I'm planning a vacation for sometime in April to see my brother in Dayton, Ohio.
If I do the scenic route and go by car, part of me says catch a few winks every 4 or 5 hours and drive through. Maybe when I was single and younger that was a good idea. I'll allow 2 days travel with a hotel the first night. It would be convenient as I can bring lots of clothing, laptop and some model helicopters.
My stay in Dayton would be as short as 4 days because I'm using 4 days travel time.
There is a possibility to do a few stops like dinner in Atlanta or a stop in Nashville to see a museum with something related to music.
With tolls and current gasoline prices, I estimate the trip to be approximately $1,200 to $1,400
There is merit in that thought...
The other option is to go by plane.
Uber to the airport is about the same as parking. I prefer the parking.
Most flights have 1 stop and travel time of 6 hours.
My brother or niece would be the chauffeur during my stay.
I estimate the trip by plane to be around $1,000 and the helicopter(s) would stay at home because of the hassle getting them through security.
It's possible to buy something and have it delivered to my brother's house.
Two more days in Dayton, add $400 for the new helicopter.
The timing isn't great as I'm overseeing 3 new projects and they will all be in that time-frame. Early in May would be a better choice for my work schedule.
Decisions, decisions...
For many years I had the same stylist. She once moved to another salon and I followed her. Only 2 times in all those years did I sit with a different stylist... 'happy scissors' and the Latina with the Brazilian but lift. Moving 45 miles north wasn't trouble as I scheduled my haircuts when I had business in Miami.
COVID comes around, businesses were closed under lock-down. Nearly 14 months have passed and haircuts were local. My spouse has more than 20 years cutting hair for her son. While I didn't complain, I lost my original style. I don't follow fashion and patiently waited for the right time.
We had shopping in Miami yesterday and my stylist was working. the timing worked out and it was a happy reunion. I know she and her boyfriend struggled for a few months, but they were able to hold it together.
I got my style back and she got a $20 tip.
The best part of going to the salon is the news that none of the stylists had COVID.
Seeing dozens of Amazon trucks on the road after dark has become normal. Since the pandemic people are less likely to store shop and more purchases are made online now. Last Saturday, I ordered batteries from a supplier who sent confirmation on Sunday. I know their sales department staff work from home now and it appears they have crews in the warehouse day and night so things get done with the work force spread out. Maybe they had 10 people packing orders for the day shift and now it's 5 in the day and 5 in the night... less interaction and less chance of them passing virus.
The batteries arrived FedEx on Thursday. Normally, I would have to pay extra for that kind of service.
I did order a computer Monday that was confirmed for Friday UPS delivery... Doubtful in my mind and checking the tracking number in the afternoon yesterday, the ship date was moved to Monday before 9pm. Not long ago that used to read 'by end of day' but so many deliveries have to be handled they have extended package deliveries into the night.
After dark deliveries are expected a week before Christmas, it's become the new normal.
There are 3 entrances to my community, 2 main ones with a guardhouse and one private gate (no guard) that requires a resident sticker I.D. for access. The private gate is closest to my travels so I use it most often. Like a mini border checkpoint, there are two arms spaced only for a single car. The scanner detects a car and the first arm lifts allowing you to drive in. It drops and the second one opens. Behind all that is a security gate that opens as the first arm rises. Usually it's fully opened as the second arm rises. If not, you have to wait a second or two to proceed into the intersection of a 3-way stop.
The problem is cars on one side wanting to exit ignore the stop sign and charge into the intersection. With the gate open, my vision is blocked. I can see the stop sign but not the approaching cars.
To avoid a collision, I have to crawl into the intersection to allow ample time to stop when someone runs the stop sign.
My association president told me that gate handles more traffic than the other two combined. I'm thinking to compose a letter asking them to put a second stop sign and possibly a flashing light similar to the non-resident access on the other side of the community.
That would keep those who are Octagonally Impaired on alert!
Yeah, I know Octagonally isn't in the dictionary.
Earlier today I needed to speak to technical support of my cellphone carrier and they had me on hold for a few minutes. Usually the music is very different to what I listen to and they did play something I recognized "Drops of Jupiter" by Train.
Very cool song and great lyrics.
I pulled up a few sites that went into details explaining about the meaning of the songs metaphorical references.
Last week I saw a blog about a place where people can go to smash-up objects like computer screens and TV's to release their 'pent up energy' as a form of therapy.
