Thursday, December 27, 2018

On Boxing Day

Lex would recognize this.
Spent Sunday in Alexandria, at The Nuke's, then on Monday headed up to Annapolis to spend Christmas.

He'd probably recognize this as well.
Christmas was fun, got to play with Legos, and before you start making "stepping on Legos jokes," I have to tell you that we always maintain a FOD-free workplace. In nearly 40 years of Lego activities, I've never stepped on a Lego.

That I can remember.

Yup, we built a Christmas train. A major endeavor, I can tell you,.
On Boxing Day we went for a walk, saw a few deer in the neighborhood. Apparently they are so used to humans in this area, they don't run off unless you have a six-year old with you.

Just before they spotted the six-year old.
It's been an excellent vacation so far. Good company, good food, good times.
 
Just the way a family Christmas should be
 
Alexandria Christmas Tree.

Annapolis Christmas Tree.
Here's something to entertain you. Identify the location in the following photo. 'Twas the view from my aircraft on Sunday last.


We're having a wonderful time, hope you are as well!


56 comments:

  1. What, your living room has never been the set for a record attempt?

    https://youtu.be/W_Jj7B7yVDM


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    Replies
    1. One should NEVER practice bleeding!

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    2. I guess I’m doing my car repairs wrong, then. Or is bleeding in anger (and cursing) a different thing?

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    3. the blood offering is what enacts the extended warranty for any automotive mechanical parts. blood offering and vocalizing you shallowest emotion is necessary to enable the extend warranty on any electrical part except on german built/designed machinery of any kind. there is no know effective warranty on german designed/built machinery of any kind. a special hell is reserved for those purchasing german engineered and designed equipment that is built in sweden.

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    4. Well, if imprecations and exsanguinatory events actually keep the demons at bay, my car will never die.

      (On the other hand [the one clutching the 10mm deep socket], if that actually *works*, why do I have to do it so often?)

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    5. a bear - Never. Legos are for building, not for walking on. Or so I'm told. ;)

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    6. a bear: the blood must be fresh. Once it drys, the magic fades away...which is why you have to replenish it so frequently.

      OAFS: Very cool lego train!! And, yes, don't walk on them, unless trying to check your hopping ability, and with your eyes, I would not recommend that as an activity!!

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    7. It is a rather nice Jervis, rather than your typical Euro locomotive, which you would expect from a Euro toy company. Really shows Lego is targeting their target audience.

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  2. Very Nice!! Our Christmas tree resembles the first tree, but then it is just the 2 of us, and we went to the brother-is-law's for the festivities. A good time was had by all. It is nice to have kids around for Christmas, but it is better when they are old enough not to be running around like hyper-crazed monkeys. This is the first year they are old enough to be fairly well behaved. I think the youngest is "almost 7" now.

    Hubbie got me a new desk top...now I just have to figure out why I can't connect to the wifi. Need to call our 'puter dude for help. It is asking for the network security key, and when I put the phrase in, it doesn't like it. He is frustrated as it is supposed to be "plug and play"...ya, nothing is ever easy. Stupid computer!! :)
    I just need to figure out what fine print on the router is needed, tried all 3 sets of numbers printed on the router without success, but trying to do things after 9pm is never a good plan for me.

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    Replies
    1. >9PM is not good for computers or Black Magic (e.g WiFi) . The darkness obscures the alignment of smoke and mirrors. Better to start fresh, first thing in the morning.

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    2. So how much will the lack of sunspot activity affect the transmission range of WiFi systems? The coming Maunder Minimum or Super Solar Minimum wants to know...

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    3. Ah, new computers, so many challenges, so many ways for "Tech Support" to not help.

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    4. My wife got me a new computer, also. As she is my computer guru, setup was painless, for me.

      Paul

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    5. It's good to have your own tech support.

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  3. The view appears to be somewhere over Chesapeake Bay...other than that, ya got me...

    How are the eyes doing, Sarge?

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    Replies
    1. You are correct Cap'n, the answer lies below...

