Bogieblog

See, It Isn't So Hard

The Weekend Pundit features clip of a panel of ordinary citizens that worked an exercise on reducing the federal deficit. In an hour they saved 2.5 trillion dollars. Not that I agree with everything they came up with (the sacredness of the home mortgage interest deduction for one - many of us have no deductions at all, even that one), but there is sharing in the pain.

The problem with Congress is they want to please everyone (well, duh, they want to get re-elected), but that will never work.

Another One Bites the Dust

Sunday I was vacuuming, and just as I got to the nastiest, pet-hairiest piece of carpet (next to our bed - where the dogs lay at night), the vacuum broke. Not as in quit running, as in broke. Oh sure, in this picture everything looks normal.

But only because it is staged just so, Yep, the head broke right off the nozzle 
 

 
So Monday, I met WS after work and we hit up Sears. Looked at some expensive canister vacuums, then hit up Target and Walmart. Those two stores only had bagless vacuums, which I didn't want (have dealt with bagless and don't like them). Decided to go back to Sears and pick up the most expensive Kenmore canister vacuum because it was the only one that would accept tools that I have from previous vacuums, and it has a really cool feature which I will get to later.

See, for years (probably 8 or so, at least 2 canister vacuums worth), I have used the wand and tool from an upright vacuum that had floor tools. This wand/tool was used for all our non-carpeted areas, including steps, tile, hardwood and linoleum. The wand has cracked and been taped up so many times, it was about to give up the ghose. I dreaded when it finally disentigrated because it as I didn't like the way the standard vacuum heads clean non-carpet areas. Here is the taped, wand/tool - as homely as it is, it worked well for may a year.

 
With the new canister, they have solved my dilema, by giving me two heads in one.

 
And, it is is my favorite color, blue. I have always had to suffere with red or green vacuums, no more. Tuesday I set up the vacuum to get the area that had been missed on Sunday. I ended up doing the whole house over just because it was a marvel that I could change out the heads just by stepping on a switch, and it has a swivel for the head, making it easier to get under and around furniture. I'm not saying it was "fun", but it was less unenjoyable than usual.

Let's see how long this one sticks around.

July Blooms

This spring and summer, the flowers haven't really been muc to brag about. With the cold, rainy spring, and a summer that can't make up its mind if it is going to be hot and sunny or cold and cloudy, even some of the trees have been messed up. Some things didn't bother to flower (only got a couple of iris), a lot have had anemic flowers, and most just had a blah season.

However, I have had two stand outs this year. One , a shrub, has been outstanding for the last month. The other, perennials, have really started popping in the last week or so. So, instead of roses being cut and vased, I have bouquets like these:

The Endles Summer shrubs have done really well and I've been bringing in the flowers for a couple of weeks. Limelight is just starting to bud, and it looks like it will do well also. These blooms areln't fragrent, but they are very pretty - almost convincing me that they are true blue flowers (which they aren't).

 
There are 3 different colors of phlox - I actually have white phlox also, but only one plant so I didn't cut it. The darker pink (on the left) are from volunteers from a path. I figured they needed to be moved anyway, so I would save teh flowers. The lighter pink (on the right) and lavander tinge (front) are from plant that have filled out in various flower gardens. They have done so well this year that I didn't hesitate to cut some, as plenty are still left to enjoy when outside, The phlox even smells great.

It may have been an off year for most plants, but these two flowers are trying to make up for it.

Proof

Ya'll have never actually seen me operating my own bike, only on the back of WS's bike. That is because I have never had a picture taken (that I know of) while riding. During the Sean Powers Memorial Ride, there were plenty of people taking pictures, and some got posted to Face Book. Karen't daughter happened upon a picture that she immediatly recognized as people she knows, and sent it to us. Sorry that it is small, this is the only version I have.

 

Spazzy Kitten

Link Stolen from Breda

Concealment is a Good Thing

One last item from the wedding we attended up in Pittsburg, NH over the Fourth of July weekend. Friends that had been camping there during the week informed us that there were bears around. Not only that, but they didn't seem to be afraid of people. The evidence of the non-fear was bear scat left just in front of their tent - a sight they were greeted with as they got up one morning.

