An Eventful Week: For Me

This week's been eventful, in a way. The weather got warm enough, finally, for our new-last-month central air system to start sending cool air through the vents, and I saw two hummingbirds at the feeder yesterday.

Even better, there's blue sky and sunshine outside again today. That's been a rarity so far this alleged summer.

The other 'big deal' was my taking a member of the family down to St. Cloud yesterday afternoon for oral surgery. Good news, it's gone well; bad news, I missed my hour at the Eucharistic adoration chapel down the street; good news, I made a call that started the ball rolling on getting a replacement for me on that shift.

So far, it's been a good week.

A Tornado Warning, a Hard Drive, Frustration, and a Hummingbird

Sometime after 2:00 this afternoon I saw gray sky out the living room window. Stepping closer, I saw a spectacular thunderhead growing.



I put more photos in today's post of the Sauk Centre Journal Blog.

We heard that a tornado had been sighted east of Glenwood - maybe 20 miles east of us.

Then, right around 3:00 p.m., the sirens went off and my wife, kids (the two at home) and I walked to the basement. No real rush - but we didn't dawdle, either.

Eventually the sirens stopped, we went up stairs, and watched a whole lot of rain come down.

We didn't even get hail. Not that I noticed, anyway.

Can't say I'm disappointed.

Other than that, I've been having a frustrating time finding stuff to clear off my hard drive. It feels a little like bailing out a cruise ship with a five-gallon bucket: lots of work, and not much to show for it. Objectively, I know that I cleared a little over a gigabyte of memory. Oh, well.

I remember when a 30-megabyte hard drive was huge. Actually, I remember when hard drives of any size were cutting-edge technology.

Hummingbirds have definitely discovered the feeder. Just before I started writing this post one came - fueling up for the night, I suspect.

A Disgustingly Perfect Day, a Grill, and Hummingbirds

I checked. It really is "room temperature" outside: 69° Fahrenheit.

There's enough of a breeze to discourage mosquitoes but not bother people, the sky is clear, bright blue - it gets a little better around here, but not by much, and not often.

My wife and #3 daughter are off, doing errands. I'm here, by the now-superfluous air conditioner, getting the day's work done.

Right next to the window where, if I lean back, I can see the birdbath and hummingbird feeder. (So can you: I've got a webcam looking out the window.)

Speaking of hummingbirds: I took the feeder in yesterday afternoon, for routine cleaning and refilling. While I was doing that, I looked across the kitchen and north room, and saw a hummingbird flit in from the east, turn back maybe a foot from where the feeder usually is, head eastwards maybe two feet, go through a horizontal loop, and flit back the way he/she came.

That motivated me to get the feeder read and in place in what may have been record time. Those hummers don't, I've read, work with a really big safety margin when it comes to food/fuel supply.

The critter, or one very much like it, was back within an hour. I think I've got regular clients now.

I ran out of propane/LP gas on the grill Saturday, just in time to get the burgers done. At least, I thought I was out of gas.

I was going to refill the tank Saturday afternoon - but took an all-afternoon nap instead. My body probably had the right idea about that, although I couldn't get to sleep that night until an insanely late hour.

Where was I? LP gas, right. Sunday, after Mass, I went to the Holiday station on the south side, to pick up a full LP gas cylinder. I found out, in the process, that at least one person in town knows the thing as "propane," but not as "LP gas" tanks. Interesting: I learned something new about the language.

So, I swap out the tanks, and find out that the grill still won't light. No grilled burgers on Sunday. And, as a bonus, I get to figure out how to dismantle and clean the grill. My hope is that there's a fairly straightforward job of unplugging a gas line ahead of me.

#1 daughter was here for the weekend, visiting her pet rabbit and us.

And I think that brings me more-or-less up to date. The day's tasks won't do themselves, so I'd better get to work.

Maybe there'll be time later, for a walk. Or something to get me outside.

Having a Cold isn't Fun

The family here has had a cold for - it feels like forever, but my wife tells me it's no more than a couple weeks. She's usually right about that sort of thing.

I've been coughing and sneezing a bit less this week: which is fine by me.

Other than that, a few things have changed.

I got the hummingbird feeder out - and had a few hummers drink it dry after the first day. So far, after refilling it: I've seen none. Wait a minute: One just zipped in - and out again.

My wife and #3 daughter got the window air conditioner set up - another sign that summer is here. Or coming.

We made some calls with the gas utility: apparently they're still recovering from that alternatively-competent supervisor. We'd been told that the meter would be moved in about two weeks. When a month had passed, I decided to see what happened.

