Damsel snapped this photo of a classic ‘57 Chev step side that we spotted in the Post Office parking lot yesterday. This nice old truck has seen a lot of TLC since it was very bright and shiny, almost like new. It was parked next to another 1960’s vintage Chevy pickup. I don’t recall seeing either of these at the Classic Fly-In and Car Show we attended a couple of weeks ago. Perhaps they were just passing through. The 60’s truck had Oregon plates so maybe the owners are snowbirds or something. Click on the image to enlarge.

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In other matters, we need to upgrade our WordPress to a later version in order to be compatible with the newer PHP software on our ISP. Pursuant to that, you might tune in and see a stock format template rather than our custom Stars and Stripes template, so be prepared for that until we can regroup and get the template compatible with the new WordPress we’re going to install.

The Damsel and I deliberately got up at the crack of dawn this morning to attend the 26th Annual Fly-In and Classic Car Show held at our local airport. This should have been the 27th Annual show except that last year’s event was canceled due to the pandemic DEM Panic.

The show was well attended by quantities of classic cars and fly-in aircraft plus the folks driving in. There have been bigger shows in the past, but this one was pretty good. Nobody was wearing the face diapers mandated by some not-so-free places so it seemed like the past shows we have attended.

The images above are (1) a 1975 Bellanca Citabria and (2) a 1958 Chevrolet Apache Pickup Truck. These were two of many aircraft and cars on display and my favorites of the show, although it was hard to pick just these two since there were so many cool displays. The Citabria, formerly manufactured by Champion Aircraft Corp., is among my favorites since I learned to do aerobatics and got my flight instructor rating in a Champ Citabria (airbatic spelled backwards). The Chevy just looked clean and had a cool paint job. Click on either image to enlarge.

On this day, October 1, 2021, we’re celebrating our twelfth year of permanent retirement. I say permanent because this date is actually my second retirement, the first being ten years prior to 2009. To make a long story short, we retired rather than take a layoff in 1999 due to a manpower reduction. I immediately found another job at a competitive company to the one from which I had retired which eventually was acquired by my first company. Thus, I retired from the same company twice and now receive two pensions from them.

IMAGE: Thor Palazzo Motorhome ready to roll. Click on the image to enlarge.

In our retirement post last year, we mentioned hitting the road sometime in 2021, but that has not happened (yet). We did not go anywhere in the spring or summer in the big RV for various reasons, but the thinking now is to at least have a two or three-day excursion semi-local somewhere in Arizona. Since I am still healing up from hernia surgery, we need the surgeon’s go-ahead for that, but plan to get it done before it gets too cold for camping.

As far as keeping the RV ready for our next excursion, we have a routine where the engine gets started up and run for a while every week. We run the 6KW generator about once a month with a load, like both A/C units running. We currently have the black and gray tanks filled with a water-bleach solution which will be purged and prepared for use prior to our next run.

We’re thinking that our destination might be in the high desert north of the Mogollon Rim, perhaps Winslow, Holbrook, Homolovi SP and Petrified Forest NP. More on that when we make final plans.

So, join us in celebrating our twelfth AND twenty-second retirement anniversaries!

These two events generally coincide annually, but this is our first post that recognizes them together. Our blog turns 16 today on the same date that autumnal equinox occurs in the northern hemisphere.

Our first blog post was about our rebuke of Senator Feinstein’s NO vote for John Roberts confirmation to SCOTUS. At the time, we thought Roberts was the man for the job, but after his Obamacare vote and several other squish opinions, we’re not so sure that Feinstein’s NO vote was wrong, but for different reasons, of course. A lot can change in 16 years.

That brings us to Equinox - our Arizona weather is showing some signs of letting up on our hot summer temperatures with the thermometer topping out at under 100° the last several days. Our night time temperatures have been in the mid 70s but quickly heating up to over 80 at just after sunrise. Looking at today’s solar ephemeris, the sun is above the horizon for 12 hours and 6 minutes at our latitude. The days will be now be shorter than 12 hours for the next six months.

I really don’t have an update on the upgrading to the blog that needs to take place prior to December 2021. I previously blogged about the potential for discontinuing blogging depending on the upgrade outcome, but being lazy with a perception of plenty of time left, I have done nothing other than some research on how to get the job done. I sort of told myself that we would do some of it during my down-time with the hernia surgery, but the healing and recovery are doing so well that I am almost as active as before the surgery - I guess that’s a good thing in the long run. I’ll post when we start the upgrade on our other site when I should have an idea how arduous the blog conversion task might become.

