| Author | Message | ||
     Ourdee |
72 hours has seamed one of the shortest periods of times since the end of my teenager days. Uncle Sam liked to give me my downtime in 3 day increments and the place I retired from went to three day week-ends for me. Three days off go way faster than three days on. I think one of the biggest crimes for Corporations is the rotating shifts for those that don't work days. We appear to be on a whacked tangent, but stick with me. John is doing the big swing shift with the Suns help to mess with his sleep clock. How many days does it take to get back into the swing of things after all the time zone changes? Doing it once or twice a year is way different than swinging your internal clock every week. I wonder if it is just as bad for your health. 72 HOURS! | ||
| 86129squids |
https://www.npr.org/2019/11/17/780266742/19-hour-l ondon-to-sydney-test-flight-shows-how-to-make-long -hauls-tolerable | ||
| Crusty |
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| Crusty |
Monday; Two To Go I feel like a little kid. I really can’t believe it’s all coming together. I’m so wound up that I have to write lists of things I need to do, ‘cause I’m having trouble keeping things straight. I’m so wound up that I even got sucked into a “Discussion” with Badweb’s pet troll, then had to ask one of the moderators to delete the exchange. I talked to Dondi last night, and she was laughing at my abundance of excitement. She said that she’ll miss our phone conversations while I’m gone, but she’s happy for me. I told her that she’ll know what’s happening because she’s on my Snippet mailing list and I’m only going to be gone for two months. I also talked with Melia yesterday. She called me. I tried for a couple of days to reach her, but every time I called, I got a recorded voice (with an Australian accent) telling me that all the circuits were busy and to try again later. Melia told me that she’s had a very busy day loading up all the important things into the Horse float (trailer), because there are wildfires in the area and she had been warned that she might have to evacuate. She also said that the wind direction was blowing away from the property, so she didn’t think it was going to be a problem. If she does have to evacuate, she’ll be loading up three horses, three dogs and a couple of cats. I hope the wind continues to be favorable. The threat of wildfires isn’t going to deter me from going. If the farm does get destroyed by fire, then I may be able to help in some way. Ron and Melia are my closest friends and I will not abandon them if there’s anything I can do to help. That’s a worst case scenario, though. I’d rather focus on the positive. It now looks like we’ll be spending Christmas down by the beach. Kristyn is going to Sydney for Christmas. Kala has to stay home because she’s working and also has to care for the dog, so she asked if Melia and I would consider having dinner there. Oh, gosh; I’d have to force myself to go swimming in the bathwater warm south Pacific on Christmas day! It’s supposed to be cold and snowy! Instead, it’ll be temperatures in the mid-80s F (28 to 33 C) and I’ll be warm. Oh; the sacrifices I have to make! Melia and I didn’t discuss what we’ll be having for Christmas Dinner, but even if it’s just peanut butter sandwiches, it will be a great celebration. I’m looking forward to it. One thing I’m hoping is that this trip will kick start me into exercising more. I don’t know why, but I’ve had a very strong resistance to doing anything other than sitting on my fat ass. I used to love going to the gym; now, I just can’t push myself to go, even though I’ve got a free membership with Silver Sneakers. Being at the farm will offer me ample opportunity to get out and go for walks with Titan, at the very least. Also, Melia told me she’s joined a gym in Gatton because it has a pool and she loves to swim. If that means she can bring a guest, then I might get back into working out. If not, I’m pretty sure that the price to join is reasonable enough that I can afford it. I’m really tired of being such a lard ball. I’d like to lose a bit of excess fat (that will frost Badweb’s pet troll, Alf’s butt). So; my main objective for today is to go by the Postal Orifice and get them to hold my mail until I get back. I have to test my blood this afternoon and remember to pack the tester in my bag. I also have to swing by David’s shop and get one more box so that I can pack all the little toys and hopefully, they’ll survive the trip. Tomorrow, I have to fast and go get my physical and have my blood drawn. That means no coffee in the morning! I’ll be getting a cup as soon as I leave the Doctor’s, though. I know that there’s something else I want to do, but I can’t think of it, right now. When I do think of it, I’ll write it down; otherwise, I’ll forget it again. | ||
| Crusty |
 To Go! | ||
| Ourdee |
Counting hours now. | ||
| Ourdee |
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| Crusty |
Endgame Eighteen hours from right now, I’ll be sitting in a 737 heading toward Los Angeles. I think. On second thought, I’ll probably be in the terminal at LAX waiting to get on a 777 to Brisbane. Either way, I’ll be on my way to Australia. I think I’ve got everything ready to go. My bags are almost packed. The big bag that’s going to be checked is packed. My carry-on (carrion?) bag is just waiting for my laptop and mouse and it will be ready. I have a book to read, as well. I hope this flight is smoother than the flight over that I took in 2015. I was shuffled all over on that trip. Boston to Washington to San Francisco to Los Angeles to Auckland, New Zealand to Brisbane. I had to get off the plane at each stop, then re-board, even though I had the same seat from Boston to LAX. By the time I got to Brisbane, I felt like a wet dishrag. I’ve been really worked up about this trip for the last couple of days, but now, I’m very tired and I’m glad that nearly everything is done. I just have to run a load of laundry in the morning, so that I’ll have clean sheets on the bed when I return in two months. I checked in on the flight to LAX this afternoon. I’ll be getting complimentary beverages on that flight. The flight from LAX to Brisbane will give me a breakfast! I remember when airlines gave meals on almost every flight. They finally got wise to the fact that they don’t have to. Pity. I bet the