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Picture of the Week

Sunday 19 May 2002
Sunday I had company for dinner - my brother and some friends. We had steaks, beans, salads and cake - quite a feast. K is a great cook - my barbecue failed us, so she made do with the broiler. There was a "Mary-Kate & Ashley" marathon on the box so the kids were entertained, with time out for Yahooligan's . It had turned cold and windy so outdoor activities were curtailed....  My hand swelled from the earlier house cleaning so I was in the embarrassing position of being a host who couldn't help with the clean-up!

Monday 20 May 2002

There was a storm blowing through California today - rain and wind here in the AV, snow and funnel clouds elsewhere. We made some progress today at work - hopefully!

Stephen Jay Gould has passed away. He was a prolific wrier ( "Bully for Brontosaurs" and many others ) and popularizer of Science, much like Carl Sagan was. Like Sagan he had his detractors, but he leaves an entertaining and upbeat legacy. One person writing about him mentioned him appearing in an episode of  The Simpsons where Lisa discovers a fossilized Angel - I never saw it, but I have to chuckle...

Tuesday 21 May 2002

This was a pretty good day. One test of a day is: "Say five good things about it."  Well, the grid generator fix seems to be working out - that's good. The ARMA model seems to be working, my hand doesn't hurt tonight, the weather is clearing, and I heard from an old friend.

Phoebe is upset about not being let in the garage, but I'm trying for a no-cricket diet. His pal Riley just bats them around until their little limbs fall off...

I was taken to task for saying not much happened this weekend. I did go with some friends to see a genuine Indian dancer and some discussions on it and the lore behind it all. The gentleman was a Navaho and all his gear was either made personally or gifted to him. Eagle feathers in particular are apparently very hard to get (it's a federal offense sometimes). The regalia weighs about 70 pounds all told, about the same as his day job outfit when forest fire fighting. To become the latter you also need to hike three miles in an hour, fully outfitted and carrying your chosen tool - ax, hoe, or shovel stuff. He is also a falconer and had a couple of hawks there. We all ended up the night with an Indian dance.

We also spoke with a park ranger there about owls in the valley here. There are apparently six species that natively live here, and some immigrants as well. I have seen them myself, cruising the parks' sky's just after sunset, looking for the unwary cottontail, jackrabbit or mouse.

Oh yes, met an old friend from an earlier contract, doing well these days it's good to hear. So, all in all a nice evening!

A link to the Lancaster Photography Association is here . I'm not a member myself, but maybe someday, when I've a little more time.. Some members post pictures there.

Wednesday 22 May 2002

We had another productive day at work - some questions got answers, search for others began. In engineering, and I suspect many other endeavors it's "What you know that ain't so" that can get you. I'm not sure who to attribute that to - it sounds like Pogo, or maybe Huck Finn - but its true.

Star Trek Enterprise had its season finale tonight. It ended in a cliffhanger, but not as bad as some series. Many end with the actor/actress in dire peril. Since we know that they are getting out of it first episode next season why not make it an interesting thoughtful peril for the viewer to contemplate over the summer?

I talked with my Dad this evening. He's been having a lot of trouble getting  on line lately, very annoying. I understand there are several new worms or viruses roaming the internet, some aimed at servers - that may be part of it... His original ISP has been bought out several times now - the current holding company operates from Texas - maybe their good admin people have left?

Having a hand in a cast brings comment and questions. I've been trumped by people who have lost a finger, or part of one, and even someone who had it cut off and re-attached (ouch). My friend C asked at lunch, "What can't I do?"
Astute question. So far only a using a stick shift and tying my shoes have been show stoppers.  I'm ready to get my other paw back on Tuesday next however!

hand in cast
"Don't tell me, talk to the paw man, talk to the paw..."

Thursday 23 May 2002

Thursday was early to work and then home. Packing for the weekend. I had planned yo visit my Dad, but Amtrak couldn't get train tickets to me for the weekend. Instead I bummed a ride, along with room and board from some friends down in San Diego. There's a barbeque Saturday...

Friday 24 May 2002

Friday - gone.

Saturday 25 May 2002

Saturday - gone.




Picture of the Week
bench and statue  

Photo Notes: This is Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon, where William Shakespeare is buried. It was our first stop in England, and we were all jet lagged, but a few of us braved the rain and waited for services to end to go in - it's still an active church. The headstone is blocked off - fairly rare - but there is a nice rubbing of the famous epitaph:

GOOD FREND FOR JESUS SAKE FORBEARE,
TO DIGG THE DUST ENCLOASED HEARE:
BLESTE BE Ye MAN Yt [that] SPARES THES STONES,
AND CURST BE HE Yt MOVES MY BONES.



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