In any case here is a summary of what has been going on.
1) House and other duties. i) I have been working on my barn. It needs some repairs to the sills (the pieces of wood between the foundation and the walls) . The north wall is now jacked up and I have removed the first course of siding sheathing and interior wall. Trying to figure out how level to make it and how to make it that level are taking a ridiculous amount of time.
ii) My wife's car needs repairs to the door. While she was taking a yoga class seeking inner piece [really working to retain flexible joints] some miscreant backed into her driver side rear door and drove off. She won't let me try to replace the door, I don't blame her.
Yesterday, Tuesday was a typical day. I started out writing recommendations and then moved onto replacing spark plugs in my Volvo, then to securing studs to a joist so when I jacked the joist up it would support the wall so I could remove the sill. I ran out of the lag screws I was using . My car's exhaust system had failed the day before and I had ordered the parts. The FedEx Express site said they were loaded on a truck at 7:30 AM and were heading for me, but they weren't here yet. No problem, I'll just hop on my bike ride down the hill three miles to the local hardware store (and mail that rec letter on the way). Then before I have a chance to do that the owner of a quarry a mile up the road stops by and we have a nice chat about how much and what kind of stone I need to replace what hurricane Irene took from around my barn, not to mention John McPhee and Loren Eisley and evolution. Start down to get the screws and about 100 yards from the store I remember that they are closed on Tuesdays. Well, at least I mailed the rec letter. Pedal the 3 miles and 300 feet uphill back home and still no parts. Now have to ride to Cummington Supply, 12 hilly miles away to buy the screws. On the way there at the highest point of the route, who passes me? the Fed Ex truck ten minutes later he passes me again. He has either finished delivering my parts or is about to do so, but do I go back. No, by the time I get back, fix the car, and get to Cummington, they will be closed. Besides, the sun has come out and I need the exercise.
Twenty five miles and $9 worth of hardware later. I am back home, changing into car repair clothes. From 6:15 to 8:15 I am under my car in the dark (with a portable light), in my driveway, replacing tail pipe, exhaust pipe, and two mufflers. One reason for moving was to find a big enough garage and barn so I could fix cars in a well lit, smooth floored, and possibly warm building. Maybe some day.
Got cleaned up and welcomed home my wife who spent the day sending our grandkids off to school, substitute teaching and then traveling 30 miles each way to help local League of Women voters develop their policy on public education and now cooks a light supper.
The rock arrived this morning and I spent four hours moving about an eighth of it. I wish I knew something about this stuff. I am not sure where the big rocks go in relation to small and mediums and how will I ever get grass to grow back? Any masons and landscapers out there?
Then back down to the barn basement to expose some more studs and sill.
Ahhh retirement.
2) Ridge related i) I visited New Jersey staying with friends in Glen Rock. Tuesday I drove down and got to spend some time with the current scoutmaster of Troop 15, "my troop" for the past 28 years. Wednesday was spent visiting more friends.
Thursday was the big day. Started with some minor errands including picking up many recommendation folders. Then came the physics club meeting. A great turn out and lots of energy and lots of juniors. Obviously the current officers and Mr. Lee are doing a great job. Nice presentation by Eric Wei on his work on using plasmas to treat surfaces.
It was great to see so many of you throughout the day. Even some of you I spent all year yelling at showed up. I hope none of you were bored. Please remember when visiting, you are free to leave whenever you wish. I understand that you may have other things to do besides listen to my pearls of wisdom, no matter how precious they are. It was very generous of Mr. Lee to let me use his room most of the day.
It was also nice to see the staff members I worked with, most of whom remembered my name.
After school and the last students I had dinner with several close friends on the faculty and then drove home ( 220 miles).
iii) Since then I have been sharpening my creative writing skills, writing letters of recommendation. How to not tell the whole truth and not lie is a skill I am trying to perfect.
3) Family and friends. Made a one day trip to NJ Sunday for the unveiling of my mothers footstone. Got to spend time with sisters, brothers in law, and nieces and nephews. My mother's fondest wish was to get her brood together often. Its nice that we get on so well. Maybe the distance that normally separates us helps us appreciate each other when we do get to be in one place. Maybe we are really, really nice people, me included. I'll let my students form their own opinions on that one.
In addition to trips to NJ we have had several visitors up here and we realize how lucky we are to have friends willing to travel to visit us.
4) Physics. Haven't you been reading this? Who has had time for physics? Well I have had some time. Reading articles on physics education and on general relativity and the relationship between quantum mechanics and causality. I really have to organize my reading and start writing notes. I am convinced, so far, that the fact that action is quantized and general relativity assumes infinitesimal displacements is what leads to their incompatibility. If I get to figure out what this explains I'll write a post from Sweden. Don't hold your breath.
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