Small Talk: The Welcome Mat

[Netfoot]

Went up today, with the weather looking good and the field dry. Winds were light and smooth.

Wanted a relatively quiet day, but five other guys turned up, two of them specifically claiming they were there only to watch me screw up. Asked the guys to take some photos of the model, because I couldn't. They took this photo of some ugly guy instead:

My flight-box is still being overhauled, so I was relying on everyone else to provide everything from fuel and start, to cleanup. As well as the photos.

We did an engine tune, and attempted to take off, but she just wouldn't lift the front end, so she came back into the pits and I increased the elevator throw well past what was recommended. Second takeoff attempt went OK, but she was in need of trimming, and I was very nervous, so my friend told me to bring her around into an upwind straight & level pass, and he took the transmitter and adjusted the trims. In no time she was flying hands-off, and I reclaimed the controls.

We sat on the bench outside and talked about her performance as I flew several circuits without any trouble. No loops, rolls, hammerheads, snaps, S-turns, Immelmanns, Cubans, spins, bunts, knife-edge, inverted or anything really fun, but maybe soon. (It's been a long time since last I flew powered, but it comes back really fast.)

Unfortunately, nobody had taken the time as I took off, so we weren't sure how long she had been up, but everyone agreed it was probably in the order of 10 minutes, so to make sure I didn't run the tank dry, I came in and landed. It was a bit long, but I'm proud to say it was a greaser, and the guys applauded (which we all will do for a good landing, but not for much else!) Anyway, I was able to taxi back to the pits and cut the throttle.

There is some work to do. I have got to adjust the throttle linkage, and revisit the control throws. I think some Exponential in the transmitter would be a big help, and I may activate Dual Rates later on. Also will add Flaperon if I can figure out the programming. Got to program a flight-timer on the transmitter, too. I could have gone for another flight, but with various adjustments to be done and the light fading, I chose not to go up again.

Turns out the fuel tank was still ¾ full! But then, this is a tiny engine (a .25) and the model has a very large tank for that size of engine. Probably 10 oz. instead of the usual 4 oz. you might expect.

So we sat around and chewed the fat as the sun set.

I did present the bar with a bottle of rum, as the club tradition demands for every successful maiden flight. And I think the flight was successful, seeing as it went to full length with no mishap and the machine coming home perfectly fine. So, on the bar right now is a 1¾ liter bottle of Old Brigand... which probably won't last all that long. That being the case, I'm going to have to build something else, right?

Anyway, you folks now have a problem! The other guys have promised me plenty of photos and even videos, of the model on the ground and in flight. So you just know I will be bombarding you with a selection of those as they reach me, right?  

Edited December 3, 2020 by Netfoot

[Netfoot]

Ok, the throttle needed adjusting. Fully closed wasn't closed enough (high idle), fully open wasn't open enough (low max power). And the pushrod was very close to the backplate of the spinner when open. Moved the arm on the barrel and used a smaller pin (actually, a 0.65mm drill bit  instead of an 0.8mm T-pin) when setting the closed position. That eliminated the risk of touching the spinner backplate, and should reduce RPM at idle. Hopefully not so much that the engine won't run! Then set servo end-points so as to give a fully open choke at full stick-travel on the transmitter.

Also set 40% exponential on aileron and elevator, and added 20% on hi-rates. 

And contemplating a prop change. Currently using a 9x5 APC but maybe something different would produce more thrust. Like maybe a 9x6 or possibly an 8x7? Props are like the transmission on a car. Changing props is like changing gear. Since you only get to make the change while sitting on the ground, and you can only choose one, it can take a bit of trial and error to decide which works best for any particular model. 

Flight-box still not ready. The paint is dry to the touch, but doesn't feel properly hard yet, so won't use it until (probably) Wednesday. But I have fuel in the tank, and if we go today, I will bum a start off someone, and otherwise will try the chicken-stick.

Wind looks good, sky looks good, so hopefully this afternoon.....

Oh, the black ring around the front of the spinner is residue from Kevin's starter cone. I rubbed it off after the photo was taken. Eventually, with continued use, the mark will be permanent, and will have to be tolerated, or a new spinner fitted. My own starter cone is white so the mark should be less visible, but at the moment my starter is sitting here forlornly, with no flight-box to attach to.

Edited December 6, 2020 by Netfoot

[Netfoot]

No flying recently. Christmas month is not usually a good time because people have other commitments. And the weather has been spotty. It's actually chilly in bed at night. And my hot water bottle has a mind of his own, so is less than 100% reliable when it comes to snuggling in the wee hours.

I've lost about 35 pounds, I think. I see the doctor on Tuesday, and she can confirm the amount, as well as how long it took. I was well north of 300, and  now... I'm not. Trouble is, I can put on 5+ lbs. in a single day, if i make the mistake of actually eating something...

My Ahi is finished, all bar CoG and throws. (Throws will be quick & easy, done in the radio.  CoG will be a bit more fiddly, mucking about with tiny pieces of lead.) So of course, the 14 day forecast is for light winds... Photo when someone with a half-decent camera comes close. She is original white with orange and black stripes. Those are my preferred colours for the slope - sunlight on the orange against the aquamarine water just hits you in the eye with a wallop.

Also nearly finished the rebuild of my old Zagi. Just winglets and CoG needed. I should have thrown it out, it's so old and beat up. I've refurbed it half a dozen times and each time I say "Last time, no more!" But when the time comes, I just can't bring myself to scrap it. First I ever owned/built, first I ever flew, best fun per dollar I ever spent.

The Booby could use some work too...

The book I ordered as a Christmas present for Dr. K is in island  and has been for two weeks, but it hasn't gone to customs yet! it will never be released in time! Grrr!

It's that time of year when Bud gets his checkup. I'll probably do it on Tuesday, because I'll be out and about anyway. He's so ravenous these days I'd guess he had worms, if he wasn't so plump!

Speaking of plump, they will start selling jug-jug at the deli  any day now. (Why is jug only available at Christmas? I think it should be available year round.) Anyway, I'll prolly put back on the 35 lbs. before Christmas.

[Netfoot]

Turns out I'm 39 lbs. Down in 5 months. Not as good as the 91 in 6 months of my previous attempt, but I was in better health then.

Bud's doctor says he appears to be in perfect health. Had his vaccinations and is snuggling up against my legs right now. (We are reading, in bed.)

Didn't see jug-jug at the deli, so ordered a regular meal. After I'd paid, one of the servers said "Did you get some jug?" Turns out there was a whole extra  tub of the stuff in the warmer, so I had to go back to the back of the line... Couldn't eat it all in one go, so I'm having jug with my dinner as well!

Also, got a nice plastic file folder in black to make Zagi winglets. Perfect. Will cut them out tonight.

Otherwise, the day was a bust. Almost everything on my To-Do list didn't get done for one reason or another and everything took ages due to some up-coming holiday that has everyone acting crazy.

Why is everyone calling me Santa? Bah! Humbug!

[Netfoot]

My doctor let slip she liked Ferraris. Since I can't afford to buy her an actual Ferrari, I found what looked a nice book on the subject, and ordered it.

The book was delayed in shipping and she goes off for a Christmas break from tomorrow morning, so I bought a box of Quality Street chocolates to give her instead, and gave it to her when I went in for my weigh-in on Tuesday.

The Ferrari book suddenly got released this morning so I thought Budweiser had better give it to her.

I wanted to get Buddy to sign the card with a paw-print, so I got an ink pad and sneaked up on him while he was asleep.

Mistake!

I am now covered in blue ink from asshole to eyebrows and there are blue paw-prints all over the bed sheets!

But Dr. Kristi sent a message to say she loved the book, and to please give Bud a special rub behind his ears, from her! (Although how she knows it's a book I don't figure, seeing as she isn't allowed to open the package until next Friday...)

[Netfoot]

The Ahi is now complete.