air fares didn’t come down when they stopped feeding people, though. Everything has a surreal quality at present. I guess that’s from emotional overload. I feel like a real space shot. I hope I don’t forget anything. My printed ticket and passport are in the carry-on. I have a hat and my sunglasses in there as well as my daily meds. I’ve also got my folding cane in the carry-on. I have a feeling that I’m going to want it once I get off the plane. My ankle will probably feel like a toothache. I’m going to leave my watch set to Eastern (USA) Time. That way, I’ll know when I should take my daily pills. I’m going to skip taking my Furosemide until I’m in Australia, though. Having to go pee every ten minutes for a couple of hours while flying is not a best case scenario. I talked to Melia briefly this afternoon. She said that the prevailing winds have blown the wildfires far enough away that the farm is not in danger. And even if the winds should shift, the fires have moved far enough away that there should be no danger then, as well. She also said that there’s a lot of smoke in the air from the fires. Well; even with the smoke, I’m really looking forward to being there. I made out my Christmas cards last week. I had decided that I wasn’t going to send any out this year, but it’s something I really love doing. It was a rainy day and I was feeling restless, so I just sat down and put on some Trans-Siberian Orchestra and started addressing and stamping envelopes. David has agreed to mail them for me after Thanksgiving. I guess I’ll be helping Melia decorate the house for Christmas; I certainly won’t be decorating mine. I should try to get some sleep, but I’m wide awake. Maybe that’s a good thing. Maybe that means I’ll sleep soundly on the plane. I can hope so, anyway. In a little over twelve hours from now, the Adventure begins! | ||
| Adrenaline_junkie |
Have fun my friend | ||
| Pwnzor |
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| Ourdee |
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| Tootal |
Safe travels John!! | ||
| 1313 |
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| 86129squids |
Vegemite sandwich coming up! Don't pet the koalas BTW.  | ||
| Crusty |
CVG I’m at the airport. I got here something like 3 ½ hours early, but that’s OK. I’d much rather be early that show up late and miss my flight. I thing I remembered everything. The trash was put out, the thermostat was turned down to 55 and the water heater was set to the Vacation setting. The power to the garage was shut off and the door into the house locked. The Roadster is sitting upright on the wheel chock; the gas tank is full of premium treated with SeaFoam and the petcock was shut off and the engine run until all the gas in the carb was gone. There are clean sheets on the bed and clean towels in the bathroom. The only problem I’m having is a headache that just won’t go away. It’s not a migraine, however, so I’m hoping that the two extra strength Tylenol I just took will take care of it. There are a number of restaurants by the gates. I checked my bag, which is checked all the way to Brisbane. I won’t see it again until I arrive in Australia. I went through the TSA line. I took off my boots, emptied my pockets, opened my carrion bag and took out my laptop. Put my wallet, watch and glasses in a little plastic bin along with the contents of my emptied pockets, went through the X-ray and had an inspector run a wand along the sides of my body; then I got to put everything back. Anyhow, back to the restaurants, there’s a Gold Star Chili, Chick filly, McD’s, Bruegger’s Bagels, a candy store and a few other businesses and a fossilized skeleton of a Mammoth. I ate lunch – a magnificent McRib combo meal. It may have been a McDonalds. But the quality and price were definitely of Airport caliber. Here’s a little secret, if you promise not to spread it around; I like McRib sandwiches. They’re not in the same league as, say, Jim’s Smokin’ Que or Velvet Smoke; hell, they’re not in the same league as any halfway decent BBQ. But they are in the same league as Tina’s Red Hot Beef Burritos and White Castles. They’re good in spite of being so bad. Well; It’s time to wander towards my gate. Next stop – LAX! | ||
| Pwnzor |
Tina’s Red Hot Beef Burritos These are good with a thin layer of ketchup and a slice of american cheese laid over the top before you microwave them to nuclear meltdown temperature. MmmmMmmmmm good eatin' Travel safely my friend, may the skies be clear and your plane fly swiftly. | ||
| 86129squids |
There's a John Denver version, somehow I didn't think that one's lucky.  | ||
| 86129squids |
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| Zane |
Are we there yet??? | ||
| 86129squids |
I'll have to squeeze my noodle for some other ones... | ||
| Froggy |
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| 86129squids |
LOL!!! | ||
| 86129squids |
This is actually my favorite pop band. Saw them in 1985 in Nashville for their first world tour. Also when they returned to the States, first show was Nashville, sadly, just after Paul Hester died. Sheryl Crow's band opened, and her drummer stayed on to play Crowded House's set. Great showmen that night. | ||
| Ourdee |
Crusty flying to aussie land: | ||
| Crusty |
Navigating LAX sucks | ||
| 86129squids |
RD, good Gosh that was Chucktastic. | ||
| Crusty |
Real fast; I'm at the house in Spring Creek. Even though it was only two flights with a five hour layover in LAX, the trip seemed to take forever. The whole area here is suffering from a severe drought. It's very understandable how a wild fire can spread so quickly. The weekly weather forecast has the high temperature at 35 C (95 F) every day with a low of 15 C (59 F) My brain feels like it's made of jello. In the past 36 hours, I think I slept about four of them in half hour segments. Pink haired obese slobs who drop horrible farts on crowded trans oceanic flights should be thrown out the door at 36,000 Ft. I'll write more tomorrow. | ||
| Ourdee |
Yay, The Crusty Lives! | ||
| Froggy |
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| Court |
>>>>the trip seemed to take forever Keen observation . . it does! Glad to know you are safely in Oz and looking forward to your reports. I stay in touch with the Badweb Oz contingent and they, thus far, have escaped evacuation and damage. Be safe down there. . . |
