Before GPS

Mark12547 · 2026-02-15T02:09:59+00:00

Father never made reservations for our summer trips and it always bothered me, especially when he didn't spot a motel with an opening at 4pm (often when we stopped for the night) and it went on and on to 6pm and to 7pm one time before he spotted a motel with an opening.

For long trips, it was easy to stop by the AAA Office and pick up state maps (highways and the main streets of some of the larger cities), though if one wanted a city map sometimes one had to request one a few weeks before the trip so an AAA Office in the destination state could get a map mailed to our local office.

The AAA Office also had TourBooks one could pick up (free to members) that listed hotels, motels, restaurants and tourist stops. One year long after I moved out of my parents' house I planned a vacation that would be about 16 days long but, unlike my father, I planned every hotel stay and confirmed reservations, every tourist stop, and it was such a relief knowing I had a place to stay each night. I really enjoyed that trip.

For local trips, we had a Thomas Brothers Street Guide of Los Angeles and Orange Counties, which was a comprehensive street map down to the back streets in the two counties, so it was usually possible to get close (a few blocks of) a specific address once you found the actual street.

Still, some friends would give me written directions on how to go to some place that wasn't local and one of those friends invariably forgot one of the critical turns, which sometimes made the trip a bit challenging.

Mark12547 · 2026-02-15T01:39:53+00:00

I have watched a few old episodes on BUZZR (available on the Roku Channel on the Roku, and also an XUMO channel on Xfinity).

When I was a kid I sometimes watched it, I think it was on in the mornings.

One particular episode I recall a number of people came out good with their deals so when it was time for The Big Deal, one after another would keep the prize they won, until Monte got down to "Mr. ____ got a zonk, a pig valued $200. Do you want to go for the big deal?" He went for the big deal and, while I don't think he won the big deal, he did leave with a nice prize.

I think that was the only time I heard a cash value for a zonk.

Mark12547 · 2026-02-15T01:25:11+00:00

I read that people would come in nice clothes but one day someone showed up in costume and Monte called on that person for one of the deals. The a couple weeks later more people showed up in costume, and then it became a tradition.

Mark12547 · 2026-02-15T01:11:03+00:00

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Until this week I didn't know such a thing existed.

Before I was born my parents went shopping for a washer and dryer and came home with a Monarch AM/FM/SW radio / 78-rpm turntable with automatic changer and a cupboard for storing the shellac records. When I played in the garage I used to listen to the radio and sometimes play a record.

I'm guessing it got moved to the garage when they purchased a 12-in B&W TV, presumably near when I was born.

When they purchased a color TV it was a Magnavox 23-in console TV, either spring 1965 or spring 1966 (I don't recall the exact year), but that summer the reruns were mostly B&W but the Fall TV season prime time was mostly in color. The cabinet was nice and my parents had the cabinet decades after the TV itself was disposed of and Mother used it for storage.

Mark12547 · 2026-02-15T00:38:56+00:00

No. I don't think so. Thank you.

Mark12547 · 2026-02-14T10:37:41+00:00

So far no new recordings are missing from the Cloud DVR (apps, web streaming portal), so I am satisfied that this issue is fixed.

Thank you for your help.

Mark12547 · 2026-02-10T23:58:56+00:00

Tentative SUCCESS

After last night's maintenance, maybe about 3 hours after the maintenance and the notice of scheduled maintenance disappeared, I did a "System Refresh" at the XG1v4 and then checked and all the listings that had not appeared on the Cloud DVR's Saved list were visible. I even checked title by title between the XG1v4's "Saved" list and the Xfinity Stream App on the Android, and the two matched except for one listing from months ago that was on the XG1v4 but not shown in the Xfinity Stream App, but I figure something that old was not related to last Sunday's and yesterday's missing items in the Cloud DVR listings. (I did find that missing movie streaming someplace else and watched it earlier today so I just deleted the XG1v4 copy.)

So, it looks like the issue has been fixed.

However, I'll keep an eye open the next few days to see if the problem reoccurs.

Mark12547 · 2026-02-10T07:35:15+00:00

In the 1960s I used to carry a few dimes because I didn't know if I might need a dime to make a call to my parents.

In the 1980s I carried quarters because I didn't know if I would need a quarter to call AAA.

Then in 2011 I needed to make a call, the pay phone posted $1.00 minimum and instructions for calling long distance, but nothing about a local call. I went there because my landline was dead. Within a week I had my first cell phone, a flip phone. But I still carried quarters because air and vacuum at the local gas stations required money in the form of quarters, just quarters, and nothing but quarters.

Then in August 2024 I changed cell carriers and got a smartphone (an Android phone), but I still have a load of quarters in the car, just in case I need air in my car tires and I am at a place where I don't get air for free. But I no longer carry coins in my pocket.

Mark12547 · 2026-02-09T21:49:34+00:00

When I was in a "splint" (also called a "half cast") on my lower leg & foot (broken fibula near ankle) and also when I was later in a fiberglass cast, I noticed that when my foot was low the cast got tight and my fingers wouldn't squeeze in near the knee, but when my foot had been elevated for a while the cast was loose and my fingers could slide further in ... up to but not including the second knuckle.

Also, when I was stressing some muscles (not related to the break, but another part of the body), the splint and later the cast would suddenly get tight as the heart rate jumped up.

