Bad News - Good News!

The Bad News? Lost Data is Gone Forever!

The Good News? My New Wrangler has Arrived!

Tuesday 5/31

I do my backups on a separate hard drive. Since I am using a laptop it is a real pain to keep the back up connected, so I usually do a back up once a month. So why do we care about that right now? Well, I have been having an issue with laptop for a couple of months. Occasionally it bogs down and needs to be restarted. When I do that 5 times out of 6 it fails to restart! Starts to load and stalls. I have talked with the Apple help desk a number of times and every time it seems like they have fixed the issue and then it happens again.

So I have been putting off going to the Genius Bar at the Apple store until last week. I knew my warranty was going to run out in June. On Tuesday 5/24 we were at Joan’s and I looked at my e-mailed receipt from last year - Oops! I bought the laptop on 6/1/15! Warranty runs out next week!

So, I called the Apple store and set up an appointment for that afternoon. Of course my backup hard drive is back in the trailer at Big Rock. Decided to take my chances. After an analysis the tech decides it needs a new hard drive! Which means it has to go out for repair - 3 to 5 days - AND I will lose all my data! Last backup was 4/26! Bummer, losing a whole months worth of changes, especially my blog notes! So I will take a shot at recreating!

Sunday 5/15 through Sunday 5/22

On Monday 5/16 Nancy and I both had appointments for an interview to get approved for the TSA pre-check. Having appointments was the right way to go as we were in and out of the place in less than a half hour! There were people waiting as walk-ins when we arrived that were still waiting when we left! Nancy received her approval the next day, I received mine on Wednesday. Pretty efficient! Or maybe it just proves we’re harmless!

On Tuesday 5/17 we had our annual meeting with our financial advisor, Dave Kohlmeyer at Stifle Nicolas in Geneva. Dave has done a great job for us over the last decade plus and we can highly recommend him if anyone is looking for a good financial guy!

Wednesday we both had appointments with our dermatologist for our annual check-up and things were fine there as well.

Thursday we ran into Hinckley to the little grocery store, not quite as close as the Jewel in Sugar Grove, but a nicer drive through the country and we avoid the construction on US 30. Turns out they have a really nice looking meat market with a lot of fresh pork. Picked up some locally made brats for later.

Also noticed an active Bar-B-Que place in Hinckley, South Moon BBQ. So that evening we tried it. Pretty good ribs and pulled pork. We will be back here. 

No idea at all what we did on Friday and Saturday!

On Sunday we went over to Fabyan windmill to visit with our friend’s. Spent most of the afternoon there, no wind so we could not turn. 

Sunday 5/22 through Sunday 5/29

Off to Joan’s house Monday morning, laundry and lunch, then we stayed overnight so Nancy could go with her to the eye doc on Tuesday morning. Hung around Joan’s most of the day on Tuesday, then back home.

Thursday we both had appointments for blood draws at our doctor’s office in Geneva, a few errands and that was about it. First night on duty as Campground Hosts. A lot of work, I have to walk out late in the evening and turn the sign by our site from “off duty” to “on duty” and the next morning I have to flip it back!

Not much going on the rest of the week.

Monday 5/30

Memorial Day pancake breakfast at the United Methodist Church in Geneva, so we headed off first thing. As usual great pancakes and we ran into several old friends. A beautiful morning, a bit unusual for Memorial Day around here, frequently rains.

A couple stops for groceries and then back to Big Rock and relaxed. Cooked the brats we picked up in Hinckley last week for dinner and they were delicious! While they were cooking I took a walk around the trailer checking things out and found that one of the spring mount bolts was broken and partially in place!

This has been a chronic issue, really the only one we have had on the fiver. Replacing them can be a real PIA if they have fallen out completely. Maybe the way this one is I can get a new bolt in, I do carry spares!

Tuesday 5/31

First thing in the AM I decided to tackle the spring bolt. We have to move today to dump our tanks and I don’t want it falling out - we can make it about 6 days before we have to dump. 

So I crawled underneath while Nancy ran the front jack controls. I was able to get my pry bar into the open end of the bracket and while Nancy lifted the front of the trailer to take the weight off the suspension I was able to pry the spring back into place enough to start the new bolt in. Then I was able drive it into place, knocking the old one out. Nylock nut on, tighten, and presto - fixed! Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while!