We're expecting a crew to come out and reposition the meter this Friday. There's a white line marked in the grass, with a flag and everything. I hope they show up. The state-mandated markings they made, earlier this year, are disappearing as the grass grows.

#1 daughter decided she'd be better off, relaxing at her own place. She's got the same bug we do - and I think she made the right decision. There's a lot to be said for being where you can utterly relax. We got a call from her, a few minutes ago. She wanted advice from "Dr. Mom."

Which brings me up to date, more or less.

Tuesday: #2 Daughter and Son-in-Law-to-be and Hummingbirds

Yesterday evening my wife called a family meeting, and outlined what she wants us to do for the rest of this month, through #2 daughter's wedding in early September. She went into some detail, including two task lists: one for the morning, another which could be done at any time - daily. What it all boiled down to was that she was going to be quite stressed enough over preparations for the wedding, and (reasonably enough) wanted help.

I see her point. Among other things, she's making the wedding dress.

Last Thursday, I stayed up late, so there would be someone to let #1 daughter in. She was in another town, on job-related business. When she got back, I learned that she had a house key. As Manuel said, in Fawltey Towers, "I learn! I learn!"

Friday, my son came home from his three weeks (about that) at the farm. He was glad he'd been there, and glad to be home. He also was quite excited about his new (PDA, I think: some hand-held information technology gadget). My youngest brother-in-law had driven the two of them down here, and stayed to work on our front door.

Saturday, #1 daughter reported that the "neighbor lady" had called her. Our neighbor had seen Giol, #1 daughter's rabbit, outside. We'd had the garage door open, to provide some ventilation, and he'd gotten out of his enclosure inside the garage. He's gotten rather good at that. #1 daughter located Giol, waited for an opportune moment, scooped him up and returned him to his safe, if somewhat dull, enclosure.

Also on Saturday, I learned that my son was impressed with the size of the mosquitoes in the Red River Valley of the North. I know what he means: the ones we've got here in central Minnesota are rather puny by comparison.

Saturday night, Giol got out of his enclosure again. This time the door was closed, so he didn't get outside. We discovered his accomplishment Sunday morning. He obliged my wife by nibbling on what she gave him, but wouldn't eat for #1 daughter. My wife noticed that Giol wasn't doing his "happy dance" when she came with his food.

#1 daughter was quite concerned. Not being interested in food is emphatically not normal for that rabbit.

Then, she discovered that Giol had gotten at a bag of rabbit pellets. There was a substantial portion left, but he'd probably gone through at least a day's worth of food during the night.

No wonder he wasn't all that hungry.

Monday evening, at 6:33 a hummingbird came to the feeder and stayed for several seconds, dipping that beak into the sugar-water mix several times before flitting off. I'm quite sure there have been other visits: the 'nectar' level was down considerably since the last time I filled it.

Today, I took the feeder in, cleaned and refilled it, and put it out again. I also washed a few dishes with the water I'd used.

#1 daughter is off to Alexandria to get some of her own business done: this month's installment of a comic strip she's producing. Our scanner is temporarily on the fritz, so she'll be using the one in her apartment.

I returned a wireless router to Wal-Mart this afternoon, and got a full refund. That's good news. The unit was 'left over' from the time my computer's network card failed. While I was there, I had a talk with Ron, in the electronics department, and may have found a way to get my scanner working again.

Now, daughters #2 and 3, my son, and son-in-law-to-be are in the living room, having what sounds like a great time with a Wii #2 daughter bought with part of a sort of windfall: an insurance settlement from that head-on collision she and my wife were in.

As for me, it's late and I need sleep. 'And so, to bed.'

Of Valleyfair and Hummingbirds

I just about forgot a high point of the week for my son.

He and his class went to Valleyfair, down in the metro area, on a field trip yesterday. I'm still not at all clear on how that's 'educational,' but he certainly had a good time. Happily, they have water fountains copiously distributed at Valleyfair, so he didn't get thirsty.

A hummingbird showed up this evening at the feeder. At least, that's when I noticed the first one. Another came later - or maybe it was the same one - and a bit after that I saw two at the feeder. Then, I think, they spotted me and flew off.

Saturday: The Family Mother's Day Get-Together and Hummingbirds

My wife, #3 daughter, and son are on their way to a Mother's Day get-together with family. I'm here, getting some work done: and getting over a minor but annoying bug of some sort. #1 daughter is up in Alex, getting a major cleaning job done in her apartment. There's some sort of inspection coming up.

