John's Blog

Keeping you in a the loop.

Weather-wise, folks are saying the hot weather is done for the year. A very rainy, noisy cold front was supposed to pass overhead yesterday, we got very little of the former and none of the latter.
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But the forecasters got the temps right. It’s cool as a cucumber out there as I type this. I waited on mowing lawns until that front came through *taps temple with forefinger*.
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At the end of the last update I mentioned kayaking the entire length of Pool 16 (the section of the Mississippi between Lock 15 in the Quad Cities and Lock 16 in Muscatine) in one day. Well, I mentioned that at coffee late last week and Bob the retired editor and former mountain climber, geographer, and University teacher convinced me that I would need a guide if I were to attempt such a feat. I agreed.
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With cooler temps and calm air, there’s no tile like the present and tomorrow looks good.
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I ordered a marine radio late Friday night, it should arrive today. I’ll read the manual and charge it overnight. Marine radio is the best way to lock through (alternatives are pull cords and old fashioned land line telephones and (dare I say) call an automated machine on cell.)
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Marine radio is handy in case of emergency. We should always be in range of someone on our trip, both sides of the river are dotted with marinas and small towns. Actually, I should have had a marine radio with me the first time I put in on the Mississippi.
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Change of subject. I finished the wiring late yesterday afternoon, I’ll be post an article or two on that as soon as I get a round tuit.
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Kyle and Sami drove to Chicago on Friday, returned late yesterday afternoon. We had their three doggos while they were gone. Six dogs in the house is a lot. While they were collecting their herd Kyle said he’d stop over today to start working the laser printers. He’ll bring Titania the Bernese Mountain Dog Extraordinaire.
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Kim has decided to start book-making. Noooo… not like for betting. Making real books with pages and hard covers and everything. She’s done that sort of thing before, turning out a few rather nice books. This time the books would be for sale.
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That’s it for now. Cheers.
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Oh. Before I go. One of the big retail stores has their early Christmas stuff in the aisles right next to the Halloween displays. Not a Thanksgiving turkey or pilgrim anywhere in sight, so we must be skipping that holiday this year. If they’re in that much of a hurry to get Halloween behind us I better post this ad from 1916 before it’s too late.
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From the tilt of her head to the death grip she has on that spoon to the splayed fingers on her other hand, I hope she’s not going to live rent free in my dreams.