When in Doubt…Try Flying A Kite…

With little to write about lately,  I decided over the last couple of days to fly a kite.  I purchased one at the Omaha Half-Marathon and have been itching to give it a go on these wonderful fall days.  A couple of things…..

One…I have not flown a kite since Grand Haven…..along the beaches of Lake Michigan.  To say I’m rusty might be a bit of an understatement. Not that I was ever a “Pro” to begin with….I can count the number of times I flew kites during my childhood on one hand!  Perhaps the desire to fly one in my later adult years has something to do with trying to capture a previously unrealized childhood dream.

Second…..a key ingredient for flying kits…..you need WIND!   You would think living in Iowa, there would be a SURPLUS of wind.  Heck,  when I purchased my toy helicopter several years ago…I could not even attempt it outside because the wind would blow it all over.   But the second I purchase a kite to adapt  for the location…Woosh!   Gone!

  Ok, perhaps my inner Skeptic is taking over.   There IS wind here most of the time….just not enough to fly a kite I guess.  Just enough to keep you from playing with toy airplanes and RC helicopters  outside, though….The Wind represents that perfect spot in life that keeps simple humans from achieving happiness.  I’m used to it. Life would be too boring if happiness could be achieved on the cheap.  That was why I spent the money to buy the “expensive” kite…..

You see,  simple kites just float up in the air and drift off like a helium balloon….yeah!  Look at it float up and up…

But like helium balloons, after the initial “Wow!  It Rises!” feeling has subsided,   it gets pretty darn boring.   That is why I purchased a “STUNT KITE!”  One where I could control and dive and dart around the air!   RRRROOOWWWWW!   WHOOOOSH!  ( Dive Bomber sounds.  Similar to  the Light Saber sounds I make when Playing Jedi….) 

Unfortunately,  Stunt Kites require a second person….and most importantly…WIND!  Lots of  steady Wind!  With enough wind I could skip the humiliating step of asking Cheryl to help me fly a kite.  Not that she would do it anyway.   I’m Pretty Almost Positive sure that she would refuse…..and even though I know this..I would STILL probably most likely beg for her assistance….where, IF, in all unlikelyness she DID assist me…it would be ugly.   She would throw the kite up upside down or backwards and then announce that I have, “one more try before I go back home.”  putting additional pressure on me.  And I simply can’t handle that burden of expectations.  Especially when there is no Wind.    So…..here I sit….inside on a wonderful fall day…..Because the wind in Iowa has let me down. 

Other than that….we have a Marathon coming up next weekend.    Only 5 more days until things begin to get crazy.   Cheryl will be chasing down that Boston Qualifying time and I will be chasing down Cheryl with the camera,  Trying to get the best possible race photos.   AND  I hear there are TONS of Mascots to capture…..the Hunt will be on. 

Hope everyone is enjoying their Fall Afternoon…..even if you live in Iowa  and are NOT flying kites today.  Maybe there is more wind in your area.   My guess is that the “FUN” in flying kites must be Awesome, because I have yet to experience it to the MAX as an adult.   And we Humans make things out to be mythical whenever we can not experience or capture them.      

Bubble Trouble With The Neighbor.

Men never really grow up...right? 

Flying kites in the yard. 

It has been well documented by the blog, that I am  still just a kid when it comes to playing around with toys and bugs and things make messes.  I must admit, I am painfully aware of how it looks when a "man" of my years is out in the park playing with kites,  chasing butterflies with a net, and catching frogs and snakes with his bare hands.  I see the people pointing and whispering to each other.

Cheryl makes things
seem less weird...

Is this strange?  Only if I do it alone. 

Luckily,  I have Cheryl to even out the oddness.   One guy alone in the park flying a kite is odd and weird.   But a guy flying a kite while his wife watches is merely "Eccentric".    I like that take.   Even though it simply means:  Weird, but in a good way... And  mostly harmless.

With that lead in I will begin to explain the odd chain of events that got me to consider blowing bubbles as a "fun thing to experiment with" today.  Why bubbles?   I shall explain the long thought process that plagues me during sleepless nights.

Is this an actual Career?!? 

I was watching a "Ted Talk" about "Bubble Masters"  ( People who blow bubbles on stage.. for a LIVING!  Who the heck was this guy's career counselor?)   They are able to perform feats of bubble magic by using a "super secret Family recipe for bubble making... passed down from generation to generation!"   The recipe is carefully guarded..  or so they say.

What Methylcellulose does to
water. 

This got me to thinking:   I bet the secret ingredient is methylcellulose  The Same ingredient I use for making paper.   I happened to have a large stash of it and thought I would mix some up and give it a test run.

As it happens,   there is a kid upstairs... Who is NOT my friend and  I do not like...  very much. ( Really!)  He decided to join my in my bubble experiment in the yard.   And wouldn't it just happen that he had an entire "kit" for making large bubbles.  ( Tray, bubble wand, and so on.)  All he was missing was the liquid for making the bubbles.    Can you say Serendipity?

