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Showing posts from June, 2009

Honshu and Okinawa

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I am back. I spent 10 days in Japan, 5 days for work on the main island of Honshu and 5 days of solo adventure in Okinawa. Travel is so invigorating dispite the uncomfortableness. Jetlag, anxiety, crowds, and other discomforts aside, it is mind-expanding and rewarding. Work went well. I flew a new airline (Skymark) from Tokyo to Naha. I am always wary of strange discount airlines and all the traps they set. However, I had a great expereince with "Sky". I was actually shocked. Super easy checkin at the airport, no extra fees even with extra luggage. The primary mission in Okinawa was to visit the Peace Park and the suicide cliffs of Okinawa. From what I understand, at the end of WW2 the inhabitants were encouraged to commit suicide rather than surrender to the Americans and get tortured and eaten. Besides other types of suicide, they jumped off the cliffs at the Southern end of the main island. If you have seen the original color footage taken at the time, I am sure you ...
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We had the yard sale. It was a lot of work, but what else can you do? There were some comments that the farm was out in the middle of nowhere. Some ham radio friends came over Saturday night. The video proves it. This pic is of a crash on I-81. The deer didn't do well. The 18 wheeler that hit the car that hit the deer had only minor damage.
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Things get so busy in the summer. Having extra hours of daylight is not much help on getting things done. I feel as though I am being pulled in every direction at once. I am finishing up the basement wall, fixing the tailgate on the truck and a bunch of other stuff. I remember years ago telling Douglas that a simple metric on the complexity of your life is the number of air-filled tires of which you are responsible. We just finished counting 64 air-filled tires on the farm. I must have missed a few. Interestingly, there are only one or two flats currently. You get good at fixing flats. The weather and timing has not cooperated lately for flying. I am just getting back to working out after my injury. Running is out for a while still, but I can get on the rowing machine. This is a pic of Calisto chillin' in the barn.
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This is an MRI image of my torn tendon at the attach point. It is getting better, but it has slowed me down.
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After years of mowing and taking care to bring a few fields back, they are producing hay this year. My neighbor will be helping me hay a couple of my fields. I am still working on the fussy bits of the basement wall. I have had regrets spending so much on the doors. They are very nice doors, however. They are extremely secure, tight, attractive and functional. My Achilles Tendon is better, but I am very guarded. I can walk around ok, but when I feel it getting sore I have to stop. After having two relapses I know what happens if I don't. I go to the physical therapist twice a week. The ultrasound and the electro-stimulator definately help. I bought a new pair of boots with stiff uppers. I wear thouse when practical. It is clear the 6 month recovery time is a real number. At least I am walking around. I can't run so exercising is difficult.