Writing this BLOG on my phone is okay except no keyboard. On the laptop with Microsoft I get constant requests for passwords to sign in. The BLOG account is Gmail or Android.
New Topic. This is the end of the calendar year. Nothing magic after the new set of annual reminders are in place.
As an example read on.
Yesterday my health care network informed me my May 2026 appointment is cancelled. My fifth primary care physician since April 2024 is now a nurse practitioner.
My aluminum grain scoop shovel and I.
I shovel our fire hydrant, the cluster box area and the bus stop. I get the question, "are you paid?" Once or twice for sure I look way up and say something to the effect, "yes he pays well."
Or a capital H on the HE. I am inside now waiting to rebuild energy. The next development over has a hydrant that I also shovel sometimes. The fire department crew hits it quick, but I have the time and the shovel to follow. Light snow meaning fluffy snow is easier to get it gone. Ready for the next snow that may be wet concrete.
Routine Wednesday today. Next two are an eve or evening before Christmas and New Years. I should be able to post something new on those two days. A tidbit from here, one Wednesday visitor or guest lost a cell phone. No tracking procedure in place so the typical cell provider runaround. Is your tracking APP in place?
The annual letter is one topic our September escape. No follow on travel for three or four months.
Another topic is our BOLT all electric CHEVY. The winter displayed range is near 100 miles under the typical summertime range. The software remembers that we use the heat. The battery sends kilowatts to a resistance device. Clearly keeping warm in the car means shorter range.
And last, my primary care doctor. I have had three since April 2024, and my latest assignee is a nurse practitioner. Any Minnesota off the street person can walk in and be assigned to me. THE END.
At noon, December days seem routine. However, the early dark is waiting.
My diversion this year is to expect and observe as twilight begins the day and departs after sunset. Civil twilight defined as the sun six degrees below the horizon.
In Alaska in the summer civil twilight never gave way to nautical twilight. We could read a newspaper for weeks (middle May to July). Continuous sun above the horizon or less than six degrees below the horizon.
THANKSGIVING.
A day of thanks. This year in Connecticut.
Today our daughter in law arranged a morning guided tour of Mark Twain's Mansion. Interior detail was ornate to the extent of being over the top.
A running mean for temperatures shows up or down trends filtering out extreme high or low values.
My EXCELL spreadsheet shows that trend as follows: I use a nine-day set of values. Current day, previous four days and next four days. So, a look back and a look ahead to see a nine-day trend.
Through November this trend continues to fall until we reach temperatures above and below about thirty to thirty-four degrees. Then in late February and March the trend reverses as winter fades.
A full enough week. November cooling is in place.
I made a longer-term Thanksgiving plan. However, the plan was not thought through. The good news, I was able to cancel bookings. Don't make assumptions, think through all parts of a two day/night overnight. Consider the season. Summer and not a holiday and the plan (no plan) would have been fine.
For my own purposes I named yesterday as THE DAY.
Certainly three months and I hope before summer an outcome will be in place. In the meantime my actions must be one step at a time.
So my routine walk mixed in with clipping thorns are my fun steps today.
Sleep and adequate sleep. It is always best to have a balance. New topic. My paper journals years down the road should tell readers various sleep outcomes.
October/ November rain is followed by winter. We have a forecast of gushing rain before daybreak.
Winter hints are also in the daily maximum temperature each day.
Fifty and trending lower. Also, early snow gives a hint.
I will ask and answer a question. Will we have a four inch or greater November snow? If so that increases likely total season snowfall. Over eighty years the average November to May snowfall is 68 inches.
Some experiences are best left for in person discussion. So as above now the results.
Other happenings. We enjoy watching the World Series even if we have no team. Four games minimum.
All this sports betting ripe for cheating. One cast of characters under investigation. More in the future I'm sure.
At camp in the summer
PROS: The first half mile is deserted and has mini zen sites.
CONS: mosquitos into July.
At home for the winter the cold air is refreshing.
Today the temperature was near freezing. I have all the layered items.
Two or three of each. Scarfs, stocking caps, gloves for all temperatures.
Now I must feel the motivation. JUST DO IT.
Wednesday night a major health event. A friend in Massachusetts.
Best guess, weeks to fully know the full impact.
