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local picks Thanks to Tim Train delays expected due to minor points problem~~

Aug 31, 2007 Fri

Photos taken by Ann at Gram's yesterday evening. Fae's birthday was being celebrated, as you see. . .

Group photo by David

Unit 8877 unavailable for service - undergoing a slight modification program. . .

Aug 30, 2007 Thu

here is Paul -- standing next to a suspiciously new and shiny looking vehicle -- could they have upgraded? The answer is, yes!

here is David -- next to a suspiciously new and shiny looking Saab. Yes! It's the loaner. . .

Fae and Evelyn stepping out~~ photos by Ann

Himself, Jake the studly one

and they are getting quite chummy, now - perhaps in a day or two -- who knows?

Thanks to Tim
Bridge closed to road traffic for purposes of routine maintenance. . .
and you can't even let the air out of the tires. . .

Aug 29, 2007 Wed

Writing from the Saab dealer in Seattle. Trip number three, if one happens to be keeping track. Trip one was a month or so ago, when the convertible top first got snarky - giving a lot of error messages and trying to hang up while opening and closing - which it finally did - and wouldn't latch shut properly. This caused a lot of dinging and donging in the passenger compartment - complaints, emanating from the top monitor software and sensors via the audio/visual information display - bong, check latches - bing, check soft top. The top got out of alignment when a stretched out piece of elastic caught on one of the moving parts, and threw things out of whack. And then you know who (yes, moi) continued to put the top up and down in spite of the warning messages. Trip two was when they called and said the part was in, when in fact, it turned out to be the wrong part. With a red faces and apologies they offered to call the moment the correct part arrived. Which they did. Except, I was in Michigan -- and today was the first time I had a chance to drive down there. This was also the first time I made that 4 a.m. trip when it wasn't raining, making it rather more pleasant in spite of the hour. Also, I didn't get lost nearly as bad this time, having become somewhat familiar with the rather complicated route.

This last part is being written at home.

As the fellow approached me sitting at the laptop I could tell - the news was not going to be good. I was preparing myself to have him announce that the cost of repairs had suddenly skyrocketed due to unforeseen complications when he announced that they still didn't have the correct part. In fact, the first part was probably the correct part after all -- except, they had sold that one to another Saab convertible owner -- and would have to reorder, yet one more time. I used silence to make the most of this poor fellow's discomfort, not that I had to feign my disappointment. Mr. Smock, please let us put you in a brand-new Saab 9-3 and you can head home with our apologies and we'll call you when your car is ready to go. Knowing that they don't make a habit of loaning out brand-new Saabs as loaners for 12-year-old convertibles, I decided to save the balance of my wrath for the final dickering, sometime down the road.

I will say there are some nice features on the 2007 model -- the turbocharged four-cylinder puts out about the same horsepower as my V6 -- but I didn't feel it was quite as responsive. All in all, I'm not ready to trade up, even if I could afford it.

So, it looks like they'll be another 4 a.m. trip to Seattle. Stay tuned.

A banner day - Fae is in town

Ann with two of her three - Fae is joined by Cassady. Wait a minute - what dogs is Ann holding?

Tizzy, getting her first look at her new boyfriend - we are hoping. His name is Jake, and he is on loan as 'the stud'.

I may be small (4.9 pounds to Tizzy's 9.5) but I come with all the necessary equipment~~

Thanks to Tim~~
We had to shut down the second unit due to overheating. . .

Aug 28, 2007 Tue

Now that the wiring is complete - the drywall happened.

Some weird water pollution at the beach. . .

Squeezed in a late afternoon scooter ride -

Trying to get the look -- isn't this how all the kids wear their trousers nowadays?

Aug 27, 2007 Mon

We attended a birthday party at Barb and Paul's, a small intimate gathering for about 30 of their closest friends. The birthdays being celebrated were Barb's and her oldest daughter's, Heidi. Barb is in the photo below -- sort of a 'find Waldo' picture. Barb let on that the number of attendees was somewhat greater than originally expected.

Here is Heidi, the other celebrant, with a few friends~~

Work is gradually picking up again on the remodeling projects that stalled while we underwent wrist surgery. Here, we are putting the arched doorway back in between the living room and dining room.

And here, the electrician has installed the wiring and switches for the bedroom lights -- work that couldn't be completed until the closet between the two bedrooms was removed and this small privacy wall constructed. As you may recall, Ann did all the deconstructing... Drywall mode is next.

Here is a handy gadget -- it wirelessly transmits music from the computer to the larger home stereo system. Even fancy computer speakers can't hold a candle to the Macintosh amplifier and matched Boston floor speakers.
There are those of you out there that will know the meaning of the term -- Mac Watts.

Total Lack of pet control~ by Anon.

Aug 24, 2007 Fri

Ann captured the catz enjoying their new cat condo - just snug enough, as they like it. . .

I had to go to court. I had received a speeding ticket last month, and it was suggested that I make a personal appearance. I decided that was a good idea -- I could plead my clean driving record -- and whatever else came to mind. So, I had signed the ticket 'guilty, with mitigating circumstances', and my court date was yesterday. I decided that a suit and tie couldn't hurt matters, but the weather dictated two wheeled transportation. The advice to show up in court was excellent. The judge dismissed my ticket and the fine, if I would pay the court costs. I was glad to do that, as it kept my driving record clean and my insurance company in the dark.
Photo by Ann~~

Our last Smokey Joe Weber barbecue grill finally rusted away, after nearly 20 years of service and countless nights left out in the rain and weather. Fortunately, they were on sale at the local hardware, and this is the new model - grilling chicken last evening. All set for another 20 years. Maybe I'll move this one into the shed at night. . .

