The end of April 2012

Hard to believe it has been so long since I posted.  Looking back on the last few months makes it easier to see what has transpired.  We had a quiet Christmas and New Year's, and were going to head out for a vacation to the beach in San Diego for Super Bowl weekend.  At the airport, my wife became quite distressed with not being able to catch her breath.  An ambulance ride to the emergency room preceded open heart surgery to replace a defective aortic valve.  Here we are a few months later, and we are about to try that vacation thing one more time.  Think good thoughts about May 8.  I'll report on how we did when we get back.

On the work side of life, things are going fine, I am in the process of transitioning from one employer to another, but keeping the same job.  It has to do with being a contract employee up until now, and after Monday the 30th, being a regular full-time employee. 

Care Giver

For the last couple months, the wife and I have been dealing with her medical condition. Diverticulitis flared up and produced an abscess on her colon. A week in the local hospital calmed down the abscess, which was surgically removed in a colon resection three weeks later. This next week, four weeks after the last hospital stay, she will go in again to have an ileostomy reversed. It has been quite an ordeal, as she has been tremendously weakened by all this.

Throughout all of it, with the exception of a couple visiting nurse visits, I have been caring for her as well as working, cleaning, and all the other mundane things necessary to keep up a household. There are moments when I feel a bit sorry for myself, what with having to do all this stuff, but mostly, it reminds me of what she was doing every day while I was at work. If you ever start to feel like you're not in a partnership with your spouse, try doing it all yourself. It is amazing how soon you realize that there is a lot of stuff you do not appreciate that is being done while you are not looking. Take a few minutes and remind your spouse, life-partner, POSSLQ, that you appreciate what he or she does to add to your shared quality of life.

Some pictures from my wife's trip tp Italy

Replacement Car

I am a bit of a car nut, always looking at Corvettes and classic cars. I have always enjoyed the mechanical and artistic aspects of cars. So after owning my ultra dependable Toyota Avalon for the last few years, I started looking around for something different, sportier, with more personality. I thought about a 'vette, but they do sit pretty low, and getting in and out may prove to be a bit less graceful than in my earlier days. So I was looking at the new Buick Regal Turbo, which is really an Opel. I looked at the new Volvo S-60. Both very nice. At the same lot as the Volvo, I found a Certified Previously-Owned 2007 Jaguar XJ8L. Which I bought. Very luxurious, and it is sporty as well, being powered by a reasonably powerful 4.2 liter V-8. It has lots of gadgets which I am familiarizing myself with. Here's a couple pictures:

The summer has sizzled past me

It has been a hot summer here in Huntsville, pretty humid as well, although not much rain for the last month or so. Today, Tropical Storm Lee is approaching, with the promise of a few days worth of much-needed rain. Hopefully, no tornadoes or flooding. I have not inspired to write much in the blog lately, life goes on with most of the normal stuff happening.

We had some issues with the house we rent, the realty management company has been pretty good for getting stuff repaired, the singular exception being the high end stove we have in the kitchen. It blew a circuit board or something during cleaning the oven, so we've been without an oven for over a month. I managed to totally incinerate a pizza in the barbecue before learning how to gauge when its done. And without an oven available, it is amazing, you start to crave things that require baking. Like meat loaf, or pot roast.

We have been trying to plan a vacation this year, and have settled on spending a week or so in Sante Fe, New Mexico. We've not been there before, and it sounds a lot like another favorite of ours, Sedona, AZ. So barring any unforeseen things, we'll head out the first of October for a week.

Mid-May Update

We survived the big storms and tornadoes of a couple weeks ago. Suffered no damage, unlike so many other folks here in Alabama. The biggest tornado, an EF-5, passed just a few miles north of us. We feel quite fortunate to have been spared.

The storm knocked out 1600 miles of power lines in Alabama, according to the TVA. We were without power for 5 or 6 days. The storm hit on a Wednesday afternoon, and we drove to Nashville to get a generator on Friday morning. We saved the food in our 'fridge and freezer, and were able to survive reasonably well. We grilled some, and because we have a gas stove, were able to cook indoors. Hot water was the biggest challenge.

It took another few days before I was able to go back to work, but even that is pretty much back to normal. As we drive around the area, it is sobering to see the damage, but also encouraging to see people working hard to clean up and put things back in order.

