UPDATE ON OUR TELEVISION PROJECT

It's been awhile since I updated any of our minor RV renovations but I'm happy to report that our little TV project is actually going a bit better than expected. I was able to remove the clunky old television cabinet from the top center of the windshield without too much injury to myself or the motorhome. A carpenter friend of ours is going to finish that hole off with a cupboard. Got the flat screen mounted ok & it appears to be solidly anchored. The only other place in the coach it could go was on the end of the kitchen cabinet so that is where I mounted it. I've included some pictures & you can see how it swivels around making it viewable from all angles. Picked up a couple of 52 inch men's leather belts at Wal-Mart & they go around the television & loop through those door handles you can see above the TV at the ceiling line, making the television snug & secure for travel. Television is also now much easier to see from the computer chair below the screen. No more 90 degree neck cramps. It's also much easier to see when the slide is out because we sit across from it instead of having to lean forward & turn our heads sharp left all the time. TV is also more accessible for hooking up additional cables because we can swing it out & pivot it around quite a ways to get at the back. It all looks & sounds good in theory but the real test will come once we're on the road again. If I can sit here & post a note next spring & tell everyone that the television never even fell down once in our travels I will then (& only then) consider this little adventure a humble success..........:)) You can enlarge the photos by clicking on them.

Nice to see the fuel prices coming down a bit but I'm sure it's only temporary before the next big gas hammer drops on us. I actually had my maps & atlas's out the other night along with MapQuest & Google Earth checking the area between Silver City, New Mexico & Phoenix, Arizona. We haven't been to that part of Arizona yet & I'd like to have a look at the Superstition Mountain area. In the meantime we're remaining as optimistic as we can under the current shaky economic & worldly situations............

Last photo shows Kelly talking to her daughter & husband in Spain using Skype. Kelly is pointing our Microsoft web cam at the screen so Rebecca & Ricardo can see themselves. Works great:))

http://www.skype.com/

A TOUCH OF WINTER IN JULY:))

It's nearly mid July & with all the hot weather going on I thought I'd throw in a little slide show to cool everyone off:))
Be sure to click on the word, SLIDESHOW when the site opens.
A TOUCH OF WINTER
http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/ATOUCHOFWINTER

"AN EXTRAORDINARY MOMENT"

Awhile back I came across a website entitled, "An Extraordinary Moment." It may take a minute to load & about 5 or 6 minutes to play. It's well done & makes a lot of practical sense to me. How refreshing it is to see a truly realistic thought process & approach towards the beginning of mankind instead of the usual warring & fanatical religious beliefs. www.globalcommunity.org/flash/ex.shtml And, while I'm at it I would like to add some thought to another controversial argument. I have had an interest in Astronomy for quite awhile now & have found people often get Astronomy mixed up with Astrology. One deals with fact & the other deals with fiction. I came across the following explanation & comparisons a few years ago & thought it was explained very well.

ASTRONOMY vs ASTROLOGY
"People sometimes confuse Astronomy with Astrology. Although related in ancient myth they are literally light years apart in the realm of fact & fantasy. Here is a brief explanation of the difference....

"Astronomy is a science that compels us to seek beyond ourselves and our small world, a science of discovery that enriches our lives by exercising our brain and our intellect. It empowers you to think clearly and rationally. It improves and sharpens critical thinking skills." It may even encourage you to free up your mind to think beyond conventional religious beliefs. (to think beyond religious beliefs is the key phrase here....AL.)

"Astrology disempowers you. By placing your future in the accidental configuration of planets and stars, you avoid taking responsibility for your actions, you fail to make decisions based on your own best self interest, and you give up the power to control your own destiny. Belief in astrology results in a degradation of critical thinking skills, which, combined with the loss of power to control your own destiny, can only serve to degrade your life, not enrich it."

"Be in charge of your life. Experience the mystery, awe, and excitement of observational astronomy."

(The photos are of fireworks that I took on the beach at Deerpark Lodge)

SHORT VIDEO CAM RIDE ON THE MOTORCYCLE

Thought I would take the new mini video camera for a trial run on the motorcycle Wednesday afternoon. Curious to see how it would turn out. Video only lasts about 60 seconds & isn't very exciting despite what looks & sounds like a mishap seconds after turning the camera on. I should have shifted up into 5th gear before firing up the camera so what you see is my clumsy attempt to shift gears with the same hand the camera was in. Not too smart I'd say. However I did manage the shift & even got the cam turned around for a brief mugshot. Well, that probably wasn't too smart either because I could have easily broke the camera right there!!!! Stay tuned & next time I'll see if I can jump over a hundred & five end to end school buses. Any volunteers to sit on the back seat & hold the camera? :))