Purolator delivered our new Star Choice satellite dish yesterday & I knew I was in trouble right off the bat. I had unrealistically hoped the dish would have arrived in more of an assembled state. When I opened the box & saw all the screws, nuts & bolts, washers, tubes, & pieces, my mechanically challenged mind went into automatic shut down mode & seized up. I did force myself to waste some valuable time looking at the instructions but couldn't even comprehend step one. It didn't take Kelly long to get on the phone.
van rolled into our driveway this afteroon with the words L & A Southwest Satellite Systems on the side. (hmmmmm, how did they know we're going to the southwest:)) Two fellows jumped out & within mintues the satellite dish assembly was taking shape. Luckily, with a few simple modifications by the satellite guys we were able to use the same heavy duty tripod from our previous satellite internet/Star Choice set up. And, like I've blogged about before......if I want something done right it's usually better for me to get someone else to do it & to-day was another good example of that!! (that's why someone else is painting the kitchen cupboard doors right now too)
My knee & I battled back & forth all day with both sides winning & losing a few wee battles here & there. Sometimes the knee was fine as I walked briskly around & then zap, a zinger of pain would flash around the joint like a small lightning storm causing me to wince & go into a limp & hobble shuffle. But, at least it's an improvement over the past few days so I'm looking forward to great & wondrous things from that knee in the very near future..........or else!!!!
Just as some fellow bloggers I'm not exactly singing the praises of the new post editor in blogger yet. Had a hard time placing photos last night plus a few other small things. Almost reverted back to the old editor but it was probably my old blogging habits interfering with the newer generation of doing things. I'll have another go at it to-night. I do like the fact that all my photos in the blog are now clickily enlargeable again. I had lost that feature a long time ago.
One month from to-day we will be on the eve of having the big wheels rolling for the southwest once more. As usual the excitement is always kept in check by it's counter part, apprehension. Will the tires be alright for another year, how about the brakes, hope we don't have any leaks in the water system, what if the aging sewer hose explodes in my face, is that Allison transmission as good as they say it is, what if a slide gets stuck in the out position, what if a Chinaman falls off his bicycle in Teananmen Square, will the dogs be OK this year, what if they don't let us across the border because one of the guards reads this blog, will our solar panel system work flawlessly again, hope the fridge doesn't quit, will Al's bad knee cause his right leg to fall off leaving him with only being able to do hikes going around in tight left circles, hope we don't get any bad dings in the windshield & I hope the car doesn't break loose from the tow bar on an interstate. There, I feel much calmer now. The excitement was just getting to be toooooo much when I realized to-day that we would be leaving in another month!! Nothing like a good solid dose of some really fine nerve rattling apprehension to keep that excitment in check. Kinda like when you were a kid waiting on the platform for that first roller coaster ride. Excited like crazy but scared like nuts that the roller coaster car was gonna fly right off the track on that first downhill curve!!
Took the van to Goderich to-day on a shake down cruise to check out the different transmission. All systems were go. We are very fortunate here in Bayfield to have a great garage & repair facility. The Bayfield Garage is run by an honest & soft spoken fellow by the name of Don Mcllwain. Fortunately Don isn't as old as the front part of the garage which I'm sure was lovingly constructed somewhere back in the last ice age. Additions to the garage have brought everything including equipment & staff up into the modern computer techno era & we the motoring public are very lucky to have Don, his equipment & his crew here to attend our rusty mufflers, worn tires, dead batteries, aging engines, squeaking brakes, overdo tune-ups, price war gas, & in our case....a flunky transmission. Would you believe they had that transmission changed in less than a day!!
The foliage is dying back in the flower beds, some leaves are drooping, & some shrubs are beginning to take on that worried pre-death look to winter. Soon it will be time to begin the annual ritual of returning all the lawn ornaments & furniture to the sheds for another season. In a few short months all this glorious green jungle of ours will look like the gray barren wastelands of Russian Siberia!!!! And feel about the same as well:((
GROANER'S CORNER:(( Some people try to turn back their odometers. Not me, I want people to know 'why' I look this way..... I've traveled a long distance and some of the roads were definitely not paved!!
OUR PHOTO ALBUMS http://picasaweb.google.com/stargeezerguy/
The only thing better than right now will someday be the memories of right now...AL.
I tried the new Photo Editor last night but didn't like the spacing. I struggled more with placing the photos than I do with the old one so I changed back. Each to his own, I guess!
ReplyDeleteTime is getting close to leave. We probably won't be leaving till around Oct26. Hope your knee holds out for you!
Good luck with the dish and reseption.
ReplyDeleteHey Al, that guy dozing in the chair sure doesn't look too excited!! I'm sure he is when he's awake!! Won't be long now.
ReplyDeleteAl, we can hardly wait to read your blog while you are on the road! We've only been able to look back on your travels since we joined as followers.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever used a knee brace on your right knee? I have used one ever since my arthroscopy didn't do the whole job. It has helped a lot.
It's hard to tell who is more content in that picture, you or the Motormoouse!
Al, we can hardly wait to read your blog while you are on the road! We've only been able to look back on your travels since we joined as followers.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever used a knee brace on your right knee? I have used one ever since my arthroscopy didn't do the whole job. It has helped a lot.
It's hard to tell who is more content in that picture, you or the Motormoouse!
I tried out the New Blogger, too, and in some ways I like it better than the old one. I thank you for pointing me to it. One day I will persevere with Live Writer, and maybe, like some, I will prefer it.
ReplyDeleteI think every one gets the "I Wonder If" jitters before a trip.
Try to relax and enjoy it. As long as you have taken all precautions to see that everything is maintained, don't 'buy' trouble.
Love your pictures and blog.
Happy Trails, Penny, TX