Take a baseball bat and head to a warehouse with some discarded objects and 'have at it' and soon after you'll feel better.
My experience in the few years I've been a part of the CS blogging community there has always been a few members who love gossip and often express themselves by making comments to other members... provoking them out of the normal 'I blog, you blog, we all blog' and everyone gets along mentality.
Some people need excitement in their boring lives and fabricate situations that really don't exist or... they have suspicions (without proof) about other members. I've known a few women who came from the South and lived in small towns where gossip and prejudice ran high. Rowdy young men who enjoy getting drunk and picking fights is their way of releasing energy.
Every few months someone will come to a blog of mine and take an unprovoked swipe at me. I got 2 small ones on another bIog I comment on and I thought it would great to start a swipe blog of my own... a place where you can 'let it out' and make yourself feel good for doing so.
Pandemic got you down?
Been grumpy lately... more than usual?
I offer you The Swipe Blog...
Take a swipe at me or any other member, go ahead, say something offensive here and not leave a turd for me on someone else's blog because they don't deserve it.
A woman called looking for a full bathroom renovation and was dissatisfied with the price and treatment from a nearby firm. The lead came to me so I was dispatched to her place to see what she wants and gather enough information to create an estimate. Estimates are free.
The entire meeting was prefaced with "My budget is thirty thousand and not a penny more."
I went to her house, took measurements, listed some of the points for her design, made a followup appointment at our showroom to go over the layout and prices. She came in and we showed her drawings and a line item for everything we can do and keep the price within her budget. Everything is transparent. No hidden charges.
We did good and I worked a design that was just around $28 thousand.
She looks over the layout. Decides on a more expensive door style, more expensive bathroom fixtures, add more drawers to the layout. that brings us right up to $30 thousand.
We don't supply lighting so she would have to purchase 4 of her own fixtures (that we will install) and they could be as low as $50 each to $250 each if she buys something ornate.
One issue is her want to change a swing door to the water closet into a pocket door.
The existing opening would have to be completely rebuilt, electric moved, new door, pocket door cage with sliding track installed. I explained while it's not in my normal scope, I have a carpenter who could do the work but I'm estimating the cost to be around $1,600 and that's taking her over the budget.
The woman's mood changed and she became angry. I explained every thing is clearly listed and she has choices to simplify the layout, choose less expensive fixtures and forget about the pocket door. I'm offering choices.
She waved a check in front of us thinking we would come down in price and my associate explained she needs to go home and make some decisions. We priced what she asked for with options and cannot bend a few thousand to make the deal.
With a huffy attitude we couldn't come down to her price, she wanted to take our design drawings on leaving. The estimate is free, giving away drawings that took a few hours to make isn't.
After she left, my boss wanted to know the outcome of the meeting and we told him the details. His comment was it's better she walked as his experience is customers who are difficult in the beginning are like that through the entire job.
My associate and I sold 2 kitchen remodels this week and meeting a client for a bathroom remodel today. Lots of work to get it done. Lots more to process the shop drawings, material lists and place orders. I'm doing 6 days a week and a few late nights...
Happy Friday!
I'm not an accident attorney nor do I play one in a TV series!
On the way home I was in the outside lane behind someone slow to start away from a red light easily 5 seconds after it turned green. It's a 6 lane divided road with turn lanes and the speed limit is 45mph. He was doing 30. Getting ready to go around, I looked in my rear view mirror. I could see flashing lights of a Fire Rescue Ambulance... one of the big ones and the car in front hits the brakes and prepares to make a full stop. Really.
I waited for the ambulance to pass (he was in the middle lane) and I got into the middle lane too... yeah, except for the ambulance doing 60, it was empty. So... I casually followed for a few miles and coincidentally made the right turn toward the hospital. He took a left at the hospital and I continued straight.
The snoring duo made a guest appearance at my house last night and I'm thinking we could perfect this and take the show on the road.
Actually, I'm thinking of a trip to Ohio to visit my brother. The only thing holding me back is the temperature there was 33 degrees.
I asked. She chose chocolate covered doughnuts. Entenmann's had a buy one get one sale!
Mmmm... it was good. I expect to get some tail every night this week!
One translation called it Chinese Lettuce and another called it vegetable core and another says it's AA Choy Stem.
My partner calls it tail. So, I'll be getting tail all week!
Peel the outside, slice thin and saute.
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