Rain rain, beautiful rain

It's raining.

Water is actually falling from the skies here in 

Southeastern New Mexico.

In the desert we celebrate when it rains,

we stand and watch it while making ooh-ooh sounds

and pointing.

Real rain, gentle failing rain is such an abnormality for us.

Our Boston terrier, BB, who was raised from a tiny puppy here,

has experienced being rained on perhaps 6 times in his whole life.

Each minor wet incident separated by years of time.

In the past two days we have received

real rain, perfect rain, twice in two days.

There may be more according to forecasts.

Our dog does not know how to handle this rain strangeness.

He's scared of it, shaking, the sound of falling rain is frightening to him..

To be truthful, rain is strangeness to us as well.

Outside the normal protocol for the desert. 

This beautiful rain, according to forecasts, is to continue for

several days.

Due to this recent, perhaps ongoing for several days unusual and perfect rain,

we have now true hope for our gardens this summer.

Retired Extremely Dangerous

Two seasons away from retirement now.

I am starting to accept that retirement may truly happen?

Unwilling to fall into the trap of counting days,

I mark time towards retirement seasonally.

Two seasons down, two left to do until retirement happens.

I have started a notebook filling it only with 

ideas, jobs and projects to do once retired.

Each day at work i attempt to add one or two

projects or concepts, listing projects for post retirement that i can

do at home, the things i have always wanted to do,

wished i could do, should have done, would have liked to do....

if i only had the time.

I recently failed to balance my planning, desire and

OCDness in reference to the future purchase for the Sports Car

retirement restoration project.

The past few days i became way way too focused

on possible vehicles to buy when currently

it is exceptionally early in retirement financial and support

zones to do anything in the actual purchasing of a project vehicle.

Several days of overboard focus has made me 

sit back and reevaluate appropriate timing, desires,

and obtaining the correct end result.

Putting the brakes on my brain can be the most difficult of

tasks.

I mistakenly began to jump into the overwhelming 

desire of buying and the doing.

Way to early in every sense of practicality. 

Pushed by the Rain Man that lies inside of me.

I am somewhat back under mental control now,

when it comes to the restoration project

I am slowly but surely completing my

1:32 scale W.W.1 French monoplane model.

Small segments completed each weekend.

The cockpit, wings, fuselage, tail structure, landing gear

and engine are completed.

There remains much to complete, especially the

wire rigging for the wings and tail.

Followed by detailing.

My new process of building slowly

with caution and consideration works admirably. 

Now on season 5 of the Jack Bauer/24 watching binge.

"There is no great genius,

without a mixture of madness."

Aristotle

Cars

As previously mentioned here--JoJo and I have been considering
obtaining a retirement car for enjoyment.
We had previously discussed a TR-6 roadster as a possibility.
We are now talking about two vehicles possibly---
JoJo loves Datsun 240Z's so perhaps one of those in turn-key
enter at a local car show condition---

And--

More of a ground up restoration project for me to

waste many hours upon in retirement---I am thinking a 

Citroen DS.

Although the original concept of doing cars remains steady.

The cars involved seem to change and will do so

probably right up to the moment we actually

buy something.

JoJo and i are the last humans on earth

to have discovered the TV series 24 and Jack Bauer.

we've never seen it before it was available on streaming.

Of course we are now binge watching our way

though all the years of episodes from start to finish on streaming.

Yelling "we're running out of time" in stereo with Jack.

It is amazing how easily Jo and I miss massive cultural phenomena 

because of the way we both are.

"If you're not making mistakes,

you're not doing anything."

John Wooten

1/32 Morane-Saulnier typ N

I seem to be doing much better over the past ten days.
Sleeping with only the occasional interruption.
Perhaps it is the transfer of my local world into spring?

I did decide to focus on enjoying each thing i do no matter how small
and attempt to accomplish each little thing to the best of my ability.

Within this concentration I find myself not worrying about future events,

or past failures.

I've been redefining my plastic modeling protocols.

1:72 scale aircraft were simply too small to work with

other than the largest aircraft offered, due to aging eyesight 
and the new normal of less than perfect hand-eye coordination.

In this re-defining I switched to 1:32 scale.

Larger and hopefully easier for older eyes and fingers to work with. 

I am now focusing on World War One aircraft only.

This weekend i started with a 1:32 scale

Morane-Saulnier typ N---French fighter aircraft.

The Morane-Saulnier typ N

was an early war mono-plane which was 

quickly surpassed by bi-wing fighters.

It was a very very cool, futuristic design for 1914.

 The end result, of construction, will I hope appear like the

example below?
I'll provide real-time photo's next time.

I re-organized all my modeling tools and supplies

prior to starting this project.

I also ordered my next project to have available on demand.

A 1/32 German Albatros D.1 bi-plane fighter.

A unique addition to building this model is an aftermarket 

 set of decals designed to make the fuselage appear made of wood,

as was the original aircraft.

The switch to World War One aircraft requires me to

become competent at rigging.

Aircraft of this time period used visible wiring as both structural support

and for control of the craft.

This is a complex and rather difficult procedure which i have to 

study and experiment with.

Timothy Geithner 

bag man for the 1%er's and too big to fail banks,

 the revolving door Treasury Secretary, 

who masterminded the "too big to fail" bailout of  Wall Street

and the destruction of the American middle class has 

written a book explaining himself and his actions during

the Bush economic melt down and robbery of the people.

Although i would find his view of the world a good laugh.

I won't purchase this book because he might make a

penny off it.

JoJo and i were discussing my pending retirement this January.

My JoJo brought up an interesting retirement concept.

I should sell my Toyota FJ--

Locate and obtain a vehicle that is more fun to drive around town old guy style,

as well as  putz with, restore as necessary,

and maybe even take to the odd local car show.

I have restored 3 antique vehicles in my past--

Restoration suits my OCDness.

Keeps me occupied.

I will be looking for something with

just enough work involved...

I am thought experimenting on obtaining a Triumph TR-6--

There are many IF'S involved--

If i can sell the FJ at the right time--

If i can find the right TR-6 at the right price 

and proper condition---

And of course in

British Racing Green.

There is no other color for this particular car.

A TR-6 would be the ultimate reward for 

getting up and working for 50 years.

Wearing the chains.

Just the thought of owning this vehicle has provided something

I have been missing in thinking of retirement.

Inspiration

Inspiration as to what i would do just wasn't there

until my JoJo provided the seed.

One of the best movies I've seen this year on DVD.

A mob enforcer hired to deliver a bag but told whatever happens

He can't look into bag no matter what.

Great acting and excellent plot. 

"Forget the Past."

Nelson Mandela