Another computer on the desk !

I know, "A WHAT DAD?"

My office looks something like this:

Actually it isn't that neat.

The router is actually on the wall behind the Vista PC. and the Canon and FD printers set beside their respective computers. The laser printer is under the desk between the Vista computer and the laptop.  I actually set in the middle of the U-shaped desk about where the router is in the diagram.  Anyway, we have been talking about a computer for the shop, but I hate to put a lot of money into one there because of the hostile to PC environment.

I saw a computer listed for sale on a bulletin board ( a real physical cork bulletin board!).  Said it was an Xp computer with desk for $70.  I stopped and talked to them and they said the desk was worth $35 and the computer was worth $35. They said it wasn't any good for the internet because there was no modem in it.  I could take either or both. included monitor, keyboard, and mouse. I didn't haggle.  Never even plugged it in.  Didn't know what I had but I felt like taking a risk so I spent my $35 on a shot in the dark.

It did have an ethernet card in it, though.

Turns out it is a Dell Pentium 4 with Xp Pro.  Includes Word and Works and a few other programs.  Not a great computer but it will be adequate for our intended use.  I spent more on the wireless card than I gave for the computer.

Right now it is setting on the desk playing with itself.

I couldn't find any anti-virus software on it.

They had not updated any software on it.

I purged some files and software.  All the Barbie programs that required a CD to operate are gone. So are the resume's and softball schedules and rosters they left on it.  I copied the photos left on it to a flash drive and used another computer to burn them to a CD for the previous owner's.

If I had the original disks I'd have reformatted and reloaded.

I've run Malwarebytes and removed 30+ varmits.  I'm running SpyBot S&D.  I tried running AdAware but because they had not installed SP2 it would not load. So once I get it cleaned up I'm going to try Microsoft's new security software on it. And hopefully SP2 and 3.

If my time was worth anything I gave too much for it.

So do you go to bed for an hour or just go ahead and get up?

Yeah, I fell asleep watching TV again.  I woke up at 4:00 on the couch wide awake and cold. So do you go to bed for an hour or just go ahead and get up? I decided the first thing to do was get warmed up so I'm setting here wrapped up in a blanket doing this.  Why where I am?  Because I have a space heater under the desk and I can crank it up and get warm quickly.

My first priority today is getting a grant application signed and mailed.  Our fire department was given a bunch of MSA composite tank SCBA's a few years ago.  Mention was made of the tanks being obsolete soon, but we thought they meant obsolete as in they got newer more modern ones.  No ... well, yes, that as well, but obsolete as in after 180 months from manufacture a composite tank cannot be refilled. Replacement cost is $800 to $1000 per tank and we have 28 of them. In case you are out of fingers and toes that takes just about all of $25,000.

The Office of the State Fire Marshal (GREAT folks in case any one is reading this.  Seriously, they are great folks to work with.  Best state agency to deal with I have ever had the occasion to be involved with) has a small equipment grant program we may qualify for to get help replacing them. But it wants stuff like copies of appropriations ordinances, tax rates, history, etc.  For a career dept with a professional secretary that is probably simple.  To us volunteer groups out in the sticks it is a hassle. I ended up taking most of a day off to research prices, write the narrative, fill out the application, and hopefully get it all signed this morning.

If you can't dazzle them with brilliance baffle them with ... bovine fertilizer. I ain't brilliant. So I attached all kinds of supporting documentation. My old sales manager would have hated it. He came from the school of thought if a quote takes more than 6 lines it is too long.  I'm up to 17 pages.

There was just one question that really bothered me.  It asked what legislative district we were in.  I answered it but I didn't like it. THAT should have nothing to do with a fire grant application. So I copied the app and have two envelopes addressed to our State Senator and Representative with copies of the apps inside. Told them we were not asking them for anything, just keeping them informed since the app asked what districts we were in.

Well, I'm warm, it's a quarter to 5, I may go sleep in until 6 this morning.  Ahh luxury!

Been to Louisville

Aman and I spent the day wandering around the 1,200,000 square feet of exhibits at the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville, Kentucky today.  Aman bought a flagpole. (Hope that wasn't a Valentine present I was supposed to keep quiet)  He's been wanting one for years and finally talked himself into it.  You CAN put a 20 ft flagpole in a Buick LeSabre and bring it home (it telescopes).

Stopped and talked to Jim at Dawn ... even got an official Dawn Equipment hat! We've been trying to talk ourselves into the Curvetine closing wheels and .. well the real problem is I'm just cheap tight  fiscally conservative.

