AT&T is tied with Verizon for top coverage in Minneapolis. I wonder if it’s my phone? Also, I’m still using my Oregon phone number; would that make any difference?
Yes, they do look good!
Good morning, everyone.
It’s currently 62F and sunny outside. The sky is a bit hazy due to wildfire smoke, though. The expected high is 90F, and we’re supposed to have sunny, but hazy skies all day.
sari, that’s a lot. I am hoping that you’re near the end of your long and awful saga. I’d still report that lawyer and/or his office to the bar. That’s some real incompetence right there! Sending you my best.
susan, safe travels!
cookie, enjoy the kids’ visit!
I dropped AT&T years ago and switched to T-Mobile because one, AT&T was way more expensive than T-Mobile at the time, and I was sick of the constant dropped calls. I am generally content with T Mobile coverage.
Well, I should get on with the day. I ended up washing windows yesterday so I need to get the grass cut and my Jeep fueled up today for tomorrow’s commute. Can’t believe the weekend is just about over.
Mmm … pho. Gimme the chicken version, and pile on that cilantro and green onion. Keep your hot sauce, but imma need hoisin.
(… and is that bubble tea? Again with mmm.)
Speaking of mmm, can someone remind me again later that Wendy’s has decent breakfast options for the lazy stoner on the not-go?
On the flip side, what IS it with Wendy’s and square shaped food? Burgers, yeah, whatevs, but now … okay, I get that it’s industrially processed, and they could make most of their items into the shape of yo momma as long as it’s scalable for their thousands of various markets, but … today I got a breakfast croissant. As delicious as I remembered, but now the “croissant” is square and yes it’s flaky and buttery tasting, but the shape is in the NAME dammit! 
Bob-B wins the thread.
Metal mouse as I told my sister last night “you chose to move to L.A. (lower Ali-bama) in the middle of summer.”
Other than shopping at WalMart, I have no plans for today. Image the sloth possibilities!
Make mine phở dặc biệt. Brisket, raw beef, beef balls, tendons, and tripe. (I prefer menudo-style tripe, so you can leave out the tripe and add more tendons.)
We were generally happy with Sprint until they were bought out by T-Mobile. The coverage in our town is very spotty and outside of town it is dismal. They keep contacting us, wanting to sign us up for 5g internet. Sitting here in my den I have one bar on my phone. I can’t imaging a usable internet with that tiny little bandwidth. Six more months and our contract is up.
First things first: as the more observant/awake/sober among you will have noticed, I’ve changed my avatar! I found myself growing increasingly uncomfortable with how much info about my location the old one revealed (which wasn’t much, and you had to live around here to even recognize the image, but still). I’ve been thinking about changing it for quite a while, but couldn’t come up with anything else I liked until the “blank nametag” idea occurred to me a little while ago. I know that if any of you were to change your avatar it would throw me off a little bit (for a little while), so my apologies in advance for any temporary confusion this change causes. 
What a lazy day it has been…and I can’t believe it’s after 2:30pm already! I didn’t get out of bed until ~8am: after feeding/watering the doggy and taking a shower I hopped on my personal computer, and here I still sit. I caught up on some volunteer-related stuff, but also killed a bunch of time with some personal files. I used to have three spreadsheets for the tracking of TV shows and movies: one for titles I own a physical copy of, one for titles I own a digital copy of, and one for titles available via the various streaming services I subscribe to. A while back I combined the latter two, and this morning I realized there’s no reason to keep the “physical media” list separate. Definitely a sign that I don’t have enough to do. 
The change looks good!
I haven’t gotten a haircut since January 2020. Every few months I trim my own bangs (with varying results), but nothing else seems to grow; my hair has been the same length for as long as I can remember. The ends are probably a little raggedy at this point, though. I haven’t cared enough to go back to a pro yet.
I figure corporate rides their ass if they get less than a 5, so when I do complete a survey I never give any other rating. But it’s not my problem if their company somehow holds them responsible for customers declining the survey entirely.
Sorry about the destination. Also, I’m curious: I would imagine the only reason to ferry vs fly an empty (and airworthy) jet is because the former is somehow cheaper…?
It’s 13 o’clock. Feels later.
I ran the Jeep through the washing machine, picked up a prescription, put the kayak saddles on the Jeep, put the kayaks on top of the Jeep, took the Necky kayak back and put it on the deck, and took out the trash and recycling. I haven’t walked or paddled, but I did manage to work up a sweat over the last couple of hours.
How well does your wife’s phone work in your area? If it’s about the same, it’s likely a mismatch between your location and carrier. If hers is OK, it’s likely your phone.
Worked a little more on the studio gig today. Sunday dinner is a kind of Italian seasoned veggie soup (and it’s good). Now for a little sloth before hitting the hay.
Assuming an airworthy jet here that needs for whatever reason to be there, the company has a choice: Grab two pilots and launch it to the destination. Or grab two pilots, 4 FAs, and try to scare up a couple hundred interested customers wanting to get from ABC to DEF on ~8 hours notice.
