Raining... Raining!!! Don't play that snow game with me!!!

It's raining again? It's raining again! Now the weeds will grow and cause all sorts of comments from the neighbors... who are to deal with that.. just don't look!! Bah!!

What I need is a house that has no large grounds but not connected to any other. Smaller but not too small. What I have is a big house with lots of grounds and very little want to manage it .. which to most is weed pulling, rocking, and such. Not interested in the least bit as it was a punishment when I was in trouble when young. So I hate yard work with a passion.

But that's not what I was going to go on about today.

After a week with my Granddaughter I am all tired out. She is a wonder and also very very active. Way more active than my old self can keep up with. Children are for the young... too too tired.

We were out each day. To the new park in Rio Rancho, which is very nice. She spent about two hours usually running hither and yon.. up and down. If we didn't do that we were at the mall to walk about or to the Aquarium or the Bio Park and lastly we were at the Explora.
From all of that running, I shot as many pictures of her running around trying to catch her expressions as she is a very expressive person.

What I have to show today is a few from the Aquarium and Bio Park.

Most pictures I took of the aquarium were of my Granddaughter so will not show. These two are the best-ish from the Aquarium. Love the jellyfish. No time to get a real crisp shot though.

The great tank was cool but not clear enough nor clear enough.

From the Bio Park. Bamboo above.

Baubles and bubbles.

A nesting. Quiet and watchful.

I like the shadows as much as the little tiny bits of yellow.

Some dazzling lights above. A very bright color in the brown deserts.

More explosions of yellow on the tips of these blue purple flares.

The deep reds also. Deep deep for the surrounding areas.

Ferns. Remind me of things. Very sensitive and very delicate. Not something you see here in New Mexico except in captivity.

Poky things. Big, nasty and ouch filled.

Lastly the local breed of hanging colors. Seemily in movement but frozen in the heat.

So good local pictures. Many I have not added here but will soon to the web site.

It will be a quieter week all around. Back to the standard work day and day after.

Maybe better to stay with the quiet life all around.

Can I get a little gentle winds here....even!

A quick week and a Granddaughter in the house. That means everything I usually do it shunted aside to dote on her every need.

Yes... I am going to spoil her. I don't get to see her enough to no keep her as happy as possible. She is a sweetheart but sure does like to push buttons.

I did get to go out and TRY and balloon. The winds were not conducive for it.. going the wrong way and being a bit odd.

So I took pictures and just watched everything go on.

I did get some pictures of the cherry blossoms at work so here are some pictures but little comments.

A windy day to try for sharp detailed pictures..so pretty though.

Love the little hearts on the ends.

The edge of dawn.

Another moon shot. Can you get enough of these?

Kubi turning vents in the morning... very poetic.

This bird went over chopping air.. it was loud.

Ignis Kubi burner.. one side. Very pretty engineering here.

Wicker basket weave is also a thing of art.

Distant trainer. Cruising down the valley.

Looking into the top of Kisses of Fire as she lays down is always a kaleidoscope kinda look.

Big Al keeps the envelope up off the ground in preparation to bagging her for the day. Very serious work.

I was doing a lot of force aspect shots for some reason. They just looked cool.

Front back.. who knows.

Crown line closeness.

Looking down the fabric.

So other than that I have been surfing youtube and the Alberton push 2. looking worth the money to get my own music in my videos and not pay anyone else.

That and a few minor things its been aa crazy time.

Going to go back to watching my Granddaughter watch strange EGG videos on youtube...

Enjoy yourselfs out there.

Unsettling Weather no Flying

Didn't even get the system out of the back of the trailer. This is probably the saddest its ever been.

( I am listening to Dido's Some Kind Of Love while writing this )

Wind reports for three days before were stating 5mph on the exact spot! I had a guy who wanted to propose to his girl and we had a sweet set up to fool her and then get the proposal a couple hundred feet over Paradise ( The road, but that sounds so awesome...  Engaged over Paradise...sigh ) and what happens... Freakin gusts above ten MPH and no slowing. So since he was bound and determined he went ahead on the ground.

We are still going to set up a flight in April but that really put a damper on my weekend. We did chat a lot after but the cold biting wind just drove us all to our homes.

A quick stop in at Wecks for breakfast before the house... should have gone to Vics. The coffee was ... bad. Food was okay by me. The green chili and red chili were great. The omelet was good too and toast nice but a bit thicker than I like. I am sadly a person who like to stay with one thing so I was off track the whole way.