Yesterday my wife and #3 daughter went to some rummage sales. #3 daughter came back with a new-to-her outfit: total cost more than a dollar: but not by much. The (shell, I think it's called) cost 25¢. The big-ticket item in that wardrobe assemblage was the shoes: I'm told they were a little over a dollar.

I see by the calendar - and the temperatures - that it's time for me to wash out the hummingbird feeder and get it set up. The post is still up from last year: it's a metal rod shaped roughly like a shepherd's crook. I may take as much time looking up the proper sugar/water ratio as I do washing the feeder out.

Which is my que to get back to work.

Saturday: The Family Easter Get-Together

I think at least one of us went over to my father-in-law's to rest, but at one point around 18 people were here, including the 5/6 of my family who are in Minnesota.

It's the Easter get-together: this time we're hosting it. And, I think it's going quite well. Some of the younger kids are outside, playing in a sandbox, others are inside, #3 daughter and a niece are probably deep in conference, and just about everyone else is in the living room, talking and catching up.

I'm here at the computer by the north window, and one of my brothers-in-law is set up a bit south and east of me. I'm getting the day's writing done, and he's working on a Master of Science degree in Information Technology.

He's been working in the field for years - but this will give him the sort of academic certification that impresses companies. He says he's learning something, too. He's doing the coursework and 'attending' lectures online, though a Minnesota college. He said what it was, but I can't remember the name offhand.

Yesterday I started wearing flip-flops - a sort of informal milestone marking the beginning of my summer.

The hummingbird feeder is still inside, but I'll be setting it out sometime in the next couple of weeks, for the benefit of early arrivals. We had a pretty good clientele last year, and I'm hoping for another good season.

Tuesday: A Nicely Typical Day

#1 daughter showed up today, a little before noon, to help organize books in the attic. She and I talked, too, off and on through the afternoon. A little after noon, she alerted me to a hummingbird at the feeder. That little green bird's bill was longer than it's head.

The Webcam caught a picture of the hummingbird, but the part of the image where the bird is sitting is pretty dark. There's been a big trailer with bright white sides parked on the street, right in front of the Webcam. That throws the brightness balance off more than a little.

Oh, well. At least we got to see the hummingbird.

My son spent quite a bit of the day, making a gadget for delivering one of our two remote controls for use: He's justifiably pleased with his efforts, considering the limitations of materials and tools the household had to offer.

My son's remote-control delivery device. "That's my boy!"

Work on Ash Street continues: we'd have had the windows open more, except that sometimes the sound level outside was too high.

Normally, around this time of year, the high school's band would be marching past the house at intervals, practicing for Sinclair Lewis Days. The Ash Street Project's hanged that. They were doing their marching in the school parking lot today.

My day started winding down, as usual, with reading Garfield with my son.

We've got a good life here.

Sunday: An Unexpectedly Long Visit

#1 daughter showed up earlier than usual this morning. We generally meet up with her in church, but today she came walking up the driveway about an hour before that.

She spent a great deal of her time with #3 daughter, and some with me, too. The two ladies seemed to be catching up on what #3 daughter had been doing on her computer - putting together a music video, I take it.

Having grown up long before personal computers existed, I'm still impressed with how much one person, with relatively little equipment, can do these days.

I grilled lunch, enjoying the bird songs in the back yard. Aside from the pleasure of turning a few slabs of frozen burger into part of a good meal, that weekend routine gives me a chance to relax for a few minutes, and just enjoy being around here.

After lunch, I got some writing done, and then took a nap. My wife woke me before supper.

Our son has told me, several times, that his class is going to ValleyFaire tomorrow. Each time, he's apparently forgotten about the previous times. Repetition is a good learning technique: I am unlikely to forget that he expects to be back around 7:00 tomorrow evening.

Back in my day, we had field trips: but not to amusement parks. I doubt that there's much educational value in this trip, but I hope he has a good time.

After my wife, our son, and #3 daughter left for Soo Bahk Do, after supper, #1 daughter and I had a chance to talk a little. Then, it was time for her to go - at which time the other two ladies and our son showed up.

While #1 daughter and I talked, at the 'main' computer, I saw a hummingbird flit in to the feeder, check it out, and leave. That's the first time I've seen one there.

Inspired by the sight, #1 daughter and I went out, retrieved the feeder, and brought it in. Ants had found the feeder, too, and had an impressive column or two marching up and down the support pole.

I washed out the feeder, mixed another batch of formula, and set it outside again. If all goes well, I may see another hummer tomorrow.