Stopped by the Soil Max booth a minute.  Denny was talking to customers while the 4 other guys with yellow shirts were eating.  I told him looked normal, 4 guys standing around while the boss did the work.  Stopped by Jensen Equipment .  Phil was busy talking with real customers, but I got to speak with a beautiful woman with no common sense.  That's the only explanation of how she ended up with him!

Speaking of no common sense, I gave $10 for a $7 chicken dinner.  That wasn't too bad  But $3 for a bottle of Diet Coke was outrageous. But, I paid it so I guess supply and demand still works.

We have an excellent idea for next time.  We want to take a pocket GPS unit along and mark where the car is parked. Because we ended up in a section I had never been to before and somehow came through the pits for the pull.  Leaving I went to get the car while Aman picked up his flagpole.  I got rather turned around.  I don't know what direction the sun sets in Louisville, but I think I was trying to walk east into the sunset.  I was wanting lot 24 and ended up at ... I think it was 38.He finally threw the flagpole over his shoulder and started walking.  He made it to the car about the same time I did.

Oh, another idea for next year.  They should put wheels on those giveaway literature bags.

One thing we remembered to do was print up some address labels with name, address, phone and email on them. Makes signing up faster and its a lot easier than trying to read my handwriting.

135 .. 1 3 5 !!

Arghhh!  I guess I'm going to have to start tracking fats as well.  I REALLY hate tracking everything, it is just an absolute pain.  I've not been totally diligent about my carbs, but I haven't been too far off.  But the last 3 days my glucose has been rising .. steadily rising.  Gotta run, the boys just walked in.

OK, I'm back. Got my typos corrected. Sue wasn't back from her walk yet and Adam is staying with G'ma while David visits therapy and the Dentist. BTW, Howdy Adam G!  I was wondering what you were up to the other day. 

(For the rest of you that are going "Who?" see yesterdays comments.  I met Adam during a pulpit search a few years ago.  Someday we might even meet in person)

Where was I?

Oh yeah, writing it all down.Way back when all this started I was on a strict low carb low fat diet.  16 servings of carbs a day, 4 servings of fat.  How strict is that? We went to Subway last night and I had a 6" Italian BMT on wheat with "just a little" light mayonnaise. 

 

(photo from http://www.subway.com/applications/Menu/frmMenuPanel.aspx?CC=USA&LC=ENG&MenuID=36)

The sandwich alone had 48 grams of carbs, 20 grams of fat. The light mayo added 1-2 grams of carbs plus 5-10 grams of fat.  So 50 grams of carbs and 30 grams of fat.

Oh, I didn't explain a serving?

1 serving of carbs is 15 grams,

1 serving of fat is 5 grams.

So my 6" Italian BMT was 3 1/3 servings of carbs ... not too bad.   Ummm... but it was also 6 servings of fat.  ALL the fat for a day and a half.

Counting carbs is easy.  Fats are a pain.

It snowed ..

OK, so compared to the Northeast it isn't much. I mean, the airports are shut down, the government is not working (No, that's too easy a shot),  it will probably take a Federal bailout (OK, 2 easy shots in a row).  But it was actually winter here this week.  White covered everything, blowing snow, schools shut down, Marshall American Legion even canceled bowling leagues!

It was the first time in a long time there was a big drift east of Gramp's house.  Seems like when I was a kid that was a normal winter condition.

So what else has been going on this month?  Just February.  Moved a little corn, did a little shop work, worked on taxes, Mom went to Chicago ... What? You missed that?  A friend of Mom's had some meetings to attend and the person who was going to go with her couldn't make it.  So Mom went.  I've not talked with her since the earthquake Wednesday morning.

Anyway, I better head for bed.  I need to get my sleeping schedule under control.  Later Y'all

100

100 ... Odd title for a post.  I hope it is a good sign.  I've been not paying attention to my diet as well as I should.  By diet I don't mean a short weight loss diet, but rather my chosen lifestyle and choice of food I consume.

When I was watching extremely close I got my weight down under 170 pounds.  I'm not trying to do that, but I am trying to get my blood sugar under better control ... which for me means lose weight.

100 is significant because this morning was the first time I have tested at or under 100 first thing in the morning for months.  It is only the second time since before Christmas I have tested at or under 100 at any time of day.  December 28 I tested 91 at noon then bounced to nearly 200 by evening.

So I am hoping this is a way to start a new month.

I started tracking what I eat and how many carbs again .. I hate doing that.  But it forces you to pay better attention.  I haven't started carrying a notebook in my pocket and haven't been watching fats any, just carbs.  I guess if I'm going to get really serious i need to do that as well.  You can't count fats and eat at Burger King, Hardees's, McDonalds ... or about any pizza place.  Well, you can but it sure doesn't make a buffet profitable to spend money on.