Thursday

Hello September!

August's quick departure was easy to forecast.  Two weeks in Europe, with a week of preparation and a week of decompression, and the month was gone.  But it sure did go by in a hurry.

The Buick is back in the fold.  New battery and a new tail-light.  And LtPC's wallet lighter by about $600.  No shock there.  The car repair folks really don't repair things anymore; its mostly a remove and replace process for problem items.  Add in the tow charge, the shop supplies fee, and the up-charge on the parts, and the bill can get there in no time.

The up-charge on car parts at the dealer is comparable to the wine bottle charge at Biaggi's.  I just looked up the tail light on Google and the discount house sells the exact same item for $72.95, plus $11.70 shipping and handling.  Dealer cost on my bill: $185.12.  Plus $45.00 installation.  Pretty much three times cost.  Just like the bottle of Louis Martini top-shelf Napa Cabernet that's $65 at the restaurant, and usually $21 or so across the street at Hy Vee.  It's a great country.  (At least at Biaggi's I have the enjoyment of being treated like a VIP by the staff.)

4 points out on Twitter that the college football season gets underway for real tonight on the four-letter-network.  There's actually a bunch of games on the schedule, but UNLV at Wisconsin will get the primary airtime.  Then they have a couple games on Friday night before the whole onslaught that begins the season for most everybody else on Saturday.  The 'Clones and Hawks with home games as well.  Direct TV will be wall-to-wall with regional games on the FOX and Comcast channels.

If you didn't notice, 2 added an entry to her blog to recount their Irene weekend.  http://www.thehoranies.com/

My pal Pete joined us last night at Biaggi's for a glass and gave us the story on his biking accident.  He has a soft cast from his left wrist all the way up to his shoulder.  The surgery procedure was necessary to re-attach a tendon to bone on the underside of his elbow.  Not nearly as inconvenient as our friend Lee's hard cast on his right arm earlier this Summer, but hardly unnoticeable.  He can work the computer and says that he's no longer taking any drugs, but what a pain!  I'm absolutely taking his experience as the omen to make me hang up my bike shoes for the year.  The Turkey Trot just became my fitness focus.

My RCL was through the house yesterday.  What a treat it is to come home after she has done her thing.

I may have mentioned here previously that we are swapping out our office computers this month.  Our three-year contract with our tech-support firm expires, and rather pay higher service fees on the older equipment, we'll put in the new machines and pay the much-lower service fees.  Its a little more expensive to go new, but the advantages of speed and new equipment makes it an easy decision.  They'll sell the old machines to us at $150 each (for any takers out there).  My laptop is part of the up-grade too, so I should be getting something a little-less-bulky than my current machine.

Also as part of the computer project, my partner Bill and I are looking at switching our smart phone to the I-phone.  Our Androids are OK, but the units are both in need of maintenance tune-ups, and we both would like to improve on some of the functions.  Still evaluating the move, but there will definitely be some kind of an upgrade taking place.

More here later.

BCOT