Well,  I must say that I was feeling like the mixture was a success!   I may have to tweak the ratios a bit, but the bubbles were quite large and able to hold their shape for a good duration.   I believe it was superior to simply adding soap to water and hoping for the best.

That is...  When "The Kid "wasn't  busy chasing the bubbles and breaking them.      I actually thought he would want to "make the bubbles"  but I guess he has more fun chasing and popping them.   I guess I can understand... Who doesn't like popping the bubbles in bubble wrap?

I finally talked him into trying to catch them with his hands.   ( WithOUT popping them.)   It appears the only thing funner than chasing the bubbles and popping them was chasing the bubbles  with slimy hands so he could catch them.

Thankfully,  the mixture ran out just  as he was getting bored.  I believe the experiment was a success despite  his help. And maybe, on a day when the Humidity is high and the temps are cool,  I will adjust the ratios of the mixture again and see if I can make the bubbles larger and longer lasting.   I guess the kid helps in diverting attention from a middle aged man playing with bubbles.   Possibly better than Cheryl.  That being said,   I doubt I will be knocking on his door for advice on bubbles or snowmen anytime soon. 

Wind and Cold. and The Utter Collapse of Allenbrite Studio

  Perhaps that is a little over Dramatic.  Let's just say the Sales are down this year...  So far.  And they are most probably on par with previous years.   But after 2020,  everything now seems like a loss.    To put it in perspective.  We sold 6 on Saturday,  25 on Sunday, and 17 today.  Not terrible numbers. ( unless you think like Cheryl)  but certainly not the best that we were hoping for.  Ah well,  what are you going to do?

The wind has been kicking up.   All that cold air from the North.  Thanks, Farside and Mulewings!   But I think there is supposed to be warmer air from the south later this week. ( thanks Lone Wolf! And Tennessee Brit.) and then back down to freezer ville.   Hooray.   

Yesterday,  the upstairs neighbor kid tried his hand at flying a kite in our limited yard.  Lucky for him, the wind was just strong and gusty enough that he could get some serious lift and air time.   Un-lucky for him.. he is a 6 year old kid.   And kind of dumb.    And that is where I step in.  

Being slightly less dumb than the kid.  And having practical real world knowledge on flying kites.. in our yard...  As an ADULT!  I bring a level or proficiency and gravitas that the kid is sorely lacking.   So....  First step:  Turn the kite right side up.  
Second step:  Attach the string in the proper place.   The kite was from the Dollar store, and yet his "Mom"  hooked it up backwards and upside down.  I'm a little skeptical because usually kite's come with instructions.  AND.... Everyone knows Mom's want nothing to do with helping small children... especially when it comes to flying kites.   I believe he was giving him Mom the "Dumb" credit that he was earning.    How do I know?  Well, I used to do the same thing when I was a kid.  ( Don't tell my Mom!)
 

Step three was to hold the kite long enough for the wind to gust and give it lift.   Once it was aloft, the currents could keep it in the air for a while.   Had he listened to me fully, he would have let out more line and let it lift over the trees and rooftops, where the wind was not circling.  But what do I know... I'm just an Adult that learned to fly a kite in our yard...As an adult.

At the very least, he only got it caught in the power lines once.   And despite his best efforts, he managed to not kill himself  by yanking on the high voltage wires.  I had to bail him out with a pair of scissors and retie the kite string.   But eventually he got cold and went in for some Hot Chocolate.
Today... He showed up again, but this time to "help" me rake the fallen leaves.   Mostly he just wanted them in a pile so he could jump in them and throw them at me.   However, he did actually help me move the majority of them to the garden area.  Perhaps, if it is windy tomorrow.   we will be out there attempting to fly the kite again.   And hopefully the leaves will not blow away from my Garden. 
As for now.  Time to relax.   Cheryl is torn between worrying about our uncertain future AND wondering what race she will be able to attend and pay for.  With stocking sales so low, this allows her time to squeeze in another race.  Then again,  With stocking sales so low, this prohibits her from paying for said races.   Quite the Catch 22.  But isn't that True for everything in  life?  (What? No?  Really?  We must really suck at life then...)  

Hope everyone is staying warm and cozy.   Winter has arrived in the north, and I'm not digging it... even though I DO have a Subaru.... Legacy.  It's a Sweet ride.  Especially in the winter.  Thanks for stopping in.

The Never Ending Activity of Cheryl

Today…it struck me.  Cheryl really IS my better half.   How do I know?   ( or rather,  What finally allowed me to reach this conclusion?)  Simply watching her today, I notice that she is always on the move.   Always active;   Always doing something….  Laundry, dishes, rice cooking, sewing stockings, and answering questions on Etsy.  She cleans things….even things that are already “clean” by my standards.  Add in that we ran just over 9 miles today ( because she was not feeling she had the time for a longer run!)  And you see what I’m getting at.  

