Day 165 – (AD 391) – Jim's Trek Part II – The Sequel – 20.7 Miles – Abbeville, Louisiana on My Schwinn 150

Good Day,

This morning I cycled another 20.7 miles on my Schwinn 150. I am just shy of the 7,800 mile mark. My total miles are now 7,794.4.

My virtual Trek has me now located and heading north on S Airport Road toward Chiasson Road. I am still in Louisiana and it appears that I will still be trekking in this State for another 20, plus or minus, days. And then it is another 583 more miles to get to my final destination, home.

It is sometimes a pleasure to read a masthead on an article that pushes in a positive direction. Politico’s “Millionaire conservative backs Calif. minimum wage increase.”

House of Cards, Chapter 7 keeps my attention as I cycle. By using the episodes and chapters of each series I am holding myself from binge watching. But damn, I definitely want to find out what happens next.

Today is Pharmacist, Clean-off Your Desk, and Marzipan Day. The original Marzipan Panis Martius or Marci Panis was sold in the Tallinn Town Pharmacy, Europe's oldest operating apothecary (1422). According to legends, an apprentice at the Town Pharmacy accidently concocted it as a remedy, perhaps against the plague.

Two-thirds of our BW 2010 quilt and wall hanging has been completed. We received the postcard announcements for the MANifestations Exhibit. Our Cosmo’s Moon is a part of the exhibit. I have decided to tweak my original design for our A-New afghan/throw.

Be healthy and enjoy your flock of turkeys,

Jim

Day 6 – (AD 231) – Jim’s Trek Part II – The Sequel – On My Schwinn 150 Just South of Winlock, Washington

Good Day,


Didn’t know if I would get on my Schwinn 150 today. Last night was certainly eventful… but all-things-being-equal the current prognosis is positive. And I did, and I completed 22.0 miles of cycling. I am headed south on the Winlock-Vader Road to my next Interlake goal destination. I am just south on the outskirts of the City of Winlock in Washington. The population of Winlock is about 1,340, and its claim to fame is that it is the city having the World’s Largest Egg. Only thing I want to know is where is the bloody bird?

Question - While I am walking The Pack for their early evening mile, we pass by a number of houses, neighbors facing each other and on opposite sides on the same street. All sets of garage doors are open. Each homeowner has a television set up in each individual garage, and each has a series of chairs set in their own theater viewing formation. And each has their TV sound set up almost as high as each one's volume can go. Why do they have each of their own TVs set and tuned to different stations? The cacophony of electronic sound is somewhat deafening, and if I walk down the middle of the street it is almost as if I can hearing dueling banjos strumming in the distance.

For my trekking pleasure - Mad Men – Season 1, Episode 4 continues the development of cast and characters. And everyone still just keeps on smoking. Corporate Wall Street business and family connections are paramount.

My Sequel words for today: "Egg" and "Electroencephalography".

My stats for Day 6 of my Sequel Trek are:

• Location - Winlock, Washington
• Sequel Distance - 22.0; Total 125.4 miles
• Grand Total Miles - 4,382.5
• Calories Burned - 662
• Weight - 165.8 lbs; Total Loss - 5.0 lbs
• Belly Measurement - 34"; Total Loss - 10"
• Blood Sugar - 97 mg/dL
• Blood Pressure - 132/78
• BMI - 23.3

And Andy and I just found out that our Cosmo’s Moon quilt wall/hanging has “been selected to be judged at the World Quilt Show – New England". This Show’s in Manchester, New Hampshire, August 15 to 18.

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 141 – Jim’s Trek – 21.7 Miles – Winnipeg, Manitoba

Good Day,

Today’s Trek on my Schwinn 150 has me cycling into Winnipeg, Manitoba. I am located on St. Mary’s Road at the intersection of Fermor Avenue. I am hungry for breakfast and I have decided to stop in at Junior’s. According to Yelp reviews, food ranks at 4 ½ Stars.

This morning I journeyed 21.7 and I have now racked up 2,498.3 miles. My side trip to Winnipeg and beyond has taken me a wee bit north, on my route to Seattle. I think I will be turning west in a couple of days. My daily target of 600 calories burned was reached.

