Grass Houses

Once upon a time, in a far away land (Africa) there was a king who lived in a grass house.  It was a marvelous grass house, two stories high, and the king was very pleased with it.  He spent his days sitting on the throne, which was on the ground floor, directly below the single large room on the upper floor.

The king was very ambitious.  He wanted to rule over the entire region and proceeded to wage war on the neighboring nations.  His army was well trained and conquered nation after nation.  The commanding general would return home after each success, bringing with him the throne from the captured nation.  The king directed his servants to stow the captured thrones in the second floor room of his grass home. 

Finally, after several years, there was only one nation left to conquer, the most formidable nation of them all.  His army fought hard and long, losing several battles, but eventually winning the war.  The king was delighted, of course.  He ordered his servants to haul the last throne upstairs.  Then, he filled his goblet with a fine wine and resumed his seat, savoring his victories.

But then, tragedy struck.  That last throne was very heavy and when the servants set it down, the floor began to creak and shake.  A split second later, the floor collapsed completely.  The thrones came tumbling down, directly on the king, killing him instantly.

The moral is (you probably knew this was coming): people who live in grass houses should not stow thrones.

My Favorite Quotes

 Never engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed man.  Winston Churchill  

It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.  Mark Twain  

Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans.  John Lennon  

I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.  Thomas Jefferson 

It's like déjà vu all over again.  Yogi Berra

Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you're right.  Henry Ford

Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason.  Mark Twain

You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. Wayne Gretzky

Never miss a good chance to shut up.  Will Rogers

Ya gotta wanna!  George Carlin, et al

Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence in society.  Mark Twain

I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me.  Noel Coward.

Did your parents have any children that lived?  Full Metal Jacket  I prefer my version: Did your parents have any normal children?

You can't fix stupid.  Ron White

There are two theories to arguing with a woman. Neither works.  Will Rogers

U S Military in Other Countries

 Do you have any idea how many countries have a U S military presence?  You will be amazed.  

Before you make a wild ass guess, here's some perspective.  The list includes embassy and consulate security troops, typically a small group of marines.  It does not include countries like Afghanistan and Iraq where there is active combat, nor does it include navy personnel at sea.  Also not included are roughly 40,000 military personnel on classified missions in undisclosed locations.

This October, 2017 article in the New York Times sets the number at 172+. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/22/opinion/americas-forever-wars.html

The article questions the legality of our presence in various countries, the necessity of massive military funding authorized by congress, and the real value of the numerous, far-flung postings around the world.  Further, it comments on the lack of an overall strategy in combatting terrorism.  In my view, the article is spot on.

Did all the countries in the world get together and unanimously declare that the U S would be the world's police force?  That we had the right to declare war - aka police actions, peace-keeping missions, etc - anywhere, any time?  If so, I missed that bit of news.

In 2018, U S troops saw combat in 7 countries.  We've been in Afghanistan for 20 years, and in Iraq since 2003.

Enough already!  It's time to rethink our overseas military commitment and the billions of $ of military spending - with little or no discernible benefit to any US citizen.  The national debt continues to increase, year after year, while health care, infrastructure and education go wanting.  Deplorable.

 

World Population

 Planet earth now has a population of 7.8 billion.  Scientists predict that it will reach 9 billion in 2050, and they say 9-10 billion is the maximum population earth can support.  

The above graph indicates the steep growth increase is tapering off.  Indeed, the graph below shows that the annual growth rate is declining and is projected to continue to do so.  However, scientists' projections already account for these trends.

There's no way around it: sex, and the urge to procreate, are powerful motivators.  We need to deal with that reality and determine ways to damp down the impact.  

Several years ago, I wrote a 'white paper', wherein I suggested ways to reduce population growth.  Here they are:

1.  Stop encouraging and subsidizing large families via tax discounts for dependents.

2.  Establish tax penalties to discourage parents from having more than two children.

3.  Cap welfare benefits at two dependents. 

4.  Establish free spay and neuter clinics (for humans, not pets) worldwide.

5.  Offer free birth control pills and devices at those same clinics.

None of these suggestions will be implemented for several decades, if ever.  We tend to be a shortsighted species.  It seems most legislators are especially shortsighted, concerned more about being reelected than dealing with the 500 pound gorilla lurking in the corner.  One can only hope they deal with the beast before it goes on a rampage.  

Games, Then and Now

 We're talking 'old fashioned' table games here, not video or app games - although I play those also.  Growing up near Frostbite Falls, MN, there were many, long cold winter nights, and short, cold winter days.  Playing games with siblings made those days and nights more tolerable.  Later in life, in milder climes, games became more of a social thing.  There have been numerous games over the years, can't remember them all now, but here are the ones I do remember, and when I started playing them.  I still play the ones in bold print, mostly with Trish.

