Ian Abel

THAT has to be one of the most stupid proposals I've seen in a while....

HUMP day, not for me, I'm taking the next two days off for the Mrs surgery, so it's sort of POETT I guess!! Yesterday, busy with work, then additional prepping for the Mrs upcoming event, even MORE paperwork to get arranged, signed, copied. It all came during the day, not like we'd procrastinated or anything. At this rate I'm sure we'll be still filling in sh!t as she's wheeled in for surgery <gasp>!!! Car "info": The Ford Fusion Hybrid has LOTS of jolly information to impart, running MPG/EV rates and plenty of little graphics showing your rates of acceleration, braking and cruising economy. It's one thing I actually LIKE, sort of a game to see if you can keep everything in the most efficient ranges <smile> There's even an "app" (of COURSE THERE IS!!) that captures all your trips and gives you an analysis of the driving during the trip. Car/Clutch replacement: Been there done that. Easiest - surprisingly the '64 Corvette (and many others owned by a group of friends). Jack it up on stands - drop gearbox/clutch housing from underneath and bingo! Intermediate - late 60s MGB, bit of a faff but generally similar to above. HARDEST - E-type mid-60s. FIRST, remove the front hood assemble - this requires the assistance of several strong folks, it's a of a heavy piece of metal! SECOND - Front suspension needs to be partially sorted as two large lower bolts need to come out and be replaced with pins. THIRD - remove EVERYTHING and ANYTHING attached to the entire engine/gearbox assembly. FORTH - support entire assembly with engine crane, disconnect drive shaft and remove gear shift. FIFTH - EASE entire unit forward whilst tilting upwards at about 30 degrees and remove from car. SIXTH - remove housing and sort out clutch <RIGHT> The above is all a simplified version of the million pages in the official workshop manual - all was accomplished in the driveway of my girlfriends parents on Long Island!! Plenty of help from willing brothers, father and a few neighbors, ALL amused and astounded at the complexity of "changing a clutch". Today, final pre-op preparations, all kinds of "cleanliness" requirements noted. They provided some special soap the Mrs has to use showering tonight, ALL bed linens and pajamas to be used overnight must be clean/fresh washed, tomorrow repeat of the shower with special soap, chuck her in clean loose fitting clothes then in the car and zip her off to the surgery!!! +4 (PLUS for a change!) first thing, overcast, showers off and on all day, high of 9 expected. Carry on...

Chewsday... Yesterday, managed to file my Federal and State taxes. Some folks are surprised that I wait until the last minute (always!). Here there are two generally "ideas" related to taxes; 1) Pay more than required, then you get a nice surprise check at tax filing time - Yeah, but "they" had the extra money all that time and don't pay any interest. 2) Get as close to possible as "right", and owe "them" something in the end. I've been able to use/invest ALL the money I am entitled to, and just pay the extra when I file. I'll continue that way as #2 is my preferred method. Oh well. Done for another year. Also yesterday managed to get an 8 mile bike ride, pulled calf muscle seems to have recovered some. Last evening had a chance to "fix the world" with my buddy while the ladies went to their first "in person" book club in a while. Enjoyed some good whine and wine and cheese <grin> Today, other than work, not much. Continuing the prep work for being the "responsible party" of the household for a couple of weeks. Not sure the Mrs is convinced I can carry it off... Call came in yesterday with her surgery time, so we're due at the location at 7:30AM Thursday for a 9AM operation. Be posting "later" on Thursday, once she goes in for the op. Weather trending "indifferent" here still, -4 and sunny first thing, high of 7 forecast with NO precip <yay>. We're being threatened with a possible high of 21 Saturday!! Tally ho...

Easter Monday... nah, a figment of your imagination here in the US, oh well! Saturday, busy with our Easter get-together, I DID however manage time to install my new graphics card for my flight-simming endeavors. The cards have FINALLY come down to sensible prices, albeit still quite above MSRP. After that great dinner and get together, the dogs got a walk which was THEIR high-spot of the day <smile> Sunday - up, "o' crack sparrow..." sung at both the Sunday services and for the first time in two years standing room only at both services. Napped later as I was ready for it. All weekend we've been plagued with snow off-and-on, and very high winds. SNow pretty much NOT sticking except first thing as a light dusting. Went out for a quick grocery run early before starting work, lots of errands to run and preparations to do as the Mrs knee-replacement surgery is coming up fast - Thursday, time to be determined, they apparently call around 72-hours ahead to give us the exact time... Today, -2 and blowing snow (AGAIN!!) first thing, expecting a high of 4... Carry on.