It’s also commonly the case that the ferry movement is planned for a not very commercially attractive time of day. Like restocking the groc store overnight, the goal is to have the shelves stocked or the jet magically available in the new place before the workday starts there. Doesn’t always work out, but that’s another goal.
The incremental value of a few ultra-discount tickets sold on the overnight internet market can easily be overwhelmed by the cost of 4 FAs. Who then somehow to be carried home again, often by deadheading on an existing flight. Perhaps thereby pushing revenue passengers off that flight.
If the flight is international or to one of the few US slot-controlled airports there becomes the issue that the destination airport may well forbid an extra unexpected passenger flight arriving at time X. Though in general the random bad luck of ferries can be accommodated. At least until they notice a convenient pattern of ferries that looks like cheating somehow.
I sure don’t have all the accounting stubby pencil analysis. For sure a ferry like this one between normal destinations seems like a waste of ~180 potential tickets.
Howdy, y’all! You’ve been chatty. I had a potential project meeting for today. Attempted meeting failed. The director of the museum was otherwise occupied, but I did chat with the assistant director, and she seems excited about the potential project. But I got a lot of needed measurements of the space, so that was good. Much drawing must now ensue. Huzzah.
Meantime, mowage achieved. Gonna try to call an early night, I’m wicked tired.
Stay safe, y’all!
As to me.
Had a series of minor vexations getting going, but all’s well that gets in motion eventually. Off we launched into mostly clear skies with a couple of thunderstorms here and there. Two mechanics and a supervisor snoozed in the dark cabin as we drove. Meanwhile 500 lbs. of parts & tools rode below decks.
Arrive to a sunny late morning. As always along this part of the South American coast, the ocean was the color of the rivers was the color of coffee w not quite enough cream. Sorta blech brown, not blue.
The mechanics jumped off promptly after we’d interrupted their naps with our impact with Earth, and got ready to do battle with whatever gremlins infected the other jet. One hopes they have success.
We rode to the hotel through the both happy & grim by turns chaos of the truly third world. Once in town it was obvious things had picked up a bunch since the nadir of COVID. Sunday afternoon the open-air markets were going full blast and a joyous, if hot, noise was everywhere. Shame where the market overflowed into the highway blocking traffic, but that’s all part of the game.
Once at the hotel, it’s a nice, if comparatively soulless, bit of the rich first world. A fine lunch & poolside drinking has ensued. In a bit it’ll be time for dinner.
A problem that’s building is tomorrow’s current rigid plan is built entirely on pious (read “unrealistic”) assumptions about the repair progress that have yet to pan out. Before it gets too much later I have to ask HQ what the real situation is, then force the plan to change to accommodate that reality. Or I could take the dumb mushroom in the dark approach, show up tomorrow morning early, and sit around the airport uselessly for 12 hours, then give up and return to the hotel. I much prefer giving up early and staying at the hotel. As swampy would counsel: sloth smarter, not harder
We shall see. Meantime as the sun is slowly sinking into the trackless jungle on the far side of a mile-wide river mouth, the air is hot (88/32), the breeze is refreshing, the pool is warm, the reggae or something music is energetic, & the locals are pretty.
Her Ladyship has some very interesting unabashedly low-brow tastes. Ti’s quite the combo overall. Anyhow yesterday she breathlessly reported that the local McDs had a sign promoting their wonderful bagel breakfast sandwiches being once again available after a hiatus of years or decades in her telling. I never knew they ever existed.
Anyhow, if one likes fast food breakfasts, it appears at least some McDs are offering their bagel breakfast items. Her Ladyship recommends the steak version, at least as it was done back around 1995.
Considering how late she gets up & clean, versus when McDs quits serving their breakfast menu, I bet the promo will end before she gets up early enough to try one. Your timing may differ. Bone appetit!
Howdy Y’all! We deheathenated and I managed to preside without knockin’ over the podium or settin’ the place on fire. I count that as a win. I even got compliments, so that made me feel good. I keep hopin’ for rain/tstorms as it’s thunderin’ all around but no such luck yet. Nappage and sup have been achieved. Went with BLTs instead of burgers cause the desire to fire up the grill out on the deck was just not there.
And a good late afternoon from N. Ali-bama. It’s a little cooler today (only 86F) and there is a fair chance of rain overnight so maybe the lawn won’t bake to badly. Got my stationary cycling in and 20 minutes more sweating in the sauna, so should sleep well tonight.
Oh, and when getting ready to go to dinner early, I got out one of my ‘good’ pairs of slacks and felt something in them. Turns out I had left one set of keys to my car (which is in the shop, they have the other set) in the pocket, and since I haven’t been driving that for over a week, I never missed them. So a mystery was solved before it even became a mystery.
doggio, at least it was your toes that were getting his attention… 
Cookie, hope the visiting went well.
suzie, you off somewhere? I rather like Sea-Tac, it’s a fairly easy airport to get around in.
Wet one, agree with you about L.A., but I’m only 15 miles from the Tennessee border, let them keep the heat.
Oopsie, at least your new avatar is polite…and sloth is a good thing now and then, as swampy and I try to show.
Pilot, you are a fount of information; take care down in Guyana-land.
