I hope the toilet repairs last a while this time. Little by little, everything on my to-do list is getting done. Janet wanted me to change the battery on the key fob to her car today. I followed the directions, but couldn't get the key fob to open up. Clumsy hands I guess. Janet finally got the key fob to open herself. I think the key fob for my car has a better design. I had to change my key fob battery a few months ago and it opened up in less than a minute. It doesn't take long to learn that there are some things on modern cars that are better to do yourself. All it takes is a two dollar watch battery to fix a key fob. The dealership wanted to charge me twenty dollars.
I keep putting off upgrading the firmware on my star tracker. For now I'm content to just read the user forum and see what the other Kickstarter backers are doing. Maybe I'll feel more like using this thing when the power line tree crews arrive in our neighborhood. Right now two big trees block my view of the southern horizon from the back yard. The utility company has eminent domain and about every six years they come and butcher these trees so they don't get too close to the power lines that run down the alley. After decades of doing this the trees look really ugly now.
Janet and I decided to just ask the crew to cut the trees down this time. It would be easier for them in the long run and it would also make it easier for us to reroute our driveway to the back yard someday. Backyard astronomy might become easier as well. I don't know if the utility company will remove the trees though. I've been watching the crews inch their way toward us in the neighborhood and it looks like they are only doing minimal cutting this time. The last time these guys were here they made such a mess of everybody's trees that the entire neighborhood rose up against them. There were lots of threats of lawsuits, although I don't know if any were actually filed. Eminent domain laws are pretty powerful. If you have a power line running next to your property the utility company can pretty much do whatever they want to any trees that are in the way.
I keep getting 20,000 steps a day despite my foot problems. My pace has slowed quite a bit though. Now my right knee is starting to bother me as well. I feel like I'm slowly falling apart. Unfortunately, the alternative is falling apart much more quickly if I became less active. I still think it is important to keep moving. I think Dawn wishes I moved a lot faster. Her natural pace is a lot quicker than mine. Hey, I'm doing the best I can. I'm kind of amazed that I used to walk two young, strong Dalmatians at the same time. I couldn't do that anymore.
It's time to make a grocery list again. I wonder how expensive things are going to be this week. It's easy to forget that there have been high gas prices and rampant inflation before. I remember gas lines in the Jimmy Carter era and the first time I bought a house, interest rates were over 11%. There have always been problems. You expect things to get better though. It's disappointing when we keep making the same mistakes over and over again.
Molly is today's Dalmatian of the Day |
Watch of the Day |
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