Finished, but non-working clocks in Paradise (and some other thoughts)...

Finished, but non-working clocks in Paradise (and some other thoughts)...  Well, I've installed the last component in that clock kit.  When I fired it up, the hours were stuck on "12" and nothing I did could make it budge.  Yay!  Another problem to troubleshoot!  But not tonight...

Tomorrow is going to be a bit of a busy day. 

First we have Debbie's surgical followup visit.  The last time we saw the doctor, about two weeks ago, he expected much improvement by now on her tendonitis.  There is some improvement, but not nearly enough to satisfy Debbie (or me).  We're hoping for some better plan of action.

When we get home, the solar installers are due here for the final step of our solar installation: getting the networking up and running, so the system can be remotely monitored.  I've got everything all ready to go, network-wise, whether they choose to use WiFi or direct wiring.  It really should be easy to get this working, but you just never know what might go wrong :)

Then I'm going to start packing for my trip!

Icicles in Paradise...

Icicles in Paradise...  Conditions are apparently just about perfect for icicle formation.  It's clear, but quite cold (just 9°F when we got up!).  The photo at right is from the exercise room on our second floor – it's the closest I can get to the icicles without actually going outside.  And going outside is definitely on my “avoid” list this morning!  We've now got around a hundred 3 foot long icicles on the north side of our house, and about the same number of 2 footers on the south side.  The shed, with its not-so-steep roof, doesn't have nearly the display of icicle gloriousness...

It hardly seems possible, but I don't think my calendar is lying to me: I leave on my grand cross-country adventure in just three days.  It seems like I should be scurrying about getting ready for the trip, but truthfully there's little to do.  I'm going to be picking up a few regional delicacies (can you say smoked bacon?) to take back to my mom, I need to pack a week or so worth of clothes, and a computer bag – but that's really it.  The big things that needed to be done (getting the truck checked out, getting an overhead rack installed on the truck, getting a trailer hitch, etc.) have already been done.  The weather forecast looks good for the whole trip, though anytime you're looking a week or more into the future you have to take that forecast with a truckload of salt.  Bright and early Wednesday morning I'm going to climb into my (cold!) truck and point the nose toward Albuquerque, New Mexico – the first stop on the trip...