      The eyes are doing alright, the left seems to be getting better, the right seems to have recovered from the initial shock of the whole PVD thing.

      Delete

    2. Yea!! The eyes are being better behaved!!


      I think it is the lack of stress that is helping...just saying...

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    3. You might be on to something there.

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  4. I take it the photo of the Nuke's tree was taken after Christmas morning? It was a tad depressing- no gifts, no ornaments, etc. The size is understandable considering the size of those Alexandria houses. Then off to Annapolis? Christmas rush in deed. I've forgotten who lives in Annapolis though. My wife and I decided to visit Oregon next Christmas so we can enjoy seeing little ones open gifts. It's a little anti-climactic when the kids are grown.

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    Replies
    1. We went to Annapolis on Christmas Eve, The Nuke's was never intended to bear gifts. As to the decorations, she's seldom at home during the day so she goes with lights and minimal ornaments. It looks better at night.

      I haven't told you who lives in Annapolis.

      Yet.

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    2. "My wife and I decided to visit Oregon next Christmas..." If that visit should bring you somewhere near Portland or the northwest of Oregon, I would be most happy to buy you a beverage of your choice at a mutually convenient location.

      Paul L. Quandt

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    3. Oregon is packed with Chanters!

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    4. Paul, alas- Southern Oregon is the old homestead. I've written about it before. https://oldafsarge.blogspot.com/2014/08/welcome-to-oregon-we-hope-you-brought.html

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    5. Tuna: I'm not sure that I had found this blog by that date. Are you flying or driving? If flying, are you not going through PDX? If so, I might be able to meet you there, if you were to wish to meet with me.

      Captain Obvious: In what part of our state do you live?

      Paul

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    6. San Diego is home now, but wife's family- many generations, lives in Grants Pass Or, along with my brother and sister. We will be driving since we will be ordered to bring the Corgis.

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  5. The last wave arrives today and will remain through New Year’s Day.
    I can’t decide if I prefer being the visited or the visitor.
    Enjoy!

    Looks crowded down there on the ground.

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    Replies
    1. It is, in spots. In other places it's very rural. Northern Virginia and Maryland near DC.

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  6. Gee. Someone nuked that poor Alexandria tree.

    The Beans' Tree is the top half of the old house tree, with only one side of the branches put on. I figured out how to use the other branches to hook over the back of the bookshelves and add additional greenery-ornament space for next year.

    As to the bottom picture, ambiguous coastal harbor development that some smart-aleck thinks we can see something in it. Did I get it right?

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    Replies
    1. Nope, it's very minimalist. The Nuke likes to keep things simple.

      As to your last, I assume you've read the rest of the comments below?

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  7. I like the two points of stabilization in Annapolis tree.

    MBD and SIL make the trip back to Moscow on the Colorado tomorrow. We’ll follow in the lorry with their loot. Why? Because we can! And I need some walnut lumber for the next project(s).

    Enjoy the rest of the Christmas Season and have a Happy New Year, y’all!

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    1. The tree just fits in the alloted space, altitude-wise.

      Wow, gallivanting about the countryside with nary a care in the world...

      Oh wait, you're retired...

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    2. juvat: You do know that if you are gallivanting about the countryside, you are required to do it in a motor home. It is an unbreakable rule in this country of ours.

      Paul

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    3. Has to have Florida plates too?

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    4. Go wild and convert a school bus. Seriously. Go Schoolie as they say.

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    5. Not really gallivanting about countryside. More like revisiting big city so as to refresh my memory of why I don't live in one. (While visiting a lumber yard)




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    6. "Has to have Florida plates too?" Not in this part of the country; more likely to have California plates. Although, an amazing number of Oregonians have one ( or more ) parked somewhere on or near their driveway, or in a field nearby.

      Paul

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  8. Somewhere near 38deg48’N, 76deg32’W, looking northwards towards Annapolis.

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    Replies
    1. (AKA “in an airplane somewhere near Churchton, MD”)

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    2. Bingo!