In her “spare time”,  she reads books, sets up travel and racing events, and shops for clothes…all online.  Just watching her makes me exhausted!   Where does she get all this energy?    Well,  I know she would credit her vegetable and fruit diet…..something she picked up along with the running bit.   I guess it is like peanut butter and Jelly…..They just often go together.   They don’t have to!…..But most people will eventually pair them up for the best lunch food for children. 

That being said,  I reflect upon myself and see that…without Cheryl,  I would lead a sad and boring life.   I would live my entire life simply playing video games and folding origami.   In other words, I would be content…..for the most part.  Similar to a sloth!   And that is depressing over the long run.  Like a self imposed prison sentence….only without the weights and tattoos.  ( and Other things…)

I say all this, possibly because it has been an overcast and gloomy day today.  Actually for the last several days.  I didn’t get a chance to fly my kite over the last several days, and that adds to my depression a bit.  What can I say?  It’s my therapy.  The 5 minutes of kite time I attempted today, only ruined my kite!   The rain held off until my kite finally got sky bound….  (Paper kites and rain do not mix well.)

All that,  And there has been very little to blog about lately.  No races, disasters, or situational comedies to report to the cloud about.  The only thing that occupies my time lately is Don’t Starve….a video “survival game” I play.   It’s fun,  and I am revisiting it after  almost a year of separation.   It’s a Puzzle that I can unlock and try to make my own.   And it allows me to keep my brain occupied so I don’t think about the inevitable doom that befalls all of humanity….

So,  Hopefully everyone else is having a better week.   I should mention that we had Lunch with Barb yesterday.   A welcome break in the “typical” week.  We socialize so infrequently that even a simple lunch is a “Big Event”.  It was fun!   

So now, Cheryl has finished the stockings, answered the questions, and was planning on scoring a project that she qualified for yesterday.   ( She is totally super human!)    While I eat leftover zucchini bread and play my video game.  A striking opposite to her hard work and determination. (And superior diet and exercise regiment…)  Ah well, Opposites attract, right?  Or perhaps the shift in creativity, discipline, and motivation have tipped over to her side now, since we share a common existence.   I like to think that both of us are in a small boat in the middle of the ocean,  where leaks and strong winds effect us together.   Right now,  the wind is in Cheryl's side of the boat….and I’m enjoying the ride.

A Kenosha Kite Festival.

Today, after Church,  Dave and I visited a local park where they were holding the Kenosha Kite Festival.   ( I don't know the official name. but that sounds good enough for me.) And just like rain on the 4th of July,   it was a day where the wind could have been more cooperative.   In other words, it was a peaceful calm day at the Lake Michigan lake shore. 

But that did not stop folks from having a go at it.   And the idea that there was "NO" wind is not entirely true.   A shall breeze was all it could muster for the limited time we were visiting.    It was enough of a breeze to get a few kites in the air and the pros made it look easy.  I never knew there were professional kite flyers...  But apparently there are! All the way from Vancouver!   ( That's a city in Canada for those folks educated in the public school system.) 

We did a lap and resisted the urge to buy a kite to show these kids how to fly them properly.  (A reference back to my kite flying days when I was training to be a ninja... But that is for another blog posting.) IN the end, Dave shook hands with a Police friend and I scored an IKEA coupon...  so I think we made out in the black on this one.   It was fun to watch and see all of the other people having a good time...  Even with the wind not  giving its best.    Incidentally,  the wind did seem to pick up a bit just before we left.   Almost everyone who was trying to fly a kite, got it up into the air for more than a few seconds.  

Other than that, I changed Subie's oil and dusted off my chalk collection.   I have until Tuesday night to get everything ready and set for the big event on Thursday.    Hopefully, there will be much to blog about then.   I talked to Cheryl and she invited me to a RC airplane show and a Tractor pull!  Sounds like the best Saturday Event EVER!   (I mean.... Who wouldn't want to see a tractor Pull/parade?) 

Oh,  that's right... Cheryl!   She has to go for her work and is inviting me along for the ride.   Little does she know that I plan on enjoying myself as I love RC airplanes AND tractor parades.  So the joke is on her.... I also like old cars and military hardware...  I think it might be a guy thing.   Or just me.  Either way, I'm looking forward to it. 

Wow!  Two posts this weekend.   Who would have thunk it?  I must have been motivated to write for some reason.   Then again,  I did  leave a few of the other tasks for another day. Namely:  Clearing and organizing the next section of the basement and cleaning up the floor a bit.   But I'm thinking I will have time for that later and the dirt never goes anywhere without me moving it, so it will stick around and wait for me.  

Hope everyone had a great weekend and is looking forward to Monday as much as I am.  ( I really am!    We are supposed to get 6 trucks tomorrow!  FUN!) Warehouse work is perhaps the greatest secret they never told us when prepping us for the world out of High School.  Otherwise, everyone would want to do this job.  

Have a great week and thanks for stopping in.