside, I started looking for cameras…

I wonder if our apartment complex is really just another set on the “The Truman Show”?

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If everything went this well…

Posted on 01/28/2010 by RLW3

Yesterday, I tried to link to a post about my most recent problem with my MacBook Pro laptop computer. I didn’t succeed because I never told you the story!

I back up my entire computer semi-regularly onto my Time Capsule. However, that is still a hard drive and, therefore, is subject to failure. So, about twice a year, I make a DVD copy of all of the files that I have personally created.

About three weeks ago, I decided that January seemed like a good time to do that so I popped in a DVD and got the following error message…”media error”!?!?

Fine. I’ve got four more disks…

I got the same message with five different disks!

Now, I can believe that one disk might be defective, but five…??? I don’t think so…

I did a smart thing when I bought the computer nearly two years…

I bought Apple Care. That means that Apple will fix anything and everything (well almost) for the next three years.

So I made an appointment at the Genius Bar and headed down to the Apple store.

“It’s not your disks. It’s your DVD burner.”

“Is this a covered repair?”

“Absolutely. Let me get your computer checked in.”

“How long will you need it for?”

He looked up from his screen and saw me visibly wincing, smiled and said, “Hold on a minute…” and disappeared into the back of the store.

Five minutes later, he came back and said, “I talked to a guy in the back who said that he will do it while you wait.”

Folks, I walked in for my 5:45 appointment trying to find out why I couldn’t burn a DVD and walked out at 6:30 with a new DVD burner installed in my laptop!

Go Apple!

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I’m not moving

Posted on 01/27/2010 by RLW3

I confessed something to my wife a few days ago…

“It might seem corny, but I REALLY like using my computer.”

Three weeks ago, while I was waiting for my MacBook Pro DVD drive to be replaced, I bought Apple’s latest operating system, “Snow Leopard”. It is faster and more powerful than the “Leopard” operating system that I currently run.

Before I could load it, I learned that Apple was going to unveil the “iPad” in a few weeks.

“Hmmm…I wonder what else they might release?”

I decided to wait just in case they pulled a surprise and released another new operating system.

While I was waiting these last two weeks, I found two pieces of software that REALLY make using my computer an enjoyable thing. In fact, the last time that I was this excited about computing was 23 years ago when I bought my first MacPlus and learned how to program in Hypercard.

Then I realized that my happiness was creating a dilemna…

Two of my favorite pieces of software are not compatible with the new software.

“Do I really want to upgrade to ‘Snow Leopard’?”

It is a little like selling a house that you really love and moving out of a great neighborhood just because you can get a great deal on a “nicer, bigger” one in some other part of town.

I took Snow Leopard back.

If the software that I really like gets upgraded to be compatible, I will upgrade. Until then, I like where I live.

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But I get up off that side every day!

Posted on 01/26/2010 by RLW3

My little rough patch continued today..

Last night, I was so preoccupied with learning how to set my clock radio so I could fall asleep while listening to a jazz CD that I forgot to turn my alarm. I woke up in time to take a shower, get some food and head out the door.

Then, as I drove to work, I noticed that my eyes were blurry. It seems that my super-duper, bubbling contact lens cleaner has run out of juice.

When I got to work, I decided to clean them the old fashioned way: with some liquid and my fingers. That worked great for the right lens. I tore the left one in two.

At lunch, I went to the local Costco to see if they had a replacement lens in stock that I could purchase…

They didn’t. Evidently, the general population’s eyeballs are round. Mine looks like a football.

Back to work…

One half hour later, my vision started disappearing in my right eye! That generally means that a storm called a migraine headache is trying to develop inside my body. Two Extra Strength Excedrin were able to fight it off to a draw. It never got so bad that I had to go home but it never completely went away either.

Anyway, I am looking forward to sleeping tonight!

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Boo Hoo!

Posted on 01/25/2010 by RLW3

The Toyota’s engine is toast…

I can’t say that I am surprised. I thought there might be real trouble when I first heard the knock.

The thing that is really trying to eat away at me is the cause…

I didn’t check the oil! How basic can you get?

I have replayed it over and over again in my mind.

The car wasn’t leaking oil. With all of the snow on the ground, that would have been VERY obvious.

It wasn’t burning oil as far as I could see. In fact, the car was running great!

And I had the oil changed 3,300 miles ago. I was due to go back in this week.

This is starting to sound like a Hardy Boys mystery…”The Case of the Missing Oil”.

When I called my wife to tell her the news, she tried to put a good spin on it…

“Well, you’ve got a great teaching lesson for your children.”

“What’s that?”