      Whereas our aircraft had ample fuel remaining to make DCA.

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    3. The river running inland to the north of that squarish peninsula is the Severn. The Academy is visible, where we spent Christmas (near South River) is not.

      Mad map skilz, a bear!

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    4. Since you were in the DelMarVa region, I guessed it was imagery of the Annapolis area, but I couldn't match it to ghoulgle maps. No points for second place though.

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  9. Oooo...I like Juvet's explanation of darkness obscuring the alignment, but Beans is right, I didn't think to take into account the sunspot activity. I just went to work, and when I came home, the house elf had performed magical mystical incantations which resolved the issue. (In other words, Hubbie got it going for me :) He has Windows 10, so he knows a bunch of tricks...or he is just better mechanically.


    Juvet would be proud though...I did make sure the wifi bill had been paid.

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    Replies
    1. Making sure the bill is paid...

      Brilliant!

      Juvat speaks, we listen.

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  10. Old AFSarge:

    As to deer becoming used to human beings, we have deer walking down our street or even in our ( fenced ) back yard. One of my friends up the street has an apple tree and he seldom is able to eat them because the deer get to them first.

    Thanks for the post.
    Paul

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    Replies
    1. Mmmmm. Apple-flavored venison. Mmmmmmmmmmmm.

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    2. "Mmmmm. Apple-flavored venison. Mmmmmmmmmmmm." Oh yes, no doubt very tasty; but my town has an ordinance against any, and all, projectile weapons, to include ( I am told ) nerf guns. So, one would have to jump the deer and cut its throat.

      Paul

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    3. A friend of mine killed a 12 pointer just by looking at it. She opened her door to go to work, looked at the 12 pointer munching her roses, 12 pointer looked at her, she freaked, he freaked, she jumped, he jumped, she fell into the door frame, he conked his noggin on a fence post. Dead right there. She called her local freaky friend to butcher it up, as she had to get to work.

      And I know someone who mounted a heavy duty grill on the front of his mini-van and used it to avoid deer-damage to his front-end. Or so he said. He may have been a tad bit aggressively not avoiding some deer.

      If you truly want to get weird, well, a 16' pike-awl is definitely not a projectile weapon. So is a bill-hook, and you can buy those at Ace Hardware... And, no, I've never ever ever known someone to use an actual glaive or bill-hook against a deer, pig, gator, Prius... Only the last can't be eat...

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    4. "He may have been a tad bit aggressively not avoiding some deer." As to " aggressively not avoiding deer, when I was a Survival Instructor, there were so many cases of guys running our trucks into trees " avoiding hitting deer " that our commander issued an order stating that no one was to swerve to avoid hitting a deer. Quite effective that order was; there were no more trucks run into trees or deer.

      Paul

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    5. One of my dad's jobs in advanced pilot training was to be the 'Deer Control Officer' at one of the remote fields they used for touch-and-gos. The officers' mess served lots of venison during his stay.

      He also was the only one the instructors ever met who gained weight during survival training. Apparently there's lots to eat in the desert.

      Delete


  11. "OldAFSargeDecember 12, 2018 at 5:12 AM

    I would be seriously interested in hearing the stories of your respective fathers, and sharing them herein should you find it appropriate."

    OldAFSarge: I just tonight saw the above as I was going through past post comments looking for what you suggested (?) for my role in this blog. In response to the above statement, all I can say is that my father went to England sometime in 1942 and gave briefings to B-17 crews on radio frequencies and other such radio things, then returned to the States sometime in 1943 or '44. I never heard what he did for the remainder of the war; however, I know that my mother taught bomber radio men Morse Code during the war. The only thing I remember him saying about his time in England was that he thought that the English population were much more close to the end of their rope in continuing with the war than is generally believed to be the case these days.

    Sorry to not have more than that.

    Paul

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    1. Thanks for following up, Paul. Sounds like your Mom and Dad were doing important work during the war.

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