Since I was talking of the NWS radar last week I will let you know that it was all buttoned up and running  ( with only one error showing ) on Saturday afternoon. Our Radar Tech had it cleared up and closed and I didn't even have to venture out there on Saturday at all. Saving me another day off at work and the Govt the overtime for me to do things the Tech can do as easily. My poor brain goes into the process in this kind of situation. Who needs to be there, how many techs are required, how much time will it take, what is the justification for each person and if there is overtime involved its a primary process. It gets weird in my head.  I could not justify my going up there on Saturday and watching a basic signoff for two to three hours of overtime. I have full faith in the Tech who was there.

Tomorrow, hopefully, the unit that is giving the error will be in and it can be replaced quickly. Well as quickly as the waveguide can repressurize. There are many more items on my list of "chase downs" to get clear this coming week.

I love my job... I really like the people I work with... I hate my commute but its much better than a lot of people so I shouldn't really complain. I'm old so I can.

One of the comments out on the field, while we were chatting, was how old some of the stuff we have is. I remembered I have a pentel pen from the 1980s that is still going strong and in use. Might have a few scratches but hay... I use it. 0.5 with cap and hidden eraser.

I have two more, red and blue, but they are younger than this one. Funny but nowadays I use a pen more than anything. I only go to the pencil when I want to correct things in sketches.

Other items that came up in other conversations... board games, photography, walking/jogging Fiesta and preps for that, annuals and evals and safety seminars and diets.

My favorite games besides Fallout 4 are Pachisi and Spite and Malice. Both can be found with Hoyle games for computers. The rules for spite and malice are a little different than the regular game but still close.

You can even make an avatar for yourself.. and the other characters can talk if you want to be annoyed all the time. A good old set of games.

Had a good visit with my Ex Son In Law and his Son. We spun out ( spoke of ) on everything above as well as fast diets and the Keto diet and youtube stuff and internet stuff in general. They are great people and fun to chat with.. though I may have taken over the conversation. I need a good pinch at these times.

We did go over the proposed trip to England again. Just the parts on like Stonehenge and how it's nice and all but since you can't walk about the stones now its limited in interest but Avesbury is a great stone circle you can wander about in and even act like a stone in a place where the stones are gone but a marker is in place... always fun. Lots of other stuff but it gets everyone excited as we all would love to go visit and do the semi-tourist thing.

Its 201 days until the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta... seems like a long time to go but we who have been through this before know that if you blink the time is gone. Much to do... Annuals on both envelopes and probably a new crown for In Czech, Basket, and Highperactive should have no trouble passing. nothing at all wrong with either. Then find some step bars for the truck so everyone can get up and in the truck with no troubles... Pins we have thought I should get the third of four set done... The Balloonists unite... In A field Somewhere...

I am thinking of a yellow background instead of white as that will match all the colors in both my envelopes... I have to re wireframe it and that takes a while.

Also while on the internets I did more research and watching of how to use the Ableton Push 2 and I think I will use my next lump of money ( if that ever happens ) to buy one. This will work to create soundtracks for my videos and also for other things going forward with setting up Youtube channels and such. After learning about some companies and slimy people taking over peoples videos because they "believe" they used some of their music makes me not want to trust any so-called "free" music in my videos and content.

I'll make my own..with drum beats and kazoos..!!!

But I can't do that quite yet.

Many other things to do first.

One sad bit of information is the Lindstrand lightweight Nomad basket is gone. Sold to someone somewhere never to be seen again.

Not like it was FAA approved or anything but it was almost! So now I am back to square one on a lightweight basket. I really wanted a Lindstrand approved system but it seems no one is doing anything along those lines or no one has passed info that they are actively working on it so I am a bit depressed with all that.

But again... more planning and watching time...

Just plan and watch boys... plan and watch...

Distant Fear

This week was a huge lead up to an early morning Sunday National Weather Service Radar modification. Called a SLEP. It stands for Service Life Extension Program. It is the final ( I think ) upgrade to extend the life of the National Weather Service ( and FAA and USAF Weather Radars all over the globe ) Doppler 88D Radar systems. This should make it survive for another 20 ish years.

Fear on the horizon...

The closest I got to a balloon in flight today.

