Posted in Life

The kill switch was killing it

Posted on by William Douthwaite

We had just walked in the door after a week away. I switched the thermostat from hold back to the programmed temperature. Everything looked OK. Until I walked back into the garage and happened to glance at the AC unit. I saw no flashing lights. Usually, there are green and blue lights flashing continually, a sign that everything is working normally. If you see a red light, there’s a problem. No lights? I never saw that before.

I did what I could. I turned the breaker off and on. I checked the drain which sometimes gets clogged, triggering a shut-off switch. Nothing.

It’s 4:00 pm on a Friday. I’ll bet I have to wait till Monday for a repair. I called anyway. They said someone might be able to get there this afternoon. I said, “OK, I’ll be around.”

Five minutes later, a tech was at the door. He had been at a house just down the street. Nice!

After I described what was going on, he got to work. It was a puzzle. There were no indicator lights to clue him in on the problem. He checked a couple a fuses. Nothing amiss. I went back in the house while he kept checking around.

When I came back out, he said, “I figured out the problem.” There are two kill switches that turn off the AC when you open up a door to change the filter. The switches didn’t quite close when the door was in place, leaving the unit off. It was an easy fix. The tech taped a piece of cardboard on the inside of the door so that the switches would work as intended.

I still had to pay the show up fee and for fifteen minutes of labor, but everything works just fine. It’s a little cooler out now, so AC isn’t as crucial as in summer. It’s the humidity that makes it necessary.

So I’m thankful Arctic Breeze had a tech nearby who could diagnose and make the easy fix.

Posted in Life

They found my package, and it wasn’t pretty

Posted on by William Douthwaite

This is a follow up to “The Case of the Missing Package.”

As soon as I returned home from a recent trip to Dallas, I planned to file a claim with UPS and get the value of the lost item and shipping charges I had paid. Every package I send comes with $100 of insurance. All I have to do is provide a couple of receipts, and the money should be on the way.

When I pulled in the driveway and opened the garage door, I could see a very large package wrapped in lots of white packing tape. My neighbor had brought plenty of packages in while we were gone, but we hadn’t ordered anything that big.

I knew exactly what it was. I opened the flap and peeked inside. Sure enough, it was the missing diaper genie I had shipped to a buyer in South Carolina. Later on I opened it up and it was damaged in several places and accessories were missing. A letter from UPS came along with it. The letter basically blamed me for not packing my shipment correctly. It was my fault, not theirs, so there would be no insurance claim.

The letter had suggestions for future shipments. The gist of the instructions: use lots and lots of tape. Tape up every edge, every corner, every flap with at least three layers of tape. If you don’t use up a whole roll of tape, you haven’t used enough.

I flashed back to packages my mom used to send me. Mom knew how to tape up a package. She sent boxes of goodies to me at college in a shoebox wrapped up in brown paper. She would tie heavy twine around the sides. She then taped it all up with a twine reinforced tape. I am convinced she did use a whole roll of tape to secure every edge, side, and flap. Without a very sharp knife, I could not begin to open the package. Needless to say, she was never guilty of improperly preparing a package for shipment, although I know she spent more on the tape than on the contents.

I don’t think I was at fault either. The shipping guy, where I dropped off my package, didn’t say a word. Okay, I didn’t use a whole roll of tape, but I’m sure I went around the box a lot of times.

The contents were only worth twenty bucks. I only paid fifteen for shipping. It’s not worth my time. But I assure you my future packages will be impervious to damage in the future. Some readers may remember the Samsonite luggage commercial with an ape tossing suitcases around. Yes, that will be my packaging goal from now on.

Posted in AI

AI Assistant, will you be my friend?

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Mohamed Nohassi on Unsplash

Every time I get ready to click on the publish button, I can click on “AI Assistant.” Sounds interesting, doesn’t it? It sounds high tech, cutting edge, and futuristic. The subheading promises to “check for mistakes and verify the tone of your post before publishing.” Cool. It’s like asking someone proofreading my work before I put it out there for the world to read. How nice. I would appreciate that.

But when I gave it a try, AI basically said, “Your writing sucks.” I’ve tried this a few times, and here is the evaluation I typically get:

  • You need to include more examples that support your main point. Tell a few more stories that will connect with your reader.
  • Write a stronger introduction and conclusion to draw in the reader and make a lasting impression.
  • Add more details, that is, add lots of adjectives to your description of people, places, and things. Let the reader see the details of the experience through your eyes.
  • Say more about the location and surroundings, the people in the story, and how you felt in that moment.

