Springtown RC club had a "fun fly" event. Also a cook out and raffle off of prizes. The goal was to have fun - and make the club a few dollars.
When I drove across the cattle guard and looked up, I thought it was a renaissance fair, all the portable shades had been deployed and they were of many colors. They had a small crowd of enthusiasts there, and flying was underway.
I stayed a couple of hours, no flying for me, I do not like the crowds and do not wish to take the risk. But there were some very nice airplanes and helicopters out there. And the smell of Castor oil was in the air along with the smell of hamburgers cooking. The food was really good.
But it got hot, the heat index was on its way to 100 degrees plus, so I departed about one PM. I went to the model shop in Weatherford, chatted and bought a couple of things. Then on to home and the air conditioning.
No storms last night, so it will be dryer today. But still hot!!!!
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Stormy Night . . .
It all started late yesterday afternoon, big line of thunderstorms formed out west and moved in on the metroplex. We were right in the middle of it. Lots of violent winds and horizontal winds.
We are signed up for call warning from the City of Weatherford. And yes, we got the call it was coming (as it was raining violently, of course). They do not have sirens here, just the call warning system.
Well, we had about four lines of those stroms come through last night -- you could hear the wind and rain pounding down on us. And of course, the City executed its call warning system. That meant we were sure to be waken through the night.
This AM we had yet another storm and yes, we got the call as it was raining down on us. We had a lightnening strike in the neighborhood, strong enough to cause flash shadows in the house. Glad that it was not us but my neighbors have our sympathies.
Late storms this year. But we always need the water around here. The resevoirs are getting charged up for the long hot summer a head.
Dead calm outside right now - got to be a good sign, right?
We are signed up for call warning from the City of Weatherford. And yes, we got the call it was coming (as it was raining violently, of course). They do not have sirens here, just the call warning system.
Well, we had about four lines of those stroms come through last night -- you could hear the wind and rain pounding down on us. And of course, the City executed its call warning system. That meant we were sure to be waken through the night.
This AM we had yet another storm and yes, we got the call as it was raining down on us. We had a lightnening strike in the neighborhood, strong enough to cause flash shadows in the house. Glad that it was not us but my neighbors have our sympathies.
Late storms this year. But we always need the water around here. The resevoirs are getting charged up for the long hot summer a head.
Dead calm outside right now - got to be a good sign, right?
Monday, June 8, 2009
Georgie's Day
Georgie graduates today from Markus High School. I know she feels like she is free at last.
The next stage of life begins, the real education, the how to do it kind of thing. The, "I did it era." The time to look behind doors, peek at the future, try something new - the glee of it all.
God speed and good luck.
Grandpa Chip
The next stage of life begins, the real education, the how to do it kind of thing. The, "I did it era." The time to look behind doors, peek at the future, try something new - the glee of it all.
God speed and good luck.
Grandpa Chip
Friday, June 5, 2009
A Little Lawn Mower Work
Every once in a while, the lawn mower proves it is a machine after all. A couple of weeks ago, it was bearings, I had to replace two deck drive bearings. Not hard, in fact, quite easy. Good that I could find and identify the bearings and they were easily acquired at a bearing house in Kennedale. It was about a 20 mile drive but that was no big deal.
Today, a belt decided to jump off the pulleys. It did that once before about two years ago. I think it is sort of a kick back of some sort, pedal bounce maybe. The belt is in the rear under the battery. There is a drive pulley - about 4 inches in diameter, a tension pulley about the same size (spring loaded to keep a constant preload on the belt) and one large pulley, perhaps 10 inches in diameter. The big pulley feeds power into the transmission ergo large to provide the power needed for the back wheels. Damn hard to get the belt back on the loop, not much space so I end up removing the drive pulley bolt. It works for me.
Not hard to fix, I've done it before, but it is hot and I got sweaty. Dirty hands and we lost a nut (but I found one in my junk box - always keep old nuts and bolts - never know when you need them). My assistant kept wandering off but she was close by, always responded when called. So we got it all back together and she's cutting grass again as I write.
What a team!
