Well, this week flew by; I can’t believe its Friday already. A number of things happened and the number one event is Sara started crawling early in the week and Alison said “she is fast and going everywhere.” I also had a problem with my hearing aids and had the receiver wires replaced with longer wires. It helped very much with the left one slipping out and the aids feel much better, but the left one still slips out and the open dome was replaced with a “tulip” dome, it fits much better, but having the tulip domes on both aids creates an occlusion effect that drives me nuts, so I replaced the tulip with the open on the right side. I may go back to the tulip after I become accustomed to the occlusion on the left. I also hear much better with the tulip domes because the receiver is much closer to my ear drum and is deeper in the canal.

Finished Blood Trail, very good.

Quiet weekend after working late Friday.

Worked late at the big box place again Friday night, it’s been my week for OT.

Didn’t do much Saturday other than the usual routine, breakfast, and library. Did pick up two books I had on hold; Blood Trail by C.J. Box and The Reapers by John Connolly. I have started Blood Trail and so far its on par with the other books by Mr. Box, which means it's great.

I didn’t do much Sunday either, although I did conquer a few worlds in Super Mario Galaxy. Sharon and I met our friends Jill & ET at Kani House, Japanese fare, the food and company were great.

Worked late.

Received a call at the big box place and worked until 3:15 or so, arrived home at 4AM. I tried to get some sleep, but it’s tough to go to sleep so late and sleep for such a little time. It kills me the next day, but although it is an unfortunate aspect of my job I just have to deal with it, but I don’t like it.

Game six, 18 holes, and 60K

Got up early Sunday, Father’s Day, and went to Hammer’s Glen to play golf. My son-in-law, Chad, was working and I was able to play at a reduced rate. I started on the back nine and then played the front; it was the first time I have played 18 holes. Chad also showed me a new grip that I like and I believe I was able to consistently hit the ball straighter.

After the game was over I followed Chad to his house and Alison, Chad, Sharon, and I had lunch. I was able to hold Sara (my granddaughter) for a while, but she was fussy due to the residual effects of a virus and she had a rash that resembled measles. But, it’s always a thrill to see her and her mother of course.

On the way home I hit 60K miles on my car. Called my Dad when I got home.

Bad parts, bad traffic, and bad people

I had to cover a call started by a co-worker the day before, since the co-worker started a training class, and I discovered another problem with the tape drive other than the original problem that was described to me. I rescheduled service for the next day since it’s late and I don’t have soldering iron that I need to repair the new (original?) problem. Who carries a soldering iron anymore? I haven’t used one in years. On the way to lunch, at 3:15PM, I received another call and had to respond, missing lunch. After troubleshooting the problem, on yet another tape drive, I isolated the problem to a particular part, no problem since there is a spare at the warehouse, which is just a short drive away. I went to the warehouse to pick up the spare part and I then returned to the customer site and installed the spare only to discover that part was DOA (bad parts). I called the after-hours logistics person who was stuck in traffic due to an accident and he couldn’t get home to connect his laptop and locate another replacement part (bad traffic). The after-hours logistics person finally gets home and he located the spare at a storage facility near the airport and made arrangements for me to pick up the part. On the way to the warehouse the dispatcher called my cell to tell me the part would be at the office and not the warehouse due to a manpower shortage and assured me the part would be at the office by the time I arrive because “the driver is there now picking up the part.” I arrive at the office to find out the courier hasn’t arrived and is running “late” even though the distance between the depot and the office is less than ten miles and I drove almost 50 miles. I had to wait on the driver for 18-20 minutes (bad people). Finally I get the part and drive back to the site only to discover the operator has manually loaded a tape and is running a backup job that will run for another 25-30 minutes and he started the job knowing full well I had to power the tape drive off to replace the part I went to retrieve. So, once again I have to sit and wait (bad people). Finally I get the drive replace the part, which takes a mere ten minutes, give the drive back to the customer, watch two jobs run and I leave to head home. Two miles north on 141 I hit bad traffic because of a lane closure due to road construction, bad traffic at 9:30PM no less, so I turn around and take a different route home and finally get home just after 10PM tired and very hungry. What a day, it’s as though it were Friday the 13^th instead of Thursday the 12^th.

More nothing.

Left Tallahassee at 10:10 yesterday and headed home; made one quick bathroom stop on I75, didn’t stop for more than three minutes, and kept going and I got home in a reasonable amount of time, just under five hours. The dogs were happy to see me and I was glad to be home.

