Thursday, February 19, 2015

Well, I was wrong

All this winter I had been thinking, up until now,  how mild it had been and thought maybe we would have one of the milder winters of the past. Well I was wrong. I know people in the north eastern US would not have agreed with that premise at all, here in the midwest it has been fairly nice for the most part. All that changed within the last week or so.

Lexington, KY (2-17-2015)
Temperatures have dropped to the below zero category with a forecast of minus 10 tonight. Snow has blanketed the area but I suppose we here in Seymour were a bit better off than a lot of places in the Kentuckiana area. I'm guessing we got maybe 4 inches or so, but my sister (Melody McKinney) in Lexington, KY sent me this picture which shows a bit more snow than that. You and Jim stay warm sis.


While the snow is bad, the real story is the frigid temperatures. I know people with arthritis understand how cold, cold weather affects them, but the thing I don't really understand is how your body knows how cold it is outside. I've been in my home for the duration of this latest snow and cold snap, but still my arthritis is acting up just as though I were out in the cold. In fact, it started before the storm and cold even got here, as if it knew it was coming. Very strange.

Fortunately on the arthritis front, I am now scheduled to see a specialist in Indianapolis on the 13th of next month. Hopefully that will lead to some more effective treatment because I really don't like being trapped here in my bedroom. Even the few steps to my attached bathroom is very painful and difficult.

Even though I have a couple of projects waiting for me in my workshop/spare bedroom, I have been unable to get to those for the last couple of weeks. One is a GE (model P-975D) AM/FM transistor radio of late 60's, early '70's vintage. The radio is complete, but had badly rusted battery contacts. After soaking in CLR and some wire brushing, I was able to put the batteries in to make contact and the radio appears to work very well considering it's age. I still need to clean up the case and controls, but I think there is nothing major wrong with this set.

Project number two is of slightly older vintage, around 1949 to be exact. It's a GE (model 150) 5 tube AC/DC battery portable AM radio. As seen in the picture, the speaker grille is missing some pieces, but I hope to have another case on the way soon. Also one of the tubes (1R5) was missing, but I managed to find one on eBay and that has been shipped here as well. Once I get to feeling better, I hope to to give the ol' girl a try.

I guess that is all I have for now, hope to write more soon...