Scheduled actions and plans months ago, now behind us.
Sep 6, 2025, fly to the WEST Coast, only to Maryland.
Sep 7, 2025, made it to Portland, OR.
September 8 to 15, River Cruise many numbers of stories (events).
Sep 15 - Sep 18, 2025, Collect Montana, and Wyoming, arrive in Omaha.
September 20, 2025, fly back to home.
With one great granddaughter, I got down on the floor (eyelevel). Philomena smiled and seemed quite pleased to have someone at eye level to eye level. Age 2 in February.
On our journey a number of infants seemed fascinated to look at this old person. I almost don't want to spoil this post, but they had been close to God before birth, and they know I will be there soon enough. I will be on what had been their journey. JUST SAYING. (dlj - 9/24/2025)
Tuesday, Sep 23, 2025, experience first MRI. Don't move, lots of noise for me. Maybe eight different scans. Hoping each shows detail needed.
Off to camp to bring the pump and tank home to our basement. Summer is over.
Honey and I had a fabulous two weeks.
We did a pick up then drop off a car many states away.
It was a long two overnight journey.
We collected Montana and Wyoming by our 2015 rules.
With locks. The Columbia River has four locks and dams prior to the Snake River.
Tonight and tomorrow we go through four Snake River locks.
We should adjust because our body clocks are ahead.
West out of Portland Oregon today.
Delayed a day for lightning and airfield ground stops. Wet luggage now and I should say still. But the luggage beat us here.
The moon is advancing towards the full moon.
Right now the first quarter moon is low in the southern sky. Here at camp, moonset is early. Deer Mountain is between us and the Moon's horizon. The various moonset tables show moonset times, however we need a Deer Mountain time.
In the days before the and just after NEW MOON.
Now three days out a sliver is low in the west. Each twilight the moon will be further towards the south.
Full moon is September 7, 2025.
At camp and in the Western Mountains many access roads are not paved. With some rain the potential dust on roads is at a minimum. Not so this year. Also in the city, grass is not lush so dust makes its way unto cars.
More serious is fire potential. So far, any fire in the woods is quickly contained.
Both of our to and from camp vehicles are back in the city and under shelter. Two car garage. Now near the earlier end of our summer the electric car (SKY), will rest here.
This afternoon I have an appointment (medical). Since scheduling, the problem has diminished. More on that at another time. Last week's skin exam gave positive results.
Hot days in Maine are due to modify. We do better in high sixty degree weather.
In my mind I think about printing a follow on to 'Page Writing and Poems - A Collection'. However after reading a variety of writers this summer, I am on the low end of the writing skill needed. Stephen King said writers must write a lot and read a lot. Other than this on the fly BLOG my writing is inadequate.
Senior lunch in RANGELEY will continue with a new person in charge.
Excellent roast pork today.
Also, the newly installed chargers in town fully functional today. And at least short term at no cost.
Two anniversaries.
Today is one --- ahh but a single digit multiple of five.
Later this month multiply by ten and add a few.
YOUNGSTERS and well aged on 8/20/1971 plus to get to 2025.
Camp for two weeks and then a few days not at camp.
By August I am healing from various insect bites. In the kayak ants are difficult to corral but even ants bite.
Horse flies, knats, all cause my skin to react.
The dam keeper lowers the water level, we get a few true summer days with the bonus of fewer and fewer mosquitoes.
I read a few Rangeley library books and two electronic chargers have fast charge connectors for our all electric BOLT. Short term the chargers are at no cost.
Today I separated two four by four sheets of plywood from two 2x8x10 pressure treated framing pieces. The bottom framing had plenty of rot. The old dock started on four floating logs. After thirty years the logs struggle to float.
The fasteners were serrated nails. One year ago I ripped my hand using a crow bar to attempt nail removal. Today I drilled around the nails to weaken the plywood and then freed the plywood. Framing timbers have no intention of releasing the nails.
This demolition proceeds at a snails pace.
Back and forth. The middle month of July is time for bigger projects. Mosquitoes diminish, water weeds become a project.
A fun side event is the baby loon. Parents hang close but we hear calls and pleasant sightings.
She and I travel to and from camp all summer long. We have certain days at #20 for trash or food bucket recycling or appointments or Maine State Music Theater.