At least physically! I now have to program the radio. Setting maximum travels on the control surfaces is simple. I'll also set a few options to give some flexibility, like dual or triple rates, and exponential. There are also options like flap and snap-flap, but I can add that later.

Funny thing: a friend is also building an Ahi. He too, has chosen black and orange stripes.....

And another friend has an Ahi which he has not started work on yet. Maybe I should offer him some orange and black covering?

And as a matter of fact, I myself have a fourth Ahi, new on in box. If and when I get around to it, I think I'll paint that one*, instead of using an iron-on film. In some other colours. Like pink & silver. Which would be weird because my gliders have almost all been orange & black, for the last 20 years.

But after 2020, I guess anything could happen. Like no wind, day after day after day...

* Assuming I can find some paint that won't melt the Ahi into a puddle.

Edited December 20, 2020 by Netfoot

[Netfoot]

Actually... that went much smoother than I thought. With a home-built gauge and my trusty little 8J radio, I set the throws on all surfaces as recommended. They are my "low" rate settings.

Then, I added "medium" (+20%) and a "high" (+40%) rate options on a three-way switch. I put plenty of exponential on the surfaces; 40%, 50% and 60% on low/medium/high rates respectively. All this to be almost certainly adjusted when I've had a chance to experience her handling characteristics.

Then there was this suggestion called "Snap-Flap" which didn't sound too easy, but the great 8J made it simple! So now I can camber the ailerons 10mm (max) up when the elevator goes down, and vice versa. I have that on a separate switch so I can enable if I want it, otherwise/normally it will be off. Never tried it before. If it turns out to be as good as suggested, I can reassign it to the same switch I used for the rates.

Now, the Ahi is completely finished and ready for the sky. I just have to switch it on, and throw it over a cliff!

So, here's hoping we get a good windy day soon! Please?

 

[Spunkygal]

18 hours ago, Netfoot said:

The Ahi is now complete.

At least physically! I now have to program the radio. Setting maximum travels on the control surfaces is simple. I'll also set a few options to give some flexibility, like dual or triple rates, and exponential. There are also options like flap and snap-flap, but I can add that later.

Funny thing: a friend is also building an Ahi. He too, has chosen black and orange stripes.....

And another friend has an Ahi which he has not started work on yet. Maybe I should offer him some orange and black covering?

And as a matter of fact, I myself have a fourth Ahi, new on in box. If and when I get around to it, I think I'll paint that one*, instead of using an iron-on film. In some other colours. Like pink & silver. Which would be weird because my gliders have almost all been orange & black, for the last 20 years.

But after 2020, I guess anything could happen. Like no wind, day after day after day...

* Assuming I can find some paint that won't melt the Ahi into a puddle.

Your assistant looks exhausted!

[Netfoot]

Yes, he had a very tiring morning.

He has a very difficult life!

ETA: Just added Airbrake on the throttle stick. Gliders have no throttle, so the throttle stick is used "backwards" to activate airbrake. Normal flight is with the throttle at 100% for fastest flying, but to slow down for landing you pull the throttle back, to gradually bring the airbrakes in to play.

Buddy assisted by clawing at my leg the entire time I was setting this up, because when he says he wants a treat, he means he wants a treat NOW!

Edited December 20, 2020 by Netfoot

[Netfoot]

I've been having some troubles with 'Jennifer' - not the least of which is that I find myself using that name more and more!

She has been very hard to get off the ground, and a handful when in the air. last attempt, she ran all the way down the strip without getting light at all, so I chopped the throttle to abort the takeoff... and at that very instant she unexpectedly leapt into the air at a steep angle! Steep climb-out angles with no engine power lead to only one result: She stalled, hit the ground and cartwheeled.

Damage consisted of a broken prop (a brand new APC 9x6) and a chip out of the sheeting on the port wing tip. Essentially, no damage because the prop can be replaced easily enough (I'm pretty sure I have another 9x6 around here) and the wingtip will not be at all difficult to fix.

But I decided to stop and think. Why is this bird giving trouble to take off, and why is it such a handful in the air? Only incorrect throws or bad CoG would result in the plane being such a handful to fly! There are four models similar to this.  The High- and low-wing versions, and the older Mk.1 vs. the newer Mk.2. The differences are minimal (two aileron servos instead of one, etc). The airframes are virtually identical. So I downloaded all four manuals and checked to see what the recommended throws were. With the three other models, the recommended throws were identical, but for my model they were very different; between 60% and 100% higher. Why? No good reason. So I suspect the recommended throws are too high, and thus causing the plane to be hard to handle.

But because she wouldn't lift off, I have been gradually increasing the elevator throws in the hope of getting the elevator authority to get her off the ground. Which makes her even more sensitive in the air! What about a different reason for her wanting to stick to the ground?

I had upgraded the wheels to larger units so as to more easily handle the grass on our strip which (sometimes) doesn't get mown as often as it should. Wheels come in pairs so I put two 3½" wheels on the mains, and a single 3" on the nose. The difference in radius (and ride height) is now  ¼" lower at the front. This will have the wings angled slightly downward, rather than straight ahead. This negative wing incidence would cause loss of lift, making it very difficult to get her to lift her nose to climb away from the ground. To try and force the nose up, you would increase elevator throw... which is what I was doing. And if, while traveling fast up the strip the front wheel  were to hit a bump, a pebble or a tuft of grass and bump upward say ¼" or so, the wing would suddenly start to generate lift and the plane would unexpectedly leapt into the air... which is what was happening!

So. Nose wheel has been replaced with a 3½" unit to eliminate the nose-down stance. The radio set-up is to be redone with the more conservative throws recommended in the three other manuals, and a new 9x6 must be reamed and balanced before fitting. I think I'll paint the prop-tips yellow as well, to increase visibility of the arc of the prop while she is spinning, and hopefully eliminate any danger of it chopping off my finger(s). Two of my mates have had prop-strikes in this last month, and their hands were in a bad way for weeks. My last prop-strike was a long time ago, and when I remember it I still feel nauseous with the pain

Hopefully then, the aircraft will take off easily, and be a pleasure in the air, rather than the handful she has been so far. But it will be over a week (most likely) before she has a chance to fly. This coming weekend looks like it will be gliders at the cliff. If people can drag themselves away from turkey leftovers and ham sandwiches..... 

So tomorrow, Bud and I will stay at home quietly. I plan to feed Mr. Greedy Guts as much as he can eat. My Christmas lunch will be a cold boiled egg; maybe two if I decide to splurge. And I have about half a spoonful of jug in the fridge which might go well with eggs. (It goes well with everything else...)

 

 

 

[Spunkygal]

@Netfoot, good luck with troublesome Jennifer and may you and Buddy have a happy and safe Christmas! Your aircraft talk may be over my head (no pun intended) but it is so interesting! Treat yourself to that extra egg.

[Netfoot]

Budweiser and I wish a Merry Christmas to those of you who celebrate the occasion. And the same to your family and inner circle! To everyone else, we hope you have a chance to enjoy this opportunity to relax for a few days in the company of friends and family.

To all, we hope you are able to enjoy a feast, and perhaps a celebratory beverage or two. You should celebrate. You are almost at the end of 2020, and 2021 must be better. Right?

And to perhaps make you laugh, or at least smile a little:

[Netfoot]

On 12/25/2020 at 12:54 AM, Spunkygal said:

Your aircraft talk may be over my head...

I know. Sorry about that. I always tell myself to keep it brief and avoid anything technical, but somehow... 

[Spunkygal]

4 hours ago, Netfoot said:

I know. Sorry about that. I always tell myself to keep it brief and avoid anything technical, but somehow... 

Hope you and your buds enjoy some great flying weather this weekend!

[Netfoot]

Me too! Got an Ahi glider burning a hole in my pocket!

Meanwhile, I decided to repair the tiny blemish on the wing of the yellow Sonic, which resulted from the cartwheel maneuver. It isn't really much damage and if the aircraft was a bit older I might just ignore it completely.

