This collection of entries is from March 19, 2002.
You know, if you've read this blog, that Carol & I go to hockey games regularly - we support the Chicago Wolves of the AHL. I have been hit by a puck once - took one on the chin after in bounced off some seats in front of us. It hurt, but did little damage. Now, in what is believed to be the first death of a fan hit by a puck at an NHL game, a 13-year-old girl died after being hit in the head by a puck that was a slapshot by Espen Knutsen from the left circle, shot over the high glass and glanced off another spectator at a Columbus Blue Jackets game against the Calgary Flames. I just saw the tape - she got up, and had a towel or something to her forehead. You have to watch the game and keep on your toes - you have no idea how startling it is to see a puck coming at you. This is really sad...
Oooo... I've always wanted a Sony Aibo robot, and now they've come up with a real cool one...
Well, at least those damn campaign ads are off the air... for a while. Today is Primary day in Illinois - a day that both Carol & I do not exercise our right to vote. Reason? We don't want to declare the party to vote for - we believe in voting for the candidates that we think will do the best job, and not having to vote just for Republican or Democratic candidates. I understand that there are other states in the US that allow this, but not here.
Well, the construction hasn't started on Golf Road (next week), but they're really scrambling to put up temporary traffic lights at Golf & Higgins. The Northwest Tollway also has no construction - yet. The Roselle Road entrance ramp has "Work Zone - Speed Limit 45" signs posted and they're posted in a few other places. There's small construction horses along the right shoulder from Roselle to 53, construction barrels from Golf to west of Arlington Heights, west of Elmhurst Road on right side, then onto left side east of the Des Plaines Oasis. There's some patching-over of the "rumble strips" in the left shoulder around Mannheim. That's it.
Found out that my dad passed his annual Driver's License test this morning! He turns 88 next Tuesday. (Drivers that age have to take an annual visual test and road test, just to make sure they're OK to drive.)
8:31. He's here - Dan from Proficient Heating & Cooling. I remember him! He says it's the drafting motor and it won't be as bad as trying to replace "that board"! He's got one in the truck that can be used - for $498! What can you do. at least it's not as "that board" - it's a circuit board that controls the whole staging of the furnace - unfortunately, the furnace manufacturer is bankrupt and getting a replacement was quite difficult - we were without heat for two days in the middle of winter a few years ago.
At 9:26, I'm hearing the sound of a fan! Sounds like the furnace is alive! Yep, it has fully turned on. Dan's been carrying it on the truck for a year. He actually has to cut apart the housing of the old fan to reuse the flange because it's not an exact replacement fan. Dan leaves with his Merrit cigarettes at 9:36.
"Michael." "huh... wha..." I spring up in bed. It's Carol, and it's 7:30 in the morning. It used to be that at exactly 7:30 in the morning I'd be on a train passing through the Bensenville yards on the way downtown. That was back when I was employed. Now, as I'm still trying to push the sleep away, Carol is telling me that the furnace isn't turning on and she smells and electrical smell when trying to recycle the furnace. Great. It figures that the house starts to go south while I'm unemployed. Carol wants the hot water heater replaced this Saturday before something happens to it. After all, this August we will be in the house 18 years. This stuff happens over time. Thank God that we built this house, so a lot of the physical plant stuff has been "new". Great.