Pre-Teen: Old Maid, Pump the Well Dry, Concentration, Snap, Pick Up Sticks, Tiddlywinks, Jacks

Teens: Monopoly, Whist, 66, Pinochle, Battleship, Casino, Cheat, Poker, Checkers, Chinese Checkers, Dominoes, Rummy, Gin Rummy, Pit

60s and 70s: Clue, Risk, Yahtzee, Perquackey, Twister, Cribbage, Backgammon, Milles Bornes, Uno, Blackjack

80s and 90s: Trivial Pursuit, Pictionary, Life, Taboo, Boggle, Charades, Spades, Hearts, Wizard, Go Fish, Balderdash

20s: Farkle, Golf, Sequence, Phase 10, 2-Handed Whist, Pegs and Jokers 

The most popular card game in the world is poker, and it's my favorite as well.  I've been hosting poker sessions since my late teens, first in my Forest Service tent in Idaho.  Later, with friends in Seattle, Corvallis and Portland (OR), Alexandria (Egypt), and now in Lake Havasu City.

My games are low stakes: 25 cent limit with 3 raises.  They're what I call 'Friendly'; I distribute 'crib sheets' to the players, with the ranks of various hands, types of games, etc.  Also, if a player doesn't recognize his best hand after laying his cards down, other players help him.  It's a boys night out thing with lots of banter and laughs.  Love it! 

Sadly, I felt it necessary to put poker on hold for a while now, due to the blankety blank virus.  Sure hope there's an effective vaccine available before long.

Average Daily Water Usage

Our new water softener has an optional feature: daily average water usage for the last 7 days.  It gets updated every day at midnight.  Several days ago, I activated the feature and it now reads 56 gallons/day.  That's 28 gallons per day for each of us.

Then, I wondered, how does our usage compare to other households?  Online research indicates that the average person in the US uses 80-100 gallons a day, most of which is flushing toilets.  Wow!  We're each using only about 30% of the average?  Doesn't seem possible.  

Or does it?  The new dual-flush toilets we put in last spring certainly save lots of water.  Perhaps our newish washing machine and dishwasher are water-efficient also.  And, I don't need much water to wash my hair.  Yeah, it's possible.

Note: water used for irrigation, washing cars and other outside uses doesn't go through the softener.

In case you're wondering: yes, we do shower regularly.

Cool Male Actors

Cool male actors of yesteryear.  I miss these guys!

Steve McQueen

Paul Newman

Lee Marvin

James Coburn

Charles Bronson

James Garner

Yul Brynner

Richard Widmark

Humphrey Bogart

Who would you add to the list?

Fountains, Cracks and Leaks

Returning home after nearly 4 months in the RV is something we always look forward to. OMG, the space! The fifth wheel has about 300 SF, our home 1900 SF. We spend most of our time outside when RVing so we don't really feel cramped. Still, it's great to be back home where we have our hobby areas, a garage and a full size shower - with 50 gallons of hot water instead of 6. 

 Usually, we return home and find everything's hunky dory. Not this year. First thing we noticed when we pulled up the driveway, was the lower terrace century plant: it looked sick, lots of dead fronds - or whatever you call them; certainly not leaves. All the other desert plants looked fine. I discovered the problem when I ran the irrigation system. The riser had broken off near the sprinkler head, and water was shooting 15' up in the air and into the street. That's the fountain. 

 Next comes the crack. I happened to be in the garage during the water softener regeneration cycle and noticed water puddling on the floor. took the top off the softener and found water spraying from a crack in the plastic thingamajig.    Same thing happened 6 years ago. Rather than have it repaired again for $150+ I got a new one, finished the install yesterday. 

 Finally, the leak. Just finished with the water softener when I noticed the floor was wet around the water heater. Sure enough, it's leaking. It's less than 5 years old, still under warranty, so I get a replacement for free. Not totally free, gotta pay $235 for labor and service call. 

 Can't help but wonder what minor catastrophe is next. 

 On the brighter side, I'm playing pickleball every other day (and playing fairly well for an old fart of 76), the high weather temps are decreasing, Trish is back to quilting and kayaking, neither of us have C-19. Life is good.

2020 Summary

 Our summer:

1.  Towed the RV 2450 miles, the least number of miles of any summer, I think.

2.  The microwave/convection oven bit the dust.  Had the damned thing fixed several times, paid enough on repairs - $400+ - to buy a new one.  I'm happily looking forward to demolishing the thing.  Tomorrow!  