Hooked up the truck and pulled around to the dump station. Then I did a particularly smooth job of backing the trailer into our site. Unhitched, leveled the trailer and looked over to the campsite next to ours - a grille just like ours on the table! A cooler just like ours beside the empty site! … Oops, I backed into the wrong site! Good thing no one was watching! Hooked back up and moved back to the correct site!

We both had doctor’s appointments for our annual physicals this afternoon, so we ran into Geneva for those, then back home late afternoon. Once again we passed with flying colors - life is good!

Wednesday 6/1

Cool and rainy this morning, so we did not really get going until afternoon. Then we ran into Batavia to GNC for a couple of supplements our doctor recommended with a stop at Walmart and Walgreens to fill a couple of prescriptions. Back home for burgers on the grille.

Mosquitos are getting really nasty here! Maybe because of all the rain.

Thursday 6/2

Headed off to Joan’s this morning, ran into heavy traffic on I-88 almost as soon as we got on, close to an hour from US 30 entrance to Farnsworth! Finally heard on a traffic report that there was an accident at Eola Rd. Showed no sign of breaking up so we jumped off at Farnsworth and took Butterfield over to Rt 59 where we got back on, smooth sailing from there.

They made a run to the bank working on Irene’s accounts. After lunch at Culver’s Nancy did laundry while I took advantage of Joan’s WiFi to catch up in e-mail and forum postings.

Back home in time for dinner. Keep hoping the new Jeep will show up next week! They said three weeks for the reorder, but it will be four weeks as of tomorrow! 

Friday 6/3

Headed into Geneva first thing this morning to help John with Geneva Concours prep. We're going to miss the Concours again this year as we will be in Alaska in the APHC Cruise. Then back home to change our clothes and into the city to the Union League Club for a family dinner. Everybody from Denver was in town this weekend and we had originally planned a get together for Irene’s 102 birthday, unfortunately she did not quite make it, so we held the event in her honor anyway. This will be the last event the family has at the club, since Irene had the membership as the surviving spouse of a member. We have had some nice meals there over the years and this one was no exception. A really good dinner for 12 adults and 3 toddlers. I think everyone had a good time.

Took us and hour and forty minutes to get in leaving at 3 PM, fifty minutes to get home at 9:30!

Saturday 6/4

Overcast and drizzle this morning. We can’t remember the last time we saw a day like this. Slept in for a while and had a leisurely breakfast.  Sun peaked thru a bit mid-morning then it closed down again.

  

Early afternoon there was break on the weather, we cleaned all our screens, inside and out. They tend to collect dust when we have the fans running in our ceiling vents. Then we ran into Sugar Grove to the Jewel. 

By mid-afternoon it had turned into a beautiful day! Had a number of campers come in late in the afternoon, one group of tent campers with a whole passel of kids. The kids love riding their bikes around on the roads in campground.

Sunday 6/5

Quiet morning, watched Sunday AM shows - CBS Sunday Morning and Fareed Zakaria. Housewarming at our Nephew Lawrence’s new house in Chicago this afternoon.

Not a bad trip in, but it took an hour and a half to get to Lawrence’s house. There is no easy way to get from here to the near North Side. Eisenhower was stopped at Mannheim, so we jumped off and took surface streets.

A very pleasant afternoon with all of the family and Lawrence has a really nice home in a nice neighborhood.

Nancy went home with Joan while I went back home to Big Rock. 40 minutes just to get to the Eisenhower expressway, then 10 minutes all the way out to I-88 on the Ike! Still took close to an hour and a half.

Monday 6/6

A red letter day! I lazed around home most of the morning, then I had a doctor’s appointment at 2 PM. While I was sitting in the waiting room John called from Riverfront Chrysler - my Jeep is in and ready to go! Made arrangements to pick it up later in the afternoon!

After the doctor in Geneva I had to detour back out to Big Rock to pick up the check for the Jeep. Got there about 4:20 and it took a bit more than an hour to get the rest of the paperwork done. I love my new Jeep! It is just what I have been wanting and I am really happy with the way it drives and the way it looks! 

Here it is sitting in the Big Rock Campground! I'm a happy camper!

I went into Batavia to Wendy’s for dinner (Nancy is still at Joan’s) and then stopped at Best Buy in Geneva for a radio cord. Mainly just for an excuse to drive the Jeep! I put about 55 miles on it tonight! It is really comfortable and I really like the half doors. 

