Communications

I thought that we were in the era of instant communications.  This morning my sister called me and told me that my other sister had been in the hospital all week.  I sat here fat, dumb and happy all week thinking everyone and everything was fine.  If is was a "Gad About" I would understand not hearing about things, but we have lived in the same place for 25 years and still have the same telephone number we have always had.  I put an answering machine on that line so people could leave a message.  I have a computer and a cell phone to stay in touch.  Because of a health scare last Easter, I have not really been on the road much.  

I am working with my brother-in-law to see if there is a way to put a drive shaft on my recumbent rather than the chain.  I love the gears on my bike but the chain slaps when I go too fast and it wants to skip around on the chain sprockets.   I saw the direct drive shaft idea on the bikes that the County has placed around for people to rent here in Topeka.  They claim that the Shimano set up is good for at least 8,000 miles.   The problem is that the direct drive shaft is only about 18 inches long and mine will need to be at least 4 feet long.  I am sure that it will take some machining to make the shaft and the shaft cover longer.

My Recumbent bike

I have given in and will attend the 50th High School Reunion this month.  In a way I am looking forward to seeing the "old" friends.  (heavy emphasis on OLD)   The thing I am really looking forward to is the get together of the kids I went to school at Minneha from Kindergarten through the ninth grade. I hope that some of the kids that went to Wichita Heights for High School will be there.  

The other day, while I was talking to my first friend in life, Harvey, I recounted the pretty high number of friends that are no longer alive.    Dennis L.  Wayne, John and Whitney are all gone.  That leaves only three of us in the regular group, Ron, Harvey and myself from the baby boomers on the east side of Wichita.  God only knows how long that group will survive.  When you consider some of the stupid things we have done in our lives, it is a miracle that MUD, Bone head and Harv are still with us.  

Oh well, enough head shaking just to hear myself rattle.  On to bigger and better things.  I have a couple of chickens to grill.

MUD