My lovely bride left for a long-planned trip today. She is going to accompany her 89-year old mother in Italy for a few weeks, so the dogs and I are by ourselves for that time. I miss her already.

Things have a way of working out

The deal with the renters for our house in Sugar Land never worked out. We never heard from that realtor again. Our movers showed up, and we emptied the house. We found a nice house in Huntsville to rent. Shortly after we got here, our realtor called with an offer on our house. After a few days of negotiation, we reached an agreement and on Monday the 28th of March we closed. Yeah! Our check from closing was delivered the next day and we used it to open an account at the local Credit Union. A week later, the check was recalled. Apparently the issuing bank didn't do something right. So they wired the money to our new account, but that didn't go right either. Finally, I went in to the credit union and asked them what was going on. They called the issuing bank and got the rest of whatever information didn't come with the wire transfer and now all's well with the world. For the moment at least. Worked on the few remaining boxes in the garage this weekend, a few more to go, and maybe we can park both cars in the garage!

Another change (for the better) in our lives

For the past six months or so, I've been working here in Huntsville, and traveling back to visit my wife every month or so. Not the greatest situation, but our house in Sugar Land just wasn't getting sold. So recently, we received an application to lease the house for a year, and everything about the potential lessors checked out well. We advised our agent we were amenable to this, and at about the same time, received word that our other house in Tennessee was going to be rented by my cousin's oldest daughter and her husband. Great!

We found a house to rent here in Huntsville, and scheduled the movers to show up and get all our stuff here. That's supposed to start tomorrow, 2/24. I'll fly back to Houston and we'll drive back here over the weekend. Our stuff will show up in a day two afterwards. The only hitch in this giddy-up is that the lessor's company is balking at our rent amount, so we must wait while they evaluate some comparable rent amounts to see if it will all go through and get approved. Keeping my fingers crossed that all goes well.

A big change in Egypt

I have travelled to Egypt many times on business and once for pleasure. On each trip I have been touched by the hospitality and gentility of the people. I have never felt unsafe in Egypt. During most of my trips, at one point or another, traffic was stopped and held at rest while Mr. Mubarek took a ride to get from one place to another. I was often struck by the sheer disregard for the business of running Cairo, for the inconvenience caused to 20,000,000 people because one of them decided he needed to get a caramel latte at the 7-11. Or whatever the reason was.

I believe Mubarak was for the most part a benevolent dictator, but a dictator nonetheless. I am glad he realized that a graceful exit was the most advantageous.

I hope the upcoming elections are spirited and provide some choices for the Egyptian people. I hope to go back again someday and enjoy their smiles, their culture, their history. They added an important chapter today.

The Holiday Season

So Thanksgiving week was great. We flew into Denver, spent a week in the mountains at the Beaver Creek Lodge in Avon, CO. We didn't ski, but had a lot of fun cruising around and seeing snow and mountains and stuff. Larry smoked a turkey, and we ordered another from a local catering company, and we bundled it all up and had our feast at Chris & Jenelle's house in Eagle. Chris is Larry & Amy's son. C&J have a son named Nathan who is just two, and gave us an opportunity for some grandparenting time. It was interesting being at 9 to 10,000 feet above sea level, you get out-of-breath a lot sooner, and you exhale a lot more water vapor because it is so dry up there. So we tried to drink more water.

We came back to Houston, and I flew back to Huntsville the next day. After three quick weeks it was time to come back for Christmas. This felt a bit more relaxing, and quite a bit warmer than beaver Creek or even Huntsville. It actually snowed there after I left. We got each other a Wii for Christmas, and have been experimenting with the different sports programs. It is a lot of fun, and you can actually feel like you've been playing afterwards.

We had some moving companies come over to give us estimates to move back to Tennessee. All three majors came in within 10% of each other, so we will have to make a decision in a few weeks, once we figure out if we are going to sell or rent the house out with a management company. Right6 now, we are planing on moving our stuff at the end of February.

After a couple months on the job...

So here I find myself 10 weeks or so into the new job. It is still a lot of fun, I remain amazed each day how similar the actual tasks are to what I did for the big jet engine company. I like Huntsville, and am anxious for my bride to join me. Not as much travel right now, and that's okay with me too.

