Archive for February, 2010

Wounded reader

Thursday, February 18th, 2010


Here’s LRN12 recovering from her injuries. Look at that cast. And the band-aid. Very sad. Fortunately, they’re fake – from her beloved doctor bag. Great Art courtesy of LRN4.

Greetings from the train! I’m in the wifi car today, so I can get something written and sent before we get to Lardville. Hopefully.

We heard from LRN1 today! Three times! He’s doing fine and enjoying the MTC, although it appears that he won’t be heading to the Guatemala City MTC after three weeks after all. I guess we’ll have to see, as he says they’ve been a bit vague about it. I don’t think it really makes a huge difference – he’ll be in Guatemala soon enough. He’s seen several people he knows, including his cousin and a good friend from Virginia, which is pretty cool. He sent three emails because the computers there are on an automatic timer that just shuts down after 30 minutes, deleting whatever they were working on. So he sent a very quick one telling us he was alive, another longer one giving us some details, and one more finishing up. He apparently didn’t get shut down.

Nothing much else new. We’re leaving for Mexico in just three days! It’s time for LRN4 and me to start thinking about what we’re going to bring, etc. We haven’t even really thought about it yet. On the other hand, I’m getting more and more excited about leaving. LRN2’s been feeling pretty sick yesterday and today, but LRN4 is sure he’ll be well enough in time for our departure. She thinks he’s just as excited to have us leave as we are to go. Hmm…

I have to go to a scouting meeting tonight, I think. I have an email in to my expert-scouter colleague in the Young Men presidency for confirmation. Hope to hear from him soon.

Update – He just emailed. I don’t have to go. It’s been a light week for after-work meetings.

The weather has turned cooler and cloudy again. I think we’re going to have more rain soon. The last couple of days were warm and sunny, which was a nice break. We really need all the moisture we can get, though, so I’m still not complaining. Maybe when the house starts floating away, but not now.

That’s it for now. I leave you with this shocking food violence news: gingerbread vandals!

See you tomorrow.

Valley view

Wednesday, February 17th, 2010


Here’s LRN2 having a look at the Yosemite valley. Great art courtesy of LRN4 and taken during our Yosemite-based family reunion.

Short shrift yet again – it’s late already. No post yesterday – it got late then too, especially after I got back from the gym. Didn’t go to the gym today, but I did spend about 45 minutes of my lunch hour on a nice vigorous walk. I’m feeling better and even maybe looking a bit better since I started exercising fairly seriously. Or at least fairly regularly.

Anyway. Not much new to report. LRN4 has been an upholstering machine for the last couple of weeks, as she’s recovering our good old blue sectional sofa. Making excellent progress on the first one – she’s nearly done with it. She’s working on it right now, in fact.

I’m getting more excited about next week’s cruise. I guess this would be a good time to mention that there won’t be any updates to the blog next week. I don’t expect to have internet access on the ship. I do expect to take a bunch of pictures, which I will convert to Great Art here on the blog. So there’s something for my Loyal Readers to look forward to.

Still no word from LRN1. We expected to receive some kind of letter before now, so we’re mildly concerned. Not worried, but mildly concerned. Hope to hear something Real Soon Now. We miss him.

I’ll leave you with this shocking food violence news: burning pie attack! I can think of a better use for a nice, fresh pecan pie.

See you tomorrow.

Footprints

Monday, February 15th, 2010


Here’s more of LRN4’s Great Art – footprints in the sand. I believe they may be LRN1’s or LRN2’s footprints. Or somebody else’s. Only LRN4 knows for sure. Part of my famous Camping series.

Extreme Short Shrift. We had family home evening and were otherwise occupied this evening, and I’m already late for bed.

LRN4 has started putting one half of the upstairs soft back together, with new upholstery, natch. It’s looking good already. Apparently, the reassembly is the easiest, quickest part. She’s already done the sewing, which was the second easiest part. Then there were the cushions, which she shopped out for a very reasonable price, so they were pretty easy too, except for writing the check. Turns out the hardest part is getting the old upholstery off. Who would have guessed? Anyway, she’s making excellent progress. It’s going to be really nice when she’s done. We had that sofa made back in San Diego, which makes it officially Really Old.

Otherwise a good weekend. Did some stuff, including getting LRN4’s new laptop (aka LRN1’s old laptop) set up and in production on her desk. She has to get used to it, but I think she’ll be very happy with it. It took her old Mac Mini (aka my really old Mac Mini), reinstalled the OS, and have it in my office, looking for a mission. Maybe another media server. Possibly for our bedroom, so we can watch Netflix, which we can’t do on my AppleTV. Time will tell.