Also I am able to charge our BOLT (SKY) at camp but so much faster here at #20. So I am home earlier than K.
Humid conditions mean plenty of moisture for thunder storms.
On our trash run last evening swarming mosquitoes filled the back of the Toyota. Unknown, but attracted by interior heat and the vehicle exhaust.
Projects are smaller and focused so far this season. Kathy had a ton of fire bricks delivered. As an alternative to hard wood the heat should be fine.
She said she wanted to move to Michigan and I said," oh I can get you there.
So with a five days notice she said ,I need to go on Friday.
I was still in Minnesota.
Tuesday reserve a Penske truck.
Friday pick it up. She did have most packing done.
Saturday after two false starts the 1000 mile drive began.
Ten hours Saturday, ten hours Sunday and we arrived in Holland, MI.
The hard part was done. I returned the truck and found an airport and a flight and ended 8 miles from our condo near midnight.
Monday Uber to Grand Rapids.
Fly two legs on Tuesday.
Many stories missing.
Saturday 9 AM to Sunday 5 PM.
Penske truck unloaded quickly. Turned in on Monday followed quickly by an UBER to the nearest airport. That is where I am now.
Higher vehicle, longer but still a comfortable length. Now the extended travel starts.
The whole early airport show time is behind us. WE ARE HOME.
Recovery was yesterday when I took a two-hour afternoon nap. Walk this morning and catch up on my various logs are priorities.
We saw them Tuesday to Saturday. Three siblings volume high.
One very cute and attached to in home grandfather.
Four years old. Three others are younger. They are great grandchildren. And two never slow much less stop.
But as I recline the young are comfortable sharing toys.
Today I worked on a low flow kitchen faucet. Also the kayak launch is ready for testing. A few days ago we burned arm loads of twigs. The chop saw is here for the season. I use it for larger blow down and for finished lumber.
Thin out scraps of paper.
Examine duplicate tools.
It is not true that someone else will want to have the same tools. dlj/5/21/2025
We have a signature. We have a signing initial.
I do not have a logo.
I still have my drafting set from 1964 (South Dakota State University). A compass set, triangles and T-SQUARE. However, those tools work well on a sheet of paper but not when drafting a BLOG.
To occupy time I certainly can sketch a few logos.
A mini chain of nineteen stores. It is called RENY's. Kathy walked into six on Saturday and two more on Sunday. The weekend also had two polar opposite weather patterns. Saturday morning was (OH - THIS IS SPRING). Late afternoon and all of Sunday, rain and clouds. A downer.
As a follow up, Portland daily weather observations showed the last six days with more than 0.10 inches of rain each day.
A bit of sun and clouds as I post this.
Each day an event. For us Thursday is trash day. I have gathering, deposit and set out tasks. This Thursday also happens to start a month. That month is known for a marching transition. A couple biting cooler days, pleasing number of pleasant days, and by exception a day or two of hot 80+ F.
She asked and we said, with the ocean so near we are not sure. So now today at noon the TV forecaster's outlook for the next 7 days holds out a chance for Saturday middle 70s.
We will see.
No matter it is a one and done day. The month of May should give us a few glimpses of summer days.
Ten to fifteen years ago I would chastise driver education students if they put half consumed cups in the trash.
Think about it. The result will always be a mess. Someone must move the liquid filled plastic at least twice.
It is so much worse in my home with a sink right there. What was she thinking. Yes, she was a visitor. Shall we say of an age of my vintage.
With the students I would teach, train and monitor the trash. I would also sigh deeply.
Today was my annual wellness check. My fourth primary care provider in fourteen months. Impressed with a depth of knowledge and listening skills.
Now a delayed referral to follow.
One year ago, the provider was no longer with the organization a few days after my visit.
After each new moon I search the sky for my first sighting of the sliver of illuminated moon. Because of clouds for days on end I just now found the moon high in the SSW.
An APP (Sky View) helped me know where to look. Of course after sunset the moon is easy to find.
One year ago, we had an April snow and sleet storm. This weekend some sort of mixed precipitation event is likely. Related is the season total snow amount. When Portland, Maine records one hundred inches October to April impact is far reaching. This season half of 100 seems about right.