This business of trying to sell a house in Sugar Land, TX is frustrating. Everyone who looks at the house loves it, but still no offers. No complaints about the price either, so our real estate agent says don't lower the price.

A few weeks back, I moved form the Extended Stay Hotel to the basement of my friend Bob's new house. So the comments at work have been somewhat predictable, but humorous. We are sometimes referred to as Felix & Oscar, me being the latter. Other times I am simply the Troll, what with living in the basement and all. Makes no difference to me, as living here is infinitely better than the hotel. Bob and I get along pretty well, as we have known each other since 1974. Hard to believe that's longer than a lot of marriages.

Mary & I are looking forward to our next time together, which will be Thanksgiving week. Thursday the 18th, I fly to Houston, and the next day we fly together to Denver. That Saturday morning we will drive to Beaver Creek CO in the mountains and spend a week at a time share we exchanged for. Our friends Larry & Amy will join us for part of the week, and it should be a great time. It will be significantly colder than either of us have experienced in a long time, for fun at least, but that will add to the magic I am sure.

Maybe by that time, we will have some progress on the sale of the house. Wouldn't that be cool?

A week into it...

It has been just 9 working days into the new job. I'm enjoying it, even completed my first business trip. All my colleagues are very focused, intense on the project. I was initially frustrated by the lack of a computer, i.e., unable to communicate via email, understand my calendar, look up phone numbers, contact the customer. But all that's behind me now. Things are going well.

Its going to be a bit of a wait for payday though. My previous job paid once a week. A nice steady flow of cash. This one pays twice a month, on the 10th and the 25th. I started on the beginning of the pay period on the 17th of August, but my first paycheck will be the 10th of September. Good thing we had a bit of cash set aside.

Its also a bit of a drag living in a hotel. The Extended Stay Hotel chain is actually a pretty good deal. Its about half or even less of the big guys, and while its not so fancy, it is clean, and the folks running this one in Huntsville are really nice. This weekend, I'm going to drive up to TN and pick up my cousin Jackie, and go visit the folks renting our house outside of Knoxville. Afterwards, we're going to have a catfish dinner at Allison's Catfish Restaurant in Friendsville, TN. Some reviews have it as expensive & greasy, but we've always had a great meal.

Leaving Sugar Land and SE Texas

For a variety of reasons which I will try to explain, I decided to quit my job in Texas, and accepted a new job in Huntsville, Alabama. I have worked for the jet engine testing equipment company for almost two years. It has had its frustrating moments, and one of those recurred just a few weeks ago. So I sent a text message to a friend who was starting a new job/project in Huntsville. I was venting more than anything else, but his response was overwhelming. He needed someone with my talents and was willing to pay for it. So within just a couple weeks, I was offered a position at a significant increase in pay. I accepted, and started in the new position just one day shy of three weeks of the first text message.

Reason #1: 60% increase in pay
Reason #2: Allows us to move back into our house in the Knoxville TN area.
Reason #3: Job requires contact with USAF to work on a flight test/qualification program
Reason #4: Leaving a politically charged situation behind, probably exchanging for a new one

We have put our house in Texas up for sale, and it will sell quickly, we hope. Once that happens, we will move our stuff back into the house in TN, and I will commute on the weekends. Since my new job requires some travel, my bride would have had to suffer my lack of presence anyway, at least now, she can have a bit more money to start the projects of which we both dreamed.

Is this what is coming?

For the last couple years, and even for some time before, our economy has been struggling. The biggest news lately is that we are recovering. But unemployment is still very widespread, as high as 20% in places like Michigan, but I think it is even worse if you consider under-employment.

Our elected officials are merrily creating more legislation to cope with all our issues, and what isn't so obvious is that they are creating more and more jobs. Each time a government agency is created, criticized, strengthened, it adds more jobs. That's why they can say the economy is improving. And its in their best interests to do so. Why would government workers vote for a candidate who was going to eliminate their jobs?

Our war efforts actually fit into this scenario as well. Not so much from the soldier's point of view, but from the money the government is creating to support the soldiers and the war efforts. Want to make a lot of money? Go to work in Afghanistan or Iraq as a contractor. Want to make an obscene amount of money? Start a company that sends people to Afghanistan or Iraq. There is so much of this going on that the government auditors can't even keep up with the fraud waste and abuse of the handful of contractors who are just trying to cheat the government. But I do think the vast majority of the contractors who are in that side of the business are trying faithfully to do their jobs in a fair and equitable manner, and take care to do the right thing for their employees, the soldiers, and the native civilian populations.