I’ve never asked for much feedback about my writing. I know, that’s the only way to improve as a writer. Maybe I’ve never really thought of myself as a writer. Perhaps I’ve overestimated my skill as a writer. My skin might just be thinner than I thought.

In any case, I didn’t like the experience of being evaluated. I didn’t appreciate AI’s input. I probably wouldn’t like a real person’s input either. But I need that from both.

AI knows what billions of people have read and liked. It knows what will resonate with my small audience. Real people are a little too kind. They simply say, “Nice job! Loved it. Keep up the good work.” AI has no vested interest in me. It’s entirely neutral. It knows what goes viral.

Maybe I should pay more attention. Maybe I’m one step closer to going viral. Maybe my best-seller is just a few words away. Maybe AI is my newest best friend in the world of writing.

Posted in Moments of grace

I say, “Oat.” you say, “Meal.” Oatmeal!

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Guess what I saw this morning? An oatmeal bar!

Yesterday I was out there ranting about the salad bar at Ruby Tuesday in Pensacola, Florida. That was nothing. I got up this morning, wandered down to get some coffee at the Fairfield Inn and Suites in Pensacola, and saw this. An oatmeal bar!

That’s right, a steaming pot of freshly prepared oatmeal with nine optional toppings sat right there next to a pitcher of oat milk and a shaker of cinnamon. Wait a minute. Nine toppings? That’s right. Walnuts, craisins, granola, brown sugar, raisins, pumpkin seeds, sliced almonds, chocolate chips, and coconut flakes.

I rubbed my eyes. Yep, this was the real deal.

Free breakfast usually means a disk of sausage-like meat, rubbery scrambled eggs, juice, a waffle, mushy apples and an unripe banana, and cereal with milk. Oatmeal? Cool!

After coffee and a shower, we headed to the lobby and to get a bowl full of early morning oatmeal-goodness.

Now, I am determined to up my oatmeal game. Feel free to stop by for an amazing breakfast.

Posted in Moments of grace

Long live the salad bar!

Posted on by William Douthwaite

As I reached for the handle to open the restaurant door for my wife I saw it. I did a double take. And then I said, “They have a salad bar!”

Do you remember salad bars? We saw one! A vintage sixteen foot, help yourself, all-you-can-eat, as-many-trips-as-you-want Ruby Tuesday salad bar. This was the only real restaurant close to our hotel on the way home from our most recent trip to Dallas. We’re glad we stopped in.

Once Covid shut down everything over three years ago, salad bars disappeared. Were they the reason everyone was getting sick? I don’t know.

Four kinds of greens. All the veggies from cukes to shredded carrots, bell peppers to broccoli, radishes to cherry tomatoes. Chopped up eggs, diced ham, chick peas and edamame. Croutons, seeds, and bacon bits, seven kinds of salad dressing. Amazing.

I’ll bet there’s a whole generation of diners who have never seen a salad bar. Just like a wired phone or a television antenna, they only exist in grandpa’s stories of the good old days.

Every once in a while, someone spots a bird or animal thought to be extinct. I got to be that guy tonight!

Posted in Travel

More pumpkins, with a splash (of color)

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Today’s adventure took the grandkids and us to the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. We’ve been there before. But this is pumpkin season, and that means thousands of pumpkins and gourds will join the gorgeous flower gardens throughout the park.

The day lived up to every expectation. After a long summer growing season, every flower bed was overflowing with color. Gorgeous purple chrysanthemums sat among beds of star pentas, canna lilies, golden shrimp plants, multi-hued crotons. Long lines of pumpkins and gourds ran along every walking path, leading us to the Pumpkin Village.

Pumpkin village was a community of houses made out of pumpkins amid piles and plies of pumpkins where kids could run, climb, and pose for endless pictures. At the center of it all was the Great Pumpkin. Most of the kids there had no clue what the Great Pumpkin is, but they certainly loved the giant-est of all the pumpkins.

The arboretum was full of field trip groups, senior center outings, strollers full of babies, and so many folks slowly wandering through the amazing paths, ponds, and gardens. Just like them, I would so spend a day here each week, watching seasons pass, the visitors to the gardens, and the vibrant palette of color.

Of course, with each step part of me wonders, “How come my flower beds don’t look like this?” I know, I don’t invest the same resources into my gardens. And I don’t have much of a staff to help me out. But a day here inspires me to plant, fertilize, and enjoy my own gardens a little it more.