Ahh yes, to add a certain triwst to the much discussed US holidays, I was reminded just now on the radio that those wonderful 1%ers, whilst having all the minions toil on Good Friday, the stock markets are CLOSED in observance of "the Good Friday Holiday" - talk about IRONY!!!!!

POETS - sure, why not. Yesterday as expected, although the Long Island client popped their heads up and threw a long list of "new" features/changes to be done. No rush on these at least. Went to the evening Holy Thursday service to sing, battled our way through another snow squall, most just left a dusting. Singing was excellent and the after service happy-hour another winner <smile> Weekend will be complex. Saturday morning early will be busy cleaning house for the family get-together, expecting to be invaded from about 11:30 on... We're doing Easter Sunday dinner tomorrow, due to family members needing to perform flying duties Sunday. Brendan won't be with us as he heads out later today for a 4-day trip <sigh>. It's tough getting the family together especially when the public flying demands world over increase significantly at weekends. Sunday the choir sings at both 9 and 11AM so that wipes out Sunday until about 1PM. And then I'll be wanting a nap I expect <grin>. First thing MINUS BL00DY FIVE <grr> with another coating of snow. Spring MAY arrive at this rate sometime in JUNE! At least it's sunny and a high of a whopping TWO later!!! Hope the weekend starts well for everyone, enjoy. EDIT: Whoops, forgot most of you lucky buqqers have TODAY and MONDAY off anyway so you've got that elusive (in the US) 4-day weekend already started!

That's the bit that always bites me in the aRse - KNOWING it's wrong even if the casual observer can't immediately see it - turdycurses... good luck with whatever choice!

Short answer is - YES, longer answer, see below as described above, with the added explanation that, as shown, typically only SIX are actually observed by "everyone" as a real day off. The others are all "available" to be taken using up either your allotment of "floating holidays", or your vacation time, so it's not really anything more than you decididing THAT day is a vacation day. Any federal workers manage to get the entire suite of days off. It seems that in providing a "separation of church and state" the founding fathers allowed the 1% to determine they'd apply/institute the SCROOGE method (pre-visitation by the ghosts <grin>) of caring for their employees! My company do add one other day off (several companies I've worked for do, and I think quite a few others, especially since almost no-one shows up on this day) and that's the Friday after Thanksgiving, which is always on a Thursday. So many do benefit from a 4-day weekend, but that's pretty much the only one. 'ello, 'ello... BIN day, wind around 50+mph and empty BINs seen charging down the street, managed to capture my two and put them back in their prison <smile>. Yesterday a non-event in all measures, so knock that one on the head. Today, work then off to sing at the Holy Thursday service. We shall repair to our local watering hole after the event<hick> Weather-wise - SHITE! Started the day at -2, blowing a gale and snowing! Temperature MAY top +3 if we're very lucky with snow showers all day. None appearing to stay as the ground is somewhat warm enough to have it melt on contact. Forecast for strong gusty winds all day up to 50-60mph. That's it...

Besides it went away in the Spring of 2020; "You know, a lot of people think that goes away in April with the heat — as the heat comes in. Typically, that will go away in April." Dumbold Drumpf quote, Feb. 10 2020

Mornin' HUMP day, and sadly for the "over here" delegation it actually IS. No 4-day weekend for us poor minions. Yesterday, uneventful mostly - choir rehearsal for Easter Sunday services and a deluge for most of the evening, that's about it. Hissing it down all through rehearsal. Today, a break at lunchtime to have lunch with the Mrs and some friends. Weather continues to annoy/amuse/p!ss us off - heavy rain most of yesterday evening, today +1 and overcast first thing, 8 the high with 84% chance of more rain. Tomorrow they're now predicting a high of 2 and good chance of snow - turdycurses. We sing at the Holy Thursday service so the evening drive will be shite! Tally ho...

Me, me, me, me <wide grin> The AM breakfast "kettle" race is to set it on, then retrieve the newspaper from the front garden (bl00dy idiot delivery guy!!), get back in and make porridge, feed Bob a small pre-breakfast treat and get the newspaper prepared for me to read in comfort! Sometimes topping up the bird-feeders is included if they are in need.

