Welcome to the February 2005 BLOG. Didn't see the end of last month?
Click here: January 05 BLOG

Feb. 28, 2005 Mon

Opps. Picture too big. Dang.

Feb. 27, 2005 Sun

Picture wall. 4:40 PM Sunday, the twenty seventh.

This is for JKZ. Note the lighting. Ignore the rust on my crash bars - doesn't effect the motor until. Until temps get into the seventies.

Cat approves new TV stand, and lives. New TV stand looks nothing like old cabinet.

(earlier)

Why do I always seem to miss the 'before' shot? Well, because. That's just how fast things can happen around here. Projects are underway under my nose and under my radar, apparently. Yes, I should get my nose out of the computer and pay attention.

To be fair, I did see the 'Ev's bedroom' project coming. But, by the time I realized it was actually in progress, the closet was empty and I'd missed my before picture.

Further. I missed a shot of the 'cabinet' that was to become the 'shelves'. (Partly why the expenses were kept to a minimum). Although, perhaps I speak too soon? Ann is shopping as we speak for a TV stand for Evie's room. Whatever the new TV stand looks like, you can be sure that it won't have two cupboard doors and a top drawer.

Because the 'cabinet' did. Pressed board laminated cheap thing that it was.
As we were peering into the recently emptied closet and wondering how to make shelves happen, Ann said, 'Let's make shelves out of this old cabinet'? Although I was slow to pick up on the idea of destroying a perfectly good piece of furniture to make shelves, the idea of having another item to store in the overcrowded shed wasn't too appealing, either. Nor was going shopping for shelf materials. We knocked it apart and cut it up. It is now shelving in Evelyn's closet. With the price of shelving materials being what it is, this was a substantial (for us) savings.

We still needed something to frame the shelves, but Ann took care of that by running out and finding a piece of laminate, 15" X 8' for a mere few (12) bucks. As mentioned, this was Ann's project, by and large. I did what was asked. 'Honey, would you please cut these pieces where I marked them'? It really did solve a lot of Evelyn's storage issues.

Eventually, it is thought that Evelyn might be more comfortable in this (study/front/guest) room. The currant office. It's a bit larger. So, for me personally, anything that might postpone THAT move, is an easy choice. This is the last room that still has the old carpet. Besides our bedroom. I don't want to even bring that up.

I don't mind the idea of moving my office. Up here, it's an office, plus. Plus junk room, plus guest room, plus highly visible from the living room. At least when Evie is up here, she can leave her door closed.

And once I'm off the kitchen, it will be totally an office. I will try and take a bit more time to think out the organization of that room, instead of just tossing things in. That (planning ahead) certainly didn't happen, the first time around, with this room. However, it does have a GREAT picture wall!

Feb. 26, 2005 Sat

My darling worked late, yesterday. So we had Thai for dinner. Today she has decided to re do Evelyn's closet.

I missed the 'before' shot. This area was full of junk, stacked willy nilly.

Ann did all the measuring, fastening, etc. I only helped cut stuff.

Now it's organized and useful. This was a nearly 'free' project, we had most of the materials locally.

Ken has put Evelyn in the Oyster Run!

Geez. Everyone's getting new pets. Jarvis sends along these of their new puppy, and cat. Also new TOYS!
These are called 'pocket rockets'.

A tailess cat!

Feb. 24, 2005 Thu

Evelyn is learning Turkey in the Straw. We tried recording ourselves using the webcam. Some of you may have seen the results. We will keep practicing.

Big moon rising - tip of Mt. Baker to the left. . .

Where does the time get to?

Good to hear from Trish - going online from her work, and feeling guilty. Join the club. Employers allow for this, believe me.

My system is so fragile, and crashy, I wonder how anyone keeps up? Ok. I know.

A system that is a few years old, is inherently weakened by the microsoft nonsense that has accumulated over the years. You can dump this and empty that, but junk is building up in your computer. Without reformatting, or otherwise getting back to 'go' (which is a good place to be) (remember how great your new computer used to run?) the user of a machine that's got a few years seniority is facing a monumental task.