“To make sure they check the oil in their cars. You’ve told them in the past but I don’t think they really take it seriously”

I didn’t quite know what to say so she continued…

“I mean I’ve never heard of this happening to anyone in my entire life!”

Gosh, Bunch…thanks…I feel so much better now!

Anyway, $15 worth of missing oil is now looking like it will cost me about $1500!

Once again, I am forced to face the fact that I am not the sharpest tool in the shed!

I’ve got to go now…

I have to try to nurse my wounded ego back to health!

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How quickly things change

Posted on 01/23/2010 by RLW3

Life never ceases to amaze me. Change happens so quickly, so unexpectedly.

This morning, I drove Cakes to her SAT test. She can drive herself but I just wanted to get a little time with her.

I chose to take the Toyota Paseo because it gets great mileage and she has only ridden in it once before. I told her that I wanted her to drive it home after the test so she could get some experience driving a stick shift.

On the way there, I was remarking on how great the car was running…

how fun it is to drive…

the great gas mileage…

and the great deal that I got when I bought it!

I dropper her off and headed back home for the rest of the morning.

I got back into the car pick her up this afternoon. Five minutes after leaving our apartment, I started hearing a knock or a rattle at about 4,000 RPM’s…

“That doesn’t sound good!”

Then I started hearing it at 3,000 RPM’s…

Then 2,000…

Then at idle!

When we got back to our apartment, I checked the oil…

EMPTY!

It never occurred to me to check on this car. The oil was just changed 3,000 miles ago. There are no signs of leaking oil where I park. There is no smoke coming out of the tailpipe.

I put some oil in it and nursed it over to my mechanic.

I guess we will find out how much I like this little car pretty quickly!

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No pain, no gain!

Posted on 01/22/2010 by RLW3

I thought I should talk about goals today…

Well, really about setbacks…

I started taking my first steps toward my physical goals this week. I have told you that I have worked out an exercise schedule that is short and varied.

Well, you already know that I missed my workout on Monday.

On Tuesday, I did a few V-ups, 5 back neck bridges, some dips and 40 squats with just my bodyweight. I was a little disappointed by how few of each exercise that I could do, but that’s fine…it will get better.

On Wednesday, I overslept.

Thursday…I did a few push-ups and four sprints.

Friday…I did a few sit-ups, 3 back neck bridges and jumped rope…three sets of 100 jumps.

Now, that is not all that much exercise…

My back was kicking my butt at work today! Yoweee!

It was all that I could do to stand up from my chair at work! I am not exaggerating! In fact, one time I couldn’t do it! The pain took my breath away. It was embarrassing!

Let’s just say that I ain’t going to be joggin’ no 4 miles tomorrow!

I’m just saying…

Oh yeah! Goals are great!

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What ever happened to full disclosure?

Posted on 01/21/2010 by RLW3

I should be more of a butt to my wife…

I mean, sometimes I am just too agreeable!

I told you that she was going to go on this radical diet to lose weight. I also told you that she if she succeeds in hitting her goal, I will have to get braces.

I have also told you that am less than thrilled with the prospect of wearing braces at 50 years old. But…

Being the “good” husband that I am, I encouraged her and told her that I hoped the diet worked for her.

It has only been four days but reality is beginning to dawn on me…

Evidently I inadvertently agreed to go on a diet too! That’s funny to me because I distinctly don’t remember being asked if I wanted to do that!

For the next 38 days, her caloric intake is really limited. So is her choice of foods. Guess what that means…

I can either eat what she cooks for her and my daughter or…I can make my own???

I want to say, “Hey, wait a minute, woman! I didn’t sign up for this!” But, what am I going to do…

Ask her to make me some “real” food? Right! I am going to be the one that puts the stumbling block in front of her…Homey don’t think so!

But I am not just affected at home…

Take this afternoon for example. I pulled out my iPhone this afternoon and checked her schedule…

She works tomorrow night but doesn’t work tonight! An great idea bubbled up in my cranium…

I can surprise her by taking her out on a date on a Thursday night!

I started picturing of where we might go…what we might order…and then it dawned on me…

She can’t eat anything! We can’t go anywhere!…for the next 60 days!!!

It has only been four days but I already don’t like this diet!

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The next baby step

Posted on 01/19/2010 by RLW3

I took my next baby step in committing to our new church…

I went to a mid-week meeting.  I haven’t done that in more than two years!

It felt so strange as I put on my shoes and coat and grabbed the keys. Generally speaking,  except for my children’s special events or dates with my wife, when I drive home after work, I don’t leave until the next morning when I head back to work. I am a homebody!

I didn’t stay for the whole service…An hour into the service, my face was overtaken by a nearly continuous yawn!

Oh well, baby steps…baby steps.

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