Ahh, deliveries and the "don't bother to return..." option. I get my McVities DARK Chocolate Digestives from Amazon - about the only option since the local shop stopped carrying them a couple of years back. Latest delivery was an error and mistakenly MILK Chocolate was sent to me. Given it's "food" apparently there is no "return, wrong item delivered" option available. Only recourse appeared to be a direct "complaint" about the item. They, right away, refunded my money, so I'm up 4 packs of bikkies - that's how they're sold, 4 packs per order. I'm not a great fan of the Milk Chocolate variety, but I'll see if I can't force them down with my tea!!!

Moaning <sigh> Weekend woes; Friday after a very successful and rewarding couple of rides on my spin-bike, taking my total mileage now over the 500 mile mark, I went off to the store to get some orange juice "for the morning" and SOMEHOW managed to pull a calf muscle while in the store! Really, REALLY s0dding painful and barely managed to stagger back to the car and into the house. Late evening spent icing the leg and laying around more annoyed than in any pain - THAT only occurred if I got up. Saturday, painful, but continued icing and some light stretching, as fortune would have it I'd planned to be sitting on my "dead arse" doing the taxes anyway, so no loss. Sunday, leg feeling someone better, thankfully, and managed to stand through the Palm Sunday service the choir sang as. It was also good enough to allow me to go to the baseball game with the Mrs, Trevor and Meagan. Good news was we won 10-4, AND we got free wind-breakers as part of some promotion. Fairly cool in the shade where we were as the temp was only around 12 with a fairly decent breeze blowing. Yesterday, continuing to improve, though still a bit gimpy. Evening get-together with our friends who are now back from Arizona. They may regret not waiting another week as we're supposed to get a cold spell with some rain and SNOW! 3 first thing, overcast and headed for 12 with 85% chance of rain. Carry on.

POETS, let's do that ! Yesterday, little of note - schola rehearsal we're all there at 7 as requested by the choir director - then waited until 7:30 to start as the musicians had TOLD HER they couldn't make it till 7:30 <sigh>. Oh well, another half-hour I'll never get back. Today - "not much" although the Mrs and I are off for lunch somewhere, seems like a good idea. NO other plans today. The weekend is another matter - large to-do list at the rental property, I think our renters decided to hoard the items until they had a huge list, so that's Saturday shot. Sunday the choir sing for Palm Sunday services, then a hasty retreat back home to change, pickup Trevor and Meagan and go to the baseball game. ZERO first thing (after a dusting of snow overnight!!), and bright sun. 5 the expected high later. Weekend looks quite nice with highs around 13 and little chance of precip. Enjoy the start of the weekend.

Good job they switched the baseball game - right now it's +1 with a wind chill of -4 and light blowing snow. Not sure how the players would feel, but I'm buqqered if I'd be daft enough to be out there WATCHING and freezing in that mess In other news, my lunchtime exercise/fitness/riding program had me pass the 500 mile mark riding around 7 miles in Jamaica - woo hoo... plenty of "incentive" following Ashley, above, all the way

BINs... <arrgghhh> forgot last evening that it was BIN-eve. Frantic rushing around first thing to get BINs topped off and out to the curb. THEN, in a complete departure from the NORM, our BIN men have yet to show up, placing them, as of now, about 2 hours at least later than usual <sigh>... Little of note yesterday, and today looks remarkably similar, though I DO now have another schola rehearsal tonight. Weather ZERO and overcast putting BINs out and expected to be a high of 3 with 85% chance of precip - seems the correct decision to move the baseball to tomorrow! Tally ho.

Depends which day you are referring to <emoji laugh> The weather tomorrow was determined to be so shite, that the opening day game has now been moved to Friday at 3:10PM (originally a day off) Frankly, the weather doesn't look a lot better/better on Friday, Thursday supposed +4 high and 60-70% chance of precip, Friday +6 and 40% chance of precip! We're supposed to go to the Sunday game - Trevor and Meagan invited us, so I'm hoping the forecast holds -> +15 and 6% chance of precip

For the most part over "here" that's correct, even though in the stores you can buy items labelled as "jelly", "jam" and "preserves". 90+% of the population refer to pretty much ANY jam-like substances as jelly.