Are you backing up your files and documents? Good. Save it all onto a separate device, and reformat your machine. All you need is your Windows installation disk to proceed. Do it!

Feb. 23, 2005 Wed

What a nice day! Had the top down, rode the scooter. Cut the grass. It did make it up to 58.

Earlier. . .
Going for a record sixty plus today. I'm taking the cover off now.

Jim the Vee and his child bride are dining with my son Brett and his wife, Amy, this evening. Jake is a guest, as well. The news from Jim is that he's finally going hispeed! Good for him!

Feb. 21, 2005 Mon

We break out of the house. It's a holiday! Saab redeems itself.

Leaving more or less early, around ten AM, we head north to the border. This is only an hour away. In no time we're wending through Canada on our way to Vancouver, B.C. This would be the province of British Columbia, and another thirty minute drive north to our destination. We are favored with plenty of sun and moderate temps - in the fifties. Saab performs well. This is sort of a test run for Saab, after FAILING a week or so ago, while Ann was picking up Evelyn. We had to abandon Saab at the side of the road, that night. Fortunately, they were right here in town. None the less, it was a black smirch on Saab's record.

Today Saab cranked out nearly two hundred and fifty flawless miles. This is good, if expected. We were in a foreign country, after all, and pretty far from our local mechanic. We even exchanged some of our dollars for Canadian money. Whoa! What happened to the rate of exchange? Twenty dollars American got us 21.25 Canadian.

Our plans to visit the university museum were dashed when it was closed on Monday. Instead, we eyeballed a revolving restaurant atop the look-out tower, right smack downtown. This place sort of resembles Seattle's Space Needle, and is in the historic 'Gastown' neighborhood. There is an observation deck/area just underneath the top level. The top level is a revolving restaurant, with a fine menu. Unless one happens to be going to the restaurant, there is a small fee to visit the upper levels. We avoided that, and ate well. It is indeed, a swell view on a clear day. Visibility was around twenty plus miles. The best one might hope for is thirty five miles, on a very non polluting and crisp day.

Views from the restaurant.

Site of Vancouver's Expo -

Evelyn, revolving

Ann captures Mt. Baker, off in the distance. We are about as far north of Baker from here as we are south of the volcano from Anacortes.

Actually, the mountain is 'out' today, in Anacortes, and it becomes obvious that we are much closer, from here. I typed 'Baker' into the site search engine and found several pictures taken from Anacortes that bear this out.

Using the camera's remote.

Our waiter took this one

Seeing the sights in Gastown

Here is a strange thing: some very old buildings have been demolished, yet the 'fronts' have been saved! We assume that this would be to keep the look of the street 'authentic'. A whole steel framework has been erected to support the building facade, and the rest of the entire structure has been torn down. So, when the new insides are complete, the original face of the building will still be the same! It will be fun to come back again, and see this when it's finished.

Feb. 20, 2005 Sun

Happy Sunday.

Jim the Vee gets another cat. A Russian Blue kitten.

Well, he SAYS it's a kitten.

I advised him to enjoy that kitty stuff while he can. It seems they aren't kittens very long! Our two CATS will be three in April.

Word from MI this morning, five inches of snow and still coming down. This in the southern part of the state. I wonder how my sister is making out in the northern? Here in the Great Pacific N'West we are enjoying sun and fifties. Until last month, I thought fifties was normal all throughout the winter, in WA. It was the norm for the last three years, that I've been here. In January we got a major snowstorm and cold weather that lasted two weeks, you may recall. This makes today's weather seem well appreciated.

Feb. 19, 2005 Sat

Why does this woman look so happy? Because she finally convinced me that the amazing Quicksilver rubber boat should go to the dump. Along with the ruined bathroom fixtures that have been cluttering up the alley.