VanGo, at least you got some face-time and measurements out of the visit. Hope it works out.
OK, need to forage for the evening meal and work up next week’s schedule. Hope to have my Dodge Durango back by Tuesday…we shall see.
Catch all y’all on the next MMP.
A fount of something.
In farming there’s a big machine called a manure spreader, which is basically a large dump truck full of cow shit. With an attachment on the back which spews the cow shit far and wide in a hundred foot-wide swath as it drives across the fields. Great fun to watch if you have the brain of an 8yo boy. Like me.
Anyhow, my first wife and I called that machine a “manure fountain”. Always fun when you went for a country drive and saw one in action.
That’s me: a manure fountain.
The last pinkish light is just dying in the far west, the locals’ reggae party on the beach is still in full enthusiastic swing, and the air has cooled to wonderfully warm as the breeze has picked up. Ideal conditions to snack & Dope on an outdoor patio.
Guyana, like many Latin countries, has a sizeable minority of South Asian Indian folks who’re a major part of the merchant class. One family of which is having what I bet is a wedding reception at the hotel. a hundred some folks in their finery. The bridesmaid (or whatever term) dresses are slinky, covered in gold sequins, and slit from right ankle to right armpit. All atop matching very tall gold platform very cute shoes. ROwwr!!!
Good thing I’m married or I’d be proposing all over their party.
It’s a couple hours after when the jet was supposed to be fixed, and the computer says “soon, really. I promise”. Computers lie. Even worse than sheep!
Was up early and to the racetrack on time, with only one wrong turn in my new hometown before I got to the big roads. Home late. Saw friends. Made an enemy. Most importantly, discovered that now that I’m not in charge of anything, I’m only there to see my friends as even the racing doesn’t grab me any more. Time to Try a different hobby.
The weather was gorgeous up there. The high temperature didn’t even hit 70F. Warmer today though. It was a total relief after the upper 90s and high humidity we’ve been having. Winter is coming. I enjoyed driving up and back under the big sky. I did not enjoy seeing the stunted and dried up crops along the way. We’ve been in big drought here and the rain we recently received was far too late for most crops. It’s a big out for our farmers.
Today was lots of laundry, a tiny bit of unpacking, grocery shopping for the week, and listening to the news roundup which, maybe I shouldn’t have.
Off to some sloth then to dig up and update a resume. Have a good day.
Agreed. My dad was city clerk for a Twin Cities suburb. His election days were often close to 24 hours when I was a child. It did get better with the change in voting machines, but not a lot. He’d be out the door at 4:30 am and home after midnight.
Happy Gotcha Day Monkey!
And belated Happy Birthday Nettie.
Midwest too. My mother’s colors because she was unsure of her decorating taste. And all the neighbors had those colors in the kitchen because that’s when all the houses were built. My mom went with a yellow and orange kitchen, rebel that she was.
I’ve lived with a Barbie pink bath. Thankfully, that only lasted about two years, before my landlady changed it up to white. What a relief! And I actually love pink but overkill is overkill.
Dang red, you’re good!
When I wear my hair short, they often shave the nape of my neck because I have a slightly odd hairline. It itches like crazy for a few days. Being female, I never thought that a beard would sting and itch. Broadens my perspective. But it looks good so it might be worth the sting.
Yum, now I want one.
Poor guy. May the diet do the trick for him and may the cottage get electricity so the food doesn’t spoil.
If it’s working for him, probably. Glad the monetary things are getting settled and maybe the truck, too. You have come far with all these issues in a short time. I’m impressed.
Best of luck on the upcoming procedure.
That’s flipping wonderful!
Pilot, hope you don’t have to stay too long in a place you don’t like.
Cookie, I hope your family don’t have issues with freeway construction again. I was able to route around it all yesterday despite it being the usual path I would follow to get out of town.
Also, I love my T-Mobile here in the Twin Cities. I don’t have problems with it in any location. Sometimes though, it’s good to restart the phone just to remind the carrier that you are there. It re-triangulates your position for better service.
Have a good evening everyone.
Depending on which of your hair you wear short, and quite how short you wear it, razor burn might be familiar to various ladies as well as to yourself. Might. 
Congrats, Father Swampy!
And we’re home. It was nice to see my cousins, and it was a good day to swim. Tobias is absolutely fearless, and Roxy is close behind - she used to be much more timid, but you couldn’t tell today. They should sleep like the dead tonight.
FCD was really depressed - he discovered he can no longer swim. The neuropathy in his legs really messed him up. I would think if he practiced, he might get it back, but that won’t happen. He was in a funk much of the day.
Poor Higgs - she usually eats at 5, but it was nearly 7:30 before we got home! She didn’t pee in the house, tho, so a win there!
We all ate too much and I’m about to crash in my recliner. I need to get up early tomorrow for my 7AM dental appt. I may sleep with Mel.
The hotel is fine. It’s more the lost opportunity to go out exploring in a novel place which is foreclosed by the rather too outré situation outside of the gates. It’s more fun than sitting home. Although the leaving for irk at 5am this morning or 5:30 tomorrow morning wasn’t / won’t be too fun.