We are back in Atlanta. We took our Thanksgiving holiday primarily in the Middle East. The country list was France, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Lebanon. That made four new countries for us bringing our total to 85 Countries visited. We had 9 flight segments in 12 days and capped the trip off with marching in the Macy Day parade in NYC again this year.
We are very strict on what we consider a country and we use the US State Department as the standard. We both lost (and gained zero) "countries" using this standard. Examples: Antarctica is not a country and isn't counted. Macau and Hong Kong were indepenpedent counties when visited, but now don't exist and aren't counted. There are a number of unexpected occurances that happen when using the standard over time.
Unfortunatly, we got a bug somewhere in our travels that started providing symptoms in NYC. Black Friday was indeed Black Friday for us. We dont have much more recollection than being home in Atlanta. Otherwise its a total blank. It has been 5 days since retuning to the US and we will get to the doctor today. We haven't been able to kick it.
We have loads of spectacular photos, wild stories and personal accounts
of human suffering.
We are fortunate to live quite close to major event arenas and such. We were luckily notified about about one of the largest cat shows in country just a few miles away.
Bengals in the cages. Maine Coon, Abyssinian and Persian, beautiful animals.
It is fall in North Georgia. Quite pleasent. The front yard.
Our cats are quite the entertainers. Here they are with one of the neighbors.
I made chili for a neighborhood event this weekend. My award winning chili did not win or even get an honorable mention. That didn't keep everyone from "woofing" it down though that is for sure. I made it on the weber charcoal grill with mesquite wood for some nice smokiness. I also participated in our first church Saturday morning Men's breakfast. There was a good turnout. We are "amping" the event up now as the new monthly event, advertising and evaluating guest speakers.
It was nice to see the neighbors and enjoy our neighborhood clubhouse on the lake. I call it our "Redneck Country Club". It is a great perk in the neighborhood. Any evening in the warm weather you can go down there to socialize and enjoy our private park (and beach) on the lake.
We were laughing and comparing stories about the early days of the pandemic. One person interjected "We weren't laughing then". And no we weren't. It was scary. It was interesting remembering even though it was only two years ago.
Cardinal Lake Civic Association
Fall is definately upon us in North Georgia. We have been burning leaves and brush. There is an unlimited supply in the jungle here.. every year.
I have been doing more with the cooking hobby lately. I made a nice beef roast on the charcoal weber grill... and I got to use my new commercial slicer. The slicer was definately an indulgence, but a better indulgence than the mid 90s defender I was looking to buy. It was a police vehicle in Ghana, West Africa. I am glad I got talked out of it. I have too many projects already. The guest bath is almost done. I think I have been saying that for at least 6 months.
It looks like we are going to be in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade again in NYC. We will be banner carriers again. We said we weren't going to do it again, but here we go planning some cool vacation travel beforehand.
I put some old gas in the lawn mower by mistake. It ran, but it caused the intake valve to stick open. That ruined the Saturday afternoon time budget. But it is repaired and I got to use some tools I haven't used in a while.
One of the best things you can do (for the sake of humanity) when talking to someone is to say "keep going, tell me more".
Angie was up in DC. We cancelled the Labor day trip to NY. Gasoline expense was one of the reasons. Although gas price is below 3 dollars a gallon in Duluth GA.
There was a lot of anti-russian symbology in DC. (it is DC-- symbols are reality there). I miss cordiality in politics. Hopefully, the trend will stop or reverse. It can get a lot worse. I am sure.
Angie and I went for a canoe outing. We went to Sweetwater Creek Park near Atlanta. We stayed in a Yurt. I am thinking of getting a yurt for the farm property. Whats a better way to learn about yurts than staying in one. It was fun and different and close to home.
We went for a walk down along the Chattahoochee (the hooch) river today. Although the Joro spiders are not as infested as they were last year. They are still here. You can see me with a "Joro Stick". The Joros love to build their webs across trail expanses at face level. Not dangerous, but unpleasant when you walk into them. The stick keeps them out of your face, but still on your hands sometimes.
There has been a "belly" in the porch roof ridge line for as long as I have owned this house (10 years). I am finally doing something about it as I prepare for a new roof, soffits, facia and gutters. I took more than half of the sag out today. I still have more jacking and bracing, but I feel good about the progress.
Certainly I have lots of experience straigtening structures like this. I remember my Uncle and my Father straigtening the collaped roof on the laundry shed near Bridgton, Maine in the 60s. The first one I did was a garage in the late 80s. I am using the 20 ton hydraulic jack I purchased in the mid 90s to jack and straighten the house I restored in Victor NY. I can't say I like working in attics and crawl spaces. I like the value it adds when complete, since it is easy, but scary and complicated for most. It is "pure" work.
A bit of poetry has been ringing in my head. It is from an old song. Sometimes these things can be hard to shake.
- And sail away on ships of wonder
- But life's not a wheel
- With chains made of steel
- So bless me, oh, bless me, bless me
It has the same theme as in a post from 2016.
March 29th 2016
There is always something going on at my airport in (KLZU) Lawrenceville GA. This weekend I got a deep brief regarding balloon piloting. I haven't been up yet.
I took some pics of my zoom room to show folks what I see when I am in meetings. My zoom background is consistently a brick wall. My view could be considered the opposite. You can't quite see the lake from where I sit because of the large bush just outside the window. It's a beautiful bush. I would hate to take it out, but maybe.