It was on it's way there a couple years ago when we rescued it from Dick's junk pile. Some patching and maintenance and it saw use that year. We took it to Guemes and used it to check our crab pots. We used it while camping at Deception Pass. But last year it never went in the water. The partitions inside the floats that separate the boat into three sections (any of which would keep it afloat even if one or two of the others got a hole) had lost their integrity. It was now like one big compartment, with no way to patch these inner sections. Still usable, but not as safe. The thing was pretty old. Probably fifteen years?

I have a 15 horse two cycle motor for use on the rubber boat. Never quite got it running, though. Now I don't have a rubber boat. So, we're looking for a small dingy. Preferably a free dingy. Before the motor has to go bye-bye, too.
In better days.

Finished the 'Humping' descriptions for RRDave. Two in one month - we must be on a roll!

Feb. 18, 2005 Fri

5:30 pm
Back to being a two car family. This is good. Evelyn walked home barefoot. This isn't. Well, I guess it won't kill her. I asked if her feet didn't get cold? 'Of course not,' said she. 'They're numb.' Why barefoot, you may wonder? Because her flip flops hurt her toes. Why flip flops in February? Now, there, you have me stumped.

Whoa! One good thing after another; Saab released - 27 dollar part - four days to fix. I LOVE my Saab. They kept it 'til this morning to verify cold start - and it was chilly! Thirty degrees. But the sun is coming up earlier everyday, and it was scooter weather by 10:30. Bright and sunny for my walk back up the hill. . .
Ann only works a half day - then a long weekend. Life is good. Just need to ferry the scooter home from the mechanic, or walk up there and get it? That's what I should do, I suppose. For the excersize?

Well. Of the two sides of the sink supply (recently re done)  this is the side that still has a compression fitting, in the wall. The compression fitting wouldn't re seal on the other side, and necessitated a lot of soldering, etc. This side just ended up with a small drip. Not from the compression part - that would have been bad. But from the pipe thread part, where it's wrapped with (apparently) not quite enough teflon tape. A very slow drip. It's been my experience that a small drip in a pressure system will seal itself. Might take awhile, but it'll eventually quit. Small impurities in the system plug the hole, just like radiator Stop Leak products.

It does take a spell. It's been two weeks. I hung a mushroom can to catch the drip, and keep track. If the can fills up, I'll turn off the water supply, undue things and re teflon tape the pipe thread. I'm betting that I don't have to do this, that the water will evaporate and I'll find the can dry, maybe one day next month? I really don't want to disturb the pipes and maybe start the compression fitting leaking! There was a little less than a 1/2 inch of water in the can a few days ago. I'm trying not to look.

Feb. 16, 2005 Weds

Saab parts will be here from Seattle tomorrow, we are told. Just a small thing, really, a relay of some sort? I'll be anxious to see the old one, just out of curiosity? Also the bill, which will be accordingly small, we are hoping.
Right.

How good that the weather has cooperated these last few days, and scooter riding has been possible.

This hurts. (written earlier)

Saab waiting on parts, from Seattle. Fuel injection relay, of some sort. This is bad.

So then - both cases are true - missing a certain spark, and no fuel. Dang.

We are reminded by those close to the situation that this is not good. Bad Saab.

How can we drive the Saab across the country when things like this might occur? Right?

Woe. What can you say?

If you go to the
davesmock.com start page, (what we used to refer to as the 'home page'), there is a site search engine. Type 'saab' into the search engine and no less than 13 different pages show up. They say it all.

Feb. 15, 2005 Tue

We added a link to the Tennessee Railway Museum Page. Thanks, John.
This is on the RRDave site, but you can check out the link from here.
Tennessee Railway museum Link

Feb. 14, 2005 Mon

Late news - Big Bob (Ann's Toyota) is back and running fine. Belts (three) and tune up. Bob still takes a distributor cap, etc. The scooter ran fine all day, too, on my last spark plug change.

Ni's Big Blue needed oil - !!!

