Aside from that, early last week, Jo had dinner in the oven, when we both heard a loud BOOM from the kitchen. Seriously it sounded like a cherry bomb or M-80 going off. Trish was nowhere in sight (LOL), so I knew we had a problem – especially when none of the lights were on in the oven or on top of the range. The 240 V circuit breaker had popped, and even after unplugging the range, it would not stay in. I fiddled with a little bit, and even with the circuit breaker off, my little wireless circuit tester indicated there was still voltage. However when I plugged my multimeter into the socket, it indicated no voltage. At that point I figured it was probably best to call in an electrician with the proper equipment rather than me frying myself.

Anyway, to make a long story shorter..... The electrician was here today, and when he opened the circuit breaker panel, the poor guy almost had a heart attack. I've known for some time what a rats nest of wiring was inside the panel. As he pointed out there is not even a main breaker for the whole house, and the whole system is a hodgepodge of five separate breaker boxes. The breakers on the main box are all pushmatic breakers, which are mostly obsolete, and very expensive. He found the one breaker to be defective, and fortunately he was able to find another one. Now we have 240 V back. The upshot of all this is that we need to have the whole mess replaced with one updated breaker box. That's going to run around 1300 bucks. I actually thought it would be a lot more.

Then he tested the power plug on the oven, and found that one side of the 240 V line going into the oven was shorted. So in addition to everything else, it looks like we need to get a new range. We have had this one for several years, so I guess it's time.

As if all that wasn't enough, my main computer (the one I'm writing on now) has been giving me fits for months. I got distracted when the electrician arrived this afternoon, and forgot to turn this computer off. Naturally he had to cut power to work safely, and of course that cut power to the computer. I battled with this computer for over two hours to get it to come back up into a usable state – or at least semi-usable. It went through a long disk check procedure before Windows would even boot up and found tons and tons of corrupted files and bad sectors. I've been putting off rebuilding this computer for a long time, but it appears the time has come to either rebuild this machine, or just chuck it and get a new one. I think this computer still has the capability of being a really good computer, but it's going to take updating the hard drives, and of course a fresh installation of Windows. Fortunately, this is more of a general purpose computer – I do not have poser on it, although I do have Vue 10 on this machine. I'm planning on upgrading Vue sometime soon.

Anyway if you have read through this epistle to this point, I thank you for your dedication! And know that I will be back in full force and better than ever soon. Things are starting to get pretty exciting and will become even more exciting in the Girls From T.N.A. story. There's a lot more to tell, and I will be working on this during my hopefully short absence.

I wish everyone here well, and I thank you for all of your comments, favorites, and support over the years. And I am looking forward to rejoining all my friends here as soon as possible. Stay well, and I'll be back as soon as I can!

OK, good luck with all that, come back as soon as you can.

... really an awesome view, and looks like it might have been covered by water a long time ago...

Winter seems to bring out more anxiety and disorder for everyone, so hang in there until the birds start tweeting.

Wow! and I though I had it bad... I hope you get all this fixed and running again, I can't wait to see more of your great images and stories. and Trish says she had nothing to do with the oven, but maybe Ranpha... I'll see if the girls can head over and give you a hand..

Just take the time you need to get everything in working order, and know we'll all be here waiting to hear more!.. I know I will!

LOL Hey the Girls are welcome anytime! :-D You, too of course - just don't push any buttons... The whole place might go up the way things are going lately! :-D

Heyo, Rod! Great view here! I fully understand your position and feelings. Take the time to recover and get back to feeling 100%!
hang in there my friend! Queen Zlata the Gentle sends her best wishes and love to you! And Jo as well!!

Thanks a bunch, Mike! Good talking to you as always!

They can't keep me down for long. I'm like a bad dream - I keep coming back! Muahahahaha..

Magnificent landscape photo! Hope you feel better and get your other problems squared away soon!

Sorry to here your going through a tough times ...Its good to keep busy but not at the expense of your health..Do what makes you happy and you will find everything will fall into place big hugs and love you picture..

