Wow, what a time to be alive...

 Five years later, now.  And like 10 months in to the COVID-19 pandemic.  And things are about to get really nasty.  Lots of people flew for Thanksgiving.  So huge case spike in two weeks and then a tragic daily death count that will probably last well in to the New Year.  President Biden and team are going to have their hands full.

It's been so long...

...I don't even remember how to blog any more.  Where's the like button?

Okie A/C Project

I've been meaning to do this for a while.  It would be nice to have a little A/C in the van while camping...and while driving, for that matter.  I've seen some "red neck" A/C systems on the internet made out of a cooler and a fan and wanted to give it a shot.

Sunday was a lazy goof off day, so I took an old cooler, some PVC pipe, a DC fan, and some duct tape out to Tony's.  I figured I would putter on that while he worked on the Mustang. 

Instead, there was nothing to do on the Mustang- the no amount of buffing can save it -and Tony got involved with my project.  So, of course, the design was revised.  And eventually, I fell to a support role while he built...and over built.  Exhaust tubing instead of PVC.  Welds instead of duct tape.  Metal frame for the fan - and while we're at it, let's disassemble the fan and take out the oscillation we won't need...

I've seen some basic setups where people put ice in a cooler and blow air in one side of the top and out the other side of the top.  That just looks like an ice melting machine to me. I thought it would be more efficient to run tubing through the ice rather than just blowing air air over ice.

That red is just a little paint to keep the welds from rusting, NOT blood in the water.

Anyway - neat idea, but it creates the problem of melting ice turning to water and running out the holes.  We attempted to solve this problem with snug fittings and silicone sealer.  So far, it is holding water well.

 

Here it is blowing cold air in to my office.

 

You can rotate my little PVC bend to direct the air flow.  I'm pretty happy with the results for a first attempt.  We used stainless, and Tony was thinking aluminum would be easier to work with.  I think it would also help transfer the heat better. 

I am not thrilled with the efficiency.  It feels like a lot of the air that is being moved by the fan is not going in the holes.  It might be better to have two fans, one blowing in each hole, or just one hole.

I learned a bunch.  I am trying to understand how the air flow works.  The fan essentially chops air to move it and it forces air in some interesting directions.  Also, it seems to work better if I move the fan out on the shaft and closer to the holes.  I did some late night Googling - I had not realized that air is also a "fluid."  It follows the same rules of physics - pressure, resistance, path of least resistance and so on.  It made me feel like a little kid again, only I didn't have to have my Dad drive me to the library.  For now, it works.  And I'll keep tinkering. 

Strange To Be A Parent These Days...

 Our boy is in the middle of his Senior Project.  He is turning this old trailer and air compressor tank in to a trailer grill. Our neighbor Tony gave him the idea and the trailer and tank.  And this weekend, our new Friend Tony T helped out.  I've been helping him as much as I can.  But there are some things I just don't know how to do.  

 

Like cutting 45s in angle bar for a cleaner looking finished product.  And, you know, welding.

It is really weird to watch my son do something dangerous that I have no idea how to do myself.

Today's weather...

Let's see- a high of 85 and low of 52...perfect.  I should golf. 

Oh, but the current temperature is...95?  I should sit on the couch and watch golf.

I propose and assert...

...that FaceBook has badly maimed, and possibly killed blogging.  

It has at the very least allowed quantity to usurp the throne of quality.

As evidence, I cite not just my own blog, but that of many of my blogger friends who are also on Facebook.  

Elise: Last updated February 7, 2010

Cindy: Last updated February 11, 2010

Ted: Well, Ted is the exception that makes the rule.  Last updated June 17, 2010. But he had only 2 posts in May, 7 in Arpil, 8 in March, 6 in February, and 18 in January.

Glenn: Well, Glenn gets a pass because is last post on December 29, 2009 was a monster and perhaps should remain forever the last post on that blog.  However - I will add that McKenna is still growing up and there are many more sketches in you my talented friend.

Mr. Blue Meme: Last post, October 17, 2009

Rachel: February 20, 2010

Me: Last post April 4, 2010 - and before that, February 17, 2010.

All of these friends and I used to post often.  And we used to all put a good deal of effort in to our posts.

And yet all of these friends post on FaceBook with great frequency.

This past weekend, I took dozens of photos with my good camera.  I haven't even looked at them yet.  In the past, after such a trip, I would have immediately selected the best, resized them, and incorporated them in to an elaborate blog post about how great the Kate Wolf Festival was.  About how it was a lot of work, sure, but a lot of fun.  And about the great food I cooked that everyone enjoyed.  Greek one night, Itallian the next.  And how everyone contributed in different ways.  And how I always had a great seat because somebody got up early and got our chairs there.  And about Bruce and his wonderful daughter and his Hebrew National hotdogs. And naked people.  And how I talked about McSweeney's with the editor of The Bohemian and she was really cool.  And how the live music in our camp site was often better than the acts on stage.  And how I finally got a cow bell.  And how I bought a Wavy Gravy Fun Pack to send to Travis, but had a few cocktails and just had to open it to try on the red clown nose.  And public showers.  And swimming in the river. And how cool it was to hang out with my mother-in-law's friends.  And how it was great to get away with Rachel.  And thanked Lauren and Paul for giving us some time alone together by watching Jake.  And how my dog's dental bill was more expensive than my own.  And how much I enjoyed a vegan meal at the City of 10,000 Buddhas.  And how I think I got a contact high sitting in the crowd because I could have sworn Wavy Gravy was looking directly in to my soul from back stage while Steve Earle played and he pointed directly at me and said, "You, Eric, shall fill my shoes when I am gone."  And how while walking home one night, I wrote part of a little folk song in my head that went:

I've been wandering around a while

On a life sized map of the world

Looking for a little red dot that says...

You are here.

But all I could muster was pushing a couple of photos and updates to FaceBook from my phone.  And some great writing will never be written.  Well good writing.  Well, good writing for me, anyway.  And some good readin' will never be read.

And I blame all of this on FaceBook.

Thoughts anyone?  Especially my fellow formerly frequent bloggers?

Opening Day Night...

Wow, what a game.  An opening day preview of the ALCS series, and the Red Sox won.  

It was miserable, cold, raining, and stormy all day.  And the Sox were down 5-1 in the 4th.  And I went to cook dinner.  And when I went upstairs, I found that it had cleared up.  The sun was shining and there was a rainbow out the back deck.  So I was able to make what I had intended to make.  It was a minor Easter miracle.

Grilled ribeyes, fettuccine alfredo, and a big bunch of vegetables cooked in a wok on the side burner.

Laurie called in the middle of dinner to gloat a bit.  I finished dinner, went to the bedroom and grabbed the nice New Era official cap and my team jacket my Dad gave me after they won their first World Series that Fever Pitch year.  If they were going to lose, it wasn't going to be because of my lack of team spirit.

I went downstairs, back to the game, and it was a commercial break.  And when they returned, I had to blink and look again - tied 7-7 in the 7th.

I literally sweated out the rest of the game because I was NOT taking off that jacket and those suckers are warm. 

Neil Diamond sang Sweet Caroline- only thing that would have been better would have been Will Farrell playing Neil Diamond.

And they won.  1 down, 1 win to go to win the various bets I have going with Facebook friends and family.  And 1 down 161 to go till the playoffs.

Giants lost, but I am still happy.