Way Back Machine 2003 thru June

Chronology Jan - June 2003

“We’ll just reinstall Windows and everything will be fine” – CompUSA (6/10/03)

Jan 24 M in Buffalo. Home in one day. 26^th  bought new computer and 9” screen. Dec 26-28 in Laredo. By 28^th, Tangier Island in southern Chesapeake Bay becomes iced in.

Feb 2 M and G try to buy an urn. Feb 13 Beth buys a round trip ticket to Chile for $700.

Jan 17 (appx) G takes plane to and from Chicago.

Feb 15^th  about 4” snow. Feb 16^th about 16” snow. Feb 17^th another 4 inches. Feb 18^th another 2 inches (govt closed). Western Md. had about 4 feet of snow. National airport only 16 inches total. Balt had highest snowstorm total ever 28”. Feb 21^st-22^nd Rain over 2” creates some nasty flooding. Larry Ramer visits from NJ. Jan 7^th Long & Foster of Bethesda becomes 1^st real estate local to sell over $1 billion in a single year (last year 2002). 

Mar 4^th Over two weeks after big storm, the snow is still covering all the backyard (about 3”) but a warm rain tomorrow should take care of it. Piles up to 6’ still around the neighborhood.  Mar 7^th In the midst of fateful debates over war and terror a 40’ crawl through model of a large intestine opened in downtown (part of a 20 city tour). The display illustrates advanced colon cancer, Crone’s disease, diverticulosis, ulcerative colitis, polyps and hemorrhoids.  A virtual tour of this is available at preventcancer.org/colossalcolon.  Mar 13-14^th M in PA; nice drive down the Susquehanna with ice floes in it, Mar 18-20 M in San Diego and El Centro CA; rented a 2003 Mustang convertible with only 31 miles on it; Mar 14-15^th Beth in Georgetown, Mar 21-22^nd Beth in Balt. Mar 24^th M in WV and received a $3 parking ticket (failure to pay within 72 hours could result in addition $5 penalty), Mar 26-28^th M in KC. Saw Barry Schweitzer (former football coach of Oklahoma and Dallas) at airport in KC. Motel had free shuttle to Wal-Mart. 31^st dreamt that the All Star game was at Camden Yard and Ann had, for $100, purchased on-line tickets for G and me, commemorative stuff and valet parking. When I got to the stadium, they wanted an additional $200 to get the car out of the valet parking lot after the game – even my dreams are cynical. Oriole opening game played in intermittent snow squalls. A fly ball was lost in the snow – even the cameras couldn’t figure out whether it was fair or foul. It was called fair (helping Cleveland) but O’s won anyway (13 innings 3:45 hr not counting time outs for snow).

April 1^st snow interrupts Oriole game 3 times. April 4th-11^th   several dozen cherry blossom trees blooming at White Flint metrorail station (where I transfer from rail to bus in pm) make waiting for the bus an actual nice experience April 10^th-16^th Beth in Santiago, Chile for a wedding. Week ending Apr 11 has 3 days with near record cold minimums. April 14^th last game played by Michael Jorden (Wizards lose). April 15^th refinanced 30 yr fixed at 5.5%. On the way home, I successfully used the self-check out counter at the grocery store. Apr 21^st all 3 Phil-Toronto hockey playoff games played in Toronto went into at least double overtime. 21^st Currently, the Detroit Tigers have a cumulative batting average under .200 and are averaging less than 2 runs/game.

