Arch Madness

We completed the mini-family trip by visiting the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. It had been roughly thirty years since sister and I last went up in the monument. This time, there were six of us: sister's husband, their two children, a nephew, and yours truly. Here are some pics:

Rocketboom's comments on Net Neutrality

In the June 23 episode of Rocketboom, Amanda Congdon talks about the issue of Net Neutrality and why it should be maintained.

I found it very thought provoking, given the nature of what I do at work.

Another makeshift vacation

Next week, for a couple of days I will travel with my sister's family to St. Louis to see the Arch and visit Six Flags amusement park.

Almost perfect timing

When I got home late Monday night, I realized that my old air conditioner was no longer producing cold air. As a result, I turned the damn contraption off and decided to sleep in the basement last night.
Tommorrow my new AC comes and not a moment too soon. Summer heat is kicking in around here.

Little Theatre on the Prairie

I went to see the Robert Altman movie A Prairie Home Companion Saturday afternoon. What's the movie about? Well, the theatre where the show airs is being overtaken by corporate folk who want to turn it into a parking lot. The movie focuses on the fact that Garrison Keillor is oblivious to the fact that this may be the last show, whereas the performers on his show feel more sentimental.
To appreciate this movie, you have to know that Keillor uses a wide range of humor on his actual show ranging from cornball jokes to stories that end with what some people would consider a bad punchline. Anyway, I latched into this movie because I could identify with this humor.
The only thing that disappoints me from this movie is the fact that we don't get a taste of Keillor's "News from Lake Wobegon." As a matter of fact, there's not much use of the word "Wobegon," which makes me wonder if the name "Wobegon" was legally protected and could not be used.
Anyway, my favorite moment from the movie was John C. Reilly and Woody Harrelson's musical performance of "Bad Jokes"--I was in tears laughing as they performs this.
Highly recommended, especially if you are familiar with the Keillor sense of humor.

Gulp! Biting the Bullet

I've made a decision on my new air conditioner and furnace. I have decided to go with ArticAir Heating and Cooling of Kansas City. I had a second consultation with them this Saturday and decided that this company clearly makes the residential customer more of a priority than business customers.

The good-natured salesman (who is also a co-owner) kind of ribbed me a little bit after I signed the papers and said "Don't you want to shut that rust box off?" This is in reference to the old AC box which is still trying to grind away and do its job although it makes a sound similar to fingernails on the chalkboard.

I will get my heating and cooling upgrade next Wednesday. Apparently, for ArcticAir, it will be an all day project. They will come early in the morning and leave at 5 or 6PM. I have a half-day vacation so I can monitor their progress in the afternoon when I get home.

So, I guess an axiom that I stated in a previous blog post still applies: Go on vacation, Spend money.

Anniversary--of sorts

I've been keeping this blog now for two years. Thanks to the librarian in Virginia for promoting this idea. I've gotten a lot of mileage out of it as well as applying it to library technologies.

Air conditioning and heating

Saturday, I talk with reps from a couple of different heating and cooling companies. I need to replace the rustbox of an air conditioner because it doesn't operate properly anymore and is running up my electricity bill. Hopefully, I can get the new system installed during my vacation which starts in ten days.

The Mole Report

No further signs of tunneling in the back yard so I'll assume that the insecticide that I laid down four weeks ago is working. Nonetheless, I put down more insecticide today and watered the back yard.
If I see more signs of moles in the future, I'll get desperate. I'll hire.......the A-Team.

Go On Vacation, Spend Money

Even though I am on vacation for this day only, I still managed to spend a high amount of money. The electrician came in this morning to address the problem with my fuse box. When he opened it and removed the front panel, he saw about three inches of melted wiring. He fixed the problem but recommended that I upgrade my fuse box for the house so that I can run all the high energy items like the TV, clothes dryer, washer, dish washer, computer, etc....

I'm planning to go ahead and do it. So....when I go on vacation at the end of June, I'll spend more money.