Saab front right fender - in the showroom - while I was waiting. . .

Aug 23, 2007 Thu

How many fish in this picture? (hint: between three and ten) This is Ann's successful fish tank, located at her WORK.

A Woodward Dream Cruise photo, thanks to Jarvis - MONSTER

Ann captured a rare Man Eating Figfish!

Hail?

Aug 21, 2007 Tue

Here's a swell ice maker, designed for use on boats. It had quit working, some time ago. Mostly, it was full of dust in the cooling fins. Blasting it out with compressed air seemed to get it going again. Not well, at first - but better after it got a few dozen cycles under its belt. Lack of use is hard on things - all things.

So, here it is, cranking out ice.

Here it is in its second most favorite phase - stuck trying to dump the ice. This is the first thing mentioned in the ice maker manual, under troubleshooting: if machine jams, clear ice by hand. It isn't suggested how often this feat must be performed, but over the afternoon and evening we deduced - about every three to five cycles.

It will fill the hopper with ice, if one doesn't mind keeping a watchful eye on it. This probably would be tolerable on a boat - where one would simply be glad to have ice. Overall, the manufacturer took too many liberties with the original design engineering in the interest of getting the cost down. I.E., it's a tad on the cheapo end of the ice maker spectrum. So - that wasn't hail in the back yard, after all. . .

Photo by Linda~~ Thanks! Taken at the Woodward Avenue Dream Cruise on the 18th - the day after I left MI.

Aug 20, 2007 Mon

We made the 4 a.m. drive to Seattle again, in the rain again -- in order to be first in line at the Saab dealer, again. The part to fix the top was in, you see. Sadly, they had ordered the wrong part. So it seems likely we'll be making another 4 a.m. trip to Seattle in the near future -- to let them take another crack at it.

After sitting and admiring the shiny new beasties for several hours before getting the bad news, it was some comfort to know that they did fix the side view mirror -- the last and final item on the list, besides the convertible top, of course. So the trip was not entirely in vain -- just needless, as it turned out. Oh dang.

Aug 19, 2007 Sun

Friday was a travel day -- good to be back after 10 days in Michigan.

Saturday we relaxed with friends and former next-door neighbors Tim and Shiloh , world travelers extraordinaire! It was very good to see them.

One might note Tizzy being her usual rambunctious self. . . the other dog, Lilly, belongs to Tim and Shiloh - and seems to have somewhat better manners, at least keeping two feet on the ground~~

from Jacob - camping in Florida, and holding something yet to be revealed~~

There were several pictures I didn't get a chance to post before I departed for Michigan -- this is one of them. Ann and Laura blowing out their birthday candles in unison.

Frances, neighbor Henry, and I. . .

Aug 16, 2007 Thu

Dreaming the Cruise - see who was here!?

noted - Drive by sighting - Keith Phillips!

All the way from SC - how good to see Dennis and Linda. An amazing cell phone enabled meeting right at Thirteen and South US One - Woodward Avenue. Watched the 'cruise' together and told some tales. These are old friends going back over thirty years - with a combined traveling distance of over five thousand miles just to renew old acquaintances and watch the cars.

Night before - tunes for Fran and friends

VROOOMMM~~~

Aug 15, 2007 Wed

Is that a TFT?!

A miracle! Ann's fish are alive!

Woodward Ave Dream Cruisers

It's Devin!

And sister Talia

Adam making me a foo foo coffee. . .

Hurt wing, due to baseball

Talia and Devin wave HI to all~~

Himself, Ken the Green Lake Snake. . .

Late afternoon sneaky sun beam

Aug 14, 2007 Tue

'Tis the season for the Woodward Avenue Dream Cruise. Next door neighbor Henry is getting his pristine 1964 Lincoln 4 door convertible ready to go. Didn't take much - just turn the key!

Hey! Who is that, up in the Wetmore Car? If you don't live in MI, n'er mind. . .
Thanks to Dave K!

Summer!

Aug 13, 2007 Mon

Henry!

Siblings~~

Aug 12, 2007 Sun

Phone pix from earlier -

Ann wearing one birthday present, and holding another, from Evelyn~~ Hi Evie!! MISU

Pictures found on Dad's computer. . .

This was set as the desktop by ? Nick and Dillon? Still is. . .

Aug 11, 2007 Sat

ten day hiatus

Ann's Birdy Bed 'N Breakfast Condo

Aug 04, 2007 Sat

The plotting has been thick and furious, across many state lines. The idea was to have Ann's friends surprise her on her 50th birthday. The day came, the friends came from far and wide -- and Ann was surprised. She was expecting her parents to join us for dinner when in walked this gang, singing happy birthday.

Present were Holly and Bailey, Carolyn, Kim, Barb, Evelyn and David.

Of course, we tried to organize a porch picture ~~
Carolyn, Barb, Ann, Kim, Holly

Look at the last five 'NEWS items'. Is this what we as a country have sunken to in terms of our National awareness level? This is NEWS!? Do you really care where Britney threw anything?

Aug 02, 2007 Thu

Happy Birthday to my Darling wife, Annabelle

Ann's patience and skill are bringing this old dresser back from the scrap pile.

Only a couple years late, we have produced a bird house, as requested. In this case, it is called: Ann's Birdy Bird and Breakfast Condo.

The weather has been really swell - warm and sunny - and with little haze.

Very weird accidents - see more - click here