But since she is nice and new, I used a #26 surgical scalpel (They come sterile, which is good for when I inevitably cut myself.) to carefully remove the yellow covering film in the vicinity of the wound.

After carving away the damaged balsa, I got a small piece from the scrap bin and glued it into place. I left it long so as to have a handle to work with. A razor saw will remove the excess length when the glue dries.

Some whittling and sanding and the shape of the wingtip is largely restored. Normally I'd use a filler and sand to perfection, but for a $75 beater model, I couldn't be bothered.

So, with some scraps of covering literally picked up off the floor, I heated up my covering irons and bonded the film into place, to give a nice, waterproof wingtip again.

Not exactly perfection, but more than good enough for my purposes: You'd have to go looking for the patch to even know it was there.

I reamed a new 9x6 prop so it would fit on the engine shaft, balanced it, painted the tips and re-balanced it. With the engine running, props spin so fast they can't be seen. If your prop is invisible you risk sticking some part of your anatomy into it... and that hurts a lot! Painting the tips in a light colour causes a ghostly circle to appear when the prop spins. This encourages you to keep your hands away.

BTW, a 9x6 prop is 9" in diameter (from tip to tip) and has a 6" pitch. The blades are angled, which pulls it forward when it turns. A 6" pitch means that the angle is such that in perfect circumstances (which never actually occur) the prop will be pulled forward 6" with each rotation. So at 10,000 rpm, which is by no means fast for these engines, the prop - and therefore the plane it is attached to - will in theory, move forward at 56.8 miles per hour.

The new 3½" nose wheel is attached to the nose leg, but it seems to be a little tight. I will get an 11/64" drill bit on Monday and see if I can't free that up just a little bit. The reprogramming of the radio should be simple since I am using a much simpler setup than I did for the Ahi. No snap-flap, no airbrake, etc. Not at first, anyway.

And my new fuel pump is sitting in Florida, with a status of "Assigned to next flight". Did I mention that my 20 year old electric fuel pump fried when I tried to use it? Well that gave me the excuse for buying a new, hand-driven pump to replace it. The 'next flight' is Tuesday. Then customs and blah, blah, blah... I'll have it next weekend if I'm lucky!

 

 

 

 

[Netfoot]

Well, Buddy and I decided to go out, and it payed off. I got ma a slice of Bajan Great Cake and two minced pies! Dr. K would not approve, so ... Shhh!

Also, while out of the house, I met up with a couple of friends at out our local slope. And some model aviation took place!

The photos are sorta small, taken with somebody's cellphone. But that's better than nothing, which is what you usually get if you try to do it yourself while simultaneously flying!

I also got three short (30-secondish) cellphone videos but I don't think I can post them here? So, I'd have to post them online and place links to them here, if anyone is interested. Again, not stunning quality, and very much wind-noisy, but they show her in flight. If you can keep track of her...

First impressions? She's fast. And even on the lowest rates, she is extremely agile. For example, at the lowest rates, bang on full rudder and she yaws 180°! Then promptly stalls and plummets out of the sky, forcing you to catch her quick, before she ends up in the rocks!

Some tweaking will be required. Rolls are far from axial, which some aileron differential may fix (online research need). And there is a significant pitch change when you apply airbrake, which will require (as expected) some elevator be mixed in to compensate. It's actually already set up, but the percentage is currently set to 0%. So I'll add a couple points each flight until the pitch change is negligible.

But fast and agile! Yummy!

Edited December 28, 2020 by Netfoot

[Browncoat]

Lovely photos!  Thanks for sharing!

[Netfoot]

Videos. Noisy! So bewares your ears!

One, two, three!

 

[Netfoot]

Happy New Year, everybody!

Reports are circulating that the Caribbean will be struck by a freak wind storm of near-hurricane level force.

Accvording According to the Met. Office, In fact, there is a SMALL CRAFT WARNING and HIGH SURF ADVISORY in effect, but there is no rain expected, and the winds will be high, but NOT as high as Tropical Depression levels, far less Tropical Storm or Hurricane force.

There might be some EPIC gliding at the cliff, tho... if the guys recover from last night soon enough...

Edited January 1, 2021 by Netfoot

[Spunkygal]

58 minutes ago, Netfoot said:

Happy New Year, everybody!

Reports are circulating that the Caribbean will be struck by a freak wind storm of near-hurricane level force.

Accvording According to the Met. Office, In fact, there is a SMALL CRAFT WARNING and HIGH SURF ADVISORY in effect, but there is no rain expected, and the winds will be high, but NOT as high as Tropical Depression levels, far less Tropical Storm or Hurricane force.

There might be some EPIC gliding at the cliff, tho... if the guys recover from last night soon enough...

Happy new year to you and Buddy! I bet the guys show up at the cliff for some gliding if you bring the hair of the dog! 

[Netfoot]

Hair of the dog?  Shoot!  I'll bring the whole dog!

[Netfoot]

Damn! And damn! And damn!

1) Went to the cliff yesterday. Switched on the transmitter and... couldn't find the programming for the Ahi! Searched all the model memories, but not found. Must have accidentally deleted the memory while working on the Sonic. Dumbass had to sit and watch the others fly.

2) So, this morning, in a hurry, I reprogrammed the model from scratch! Got to the cliff and it was blowing a storm. Threw the Ahi off... and it rolled onto it's back and the more I tried to correct, the worse it got. It crashed into a large patch of grass... finding the only rock in the entire patch. Second attempt went similarly. Dumbass sat down to figure out what was wrong... and noticed that the ailerons were reversed. This wasn't due to mis-connected servos, but due to bad programming this morning. And with the ailerons reversed, it meant when I corrected the programming, the snap-flaps and airbrake were now reversed, and they had to be flipped as well.

Anyway, I got a good flight, but it was very windy, to the point that I decided to abandon my plans for tuning and perfecting the settings. I just flew it as it was. Airbrake is something else. Pull the airbrakes on and the airplane goes from horizontal to a vertical upline in an instant! Anyhow, we can fix that easily enough.

We had two "mishaps", unfortunately the same guy both times. Here he is, recovering one of them. (Click and zoom to see him. He's there, I promise!)

No photos of the Ahi, I'm afraid.

Oh, and 

3) Halitosis has gone crazy! The worst number we ever had at the height of last year's lockdown was 56 active cases. It was down to 16 as of 3 weeks ago. But by yesterday, it spiked up to 69! And in the last 24 hours another 194 cases were detected. The litany of stupid actions that brought this about is too much to mention.

Anyway, having just about finished all the lock-down supplies I had laid in previously, it looks like we will get locked down again within the next two or three days. I have little in the way of food, I just spend the last of my emergency cash today, and my 5 gallon can of gasoline is empty. Not to mention I fed Bud the last of the bag of chow this morning, and there are only 7 cans of food for him left in the house.

Monday & Tuesday have been declared public holidays, a nightly curfew is in effect from last night. I hope to be able to lay in some supplies tomorrow, but I understand the lines were incredibly long from today, so tomorrow might be unworkable.

Here's hoping I can stock up a bit before the hammer falls and we get fully locked down. Rumours say Wednesday, but who knows?

 

[Netfoot]

Welp... I went out this morning expecting things to be complete comess. So much so I told Bud he had to stay home "on guard". He has a very sad face he uses when he hears those words, but I didn't want him trapped in the car while I stood in line for hours and hours!

Filled up the car and also a spare 5 Gal. can at the gas station, and bought a spare 25 lb. cylinder of gas for the stove. $200+ for that lot. Actually, the stove itself has been on it's last legs for months, so if things are open tomorrow, I will buy a replacement stove. It's just a cheap table-top unit. At least I hope it's going to be cheap cheap...

On to PriceSmart expecting it to be jammed to the max, but it was quiet! Filled up my basket with food and there were several cashiers with no customers, so out of there in a jiffy, for only $600+ buckeroos!

