A very hardworking week.  Welcome to September………………………

As always, first the chronology:

10/1/19 – Sunday – Up and downstairs to do the blog. Kathy came home and we had lunch. I got cleaned up and gathered things together. Over to Gary’s for the afternoon get together. Parking was a nightmare. Home and changed the valve assembly in the downstairs commode. Had dinner. Downstairs for some computer work. Upstairs to bed early. TV, more computer work and sleep.

10/2/19 – Monday – Happy Labor day. Up, usual morning routine then helped Kathy get things ready for lunch. Cleaned up and the crowd came around noon. Had burgers and dogs on the grill and many other goodies. Took the grand children swimming. Everyone was gone by 3:30. Helped clean up. Dinner, chatted with the guys on 2 meters. Out on the back deck to sit awhile. Inside, dessert, bed, computer updates, TV and sleep.

10/3/19 – Tuesday – Up early and out to help my son-in-law. Took the truck and trailer to get lumber. Then back to his house to start cutting the wood we picked up. Home around 3PM. Did some research and chores around the house. Had dinner, chatted with the guys on 2 meters. To bed, some chores, Big Bang and sleep.

10/4/19 – Wednesday – Up early and out to help my son-in-law again. We ordered the lights he wanted for his cabinets. Then to Lowes for more lumber. Spent the rest of the day cutting more wood. Kathy came over around 3PM to start dinner. We ate and I came home. Put the trailer and truck away. Had dessert, Pulled emails and played radio. Upstairs, shower bed, computer updates, Big Bang and sleep.

10/5/19 – Thursday – Up early and got a text from my son-in-law giving me the day off from working at his place. So had breakfast and went back to bed. Slept till almost noon. Got up did some chores and put lunch out for Kathy and myself. Went out and fixed the tail light on the trailer. In and cleaned up. More chores around the house then out to return an item to ACE hardware. To the Chinese restaurant for dinner. Kathy went to bell choir practice and I went to my room to chat with the guys on 2 meters and did some computer updates. Upstairs for dessert, bed, Big Bang and sleep.

10/6/19 – Friday – Up early and out to help the son-in-law. Worked till around 2PM. Stopped at the bank for money in case I find something I can’t live without tomorrow at the HAMfest. Then home and a nap. Dinner and downstairs to chat with Mike on 2 meters. Upstairs for dessert and bed. TV, computer research and sleep.

10/7/19 – Saturday – Up early again and out to the HAMfest to help with testing. Took a look around after the testing session. Not much to be found. I only spent $16.00. Home and chores. Took Kathy to Moby Dick’s for lunch. Home and a nap. Up and more chores. Played radio. Dinner, computer updates, radio, bed, Big Bang and sleep.

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Now the specifics:

Welcome to September folks.  The time is flying faster the older I get.  Seems not too long ago I was on my motorcycle in Florida.

First thing is to clarify my remarks for Sunday this week.  My friend Gary has always hosted the Sunday afternoon get together at his house.  Recently there has been a change of things and Gary and his wife have moved into the downstairs part of the house and one of his Grandsons and family moved in upstairs.  Parking was always a little tight at there house but now with the addition family and their company it has become impossible.  Once you drive into his house it’s extremely difficult to turn around to get out.  I will do some thinking about this and perhaps have the get together over here.

The big day of the week was Monday as we all celebrated Labor Day.  We had the usual dogs and burgers on the grill.  Mike, Julie, the grand children and our friend Dee all came over to partake of the goodies.  I got to take the grand children to the pool for awhile and give everyone else a break for an hour or so.  It was good to see our friend Dee.  She is now working at the VA hospital with Mike and Julie although in a different department.  She seems to be doing much better now that she is off the floor in a regular hospital.  We really do need to stay more in touch with her as she is alone.

I did more physical work this week than I’ve done in a long time.  Tuesday I was up early and took the truck and trailer up to Mike and Julie’s.  We went to a lumber yard to get some quality wood that Mike needed.  He is building a walk in closet at the house.  The room is about 8′ by 10′ or larger and he is building shelves and cabinets into two of the walls.  He couldn’t get the wood he wanted at Lowes or Homedepot which is why we went to a lumber yard that specializes in high quality wood.  Then home and unloaded all the wood.  Then started ripping the 4′ by 8′ sheets to the sizes he needed.  I was really hurting after the day was over.  Wednesday I went back up and we went to Lowes to pick up the lumber he wanted for the “Behind the Scenes” work.  He didn’t need the expensive stuff for that.  Back to the house, unloaded that and ripped some more 4′ by 8′ sheets.  By mid afternoon my back was killing me.  I told Mike I had to stop for awhile and he was understanding.  Kathy came up and made meatloaf for everyone as Carter had a function to get his next belt in karate.  Got home Wednesday early evening.  Got up Thursday early to go back up and Mike texted me and said he could do things on his own so I stayed home and went back to bed.  Went back up Friday and moved a switch and quad receptacle for him to make room for the shelves.  We cut some more wood and I left.  It will be awhile before he can assemble things but it should be beautiful when it’s done.  A lot more work to do.

On Tuesday when I hitched up the trailer I noticed one of the tail lights was not working.  So, when I got the break Thursday I went out and found a bad bulb in the light fixture.  Took me longer to figure out how to get the light fixture apart then it did to find the trouble.  I had the bulb in my junk box so it was an easy and painless fix and all better now.

Saturday was the Greater Louisville HAMfest.  It’s a once a year event where folks come that want to unload their junk and other folks come to get that deal of the year.  Some commercial vendors come as well.  They have forums on various topics all related to HAM radio.  And they have a testing session where people can come and take their test to become a HAM or upgrade their license.  Three Volunteer Examiners (VEs) must be present at all testing sessions so it was broken down into two shifts.  I got the 8AM to 10AM shift.  My relief arrived early so I was done by 20 minutes before 10AM.  I went out and looked over what was being sold.  Not much I was interested in.  I was looking to pickup some kits from Debco but they didn’t bring any this year.  I did find a junk table with a ground block, cables and a case that were very cheap so I bought those.  Spent a whooping $16.00.  But I got to see some folks I hadn’t seen in awhile.  And got to participate in some new people getting their HAM license and a few that successfully upgraded.

That’s the story for this week.  A little different than most weeks I guess, which is a good thing.  Hope this finds everyone well and I wish you a good week to come.  Blog at you again next week.