@ Habitat

Sonoran Desert critter. Acromyrmex versicolor. They bite. Leaf cutters.
Friend, Gregory, gave me a paper to read. Nature, 1989. Foraging.
This image ©W.P. Armstrong otherwise. I wonder what's in my turf!
Aha... he told me but I forgot. An interloper here, he said. They bite!

Have been at local Starbucks. Much to do. Got new laptop, the old one suffering from LCD deprivation, black streaks coming on. Could replace but think I found good deal. Doing setup procedure. Issues crop up.

The new device is, like the old HP operating on Windows 10. But it is loaded with S-something and proprietary codes are clashing. Can't download Chrome browser, have to use MS Edge. McAffee either; must depend on MS Defender. Another learning curve using all the MS apps. One could unload it, evidently, but not now. Just want to get underweigh.

Nice barista here now. Liked a picture I gave her. They're very busy. Front and drive-thru. Have to ask to use the rest room. Locked and coded. Bit of a bear. A nuisance, really. Some of the other baristas are indifferent to the customers' "When you gotta go, you gotta go." They used to just give one the code. Sheesh. Homeless problem. Shooting up. Taking baths. Not our problem. Told my new friend, "Reminds of old joke: does Macy's tell Gimbel's?"

Merchandising. Big deal getting coffee. Faux pastries. We could go on. Told her she was kind to me. Appreciate it. Verde Valley pictured. From Jerome. San Francisco Peaks.

Saturday night. Church tomorrow. Might like to listen to some music but not much here on the near West Side of Phoenix. Funny thing; thought to go to acoustic place on East Side, coffee house sort of venue. No music tonight. A play the thing. About Wyatt Earp. Hmm - don't think so. A nice recital would be... nice.

Have online friend at Hangout. Met through Twitter. In Florida Keys. Has already asked for money. Cut her off for a while. Few days. How gauche! Too many Internet contacts get to be that way. Inch. Mile. Light year. Too much. She was reprieved. No idea of her financial circumstance. Doesn't work full time. Conflicting information. Sent her picture. Very good looking. Gorgeous? Told her to drop dead when she solicited me. Ameliorating, said she was drop dead gorgeous. Oh, I think I posted the picture already.

Just checked. Yes, I did. I ought to send her this. Let's rumble in the jungle! Very dicey repartee in slow motion. Patience of saints. Lord, have mercy. More to come.

Forgive Me

Early Saturday morning, all I can think about is going back to church tomorrow. It's been about a year since. Anticipating somewhere different. Presently killing time at coffee but home soon. Do the laundry and cook some supper. 

Funny, until midnight last, I thought today was Sunday. The church is called Gospel Hall. The gospel of forgiveness, right? Right. Hope I make friends there. The last place was pretty stuck up but I've got a different social sense. Hard to connect between the secular and the spiritual. 

The trouble with going to church is like you get with the program there but you feel lonely when you leave because you don't associate with those people until the next gathering, either Wednesday Bible study or Sunday again. Go watch a ballgame or have coffee between? Fat chance. I just don't understand it. 

Bit of an epiphany. Fretting and fussing over my new sandals, the fit and feel, I met a woman with no legs.

Oh, by the way. My cyber lady friend kiboshed. She asked me for money. Rather gauche.

Figuring

Very unhappy with new tablet. Buyer's remorse in effect. What to do? Primarily, it won't play back downloaded Amazon music files offline. Got the thing for the purpose of playing downloaded movies. That goes through. But the audio files do not. The unit is 'rooted' it says.

So I tried an unrooting app. Did not work. Don't know what to do. Always joke: find a kid. I may have to pay for advise.

With this blog too. Different behaviors on different devices. The pad keyboard seems unstable; difficulty posting photos on the phone. At coffee, just staring at the floor. No one here. Saturday night.

Aha... there is a computing guy here. Maybe approach him. Free advise? Assume nothing. He was unable to help but ran into someone else. We get together tomorrow.

Study Up

NGO 5033. Hubble take. Upon seeing multo stars this morning without my glasses. Made such commentary on Facebook. Curious, as ever, to see what sort of response will occur.

FLASH. FLASH. FLASH.

The woman I've been cybernauting with, the one posted previously, just asked me money!!! Another experience of this chain of events. They're not even Nigerians. Terminate that proto. Just like that. There's just no telling. Unbelievable.

