Kirkpatrick McMillan - The Devil on Two Wheels

As many of you know, I have a lot of Irish and a lot of Scottish in me.  Some of it in the form of DNA and some in the form of beverage for which each country is noted.

Being a little of each gives me both curiosity and enthusiasm in a world where technology is quickly exceeding my ability to absorb its advantage to the world about me.  But I am blessed with a decent mechanical aptitude that sometimes allows me to repair what can be repaired, and even create something that has never been created.

Even so, nothing has ever gotten in the way of my curiosity nor has it stopped me from trying to understand things I can't change.  And there's great joy in changing what I can change.

I would dearly love to leave this planet in better shape than I found it.

There was another McMillan (also spelled MacMillan)  (note the spelling is slightly different than my own name: McMillin) who's ability to apply ideas to the technology of the day set in motion a form of human transportation that quickly changed the world.  And it continues to do so today.

My distant relative, Kirkpatrick McMillan, is now recognized at the person who invented the human powered bicycle in 1839/1840.

And in doing so, he changed the world for the better.

If you have ever owned a bicycle, you owe its existence to Kirkpatrick McMillan.

If you have a few minutes you might read this accounting of him and his invention.

Devil on Two Wheels

Jack Semmes Ranlett Baptism and Party

Nephew Chase Ranlett, and his wife Cheryl, asked if I would take pictures of their new son, Jack, as he was baptized.  Of course. 

But there would also be a family celebration party afterward.  Of course.

The timing was perfect.  It was Easter and the day was beautiful.

Everything went smoothly, and before the day was over I had over 200 photos and a lot of video.  I had to discard some, of course, and edit others, but in the end I think I did a fair job of showing the two events.

The whole day was very nice.

Here's the link to the YouTube video: 

Jack Semmes Ranlett Baptism and Celebration

Another Sod Day at Maison des Poulets

You wake up thinking that it would be a nice day to recover from yesterday's sod wounds.  But no - there's even more sodness to be dealt with today.

Maison des Poulets just doesn't look like it did yesterday.  And in many ways it looks even better after we came to grips with our sodlessness.

The truth is, we really needed some 'Sodness' in our lives.  If for no other reason than to perhaps serve to remind us that not everyone is lucky to even have Sod.  We had it but Mother Nature took it from us. So Sod.

We were fraught with worry over what we should do.  But in the end it became clear that we just had to take matters into our own hands.  We did, and we feel really good about it.  And we decided that Sodness can be a good thing when handled properly

So once again we're off to the Sodest place in Covington, knowing that we would end up being even more banged up and dented, and a lot Soder than yesterday.

Maybe these photos will show you what I mean.  These were taken this morning as a new sun arose.  You can actually see the sodness as it spreads to the right, affecting everything in its path.

Here too...

Yes, we need about 1,500 more pounds of Sodness before we can truly say we've got our sodlessnes under control and our feet firmly on the ground.

Next day, we added another 1,500 pounds of Sodness, plus two full wheelbarrows of beach stuff.  Then we waited for the promised rain.  It came and looks like our efforts to achieve Sodness Nirvana paid off.  We feel the power of success.

More proof that Sodlessness can be overcome with a plan, some $$$ and a lot of effort.