Bogieblog

Last Ride

After a couple of days in the 90's, today will feel much better as it is supposed to be in the 60's. We decided to go for a ride yesterday. I was supposed to make salsa and do homework, but decided the cooler day was the day to be doing such things. additionally, there was only a 30% chance for rain on Saturday versus 60% chance on Sunday. If we were going to get wet, doing it on the warmer day was the better option.

We called up BIL and his wife and we decided to hit the Seacoast Harley dealer over on the coast (well, duh). They were having their annual 15% off sale and it gave us a destination. We had a great ride over and browsed for a while. I got some new hair wraps for my ponytail - I had lost my other one last weekend. We picked up a couple of other odds and ends then decided it was so hot and muggy that ice cream was in order.

As I was telling WS that I wish I knew where an ice cream stand was, a "staffer" heard "ice cream" and told us where a great stand was about 5 miles up the road. At that point the skies were pretty dark and it looked like we would see some rain. We found the place, and as we were slurping the heavens opened up. We were lucky and the stand had an indoor area, so we went inside for about 20 minutes and wathced the water come sheeting down.

The rain quit, and although the skies didn't look promising, they weren't as dark so we decided that we should get while the getting was good. Although we hit a few sprinkles on the way back, for the most part we stayed dry - even without jackets. The rain had at least cooled it off, but it was still warm enough to just ride in our t-shirts.

We stopped for dinner at a Mexican restaurant, that although not as good as those closer to the boarder (KS, New Mexico etc.), was pretty good for around here (and no, it wasn't part of the Shorty's chain). We finally made it back home after putting on a couple of hundred miles (and a couple of hours past dark). And when we got home, we hadn't gotten any of the rain that we had passed thru, so it is still dry here.

It was a great last ride. I figure with two classes I will have too much homework to go on any more rides (unless it is around the block), so WS will be going solo.

Nerd Test 2.0

Just to prove it

Thanks to Drumwaster for the link.

Nerd Test

Need I say more?

Deviated

After seeing the specialist, WS has interesting results. He has polyps in his sinus cavities that need to come out. They have been aggravating his sinus infections. He is on a 3rd round of antibiotics (at least of a kind that he hasn't been on before).

He has to go in for allergy tests. The doc says he has had allergies for years. When WS expressed that he has never been bothered by allergies, the doc said that doesn't matter (silly me, I thought that was sort of in the definition of "allergy" - that it bothered you). He is now on prescription strength allergy medication (a bit cheaper than the $25 per 10 day supply of OTC, sign your life away medication since insurance picks up most of the tab).

Once the infection is under control, and they know what he is allergic to, he will be undergoing surgery to remove the polyps and correct a deviated septum. The deviated septum is one of the reasons he snores so badly (I kind of figured that out years ago, but I guess you got to leave it to the pro's for this sort of diagnosis).

Oh, yeah, the interesting part is he will have to repeat the surgery anywhere from every year to every 5 years (or somewhere in between) because it isn't a permanent fix.

Yay-hoo

Calculate This

First class on Wednesday, Circuit Analysis, I found out what type of graphing calculator the intructor wanted us to have. Since I have never used a graphing calculatore before, this should be interesting. However, this morning I am taking a class on how to use the calculator - pretty sad!

Calling a Specialist

After WS's MRI, the doc finally conceded taht it wasn't allergies causing WS's misery (allergies, ofwhich, he hasn't had for the first 45 years of his life). This morning he is scheduled with an ear, nose and throat specialist. The funny part is that the latest round of antibiotics (10 more days on a super heavy-duty pill after the 10 days of the non-effective pills) seems to have really knocked his sinus problems way back - now he is just hacking up crap for about an hour every morning.

Anyway, I guess I would have sailed thru medical school - I certainly didn't need 8 years of that expensive education to conclude the need for a specialist long before the doc did.

High and Dry

Heard on the local news yesterday morning: Concord has only recorded 0.2" of rain in the last 4 weeks. Usually Concord would receive 3-4" of rain in that time period.

And I'm assuming that the 1.7" they are talking about is locally, where this uncontrolled fire is - 'cause we sure haven't seen that since July.

Anyway, it's official - it's dry out.

Labor Day Weekend

Being Labor Day Weekend, it must be time to labor. I will be canning salsa (fortunately the temps will be in the 70's, so won't be too hato in the kitchen. WS is planning to help the neighbor with his wood (neigbor has had a disabled arm/shoulder for a while, so he needs the help).

Tomorrow we plan to go for a ride - nowhere in particular, just get out and enjoy the weather (as we have managed to do at least one day for the last several weekends). Monday, we will probably be back to working in the yard. I still have lots of plants I would like to get in the ground, and I still need to dig up more of the rugosas that are trying to take over where I want to put in the striped rugosas. We also need to deliver the rugosas that I potted up from when I dug up that area last month.

I also need to get the desk straightened out in preparation for all the time I will spend at it doing homework. It would be nice if I got another couple boxes of books loaded onto the shelves, but that can wait for a rainy or showy day.

I have plenty of pet-sitting also this weekend, so don't worry, I will manage to keep myself busy and off the streets!

Rain Wanted

Although we don't suffer drought as badly as those in the midwest, we have been experiencing some dry times here at the Bogie house. We got our first measureable rainfall for a 4 week period (probably longer) on Thursday night at less than 1/4".

As much as I've been watering, I can't nearly make up for the rainfall we haven't been getting. I watered the vegie garden on Wednesday night. The sprinkler stays on about an hour to drop 1" onto the area. Thursday, I was watering again becasue it was bone dry. I also watered whatever else I could get to just in case we actually got rain, so it would soak in instead of run off.

I was happy that we got rain later Thursday night, but in getting so little I went ahead and watered the upper part of the veggie garden again Friday evening for about 1/2" (some friends came over and took us to dinner for our anniversary so the sprinkler only ran 1/2 hour).

Everything is starting to feel the stress from the lack of rain. Trees with shallow roots, like maples and sumacs, and trees that have only been in the ground a year, started turning last week - which is a bit early.

We really need a good soaker of a rain, to put everything to rights. Unfortunately, the weather pattern does not look like it is going to cooperate.