Next: The supermarket for what I couldn't get at PriceSmart. Apparently, yesterday there were very, very long lines (around the block) just to get in, plus extra long lines at the cashier! Today... nothing! Walked straight in, picked up what I wanted, waited in line for a cashier for all of 1 minute, and home again, onbly only $400+ the poorer! 

In total I was gone for less than 2 hours, and poor Budweiser could easily have come for, and enjoyed, the drive!

Meanwhile, I was sent this photo of the guys flying at the cliff yesterday!

Jim is standing dangerously close to the edge, where the rocks are particularly trippy. And it's easy to fall over there, when you are looking up! As everyone usually is, when flying. Yes, that is the same greeny shirt featured as a spec in the previous photo.

We've considered having the area leveled, and a safety rail installed, along with a couple strategically positioned benches. Our conclusions are that within the first week of doing so, either 1) the railing and benches will disappear for ever; or 2) a couple paros would take up residence on the benches, and we would lose the ability to use the site.     ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

So, tomorrow I go looking for a counter-top stove I can afford, Thursday I see one of my doctors and hope he reduces my steroids to zero, the following Tuesday is the pharmacy, and then I don't have to come out again until the 9th of February when I have a blood test. 

Lovely lockdowns. Whoopee. When will Trump's vaccine reach me?

Edited January 3, 2021 by Netfoot

[Netfoot]

Cases of seasickness continue to skyrocket. The last reported number of active cases is 860% that of the highest we experienced at the height of last year's lockdown. We have a nightly curfew, restaurants are take-away or delivery only, the rum-shops are closed again, and we're back to shopping alphabetically. We have not been locked down again, at least not yet. But the PM has asked the public to self-isolate as much as possible. All for "fourteen days to flatten the curve".

How did this happen so suddenly? Well, it seems a tourista arrived, was tested and placed in lockdown for the 48 hours (I think), but decided that they didn't need to follow directives... so they sneaked out and went to a bar. The door security at the bar was a moonlighting prison guard. He and his buddy (another prison guard) then went on a bus-crawl. Now, how a bus-crawl works is, everyone gets on a bus, and the bus drives to a bar. Everyone gets off, mobs the bar, has a drink, then gets back on the bus, which heads off to another bar. This cycle repeats until everyone on the bus is paralytic. And in this particular case, everyone was also positive for seasickness. As well as half the staff and regular patrons on a dozen or more bars. 

So, within the space of a couple of days, you suddenly have a huge increase in +ve test results. And to just make things better, the two prison guards manage to infect the entire population of the prison, including inmates, guards, and civilian workers.

Meanwhile, the tourista decided that to avoid any trouble with the law, they will flee the island, and heads for the airport. Because obviously, infecting an entire jumbo jet full of unsuspecting passengers is preferable to sticking around to face the consequences of their actions. Fortunately, they were picked up by the cops before they could make their escape. 

So, my question to you is: What punishment should the local judiciary impose upon them? Seriously, I'd like to hear what people think. (Legally, the death penalty is on the table, but is unlikely to be seriously considered by anyone, especially me.)

 

In other news, I couldn't find a table-top stove to buy. So I'm still making do with half a burner, and hoping the thing doesn't explode in my face when I'm cooking my lunch. I can get any stove I want, essentially free. I've been accumulating points on a rewards card, and now have nearly $2,400 worth, so essentially any stove I like is mine, free for the asking. But I have to get it into my kitchen, and the way this crappy house is built, if I'm not careful to buy a stove small enough, I'll have to take the roof off and lower it in with a crane! And I never use the oven, so if I buy a "real" stove (as my niece calls it), half the stove will be wasted. Unless I start baking cookies and bread and lasagna and otherwise preparing (and eating) food that my doctor wouldn't approve of.

I lost all the weight I gained over Christmas (about 5lb.) then I mysteriously put it back on again within the last 3 days. It's back off again now, thank goodness. I have a weigh-in tomorrow morning, so all I have to do is eat nothing but wind-pies until then, and hope it doesn't mysteriously come back again. Tomorrow is also my day for alphabetic shopping. Which is good, because I need $356 worth of meds from the pharmacy.

But not steroids! Because, I'm off the steroids! I thought I'd feel so much better when that happened. And I do, from an objective standpoint, but subjectively, I feel exactly the same. Which is a pity, because I paid big bucks to have open thoracic surgery to make it happen. Anyway, we'll start on the Immunosuppressants next, but (I'm told) not immediately.

[Netfoot]

Today's pharmacy bill came to $478.42, which included one critical medication that has been out of stock for two months! Thank heaven for black-market suppliers.

But today is a weigh-day and I'm 45 lbs down in 6 months (ish). Not as good as the 91 lbs. in 6 months I did before, but not bad, considering I can't really exercise. So, I guess the wind-pies are working!

ETA: It took the whole of Guns in the Ghetto to sort out that pile of drugs for use this coming month. (The album, not the song. 38:37 according to Amarok.) But it's now only 17 different medications accounting for a mere 25 tablets daily. Which is a welcome improvement.

Edited January 12, 2021 by Netfoot

[Netfoot]

Varicose Veins continue to increase. We now have 654 active cases (1,167% more than at the peak of last year's lockdown) and there have been two deaths in the last four days -- the first since end of April last year. Don't have much inclination at present, to comment any more on this.

A friend of Bidweiser and I (excuse to show baby-picture of my boy with friend!)

who also has an Ahi, has finally completed the build, and is ready to 'pelt it off a cliff.' I am real tired of being stuck in the house and I am more than ready to pelt mine off a cliff as well. Dunno when that will happen, but soon, I hope. The cliff is just about the best location to get together safely, because there is a strong breeze blowing at all times (otherwise there would be no point our going there) and we are not usually inclined to hug or sit in each other's laps.

Since we have not been flying at the field, I have taken my time to repair the battery box on the Sonic. It hasn't been easy, because I didn't want to remove the covering, so I did it all through the hatch. It was like wallpapering the living room from outside the house, operating through the letterbox in the front door. But it's done. I also fitted the new prop with the painted tips. Now that the battery box has been repaired, I can power up the avionics, center the rudder servo, reattach the new, matching front wheel and connect the steering. (If you don't do it with the system powered up, when you do power up the wheel might move out of center.) After reattaching that, I will reprogram the controls to the corrected values and hope this will turn the model into a sweet flier. And my new fuel pump has been delivered, so I can replace the one on the flightbox, and everything will be good to go the next time conditions indicate a flying day at the club. (But I suspect the grass will seriously need some cutting.)

I hope to get a photo of the two Ahis side by side. They are both trimmed in orange/black, but the designs are not quite the same. When I get that photo I will show it to you. (And some day, Jim will finish his. Hopefully not in orange/black...)

 

 

[Netfoot]

Things ain't looking too sweet. We've now had three deaths in the last week or so, after just about nine months with none. As of yesterday, total cases had risen to 1,401 with 649 recovered and 10 croaked. That is 1,325% higher than the height of last year's lockdown. Today the numbers are 1,427 - 1,057 - 10 = 642%. The large number of persons recovering (a reflection of the large number of cases that were discovered 2-3 weeks ago) have reduced the numbers today, but the overall picture is not good.

We will be having another lockdown, starting on 3rd February, lasting (they say) for 14 days. It hasn't started immediately, I suppose, so we get a chance to go out and buy lots of TP and other supplies before the hatches get battened down. Meanwhile, the PM urges everyone to start immediately to behave as if the lockdown was already in effect.  A sort of voluntary, pre-lockdown lockdown before the mandatory lockdown begins. The conditions of the lockdown will be:

• Mandatory wearing of masks in all public places: Street, Buildings, etc. (Exemptions: medical / alone) - 3rd Feb
• 15 day lockdown 3rd to 17th February.
• Supermarkets, pharmacies,  gas stations only permitted to retail from 3rd.
• Supermarkets:  8am to 3PM weekdays, Closed on weekends 
• Pharmacies and Gas Stations remain open on weekends for gas etc, no Automarts.
• National Curfew: 7pm to 6am for the period ending 17th Feb.
• Banks closed from 3rd to 9th Feb. They reopen on 10th Feb.
• Pension cheques dated 1st Feb may be cashed from Thursday 28th Jan.
• Chief Compliance officers will be hired to ensure citizens are compliant with protocols.
• Markets and Vending closed.
• Public Transport back to 60% capacity.
• Shops in communities closed.
• Restaurants, Bars, Gyms closed.
• Manufacturers remain operating as exempted operations.