Saab is still KO'd. Could be maybe a spark problem, they are saying. Waiting for new computer testing software/news from Saab. Yeah, I love Saabs. Go shoot me.

No! It's a dreaded curse! Ahhhhh!

Ann's faithful truck is in the shop - scheduled maintenance. It was taken in last Friday, but parts were needed from Toyota. So, they are delivered today. In fact, it's ready to pick up.

However, last evening while Ann was driving the Saab to pick up Evelyn, it died.

Dead Saab. Plenty of battery. Plenty of gas. Plenty of air. Hmmm.

Guessing fuel pump, here. Dang.

None the less - this is yet another strike against my dear Saab. Yes.

First the alarm system tends to run down the battery. During the time it took to figure this out, we were once late to ballet.

Ann Darling - Be my Valentine - XOXOXO

My Valentine riding Harley

And here's Anna - Harley is her horse, you see

Feb. 13, 2005 Sun

We made the ginger ale from the recipe mentioned earlier (Feb 02). It's delicious! We used a piece of ginger root just like this one. Next we want to learn how to slice it really thin and pickle it.

Years ago my Dad gave me a coin sorter. I was staying at his house, and tossing my pocket change on the dresser in the wee room under the eaves, my guest room of choice. He noticed this pile of loose change, and got me the coin machine. I used it for six or seven years, nursing it through several parts failures. Finally, it would go no more.

I was back to tossing change on my dresser. Ann noticed and found me this replacement unit. It is actually a bit fancier than the old one. They are so handy!

Feb. 12, 2005 Sat

Seems like half the family is headed to Hawaii?! Dang. Not us.

Linda, John, Barb, Paul, Dick, Laura, to name but a few. . .

Other than that, a quiet few days. Which we can handle. Had some welding done on the Saab, where a freak wind had nearly ripped the driver's door off. Well, cracked a weld on one of the hinges, throwing the door seal alignment off a tad. Ann's Toyota in the shop now 'til Monday - minor tune up. I no longer attempt that stuff, unless I'm totally broke.

Some stuff we ordered for Dick came today. The bag with the yellow sticker contains a hard drive. It goes in that box and then plugs into his computer. Then he can back up his files by dragging (copying) them onto the external hard drive. With file sizes so large and getting larger - backing up onto CD's isn't as practical as it used to be, when computers only had 10 Gig hard drives. It takes three CD's (@700 MB's/per) to hold two gig of files. 120 gig HD? That's a lotta' CD's. A new or refurbished hard drive and one of these USB/firewire plug in cases is a reasonable solution. We need something similar for the laptop.

The Dell laptop in the above picture is one I'm (trying to) repairing.

Feb. 10, 2005 Thur

From the Florida Union (thanks - Jerry)

Here's a good cause - OK, I'm not a good judge. . .
But, if you want to stop spending on hiways, trucks, gas taxes, big SUVs, then at least take a look:
Vote?

My darling Annabelle, wisely decided to avoid the icy roads, and stopped to take a couple pictures.

It's Mt. Baker. From atop Cap Sante. Ann caught the magic light.
AND Big Bob, the Toyota.

I like this shot because it captures the feel of our 'small harbor'. Photos by Ann.

Feb. 09, 2005 Weds

Frances comes through just fine. All cancerous cells removed. Thanks to Mardi for the phone call.

Frances is in our thoughts and prayers. She goes 'under the knife' today.

Also Tommy J. God Bless.

Tom scheduled now for eight AM - multiple bypass.

Stacy. November Four, Nineteen Seventy Five - February Third, Two Thousand and Five. RIP.

Stacy's Notice

And that's three.

Feb. 08, 2005 Tues

This is stuff that had to get mailed, today. Our swell phone/camera is a year old this April. Still under warranty. The volume got weird, so exchanged it while the time was right. Sending an older model along, too.

Speaking of - this is a phone cam shot. It's been the wallpaper on my phone for awhile. It's unretouched, meaning that Adobe would 'sharpen' it up quite a bit.

