Wedding Bells
No, it is not me and no, I did not show up dressed like this.
Our big event this month was to fly to Kalispell Montana, to attend our first grandson's wedding with wife Caitlin. It's been ages since we have attended a conventional wedding. This one had a serious Viking theme to it. The last one was a Scottish extravaganza.
We took advantage of the trip to visit #1 son Wesley and daughter in law Amanda and daughter Amy and grandkids in the area.
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Team Rubicon (Again)
Last month I wrote a ditty in the Epistle about my deployment to Florida to respond to a hurricane disaster that had occurred there. The Epistle has the good fortune that a regular reader just so happens to be the editor of the online Thousand Island Life magazine, and was requesting to be able to reprint the story in large part in this month's edition. You know the old saying... " it's not what you know; it's who you know" so we get a lot more attention than we deserve.
We maybe Californians as well as 'Rivierans' but after 23 years we are also regular Islanders. Anything unusual that occurs in the area or anything that a 'local' does that is a little off the wall draws the editor's and the magazine's interest. There are a number of 'snow birds' that travel to Florida in the winter as well as Floridians who spend the summer in the islands so it was thought that there would be some common interest. In any case, this month's edition of the magazine and the improved version of the story can be found by clicking HERE or on this link: https://thousandislandslife.com/team-rubicon-operation-not-forgotten-taylor-county-florida/
10...9...8...7...
One of the really fun things about where we live is that we are only 30 miles (48Km) from the Vandenberg Air Force Base Space Launch Complex. From our deck, we can watch many of the launches of rockets, both military and civilian. A few days ago, we watched a Space X Transporter-9 Falcon 9 launch that carried 90 payloads. We check the launch schedule regularly but they are notorious for changing the times and dates on a moment's notice. Probably to keep the Russians guessing. Still, very cool when we do catch it.
Contrail of the Space X rocket launch as seen from our upper deck
Also, we are in line sight of the beach where we get to watch the whales migrate.
Other stuff
We got off to a good social start by having lots of friends over for a visit this past month. Partly because it has been a while since we have seen their smiling faces and partly because we now have to put the frivolities on pause because of our latest project. We are doing a serious reno of our kitchen with new granite countertops, a new 'farm' sink, wine fridge and window. In short, we have torn up the kitchen.
Regretfully, I am at a time in my life when anything that happened some time ago happened no more than 6 years ago, in my mind. This is our 4th kitchen reno since I built the house (6 years ago, right?) when our 44 year old daughter was 4. Hmmm...? Anyway, I know I put these counters in 10 years ago (I am trying to be more accurate) when my daughter told me she remembered me doing it when she was in high school 20 years ago. Hmmmm.....!
One of 2 (Brazilian Typhoon Bordeaux) granite slabs we got for the kitchen remodel. They are to be cut up and installed as needed. Each is 6 1/2 feet tall and 10 feet wide (2M 50 X 3M 30) Not your favorite? Bummer.
Janice's ambition and enthusiasm to have me replace, renew, upgrade, change pretty much everything and anything everywhere can be taxing (to say nothing of expensive). To be honest, she is right, and the end result is that all of our homes are pretty much as updated as can be and all look like they were recent builds. Nobody looks at this place and says..."Ugh! It is soooo 40 years old!" With any luck, we will have something to show you next month.
Meanwhile I am back on a tear to de-clutter the place. Not the inside of the house so much, but my workshop. It has been where all the magic happens in DYI, but regretfully, also been the storage place and repository for anything we don't want to keep in the house. As such, over 40 years it has accumulated a number of things that I had great ideas as to what I would do with them. Projects and what not. I am not a hoarder but I could be accused of keeping things long after I realistically should.
I had a daughter recently tell me that I will probably only live until I am 85. She clearly did not get the memo that I am bulletproof and that someday I might get old, but clearly not today. I do have to be realistic though, knowing that I am probably half way through the number of days I will be on this earth. Still, it got me thinking that the last thing I want, is to be pushing up daisies and have the kids clean out all of my saved little treasures and think "What was that crazy old fool saving all this crap for?" ( X 3 for different homes) You get emotionally attached to stuff you had plans for, but It's time to get real and move it along. The donation centers are loving me.
A new $4B Panasonic Electric Vehicle battery factory in Kansas requires so much power that the facility will need its own coal plant to run. A coal-fired power plant in Kansas that was slated for closure will remain open after all to provide needed power for... a new electric vehicle battery factory producing clean energy storage products.
No worries though, if your electric vehicle breaks down, the Tesla mechanic is on his way... as soon as he fills up. You just can't make this up.
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