Okay, as your friend and as your ... um ... advisor (self appointed but well meaning), DO NOT GO TO WORK WHEN YOU ARE SICK! No matter how much they scream and cry and threaten, it isn't worth it. You aren't doing anyone any favors. When I was still working, I caught one or two colds every year. Since I've retired and no longer am around people who come to work even when they're sick, I've had one cold in the last five years. That can't be a coincidence. Obviously, germs make you think you're indespensible. It's their way of reproducing. 😛🙁

Take good care of yourself, dear one. We love you and want you around for many years to come! 🤗

Dayum Rod! You stay home dammit, or I'm sending Kharsha down there to sit on you. Take care of things down there.

And that is an impressive photo!

very beautiful landscape and capture. reminds me of Death Valley. I read an article about microsoft having plans to start charging for windows 10 and early termination of support for prior editions. if they start charging I will be looking at another operating system.

too bad about your sore throat. I know all about it because I used to have trouble all the time when I was still working being around paint and thinners/ dusty work environments .

take care and I will be looking forward to your return

the view is freaking awesom, Rod. always impressive shots you have from the drone. and man o man, what a mountian of problems you and Jo are going through. being sick and having all these issues has got too be a pain. at our age it just gets worse my friend. i myself have been developing extreme pains in my hands, back and other parts of the body over the last few months. not sure how much longer i can be a driver handling plastic sheets. i hope you feel better and things improve in your life, Rod.gonna miss you and the Gals for a bit i see. but you always come back with a bang. so i'll be waiting my friend.

my computer you would not enjoy at all, daily render issues and countless times i have to reduce size and or take props out of the mix on scenes.

This was actually taken from the ground - from one of those scenic overlooks. Our wonderful overlords in DC have banned drones in National Parks, sadly. I would have LOVED flying the Inspire & Phantom here. Hope your pain eases up, buddy. Many of us are getting to the age where our health is more important than a stressful job.

AWESOME VIEW

hope you get better. this is good photo

I am very sorry to here about all your Problems I had my share this last few month ,my last bout with the bronchitis through me for a loop, much better now! Last week someone suggested I get some oregano oil from the health food store and use it in a vaporizer it is good for lung problems. And you smell like Spaghetti all the time About your photo How did they get someone to put a stop sign in the middle of nowhere?

Glad you're doing better, DW. Getting better slowly, myself. :-)

Hey, they've gotta justify those tax dollars somehow...LOL Actually that stop sign is at the entrance/exit of a parking area.

Fine work.

Sorry to hear you tale of woe. Wow you get to go on vacation. I used to be able to do those things, but all alone so would not be fun I guess. Song? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XGPTpbuL6HE

Beautiful photo Rod!!
Good luck with all your problems!! ! Hope to see ya soon my friend!!

Both the landscape and the picture are absolutely fantastic !!!!!!!

My goodnes, what a pile of bad happenings in so short a time. I do hope all will settle and get better, so you can feel safe and relaxed again. What a wonderful shot this is and I love to see all the layers that has been built over thousands of years. :-)

Man, sorry to hear about all the crap you're being hit with at the same time. I've noticed something with life - trouble seems to come in bunched up groups. Damn, the fuse blew, and then comes a lot of other stuff as a sequel. I hate it, but if I get ticked off, I get more! It's as if one is NOT allowed to get emotionally teed of, cause then life happily sends more crap. Right now, trouble at school - no money, and thus no salaries. And trouble inside - one tooth has crumbled, and am now discovering 2 more! Cost: more than half a salary. Sheesh! Glad I have not had a cold for 3 years (oops! Did I just say that? Oh NO! Life is sure to give me one now!). I think the idea is to think positively. At least that's what some of those prophets say. Hopefully that will break the negative spiral. Positive, and some real positive feelings pushing it forward. I hope all works out well for you! And, we're ALL rooting for you! By the way, those rock strata suggest many layers of sea bottom that have been eroded. The mid-west was at one time sea floor. I wonder what fossils, other stuff, lie hidden in those layers! Chin up! Keep up the good work! T.Rex and Summer, and the rest of the gang send their best wishes! :-)

MAN! That really SUCKS Rod. I know I haven't been around Rendo much (Rendo has really lost its appeal for me) but I still check in from time to time. I certainly hope things go well for you with all these issues you're facing and that you don't have to spend TOO much to fix them. Hope you feel better quick. Mike

As they say, it never rains but it pours. Hope things start to work out better moving forward. Look forward to you return, And your image is fantastic. I really love the shot.