Posted in Life, memories

The joy of pumpkins

Posted on by William Douthwaite

There wasn’t much the grands didn’t enjoy about the pumpkin farm yesterday. But they were super excited to pick out and purchase a pumpkin to bring home. While gourds of every size, shape, and color were available, their dad let them choose one from the $1 mini-pumpkin pile.

It’s harder to pick one out than you think. Each grandchild changed their mind several times as they sorted through the huge pile. When they made their final decision, only the youngest actually chose a traditional orange pumpkin, about three inches in diameter. The others found oddly shaped multi-colored gourds covered in “pimples.” Each promptly named their pumpkin. We brought home Ice Cream Cone, Sunshine Pimpleberry, and Little Pumpkin. On our way out of the farm, no one let go of their pumpkin, carefully taking it along for one last tractor ride and time on a big wooden swing. The ride home was filled with conversation about each pumpkin, its adventures, and future plans. Once we got home, the oldest carefully arranged them all to create a photo spot in the front yard.

Why are kids so excited about pumpkins? What makes them so fascinating? I suppose that the traditional Halloween sight of a jack-o-lantern gives them personality. So we display them proudly inside and outside our homes. For a few weeks, we treat them like a pet before they are forgotten in Thanksgiving and Christmas preparations.

My college fraternity boasted an annual pumpkin raid each fall. After a few beers, brothers and pledges would pile into cars and caravan out into the central Pennsylvania farm country. In complete darkness, we would stop by a patch to abscond with what we hoped would be decent looking pumpkins. Back at the house, after a few more beers, most of the fruit ended up being tossed from the roof onto the street below. It seems silly now, but at the time it was great fun.

I read that a pumpkin farmer can net $240,000 a year from a well run fall festival and sales to processing plants. Not too shabby. From the prices charged for pumpkins these days, I can understand how they do very well.

Posted in Moments of grace, Travel

A great day at the pumpkin farm

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Today I took a trip to the Shadow Creek Pumpkin Farm in Midlothien, Texas. Every weekend in October (and a few Mondays and Fridays) they hold their annual pumpkin festival. It’s pricey but worth it. It’s the real deal.

The festival is a whole lot more than pumpkins. As soon as we arrived, the grandkids jumped on the seesaws, large wooden swings hanging from the trees, and a whole bunch of little bouncy pigs, horses, and cows. Everyone took a turn riding down a huge hillside slide. It was pretty chilly so we stopped at a huge fire pit to warm up.

The petting zoo was next. We held chicks and ducklings, petted the alpaca, watched the pigs gorging on pumpkins, fed calves with huge bottles of milk and goats with ice cream cones full of feed. We spent nearly an hour there.

From there we took a tractor ride through the fields, navigated a corn maze, and bounced on flat orange bounce pads. Once we burnt off some energy, it was time for lunch.

A row of food trucks offered barbecue, Mac and cheese, street tacos, nachos, hot dogs, kettle corn, cider, and pumpkin pie. The brisket was delicious on a roll, in a tortilla, or on mac and cheese.

We weren’t done yet. Each of the kids picked out a pumpkin to take home, perched on old tractors for pictures, and took a ride in little pumpkin cars pulled by another tractor. After one last ride on swings, we headed home.

It was a great morning and part of the afternoon. Since pumpkin farms make all their money in the fall, I’m not surprised that these festivals aren’t cheap. $17 admission, $8 cider, $12 kettle corn, $5 pickle, $12 brisket sandwich, $37 pumpkin pie! Only the Texas state fair costs more.

I had a great time and got great pictures. I’ll bet we’ll be back next year.

Posted in Life

A visit to a presidential library

Posted on by William Douthwaite

I got to visit my second presidential library this afternoon. My wife and I took a granddaughter and grandson to the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas, Texas. My first was the Harry Truman Presidential Library in Independence, Missouri.

This library has a much different flavor. I enjoyed the history preserved in the Truman library. I lived the history in the Bush center.

The center included Bush’s family background, the 2020 presidential election, 9/11 and subsequent war on terrorism, and a commitment to world environmental and health issues. Memories of those years flooded back as I looked at videos, letters, photographs, memorabilia.

Both of the grandkids posed for a photo in the replica Oval Office. They loved learning about the president’s dogs, the First Lady’s dresses, and what is happening in oceans all around the world. Someday they’ll understand how their world was shaped by those eight years.

The center is beautiful and well done. It’s not free, but not too expensive, either. It’s a whole lot better than just reading a history book.