Taking a Little Longer

It is taking me a little longer to update the posts I started when I began my visit to WA in late September. I am on the learning curve for the new-to-me Linux OS. Learning how to down load photos to the laptop, sort them in to the proper folders for the blog, then label them, & insert them in to each post has been tedious. And a week's worth of reading for the last planning commission meeting did not help matters! That is why the only new things you have seen are the IASA posts. Hoping to get a full post out to you some time today. 🤞

IASA #4-36

 

Watching friends Gage (2nd from R) & Kate (far R) playing volleyball at Keauhou Bay.

IASA #4-35

I was fortunate to be able to attend the memorial for my long-time friend Tong.

10/06 Short Version

Kai did the final touches on the Framework, adding an ad blocker, teaching me how to transfer screen shots, & getting rid of some things that were slowing down the start up time. Check back later for details.

Cousin Tomiko knows Kai likes coffee, so she suggested he try Boon Boona for his morning caffeine fix.

After we got back from the coffee run, I did my final packing & added all the things that were either frozen or cold.

Then we headed to the airport for my flight home that left just before 6 pm. 

My large suitcase weighed 52 pounds & the small one was 34 pounds; although I could pay $100 for an overweight bag I think 75 pounds is the limit for those so getting that 2nd suitcase was a smart move.

10/05 Short Version

We had lunch with Shabbir & Ruquyi at Kabob Korner. Check back later for details.

While Kai had Persian tea with lunch, there was not enough caffeine for him so we stopped at The Muse for him to get his fix.

Unfortunately that stop meant we missed seeing Gary when we dropped in at Z Sport where Kai gets his car serviced; but we did get to visit with his son Chuck who is now running the business. 

We stopped at Value Village to pick up a small rolling suitcase since I am allowed 2 bags for free; I am pretty sure I will not be able to pack all the omiyage in to my  large suitcase & still stay under the 50 pound weight limit.

We had dinner with Bo & Barbara at Fisherman Jack's.

Then we headed to Renton to cousin Karen's house since the ferry 'sick out' made the sailing schedule unpredictable for a trip to Bainbridge Island to spend the night at cousin Tomiko's house. 

10/04 Short Version

We met with Mary Ellen at her house; she had left a meeting early in order to see us. Check back later for details. 

Later me met with Barb for dinner at Yemeni House in Lynnwood.

10/03 Short Version

I was fortunate to be able to go to my friend Tong's memorial during this visit. Check back later for details.

After the memorial I got together with former co-workers Keith, Beth, Patrick, Ken, Dorothy, Shawn, Darla & Clarissa.

Later I had lunch with Darla & Clarissa at Thai Fusion

On the way back up to Darla's, we picked Kai up at Anne & Mary Kay's where he spent the night so I did not have to make a 2-hour round trip to drop him off at his house after Chinese movie night.

Later in the evening, Kai got Thunderbird email installed on the Framework laptop.

IASA #4-34

Kai taught me how to build my own Framework laptop!

 

10/02 Short Version

Darla & I met Keith at Thai Thai Restaurant for lunch. Check back later for details.

After picking Kai up, we picked up dinner at Phoenix Pavilion.

We took the dinner to Anne & Mary Kay's where we had Chinese movie night! 

 

10/01 Short Version

I burned Kai out by being too energetic so I was on my own today while he slept to get recharged. Check back later for details.

I visited with cousin Scott, his wife Wakana, & their dog Momo.

Later I went to the Everett Trader Joe's to visit my friend Gulshan.

Then I joined Darla for a tasty dinner made by Jim!

09/30 Short Version

The hard drive that Ben sent arrived a little after lunch today; Kai transferred the data from the MacBook Pro to the Framework. Check back later for details.

I check the security cameras almost every morning to see what the cats are doing; today I saw there was a pig in Denaʻs yard last night! 

We started the day with breakfast at Good Bagels. 

Then we stopped in at the Sea Bear Cannery store to pick up omiyage. 

 

09/29 Short Version

Since we are waiting for the external hard drive from Ben to arrive, we visited with friends up north today. Check back later for details.

We met Lani for lunch at The Lunchbox Diner in Mount Vernon.

Then we headed up to Bellingham to visit with Carole & Norm.

We had dinner with them at Texas Roadhouse.

Framework 13

The main reason for my visit to WA this time is for a new laptop; specifically to build one. When Kai was visiting me in July we discussed replacing my 8 year old MacBook Pro. Initially, we talked about getting a new MacBook laptop from the Apple Store when we went to Honolulu. But then he asked me if I would like a laptop that I only needed to replace failing parts & not the entire machine; that appealed to me very much. He also asked if I would like to switch over to using the Linux operating system; that also appealed to me. He then told me about the Framework brand of computers. He also explained what we would need to order & about how long it would take to put it together & have all the information from my current MacBook Pro switched over to the Framework. So we made plans for the parts to be mailed to him & for me to spend time in WA learning how to put it together & start using the Linux OS.

