Morning Cup Of Coffee And Weather

Nothing exciting about this a/c install. As you can see my house is fairly small.

550D246E-F9D0-4F35-9B13-32C514DA6164 by Tour 931 posted Jun 29, 2022 at 3:51 AM

Yesterday a storm rolled through the area.

8C7A0F5E-7FC8-4536-B10D-2C9E8947E92F by Tour 931 posted Jun 29, 2022 at 3:51 AM

This mornings sunrise after yesterday’s heavy rain.

F41326A9-B1A6-4F3F-95D9-BAD8C9CADDA7 by Tour 931 posted Jun 29, 2022 at 3:51 AM

 

I'm surely

Your house is smaller than it looks --- but its beautiful!

I'm finding that a small house and a big barn with an even bigger yard is what I am looking for

I have about a 1700 sq ft house, and the rooms I usually use probably account for probably 1/3 of that --- bedroom, bathroom, "office" space, living room and kitchen....the rest is just a place to pile my stuff

 

My home in Washington was around 3200 sf. I’m now in 1,800 sf and it’s about right for one person.

 

Nice..couldn't ask for a better place to hang your hat

 

If it weren't for my wife's "hobby" I'd say 1800 is fine for the 2 of us --- except we're both hoarders of sort. The walls are starting to feel like they are closing in -- I anticipate a purge coming on. I'd love to "downsize" to 1200 ft + a couple out buildings...

I love the feeling if being able to pick up and move over a couple days rather than a month of planning....

Not quite "Tiny house" -- but I'd really like to be more austere like my grandparents or parents. Our tendency is to keep evertyhing we "migth" need some day...and we wound up with a ton stuff..

Its true...what you own, eventually owns you.

 

I was introduced to Helen Patton, granddaughter of George, through my brother, who has been friends with her for several years. Very interesting family and history. She started the Patton Alliance (a worldwide network) and the Patton Foundation. She actively works at documenting and preserving the history of her grandfather, as well as that of so many WW II veterans and events in Europe and is inovlved with many projects (including annual D-Day commerations) and programs to aid veterans. Helen is very high energy and, like her grandfather, quite driven. A few years ago, while visiting with my brother (who lives in Ireland), he surprised me with a trip to Normandy (we both have a life-long passion in studying history and one of my teaching certifications is history). We stayed at the Patton Family villa in Nehou and spent several days touring the area, with my brother as tour guide, soaking up the history and culture of the region, while being regaled, by the wonderful people, with many stories and personal accounts of the events there. Such a humbling, touching and emotionally draining experience that left a deep impact on me.

 

I gave away tons of stuff when I moved. Some of the stuff I could use now but couldn’t take it with me.

 

Its amazing the amount of things you manage to collect. I do feel a purge coming on...Swedish death cleaning style. Look it up, its a thing.

The hard part is things like old electronics, especially electronics --- Harmon Kardon is not the HK that it was in the 80's. The AVR I have 5.1 is not by any means state of the art, not 7.1 and no HDMI. When paired with my SVHS in 1995 it was a respecdtable system. Now, its a $100 boat anchor...and mine has damage which reduces that number, and the dog ate the remote.

Besides that, my hearing is fairly decent (although my wife would differ) the fact is -- in my mid 50's --- I KNOW I can't hear the things I used too -- and most of the highs are lost in the background noise of tinnitus, and I don't have the desire -- my Klipsch sound bar does well enough.

Its that stuff that makes it really challenging, and I saw this with my parents. My Father didn't want to part with things because he perceived them of value even though he'd never use it again. I looked at things he showed me, and respected his words -- but thought to myself "What a useless piece of junk!" either because it was antiquated technology or just didn't have a place in the modern world.

 

Mosquitos' in general don't seem as bad this year --- even in my yard which is normally as bad as it gets...

 

Most of my stuff that I left had $ value like Craftsman tools made in the USA. They are now made in China. So the full polish combination wrench set that I paid $100 will now cost me $700 to replace. Snap-On is still made in the USA but it’s not cheap. Although I didn’t pay anywhere near it I left behind $40K of just tools. Another $40K of furniture and art.

The biggest thing that saved me was I sold my home for an incredible amount and only spent 18% of that money to buy a new home here in Wisconsin.

My new place might be small but it was remodeled a few years ago and everything works.

347EEC87-D368-43CC-92EA-CBEB0D572A04 by Tour 931 posted Jun 30, 2022 at 5:17 AM

 

Thats amazing. The beaches of Normandy are a place I'd love to see. Much like Gettysburg and countless other places here in the United States -- Even though these are living places the feeling of 'hallowed ground' is palpable.

A radio host here locally (Greg Garrison) visited Normandy and spoke freely about it -- Speaking to people who were truly grateful for what as done for them during the war. I would really like to get some perspective --- so much of what we hear coming through social media, and old-media is filtered through some one elses lens. Thats the joy of seeing things on your own.

As for meeting Helen, I would like to meet the person without knowing their fame or relationship to it. Its too easy to see the person you expect or desire to know. I've met 1 or 2 of my hero's, and it was not possible to get beyond the expectation. Finding out "Oh, you mean you are..." would be a much better way. Its harder to meet the fame, then know the person...

 

WWII men and women were the best generation at their best.

 

Of that, I totally agree. Then they came back after the war and brought us the rest of the 20'th century --- warts and all. But as I pointed out in a meeting today, we live like kings today --- in fact, better than kings --- no historical king every had the comforts and conveniences that even the poorest of us have today.

 

I bought a picnic table for my outdoor dinning area. I don’t use the driveway for parking in the summer and in the winter the table will be moved.

The garage on the right has the barbie and grill for quick access and the CI is behind that. I use the galley all the time.

8C3EF7DC-C751-40AA-B28F-05BC54DFC39A by Tour 931 posted Jul 3, 2022 at 5:56 AM

FAB8669C-8181-466A-AC12-001D92CF8D30 by Tour 931 posted Jul 3, 2022 at 6:09 AM

 

Listening to what sounds like the Battle of Fort Boonesborough along the Kentucky River.

 

This will be my first fourth in rural Wisconsin and I don’t know what to expect. I have been hearing a bit more shooting than normal. I will be going shooting with a few others this afternoon.

 

I’m used to fireworks since they are legal in SC. And I’ve nearly blown my hand off, set things on fire & a variety of other stupid things when I was young including a battle in the hall of my college dorm. The school explained that was bad idea. Who knew?

 

Where did you pick up that picnic table?

 

You Sir, have a knack for landscaping...I love it! If I'd try something like that it would look like Homer Simpson did it

 

I've lived in places where they were legal, and illegal -- in yet -- in both places they always seem to exist. Legal or not...they find a way. As a kid, fireworks were a way of life! I'd have done just about anything to get my hands on bottle rockets and firecrackers. Of course today the items you can buy at the corner firework stand is dangerously close to what we used to consider "commercial" The prices are too I am sure --- I've got better use for my money these days.