I see no mention of Glider Guiding on the list. Conditions have not been suitable for two weekends now, and I'm itching to get the Ahi back in the air. And my buddy Ian has a new Ahi of his own that he is dying to "pelt off a cliff". Sunday coming looks like it might be windy. And the lockdown doesn't start until three days later, so...

Bud and I have been minimizing our trips away from home for the last two weeks or more, and Bud is suffering. He likes travelling in the car. I still go to the supermarket on Tuesdays, and I try to plan out the day to get as much as possible done so we don't have to leave home again until the following week. This Tuesday was also a weigh-in. Same weight as the previous time; 45 lbs. down since the start. My failure to lose more wasn't taken well at the doctor's office, but too bad for them. I'm tired of eating wind pies all the time. I bought some sweet potatoes and some green figs yesterday, and plan to include them in my soups & stews. (I come from a part of the region wherein all varieties of bananas are referred to as 'figs'. Hence green figs = green bananas.)

Speaking of Buddy, I haven't seen/heard him up to any mischief for the last hour or more. But the car is open so I figure I know exactly where he is..... Besides, it's time for him to take his afternoon nap, so he will be off to bed very shortly. And (yawn) I might join him!

Ordered a number of books from Amazon. (I buy them second hand for U$1.25 and pay another U$13 to have them delivered. Yes, it's highway robbery, but it's still better than the price of a new paperback locally! But the point I was making is that when you order a 12-book series, you can believe that 11 will be delivered quickly, but you will wait and wait for the 12th book. And that the book you have to wait for will be #1 in the series. This recurring, unavoidable sequence of events (along with the babel fish) proves the non-existence of God.

I know it will be only a single day before the lockdown begins so maybe not, but I sure hope the Book Tent is in the supermarket parking lot next Tuesday. We've missed them the last couple of months, and I'm sure Buddy will be glad to get a little attention from his ladies! They know he's one of theirs and they always make a fuss of him. I always try to buy a couple of books when we first get there, and Bud usually make a small donation when we're leaving.

 

 

[Netfoot]

So, the plan for this afternoon is to get two Ahis in the air together. "Rain, rain, stay away!" I'm really looking forward to the opportunity to get a flight, and I'm also looking forward to just getting out of the house. Buddy will also like the excursion. He hasn't had a field trip for a coupla weeks!

In other news: A new world speed record for unpowered, radio controlled gliders (and R/C planes generally) was set in CA a few days ago. New record is 548 miles per hour. No, that isn't a typo. The model in question has a 3.3 meter (10 ft. 10 in.) wingspan and no motor of any kind. I shudder to think what she cost!

[Spunkygal]

4 hours ago, Netfoot said:

So, the plan for this afternoon is to get two Ahis in the air together. "Rain, rain, stay away!" I'm really looking forward to the opportunity to get a flight, and I'm also looking forward to just getting out of the house. Buddy will also like the excursion. He hasn't had a field trip for a coupla weeks!

In other news: A new world speed record for unpowered, radio controlled gliders (and R/C planes generally) was set in CA a few days ago. New record is 548 miles per hour. No, that isn't a typo. The model in question has a 3.3 meter (10 ft. 10 in.) wingspan and no motor of any kind. I shudder to think what she cost!

I was sure that Buddy had given you too much rum when you posted the second paragraph so had to go find the video. By Jove, you weren’t in your cups! This video is amazing!

https://www.avweb.com/aviation-news/rc-glider-hits-548-mph-in-record-flight/

 

Edited January 31, 2021 by Spunkygal

[Netfoot]

Most people don't believe it.

What we do is "slope soaring". The prevailing wind strikes the face of the slope, and simultaneously speeds up and rises (to get over the slope). We take advantage of the fast flowing air to generate lift over the wings, and or the rising air to give us additional up-thrust.

What those guys were doing is called "dynamic soaring" or DS. You need a ridge, where the wind strikes one slope and rises / accelerates, but there is another slope which falls away behind the ridge. Behind there, there is an area of calm (beneath the ridge-line) and higher up, a stream of high-speed air moving downwind. (There is also a very turbulent "boundary layer" between the two air masses.) DS requires very specific wind conditions and a particular lay of the land. It isn't possible where we fly.

You climb into the high-speed airflow, and it accelerates you downwind. Then you dip down into the calm air and fly back to the ridge without any headwind, loosing little or no speed. Then, climbing back up into the high-speed airflow, you make another trip downwind, accelerating to an even faster speed, then dip down into the calm air to return back to the ridge... Do this enough times and your speed increases incrementally until it becomes totally unreal.

Each time through the boundary layer and your aircraft experiences tremendous turbulence, especially as you go faster and faster. DS gliders frequently disintegrate in midair, just due to the sheer speed they are traveling at! The new record is .741 mach. I think it is only a matter of time before they break the sound barrier. In some cases the airflow over the top of the wing is already exceeding mach 1, so the next generation of DS gliders will have to have swept back wings to handle the supersonic speeds.

Me? I can't afford the thousands of dollars those ships cost, especially when eventual midair disintegration is a foregone conclusion. And I don't have the eyesight or reflexes to handle a ship that is twice as fast as a Bugatti Veyron! I'll stick to having fun on the front of the slope!

Speaking of which, I had a great flight this afternoon, but as I was coming in to land the flight battery ran out of juice, and I lost control about 10 feet up over a big patch of tall, soft grass. Kerplunk! No damage done, but no more flights. 

My mate Ian maidened his Ahi, and is in love. I took a couple photos with my crappy phone. Here is the best of them:

Don't know when we'll get another chance. Lockdown begins on Wednesday. Two weeks, they say. But they are politicians, and they are not to be trusted. Anyway, at least Buddy got a good outing (which he sorely needed), and there were even a few strangers around for him to go and chat with. Hopefully he will handle the coming incarceration without too much distress.

Now. To go persuade Jim to get his Ahi ready for the next time we go out...

 

[Netfoot]

So, what's been happening? Nothing. At least, nothing good.

Total cases now 1,947 with 21 dead and 1,578 recovered. Active cases (339) at 605% of maximum during last years lockdown. With 7 dead, we went for 9 months with no additional deaths. Then, in the space of three weeks, we tripled the death-toll to 21. It's day 12 of the lockdown, with only 4 more to go. Except everybody expects the PM to announce an extension withing the next day or so...

I, of course, have broken the lockdown three times, this week alone!

Monday I went to see one of my doctors who was pleased to confirm that stopping the steroids has not had any negative effect. Then to my delighted surprise, he cut my immunosuppressants by 25%! 

Tuesday, I went for a weigh-in and a blood draw. Forgot to ask what it was exactly, but if my memory is correct, weight loss is now 50 lbs! Result! Unfortunately, the phials needed to draw the blood has all expired, so that had to be put off until today. Which was OK, since Dr. Kristi said she wanted to give me a checkup today so I was returning anyhow. Then pharmacy and supermarket. There was a long line to get into the supermarket. Then another long line to get into the pharmacy to drop off my new prescriptions. Then an incredibly long line to get into the vegetables department, another long line to get back into the pharmacy to puck pick up the meds, and another long line to get to a cashier. So, five long lines just to do business at one location! Naturally, they didn't have any Digoxin because it was unavailable at any pharmacy for the last two times I tried to purchase it (out of stock at the agent) and I've been buying off-prescription, on the black market. Tuesday, the black market source had also dried up. 