We ordered a Framework 13; it is a laptop with a 13.5" screen similar to the size of my current MacBook Pro. Now if I need to replace a part I just need to order the part, drive 1 mile to the post office when it arrives, pick up the part, drive back home, & plug it in! May be 15 minutes at the most. Unlike with the MacBook Pro where I have to drive 1 hour to get to Kona & drop it off, then come back on another day to pick it up; a total of 4 hours driving! For the Framework, everything is labelled & has QR codes that provide links to more information on the installation. 

Kai showing me how to get to website.

Kai with the parts box.

All parts laid out.

We started around 10 am & were done putting it together about 12 noon! It was very easy & simple; things basically plugged in to other things. It did make it easier that Kai was there to point out where to plug things in & what kind of angles I would have to approach the different spots in & how much force I would need to ensure the part was making proper contact. Here is the inside of the Framework.

This part arrives already assembled.

Kai shows me where memory goes.

And how to install it; I added other portion of memory.

Look! The battery is replaceable!

I like that they list the Framework team!

 Once all the internal pieces were installed, we worked on the exterior parts. There were different options for colors of the input cover & the bezel. We had also selected the 4 different expansion cards (ports) to be installed.

The input cover, aka keyboard.

Backside of input cover.

Connecting input cover to rest of computer.

Ta-da!

Once the input cover was attached, we were able to turn on the power to the laptop. Of course, since there was no operating system installed yet, it only showed some lights. We also installed the bezel which is the part around the screen. I chose a clear bezel so the parts underneath it are visible. When the cover is opened it is immediately noticeable that it is not your usual laptop so no one can mistakenly think it is theirs. 

We have power!

The clear bezel ...

... now installed.

Then we flipped the laptop over & began installing the 4 expansion cards. I have 2 USB-C ports, an HDMI port, & a DP port. If things change, I can easily change the type of ports I have on the Framework instead of having to buy a new laptop. 

No cards installed.

Adding a USB-C card.

Adding an HDMI card.

These are the 4 cards & their locations on the Framework.

 

Kai then installed the Linux operating system on the laptop. He is an avid proponent of using Linux. But up until recently, you really needed more recent programming background than I have in order to work with a Linux OS. Things have changed enough that he feels it is now at the level that someone with even some old programming background like I have can easily use Linux as my operating system. (I was once offered a position at the National Marine Fisheries' Montlake Lab as a programmer. But I would not be allowed to go out on the boats so I declined the offer & took my chances trying to get in to a fisheries biologist position. Biologists with programming backgrounds were rare at that time.)  

It tells you where to go if you need help installing the OS.

But Kai didn't need that.

Here's what he was looking at.

The Cachy version of the Linux operating system is what Kai installed for me. The start up screen gives me access to some tutorials & other information; I can turn it off after I have explored different things.  

Before this comes up, access to OS is available as soon as computer boots up.

Kai starts to configure things for me.

Not sure what this screen is about ...

... but we are all done!

Kai then tried to see if he could move things from my old laptop to the new one with the external hard drives he had. But 2 were not working & the 3rd was too full. So we had to go to Best Buy to get an external hard drive. Because of the cost of memory due to crazy trade wars by Orange He Who Shall Not Been Named, many manufacturers are holding off on production so reasonably priced external hard drives are hard to find. And when they do show up they are immediately snatched up. The only ones we found were outrageously priced so Kai decided to try another route to getting one.

Kai checked in with his friend Ben to see if he had a spare we could buy from him. He did not, but unknown to Kai, Ben ordered one from Amazon using an old store credit that he had; then messaged Kai saying to expect it to arrive in 2 days on Wednesday! I will be sending Ben a Thank You package of Ka'u coffee & Honoka'a chocolate after I get back home! 

We had started out the day with breakfast at The Store; they have an amazing variety of muffins! They make so many varieties that what is available is different every day. Some are seasonal; like pumpkin pie spice at this time of the year. During fruit season there are lots with fresh fruit. They also have a small selection of sandwiches & other food items. And coffee. Kai always gets coffee with his muffins.

Display case at The Store; options change every day.

Later we had dinner at Fidalgo Drive-In; I tried the Tillamook cheddar burger. Can't remember what Kai had. There was nothing spectacular to report about dinner except that they are really a "drive-in" where they will come out to your car & take your order when you park in the designated "drive-in" spots. Though I don't know why you would want to eat in your car; I only did that when I was stuck out in the field far enough away from an eating place that it did not make sense to drive back in to town for lunch. We chose to eat in the restaurant portion.

All the thumbnails of the cats that showed up on the security cameras were of them in the cat yard. Yay! No delinquent kitties!

The 4 on the bottom right are of Mo'o.

 

My progress on Lingopie has been steady but slow. I am glad I can watch it anywhere I have Internet access. I am still at remembering about 70% of the earlier words that I learned. 

Progress on Duolingo is a little harder for me to judge. There are some parts that I am very good at & others that I am really lacking. On the plus side, it is really exercising my brain!

This tracing part is really easy!

This is more difficult because I need to remember the Pinyin that goes with the Hanzi.

If I don't know these, I can usually figure it out by elimination.

I am sort of getting the hang of the pronunciations.

  

Episode 55 of the eruption at Kīlauea is still elusive. There is no prediction as  to when it will begin.

Hauʻoli lā Hānau e Dorothy, Hannalee, & Sheryl!