Depressing News

At my last physical, I was asked "are you depressed". I thought this was an unusual question until I realized that a number of seniors, particularly those who have lost their spouse, are lonely and depressed. Although I answered "no", I think the next time I am asked, I will say "yes, but only when I watch the news".

Mysterious Drones

Drones that weigh 0.55 lbs (250 grams) or more, whether they're used recreationally or commercially, are required by the FAA to have Remote ID which allows the government to locate the control station when a drone appears to be flying in an unsafe manner or where it is not allowed to fly. Either the government knows who owns/operates the drones or they are flying illegally and should be taken down.

Mysterious Visitor

One of the reasons I have surveillance cameras is you never know when a suspicious looking character will vandalize your property by hanging a Christmas stocking on your porch rail at the crack of dawn...

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2024 Christmas Parade

Every year residents of the Arizonian RV Resort decorate their vehicles and drive around the park wishing everyone a Merry Christmas...

 

Javelina

My trail cam finally captured a Javelina...

 
Click here for more information on the species

Big Bucks

Someday when I am rich and famous...

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Jeep Ownership

When I purchased my first Jeep, I was told that it was an acronym for "Just Empty Every Pocket"...

 

Galaxy SmartTag2

Recently, an enclosed trailer with a paraglider inside was stolen from the park's storage area. With today's portable power tools, locks can easily be removed so I looked into tracking devices that would allow me to find my trailer if it is ever stolen. I wound up purchasing the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 which I paired with my Samsung Galaxy S24 smartphone (Apple has their own AirTag for iPhones). These devices determine location using Bluetooth technology from other phones, so they are not as accurate as GPS trackers but they have a much longer battery life and are less expensive. Tonight, I had dinner in Gold Canyon and here is the track to and from the restaurant...

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As you can see, it is accurate enough to find a stolen vehicle and for less than $20 it is cheap insurance.

Thanksgiving

In case you were concerned that I might go hungry this Thanksgiving, one of my neighbors has invited me over for turkey with dressing and cranberry sauce. I am even going off my diet to have homemade pecan pie for dessert...

An old southern boy's favorite

Dining After Dark

When the sun sets in the desert, the temperature drops very quickly. Fortunately, my neighbors have a propane heater built into their outdoor table, so we were able to dine in comfort...

Glenn & Sheila

96 Ranch Road

The 96 Ranch Road south of Florence, AZ got its name from an old abandoned ranch...

It appears to have been a nice home years ago

Unfortunately, time and vandals have taken their toll...

On the way to the ranch, you pass a number of huge, 100+ year old saguaros including a very unique half-crested one...

Bitcoin Soaring

Bitcoin has been setting all time high price records since Trump was elected President. I started mining it years ago when it was $100 per coin. I now have ~$6000 (at current values) which I use to buy Amazon gift cards. If you have a high end computer with excellent cooling, may I recommend a Windows based program called Kryptex that mines cryptocurrency 24/7 and still allows you to use your computer for other purposes.

You can also purchase Bitcoin via sites like Coinbase, but remember it is highly volatile which makes it a risky investment; whereas mining has very little risk.

Bad Influence

They say you can judge a person by the company they keep. I think I may be in trouble...

Missy, Darby, Dale

You may note that while they were drinking beer, I was drinking ice tea. I was the "designated passenger" on the ride.

Backway To Mt Lemmon

I took the Jeep the backway to Mount Lemmon from Oracle, AZ. It's a crooked, dirt trail that requires a high clearance vehicle. Although I enjoyed the ride, there were not enough "WOW" moments for me to want to do it again anytime soon.

I thought the paved road coming up from Tucson was much more scenic and would be a good Sunday drive, particularly, in the hot summer months.

Fine Wine

My neighbor, Missy, works for a very wealthy individual in Wisconsin, who collects and drinks expensive wine. At the end of the summer, he gives her a bunch of bottles that he no longer wants. As a thank you for some work I did for her, she gave me two bottles of Ornellaia 2016. Out of curiosity, I went online and was able to find it on sale for only $279.99...

Not wanting to drink alone, I shared my good fortune with my other neighbors last night. Nothing like a $300 wine with your smashburgers. The sad part of the experience was I could not tell much of a difference between it and my $10 bottle with the screw top. Apparently, I do not have a sophisticated enough palate.

Rummaging Rodent

My neighbor has a large rat running around his tool shed at night, so we setup a trail cam to monitor its activity and see if we could trap it. Although we got some great video clips, the rat was too smart for the trap. Watch how it plays with and moves the trap without tripping it...

 

Tonight, we are going to switch the bait from cheese to peanut butter, drop some poison bait and then see what happens.

Update 10/27/2024: That rat outsmarted us once again. It is so big that it was able to reach the peanut butter without putting enough weight on the plate to trip the trap. However, it did take the poison bait, so we may get it that way. Video posted at https://youtu.be/cApdJcVSIv4.

Update 10/28/2024: It appears we may have gotten the rat with the poison bait as it did not reappear on last night's video...

Mesmerizing Sunset

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SoloCam S340

I recently added a eufy SoloCam S340 to the front of my park model. One nice feature of the camera is the ability to track and follow moving objects...

 

They are "spray painting" the streets in the park this week. It is a temporary fix to make them look good for returning snowbirds. I was told they will resurface the streets next year.

FEMA Failure

The federal government cares more for illegal immigrants than for its own citizens...

 

Elon Musk and private individuals have done more for the victims of Helene than the entire Biden/Harris administration.

Another Democrat Debacle

Click here for full story

More Liberal Hypocrisy

Kamala Harris drops millions on private jet spending despite calling climate change an 'existential threat'...

Apparently, it's okay to pollute the environment if it is for political purposes such as fund raising
Click here for full story

Old Age Humor

 

Surveillance Cameras

I recently purchased two wireless solar surveillance cameras to cover both entrances to the house. Last night was a good example of how effective these cameras are as an unknown vehicle was recorded checking out my place a little after 8:00 pm. Although it was probably someone who did not realize I tend to go to bed with the chickens, it's reassuring knowing that I will have video evidence if an intruder steps onto the property.

 

Arizona Heat

I believe I have come up with a way to beat the Arizona summer heat...

Coyote

When you live out in the desert, you get to see a lot of interesting critters...