Charles W. Moore

A New Project

I have started on a new project.  It is not Amateur Radio related but it uses a Raspberry Pi to run a program that will display an animated output of Powerpoint.  Basically, the Powerpoint Presentation will be exported as a MP4 and played by a player in Linux.  Most of the software components exist in Linux but a few lines of code need to be generated.  I think I can make it play specific jpeg photos in sequence as well but not sure that will be necessary.  There are several unknowns that I have to figure out since I have never used the open source packages needed.  Anyway, it should be a fun project.

The days seem to slowly go by but we are mentally winding down our stay here in St. Petersburg.  We like the time and would like to find a place to stay next winter.  The problem is pets. Every place we look at is 55+ and No Pets.  We may be forced to be motor driven.  Our vision keeps changing and the years keep running out but we have a camper but no 3/4T truck.  Then there is the Class A motor home route for about the price of a fairly new truck. Moore later.

Weedon Island

We went this way and that way and found our way to Weedon Island.  Ah, the nostalgia, as we approached the boat ramp where we launched the kayaks a few years ago for the fateful trip through the mangroves.  The uncomfortable feeling of being sort of stranded by low tide in a channel so narrow we could not turn around was a distant memory.

One little thing we forgot was that there are no pets allowed so we just turned around and headed back towards our winter rental.  It is sort of amazing how pet unfriendly the parks are in St. Petersburg Metro area. Upon leaving the park, we decided to head south on 4th Street and went past a Thrift Shop SAM liked so we made a pass through Peter’s place and saw his For Sale sign and on to the Thrift Shop sponsored by the Salvation Army.  While SAM was in there I looked up the Mobil Home Park where Peters’ place is for sale and found out it is a 55+ and no pet place so that leaves us out.  Anyway, it looks like a boat or an RV is the only option if we do not want an expensive rental.

When we returned home I started looking at a Raspberry Pi solution for running Fred’s powerpoint presentations.  It looks do’able so perhaps I can gin something up.  We shall see.  The evening was spent watching Amazon Prime movies and I like the Russian one dubbed in English about  a top sniper lady in WW II.  It took place in the Battle for Sevastopol according to the movie.

It is hot in the house tonight and still is 78° at 2215 hrs.  Tomorrow promises to be a hot one too. Night all.

Lunch Downtown Today

We went downtown today to meet friends and have a walk around plus visit the Sundial.  When all this was over we were tred and hungry so we ate at one of those unique St. Petersburg sidewalk cafe’s – this one was called The Moon Under Water. It is a nice place with pretty good prices  but it is only one of dozens of small boutique type restaurants in the immediate downtown region.

We walked down the rows of boats at the municipal marina and then out to what used to be the pier before they demolished it in the past couple of years. From there we went to the Sundial, the restaurant and finally took a walk down the water front and back on 2nd Street.  What a great day it was to end with bright blue skies and light breezes with temperatures in the mid-70’s.  Nice!

Anyway, a thanks to Joe and Pat for building another memory.  Cheers from Moore.

Time flies in paradise

The last entry was last Saturday and here it is Wednesday.  I am Picking up Rick down in Gulfport and we are going to KSPG for the hamburger special.  Also,  we will be meeting up with Jerry and his friend.  I am sure it will be a lively discussion on a wide range of topics that we are all experts.  World problems used to be solved at these type of meetings but, alas, this is no longer the case since the deepest divisions exist within our culture and as such no compromises can be made – there simply is no point that can be agreed upon. The $100 hamburger tables are no longer the place to discuss any topic and we must chose our topics carefully to avoid loss of life long friendships.

Yesterday, Tuesday, SAM & I went to the Gulfport Farmers Market and had a great time.  We parked at the extreme North end of the street and walked down and then back.  Our friends from Canada were not there so we did not eat a formal lunch down in Gulfport.  On the way towards the South end of the market we passed a stand selling Vermont Maple Syrup and I stopped for a taste – it was good, so very good – so I decided to buy a bottle on the way back: The price was $9 for 8 ounces.  As we progressed we stopped at many stands along the way.

Finally, we reached the end and decided to walk down the length of the pier.  I had been avoiding that walk and the sailboats at anchor cause me much heartache since I am without one.  It is sort of like the end of my life so to speak. Anyway, we made the walk and there were three fishermen at the end of the pier fishing for something using light tackle.  As we walked back the length of the pier some lady with earbuds was beating out a tune to an unknown song and sort of dancing with her feet and clapping loudly.  We will never know the song.

Going North back towards the car we stopped at several booths but bought nothing until I crossed the street and bought the Maple Syrup.  SAM wanted to look into a shop so I walked onward to the grocery store to buy some veggie grape leaves.  This done I headed towards the car and popped 3 down the hatch and this was my pre-lunch lunch.  After we got back to the house the pool pump was running again and a brand new pump was in place to replace the old rusted one that had failed.  Yea, the end of the afternoon came with a nice nap.

St. Pete Farmers Market

Today was the farmers market downtown and we went to meet up with Jerry & Carolyn M.  We decided to meet up with each other at the Sundial and arrived just as the yoga group was breaking up.  I have never seen so many young people in town before – Wow!   Well, we saw the Sundial, which was not reflecting the correct time, and decided to walk the marina fence line to look at boats.  A lot of the boats on the line were the same ones we saw 3 years ago.  A quick tour of the market showed us prices that were higher than the stores by quite a bit. Then it was on to lunch at the restaurant near the marina and home for a nap.  I am now refreshed and ready to write this blog.