Moaning <embedded "standard" emoji still not recognized it seems) Yesterday, choir rehearsal as a replacement for the usual Thursday do, accommodating musicians that have gigs Thursday and can't make the regular schedule... Was long and rather tiring <yawn> Also, tending the drainage system in the basement as yesterday was raining most all day and the ground here STILL isn't frost free, allowing large puddles of water to accumulate and therefore make a bee-line for my s00ding basement! May make it a half-day today, and get a nap in this afternoon <yawn> Weather here still, STILL, way too preoccupied with precipitation, ZERO first thing 90% chance of rain todady and a high of 6 - overcast and blah outside! Onward...

Morning... Brain fart and didn't think to post on RMWeb yesterday somehow thinking it was still down! Not much to report anyway, busy weekend with who-knows-what including plenty of to-do list items. Today I get to sit in on a Zoom with the Mrs at noon, she's having knee-replacement on the 21st. and there's a Zoom for patients and their "coaches" to attend prior to the surgery. Not sure how I "coach" but I'll find out I'm sure <wink - as the emoticons seem broken!> Weather moving slowly towards spring here, had some snow/slush past few days that's now disappeared. First thing today ZERO and overcast, expecting rain later and a high of 8. Carry on... hopefully Andy can sort the "images" problems soon...

Quick update - did a lurgy test and I was found "fit for purpose" i.e. NEGATIVE 😀 Jemma dropped off Whitney as she heads out on another 4-day trip. As with most airlines at present, they crews are being maxed out as they are all short-staffed, if she wasn't already on a scheduled 4-day trip she could bid for the extra flights they're looking to get crews for. Can't be bad, that they pay 200% for those flights!!!!! She already picked up one Wednesday MSP-LAS-MSP <KaChing> Given I'm negative for the plague we can plan a few things to do (or be handed a TO-DO!) this weekend - Tally ho.

Moaning 😒 Yesterday, late, one of the schola reported she'd tested positive for the lurgy! Pity that I was sitting just 2 feet away from her in the bar after we sang Wednesday evening!! Will wait until later today to "test", as that's what's recommended by various folks in the know, given I'd not seen her for more than a week until Wednesday. We had a full choir rehearsal last evening, ran really, REALLY long, so was/am tired anyway <yawn> This AM feeling congested and a little dizzy, so I'm betting I may well test the "wrong way" later. JUST what I need with the weekend fast approaching - it'll probably be an "avoid everyone and everything" sort of weekend with the current circumstances. We're supposed to go out tomorrow with Trevor and Meagan, but that may well not happen, especially as she has a very new (6 weeks) niece she visits regularly. "Other than THAT Mrs Lincoln, how was the play..." Will check back later and over the weekend. At least RMWeb is up and rolling Weather here improving, -4 first thing and sunny, expecting a high of 8, then PLUS ONE overnight (miracles!!) and 10 for the high the next 4 days - is that SPRING I see on the horizon! Have a good start to the weekend.

Afternoon all, great big thanks to @AY Modand team for the hard work involved... Chilly here in Minnesota still, supposed to warm up tomorrow - yeah RIGHT!!! Another BIN day in the books, and a return to RM Web makes everything looks rosy 🤩👍

Quick check-in, just received a package in time for my afternoon cuppa LUVVLY JUBBY

POETS...let's take a crack at that Yesterday, sorted the in-line pump connected to our basement drainage system so it runs on auto with the help of a few Alexa routines. Having done that it now seems all the water is probably done presenting itself in our basement - as of this morning the pump is running every hour for 5 minutes but no water seen since 7AM! The back yard is also quite dry with just a few patches of snow cover remaining. Full choir rehearsal last evening was "interesting". A LOT of folks showed up, encouraging, BUT they all wanted to chat with each other having been absent on parade for two years <sigh> rather a challenge to actually rehearse! The choir director managed to get some order after a while and we're back to a full compliment again. Later today Whitney will appear again, as Jemma and Brendan are off again on 4-day trips. Spring break and generally half the US-centric planet seemingly wanting to travel again is placing a large strain on available flight crews... Alos, my specs are ready to be picked up - so will manage that later, not that they're a desperate change, but will be an improvement, and have sun glasses also - the last pair were quite out-of-date as I don't bother with them that much, but seeing double with the old pair isn't "optimal" A few items to-do over the weekend but fairly quiet. 0 first thing and sunny, a high of 8 expected. The weekend expecting highs of 13 and 15 with little chance (2%) of precipitation, should help the back yard/drainage recover... Hope the weekend starts well for everyone.