Computer

Just came home from the computer store.  Not the big box store where you can buy TVs, Washers, stereos and maybe dog food.  This is a store that services and repairs computers, and also sells them.  Computers Made EZ by name here in Canby.  My printer wasn't printing.  Went in got it figured out.  Found out how to rip CDs since the Windows 10 update had hidden it.  Got rid of unused items.  And generally had a good time talking with Jamin, the tech.  Typical computer guy.  No pocket protector though.  While I was in there, a friend came in to bring him lunch.  He has a "retro video" business, dealing in Atari, Texas Instruments, Commodore and old video games and items.  Evidently, it's quite popular.  There is even a retro video convention in Portland once a year.  "The largest in the US", I heard.  Got to taking about Sci Fi shows.  Star Trek, Deep Space Nine, Farscape,  Andromeda, The Orville.  It was great fun!   I did learn about "Star Trek Continues", a publicly funded sequel to the original Star Trek.  Same plot line, same characters (just different actors who look very much like the original ones).  Eleven episodes.  Available on U-Tube.  Check it out if you are a Trekky like me.
   Definitely a Good Thing >>

Torture

My wife has been torturing me for the last hour and half.

     Burning sticks you say?
     Water boarding?
     Beatings?

  No.  This was worse than that. 

 I have been on Amazon,  Christmas shopping.  Trust me.  It was awful !

Mystery

   Saturday morning 7am.  Time for a morning walk with the boys.  We went over to the middle school grounds to allow Hunter some room to run.  It was still dark and the fog was quite thick.  I released Hunter and Quam and I strolled along while Hunter ran ahead and smelled every other blade of grass.  When we reached the jogging path we all turned left and continued.  As Quam and I were walking, Hunter zoomed by us and disappeared into the gray shroud.  About 5 minutes went by and Q and I turned onto the sidewalk that cuts through the school grounds.  I stopped and whistled for Hunter because we had not seen him for a while.
   Hunter appeared out of the mist.  Limping.  Limping badly.  Walking very slowly and limping badly.  I ran to him and discovered that he was bleeding.  Several areas were bloody.  I felt him all over and determined that there were no broken bones but my hands were stained from my exploration. 
   What to do !!  He's too big and too heavy to carry.  He seems to be able to walk, slowly.  It it obvious that it hurts but he can walk.  I try to call Randa to have her come and get us but she was not near her phone....   So we walked.  Slowly we walked.  We were about 3 blocks from the house but it seemed a lot longer.   After lots of soft words,  lots of coaxing,  we arrived home.  I called to Randa from the garage, she dressed quickly and we got the  boys into the car and to the vet.  Our vet was not officially open but the door was unlocked so we went in.
    After examining him, the Dr asked if Hunter had been hit by a car, but was no car in that area.  He had be abrasions on the outside and backside of his front left leg.  Plus between the pads on two feet, left thigh, a scratch on his body.  It must have been quite a tumble.  What happened in fog?  I guess we will never know.
    Three days later, Hunter is still sore.  He is on three meds, which he does not like to take.  But he goes on short walks twice a day which he loves.  So I would say that he is on the mend.

Run

   A couple of days ago while I was walking the boys, two dogs ran by us.  A brown dachshund and a black and white terrier mix.  I knew these dogs.  They belong to the house on the corner in our neighborhood.  Actually they live in the backyard of the house on the corner.  I know because they bark when we walk on the sidewalk next to their house and I can see them through the opening in teh fence.  There is a wire fence in the corner of the backyard with a doghouse that is their abode.
   Evidently, the pair had escaped from their confined area.  As they ran by and disappeared around the corner a very small part of me said, "You should go let the owners know that the dogs are out."  However, the majority of my brain screamed, "Run, Forest, Run ! "  I hoped that the dogs were going to found by a family that love them and treat them like members of the family like our dogs are instead of leaving them outside in the wind and weather. 
 

Batteries

Batteries have been a focus for me this fall.  First of all, the truck was reluctant to turn over so I took it to Les Schwabs.  " You batteries failed the load $500. dollars and you will be good as new".  Ah no.  I found an Interstate Battery store and got them replaced on warranty.  :)  But the terminals needed to be cleaned (future task).
  Last week the Prius wouldn't start.  (It's different with a hybrid because when you get in and push the "On" button the car doesn't start running anyway.  The lights on the dash did funny things flashing things and went out.)  So I took the truck.
  When I got home I out the charger on the car to get it going.  Back to Schwabs  " $219 plus $30 to install. "  Hmmm.     $179 at O'Reillys and I did the install.  It was a bit tricky because the battery is located in the rear corner under the floor but with "U-Tube" it was done. 
  Yesterday I completed the truck battery task by removing, cleaning and reconnectinging the terminals on both batteries.  Starting show be ok now.

Project # 4

This is by the bed an allows height challenged folks to get into high beds.

One of the last ones

Although this is one of the last ones it still has many friends who refuse to let go. 

 Face the inevitable !  Let go !  Let go!