Monthly Archive for March, 2008

Sunday morning coffee at the UDF, March 30th

Published
by
Sojourn Chronicles
on March 30, 2008
in Ride-Eat-Ride and Scribblings
. 1 Comment

The turnout was light. Only three of us made it for coffee and one arrived on his bike. Most of the regulars were out riding, and I mean out riding–dirt biking in Tennessee or riding the countryside in Spain. We can’t wait to see the pictures of that tour.

Although only three of us made it for coffee (we’re hoping the weather will turn so we can renew our Sunday morning breakfast rides) it was a special yet sad moment. You see, today, Sunday March 30th, is the last day the UDF will be open for a while. We have to find a new gathering place.

The United Dairy Farmer’s at the corner of US 22 and Ohio SR 3, one of the top UDF sites in the Ohio-based business, is undergoing some renewal. Construction of a new building is well underway. The old building and gas pumps need to be removed to make way for the new and improved UDF. When complete, 20 gas pumps will replace the eight that now exist, and the store will be larger by 50 percent. It will be the largest UDF gas station and convenience store in the company’s organization.

Manager Beverly said it will be three months before they reopen … if the weather accommodates the construction. It will be July before we gather again as a Sunday morning rider’s group at this location.

So, we’re looking for a new place to gather. The three of us selected another location, a UDF, for next week. The absent ones didn’t get to vote, so I’m sure there will be debate.

The important aspect: we continue to be a community of riders with a common thread of motorcycling, and a place to gather.–DBrent

Finally! A little saddle time.

Published
by
Sojourn Chronicles
on March 26, 2008
in Scribblings
. 5 Comments

Sunshine, on my shoulders, makes me happy!

Sunshine on my shoulders while riding the motorcycle makes me even happier.

I’ve not ridden the V-Strom on some of my favorite, nearby roads. So, it was time to check out the bike’s back road capabilities along the Little Miami River. Near Fort Ancient, where SR 350 crosses the river, there is an old barn and home that I have admired many times, thinking I should stop and photograph that. Today, I did.

Motorcycle ride on the new V-Strom.

The weathered siding of the barn has such a rich texture. It’s interesting that it is the neglect that gives it its beauty.–DBrent

Motorcycle ride on the new V-Strom.

New computer, learning curve begins

Published
by
Sojourn Chronicles
on March 24, 2008
in Notes to Readers
. 2 Comments

Just a quick post to keep you informed. This morning, I learned that my faithful laptop indeed did have a hardware malfunction. The LCD monitor is failing. The cost to repair: up to $400. Solution: new HP laptop with lots of bells, whistles and speed!

But … this new computer comes with Vista. It’s different. Stay tuned. I am relearning a few things. Vista seems to be designed for ease of use–intuitive–for people who don’t know how to format a drive. So, I may have to go to the library and borrow a book: Vista for Dummies.–DBrent

Computer woes continue while new V-Strom waits

Published
by
Sojourn Chronicles
on March 18, 2008
in Scribblings
. 2 Comments

If you have ever had computer issues, then you know how frustrating it can be. It seems all productivity goes out the window, you stare out into space wishing you were somewhere else. In the back of your mind, you are struggling to solve a problem that continues to morph and defend itself against removal tools. It took a dozen or so repeated attempts this morning, over a 45 minute period, to boot up my laptop. :(

For your information, I am fighting Ultimate Defender, a fake spyware removal software, but it was WinReanimator that told me my computer was severely infected and wanted me to send $49.99 to the Ukraine to fix it. I didn’t, and don’t you either! I have no idea how these viruses got past my security and infected my laptop.

Although it is an older computer, this post is published using my Gateway desktop. When it was purchased, it was state of the art. Today, it’s nearly obsolete except to act as the server for wireless network, internet connection and printers. It’s reliable. When I bought it, I bought the upgrade for a whopping 11 gigabyte hard drive! Today, I can have that much memory on a stick or compact flash card! Despite its age, it allows me to connect to the rest of the world.

I’m backing up (as best I can) my laptop–copying all of my documents to an external hard drive. I’m afraid that the solution to fix that computer is the hard reality called “Format c:\.” So, while I’m working on my computers, I’m also cleaning my production space. I’m inspired by a recent episode of “Clean House” on HGTV.

It’s been raining for about 12 hours, now. If it wasn’t for the huge weather system that is supposed to dump 3-5 inches of rain on the Ohio River Valley in the next 48 hours, I’d be out riding the new V-Strom.–DBrent

What a day, there is new hope. It’s two wheels.

Published
by
Sojourn Chronicles
on March 16, 2008
in Scribblings
. 2 Comments

This has been a day to reckon with. It has gone something like this.

  1. Coffee with friends. Got to see Ian after his heart by-pass surgery.
  2. Discovered a Trojan software on my computer.
  3. Fixed brunch while trying to remove Trojan.
  4. Brunch was great: spinach and sun-dried tomato omelet and bacon.
  5. Tried to isolate the software problem by restoring system.
  6. System cannot restore to a previous time. Trojan has control.
  7. Identified Trojan as WinReanimator, which tried to make you think it is really a spyware software removal program that really only wants you to contribute $49.99 to a business in the Ukraine.
  8. A whole bunch of spyware removal programs say this is not dangerous, just a nuisance, but “they can fix it for …$xxx.xx.
  9. Tried several programs. Nothing has worked.
  10. Decided to take a picture of new toy.
  11. It was also time for something to drink … a glass of wine to help.

New_V-Strom_at_home-001

Day’s activities continued:

  1. Time for supper. Started Black beans & rice. Fired up the grill, and prepared my world famous Cajun catfish on the Weber grill.
  2. Monitored the poor spyware removal of the new software I just bought.
  3. Ate supper with the Lovely Lin. She was happy with the catfish.
  4. The neighbor needed help installing new DSL. Fixed it relatively quickly. She was happy.
  5. Back at the Galactic Headquarters of Sojourn Chronicles, I discovered that the new spyware removal software identified the pest again. Hit the “Remove” key, and rebooted the computer.
  6. Pest still on the computer. E-mailed support center of new software purchase about my $29.99 purchase of software that doesn’t do the job.
  7. Decided to create this post.

I hope Monday goes better. The Lovely Lin and I are going to the new Ikea store in West Chester. I’m hoping for an early trip to take in a 99-cent breakfast consisting of Swedish Pancakes.

Stay tuned.–DBrent