A whole lot of nothing

Did a lot of nothing today. Did some pre-packing in preparation of leaving tomorrow. I also spoke with my replacement and scheduled to meet at 8:30 to make a transition with the customer so I can leave. I also went to the mall and purchased Sharon a gift and topped of the tank ($4.05 at Costco), so tomorrow I can make the badge swap with the customer, change into driving clothes and hit the road.

Game five

Played golf again today and again did OK. I made par on 5 and was happy about that, but I hit into the sand on hole 6 and couldn’t get out. I was close to the edge nearest the green and couldn’t get over the lip around the sand trap and onto the green; had a few too many shots. I did have some good shots from the tee, and some bad ones, The starter put me with another player named Michael, a light skinned black guy with big silver rimmed glasses and dressed in Nike shoes, hat, and shirt, my height, my age, balding (like me) and a really nice guy. He wasn’t keeping score, but he beat me, and he has been playing for ten years and plays that course at least once a month, though he didn’t beat me by much, so all-in-all I felt good that I have only played for two weeks and today made five nine hole games I have played and I kept up with Michael pretty well.

My hands are sore though, from playing and hitting so much I guess. I think I need larger grips.

Hot again. Two nights and a wake up and I am homeward bound.

A large bucket and a haircut

I hit a large bucket today at Hilaman and did OK. I figured out I do better when I relax, swing easy, and not try to crush the ball. Trying to swing hard doesn’t seem to be the answer. I was trying to kill the ball and I’m learning the club isn’t a sledgehammer. I may play at Cross Creek tomorrow and I think I’ll go early; the heat in Tallahassee is brutal.

Got a haircut this afternoon; nice and short, although it isn’t as though I have a lot left anyway.

Driving in Tallahassee is ...odd. I have never been a city where people just pull out into traffic and so many drivers do it and from so many places, parking lots, side streets, right-on-red, it’s as though it’s taught in Driver’s ED.

Just three nights left and I’m so ready to get home.

External DVD

Yesterday I had to go onsite and copy some data for one of the support people and in order to do so I had to purchase an external CD burner and an external floppy, although the CD burner is a DVD burner.

The day before when I went onsite to repair the tape drive I went through a mild state of panic because I though I misplaced my hearing aids. Or hearing instruments or what ever the buzz word is these days. I did read on the web earlier this week that a company has labeled them as PHA (Personal Hearing Assistant); hearing aid is fine for me. Anyway I removed the aids when I arrived at the golf course because I sweat a bit and I didn’t want to get the HAs wet and upon arriving onsite I couldn’t find them in my backpack or in the car. But, I finally found the case/holder on the Euro-shelf. First time I had put them there.

Other than copying the data nothing much happened yesterday. Woke up tired and took a nap when I returned to the room, ordered out from Outback.

Golf and a tape drive

Played golf again today and didn’t do well at all. While I was playing the first hole I received a call and had to go work on a tape drive. The clubhouse manager allowed me to suspend the game and continue when I returned. My hands are sore, especially the right one, from gripping the club. I had some good long shots, but alas to the right. Even though I took yesterday off may be playing too much. It’s hot here returning from supper, sushi, at 8:20 it was 97. My friend Donna would love the A\C work here.

New socks!

After a long and frustrating search I believe I have found replacement sport socks for the Pearl Izumi socks that are no longer made. I have tried many different brands and most of the blended fabric socks are to hot for me. I bought Gold Toe socks that are 832% cotton and also thin and they appear to be great. I realize socks aren’t a major issue for most people, but I have been searching for comfortable socks for awhile.

Nothing much happening in Tallahassee today on the way to eat supper (Ruby Tuesday) Harry James, contact at the State of Florida, passed me honked and waved. Hot again. Took a golf day off, plan to play tomorrow and am looking forward to it.

6/3/08

The daily tally in Tally is eight. Played golf for again, this time, at Jake Gaither public course in Tallahassee and again I did just OK. But, it was only my third game. Although I may have figured out why I was hitting to the left, albeit straight shots, they were headed left of where I wanted the shots to go. I believe I was actually facing left.

On the second hole I hit two balls hard right into some trees, I didn’t even bother to look for either ball. The third shot, with a three wood, I hit straight down the fairway and I believe it was the longest ball I have hit.