And now I really can’t believe the absurdity of some banks. I had to replace the air conditioning/heat pump in the house a couple of months back. The decision was made to take a quick no-interest-pay-back-in-12-months’ loan. Up to this point no problem. The payments have been going fine and an additional number of repayments were made to get it off the debt books as quickly as possible, even before the 12-month period runs down.

Repayments have been a relatively simple electronic procedure – I initiate an electronic instruction from my bank account which creates an electronic withdrawal of the funds from my main bank, another financial institution. All of a sudden I was stopped from making any more electronic payments. (I still could make payments by mail or by phone.) Electronically, which I feel is the quickest, simplest, and cleanest… and note, this is what I used to do for a living on behalf of the companies I worked for… I tried to initiate an additional electronic transaction. I was stymied. I could not understand why the electronic banking system would not work or allow me to send any more money.

I finally called the financial institutions Customer Service… (the Call Center was obviously somewhere in North America), and explained my predicament. After a couple of minutes, and a very polite Call Center Representative, it was explained to me that, conditionally, I was only allowed to initiate three electronic payments to my account during the course of any one month. Damn, I can’t even make extra electronic payments to my outstanding loan if I want to. The bank, which is named for an early postal service, does not want to allow me to send them money to pay off my debt. This is definitely one for the books.

This morning, for my viewing pleasure, I decided to enjoy another Sir John Gielgud movie endeavor, Arthur. Classic lines…and British sarcasm, Dudley Moore and Liza Minnelli  Sir John Gielgud garnered an Oscar for his best supporting role.

On the menu, at home tonight is my attempt at Spaghetti with Garlicky Shrimp and Broccoli. We’ll see...but it does sound good.

Our quilts - Coral Steps, Colored Windows II, and MEM911 - have arrived in Galway, Ireland. Cosmo’s Moon has made it to Salt Lake City and is scheduled to be delivered today. EssbeeCon has just left Lenexa, Kansas enroute to Denver. Check out their images on The Grid at our Quilts SB site.

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim

Day 132 – Jim’s Trek – 20.2 Miles – 69.94% Completed On My Schwinn 150

Good Day,

This morning on Day 132 of my Schwinn 150 Trek I burned off 600 calories; translated 20.2 miles. I am located at N Dakota 18 N/N Dakota 200 W, northwest of Portland, North Dakota. My Google image doesn’t show much white on the ground. The temperature at Portland is now 31°F and there is a 90% chance of snow. One thing positive about the white stuff, the pollen count is 1 out of 12… On the other hand, the pollen count in Tampa is 8.5 out of 12. Bless you.

I think the weather reporting at Wunderground is a bit screwy. It is reporting that the temperature right now at my home in Tampa is 96.3°F. I think that someone incorrectly entered the external thermometer.

This morning I have now hit 69.94% of my original Tampa to Seattle goal. My total miles clocked to date are 2,308.7. I will probably hit my 19th Interlake address goal tomorrow.

Yesterday I was playing songs for CK on my iPhone… As soon as Bob Marley’s Buffalo Soldiers began, CK was smiling and bouncing… and he appeared to be singing each time the chorus began “Woy, yoy, yoy…”


The Tudors – Scratch off Dereham, Culpeper, Lady Northrup, and Catherine Howard.  Chopped off heads, hangings, and quartering.  That was this episode. New season of The Borgias began... Somewhat confusing, more people dying and being killed. I also started watching the new PBS miniseries Mr. Selfridge about the creation of a new-type of department store in 1908 London. And Game of Thrones, Season 3 and Episode 3 is confusing. Some much information, so little time. And did someone say I was NOT into series?

Waiting for red fabric for our Equality quilt. To be delivered today. First draft of Waterfall quilt completed. Cosmo’s Moon quilt wall hanging is now undergoing our final examine before shipping. To date 2,923 people have tuned in and checked out our Cosmo’s Moon on Quilts SB Facebook. I need to examine the status of all our quilts and wall hangings in progress. Tune in to Quilts SB.

I am now examining a remake of my A Genealogy Hunt site. This will take some time as I have already posted 1,063 Posts. Thank you Bernard and Kathrine. I will definitely take suggestions.

Be healthy and enjoy,

Jim