This is the twelfth week (Saturday) and the eleventh day of Lent.
Lent is forty days not counting any of the Sundays.
Mar 5/6/7/8/ days of Lent 1/2/3/4.
So March 17 four plus six plus one equals eleven.
Just now I tore up a scrap of paper with a 1994 newspaper note. A one-time date had married and twenty-four years later an alumni brief listed the couples job move. I had clipped that and kept it. Why would I keep that scrap of paper? So many other stacks of newspaper clippings are here and there. Time to attack.
Life event stories for the young. Here is a small list:
birth; birthdays; activities; first words; first steps.
Young adults:
college plans; college progress; graduation; first real pay.
Aging up thirty-- fifty-- seventy.
POSITIVE travel and special travel.
Not so positive. We all have these. The full gamut.
Here in Maine from this writer, resigned a position bounced back okay.
dlj/ 3/3/2025 a Monday.
Each Monday I have a medium coffee. Never using a drivethru.
Taxes entered, filed and paid.
dlj/ 2/26/2025.
A small charge to file Maine State return.
Extreme wind Monday and Tuesday followed by cold clear sky.
Thirty inches of snow so far this February.
Twelve and fourteen day future weather forecasts are a bit of a guess. Having said that two Ohio low pressure systems seem to be aiming for the Northeast in early March. I will have this blog as documentation for myself.
Also as documentation, current Portland Jetport season snowfall is just under fifty inches.
February 9 church not open for a storm. The roads and the parking lot were being cleared. This Sunday looks even worse. Snow all day.
Summary of our middle winter (January -- February). COLD. No record-breaking temperatures but long underwear cold.
I use the Portland Jetport reported snow amounts. Each of the last three days snow as follows:
1/31--- 2.6 inches
2/1 ---1.1 inches
2/2 ---1 inch
Small amounts of snow but each event means clean up by shovel and broom.
My recent journal where I add only one line per day is based on the lunar month. Each page is either twenty-nine or thirty days from New Moon to New Moon. Both here and at camp I enjoy searching for the very first sliver of the waxing moon. Following that seven days later is first quarter, Full moon and ending with last quarter down to a disappearing sliver in the morning sky. So, if our cloud cover is sparse I will find the thin crescent of the new moon. That crescent is always in the evening sky.
All eight knives
A few years ago my wife said it would help her if I would empty the dishwasher more often. Many excuses from me including, "oh, I didn't know it needed to run, oh, I thought they were still dirty, oh, we have a dishwasher." In time however, I found a quiet satisfaction in emptying the dishwasher. My most enjoyable mind game while emptying the dishwasher is to remember when she bought the everyday set of silverware. We have lost a couple pieces but still have all the regular knives (all eight). As I empty the dishwasher I look for and count to ensure we still have all eight of the knives. It is something I can hold onto. We are like most Americans. We have a lot of stuff. We are not like some Americans; we do not have costly toys. (Oh, I love your eight bathrooms). One thing we do have. We have a full set of eight knives bought when I still thought a partial set was fine. As she was making the purchase before the wedding I remember asking, "Why are you buying a set of forks, spoons, and knives? We have some forks and only need a couple spoons". I have a lot of respect for those who worked hard and are what Honey and I both agree is rich. Bill Gates, Tiger and Oprah however do not have a full set of eight knives from their wedding 36 years ago. djmaine 9/20/2007
Updated today to 53 years. dlj, 1/25/2025
The year 2003 in May, my first laptop. I removed the failed battery in less than three years so it will boot when plugged in. It has loads of photos.
The year 2012, my second laptop. That one with windows 10 still functions but the file system struggles.
So, April nine months ago I bought number three. Only one minor issue. When I open my yearly weather EXCELL file the software goes looking for the printer. The printer is on my local network. Up to a minute the message accessing printer displays.
A solution is to shut off (disconnect) the wireless connection. At that point the EXCELL file pops up (snap). Otherwise, a solid purchase.
She passed. We were at the memorial service. Her children, her grandchildren all had words of unconditional devotion, care and concern at the smallest and largest level.
Worked full time, mothered full time.
Refreshing my knowledge of the Confederate States. Texas lowest of the low.