Incredible and fabulous place mly friend... Outstanding picture !!!

The colors in this capture are so beautiful Rod. Such an amazing place. I'm sorry to hear that things haven't been going so well but it looks as though the worst is over though the expense will just keep coming each month for a while. I don't think we ever get on top and even at my age things seem to still go wrong. I hope things pick up for you and that you get well very soon, nothing goes right when you aren't well.

It's fitting that you posted this sweeping landscape with such beautiful desolation and rich lines and sweeping vistas---for the title "Off the Grid For a While"! Because you can't get much more 'off the grid' than this magnificent landscape. On your break, everyone has already seconded your desire to take off time from here. I'll third it. (Or 25th it, lol.) I know all about how the body urges us to take off time---I paid pretty heavily when I didn't, after very intense periods in the recent past. I hope you can take all the time you need. And I also hope you can take off from work when you have to: I know that's often easier said than done, with bosses, possible loss of pay, the madness of catching up if no one did your work while you were gone, etc. But Tara's right: If you can do it, I hope you'll be able to! The sequence of events that have happened to you---with health, stove, work, computer, etc---sounds like you're in one of those time warps where things just don't go right. And some days you wanna shout to the sky: "OK: YOU WIN! I'M STAYING IN BED FOR A MONTH---YOU HAPPY???" I hope it gets better soon.

As for the image, I've already seen enough of your sweeping landscapes to know how breathtaking they can be. In full zoom, this is another Rod vast-view, with beautiful detail from your terrific 6D. And lots of sweeping sedimentary lines, and those beautiful roads cutting right through the center (even detail on a stop sign!) and those rolling hills in front like loaves of bread...A beautiful image. Have a good rest, and when I take another break (a real one), I'll be going into your older stuff---I couldn't do it this time because I was working the whole time (it wasn't a break). But it'll happen. In the meantime you're going out with a bang: Terrific photograph, reminding your fans just how much experience and panache you've had in this medium. Beautiful work, Rod.

Sorry for your misfortune. Hopefully, things will improve. Excellent picture.

Very nice capture Rod - I hope that everything will improve!!!

Goodness me, you have had a rough week. I'll have to remember this when I feel the need to complain about my lot in life. My oven went supernova about three years ago. Fortunately just the element self destructed but the smell did not go away for weeks. Needless to say we kept to the stove top for several months.

Really lovely and awe inspiring scene. Such rugged beauty and expanse.

That is a sweeping and gorgeous shot. Love the layers and the winding road does indeed offer a certain perspective.

My advice, if you want it, take care of yourself first and deal with the electric mess. Bad electrical boxes and breakers lead to burned down houses.

Additionally if you are really sick, go to a doctor and get a note. Seriously. Get their prognosis in writing and stay the hell home. Eff those people. If you have proof then they wont and can't fire you and from the sounds of things you are valuable enough to keep around anyway. You wont be much use to anyone with strepp throat that turns in to pneumonia. I mean, your wife and what would happen to the girls of TNA. When you're that sick and they want you to work I suggest you go right in to see the boss, sneeze and shake his hand and thank him for his concern.

Take care of yourself Rod. We'll be here wishing you well.

Lord have Mercy! Sounds like this was your week in the barrel. First, I hope you are feeling better. Second, will your homeowners insurance cover any of the cost of the electrical aftermath? Third, good luck on the rebuild. Remember to get some rest in the midst of all this chaos if you can. I'm off line for the rest of the week because of travel plans. BTW, I love this picture. That little island of yellow in the middle of the beige/pink striations is wonderful.