This SLEP is a big thing. Cranes, lifts, cherry pickers had to be scheduled and we had a problem getting an FAA obstruction doc processed. Far too many little things we didn't know that needed to be edited but the FAA walked us through it and in the end, RAN the paperwork around and got it to us with a day to spare. Thanks, FAA!!!

I don't want to do this whole blog on this process so let me add a few shots here and then get onto other things... I was working so the office gets first dibs on any and all shots I took.

I expect to spend this week editing the six video cameras I had running for the event and making a nice video up for the NWS. I and another tech were there in case things went off the rails in any way and support the teams doing the evolution.

A 200 plus ton crane, many many straps and connectors and starting at 0500 ( I was there at 0430 ) in the bleeping freezing cold. I errored in my clothing and should have double layered.

Setting the connectors and guy ropes for the dome lift.

Straps ( 5 ) over the top and connected to the bottom of the dome by bolted metal plates. The crane cable looked too thin.. the straps too small and the plates seriously tiny for this 8000-pound lift. Smooth it went.

Lifting the old pedestal off. I wondered about the strap position but they had a great idea here for a dual secure so who am I to whine. One of the reasons to pull the full pedestal off is there is a huge gear just below the arm things ( bull gear ) and it gets worn out and probably is. Its easier to refurbish in a facility than on site. I am happy about it.

The old pedestal ( weighing in at 22000-pounds in its travel cradle ( 14000-pounds ) and ready to head back to Florida, I believe, for refurb and back out to another site. All that brown stuff is either moth and bug crap or human waste in dry particles that float in from the waste reclamation plant that the radar site is in the middle of. No way to clean it off at all. Every time you go to the radar you have to wash a lot of yourself off after... it gets everywhere.

Side connector of the elevation assembly. Pretty and clean.

New pedestal lowered to the platform. The guys up there were getting bored with scraping the old seal off or sweeping up...and it was as cold up there. Sections of the disassembled dish are off to the left.

The dome comes back up and drops into place. Nicely done.

Tony on the hill with his video camera trying to stay warm.

A view of the waster Reclamation Centers main buildings. They take human waste and process it with other things like sawdust and stuff and then roll it into the ground. Good people doing a very nasty job but it's a good process.... just wished we didn't have to smell it and wear it.

Off shots while waiting for things to happen... Double Eagle Airport Tower from the West. Hi There!!!

A bus on its way to collect some homeless folk that are sheltered and fed nearby. Good Job Albuquerque and volunteers!

I see balloons!!! I see World Balloons!!! Hi Murray!! Hi Guys!!!

Rainbow Ryders isn't far behind and they have two new envelopes I hear... nice!!

There was a NOTAM put out for our crane and still, every Tom, Dick, and Harry had to come to buzz us.

They weren't that close... but the fixed wings were flying directly overhead low.

Yay fun. I was exhausted and very cold and very hungry by the time everything was bolted down and packed up.

Of the two 360 cameras and four GoPro cameras and the Sony DSLR...everything came out fine. 1750ish shots from today. A lot but I didn't want to miss any part of the work. Lots to process tomorrow and through the week.

Other things not related to ballooning or work are below.

Cool item.. setting up dark mode for messenger on the phone...

I don't much care for Lifehacker as they have major biases but this was good...

https://lifehacker.com/how-to-enable-facebook-messengers-secret-dark-mode-on-a-1833014003

If you are in London and need a good guide, look this nut up. Seriously fun watching him....and this was interesting...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ft4dCs3JCwI

Also, I was and have been interested in Machu Picchu for ages but with the daunting hike to get there spanning four days I didn't think it was reasonable... only to find out there is a damn drain that goes right to it. Still some climbing but hay... Trains!

Here is the link for that...

https://www.viator.com/tours/Cusco/2-Day-Tour-Sacred-Valley-and-Machu-Picchu-by-Train/d937-19345P9

Granted now that I have watched a bunch of stuff on youtube about it I think it's been overdone and might be a bit boring since it been photographed and videoed to death... Maybe just to go sit in the early morning and watch the mist roll about and enjoy the serenity and calm of the place before all the tourist's swarm. A thought for the future.

I wonder what the next week will have in it... I know I have to get in the air this weekend.

I also found via youtube a new setting for the Sony RX10V4 that allows for a smaller focus zone and it works nicely. Now if I could get the shake in my arms to go away.

During the writing of this blog, I listened to Tangerine Dreams Cruise to Destiny and The Epison Journey. Both good listening to music.

Happy Sunday... here comes Monday!