Miscellaneous Events, 2016

Posted here March 18, 2022
Two minor details added March 22, 2022


Lawn and Yard

Wheelchair ramp and porch

Thursday, June 9, 2016 — Church people started work on wheelchair ramp and porch; finished on the 14th. Post caps (14 of them) were added on the 25th.

Ash tree removed

Monday, June 20, 2016 —The city left us a pink slip today: a notice to remove a tree in our front yard which is diseased and dying. We have 30 days from today to get it removed.

Monday, July 4, 2016 — Two men from our church cut down the ash tree in front of our house.

Lawn mower replaced, twice

Friday, July 1, 2016 — Went to borrow a power lawn mower from Larry next door; he had one that was not self-propelled, that he gave me outright. The only problem was that the choke cable was broken, so he jury-rigged it with a plastic tie. I had to adjust the deck upward because it kept hitting dirt and killing the engine, but I finally got the entire lawn mowed… and the grass was very long.

I ordered a control cable on September 23 from Four Seasons Honda. I took the mower there for repair on October 5.

Tuesday, October 18, 2016 — Four Seasons Honda phoned me today. There is more wrong with the used lawn mower from Larry than can be easily fixed; the bill would be over $100! But they had a used Honda mower in good condition for $80; I went there and bought it (3:51). It didn’t take very long to cut the front lawn; I would do the front tomorrow.


Charlie’s Music

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Janesville Gazette did a piece on the Open Mic at Mocha Moment. Charlie started the show, so he was mentioned first.

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Found November 2, 2013 remaster of “Thorns and Blossoms” (best overall so far) to use for Debbie’s funeral, then created April 2016 Sampler with eight tracks. On May 10, I added “Born Too Early” as track 1, and it became the May 2016 Sampler.

Saturday, June 18, 2016

I played a set at the WADR Block Party at the Lower Courthouse Park in Janesville (find more on the Block Party here). Below is my set of original songs, played from my Casio keyboard:

  1. Unnecessary Roughness
  2. Coffee
  3. Minnesota Highway
  4. Traveling Together
  5. Best Messed Up Life
  6. Northwest Wind
  7. This Old Planet
  8. Practice

Sunday, July 31, 2016

I played for an Open House for a friend, Linda Fredell, at Cedar Crest nursing home 2 to 6 pm (I was there from 3 to 5). Others were there and played also. I played six songs from an electronic piano: four originals and two covers. A lady drew a cute caricature of me while I played.

Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Emailed first issue of the Kharlie M newsletter entitled The Mmming Report.

Sunday, September 4, 2016

2nd annual Clear Lake Jam near Milton. I played a set of six originals on a soprano ukulele; four others also played.


Charlie’s Races

Charlie ran three races in 2016: two 5K’s and one 10K.


Van Repairs

Our van, a 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan, is normally very reliable, but it required several costly repairs in 2016:

Sunday, December 18, 2016

Right front tire on van blew. A friend tried to remove the tire in the bitter cold, but the thread appeared to be stripped. Taco Bell let me park it in the back of their lot overnight; another friend from church paid for a new tire the next morning, then was able to switch out the tires.


Other Events

Thursday, June 2, 2016 — Wendi had shoulder surgery to repair the rotator cuff. We were given an ice machine to use for cold therapy at home.

Friday, August 19, 2016 — I got my iPhone 6 wet on a run and fried the touch screen. On September 22, I took it to a repair place, and the guy took it apart and replaced the screen, only to find that the interface was also damaged, and part of the new screen didn’t respond properly; he put the old screen back on and didn’t charge me anything. ~ Two days later, I got a cheap Kyocera Hydro View through Cricket Wireless, which I struggled with for the next few years.

Wednesday, December 21, 2016 — Wendi ordered some Belgian Trippe sausage the other day from a place in Brussels, WI called Marchant’s Foods; it arrived today by post. It consists of pork, cabbage, and spices in a natural casing. I fried some in a bit of butter for lunch; it was delicious!