Up early, which is somewhat different than I am used to as a younger man. I used to come home after a tour and drop into a deep sleep for 10 to 16 hours and wake up real late. Now I simply wake up at first light, which is staarting to open a new world to me.
I was often called the Doctor of darkness and I suppose it still rings true because left to my own devices I would be up to 4 or 5am and sleep until noon.
Anyway I was up early, at first light and saw that there is a lot to watch out the windows. The rabbits are hopping around, several baby bunnies.
It's the deer that fascinate me. For the past couple of years I have let the grass in the 'lower 40' uncut. I whack it down to the nubs in October and let it run wild.
A pair of fawns is down there and I got to watch them get up from where the bedded down and wake up all sleepy-eyed. I am watching them now as as I type this as they frolic in the back yard.
While I had my morning coffee in the driveway one of the neighbors sent her brood off with somewhere to parts unknown and we chatted.
I mentioned that I was getting my ham rig and it was powered by a generator. I offered to take a couple of her kids and feed them Coca Cola and sugar doughnuts and let them spin the crank all afternoon to keep the batteries charged and she laughed outright. A couple of years ago I'm certain she would have freaked if I had said such a thing.
I'll bet the guy across the street must have pointed out that I watched his daughter like a hawk as she grew up, making sure no harm befell her. He probably tuned up her sarcasm meter, which is a good thing as my sarcasm sometimes is misunderstood.
Instead of freaking out, she laughed and commented that anything that makes the kids tired is a good thing as they are at the age where they are tireless and often the parents go to bed exhausted.
In other news I tracked my radio and it has arrived in-country and has cleared customs which is a good thing. I am expecting it anytime between tomorrow and Monday.
The antenna masts are due in tomorrow, I got a set of 24 each four foot sections as they are portable and can be set up and knocked down as needed.
There is also antenna wire,a power supply, parachute cord and a 30 meter tape dribbling in over the next few days.
Right now there are sausages whistling in the skillet as they let the gasses escape and I had best attend to them.
More later today.
This morning the roll of bathroom tissue ran out and I reached behind onto the tank, grabbed the spare and I replaced it without even thinking. After my shower I noticed that it was set so as to be rolling over the top which means nothing.
Over the years I have heard fights break out over which way the toilet paper is put on the roll. We're talking major brawls here over something as dopey as that.
As I age I realize that 97.8 of the things that work us up are a waste of time and energy and when you think about it the only thing that really matters is that there is paper there when you need it.
I have finished breakfast and also made up a couple of charts in anticipation of my radio's arrival. I want to make sure I stay on frequency. A lot of ham rigs won't transmit unless they are set to a legal ham frequency. The one coming to me will so I have to be careful.
Neighbor Bob just dropped by and I think the pair of us are going to go shopping as he needs a few things and I need grub.
More later.
I just checked he computer to see where my package is and they say it is which I THINK means it will be shere later this afternoon.
Holy smoke! It's noon now and it landed in Cincinatti somewhere near 0230.
That's fast!
Neighbor Bob and I went grub shopping and I grubbed up.
Bob wonders about me as I am somewhat careful about what I eat. I avoid filling up on carbs.
There is some more planting to do and the lawn to mow, but I'm going to make sure the lawn isn't too wet as the last time I mowed when it was a tad dewy the grass clumped up and stalled the mower a few times. Not to mention leaving huge clumps all over hell which I ad to rake up.
Later today there are going to be a number of grasses to plant, the decorative kind. It has been discussed with my other half and agreed that grasses will look good as well as being easier to maintain in a few spots around the house. We want them dug in before the weekend so it looks like today and tomorrow things will be busy outside which is fine as I can use the vitiman D.
more later
About 1500.
My rig showed up, a prc 320-L (upper sideband model)
I opened it and everything was there EXCEPT a battery charget, but not to worry. I have the hand powered generator.
I checked it out and with a lousy whip antenna I joined a Leesburg, VA net at 1930 tonight on 40 meters. Neighbor Bob turned the generator crank.(three beers worth of crank turning.)
My QSL card goes out tomorrow along with a picture of my rig.
After that I tried my luck with CW.
Nope. Nobody would touch my CW with a 10 foot pole.
I am one happy camper.
my other blog is: http://officerpiccolo.blogspot.com/ http://piccolosbutler.blogspot.com/
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment