Good morning Susan.  58 here, warmest morning yet.  One more day here, then temperature starts

to drop.  Spent a lot of yesterday working on the lawn, then took the Winter cover off the pool since

it had dried the rest of the way after pumping the water off it.  Then did a little more work on the pool.

Didn't actually finish the lawn until late eve when the sun left the back yard.  Then finished the rest of

the hand mowing. 

I didn't mean it was a waste of time for us to help with the war, meant it's a waste for Russia to attack

a little country in the first place.  I spent 3 years active duty, then 3 years inactive reserves, then one year

active reserves.  Wife and daughter traveled with me so was rough on them also, no friends or relatives

close by.  Far into the past now.  Wife didn't get a drivers license until we got out.

Wife is taking the pups out for short walks around the yard while their joints develop.  She only takes one

at a time because they raise heck with each other when together.  I watch the one that doesn't go. 

I will probably work on the pool some today.  No rush, it's cooling down again after tomorrow.  Just have to

get it going since the sun rays will be hitting the water now.  I run it salt water with a chlorine cell.  So I have

to pick up about 6 big bags of salt.

Have a good day.

Ernie

Hi Ernie, 

Tis a really great pool and picture of your family!  
it is most likely safer with salt water rather than chlorine!  We have a small neighborhood pool that I visit ~ chlorine really dries out one’s skin.

Off to Menards.  Beautiful day ~ enjoy!  Susan

Good morning Susan.  60 outside this morn, still 74 in here.  We did get the pool up and running.

It always has problems to solve but always get the systems going somehow.  Can't afford a pool

company to come in set it up, maintain it, and close it.  Same as everything with most families.

Salt water pool has a chlorine cell that generates chlorine so it does have chlorine in the water.

Of course we don't have the level of chlorine that public pools and motel pools have, not even

close.  Our pool smells like chlorine when I shock it, opening, trying to eliminate algae, and when

we close it.  Nobody is allowed near it when it's shocked, especially the dogs.  We still have to maintain

the chemical balance in the pool besides buying all the salt.  Bought 7 bags of salt yesterday for around

$45 with my military discount.  I think it's PH minus I always have to keep in balance, so expense there too.

So that means to increase the acid but can't get away with letting it go like you would want to.

My amp failed again after running 4 days.  Didn't burn out any of the more expensive parts.  Seems I do that

turning it on repeatedly trying to get a handle on what's wrong.  So just some inexpensive diodes shorted. 

I took some resistance readings and asked a ham operator that builds amps sometimes, in Texas, for advise.

He's going to think about it but he's on his way to France.  I had ordered 15 new 1 amp diodes because I'm out

but only $3.00 for them and they're already on the way.  Think diodes are a filter to filter out AC voltage in a DC

voltage power supply but I'm not sure, will keep looking at it and maybe other guy will have some suggestions.

  I don't work on the circuit powered up because it's 2000 volts Dc, easily kill me if I make a mistake.  Young

people take those chances.

We had a couple pretty good down pours yesterday but no water got to the basement thanks to all the drainage

we put in.  We live on a slope part way down a mountain so lot of surface water comes through here and everyone

in the neighborhood has this problem.  It's better than living in the valley where they get water 5 feet high in their

homes.  Supposed to get storms Sunday and Monday also.  Very expensive to set up the drainage weather you do

it yourself or have it done.

Pups are doing great.  Think they like the fenced in pool area better with the pool cover and all the concrete blocks

gone.  Gives them much more room.  For us, looks a lot nicer, especially with wife's flower arrangements all around.

Have a good day all.

Ernie

Dear Ernie,

Senior moment.....can't remember if I responded to your last posting.  A lovely picture of your wife outside in the pool area by her flowers!  The flowers are also my therapy.  I have many perennials in the front walk way and a combination of perennials and annuals (roses and hydrangeas, beautiful french lilac bush) in the back.  Also Coreopsis and herbs.  Makes me happy.  

Hoping that our friend, Paul, has had a safe trip back from his reunion and was not tempted to smoke.  Often times, it only takes a drink or two.....and a group of smokers, to entice one to go back.  I remember when my late husband and I had quit for several months and we attended a wedding reception....dancing, drinking, etc.  I was the one who wanted the ciggie...and sure enough he readily agreed.  So off he went to buy a pack...and that was another beginning of trying to quit and fail.  So, I hope Paul is doing good.

A gray sky here with rain expected.  We attempted to drive an hour and a half to go birding on Monday.  It was such a rainy, dreadful day that we decided against it.  Will try on Friday.  This is a well known McGee Marsh by Lake Erie where the migratory birds find refuge for a few weeks of the year.  

Take care.   Susan

Good morning, Paul ~

I haven't seen you post for a while.   Hopefully, you had a nice time with your reunion in Iowa.  We drove to Cedar Rapids from Ohio one year to visit our friends.  Lots and lots of corn fields between Ohio and Iowa....

I hope all is well.  I often worry about our friends who I deem "mia" for a while.

A gray sky day here in Ohio by the Lake.  I've just begun my summer plantings of herbs and annuals.  My rule of thumb is to wait until Memorial Day.

I will be leaving soon for Islamorada with the youngest daughter and her family.  She informs me that there is a snorkeling trip and sand bar adventure in place.  Oh my,  I may be too old or all of this!  

Susan

Hi Susan, Ernie, 

A good trip. 3 friends from college, one is from the NYC area, so I occasionally see, another maybe every 5-6 years, the third I haven't seen in 20 years.  One lost his wife around Christmas to COVID so that was part of the reason for the trip.

Humid last Thursday, but nice every other day. Played golf one day, I don't play much and am pretty bad, but it was a 'forgiving course'. The old courses are generally shorter and easier. Went to two Iowa Cubs minor league games. Everyone was pleasant. The capitol building is pretty, not that much else to see in Des Moines.  

All good except for the flight back. I was supposed to leave Chicago at 11:22 AM. Lightening in other places, so I sat in O'Hare for over 12 hours. Plane took off after midnight. Arrived in Newark after 4AM. Normally I take a train but grabbed a taxi. The Holland Tunnel was closed, and I didn't get home until 6:00. Fell asleep in 2 minutes, but it messed up my sleep schedule.

Best,

Paul 

Good morning Susan, Paul, and all.  Rainy morning here but 50.  Tomorrow in the 80s, then 90s

Saturday.  Grands are coming over to swim Saturday.  Sounds like a troublesome trip home Paul.

Hope things have turned around by now. 

  I had so many problems getting two tires mounted and

an inspection on my Baja it's way beyond funny.  I'm not going into all the details.  Just have one

wound, truck threw a stone into my windshield and dinged it.  Guess I will maybe try one of those

do it yourself kits to lessen the damage.  All the other problems of that experience will chalk up to

having a bad day after so many great ones.

Pool is coming along, gradually putting salt in until it comes up to around 3000 ppm, 5 bags so far.

With the ph minus and the cost of the chlorine cell along with it's controller it approaches the same

cost as using chlorine tabs, just don't have to handle the chlorine.  Over the last 33 years I've gotten

pretty good at maintaining the pool but don't look forward to trying to when I'm very old or leaving

it to my wife.  Wife says if I weren't here it would be filled in.    The companies that come out to

maintain them are pretty bad, you need to know what you're doing just to hire one.

Wife got me a bird watching book for Christmas because of all the strange birds that come to our

feeder about 8 feet from our bay window, which is about the extent of my bird watching.  Latest is

bright orange underneath.  Once my granddaughter and I were at the game preserve about a mile

down the road and saw a stork or some huge bird with long legs and the next morning when I got up

it was standing on the other side of our pool. 

I'm glad we're all still not smoking.  

Have a great day all.

Ernie

Hi Paul,

Happy to hear that you had a nice trip to DesMoines to see your friends.  I fly next Saturday to Miami and then on to the Keys ~ so I am hoping we do not have any long delays.  I'm a bit of a nervous flyer.  I like to board last and then up, up and away!  I decided to spring for the comfortable seats up front as I prefer more leg room and not to be crowded with the masses!

A very hot and muggy day here by the Lake.  78 degrees now and with 71% humidity~ that makes it quite uncomfortable.  Finn was doing a lot of panting last night so I turned on the air conditioning and it is much nicer now.

Take care.  Enjoy the week-end.  Hail and high winds expected!   Susan

Hi Ernie,

We drove to Oak Harbor, Ohio (about a 3 hour round trip drive) to visit McGee Marsh on Lake Erie.  This is where thousands of warblers rest before migrating north during the month of May.  Either we were a bit late on the calendar schedule or it was very windy.   We did see several warblers, an eagles nest and a turtle in the bog.   I was more impressed with the "older" people along the 1.2 mile boardwalk through the marsh.  These people are SERIOUS birders.  All decked out with high end cameras and telescopes, proper birding hats and clothing!  They were quite helpful along the way showing us where some of these small songbirds were!  

Very hot 78 degrees, 71% humidity.  I need to get to Costco to get Finn's food. .He's on Hills rx reduced diet (80.00 a bag at the Vets) and Costco Deramax (for osteoarthritis) at 61.00 for 30 day supply.  Love him to pieces and of course, will walk the walk with him.  

Enjoy the pool, your grands and the week-end.  Susan

Just checking up on you..... Haven't seen you post in ages!  

Very warm here in Ohio with strong thunderstorms expected.  Give us a shoutout to say "hi" and that you are okay.   Susan