Well, the Campers here at Rancho Juvat have been very busy this past week. Not that anything extraordinary happened, more of a "gathering storm" of routine that condensed this week and dumped on us. Oh, and it rained every day.
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| Visibility 1/4 mile in driving rain. Gotta love it. Right after I took the pic, lightning struck just beyond Mrs J's car. I decided to go inside at that point. |
Now, most of us here are grateful for rain. However there are times....Like when the Hay Guy has you on his schedule to cut and bale, but can't do that in the rain. And...if he's cut the hay and is waiting to bale until it dries and it rains while that's going on, you've lost that particular cutting. I called him Saturday to check on his schedule, he says we're next after he finishes up the current job. He also says with all the rain this spring, he's getting 4-5 round bales per acre.
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| This is our property Sunday. The bottom of the gate is about a foot off the ground, it's about halfway to the top of the hay. |
Yes, Beans, that's a lot. So...we've got that going for us.
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| Just thought this was a nice picture. |
Mrs J has been hard at the travel agent thing lately. Most long time readers here will know that Gary and Kathy, our good friends and travel buddies, are also winemakers. They own Texas Hills Vineyard in nearby Johnson City. A couple of years ago, Mrs J and they put together a Wine Cruise, which during days at sea, had wine tastings while listening to Gary talk about how the wine was made. It was a great success, so much so that Mrs J put together another cruise for the next year.
Then the Chinese got involved and it got cancelled.
However, since Texas has recently dropped virtually all the restrictions imposed on us as a result of the Chinese involvement, cruise ships will begin operating out of Galveston again in August.
Yes, Beans, I know that they're also operating out of Florida. However, transportation of wine to the ship in Miami causes a whole boatload (No Pun Intended) of legal/licensing hoops to jump through. Since it's a Texas winery and the ship departs and returns to a Texas port, we only have to comply with Texas Laws. Much easier.
In any case, Mrs J seized the opportunity and worked the details with Royal Caribbean. The cruise is scheduled for January 16-23, 2022. Stops will be made at Falmouth, Jamaica (Mon!), Georgetown, Grand Cayman and Cozumel, Mexico. We had to have 20 people make reservations in order to get a group rate and were a bit concerned given all the hoopla in the recent past.
She opened up reservations last Monday morning. That afternoon, I'm in my office responding to comments on the blog, when she walks in and says we've got 36 deposits and 8 more considering. After 40 reservations, each additional reservation drops everybody's rate. So... if anybody's interested.....
On the DIL and Tex front, the State Department is taking their sweet time in making decisions and issuing travel orders, but it looks like they and Little Juvat should be reunited in Hong Kong sometime in September. Travel will either be Houston to San Francisco to HK or Houston to DC to Frankfurt to HK. One of those makes sense, the other only makes sense to a bureaucrat.
Anyone want to place a bet?
But, as the reunion draws nigh, she is making the rounds and visiting friends. This weekend she decided to thumb her nose at Hurricane Elsa and visited Savannah GA, meeting up with a friend. This involved a round trip to the Airport at Moscow on the Colorado. We've been back in Texas for 23 years now. The construction of SH71 to the airport has been going on at least that long. However, it is now 4 lanes each way and no lights. Which, translated into plain English, means "Balls to the wall, boys!" and being passed at 75 as if standing still.
And for those Texans that haven't driven it to the airport yet, get in the third lane from the right. Stay in that lane until you need to take the exit. The other two lanes will disappear (the last one about a hundred yards prior to the turn off.
No, Beans, nobody in Austin will let you merge into their lane.
Did I mention that at 0016 Friday Morning, the power went off in our county. Stayed off until 0700. Difficult to sleep when the AC, Fan and CPAP aren't working.
On our way home from dropping DIL off and dealing with traffic, it was decided that I needed a medicinal lunch.
No, Beans, I didn't get a vote. Mrs J decreed!
I had a very nice Scottish style Ale (for some reason 😉) and a BLT. Now most restaurants have what could legally qualify as a vegetarian BLT, others have a BACON, lettuce and tomato sandwich. This was the latter.
The rest of the drive home was uneventful.
The good news is she's coming home today. Which means another trip to Moscow on the Colorado. Oh...Goody!!
MBD also had a role in the "Let's not let juvat get bored" movie. She asked for some help in building a program which will help her rack and stack job candidates against employment opportunities she's been asked to help fill.
It's been a fun-filled few days getting my database programming neurons relit, but I think I'm pretty close to a solution. I'm working to show her a 1.0 version of it tomorrow. AirTable is an "Interesting" database program, similar, and yet different than the Sql Server I had been working on for millennia (and apparently nearly a millennia ago).
All that has been in preparation for "Carpal Tunnel Surgery 2, The Dominant Hand", which is opening (get it?) Thursday with an 0600 show time. I'm going to apologize in advance for running a modified re-run of an older post of mine next Monday. I don't think I'll be typing much for a few days.
So y'all be good now, ya hear!
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| Dogs and Cats...Living together...Mass Hysteria! |
My last "hands on" experience with hay bales was in the late sixties when I worked a summer job as a farm hand at the local state mental hospital. Nope, not a patient.
ReplyDeleteThe hay bale has changed a bunch since those days, but as you said, the basic cut and dry is dependent on the weather.
Good luck on the surgery.
Thanks JiP. I appreciate it. I've learned an awful lot about things I knew nothing about in my prior life (AF). I also am increasingly familiar with the things it's better to reach for my wallet to do than for me to do. Usually saves money in the long run.
DeleteWe could trade you some sunshine for your excess rain if I could find out what psych ward Mother Nature is in, have a drought going here, yards are brown and brittle, worst in the thirty years at this address. Fingers crossed for the upcoming cruise juvat, who knows what will percolate of that Wuhan bio-lab by then. And fingers crossed for the reunion in September but...wait.....Hong Kong? Hope the CCP haven't turned the screws down there by then. Seconding John on the surgery, nice to have it done early.
ReplyDeleteNaw, think will stay with the rain while we can. Forecast is such that we should be able to get it cut and baled this week. Finger's crossed.
DeleteYeah, not real thrilled with them going to HK. The HK of our last visit ('87), now that would be fabulous. Nowadays, well let's just say the "Chinese Involvement" has not improved things.
Thanks Nylon.
Yeah, really, Hong Kong? Be funny if Little Juvat knows and/or consults with Larry Lambert as to what the heck is going on over there. Though this world is rather large, I am always amazed by how small via connections and associations it can be.
DeleteStill... Hong Kong? Who's Wheaties did LJ doth foul with night water?
They volunteered for another overseas assignment, making it 4 in a row. Rome and HK were on the list so he volunteered for both. Was selected for HK. Supposedly, X years overseas qualifies him for different opportunities.
DeleteWe had a smallish dog - had a lot of Chihuahua and terrier in her - who thought she was a cat most of the time. A cat in a dog suit, if you will. She'd climb up on top of the back of the couch and snooze with the cats that were up there.
ReplyDeleteAmazing to see so much green in that part of Texas this time of year - hope the weather cooperates in the harvest.
Hope all goes well with the surgery - and with the wine cruise! At least your wrist should be healed by then, so can hold onto two glasses at the same time?
Annie (the dog in the photo) is almost all chihuahua with a little dachshund in the mix. And she can get pretty female doggy when she wants to be. In general though, the three dogs and three cats get along pretty well.
DeleteYeah, it is nice to see green in July on something other than the Mesquite trees.
Thanks Tom
Rain, we've had a bit of it here as well, it's been a cool July so far. Humid though.
ReplyDeleteThe wine cruise is, shall we say, intriguing. I'll have to poll The Missus Herself for her interest. Sounds like fun.
Good luck on the Lincoln Carpool Tunnel surgery! Or as they'd say in the Luftwaffe, hals-und beinbruch!
Yeah the daily morning walks aren't too bad with the H & H, the afternoon walks (yes, Mrs Coach J has me on two-a-days now) are a WHOLE different cup of tea. Most are at least a liter of water upon RTB. That having been said, I'm down 18 and a waist size, so can't be all that bad.
DeleteWe've had a lot of fun with the wine cruise as well as other cruises to those destinations. They're very flexible. If you want to do nothing but rest and relax, do it. If you want to go, go, go, do that! Or any combination of the two. If needed have The Missus Herself give Mrs J a call. She can fill her in on any questions/concerns she may have.
Thanks, Sarge.
@juvat/
ReplyDeleteGood luck w. your surgery! Can't be worse than the way things are now, right? BTW, my wife the RN suggests use of vit. supplement "Tumeric" as anti-inflammatory both post-op and ongoing as has has NO negative side-effects re: large doses over time compared to tylenol and/or asprin etc.,which do (bleeding ulcers, liver damage, etc )
Thanks, VX and thank your wife for me. I'm off the blood thinners as of last night in pre-op prep, but after the surgery, I'll talk it over with my primary care Doc.
DeletePS: "HAS HAS" OPSIE.. :)
ReplyDeleteSkipped right over that VX. Didn't notice.
DeleteNo, I NEVER mayk tipos. Not ever!
Well, rats on the timing Juvat. That sounds like a highly interested cruise with which The Ravishing Mrs. TB would interested (Wine and travel and all), but that is also around the time training in Japan should start -if we are allowed train in Japan next year. Still no word, but not looking hopeful.
ReplyDeletePictures of the skyline are welcome as always. There is nothing better than a Texas sunrise or sunset - it has a distinct quality all its own.
Prayers up on the surgery!
Thanks THBB. You might point Mrs TB to Mrs J's website, she's got a few more cruise packages in the works for next year. One might work for you both.
DeleteYeah, that was a beautiful sunset and only about 10 minutes had passed since a torrential downpour had happened.
Thanks
I did in fact go to the website when I found it. I will for sure send her that way.
DeleteHopefully, we'll meet up in the real world.
DeleteRain!
ReplyDeleteWhat’s that?
We,re finally dropping below the century mark temperaturewise today.
Seeing lots of hay trucks on the road.
Missed another cruise again this year.
It’s rescheduled again for next year.
We’re eyeballing a late fall cruise, but the timing has to be right.
Will keep you in the thoughts and prayers re: surgery.
Even a routine prcedure is a serious event.
Yeah, as mentioned earlier, usually, the picture of the field would be a Marine Tan color. But we've been lucky. Glad to hear about the temperature out there, I don't think we've reached triple digit's yet this year. Which again is unusual.
DeleteThanks, I agree as does the surgeon. Came in right before the surgery and asked if I would say a prayer with him. That impressed me (in a good way).
Ah, the science of Hay vs Straw. Always a very interesting topic, and one I am glad I have mostly an academic understanding of, seeing how I am allergic to grass, grass pollen, hay dust, the weird mold that grows on straw and such. Bleh. As much as I yearn for a country life or a life in the wilderness, Mother Nature, well, doth hateth me in so many ways. Sigh. (snort, sniffle, sneeze.)
ReplyDeleteBut seriously, the discussion of when to hay and when to straw and storage and the whole weird 'hay must pseudo-ferment in order to set the nutrients after being cut' thingy is really interesting. And I can toss hay and straw bales. Round bales? Would love to drive a skid-steer with a round-bale prong on it. Just, you know, there are better things to spear with the prong than just a bale...
Glad your family is keeping you busy. Wouldn't want you to actually slow down and enjoy a peaceful retirement or go get lost in your woodworking shed for days on end. Because that would be bad or something. :)
As to the wine cruise, I have a feeling there are lots of people who are feeling just a tad couped up by the 'Rona and are wanting to break out.
And the FedGov is really peeved at Governor DeSantis and the overall State of Florida for saying "Enough is enough, it was a mistake, it was all a mistake and we destroyed lives and the economy for what?" and then going and opening up almost everything. To the point that it's almost back down to 'People wearing masks are doing something bad' levels of unmasking.