Noisy Neighbors--a new episode

Late Friday night or early Saturday morning--depending on your perspective--at about 4AM, I was sound asleep when I heard a pounding or knocking on my basement exterior door. I quickly put on some shorts and t-shirt and went to my front door to see what the hub-bub was all about.
Two twenty-something girls were at the door and they looked up and saw me half-awake looking down at them in disbelief and perhaps in part anger as I was awakened from my slumber. Then one girl said: "Oh, this is not his house."
In an automatic, preprogrammed-response, I said: "Next house to the left." After that, I shut the front door and ambled back to bed and slept for another four hours.
In the immortal words of KP, a loyal volunteer at the library, I think it's safe to say the my next door neighbors "Have youth in their favor." And at a young twenty-something, they are party animals. And what I think happened was that these young ladies accepted an invitation from these guys to party at their house.
This brings back memories of impromptu parties in college, instantaneously occurring when you least expect it. But that was twenty years ago.
These guys need to realize that they are no longer on campus and they need to respect the tranquility that nighttime bring to our neighborhood.

....and besides, the girls didn't invite me over--a sure sign that I'm getting old.

Daschund addition

I was introduced to my friends' newest addition to their household....Charlie, a two-year old daschund. He's reddish-brown and very affectionate. He's learning the routine around MS and PS home. They found Charlie at a rescue facility. Apparently, there might have been abuse by the previous owner because his back left leg bends at a funny angle. PS will take Charlie into the vet on Monday for a checkup.
We celebrated Charlie's arrival with pizza and rhubarb wine (which I brought back from the Amana Colonies).

Not looking forward to the credit card bill

I treated myself well during my recent trip and, like a lot of people, I charged, charged, CHARGED!!!!!

Most of my purchases involved trip expenses. Even though I could have stayed at the economy hotels (like Super 8), I decided to stay at the Holiday Inn in Amana and Dubuque. The price of gas was manageable and I think the Vue made good gas mileage this time around.

The balance of my charges involved purchases in the Amana Colonies which included beer, root beer, wine, a wool blanket, two pieces of art which will sit in my living room, and meals.

I enjoyed the Amana experience so much that I could make an annual event of it. I just hope my credit card can survive the overuse. :)

Trip Audio Account--Part Three

Trip Audio Account--Part two

Trip Audio Account--Part One

Amana Colonies, Dyersville, Iowa here I come

The hotel reservations are made and the gas tank if full. I'll take off on Monday midmorning. I have prepared my cell phone for audioblogging in the event I find something on my vacation to comment on.

In the meantime, have a good week Faithful Readers.

Charlie or Marcel?

MS and PS will be looking at two dacshunds Monday night at a local rescue mission. They will choose one of these two dogs as a new baby brother for Schnitzel. I believe Charlie is two years old and is already house broken. Marcel is still a pup and has to be kenneled. I will probably meet the new family member next weekend at the end of my vacation.

Assessing my house needs

This morning I started my vacation by having a plumber come to my house and fix a broken exterior faucet that I have been negligent on for the past couple of years. It turns out that the problem was much easier to solve than what I was told by friends, family, and observer.
On a side note, I can guess that when a child is given a choice between becoming a librarian or becoming a plumber chances are the child chooses the plumbing profession more often. Obviously the pay scale is better. This is a guess judging what the plumber charged me today for repairs.
I spent the balance of the daylight hours doing chores including laundry and grooming the plants in my back yard. I think the moles have ceased their activity in my yard for right now but I still plan to lay down more insecticide next weekend cutting off the food source for those moles. In the meantime, I'm a little bit peeved that my area of KC has received little to no rain. I had my sprinkler running for four hours today in watering the lawn.
I had dinner in Lawrence tonight with C and A. They fired up the barbecue. Part of our conversation involved my plans for a new air conditioner/heating unit and I told them I was going to delay my plans until I fully and honestly evaluated my electricity situation. The fuse switch which corresponds to my clothes dryer has recently shorted out. Lately, I have been drying my clothes at a local Laundromat. I am thinking that I need to take this one step further and evaluate the wiring in my house given that I have a couple of high electricity consuming appliance (although they are hooked up through surge protectors). I am planning to make an appointment with an electrician prior to my leaving town for vacation.

If you build it....

the KC Librarian will come.

My first vacation week in June has turned into quite the impromptu vacation. I'm making plans to go to the Amana Colonies in Iowa as well as going to Dyersville, IA--the cornfield for the setting of the 1988 movie Field of Dreams.