But I digress. Where is this going? If everyone becomes dependent on the government for a job, isn't that socialism or communism? If private industry sees manufacturing and heavy industry disappear, we are left with the service industries remaining. Does the whole country need to be run like AMTRAK? I could see a future where the only non-government job was standing behind a counter flippin' burgers.

Memorial Day

It is another hot day here in Sugar Land, Texas. This morning, the Boy Scouts put a flag up in front of our house, among several others in the neighborhood. It is an annual subscription service we have, as our HOA doesn't allow for flying flags yourself. I like having a flag flying on the patriotic holidays.

And today is a special day, as we remember the service of those who served in the Armed Forces and gave their lives in that service. Just a few weeks ago, I saw a web site that captured the names of those killed in Vietnam, so I looked up the names I could remember of classmates from school. I think now about the politics of the time, and its hard for me to remember why we were even there. I know we were in general fighting the Cold War, but the French warned us about that little area, and now I think about the 50,000+ lives we lost over there. It seems like such a waste of our blood.

Which leads to our current situation in Iraq and the ever more important Afghanistan. The "Rules of Engagement" have been set up to insure our soldiers are every bit as hampered as we were in Vietnam. Likewise, the enemy is indistinguishable from the local population we are supposedly trying to save. Likewise, we continue to support corrupt governments. Will we end up leaving in a couple years, not in absolute defeat, but having given up a conflict we finally realize we can't win? I suppose we will. And the world will spin on, and just like Vietnam is today, we may ultimately come to welcome Iraq and Afghanistan to the world of trade and economics.

Thinking about Vietnam like that now, perhaps our cause of freedom and capitalism did eventually win over there. I would like to think our efforts were not totally in vain.

The end of April

I haven't blogged in a couple months, it seems. I've traveled a bit, we've had visitors, and I even got a traffic ticket. I went to CT on business and saw quite a few friends from my earlier career. The weather was nice, and the trip went well. Our friends Larry & Amy visited from Colorado, and we did lots of cool stuff, including going to the drag races. While they were here we stopped at the St. Arnold's Brewery for a tour. On the way back home, I got stopped by the police in downtown Houston for an expired inspection sticker. I got it fixed the next morning, so no harm no foul as long as I get it administratively taken care of at the courthouse downtown.

This last week, I went to the Maintenance Repair and Overhaul Show in Phoenix with two of my coworkers. It was fun, but also quite busy. It was nice to get back home and take a couple days at an easier pace.

The economy

I was going through the paperwork necessary for my tax guy to do our taxes last night. It stimulated my thoughts about our economy and the ridiculous things our government is doing to try and fix it. The folks in government have forgotten something. Our country needs to get more wealthy. And by wealth, I don't mean lining some individual's pockets, I mean the wealth of our nation. All the efforts to prop up the banks and save the insurance companies and so on do nothing to create wealth and therefore improve the economy with jobs and money. True wealth comes from only three sources:
1. Agriculture
2. Exploitation of Natural Resources
3. Added value in manufacturing

There is no wealth generated in the provision of services. There is no wealth generated by increasing the number of government agencies and jobs. There is no wealth generated by government health care. Only redistribution and recirculation of the same old money that was there before.

If our government is to help stimulate our economy and that of the world, they must create a situation for our farmers to grow and export food. Our natural resources must be (sensibly) exploited, such as oil and gas reserves and other minerals. Finally, we need to stimulate manufacturing. Work is being moved off shore because it costs less. Well, maybe we rethink that and work more efficiently, perhaps for less money, but smarter in terms of productivity, and get our factories to be competitive again in the world market. If we are going to spend stimulus money, let's do it to stimulate innovation and growth in manufacturing. Let's stop giving the financial shysters money directly from the government.

I think its time for the President, the administration, and congress to read Ayn Rand. I was going to say re-read, but I'm sure they have never read her. I'm not advocating everything she espouses in her books, but I am definitely against entitlement, which is what today's government programs are all about.