Though the last trip to the pharmacy was interesting. 10 of us standing in line, only one with a mask. I see a woman and two kids doing the masking thing and the social distance shuffle and I say to the person next to me "Sad that people are subjecting their children to masks and fear now, isn't it?" And the nice lady agreed, so did the Doctor standing in line. Mr. Masker said we were all wrong and that the 'science is settled' about the masks and the Covidiocracy. At which time the Doctor, the nice lady next to me (who was a retired nurse) and even the pharmacists all weighed in on the topic. Much eye rollings and furtive looks relaying the 'village idiot' message amongst us all. And this is in Gainesgrad, capital city of the Democratic Peoples' Republic of AlachuaCountyStan.
And, with everyone else, we at the Beans' home wish you a very good surgery and a quick recovery. My mon had to have hers done years ago and though she complained about the recovery it did help her immensely.
It's much the same here. I just got back from picking up DIL at Moscow on the Colorado airport. As we were headed there, stopped at t light, I notice a young (I assume) woman get out of her Prius, She had black mid back hair with long streaks of blond, quite a few visible Tats, a Biden sticker on the bumper and...of course, a Mask. Pointed her out to Mrs J, textbook definition of a liberal.
DeleteGood luck with the surgery. Prayers will be said. Congrats on the weight-loss! The cruise sounds very tempting! I would like the website please.
ReplyDeleteThanks Mary, I appreciate that.
DeleteIf you click on Sue's business card it will enlarge (should), but calling that number will allow her to answer any questions you might have.
@Beans/
ReplyDeleteGainsville? "Back in the day" this old fossil remembers the place as a solidly conservatie, right-wing place--both undergrad AND faculty. Same for my alma mater LSU. today, of course, BOTH places are sadly shot-thru w. "woke-ness." Know the Gainsville area well. Had several fraternity brothers from Orlando and we used to hit Gainsville for LSU-Fla football games & as one owned a beach-house @ New Smyrna, we'd stay there, then hit Daytona Beach for spring-break.
Dang, VX! You had it rough, surprised you made it through. I rented a room in a four bedroom house with 5 room mates (One slept in the garage.) Spring Break? We'd usually go down to Big Spring to see some of my HS friends. But that's just me...Living large!
Delete@juvat/
DeleteYeah, rough indeed. But as the old saying goes, somebody has to do it, right? :)
Zackly!
DeleteFunny you should use that word, juvat. First time I heard it was when drinking one night in a dive-bar in N.O (are there any other kind there :) ) with a member of SEAL-Team 6. Said he: "Man, I got a bad case of the Zacklies." "Say what?" sez I. "You know, when your mouth tastes zackly, like your ass-hole." LOL!
DeleteI'm 68. I just discovered today I must learn some basic SQL skills.
ReplyDeleteAll I ever knew was Access.
Ed, Access uses SQL (Structured Query Language) behind the scenes. I thought there was a way in Access to show the SQL code, but I can't find it. However, if you use Visual Studio (which can be downloaded and I think is free), you can build a SQL database in a very similar fashion as you would in Access. Drag and drop tables and relationships etc. Once you've got an initial solution you can push the show code button and tweak it from there. Once you've done that a few times, being able to read and write SQL becomes almost second nature.
DeleteGood Luck.
Sorry for the late comment, yesterday was a hair on fire day... what little I have left. Good news on the reunion, but I'd be hesitant about HK right now... Last thing you need is for her to end up in China as a political prisoner, and Tex would probably bite the hell out of security! :-) I wouldn't mind doing the wine, but I don't do cruises... Did enough of them!!!
ReplyDeleteBeen on a few of "your" cruises my self, albeit not for as long. If I were in your shoes, I probably wouldn't feel any different. However...the ones I've been on recently (in other words within the last 20 years) have been a lot of fun, port calls are usually every day or two, there's no duty to pull on the ship, the chow is pretty good, and you get to sit by the pool and drink Mai Tai's. So....
DeleteYou said, in English, what my biggest concern is. But...I only get to give advice, not make decisions.