3.  Truck tires.  Got a screw in one tire, on the shoulder of course.  Was alerted by OnStar of low tire pressure just as Trish was pulling out to go to the dog park.  Cancel dog park, we're off to Discount Tire.  They said tire couldn't be fixed, 25% life remaining on the tires: I said replace all tires with the best you have.  3 hours, $1000+, and 4 tires later, we're back home.  Fun day.

4.  Integrated LED lights.  That's what's all RV interior lights are these days.  If one goes tits up, you have to replace the entire fixture, not just the bulb.  Pain in the ass.  And, good luck finding an exact replacement.  Did find one that would fit after exhaustive search.  It was the BA ceiling light.

4.  Spent the entire summer in OR, except for several to/from stops.  Previous post lists the major stops.

5.  Paid $50 to join the Bend Pickleball Club.  Waste of money.  Never played at their 16-court complex because you could only play doubles with household members.  I contacted P J, who spends summers in LHC, and has a home in Bend.  Played 'skinny singles' at his home several times.

6.  Did play PB in Redmond a number of times.  Trish would go along and cycle the trails there.  Also played in Wilsonville several times. 

7.  Hosted several friends and relatives in Bend, including T's daughter.  Also, her brother and sister in law  They towed their RV up from Lincoln, CA and stayed several days.

8.  Played bocce ball in the grass, new thing for us.  Challenging and fun.

Ddddat's all, folks.

     

I'm Baaaack!

No summer travel posts this year because we were in places where we've been before, and posted about.  Spent 2.5 months in Bend, OR; 2 weeks in Wilsonville, OR; several days each in Pacific City, Winchester Bay, and Coos Bay, OR.  Last 3 places are on the OR Coast.  

Crown Villa RV Resort in Bend, is perhaps, the best RV park we've ever visited - layout-wise.  We spent several weeks there most summers for the last 6 years.  However, it's doubtful we'll be back.  It changed ownership a short time ago and the new management sucks: won't enforce their own rules and understaffed.  We weren't aware our site was in the middle of Rug Rat Row.  Our bad: we requested the site, unaware it was in RRR.  Wall to wall kids riding skateboards, bikes, scooters - screaming their little heads off - past our campsite all day every day.  Yeah, I know: I'm an old grouch.

Another reason we won't be back: Trish is buying a deeded lot in an upscale RV resort in WA state.  We'll be spending most of our future summers there, although we will do side trips. 

Pictures were taken at Shore Acres, south of Coos Bay, OR.  We'd been there before, but pix always brighten up the posts. 

Pahrump, NV

It should be named Gagging Stink Water.  Connect to city water.  Run faucet 2 seconds.  Puke.  The smell would knock a buzzard off a manure spreader.  In Wisconsin.  Sulfurous, like Yellowstone N P, but worse.  Shower with it?  Hell no!  But - it would insure physical distancing.  Thankfully, we carry 4 jugs of good water so we aren't forced to use the stuff for coffee or tea.

This is our second time here, not because it's anything special, just a convenient stop and a way to avoid the zoo that is Las Vegas.  The trailer park is old, sites are sardine-esque with hookups arranged such that you share your 'front yard' with your neighbor.  Which sucks.

It has some nice features though, including a spa, large pool and a water feature with koi and ducks.  We don't use public pools and spas, don't eat carp; I do like duck, though.

Pahrump has a Corvette owners school.  Vette owners can spend a week or so, driving with professional instructors, putting the pedal to the metal.  A couple of my friends have done that and loved it.  http://www.springmountainmotorsports.com/

Spent 2 nights in Gagging, then on to Tonopah, NV and Winnemucca, NV.

Gushers

My recent attempts at artistic immortality - blossoms and butterflies - have been on small canvases.: 8 x 8 for the blossoms, 12 x 12 for flies.  I wanted to do a larger canvas and selected this one, a string pull, using 4 colors. 

First attempts at a new technique rarely - virtually never - turn out as planned, and this one is no exception.  It's okay, went ahead and hung it but can't say I love it.

I posted the picture on Facebook.  First comment was made by a woman I know from pickleball, who said I was painting female reproductive organs.  Huh?  Being the naive, clean cut, Minnesota farm boy that I am, I was astounded!  And, of course, I blushed a deep red.  Head to toe.

I went online to see if her comment was valid.  Sure enough, there is a similarity.  Gee whiz!