Today, I had my checkup and they drew blood with new phials. Dr. Kristi who (she is awesome) was then able to locate the Digoxin I needed. Good thing too, because I took my last one last night! I asked Dr. K. if she would like to invite our members to come for a consultation to check our hand/eye coordination at the cliff on Sunday afternoon. She was still chortling when I left.

Unfortunately, the Digoxin pharmacy was located up near Six Roads, so buddy and I had to take a long drive. Fortunately, Six Roads is not at all far from our clubhouse! So I got temporarily lost, and we inadvertently ended up paying the place a flying visit. Uh, not actually a flying visit in the literal sense, but a flying visit in the ordinary sense. The place is going back to the bush. 

The grass in the parking area and the pits and the field are all so tall you can hardly tell one from the other. The log barrier and the benches are almost invisible.

Another week and the clubhouse will be covered in the vines. I really wanted to jump on the lawn mower, but my friend suggested (via WhatsApp) that I should return to lockdown before I found myself in the lockup! 

Anyway, Bud had 5 minutes to run around and blow off some steam, and I picked a handful of duncs which I ate in the car on the way home.

My new yellow Sonic has not seen the light of day for a while, due to high winds (gliding weather) and now lockdown. If you are so inclined, you can go look at some brief videos of the beast that were taken during the early flight attempts. (Warning: Some blueish language may be overheard from the buncha yobbos who are my fellow club members.)

This is the first takeoff attempt, and you can see that the aircraft just doesn't want to get into the air. You can also hear people suggestions being made to increase the throws.

The second video shows the machine finally getting into the air. Notice how skittish she is as she comes off the ground? This would be explained by my having increased the throws to get her off in the first place.

Finally, here she is returning to earth. It was a hot one, I'll admit, but I did grease it on to the strip at the end.

As I'm sure I have mentioned before, I believe I have solved the takeoff problem by changing the size of the nosewheel. Also, by reducing the throws back where they belong should correct the overly twitchy behaviour in the air. The corrections have been made, but no chance to test them out yet.

I'm supposed to go to the hygienist on Monday, but after breaking lockdown three times already, I think I will skip this. Particularly since this visit involves Peggy sticking her actual hands into my actual mouth! Not an ideal situation in a pandemic. Sorry, Peggy, but no Valentine's candy for you! I gave Dr. K. her usual Valentine's gift today: Hershey's Kisses. I always use a novel container and say "You'll never guess what's in here!" Today's container was an Origami box I spotted on YouTube. Except I increased the paper squares from 15cm to 21.5cm (8½") so I could give her more kisses!

So, Budweiser and I are back inside. Dunno when we will get out again.

Oh! Almost forgot to mention. If you missed me for a short while, it was because I was suspended for using the P-word, and discussing "current police procedures" on the forum for The Rookie. No, I am not kidding. I'd tell you what the P-word is... except I'd get suspended again.

Edited February 13, 2021 by Netfoot

[Spunkygal]

@Netfoot, I was wondering where you were! Please PM me with your suspension story. 

I don’t think you’ve mentioned when the vaccine might be available in your area? Hopefully soon!

[Netfoot]

2 hours ago, Spunkygal said:

I don’t think you’ve mentioned when the vaccine might be available in your area? Hopefully soon!

I don't know. I doubt it will get here while it remains a P-word football elsewhere. And one thing that concerns me is that the condition I have precludes me from using a huge selection of drugs! For example, I can not take hydroxychloroquine or azithromycin, medications recently in the news. As well as a three-page list of drug families I can't use. (Beta blockers is one group that I am not allowed to have, plus a great many pain killers and anasthetics. Which is why the surgery last year - and the recovery from same - was so much fun!) So who knows if I will be able to take it, if and when it becomes available? I was to ask Dr. Sean on Monday but forgot. He might not even know himself.

My great fear is that eventually, the vaccine will become mandated for return to normal life, and I will be barred from taking it!

One thing I didn't say in my earlier post is that Digoxin is a life-critical medication for many people. How can the local agent for a life-critical medication run out of the stuff, and rather than ship in a batch in 2 days by FedEx, decide to make patients wait for three months while they save a few buckeroos shipping it in by two masted schooner?

Oh crap! I nearly died a second ago! Something grabbed me by the back of my neck... but it turned out to be Jiminy Cricket !!

Edited February 13, 2021 by Netfoot

[Netfoot]

Lockdown extended until midnight, 28th February. Unless additional extensions occur...

[Netfoot]

I could kill for a good cheeseburger. And even if I was willing to break lockdown, I wouldn't be able to find anybody selling one. I'm trying to maintain some semblance of my weight-loss programme but it's difficult to eat keto when the only stuff left in the house is long shelf life, high-carb stuff. Like rice, pasta, dried beans and peas, powdered mashed potatoes and the like. I also have some sweet potatoes and some pumpkin, but that stuff ain't exactly low-carb either.  I made a pot of soup with pumpkin, sweet potato, cabbage, onion and carrots. Took the lid off the pot,  sniffed the soup, and immediately put on 5 lbs. And I have a weigh-in in 4 days, which will inevitably record an increase in weight over last time.

Weather remains good. We have had nice, sunny, cotton-wool speckled blue skies and very few showers. The wind has been high but that suits me and the guys at the club. It has been a bit chilly at night. Yes, I know it sounds silly to say the nights are chilly when the temperature never falls below 23°C / 73°F but it all depends what you are accustomed to. I feel like a fool wrapping myself in a sheet and hoping Buddy will come snuggle up against my back, when there are millions who've been suffering from power outages and deep snow. But brrrr! 

I've been watching movies and reading, and surfing the net. And trying to cook & eat healthy, but not succeeding. I can go to the supermarket and buy more fresh vegetables, but in order to do that I have to expose myself to people. And the repeated demands to line up for this, line up for that, only leaves me out in public and exposed for longer. So, I do my best to make do with what is in the house until I have to go out.

Buddy is well. He suffers with cabin fever worse than I do. He is constantly begging for food and is getting portly. But he is dying to get out and stretch his legs.

Anyway, struggling to get the pounds off before the next weigh-day while forced to eat starchy food. I suppose it could be worse...

 

[Spunkygal]

@Netfoot, does your supermarket have the option to place an order ahead of time in an effort to limit exposure to others? Really, if they don’t offer this, they should—especially for folks who have to be super careful. Someone should be making noise about this. Or is there a friend or neighbor who can pick up the leafy greens and proteins for you when they go shopping? You’ve done so well with the weight loss that I hate to see you take a step back by relying on too many of the wrong things. I haven’t had too many fresh veggies this week, thanks to three days of no power, but the grocery delivery trucks are slowly getting here to stock the stores now that it’s thawing and power is being restored. I am dying for a huge spinach salad. 

 

[Netfoot]

Very pleased to hear things are returning to normal, @Spunkygal!

I believe that at the supermarket I use, you can call in an order and have staff pick and pack it for collection. Personally, I don't like the idea. I never really know what I'm going to buy until I get there, and look at what is available today, and what the quality of differing options are. So, without being there in person, I wouldn't know what to order. And I can't shake the feeling that when I pick my produce, meat, etc, I pick the best looking specimens, whereas if a market staffer is selecting, they will select the pieces they feel they will otherwise have difficulty selling. The not-so good stuff.

Of course, I should accept that as a part of the price I pay for not having to go out. But I still prefer to go and select for my self.

I go to the doctor every two weeks for a weight check (and sometimes other things as well). While out of the house I shop for fresh. Last time I went was the 9th and the vegetable section had been thoroughly picked over before I got there. I got a few things but there wasn't that much that appealed. So in fact, it's now over 3 weeks since I had a good shopping day. This Tuesday, after the weigh-in, I'll try again and hopefully, there will be a good selection of appealing vegetables to choose from.