Musings on a Saturday

Earlier this season, I commented that Bret Favre might get his bell rung this season. Well, I think last week's game with the Saints came as close as it could. I was amazed that he got hit as often as he did, as the Minnesota offensive line has done an admirable job of protecting him this year. But the Saints were not called on it. It seemed to my observation, they were gunning for him. I have mixed emotions about whether he should retire, as I think he performed at the highest levels of directing an offense, throwing accuracy and force, and most of all, leadership. His enthusiasm is obvious, and inspires all who have wondered whether they still have what it takes to compete, whether it be in the work force or on the playing field.

On the political front, I watched with interest the actions of the congress, the press, and mostly the "Entourage-like" aping of the Vice President and Speaker Pelosi behind our charisma-oozing President during his State of the Union address. I am developing a sense of disgust for the entire bunch of elected officials present at that show, and now advocate term limits for all. And in my humble opinion, that limit should be three for representatives, and one for Senators. You get six years to represent the people. That's it. Do your job and go back to your life. This would put more hidden power in the hands of the staffers, but they have that already. This way, we stand a chance of someone actually doing the right thing. Today's system does nothing to encourage a representative or Senator to stand up for the people, only to slavishly toe the party line.

We have an ongoing problem with Lowe's in Tennessee at our rental house. When our renters moved in, the water heater needed to be replaced. So we called Lowe's. They sent someone out who was "challenged" by our plumbing. It took more money and another trip, but the installer (note I refrained from using the highly complimentary term "plumber") used PEX and push connectors attached to the galvanized nipple of the water heater and the galvanized pipe in our house. Within a couple days, the joint failed, and allowed hot water to spew at 70+psi all over the utility room. Lowe's responded by sending out the same company to do it again. This time they used PVC. It took another couple weeks, but the outlet line failed again, this time while our renters were away. The part that I am so pissed about is we complained vociferously that the method used was inadequate, and that a "Master Plumber" needed to look at the job. Well, that never happened until after the second failure. Now Lowe's has finally sen a plumber who has done the installation yet again, this time with a new water heater and re-plumbing the galvanized with CPVC. But the carpeting in the basement and the tile in the utility room are ruined, it smells of mildew, and Lowe's is trying to get the installers to 'fess up and fix the flooring. My patience is worn thin. Our renters seem to be coping, but if it were me, I'd be seeking some relief.

Bottom line is that I will never ever have Lowe's or Home Depot or any of the big box stores install anything for me. Never again. Think about it. The only people they can hire are the ones who are unable to stay busy because they can't stay in business by themselves. If you need something installed, hire a professional yourself. It will cost a few more dollars, but it will get done right. The first time.

Milwaukee in Winter

Once again I find myself in Milwaukee during winter. The occasion is similar to a year back, in that I am supervising the repair of an electric motor. The work is going not as quickly as I would like, but it does afford me an opportunity to visit with family and friends. The pictures show some kids sledding down a hill near the lakefront, and the view looking southeast from an overlook in Shorewood.

New Years' Wishes

We celebrated New Years' Eve a day early by going out to a movie and dinner. The movie was Avatar. We saw the non-digital 3D version of the movie, and thoroughly enjoyed it. There were some obvious references to popular themes, such as living in harmony with the world, irresponsible exploitation of natural resources, the use of military might to further capitalism, and recognition of beauty in the experience of new things. The thing that struck me most was the technical accomplishment of the digital world and its peoples in the movie. Two thumbs up and a finger snap! (That's a grade of excellent)

Later we went out to dinner at Perry's Steaks & Chops http://www.perryssteakhouse.com/ If you live in Texas, and have not gone to Perry's, you are missing an excellent dining experience. My wife had the lamb chops, and I had the pork chop. Hers was preceded by a salad prepared with sauteed pears and candied pecans, mine by the warm spinach salad with bacon vinaigrette dressing. Dessert was Crème Brulée and Irish coffee. The ambiance was serene and the service was attentive without being intrusive.

New Years' Eve itself was a bit quieter, as we stayed home and tried to calm the dogs, especially Willie, who is sensitive to fireworks. The next day was again enjoyably calm, watching the Rose Bowl Parade and the game, interspersed with a couple long walks for the dogs. We dined at home with a salad and a couple lobster tails, a light but luxurious treat.

I hope your New Years' celebrations were enjoyable as well, and you have a happy healthy and prosperous New Year.