Google Earth Lies!

Google Earth Lies!

Tuesday, 20 September 2016

Well, out of necessity, I made a trek up to the Post Office today on the trike. The first of many bad decisions today. As if the heat and humidity weren't bad enough, the pressing need to get a change of address form because the Post Office no longer is permitted to put them out in the lobby, and the fact that their website refuses to accept my debit card for the $1 transaction to change my address online, and the added impetus of a parcel awaiting my signature at the north Hills branch, prompted my trip.


My additional mistake was following the recommended Google Earth route for bicycle that was listed as “mostly flat”.



GOOGLE EARTH LIES!


The so called “mostly flat” route from E. Glenwood to Patterson, and then E. Cuyahoga Falls Avenue, is far from “flat”! That is like describing Dolly Parton as a AA Cup! I mean 50-100' inclines in less than 500' is by definition, a steep hill! And if they extended more than 1/8th of a mile, would have to be signed as a “Steep Incline, Trucks Use Lower Gears”!


So I finally made the post office after stopping 6 or 8 times to rest and hydrate, even resorting to walking my 80# trike up some of the “hills”! And then when I did hit mostly level ground, I had to deal with the narrow and uneven sidewalks!


But by faith and determination, I arrived intact, signed for my parcel (some lightweight running shorts from India, leading me to wonder why I had to sign for this “Foreign Parcel”, but yet every other package I have received from another country sent USPS did not require a signature?? So don't get me started on the USPS again!), and obtained the elusive “change of address packet”. Another slug of water, then a return trip. This time after stopping 6 times before I was even halfway, and eliciting concern from motorists that I might be in distress. (My fair complexion has always labeled me as a “heat susceptible person”, and as a cadet in South Carolina some 40 years ago, I had to be watched closely by the training cadre to be sure I remained well hydrated in the SC heat and humidity! I turn very red and look scary when I overheat!)






At East Tallmadge Avenue, I turned west and headed against the after school pedestrian traffic to avoid any further extreme inclines. Having to share the narrow sidewalk with large groups of middle schoolers on a busy street is a challenge. I did elicit some strange stares and some even stranger commentary! (Dadburn kids ain't got no respect for their elders!)






I then made the turn south on Dayton, and with less traffic, was able to take to the street and leave the uneven sidewalk for a few blocks. I did wind up having to stop another 5 times to rest and hydrate, and even found that I did not have the energy to make the last few hundred yards home by pedaling, and walked the trike the rest of the way, including that last steep incline that is the front ¼ of my concrete driveway. I felt like puking all the way back from the post office (and bypassed a planned stop at Family Dollar), and almost collapsed on my back stoop.






It took a major effort to get back up and open the garage to put the trike away. I then let myself in the side door, and collapsed on the front room recliner after turning on the A/C. I was awakened some time later by the annoying electronic sound of “Turkey in the Straw” by the ice cream truck as it parked opposite my residence.






I was tempted, but managed to keep from indulging in a sweet treat that my overweight carcass really doesn't need. I made a fresh pitcher of sweet tea, and retired to the Blue Room to start this segment of the blog since I have not been very timely with it.






I fed the cat, refreshed her water, and have been sitting here ever since. So I will no longer trust Google Earth, and I will stick to my known routes with fewer “undulations”!


Speaking of Pippy, she has become much braver, and sleeps in my bedroom with me, though it wasn't until last night that she actually got up on the bed with me. (She bathed while she laid on top of the covers between my legs while I watched an Anime episode.)






I can't wait to start on building some cat furniture for her, a large condo, some elevated runways, and some perches in the various windows, since she so enjoys watching the world go by!






I did find some interesting designs, and hope to exceed what I designed and built for my other kitties in my Bedford apartment many years ago.

And of course, I need to consider finding a suitable playmate for her, so that she won't have to rely exclusively on me for tossing her ping pong balls and super balls about!





I did find an automatic ping pong ball launcher, but $350 is a bit steep for a fixed income pensioner! So I have been browsing engineering school competitions for ideas. (Apparently ping pong balls rate very highly in college life nowadays… ) LOL!






Here is my little black kitty, doing her spying routine from the second floor landing:

Kinda creepy, but also very cute!






While I certainly hope it was her, someone joined me in bed the other night, but didn't stay long. However, I woke up to find my right leg all torn up! (My right side and the left side of my face are still numb, as I have no distinction of hot/cold, nor dull/sharp!)

No real damage, other than surface scratches, and of course no sensation. But they are healing well. So one of my missions once she trusts me enough to actually pick her up, is to trim her claws! (Again, I sure hope that was her handiwork, and not someone else!)



She does play hard, and uses her claws a lot. But I don't think she means any real harm. I do need to make some scratching posts for her. Right now she is using the ratty old floor rugs and carpeting that need replacement. But she is leaving the curtains and my clothes alone. So far.

But I still love her anyway!


In other news, Joe came by last Friday and he and his nephew, Mike, delivered my Liberty Gun Safe, and I hooked it up in the Blue Room. So now the weapons I have on hand are secure, and once I have the rest of my weapons back, I can secure them too.






I can't express how grateful I am to my friend Joe, as he has really gone the distance (literally!) to help me out. He stored all my stuff in his basement to save me the $100/month I was paying for a storage unit, fronted the money to order my custom 3 wheel pedal tricycle, and helped me move on very short notice!






But then I also have to be thankful for all of my other friends who have reached out and done things for me that I know I can never repay. I hope that they can realize how appreciative I really am! I am truly blessed in the friend department!






I have so much to be thankful for.






In other news, my group, the OVC, has an invite for October to an interstate CPX here in Ohio, but due to other commitments, I had to decline the invite for us. Much as I would enjoy getting back out in the field with the many other units from several neighboring states, we really need to complete our reorganization and get a core team together to attend such events in the future.






I do have my gear ready, and am really rarin' to go, but without a vehicle, I have to ride with others, and the person who sent the invite, is based in Dayton, a bit far for him to come get me in Akron, for an exercise that will take place in southern Ohio.






Oh well. There will be other events, and other opportunities.


I know everyone is getting tense about the election in just over a month, and I too hope that there will be no sudden or extreme shifts in the .gov too soon. (That is the purpose of this Command Post Exercise, to coordinate activities should the election results cause civil disturbances or other problems.)






In response, rather than discuss the candidates, platforms, issues, and other concerns, I will merely share this meme and a Dylan Thomas Poem:

"Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is RIGHT,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light."

Dylan Thomas

"Don't mess with us Old Farts, we have nothing left to lose!"

Dave Hull

Until next time folks, peace!