Today, a belt decided to jump off the pulleys. It did that once before about two years ago. I think it is sort of a kick back of some sort, pedal bounce maybe. The belt is in the rear under the battery. There is a drive pulley - about 4 inches in diameter, a tension pulley about the same size (spring loaded to keep a constant preload on the belt) and one large pulley, perhaps 10 inches in diameter. The big pulley feeds power into the transmission ergo large to provide the power needed for the back wheels. Damn hard to get the belt back on the loop, not much space so I end up removing the drive pulley bolt. It works for me.
Not hard to fix, I've done it before, but it is hot and I got sweaty. Dirty hands and we lost a nut (but I found one in my junk box - always keep old nuts and bolts - never know when you need them). My assistant kept wandering off but she was close by, always responded when called. So we got it all back together and she's cutting grass again as I write.
What a team!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Broke the Code . . .
Well, I finally broke the code on two things for the Dell computer - Inspiron 530. First, I purchased an Iomega USB connected floppy drive. No software from Microsoft or Dell, none to be had and no help from either company (go figure). Well, i found on the Internet a young man studying for his Master degree at Delft University - yes that is in the Netherlands. But his English is impeccable, well understood and he used lots of pictures.
It amounted to using another device's software. In this case it was a NEC USB floppy. Used that Microsoft software and bingo, the Iomega floppy worked and has continued to work.
The second issue I broke the code on was my Dell Roxio DVD R/W and CD read disk recorded to a DVD (using Roxio software as usual) and downloaded software using Microsoft's software drivers to make CD-ROMs. Guess what, works like a charm. I mused that if it could write DVDs there was technology - e.g. laser to burn the DVD could be used to burn CD-ROMs. I was right and there was indeed software that did that. Now I can write CD-ROMs (I have a stack of maybe 50 blank discs to use up).
Computers, gotta love them. Amazing devices.
And yes, screw Dell!
It amounted to using another device's software. In this case it was a NEC USB floppy. Used that Microsoft software and bingo, the Iomega floppy worked and has continued to work.
The second issue I broke the code on was my Dell Roxio DVD R/W and CD read disk recorded to a DVD (using Roxio software as usual) and downloaded software using Microsoft's software drivers to make CD-ROMs. Guess what, works like a charm. I mused that if it could write DVDs there was technology - e.g. laser to burn the DVD could be used to burn CD-ROMs. I was right and there was indeed software that did that. Now I can write CD-ROMs (I have a stack of maybe 50 blank discs to use up).
Computers, gotta love them. Amazing devices.
And yes, screw Dell!
Monday, June 1, 2009
Wiped . . .
I ended up wiping the hard disk and getting a restart. Set up the DSL quite fast this go round, I now know the trick, use only two Gigabytes of RAM (SRAM 6400 one Gigabyte sticks), use more RAM and Vista goes dumb (typical Microsoft dumb trick). Got all the stuff collectively going again. Blogs were last to be recaptured. Quicken working just fine.
Now to figure out Vista, it is a pain in the you know what. Have to go find things, try to understand the new way of doing stuff. I do not understand why Microsoft has to change how we do things. And it is a radical change at that. For instance, how do you copy from a floppy to the desk top, desk top to DVD, etc. It is used to be simple now it is a trial to figure how to do it. Makes you want to dump Microsoft but to what? Other OS' do not seem to cut the mustard at all.
Any way it is cranking along now. After reinstalling Vista had to download Service Pack 1 and then Service Pack 2 both of which are around 330 megabytes. Geez, my first IBM style computer had a hard disk of 20 mega bytes capacity. Now we think nothing of a 500 Gigabyte hard disk. Got to be some big time inefficienies floating around in Vista.
Just saw Judie drive up, time to close.
Now to figure out Vista, it is a pain in the you know what. Have to go find things, try to understand the new way of doing stuff. I do not understand why Microsoft has to change how we do things. And it is a radical change at that. For instance, how do you copy from a floppy to the desk top, desk top to DVD, etc. It is used to be simple now it is a trial to figure how to do it. Makes you want to dump Microsoft but to what? Other OS' do not seem to cut the mustard at all.
Any way it is cranking along now. After reinstalling Vista had to download Service Pack 1 and then Service Pack 2 both of which are around 330 megabytes. Geez, my first IBM style computer had a hard disk of 20 mega bytes capacity. Now we think nothing of a 500 Gigabyte hard disk. Got to be some big time inefficienies floating around in Vista.
Just saw Judie drive up, time to close.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)