Our blog has covered a lot of things over the years - the last few years we were employed to the first 11 years of our retirement. We have had a lot of fun reporting about our travels, our tragedies and our triumphs. We hope to see you here next year on our 17th.

As I mentioned in the Labor Day post, we elected to have hernia surgery sooner than later which seemed like a good choice given complications that usually develop with an untreated hernia. The surgery took place this morning at our local hospital. The surgeon (featured at the link) indicated that everything went well and I am at home now in the office comfortably posting this item.

I read the statistics on my type of hernia (Inguinal) and it turns out that about one-fourth of the adult male population will develop this condition sooner or later. Thank God that the radiology department during an unrelated CT scan discovered the problem and brought it to our attention a couple of months ago. The urologist that ordered the CT scan read the report to me and recommended that I consult a general surgeon, which (obviously) I did.

The pre-surgical procedures were the usual: surgical gown, hair net, vital sign monitor hookups, IV tube, etc. The one difference I can account for being that the anesthesiologist brought in an ultrasound system and probed my right side while inserting a syringe to anesthetize a major nerve under the muscle in order to provide a level of comfort post surgically. I have to say that it’s working inasmuch as the only sensation from the surgery site is minor pressure and not pain. This may wear off by tomorrow, I have been advised, so I am prepared to deal with whatever discomfort that may occur.

As always, Damsel was there to get me to and from the hospital and to provide post-operative care when needed. I am in continual thanks to God Almighty for the love and care given by my wife.

It should be getting easier every day as I heal up.

There are plenty of pictorial tributes to the WTC, Pentagon and Flight 93 that depict the tragedies of 9/11/2001 out in cyberspace, but I wanted to point out on this 20th anniversary that at this point in time, America is seen abroad as being a weak and patronizing nation. This 2012 Ramirez cartoon posted during the Obamination administration is even more apropos today in the wake of the cowardice shown by Biden and the Joint Chiefs in the Afghanistan debacle. Joe Biden - Worse than Carter, Clinton or Obama.

We’re still firmly in the “NEVER FORGET” column of thought regarding the 9/11 attacks, but are also firmly in anticipation of more to come now that the enemies of America have been shown that there will be no significant reaction on behalf of America and her allies. God only knows when and where more violence will be perpetrated on our soil. And the Biden Puppeteers are bringing unvetted “refugees” to the country as fast as they can while letting our stranded citizens languish under the Taliban.

Join us as we pray for The United States of America to regain her stature among nations and for the safety of our countrymen from enemies both Foreign and Domestic.

While the image above has nothing to do with it being a holiday, it reminds us of the constant array of natural wildlife that we observe here in our little corner of the Sonoran Desert. This is a male of the species Cardinalis Cardinalis or Northern Cardinal perched in our mesquite tree on the little hill behind our RV Drive. Click on the image to enlarge.

Back to the Labor Day topic - The holiday supposedly honors the work done by labor unions to improve life in America. Personally, I believe Americans in the workplace determined to do a good job, regardless of their affiliation with a union, are responsible for the success of our nation. During my careers in Aerospace, Electronics, Aviation and the Navy, we have observed good productivity regardless of the presence of a union in the workplace. Actually, my experience with unions has shown that productivity is decreased by some of their rigid rules in the workplace. YMMV.

Changing the subject, have you made your comments in opposition to the ATF’s unconstitutional proposed rules for Pistol Stabilizing Braces? The Puppet in Chief’s flunkies have proposed to change the definition of sporting pistols with braces to “Short Barreled Rifles.” The rule, if adopted, would make up to 40,000,000 owners of Pistols to register them and pay the $200 NFA tax. Please go to this GOA website and make your comment in opposition to the rule. Note that while many are not affected by this rule change, that the ATF will likely continue down the path of making legal rifles and pistols similarly NFA items. This and the previously issued NPRM about homebuilt firearms cannot become enforceable. Just do it. The GOA site makes it a simple two minute job to oppose this unconstitutional rule. The QR Code at the right takes you to the GOA link.

In other news, I have been diagnosed with an inguinal hernia. I will be having that surgically repaired in a few days, so your thoughts and prayers are appreciated.

Meanwhile, the Labor Day festivities here will be including Grilled Tri-Tip Steaks while Damsel is providing the Baked Beans and ‘Tater Salad on the side. We hope you enjoy your holiday as much as we will enjoy ours.