Odd Bits and Pieces

This will kind of like making a stew. You take the odd bits and pieces of what's going on and combine them into a life at this time.

--Recently our community had a young man die of cancer. He has battled for over three years. What was amazing was during halftime the opposing school took time during their homecoming festivities to have a moment of silence for this student. Sometimes schools do get things right and remember what is important.

--The farmer's market seems to be slowing down for the year. The market we help at is year round, but there are seasons. With the recent baloney from the dealer backing out, our friends are plugging along. They have started a new CSA box program and it is growing slowly. Let's hope it takes off very soon.

--We purchased some more solar products yesterday that will help us have options. Goal Zero is the company we are using. They have a plug and use system of panels, inverter/battery and accessories that allow for expansion and versatility. We were looking for a system to camp with and also use in a grid down situation. Mostly we had many questions concerning how to utilize the panels we currently own into the system we can use. We ended up buying some larger panels and a generator/battery to convert the panel generated electricity into usable electricity. We hope to use it later this month.

--Fall baseball has started and we're off too a roaring start. Seniors acting arrogant, freshman acting scared and everyone else trying to learn. As with every year we lost some players and gained some, but it's the one that have been with us for a few years that will determine how we do.

--On another baseball related topic, I am a league rep. That means I go to one or two meetings a year and meet with reps from the other leagues in our section and discuss news and give input on policy. Our proposals and suggestions are voted on by the administrators and CIF people and this becomes the rules we operate under for the next year. We had a meeting this past week and like many of these I walked out feeling like my input will be ignored and I just spent 2 1/2 hours of my life that I will never get back.

--For a person that was known in town for riding his bike everywhere, I sure am driving a car much more than riding now in my new life. Feels weird.

--I have never been a Yankees fan, but have liked a core group of their players: Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte, Bernie Williams, Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter. All baseball fans have to like how Jeter played his last game in Yankee Stadium. Too cool.

--Recently traveling on Amtrak two things happened that I hadn't experience before. The train was delayed at a station when it ws announced n the overcom, "Conductor to cafe car immediately."  About 3 minutes late,the same message was announced. The second one made me think. Eventually we were underway but just before the next stop it was announced the we would have a longer stop at the next station and we were met by a sheriff's car when we arrived.  I guess someone didn't like their ginger ale. Later we stopped at a station and some passengers got off for a smoke. I was anxious to get moving so I started observing the smokers. I thought it nice of three young men to share their smoke so as not to waste cigarettes. They I figured out it wasn't tobacco they were smoking. Nothing new under the sun came to mind.

With that, I'm off to spend another day on this spinning globe.