Don't worry -- I'm just bitching about life!

In my last post I said I could kill for a cheeseburger. Lockdown or no, I wouldn't go out and buy one. Or a pizza, etc. My mouth is just springing at the thought of those things! I spend far too much time on YT, watching Scrumdiddlyumptious videos, and others of the same ilk, that's the problem!

But I gotta say, no matter how bad things get, I doubt I'll ever dream of eating a spinach salad! I might eat a spinach salad, but I'll be dreaming about a Ridiculous Pizza the whole time!

[Netfoot]

Weigh-day. Went to Dr. Kristi's place and... Buddy escaped the car and ran away, the little rascal! I was able to catch him in about two minutes, but it was a very strenuous two minutes! Down another pound, making 51 total. But see later.

Then PriceSmart for tomatos and onions, beef stew and chicken breasts, EVOO, mayo, etc, plus peanuts for Buddy's midnight snacks. Oh, and a dozen cans of food for him, too.

Then the supermarket where I bought peppers, shallots, pumpkin, cucumbers, plantains, zucchini, plus a few other items. Also a handful of new potatoes and some bread. (Yes, I know, please don't hit me.) Various things not available, including Sprite Zeros, Angostura Bitters, Stilton, coleslaw and vegetable stirfry packets.

Came home and cooked a real meal for lunch, then did the same for dinner. Just weighed, and I've put on six pounds in a single day. <¡sigh!>

I'll tell you a funny thing about woke hypocrites. They won't let you mention the origin of the virus, but you can mention the origin of the new variant.

Lockdown supposedly ends on Sunday, but it's been extended once, and it can be again. The numbers are now as follows:

• Total = 2,852 
• Deaths = 31
• Recovered = 2,063
• Active = 758
• Comparison = 1,353% (of the 2020 lockdown maximum)

I'm in for the next 14 days, when I go back to Dr. K. and I will probably need to get some fresh veggies by then, too. Although, if there isn't an extension, I have a lot of grass to cut...

[Netfoot]

It is day #25 of Phase #4 of Lockdown #2, which ends tomorrow at midnight! Unfortunately, Phase #5 starts at one minute past. 😕  Actually, I don't think anybody is surprised. The death toll is up to 33, with very close to 700 active cases still.

Phase #4 maintains a 7 PM to 6 AM curfew and requires everyone to stay at home during the day unless working at, or utilizing one of a short list of services. Phase #5 extends that list with a dozen or so permitted activities. Things like roadside vending, hardware and computer stores, automotive repairs, fish and vegetable markets, and so forth. Bars are not open but rum shops are. However, if you go to the rum shop you can purchase your goods and leave, but you can't stick around and slap some doms. Same as restaurants. Drive-thru, curbside, or delivery, but no eat-in.

One item I've been hoping for and was pleased to see is now allowed: Landscaping & Gardening! I interpret this to mean I can go and try cutting the grass at the field, which is probably up to my eyebrows by now. I recently posted some photos of the bush growing up and that was 15 days ago! Anyway, I will go and see if our trusty mower can handle it. And young Budweiser will come and assist, which is a good thing because the cabin fever is strong in that one!

Not much more going on. I'm afraid. Which isn't surprising, I suppose, under the circumstances. Watching movies and TV episodes, playing games, surfing, reading, eating, sleeping....

[Netfoot]

I've been using a pair of cheap reading glasses (because I can't afford to replace my old specs that fell apart) but Saturday night they exploded. The frame cracked in four places and a lens fell out onto the floor. I tried to put it back together with superglue, but trying to fix your glasses without glasses to see with, is never a formula for success. So I got CA all over one lens. Anyway, thankfully today is Day #1 of Phase #5 of Lockdown #2, and I was able to get a new pair from the optician right next door to Dr. Kristi. $35 buckettes.

Got them on the way to the club! After 26 days incarcerated, Buddy got to enjoy a long drive, and freedom for several hours! Earlier photo showed how bad it was... only worse because those photos were from 18 days ago. Bud got a quick sniff then, but less than 5 minutes, so I'm not counting that as a genuine outing.

There was a brief discussion between a couple members who came along, and it was suggested we pay someone to cut it back to normal. I thought before we spent the money, we should see if out lawnmower could handle it! Rather than spend money on something we can do ourselves, I prefer to save the money so we can afford to pay for things we can't do. So we found some idiot...

...to sit on the mower for 1:45 cutting the grass, using a 43" deck and stepping over less than a foot. Our mower did the job. Not terribly well, but I've seen the field open for business with a worse cut than that, and I could easily fly off that strip. (I didn't fit extra-large wheels to 'Jennifer' for nothing!) When the strip and apron/pitts were cut, and I was taking a breather and a drink, the egrets came over to help with the worms and other critters.

There were more than this but as soon as you move a muscle to point a camera at them, most of them take to the wing and depart. Anyway, after a rest to wet my whistle and let the mower cool a bit, it was the turn of the parking lot. Here is one more shot of the parking lot partially cleared, with a cameo appearance by the sweetest, wickedest puppy in creation:

He looks like he's smiling! Anyway, the plan is to cut it normally on Sunday, and then we can start flying again. (Indoor & outdoor non-contact sports are allowed in Phase #5!) Mean time, I am combing half a haystack out of my beard and contemplating a long hot shower. There is a short video (15 secs. or so) showing me cutting, and a cloud of dust and grass following me like an over-friendly mini-tornado. Budweiser makes a cameo in there too, but I don't think I can post videos here, so I won't try. If anybody really wants to see it, ask and I will arrange a link of some sort.

Tomorrow, first Tuesday of the month, is Book-tent day! I will pop down and see if they are operating. (They weren't, on the first Tuesday in February...) Those ladies are Buddy's special friends, and he often gives a little donation for The Ark. Buddy is an Ark graduate, and we always try to do something for them, even if it is only buy a few books from the tent. I doubt they will be there, but I need Angostura and Sprite Zeros bad! So, I'll pop down, and if they are there, well...

Mean time, it's well past 8:00PM and I have not eaten anything for the entire day (other than 24 tablets) so I'm going to throw some sausages in the microwave to defrost while I wash much of St. Philip out of my hair!

 

Edited March 2, 2021 by Netfoot

[Netfoot]

No tent. So poor buddy has to wait another month before he will (possibly) get to see his favourite ladies from The Ark again.

On the other hand, there were Sprite Zeros and Angostura on the shelves for the first time in about 6 weeks! I bought 30 bottles of one and 2 bottles of the other.

You Trinis: Start selling Angostura in bigger bottles!

P.S.: Now about to dream of a Ridiculous Pizza (while eating a damned salad).

Edited March 2, 2021 by Netfoot

[Netfoot]

Got the 1st shot of the vaccine for Amoria Phlebitis this afternoon!

Saw Dr. Sean today, who reduced my immune-suppressants by another 25%, to ½ the original. Discussed taking the vaccine with him, as suggested by Dr. Kristi. He urged me to proceed. When I got home I messaged Dr. K. and she called me back to say "Get in your car and come now!" 20 minutes later, and I got jabbed by one of the doctors there. (I think she used a 10-penny nail. Here's hoping Dr. K. gives me the 2nd shot herself, because she is magic with a needle.) Anyway, it's done. She told me to take 2x Panadol every 6 hours, but I feel just fine. So far, at least... The reason she wanted me to come immediately (which I found out later, from another source) is because they are stopping the vaccinations from tonight, because they have run out of the vaccine!

Was back on the lawnmower yesterday, re-cutting the field. It went much faster, since it was only as long as it normally is when it needs cutting (and not over a foot tall like before). I also took time to direct the mower in such a way as to use it as a giant leaf blower, removing all the freshly (and previously) cut grass from the strip. You have to start in the middle and work outwards, blowing all the cuttings towards the edge as you go. Was tired and achy-painy afterwards, with masses of grass clippings and plain ole dirt in hair, beard, ears and probably other places as well. Yet had difficulty getting off to sleep last night...

