Hi, Jimmy...

 DS>   It had been several months, so I decided to get back into the FIDONet
 DS> echoes...

 JA{at}> I've missed you as well. :-)

  I've missed the echoes. One can only play the games so long. :P

 DS>     ...but lately, we've had a threat of thunderstorms and
 DS> severe weather nearly every day.

 JA{at}> Hasn't it though! Wow - lots of stuff moving through the area!

  It has been a very stormy spring tornado season so far. I dread what
hurricane season will bring.

 DS>   Of more concern, though...I have to have emergency surgery soon to
 DS> remove to huge stones in my urinary bladder...at least 16 millimeters
 DS> each in size, if not bigger. I'm still waiting for the urologist's
 DS> scheduler to call me. I hope it can be done as
"outpatient", as that'll
 DS> save on the downtime...not to mention the bill. My wallet and bank
 DS> account are going to be rather ill for awhile.

 JA{at}> Oh wow! PT&P to you!

  Excuse my ignorance, but what is PT&P??

 JA{at}> You gonna try and make it to Bartlett for the Hamfest this year?

  I rarely go to out of state hamfests anymore for 4 reasons:

1) I don't have the money (especially with all the upcoming medical bills).
2) It's too long a ride or drive, and my legs spasm and cramp on me.
3) It's a madhouse on the freeway, with no one obeying the speed limits,
plus all the construction zones.
4) Bad weather considerations this time of year.

  The one EXCEPTION is the Shreveport Hamfest. For my birthday last month,
my Mom bought the train/bus ticket, and paid for the hotel. I'll take Amtrak
from Little Rock, Arkansas to Longview, Texas...then switch to a "Thruway
Bus" for the trip to Shreveport. It's about 5 1/2 hours by rail, then a 1
hour bus ride. But, someone else is doing the driving...which is beneficial
if the weather is bad.

  Obviously, I'm at the train stations in Little Rock and Longview, but the 
dropoff point in Shreveport is in front of the Baggage Claim area at the
airport. But, the hotel where I'll stay provides a shuttle, and they have
an in hotel restaurant for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 

  They should also have a shuttle to/from the fairgrounds for the hamfest 
come August. Since it's the 2017 ARRL Delta Division Convention, it'll be
a Friday night, Saturday Day event, and because of the huge demand for
dealer and flea market tables, there won't be a separate one for the
Arklatex D-Star setup, which is what I manned last year. So, I'll probably
feed my face at the food court...although I will buy a few prize tickets.
However, I'm not that lucky to winning stuff...but if I did get lucky for
a big prize, I'd either request the cash equivalent there, or have it
shipped back here, and sell it.

Daryl, WX1DER


... Ever stop to think, and forget to start again??
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