Just was reminded of getting together with ex-wife after long separation. She wanted a steak. I'm telling you... it takes all kinds. Kind of hungry myself. Pick up some sausage. Have pasta and sauce. Reading this. Should be a restful afternoon. Had thought about going to Tempe. Use my transit pass. Find some music. Just might be a waste of time.

Far to Go

Problem with laptop. Downloads Amazon movies OK and plays just fine offline but not music. Download happens. Offline no go. Unit is 'rooted' by default. Coding issue, I presume. Found out about app toward unrooting. No go. Need to find a kid.

Here's a wafting along Verde River.

La rivière Verde. In ye older vernacular.

Hey... there's a kid here at Starbucks.

My cell phone customer service lady.

Here She Is

In Key West. Very demure. Strange, the interaction. Truncated.

We're getting along but too much thinking, not feeling, things out.

Take Fort Verde

Took a ride up to Verde Valley. Seeking color. Expanse.

Back and forth of a day. Bought state park pass. Deal!

Here's parade ground at the fort. Refurbished. Decor too.

Would like to ride an Appaloosa, pack a mule from here.

Float a Bond

Have completely forgot again about this here blog! Presently in hot tub, what have you got to say for yourself, Ducky?

Not much. Perhaps it's because I'm entertaining a cyber-woman on Twitter. Intriquing. Do not wish to delude myself. Chatting.

Oh, Henry

Just love this print. The Noble Train. From Ticonderoga to Boston. Dorchester Heights. 1776-77. I wish I had known when I visited in 1973. Would like to have seen the view. Vamoosed the British fleet. Made use of it for Twitter profile. Keep my bearings and perspective as I haul the load.

Political posturing is a bane of patriots. Who can be affined but those who were there? Of questionable relation, Henry Knox a good role model for skill and loyalty. A book dealer in Boston, he affiliated with the libertarians and taught himself artillery ballistics from books.

Here's the Old Man himself. Was at Valley Forge too. All the way through to Yorktown. Was first Secretary of War of Constitutional government. A stout Federalist. Remarkable.

His persona came up in a tweet. Dealing with current congressional ineptitude and executive harassment. Just had a look at this article. You just can't keep up. I'm holding steady with the Donald. I give him my best. 

Well, I need to get far from the madding crowd. Thought to go to Tonopah to watch the sunset but has gotten too late in afternoon. The traffic on I-10 is murder. Think I'll go to the Estrellas. Break in some new boots. Pictures forthcoming.

Welcome

Mine humble abode. Talk about wear and tear. Needs work, as they say. Have just pruned oleander tree, planted a Trumpet shrub and hung my Betsy Ross flag. Looks pretty good but deceiving. Need a roof. As mentioned, the A/C is hopelessly broke. Old unit; there won't be violent available for it anymore.

Right now, replacement impossible. So, back in July, I went and got a portable room unit. Camped out in a bedroom for the duration. No problem. I either get a job to pay for the roof and another A/C or sell the place. All paid for. Just walk away with a cash offer. Otherwise, looking at 12K to get copasthetic.

Everything just fine. Heading out today, the sky very clear and blue, felt lucky to be alive. At a Starbucks for downloading and taking the time to do this. I have been spending the mornings going back and forth between Twitter and the news sites. Kvetching. Back and forth.

New and Improved

Have a new device. 10" tablet. Good for the flicks and a much faster download capability. I'm not one for toys, digital or otherwise. Glad I've got it fired up and am slowly learning the tricks. Just opened this up; long time no post. I suppose that's on account of Twitter. Much activity there and more interaction. Hell, there's no interaction at all. 😛

Took a ride last week. Many excellent shots. Poster shots. Money shots. What a bunch of to-dos. Have to rearrange the family and living rooms first; more to do, the entire house needs a major tidy. Now that it's cooled off I will get to it. 

The cool had me going to Tucson. Great two day trip. Went around the Santa Catalina Mountains and up to Mt. Lemon. Not too many deciduous trees as they're not indigenous but enough to enjoy. Brilliant aspen and maple. Then over to the National Saguaro Park.

Well, this is the initial post using the tablet. Seems to be working just fine. So glad it's cooled off. Just recalled the last post told of the A/C breaking down. I managed. I coped. I prevailed. Tell you how next time.