It is raining lightly as I watch the squirrel searching around for a stray nut or two and all the while keeping and eye on the Macadamia Nut tree that is just past full bloom.  At the absolute peak of becoming ripe the nuts are stripped from the tree in the full view of the owners, leaving not one nut for the homeowner.  We have seen this for many years and there is nothing to be done about it.  The dozen or so Oranges are getting ripe too but it will be another month or so before the small, tart fruits are ready to eat.

This morning I ordered a replacement billfold from Amazon and it should be here on Monday.  My old one is becoming very ragged and worn and a new one is long over due.  TTYL Moore

Boyd Nature Preserve & KSPG airport

Today started off lazy enough but by noon we had had enough and decided to go to Boyd Nature Preserve in SE St. Petersburg.  This place has lots of trails and the longest is 5 Km.  We walked about 3 Km of which about half were on grass.  Along the way we saw a giant Armadillo, actually two of them, near a lake and if you go you will see them too. They do not move much!

Afterwards, we were hungry and this one Indian restaurant sounded good but when we got there it turned out to be just a residential neighborhood.  Looks like someone might be trying to fool the IRS or something.  So we went to the next best place – an airport diner – named Albert Whitted Airport Diner.  Man that place was good.  Wednesday specializes in hamburgers and they are giants of about 1/3 – 1/2# and only $6.  This will be our Wednesday lunch bunch place.

I just had a long chat with K1QKR about airplanes and amateur radio stuff.  Cheers & Moore later.

Monday, Monday

This might be Tuesday but it might be Monday.  After a very lazy morning and a text or three to Jess, we went out to look at an antique shop that SAM has eye’d a few days ago.  A quick go through showed a little treasure shop.  I actually bought some Corning Ware that was of the square style about 2″ deep, SAM said they were 2 3/4 cup size.  Anyway, I intend to use them for oatmeal breakfasts that I microwave:  1/3 cup oatmeal, 1/4 cup raisins, a handful of walnuts and, sometimes, some coconut sugar of about 1/8 cup, all with 3/4 cup water for 2.5 minutes high power.

I just got off the amateur radio talking with a gent that was at the state fair and he did not know if livestock was at the fair.  Later a guy came on and told me there was, indeed, animals that are farmed  in Florida.  Ah, the ignorance of some people about the state fair.

I made two begleri today.  They are devices that have two weights at each end and a practitioner flips these thing real fast.  One is amazed at the good guys manipulation of the device.  I, of course, am so slow and will never be able to do this since my eye/hand/ brain connection does not allow this type of thing:  I am also a ponderous thinker, just like Newton, and cannot do these things.  One of these things had too short of string so I made it into a key ring for SAM. Quote – Begleri (Greek: μπεγλέρι) is a small skill toy consisting of one or more beads at either end of a short string or fine chain. The toy can be flipped and twirled around the fingers to perform tricks – endquote.

I used “monkey fists” with 3/4″ steel balls at each end.  Making this device is sort of a therapy for me and I hope to make sufficient amounts of various lengths and in a rainbow of colors.  This keeps my mind occupied in times of trouble and turmoil.

Just another beautiful warm Sunday.

We went to Suncost this morning and met an elderly gentleman and his wife who live adjacent to the church facilities.  Afterwards, we drove over there just to take a look.  To mee it looked sparsely populated but to SAM it looked “populated”.  Anyway, the gentleman named Jerry said there were many open condos.  Monthly fees are around $200± month plus all the utilities.  From the looks of things it has not been updated since the 1970’s and everything was basic white and two story; however, there was a nice sized grocery just next door and within old people walking distance so that was a plus.  I did not see any golf carts so it may not be a golf cart friendly place and we saw no dogs either. We now have two condo groups to check out for details.

This afternoon was slow but we went to West Marine to look for some epoxy with low viscosity so it will penetrate the cracks in the Diamond X50-A antenna that arrived broken.  We will see!  I may wait until I get back home to really repair it.  I would like to epoxy it back into a structural solid column and after that wrap some fiberglass around it for additional strength.

Many Multiple Garage Sales

We went out to Treasure Island this AM.  the area was Capri and, wow, what a bunch of Garage Sales.  We walked and walked and I actually bought a 420 rod and reel set.  The reel is sort of suspect but the owner said the line was good and would work with 30# fish on a 8″ shinner and a 16 oz. weight.

NOTE:  I have had the rod & reel for a week now and not even got a leader for it or a spoon or anything.  First of all I need a license now.  Florida changed their law.  Too bad.

Hamcation Orlando

VE3ORY and I went to Hamcation in Orlando Friday 2-10-17.  SAM stayed home and went to multiple garage sales.  Late in the afternoon I realized I was very dehydrated by a late stop in the head.  I tried to re-hydrate quickly by drinking multiple bottles of H2O and I guessed it worked until I was in a looooong line of traffic on the I-4 and had to pee.  OK, let us leave it at there and the rest of the trip back to St. Pete was slow but uneventful.

Back home, I felt dehydrated but the recurring events to the pee pot showed different.  I was glad for this as it was traumatizing to have so extremely colored urine in weeks past.  I am back on super-hydration to keep it all flowing and non-burning.

Currently I am re-reading “Life on the Mississipi”.  I enjoy this very much and wish I could have enjoyed some of the events.  Actually, I am not so removed form this era as to not relate to it at all.  As a young kid, I read with my cousins Jim and John, “Pecks Bad Boy” at night in the hot, hot beadroom until we fell asleep around 0100 hours when the temperature dropped.

I am really hoping this survives me as sort of a legacy to the future.  This is a bleak era when the Trump Card is yet to be played so we await the fall of the hammer.  Cheers to you all, once it is in the electronic net it is never really dead, so Personally, I have never been Trump ed. Bye for Moore.