Spring Skiing

Caveat: this is not for the faint of heart or sensitive of nose.  Nor is it suitable for children, members of the SPCA, the inherently squeamish - and, frankly, anyone with a modicum of good sense.  If you fit into any of these categories, stop reading NOW!  Or, continue at the risk of being highly offended.  You've been warned!

Once upon a time in a state far, far, away (Minnesota) there lived a boy on a family farm.  The boy milked cows, slopped hogs, herded sheep, forked manure, hauled hay bales, shoveled grain, picked rocks - just like numerous other farm boys in that long ago time and far away place.

Winters were long and cold.  Animals sheltered in the barn at night, but were let outside on warm days.  They took care of business, both inside and out.  Lots of business!  Snowstorms were frequent, resulting in multiple layers of business and compacted snow.  Come spring, those multiple layers would slowly melt down and form a pool of thick, odoriferous slop several inches deep.

And then it was time for Spring Skiing!

First, carefully select your tow vehicle.  A cow of course, but not just any cow.  An old cow couldn't get up to speed quickly.  A young heifer, on the other hand, could jump start you right off your feet.  Next, get a firm grip on the chosen cow's tail, holler HI YO SILVER!  And you're off!

These were short rides.  20' in 5 seconds was the course record.  If your ski boot (overshoe, actually) hit a submerged obstacle and you did a face plant into the muck, the ride was even shorter.

Tow vehicles kicked up slop so best keep your mouth shut and eyes nearly so.  As for clothing, well... let's just say it was heavier afterward.  Didn't matter really; farm boys smelled like self-propelled turds pretty much all the time.

Oh yeah, those were the days!

Butterfly lll

Here's the last of 3-piece set.  They were fun to do, a little tricky, screwed up 3 others.

All hung.  Ready for next project.

Slim

Slim recently joined our household.  He's 5' tall, weighs in at 21 pounds.  He's severely underweight, which is probably the reason he becomes light-headed at times. 

Slim's job is to shed light on Trish's jigsaw puzzle today.  She cranks up Slim's dimmer - and he becomes even more light-headed than usual.  We dim Slim some sometimes, like when we watch TV in the evening.

The picture shows him hiking, but he's frequently seen arms akimbo, showing dismay, doing the funky chicken and so on.  He's very expressive.

Home Improvement

We did a couple outdoor improvements awhile back and are quite pleased with how they came out.

First, we added permanent shades and access doors to the SE side of the patio.  It provides sun and wind protection, and adds privacy. 

And then we have the new Bark Park, a place for Trish and the 'kids' to hang out.  It's at the rear of our lot, an unused space that's now getting a lot of use.  They spend an hour or two out there every day, weather permitting - and it permits most of the time. 

That's not real grass, in case you were wondering.  It's high-end artificial stuff, professionally installed.  LHC population is 52,000, which doesn't include several thousand seasonal visitors that own homes here, but are citizens of other states or Canada.  So, the number of homes is a lot higher than the population would indicate.  And I doubt that even one out of a thousand homes has a real grass lawn.  When Minnesota relatives come to visit, we have to take them to one of the many parks every other day or they suffer severe grass withdrawal, get twitchy and irritable.  Pathetic.

Butterfly II

This is my second acrylic chain pull butterfly.  Will do one more, then move on.   Metallic paints don't show well in pictures but are dynamite on the wall in direct light.  This one has gold on top, silver on bottom.

Parker Goes to Sea

Trish took Parker out in the kayak for the first time yesterday.  Unlike Artie on his maiden voyage, Parker did not attempt to walk on water.  She was well prepared, had her PFD on, also doggles to protect her eyes from the glare off the water.  She's a smart little bitch.  And way cool, to boot.

Butterfly

My fourth attempt at acrylic pour butterfly and second attempt using the chain pull method; the first one was terrible so I wiped it off the canvas before it dried.  This has several minor flaws but still pretty enough to hang.

Despite the name butterfly I've yet to see a single one making butter.

Nor eating butter, for that matter.

Blossoms

My enthusiasm for trying various acrylic pour techniques has long since exceeded the available wall space to hang the finished paintings.  I've given dozens away to family and friends.  This latest batch of chain pull paintings will be donated to our pickleball club as a fundraiser, silent auction item.  It'll be interesting to see what people think they're worth.

The one below is metallic paint, which doesn't really come through in photos.

It really pops out when light shines on it.

Feathers and Metallics

Ms Santa gave me a 6-pack of metallic acrylic paints. 

I'm quite fond of metallics, especially like copper.

All-metallic feathers: copper, gold and bronze.

Done with strings and beaded chains.

Metallics look good on rocks, too.

My first attempt at feathers, sans metallics.