Scattered Thoughts . . .

W hile my thumb continues to heal (which is going well), I've been working on the seemingly never-ending process of setting up my new computer and sorting through all the photos and videos from our trip.   Each day, I install more software that I use regularly on the new computer.  Just setting up and updating Windows 11 required a couple of days then I needed to personalize the operating system to my tastes... which I'm still doing.  I have some new licenses to purchase for some of my software too so I still have a few more days of software setup to do.   I'm also waiting on another large hard drive to arrive too.  Since I have the room in the new hard drive enclosure, I decided to add a 22tb hard drive to store all my older archived photos so I will have easy access to all my photos.  Anyway, I've been busy with the new computer.  I can't do much with my thumb in its mangled condition so sitting around waiting for software to install seems ...

W e had some friends and Sheila's dad over yesterday to christen our new grill.  The weather was great and it was nice to catch up with some old friends that we haven't seen since before the pandemic. I started the day by preparing some shish-ka-bob skewers.  Cutting up five filet mignons, red onion, an assortment of peppers and fresh mushrooms was time consuming and a bit painful with my broken cut-off thumb.  Skewering everything took a bit longer and was bit more painful than anticipated too.  I left the potatoes and cherry tomatoes whole on their own skewers.   Usually, people assemble the skewers with all ingredients on each skewer so that each person can simply eat a whole skewer of grilled shish-ka-bob.  I don't like doing that though.  Each of these ingredients requires a different amount of time on the grill so I prefer to separate them by the amount of time required on the grill.  The meat and potatoes require the most time... ...

I 'm starting to do things around the house again.  Well...  still no woodworking but I'm doing more household chores. My thumb seems to be healing nicely and the pain has subsided a bit more.   What is interesting is that the thumb is healing in an upward direction, rebuilding what I had cut off.  That is really good news. It still hurts a bit especially if I use it or hit it against something (which happens a few times each day).  I've even started some physical therapy exercises very lightly to get it moving again and to build up some strength.  Typing is still a little difficult but I'm able to type far more quickly than a week ago. Writing has been difficult since I do that with my left hand.   Writing with my right hand has improved but I'm now able to hold a pen/pencil in an odd way with my left hand so I can write fairly well.  E ating has been difficult since I usually hold my fork with my left hand.  I'm still just as bad ...

S heila and I went to my primary care doctor this morning for a follow-up visit pertaining to my partially amputated left thumb.  The plan was to make sure there is no infection, make sure it is healing well and, if it is ready, start removing stitches. My doctor says that, considering the situation, my thumb is looking very good so that is good.  This means that Sheila and I did a good job of keeping it clean even though that was unbearably painful! After taking a close look at the wound, she decided that at least some of the stitches needed to come out today.  She was afraid that the skin would start healing around and over the stitches so they needed to come out.   Unfortunately, I still have some exposed nerves and the whole area is hyper-sensitive.  Removing the first couple of stitches was painful but 'tolerable'.  The next couple of stitches were unbearably painful though.  Just touching around the area was remarkably painful.  My whol...

M y current desktop computer which I primarily use for photography and videography is getting a bit long in the tooth.  Back when I purchased this computer, my cameras only recorded FullHD video...  shortly later, 4K became mainstream....  now 8K and even 12K is well on the way to becoming mainstream.  This desktop does fairly well with FullHD but it struggles with editing and producing 4K video.  8K and 12K video is simply out of the question. I've also been experiencing issues with the computer freezing especially when I'm pushing it with photography edits.  Then I recently learned that Microsoft is no longer supporting updates to Windows 10 after this coming October and, unfortunately, my computer isn't compatible with Windows 11 so I can't just upgrade to Windows 11.  Common sense was telling me that I need to either upgrade my current computer or start looking for a new one. For the past year or so, I've been struggling with the limitations of my ...

A bout a week ago, I really screwed up. For over six decades, I've been almost religiously and ridiculously protecting my hands and fingers at all cost because I am a classical pianist.  No matter what activity I was doing over all these six decades, protecting my hands and fingers was always foremost in my thoughts. For at least five decades, I've been a carpenter too so I've always been extra cautious around all tools especially power tools.  I've built homes and everything associated with homes and only suffered relatively minor injuries.   The worst injury to my hands (until last week) was a drywall injury.  I was cutting drywall in freezing temperatures...  work gloves on my hands...  and accidentally severed the top of my left thumb with the utility knife...  my gloved hand had my thumb placed on the steel straight edge, unfortunately, slightly over the straight edge and in the path of the cut..  I only cut part of the nail and some fle...

B ack in 2014, I had the very rare privilege of being honored in a ceremony at the US Air Force Museum, however, due to poor health, we missed that ceremony and all of the subsequent annual ceremonies as more names of airmen were added to this wall.  In fact, we haven't seen my name on this "Wall Of Honor" at the US Air Force Museum in person until just last week!   (The photo at right is from that ceremony in 2014 courtesy of the US Air Force Museum Foundation.) Two of our grandchildren, Lukey and Kenzie, were with us during this visit last week but they were unaware of what they would find at this national museum.  They simply thought they would see a lot of airplanes at this immense museum.   As we approached this wall, I pointed out the name of the wall explaining that the names on this wall are the names of airmen who have been honored here at the museum with a "Data Plate" in their name and a brief biography written online.  Then we slowly walked...

Y esterday was haircut day for Lukey and Kenzie.   Kenzie went to Sheila's stylist to get her hair done while Lukey stayed with me so I could cut his hair. I had planned a slightly different haircut for Lukey   (far more up top than I did here)  but his hair was too short already which forced a few changes during the haircut.  All in all, it came out well anyway. I wanted a fade to zero on the sides and back but my shaver isn't the best quality so I really couldn't go to zero.  I'd say this is a fade to half... Sheila's hair stylist did a good job on Kenzie's hair.  She had quite a bit of length cut off... Today is packing day.  I think everyone else packed this morning so I'm the only one left who needs to pack.  My stuff will be a very tight fit.  I have a lot of medications to pack.  Actually, the medications will require almost an entire bag on its own.  I also have quite a bit of photography gear, chargers, cables, laptop ...

O ur outdoor shower project is coming along slowly but surely.  I am almost finished at this point.  I only have some touch-ups to do and some finishing touches.  I definitely wish this project moved along much more quickly though! As you can see in this first photo, I have stained all of the wood and added a roof and lighting.  Don't mind the rest of the back of the house.  That room just beyond the outdoor shower will be our last big project, inside and out.  There will be a set of French doors and a window and then I will add siding the match the rest of the house.  In the meantime, this outdoor shower is looking good and is helping to block that view of the one unfinished corner of the house.     Inside, this shower enclosure is rather spacious!  Actually, this is quite a bit nicer than our current bathroom! These two shelves were added yesterday... I installed the bench this morning... The wet area under this bench was from whe...