May 2-3^rd G visits. May 3^rd-4^th Sue Myers (from Pittsburgh) visits. May 4^th The day of the return. Returned a treadmill Beth and Ann had bought (and I had lugged downstairs and assembled) since it broke the 2^nd time Ann used it. Also returned some shelving that looked like it would break if I ever put anything heavier than napkins on it. 8-9^th M in Gulfport, Louisiana. Among other things saw a dead octopus (about 4’ long) on the beach. 9-10^th G visits. 17-18^th very cold days with mid day temps in the high 40s and low 50s. Cool rainy weather has made for the iris plants to grow too high and now the flowers are toppling over. 18^th On Univ Blvd M saw a new car with temp plates totaled. 19^th and 21^st Dallas shoots 69 of 73 free throws in 1^st 2 games vs. San Antonio. 21^st M leaves DC

on first plane from National Airport @ 600am returns on next to last plane @1157pm (to Alabama not work diligence but wanted to watch series ending BtVS on the 20^th and help G get his stuff out of College Park on the 22^nd.  On the way home from the airport I passed the airport shuttle bus which had broken down.  23^rd  B is laid off from her job. 28^th;  the 1^st 3 Atlanta batters (Rafael Fical, Mark DeRosa, Gary Sheffield) HR vs Cincinnati. 2^nd time in MLBaseball history. The other time was Apr 13, 1987 (Wynne, Gwynn & Kruk of SD vs. SF.

May 29-June 1^st M in Chicago (mostly near O’Hare), Rockford (bar there had 8 different beers on tap) and Waukesha (near Milwaukee) to play sheepshead and visit people who he knew in college at U of Wisc. One of cooler early Mays with temps in the 40s during the day on the 31^st (really). By June 8^th, the water in Chesapeake Bay was only 63F, lowest ever for the transbay swim. On way to airport after visit, sat with family of someone just called up to the Major Leagues (Colin Porter of Houston who was sent back to the minor after the game on June 6^th when Richard Hidelgo came off the DL list).  4^th two victories for M – tooth filing w/o Novocain; got MasterCard to remove a $78 charge; another victory on the 5^th Hyundai motors will fix wiper blade motor for free (warranty works) however, the 30k scheduled service is $400. Day after picking up the car there is a problem with the door. G brings car in and Hyundai gives him a free taxi ride home. 13^th Roger Clemens reaches 300 wins and 4000 strikeouts in same game (vs. STL).13-15^th B in NYC. Beth found a round trip bus service to NYC (Chinatown to Chinatown) for $35 (Amtrak is $180, Greyhound is $90).  G on couch, M in easychair 15^th .

M – Do you really think the cat is useless.

G – Well all he is doing this summer is sitting around, eating or sleeping (G has done that this week).

M – (picks up the cat). So Soda (cat’s name), how much was your tuition last year?

G -  oh ouch; is it too early to look into nursing homes?

10^th computer begins spontaneously rebooting. It didn’t get fixed until early August (interfered with chron updating). At first CompUSA said it needed a new operating system (they always say that – see quote) but ultimately it needed a new CPU, new motherboard, etc. meaning they sold us a lemon. Since it was on warranty (was purchased in Jan 03 after another computer disaster which followed the Oct 02 computer disaster; none due to viruses), I’m sure CompUSA ended up eating over $1200 in repair cost (more than a new computer would have been). 22^nd Barry Bonds gets 500^th stolen base; he already has over 600 HRs. No other person with over 300 HRs has over 400 SBs. 28^th (appx) visit from Zebraaloha fr Hawaii. 28^th Boston, vs Florida, gets 14 runs in the 1^st inning, 10 before the 1^st out. Johnny Damon gets 3 hits in the 1^st (single, double and triple).Sox get 28 hits for the game. 30^th-2^nd (July) M&G were in Niagara Falls by way of Punxsutawney, PA (yes, to see the groundhog who lives in climate controlled luxury 364 days a year only to be sent to Gobbler’s Knob on Ghog day) with a great view of the falls each day. Also visited the hydroelectric station hit on Aug 14 blackout day. At falls, I saw a dad-type taking a family picture and volunteered to take him and his family. He said, “I’ll say that an Israeli took our Palestinian family photo at Niagara Falls (G was wearing a yamulka).” I said, “I’ll say that I shot a whole family of Palestinians.”  Both had a laugh.