11/24 Anderson

Our week here has been very typical for fall/winter.  We started the week with lots of rain and wind and cooler temperatures.  For the last 2 days we have had clear warm days and cool nights.  Looks like it will top out around 70 today and this weather pattern will hold for most of  next week.   We had a power outage ( 3 hours) during the storm earlier in the week then we lost of internet service for about 18 hours.  The two instances were not related - local transformer blew on the electrical outage and someone cut a optical cable that belongs to Charter in the bay area.  Someone was trying to steal copper wire - suspect they got surprised when they found bundles of optical lines which are usually silica or plastic.  That little trick fits into the "dumb and dumber" category.   They may have learned that orange and/or yellow cables are usually for optical data ? 



Had to capture the bit-o-sunshine we got one day this week.

Lassen Peak emerged from the storm snow capped.

We had a very nice Thanksgiving - still working on the leftovers which we enjoy almost as much at the dinner itself.  We are already looking forward to our turkey at Christmas which has been kind of a tradition for us. 

Very special day for us - we get to celebrate Kathy's birthday.  She finally decided where she wants to go - Outback - she was considering a local eatery but the last time we deviated from the norm the meal was not that good.  We are not blessed with good restaurants in these parts but we do have some that have very good quality and we try to stick with them.  We don't go out to eat much which might be part of the problem in terms of finding good places?  I am sure we will do more exploring in the future?!

Kathy has been working inside this week - focused on her studio and the spare bedroom.  She has been very busy and creative.

 

Loving the new floors in the studio!!!

 

Finally made a bedskirt.  22" drop  - $20 to make.

I have not been very productive - did manage to mow the yard yesterday and then starting to work on those pesky weeds in the yard.  I got rid of my burn piles and now I have another one piling up and drying out.  I did have plans to do a little painting but decided to wait on that project.


Kathy had fun with her camera once again - she took some of her still pictures and put them into a video (of sorts).  The pictures were taken of me moving the cows from the side pasture back to the neighboring pasture.  I sent that movie out to family and friends on Thanksgiving - very large file and some may have deleted it without viewing - I am sure it looked like spam of sorts?    The cows come over for water and then try to eat the grass over the fence in the back yard - - they plow right through the fence so I try to keep them away - loosing battle, they will likely win this battle in the future??!!

Our stay is coming to a close and we are already looking forward to another extended week end next week.  Kathy had to take 3 days of vacation and she got a 10 day vacation.  This works out pretty good and we will do it in the future as well.

Enough babble - hope you all have a great week.

More later

Ron, Kathy, Tessie and Sammie ( the cat)

11/17 Anderson

Winter wonderland, we are certainly in the middle of a couple of storms.  The first one went through last night and another one is bearing down on us now and will stay with us for most of the week.  By comparison to other parts of the country these should not even be called storms - more like seasonally unstable conditions which result in a little wind and rain.  We can be very thankful for the beautiful weather most of the year.  One one of the positive things about this time of the year is that the pasture turns nice and green and lush.  The animals are having a feast with the new grass. 

 

 

 

We are here for the week - get to enjoy Thanksgiving then on Saturday we get to celebrate Kathy's   B-day.  It will be a great week for some R&R for her.  We have a couple of projects but nothing big.  Today, she is repainting some of the furniture in her studio.  She was not happy with the tops of the buffet and table.  She enjoys that stuff and I am sure do a great job.  I have some painting outside but will wait for the temperature to climb a little before I tackle that project.  Pretty good excuse and I am sticking with it.

I played golf 3 times last week - the course is in very good shape.  Found lots of golf balls and got some very good exercise.  For some reason they are really increasing the maintenance on the course.  They have always been a little slow in mowing the rough - now they seem to clean it up several times per week.  Some rumors are floating that the owners (husband and wife) may be preparing the course for sale.  The husband has recently recovered from major heart problems.  He is back and work and looks great, better than I have ever seen him.  I use the term "work" loosely as he only hangs out in the golf shop and bar taking care of customer etc.  In these economic times I  would imagine the course may not be that easy to sell.  More rumors, there is allot of cash coming in the the shop and bar and much of that ends up in their pockets and not in the books.  They own everything outright and don't really have much in expenses except for the groundskeepers, taxes, utilities etc.  Their P&L statement might be a little light on revenue?!! 

I did manage to get my burn piles gone yesterday before the rain.  Two weeks ago I tried and it was too wet but they went up nicely this time.  One of the piles was still smoldering this morning.  Now it is time to start new ones with all the weeds that will fill the yard with all the rain we are getting.  Now that the blackberry bushes have gone dormant I am tempted to touch some of them as well.  The problem is that they are typically on both our property and adjoining property - I would not like to start a major fire on the neighbors property.  Still have to ponder that decision??!!

