More errands means less posting

Mrs ERJ and I went to the "Visitation" for a long-time member of our church who passed-away this week. We attended the same service (time) and the long-time member was always there between a half-hour to 45 minutes before the start of the service.

Her husband had passed away of a heart-attack twenty-five years ago.

I used to work with one of her sons and I pulled a total blank on his first name. I could have told you his name last week but at the Visitation my brain was cavitating.

Like a ninny, I failed to pick up one of the memorial cards that list the obituary on the back. Had I done that, I would have remembered his name.

I remembered his wife's name. I remembered his brother's name...but I was unable to dredge up the name of the guy I had worked with on-and-off for fifteen years.

Gym-day

Today was a day for me to lift. For the very first time, there were people on the dead-lift platform.

My plan had been to start doing squats next month but God had other ideas.

So I went to the rack and did it a few times with a bare bar (which is 40 pounds) as I glared at the couple on MY dead-lift platform.

One of them would lift a dumbbell in a desultory and anemic manner and then they both took selfies for seven minutes. Then the other one would lift a bit and then they both took selfies for ANOTHER seven minutes.

The gym walls are covered with mirrors, sort of like a fun-house a the county-fair. You cannot help but see the other lifters. The mirrors also have the effect of multiplying the intensity of glares and uncharitable thoughts. It only took them 21 minutes of 47 seconds to get the hint and leave.

In that time I got up to 150 pounds, a bit at a time, with the squats. I know my form stinks but I was surprised and didn't have time to call up Coach Belladonna and schedule her help. Nor did I have time to check out Youtube.

I am not very consistent regarding the times I go to the gym. I try to avoid the rush that happens after the high school lets out for the day. In spite of my inconsistent time-slots, I am starting to recognize some of the other lifters.

 

An example of "Workout music"

All of the folks under forty wear headphones and they are undoubtedly playing workout music. I just give them a wave and go about my business. I am not a "music" guy when working out. I think it is because I started out as a runner, many times running on dirt roads. Situational awareness can keep you from getting swatted by a car.

Some of the other lifters are serious. They take notes. They sweat. They have minimal recovery times. 

Others are there to hook-up and/or take lots of selfies to post on social media. I don't judge. Except when they are on MY dead-lift platform.

After the photobugs left I was able to execute my 10x 130lb (naked), 4 x 6x X 200lb (with straps) and then cool down with 10x 130lb (naked).

Boy, you shoulda seen those other lifters snapping pictures of me after I took off my clothes!!! (Clam down. Naked means no devices like straps or belts)

Thanks to Pawpaw's blog

He reminded me to get some ethanol-free fuel for our generator.

We have a bit of weather blowing in. Sustained winds of 25mph means gusts to fifty. There is a 5% chance that we will see a power outage.

The smaller the engine, the less it likes fuel with ethanol (alcohol) in it.

Another dimension is that fuel is formulated to "comprehend" ambient temperature. Gasoline in the winter has more butane/isobutane in it than gasoline sold in the summer. Gas needs to be more volatile in the winter so it will sustain combustion. If you buy gas in the summer and try to use it in the winter it will be difficult to start.

If you buy gas in the winter and try to use it in the summer, much of the butane will have boiled off and you will have pissed away money and the octane value is likely to have drifted.

Cleaning out the "Sargasso Sea" room

One of the rooms in our house was designated the "If you can't figure out where it should go, throw it into that room".

For those who are not familiar with the Sargasso Sea, it is where the eels breed and is in the center of the Bermuda Triangle. It has no currents. It is a back-eddy in the middle of the ocean.

Mrs ERJ pointed out that we have not been alone in any of our houses since May of 1990. We had people moving out but we also had people moving in.

Quicksilver is doing other things for a month so it was a chance to pick a room and deal with it.

It was like excavating a midden-pile from some long-lost civilization.

It appears that I have a fondness for gadgets like refractometer to measure BRIX, temperature measurement devices, O-rings, cotter-pins, AC-to-DC power converters, tiny brass candlesticks in various diameters, fish-hooks, seeds, cane-tips, water filtration devices, cutting tools, means for starting fires, desiccants, oxygen absorbers, magnifying glasses, Chicago screws, hand-warmers, hats, work-gloves, snap-disc thermostats, flashlights, data loggers, 3-by-5 index cards, chainsaw files, 1/2" box-end wrenches, solder and flux and power-transistors, soldering irons and sandpaper.

So far this project has been a great success. We are now able to open the door and are able to assess what is actually inside the room.

Let me go on record as saying that Mrs ERJ is not totally off-the-hook. One of the pairs of sunglasses we found MIGHT have been one of hers.