I did really well on 8. I hit a three wood off the tee and landed on the green with the tee shot (I loved that) then my second putt went around the rim and out of the cup. I finished with four, one over par.

On nine they second shot I hit landed on the green, but on the wrong hole. I saw a flag over a hill and shot toward that hole, but it wasn’t nine. Otherwise it would have been a great shot. The flag was about the same distance from nine, but nine was further right and I didn’t see the flag for nine.

I had the car washed, so naturally it rained.

59,000 6/2/08

Day seven in Tallahassee. The rude, inconsiderate people across the hall and next door checked out today, which made for a great day indeed. Breakfast in the hotel, same boring fare, and then off to Hilaman to hit a large bucket of balls. Did OK. Lunch at Moe’s. 104 here today; 93 before noon.

On the way back to the hotel last night I hit 59K on the car.

Sunday 6/1/08

Day six in Tallahassee, day six of fourteen. I haven’t been here a week yet and it feels as though I have been here a month. I miss my bed, my dogs and my wife, though not in that order.

Went to breakfast at the Village Inn, tired of the breakfast at the Residence Inn since the only variation is whether or not there is food. The menu is the same every day, day after day after day. I wanted runny eggs and grits, so I went elsewhere to eat.

Off to Hilaman Park again to whack another bucket of balls, large bucket. Then I played nine holes for grins. I did OK I guess (32 over par of 36), but only my second game. I guess I won’t beat Tiger Woods this week. On two holes (7&9) I was only two over and on eight I was only one over. It’s already hot in Tallahassee, the temps have been in the 90s the last few days. Back to the hotel for a shower and a nap. My nap was shortened by some teens across the hall. They keep walking across the hall between two rooms and slamming the door, the door must have slammed 100 times in the last hour. I asked them once to stop as I was typing this.

Saturday 5/31/08

Breakfast, or what passed for breakfast, at the Residence Inn in Tallahassee. At 7:45 or so. There wasn’t much left because the breakfast area was full of a bunch pre-teen obnoxious, loud little food hogs. Ate some eggs and home fries and had some coffee and took off for my very first gold lesson.

Arrived at Hilaman Park for my golf lesson with Bill Zimmer. Mr. Zimmer walked and I walked to the range and he should me how to hold the club and I hit a bucket of balls with some success. I used a three, six, and eight iron. After the lesson was over we went back to the club house and Mr. Zimmer have me a seven iron that someone had left behind (my very first golf club) and another bucket of balls, so back to the range to hit the extra bucket and again with some success.

Back to the hotel, had a shower and a nap and I went shopping. Bought some badly needed sport socks. And then I went to the mall and bought two pair of kaki, kaki colored shorts. Then back to the hotel

6:30 or so Ed Winn, someone I met through Harry James (Harry is one of contacts at the state of Florida in Tallahassee), Ed also has a MINI Cooper Cabrio (CR/B ’05). Anyway Ed called and told me about a hot rod show at a What-A-Burger on Thomasville RD. Since I was just sitting in the hotel doing nothing I drove over to the show and I saw some very nice cars. A few were a 68-69 Cuda, a 68 Buick GS, 64 Ford Fairlane, and a few 40s and 50s Dodges, Fords and Cadillacs. Ed’s brother had a very, very nice 32 Ford Coupe (yellow fiberglass body and in great shape) he also said he didn’t do any of the work and had 60K invested (YIKES).

Supper at Lucy Ho’s. I thought the meals were expensive, but I believe I had the best Kon Pow Chicken I have ever had. I love Chinese food and if I have a choice of ethnic meals its Chinese for me and I have eaten in many Chinese restaurants in many cities and last night’s meal may have been the best. I’m sure I’ll visit Lucy Ho’s again.

Friday 5/30/08

Checked out golf courses in Tallahassee. Called to make arrangements for a lesson for tomorrow morning.

Thursday 5/29/08

I played golf, don’t know why or what possessed me to play, but I did. I played at Cross Creek golf course, a nine hole par three course, in Tallahassee. The course wasn’t great, although it suited my purposes just fine. It is the first time I have played since ’86 or ’87 during a DECSERVICE award weekend at Pine Isle. All in all it was fun, even though I really had no idea what I was doing. I started out with a walking and after the third hole I rented a cart since I knew I wasn’t going to finish the course on foot. I must say I enjoyed it and enough so hat I may take a lesson.