Got a few other things done, but I can’t remember what they were. They must have been Real Important, though.

And it’s time to hit the sack. I’ll leave you with this tragic food violence news: steak assault! I have no idea how such a nice lady could be so cruel.

See you tomorrow.

Campout coastline

Friday, February 12th, 2010


Here’s the coastline at Big Sur a couple of years ago. Great Art courtesy of LRN4 and part of my famous Camping series.

Greetings from the train! This will have to be quick, as we’re just pulling out of Tracy (meaning I have maybe 15 minutes left before we pull into Lardville) and the laptop is down to about 18% battery power. Might have to finish at home.

No post yesterday. I was at work(!) watching our aircraft successfully shoot at missiles. It’s been all over the news today. What a great night we had – the culmination of at least sixteen years of work (and about 3.5 years for me personally). And they said it couldn’t be done. Behold the video: right here.

Otherwise normal day – we spent much of it patting each other on the back, which we pretty much do every day, being highly-intelligent and unusually attractive rocket scientists and all.

Anyway. Got a hundred more names of indexing done tonight, not to mention another letter written to LRN1. So it’s been a productive commute. Speaking of which, the drive last night was exceptionally quick, it being so late and all. The good news is that this morning’s commute was nearly equally quick. Very little slowdown. I’m sure it was a different story out there on the freeways this afternoon, so I’m just as happy to be on the train. My beloved Honda spent the night in the Lardville train station lot, so I’m hoping it fared well. Will know in a few minutes. In any case, it’s insured.

Time to shut down and pack up. I’ll finish this at home.

We just did our taxes. We owe some for I believe the first time ever. Yikes! My beloved Honda was just fine, you’ll be relieved to find out, Loyal Readers. Otherwise, situation normal.

Check out LRN1’s address over there on the right. I’ll keep it updated for the next two years. Drop him a line!

I’ll leave you with tonight’s toilet news: flying toilet blockages. I shudder to think of the cause.

Reader rider

Wednesday, February 10th, 2010


Here’s LRN1 going for a ride at LRN2’s Eagle project. In honor of both Loyal Readers and their recent significant events. Part of my famous Machinery series.

Greetings from the train again. Just finished my daily 100 names of indexing. Sadly, I’m pretty sure I’ll never catch up with LRN4. She spent hours at the Family History Center again this week (she’s substituting for somebody for a few weeks) and pretty much only indexed. She’s been doing it on and off for quite a long time and told me today she’s done six or seven thousand total names. Pretty impressive, no?

Anyway. We’re going through Tracy now, so I have maybe twenty minutes before we pull in to Lardville. Plus, the laptop’s battery is down to about 23% and sinking fast. So I’ll make this relatively quick.

LRN1 entered the MTC today! I’m tremendously excited to hear from him the first time, see how the first day went, and get his address. I’m planning to make frequent use of his address and encourage my Loyal Readers to do the same. I’ll post his new addresses here as he gets them. Maybe even in the sidebar. What do you think of that idea, Loyal Readers? Hello? Anybody?

Later – His address is here! Behold:
Andrew David Morrow
MTC Mailbox # 180
GUA-GUAN 0413
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604-1793

I’m going to Dear Elder as soon as this is done. You?

Otherwise, the day’s been pretty normal. Got up (10 minutes late – drat that snooze button!), got ready, made it to the train station on time (barely – drat that snooze button!), commuted, worked, ate, worked, went to numerous meetings, and commuted. The evening will consist of eating, exercising at the gym (first time this week – drat those meetings!), cleaning up, and sleeping. There are lots of things on my plate at home right now – I need to put the rest of LRN1’s stuff into boxes, move the computers from the server/game/exercise room into LRN1’s room (hereafter know as “my office”), finish fixing the laptop LRN6 asked me to work on (if possible – no joy so far), open my new electronic pedometer for use at the gym and figure out how to work it, read a bunch of information for my Young Men and Scouting calling, put a bunch of other stuff away, get my car washed, etc. – but none of it will get any attention until the weekend. With the possible exception of the pedometer. I can’t resist new electronics.

Anyway. I’m down to 16% battery life and maybe ten minutes, so I’ll quit here and leave you with this shocking food violence news: armed coffee robbery!

See you tomorrow.