Weigh-day tomorrow. Hoping to gain by at least a pound or two. Uh... by 'gain' I mean 'gain more lost weight'. Anyway, toward that end I've been on soup since Friday evening. And nothing today other than liquids. My soup consisted of broccoli (especially the hard stems I cut off when preparing it other ways - I keep them), onions, de-seeded cucumbers, white cabbage (again, especially the hard bits in the center), and some green jalapenos that had seen better days, but with the seeds removed. I boiled this lot in chicken stock until soft and then blended the bejezus out of it and put it back in the pot. To this green, pukey looking mess I added some roll-chopped baby carrots, some red and orange sweet peppers, some more broccoli, onion, and some red cabbage. Oh, and some diced chicken breasts. Salt & pepper, of course, and some Cayenne and garlic powder. Forgot to add the dollop of Delish Bajan seasoning I would normally have put in. It didn't taste too bad! But not as tasty as corned beef, which I think I will use from now on, unless I decide to use salt kine instead. And oh boy! Wouldn't some lentil peas and some dumplings go great in there? And some channa? And some breadfruit or even just plain English potato? Or sweet potato? Or yam? Or all of the above? (I own an 8¼ gallon soup pot for when making a big sancoche. Not used it in a while...)

So Dr. Kristi and her scale tomorrow, and Dr. Karen on Thursday.....

And from tomorrow, three wonderful days of bread, and pasta and rice and all that good stuff.....

 

Edited March 9, 2021 by Netfoot

[Netfoot]

Woke up feeling like crap. As is normal, except worse. Or maybe the vaccine was bubbling away noisily, inside me?

Went to see Dr. Kristi. Down 2 lbs. Total is 53 lbs down. Was hoping for more, but you take what you get.

Spent a large part of the day in bed playing silly games on the tablet. And occasionally napping. Will go and get back into bed shortly, but my meds are in 11 minutes, and I'm watching one of those rubbishy comic-book movies that Hollywood seem to think are so great. Captain Someone having it out with Whoever-Man and The Zoo-Animal. Sure makes a change from William Wyler & Charlton Heston's "Ben-Hur", David Lean & Peter O'Toole's "Lawrence of Arabia" and Victor Fleming & Clark Gable's "Gone with the Wind". Hollywood must be so proud of how far they've come!

Here I sit, locked away with nothing to do, and a BitTorrent client. Anybody care to suggest a few of their favourite movies?

 

[KlutzyCobbler]

Not sure if any of these will appeal to you but I enjoy them.  I am also watching The Amazing Race Australia 2021 on Youtube.

Home Alone 1 and 2 [Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, John Heard, Catherine O'Hara]

The Shawshank Redemption [Morgan Freeman, Tim Robbins, Bob Gunton, Clancy Brown]

Fargo [1996] Frances McDormand, Harve Presnell, Peter Stormare, Steve Buscemi, William H. Macy

Return from the Ashes [Ingrid Thulin, Maximilian Schell, Samantha Eggar, Herbert Lom]

Reservoir Dogs [Michael Madsen, Steve Buscemi, Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth]

Diner [Steve Guttenberg, Michael Tucker, Daniel Stern, Ellen Barkin, Kevin Bacon, Mickey Rourke, Paul Reiser]

[Netfoot]

Thank you for your suggestions, @KlutzyCobbler.

I'll have a look and see!

Hurting everywhere this morning, even my fingers and toes. Gonna have two Panadol for breakfast...

[Spunkygal]

On 3/10/2021 at 6:08 AM, Netfoot said:

Thank you for your suggestions, @KlutzyCobbler.

I'll have a look and see!

Hurting everywhere this morning, even my fingers and toes. Gonna have two Panadol for breakfast...

Hope you’re feeling better today! I get my first shot on Tuesday. Already anticipating that Wednesday will be a slug of a day to recover. I like your soup idea. Think I’ll make a pot ahead of time since I probably won’t feel like cooking after the jab. Congrats on the 53 lbs! Celebrate every ounce!

[Netfoot]

9 hours ago, Spunkygal said:

Celebrate every ounce!

But not with cake!

[Netfoot]

Well, there goes the old duncs tree. 

But don't worry, it will spring back. The season is over, and by Christmas it will have grown back enough to give us a nice crop. We know this, because we've cut it back before! That is the best duncs tree in the island. It produces lots of duncs, they are big, they taste great, and the season is long. I enjoy picking a handful and eating them when the tree is bearing. I don't generally eat them from any other source. That tree has spoiled me.....

One thing - The tree is covered in thorns. You don't prune a duncs tree and dispose of the cuttings and go uninjured. My injuries were on the underside of my right arm, and there was blood. Warfarin, whaddya expect? But good news! some tests to be made, and if all goes well, I may be off the warfarin before long! (If tests don't go well, I'm on the stuff for life!)

We've been working on the site, trying to recover from the deterioration brought about by neglect due to foot & mouth disease. (Speaking of which: 210 active cases, much improved in the last few weeks!) Much bush clearing, yet even so, just a start. We want to take control of the cleared areas before clearing any more. But work has begun and things look good.

The vaccine wasn't kind - I had a miserable week, but pretty much back to normal now. We will see how it goes.

Phase #6 begins at midnight but as far as I can tell, there is no substantive change from my point of view. Curfew will begin at 9:00PM instead of 7:00PM, more people allowed in churches, on public transport, more businesses allowed to open, etc. We wanted to hold a fun-fly (planes, rum, BBQ, chostles). We can fly (indoor and outdoor non-contact sports) but if we open a cooler of beers and throw a pig on the barbie, we get the cops on our case in quick time. (But I want to know: If we are working - like today - can the workers not have a meal and something to drink?)

Anyway, Buddy is barking, and a friend is sending me WhatsApp messages, photos and voice-messages every 90 seconds so I'd better go and try to find out what has crawled up his butt.....

 

 

 

[Spunkygal]

I had to google duncs tree and what an amazing specimen it is!

https://www.barbadospocketguide.com/our-island-barbados/plants/trees-fruit/dunks-tree.html

 

[Netfoot]

13 hours ago, Spunkygal said:

I had to google duncs tree and what an amazing specimen it is!

https://www.barbadospocketguide.com/our-island-barbados/plants/trees-fruit/dunks-tree.html

It is spelt with a C or a K, and I've always used a C but K is also very common.

I've posted photos before of fruit on the tree, or held in my hand. As the fruit ripens, it progresses from green through yellow to a reddish brown. Some prefer the fruit when it has reached that reddish brown stage, but I find they develop a 'gamey' taste by then. I prefer them when they are greenish-yellow, yellow, or just beginning to develop that orangy brown colour. They then have a nice tart, sweet taste, and the skin goes pop when your teeth bite into the fruit, and the flesh has a bit of crunchiness to it, like an apple. As they go brown they get softer and mushier and develop that 'gamey' taste that I don't like. Many people say I am missing the best fruit, but they are wrong, and there are many people who agree with me too. It's just a matter of taste, and some like it one way and others like it the other.

Hell of a day. Phone died at 2:00AM last night and the repair/replace under guarantee will take up to 30 days. So, I had to buy a new one (cheap Samsung). Restored everything from backups, restarted WhatsApp to find an absolute storm had brewed up in the club forum over a suggestion to install security cameras.

So now I have a phone to tweak into shape, it's after 1:00PM and I haven't had so much as a biscuit for the day, and my new aeroplanes (low-wing versions of 'Jennifer') which were released by customs last week Wednesday still are not ready for collection!

And day still not done!

ETA: Like I said, Day not done. I just learned that an old friend of mine died unexpectedly yesterday. I used to dance with her at Yacht Club Fetes when we were teens. That is before she started going out with a best mate of mine from school, who she eventually married. 

Day still not done...

Edited March 15, 2021 by Netfoot