Like this: Adobe 'instant fix'.

We did get out on two wheels, yesterday and today. Bright and sunny. About fifty. This was supposed to be a picture of the scooter in front of a boat by the water. We forgot that the camera was way 'zoomed'. Nice shot of some rather large winch.

Cats get a new 'Toy'.

Feb. 07, 2005 Mon

Happy Birthday to Jacob Handley Smock. 27 summers

Feb. 06, 2005 Sun

Sometimes I can't believe that we chose to live with these furry creatures! Mostly, it's the cats that create such a household mess. And, I picked them(!) - with Ann's blessing, fortunately, and Evelyn's help. In this wee home, keeping after the cat hair is a BIG chore.

When they were little
(CAT PAGE)  (and so cute) it was sweet to have them sleep at our feet. Now that they are ten pound hunks of fur, well. Imagine having twenty pounds of furball on your legs when you're trying to turn over? Thus, that favorite nightime activity we have grown to love; kick-a-cat. It isn't enough to just wake them - that only gets them to licking each other. No. It takes a decidedly pointed foot/shove to get the desired results - cats in some other area for awhile. They bounce back onto the bed after we're asleep, but then it's no problem, until it's time to roll over again. Fortunately, sometimes they stay at the bottom of the bed, and are hardly noticed.

Chico used to sleep on the bed, too. But now the poor guy is too old to jump up there. He's so happy that Evelyn chose to sleep on a low Futon - and lets him join her. So are we. Cats are enough!

Feb. 05, 2005 Sat

Chico got his bath today. This goes over real big. I missed him in the tub, but here he is getting dried off.

He then races for his bed, and begins a process of burrowing under the covers.

He keeps at it until just his nose sticks out.

As soon as the cats hear the word 'bath' they light out for high places and think they become invisible.

Feb. 04, 2005

Finished something for the RRDave site.
Baseball Derby  is about passing some time in the field, and how not to pick apples.

The girls both stayed home again today. Both on the mend, though, we think. The whole family, well the animals and yours truly, have really benefitted from the added company the last few days. Everyone else is avoiding us like the plague, for which we don't blame them. Nobody wants a cold that hangs on for days on end.

Feb. 03, 2005

From Robert, a website that has archived webpages from past years. Want to see what a website looked like way back when? Then you want to visit this Internet Archive Site 
Just type in the URL for a website and be amazed! Even some of the links are archived. Thanks, Robert!

The nasty virus finally gets Evelyn down. She stayed home today to rest up and get rid of it once and for all. Ann still home, too, but mending OK.

Feb. 02, 2005

Ann remains home! I love this part - company all day, and I get to take care of her. She is OK, just a nagging cough and sore throat. Slight fever. Yuchhy, is her description. Evelyn seems to have thrown it off, whatever it is?

Our friend Dave has returned from NYC, where he and his lovely wife attended a wedding. In 6 degree New York winter weather. He also sends along
THIS LINK  to a most interesting site, where we might learn to make our own ginger ale. Dave and I grew up in Detroit, not far from where they bottled Vernor's Gingerale. Now THAT was a fun factory tour.

Feb. 01, 2005

A new month. What will it bring?

Whoa! It brought the ten thousandth hit to the
Railroaddave website. Must be time to add a new story.

It brought Ann and Evelyn sore throats. Ev went to school, Ann stayed home. We took it easy, something I do very well.

Almost sixty again today, as it was yesterday, when the following were taken.
This boat's name caught my attention. It might be one of the boats that ferry propane to the nearby islands. There's always interesting stuff by the water.

The City of Anacortes as seen from atop Cap Sante, which is a hill that's also part of the island. It's also a good motorcycle ride to get to the top. Our house is in this picture. I thought I'd zoomed on it, but I missed by a couple of houses.

Roma the cat.

Ken sends along this shot of yours truly riding along the shoreline of Lake Huron last week. Nice picture. Except that I wasn't IN Michigan last week. And how did Chico get in the mirror?