WS and I decided that it might be prudent to be prepared, so I took my Sig. I had it physically on me at all times (except while sleeping), but I think I concealed it pretty well;

 
So, you get to guess where it is at. There are a couple of tells, but they are subtle and unless you are looking for them, the average person would not even suspect that I was carrying. Of course, if any of the people from the 2A blogs show up here - they will probably get it right off. Fortunately for you lay-people, they don't frequent this site, so you get first crack at it.

As an aside - you can tell how much sun we hadn't had up to that point; I don't even have a tan yet in the pictures! My arms are much darker now.

Unexpected Presents

I've wanted to go out for a several hour ride, to see how my bike felt, so last Sunday WS and I set out for a ride. We left about 10, went the long way to Lincoln, then the long way to Plymouth, then home. We put on about 220 miles and got home about 6.

When WS came in from getting the dogs, he announced that Karen had been by. I asked how he knew and he told me to go out on the deck. Well, when I saw this, it was pretty evident:

 
She had made our old glider cushion, with fabric of wolves and pine cones against a blue background. It was almost colorless as it had been in the sun (and rain) for many years. So Karen had taken measurements a couple of weeks ago, promising to replace it.

I would say she did a fine job!

Riding the Day Away

We went on the Sean Powers Memorial Ride yesterday. The forcast was to be in the 90's, which after several days of high temps and high humidity, probably kept some people home. There were also thundershowers earlier in the morning, which probably scared other people off. There weren't as many participants as we anticipated, but still had a showing.

The thundershowers cooled it off, so we had a very comfotable ride for the police-escorted 80 mile ride around Sunapee and the surrounding areas. I don't have any pics during the ride because I was riding my own bike, but after the ride there was a picnic and I took some pictures of bikes. 1st up is Sean's Dad's bike. An old school chopper type, but with a very nice laser cut air cleaner:

 

Sean's brother's bikes:

 
I'm not sure who's bike this is, but I don't think it was a family memeber. Still, nice graphics:

 
After eating, we all gathered together for a picture. No, I don't have a copy of the picture, but I do have a picture of the platform used for the photographer:

The Hopkinton ladder truck came out to give the photographer a lift. Good thing they didn't have a call, otherwise we would have had to leave before the picture was taken.

We had a very tight schedule as Heather and Harry were down in MA. picking up her kids from their dad's, so we rode down there to see them. We also got to see Harry's kids and their kids, which we hadn't seen since H&H went to Indiana. It was a short visit, but it was good to see them anyway.

It was a very full day, with a lot of seat time on the bikes. The weather in the afternoon turned very warm, but with comfortable humidity (65% - much better than we have been subjected to lately), so the riding was good - and all for good cause.

Public Service Announcement

The Sean Powers Memorial ride is this Saturday (7/23/11). From a press release:

 JULY 23 - Don't miss the Redhawks Annual Sean M. Powers Memorial Ride (Beginning at Hillsboro-Deering Middle School. Hillsboro NH. Ending at: Hopkinton Middle High School Hopkinton NH) Registration Forms available at: hdredhawks.com, Hopkinton police department or register the morning of the ride from 8:30 to 10am. at the HDMS. There will be a collection of non perishables and money donations for the food pantries of Hillsboro and Hopkinton at the event.  There will be 607 helmet and car decals available for purchase and t-shirts to purchase to commemorate the event. Sean M. Powers grew up in Hillsboro and attended school there then was serving his country over seas.  When he returned he was a police officer in the town of Hopkinton.  He was someone who cared about both these communities and the youth.  He was tragically killed in 2008 on 202/9.  Since then this ride has become an annual event. Proceeds of this event will support the Redhawks Football Association, Scholarship fund for a student from each High school who are seeking a career in  law enforcement, and other charities to be rotated from year to year.   For further information please contact Brenda White @ 746-3531 or [email protected]

Registration forms are here (or are available at the registration tables).

We missed it last year, but made the 2009 ride. WS and I plan on being there this year, Jimmy may be there too. Also, it is rumored that a well known local rock radio morning show host will be there too (no promises, just heard him mention it the other day).

Hope we have nice weather!

A Friend in Need . . .

Just for the awe factor

Link stolen from Scott and Ellen