We are looking forward to a nice big Thanksgiving dinner - - still have to go shopping for the turkey.  Can't believe the price of those things have climbed 50 percent over the last year or so.  We always enjoy the bird and will likely have one of Christmas as well.  Not sure which is best the actual dinner or the leftovers?  Speaking of prices - - got gas recently for 3.34 that is over dollar less than what is was in the August time period, not sure what it was last year?  The last price increase in Ca was due to a refinery fire at the Chevron plant.  I heard on the news that that price increase was not really due to the fire but was a good opportunity to jack the price up once again!!?? 

This is a great time of the the year to look back and reflect on how thankful we are for such a good life.  We are truly blessed and very thankful to be in this time and place.  With all that is happening around us in this world, we really have a much better appreciation than ever. 

We hope you have wonderful Thanksgiving!!

More later

Ron, Kathy, Tessie and Sammie(holding down the fork in Tracy)

11/3 Anderson

We are having a great fall, very cool, a little rain, no winds and the trees are turning color.  The only thing wrong with this time of the year is that the days are too short!!  Already looking forward to the end of December when we head the other direction.  Yet again on a positive note - - we sure get great views of our sunrise and sunset, with the cloud cover it sure makes it pretty.

Sunrise
 

The trees down the lane will be spectacular in a few years when they're bigger.

Kathy and I are very busy with our fall projects - - she is finishing up the furniture for her studio and I have been working in the pasture and yard.  We got a lot of rain last week and the ground is very moist and that is perfect for pulling those nasty weeds.  I made an attempt to pull them several months ago and did not get very far as they were deeply embedded and hard to pull and even dig.  Kathy got her studio floor painted 2 weeks ago and now she is painting all the furniture ( table, chest, bookcase, etc.)  She is working hard to get it done so the project is behind her and she can get on with her other projects. 



I painted the tops in a color called "Graphite."  It has a little more blue in it than I like so I may replaint it in a brown.

Kathy colored her hair red...BIG RED!!!  Matches the autumn leaves.

Today was a burn day so I attempted to get rid of my burn piles - - did not work, the material was too wet and would not stay lit.  One of them has been smoldering for several hours and it may eventually burn everything.  I decided early not to try and keep the others lit - - wait for another day when things a much dryer.  I seem to always have a burn pile hanging around so don't really mind them. 

Over the last 3 weeks I have been fighting a earache in my right ear.  It started when some flying insect flow into my ear.  I fought with that little critter for a week and finally got it all out.  In the process I managed to block my ear canal next to the ear drum.  That was really dumb of me - - with all the poking around in my ear I used a q-tip and put a small amount of lotion on the swab.  That lotion built up, dried out and caused the blockage.  Last Tuesday I went into the doctor to check out the blockage and the nurse irrigated my ear.  They got the material out and I am on the mend - still a little tender but much better and I can hear again!!@@##. 

 Played golf several times the course is really in great shape - - they are laying down more fertilizer and seed and it sure does look good.  It gets lots of play and at the end of the summer is usually shows the wear and tear.  On Tuesday I cleaned up golf balls that have been accumulating  for several months.  That process takes a long time and I have been putting if off.  I got about 1200 done and have at least 2000 to clean.  Some time ago I did a search on most expensive golf balls - turns out it is a ball called Dixon.  I did a price check and you can buy 4 for a bout 55 dollars.  With all the balls that I have I have never seen one myself.  Well - - one of them did turn up in this batch.  It was a Dixon- Earth 3.  Now the rest of the story - on Wednesday I was playing and searching for golf balls and ran across another Dixon- Earth, it was in the water at the par 3 16th hole.  Now I have two for my collection.  I also had a sale here in Redding yesterday - I was contacted early in the week and sold 200 to a fellow in Redding - gave him about 220 and he was very happy with the purchase.  So  - the last 3 sales have been here in Redding and none in the Tracy area.

 

 

A little history for the Dixon ball - totally bio-degradable.  It is made from recycled material and the core is made of sea salt.  It is made by a small company in Tempe, Arizona, suburb of Phoenix.  They

just came out with a ball for the ladies - I think it is called the Spirit and it is a clear crystal ball.

 

More golf stuff - - some time ago I volunteered to teach the kids across the street about golf.  Last Sunday I met them in our park for their first golf lesson.  They all did great and I look forward to the next lesson.  The grass was pretty long so they had a hard time hitting the ball.  I need to find a park with shorter grass or maybe I will take them to the driving range.  We do have one of those not far from the Old River Golf Course I play on.  I think they had a good time and hope they enjoyed the experience!!??

 

Not much else for news - looking forward to the holidays - Kathy will be taking some more time off and that will be a good thing.  Halloween was busy a usual - seems like they bring more kids into the hood each year - we ran out of candy by 7:30, last year we ran out at 8:00.  We do have children in the hood but they are older and the average aged in around 12- 15.  The people totally trashed the hood - I went out on Thursday and picked up a bag of candy wrappers.  Guess the folks could not wait to get home - they had to eat on the run!!?? 

 

Hope you all have a great week - more later

 

Ron, Kathy, Tessie and Sammie