Travels and Images
Last Week
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Picture of the Week
Sunday 16 June 2002
Sunday. The weather was wonderful
- blue skies, a slight breeze, about 75. It was Fathers' Day, so we
decided to have a little Barbecue. Steaks, potato salad, chips and a couple
of beers. My fathers sister called from Mammoth, and we think my sister
K tried to call from, england - the phone rang but it was dead air,
alas. Oh well, it's the thought that counts! All three brothers and my sister
V were there. It was also my sister's birthday, so we had a cake
for her and a little gift - a digital camera. I think she'll really enjoy
it, and, having a minor in art history, probably be able to use it effectively!
All in all a very enjoyable day.
Monday 17 June 2002
Monday - we drove back. Moderate traffic. We saw just
one highway patrol car, at the south end of the I-5, and the truckers
noticed it too. At the San Francisco end they were averaging just under
seventy. The car ran very well - Scott worked his customary magic on it!
It was a clear day - you could see the outlines of the Sierra Nevada's
from across the valley. The cats were fine when I got in - though the
ants are still invading. bah. A nice clear night for a walk as well.
Tuesday 18 June 2002
Tuesday - work went well, though there is some sort
of oddity in the rigid body modes now. We'll get it. No data from Langley
yet - though an email said they're working it. Physical therapy was fine
this afternoon - today I had my hand hot waxed instead of a whirlpool bath,
that's new. I guess the idea is to keep the scar tissue soft?
There looks to be another fire starting in the hills to the southwest
- we have strong winds right now, so that could get ugly! Let's hope not!
It occurs to me that last week was my three month anniversary for this
journal - hooray for me!
Wednesday 19 June 2002
Wednesday - an normal day at work,
coding, analyzing, talking on the phone, watching the space shuttle
land...
I've seen a number of landings over the years, and it's still
a bit of a thrill. This was one of the rare times I have seen it before the
double sonic boom - it was a very clear day and it went directly overhead.
Then a quick turn and the landing. I had a disposable camera in the car and
took a few shots, but they usually don't come out - a telephoto is needed.
Our summer student and his buddies managed to get a good viewpoint out near
the runway - students are good at stuff like that!
The hand therapist, Gary, mentioned that the shuttle modification
people had come to him for help. Apparently they weren't allowed to use
metal tools to remove the heat blankets from the Endeavor orbiter, and were
making do with Plexiglas scrapers made in the shop there - and it was killing
their hands. So he created a brace that attached to the workers forearms
rather than their hands taking the loads.
Thursday 20 June 2002
The cat hasn't had his medicine in a couple
of days. I remember that because I just found something yucky
with my bare foot! I note that my ethernet crossover cable is laying
next to it for some reason as well. I suspect that the cats may be doing
some parallel processing while I'm at work - they are always playing with
the mouse...
Dinner tonight was at the
Murata Japanese Restaurant
. It was very crowded - turns out that it was half price sushi
night! Me, I don't do raw fish, so instead I went for a
'boat' of assorted stuff. It was a big night - the daughter of my friends
R and
S made her very first pun! It's all downhill from here
I'm afraid.
The papers have reports that a largish asteroid just missed the earth
a few days ago, with just being some tens of thousands of miles.
There are a lot of asteroids out there though - one person compared the
current scare to the apprehensions people felt a century or so ago when
it was discovered that we are surrounded by germs! Actually,
some of that scare is still with us -
Listerine
(Helps prevent gingivitus!) and
Lysol
(Life Demands Lysol!) make good money out of 'killing germs'.
Actually, asteroids were once described by astronomers as the
"vermin of the skies"
.
Some wag pointed out that the asteroids blast upon hitting the earth -
an estimated 2000 square miles of devastation - is nearly equal to that of
a
lovelorn forest ranger
...
Friday 21 June 2002
Friday - sometimes the week just flies
by - this wasn't one of them - but it wasn't all that bad. We are making progress,
day by day, on our projects. Looking out the window at work I can see the
space shuttle - cool.
A friend called in the evening, he may come by tomorrow. That's cool, it
gives me a chance to do some yard work in the morning, mow, edge, and so
on.
I just got barraged by "pings" and Composer died. How annoying. Well, enough
for now I guess!
Saturday 22 June 2002
Saturday - mowed front and back.
Edged parts of front and back. I really need to fix my gas edger or get another.
A nice day.
My friend D came by, with his boy R. We went out to the airport,
had some sodas and watched the planes for a while. Then pizza, some playing
with the cats, and they are off. Not an exciting day, but a good one.
Picture of the Week
Photo Notes:
This is the Getty Museum in the hills overlooking Los Angeles.
It's a nice museum, and it's free! There is a little courtyard on the south
side with these odd tree's.
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