Nancy reported from Tinley Park that Laurie and his brother Bob got off OK in the Z3 this morning, headed for Omaha the first night. 

During the evening while I was watching the hockey game I sorted through the bag of stuff that I had taken out of the Z3. A lot of stuff that had just accumulated.

Tuesday 6/7

Up early, cold this morning and I could have used another blanket! Missed my sweetie!

Took my small plastic toolbox out of the Volvo that is not really necessary now since I always carry a big tool box. Turns out it fits perfectly in the small cubby under the rear compartment in the Wrangler. Found places for the all the other stuff I wanted to put in the Jeep.

Closed up the trailer and pulled around to the dump station then back into place and hooked everything back up. A bit of a pain once a week, but no big deal in the big picture.

Took the Wrangler down to Tinley Park, a bit too chilly to run without the side windows. One drawback to the soft top with half doors - it is quite noisy on the expressway in heavy traffic!

Back home early evening,  we stopped at Riverfront Chrysler and picked up the smart that I had left there yesterday afternoon.

I have been puzzling out what to do about a spare tire cover for the Wrangle. I really wanted a Blackhawks cover, but the only one they sell anywhere is just the Indian Head logo. Not the thing to have in AZ I’m afraid. Too racist. Might be better if I could find one with “Chicago Blackhawks” actually spelled out.

Riverfront Chrysler provided a free cover though, “Only in a Jeep!” with the Wrangler grille. Unfortunately it also has the dealer name on it. Anyway, the cover decision is in abeyance for now.

Wednesday 6/8

Headed for the mill first thing this morning to help Mark move the sails for the painters. Then we made a few stops and had lunch with Pat & John at a new deli in Geneva.

Back home late afternoon. I spent 2 hours on the phone with Humana trying to get a mix-up with my prescription meds policy straightened around!

After dinner we took a short ride to where we knew there was a gravel road and tried out the 4 wheel high and 4 wheel low on the Jeep, just to make sure everything works! Then went the rest of the way into Hinkley and stopped at Dairy Joy for a soft serve cone.

Thursday 6/9

Overcast and raining most of the day. We pretty much just sat around reading. I went over the inside of the Wrangler with Meguier’s rubber and vinyl protector, already did the fender flairs and bumpers on the outside. Man, there is a lot of plastic in there, other than the seats and carpet almost every surface is plastic. Better for cleaning it out I guess.

I also crawled into the back seat in the process and that was a treat! Nancy & Connie had managed to get in there on Tuesday, but I don’t think we will be using it much. Roomy enough once you get in there, but a real chore to get in and out!

I will probably take the back seat all the way out and just store it in Tucson! Unfortunately you cannot fold the rear seat and leave it in place on the 2 door. You can do that on the four door, but on the two door it is no longer safely secured in the vehicle when it is folded. Conversely, the one in the four door cannot be easily removed like the two door.

Dinner at Two Brothers Roundhouse (Used to be Walter Payton’s Roundhouse) with Mark and Renee’, our friends from the mill.

Friday 6/10

Nancy off to have brunch with Joan and some of their cousins this morning. I took the truck up to the TA truck stop in Marengo for an oil change and lube. After a one hour drive I found a two hour wait! Knowing how easily that can turn into a three to four hour wait I declined and came back home.

Figured out how to get the back window out of the Jeep, then drove into Hinkley and had a burger at Dairy Joy. Shortly after Nancy got back we took a ride around to the other five of Big Rock Forest Preserve and around the area.

Still very, very windy, has been windy for something like ten days! I have never seen winds like this in June this area and I have lived here for 40 years!

Saturday 6/11

Nancy had picked up some sirloin tips at Joseph's Meat Market, so we went down to Joan's for a bar-b-qua in the afternoon. Since the Jeep was so noisy on the toll roads we decided to go by surface streets. Took US 30 to Plainfield and then East to Tinley Park. Took about 25 minutes longer, but much more comfortable. You have to make some sacrifices for what you want. I read a review of the Wrangler where the writer said: "Practically speaking - what and I talking about? If you were "practical" you would not even be reading this! The Wrangler is not about practical!"

Sunday 6/12

Relaxing day, watched CBS Sunday Morning and then the F1 race from Montreal. Did a few minor chores around the here, quick trip into the grocery store and hardware, then back to watch game six of the Stanley Cup playoffs.