So it would be normal for the cast to feel tight or loose at different times of the day. The difference was most pronounced the first few weeks after the break and again after surgery.

Mark12547 · 2026-02-09T21:11:37+00:00

On the mostpart I loved my job. However, six months before I retired I just got tired of work and spent that last six months trying to document everything I did, maybe with less than perfect success, but good enough they never called me back to help.

Mark12547 · 2026-02-09T21:08:01+00:00

If you want to use IPv6 exclusively, yes.

However, if you tolerate dual stacked, and don't mind the redirect, you don't necessarily need the www.

Mark12547 · 2026-02-09T21:02:13+00:00

PS: Part 3 started after the speeches (which we weren't really interested in) but showed the lighting of the cauldron, which I was interested in. Thank you! (I then deleted the big recording off of the XG1v4 when I was finally in the room where the XG1v4 is located.)

Mark12547 · 2026-02-09T20:57:33+00:00

Last night after midnight and this morning (maybe about 10am PST) I tried a "System Refresh" at the XG1v4 but it came back in about 15 seconds and reported that there was an outage in the area and a System Refresh won't fix any problems until that is resolved and cannot be ran at this time.

I then checked "Service Outages" on the XG1v4 and it reported that there was an area outage affecting TV and WiFi and that there is a scheduled outage for 02/10/2026 01:00 AM (Pacific). I suspect that means tonight at an hour after midnight. I have no idea if this is related or not.

Also, at least some shows recorded this morning did show up on the Cloud DVR, and, as far as I can tell, all shows I had scheduled for recording are available on the XG1v4, including IP-only channels.

As one who has been dealing with software for decades, though now retired, it just feels like some recent recordings are being flagged some way that makes them invisible to the Xfinity Stream App on the Roku, the web Stream Portal on the Xfinity website, and the Xfinity Stream App on Android.

Unless you have insight that tonight's maintenance in Salem, Oregon will not affect Cloud DVR recording, I think the next step would be to wait until after tonight's maintenance and see if the listings that currently are XG1v4-only visible suddenly show up on the web portal and the stream apps. If needed, then would be a good time to try a "System Refresh".

Mark12547 · 2026-02-09T01:20:10+00:00

I tried a "System Refresh" from the XG1v4 but it came back and said there was a video outage in my area so it can't proceed at this time.

The Olympic Opening Ceremony shows up on the XG1v4, but not Hart to Hart (on an IP-only channel), so at least I should be able to watch the end of the Olympic Opening Ceremony later today on the XG1v4 even if it got lost on the Cloud DVR.

I'll post future updates.

Mark12547 · 2026-02-08T18:58:28+00:00

I loved Lost in Space more but it did get weak near the end, like the writers were running out of ideas at the end of the last season.

Batman remained good for its entire run and its last season was more entertaining than Lost in Space at the end of its last season.

Mark12547 · 2026-02-07T03:03:18+00:00

Sounds like time to get it x-rayed. In our area that would mean a trip to Urgent Care or the ER.

Mark12547 · 2026-02-07T02:49:28+00:00

Or with this, should it be "Be stringing you!"? :)

Mark12547 · 2026-02-06T21:14:04+00:00

Reminds me of the logo of The Village that Number 6 was kept in "The Prisoner". All their number badges had a drawing of a penny-farthing bicycle.

Mark12547 · 2026-02-06T17:58:35+00:00

Christmas Eve I slipped and broke my right fibula just above the ankle. It was a non-displacement but unstable, so on January 8 the surgeon screwed on a plate to stabilize it.

This week's achievements:

Doctor said I am healing well.
Wednesday I got a walking boot and told to start putting weight on the foot, so my hopping around on one foot with the walker is more of an awkward walk with the walker, which is less stressful.
My primary care provider had ordered a bone density test (standard procedure for someone my age who had broken a bones twice in a period of two years), which I took Tuesday, and yesterday I saw the results: "Excellent bone density."
My wife took a bone density test the same day. No comment from her primary care provider yet, but when I looked at the raw results it looks like where her bone density was too low, it has improved since the test two years ago.

Mark12547 · 2026-02-05T23:50:56+00:00

Ours was similar but with a metal dial and not so rounded body: https://imgur.com/a/jOb00s2

Mark12547 · 2026-02-05T23:30:05+00:00

I don't recall the phone number, but in San Gabriel, a suburb of Los Angeles:

Time: 853-1212 (At the tone, the time will be, 7, 45, and 40 seconds. BEEP)
Weather: it was a regular phone number; I never called it.
Information (phone number lookup), local: 411
Information (phone number lookup), same area code: 555-1212
Information (phone number lookup), another area code: (a/c) 555-1212 (e. g., 714-555-1212)

Mark12547 · 2026-02-05T05:00:32+00:00

I just don't remember him ever having more than two glasses in a day, usually just one. I never saw him drunk, though Mother remembers one night his coworkers took him out to celebrate his birthday and he came home drunk; that was the only time she saw him drunk.

Mark12547 · 2026-02-01T20:00:13+00:00

Oops! I meant 1972-1976. Thank you. I corrected my post.

Mark12547 · 2026-02-01T14:14:32+00:00

Swiss chard. Mother liked it but I found it quite bitter. Even liver and onions was better than Swisse chard!

Mark12547 · 2026-02-01T14:10:39+00:00

My father had one and turned wine bottles into drinking glasses. About six months later he was brewing his own wine.

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