[xelasnave]

I have to have a grizzle..well not a grizzle because it is all just good stuff sent to build my character and I am most grateful.

But certainly I hope others may feel triggered to share their recent or past character building experiences.

OK I am sitting in emergency at Lismore Base Hospital which I regard as a second home...

But where to start..the new lump in my neck was starting to worry me because the doctor did not seem interested ...I felt she was like.."How many times do I have to save this guys life"... I can understand so often she must be getting bored..but to start... when I started setting up my new rig with the centre piece an old eight inch newtonian..this took my mind off the lump..I guess I am over sensative to lumps in my neck simply because of one negative experience....right there setting up the new rig was when the character building started...First I could not find the coma corrector!!! Now living in a van makes that rather frustrating because well it is a very small space..but I could not find it...so I ordered a new one which meant the old one would turn up..and it did on the same day the new one arrived...but I knew that would happen as I was have had that lesson many times with various things over the years.. I take the mirror out and clean it but it takes hours to get the damn thing back in tube...most frustrating ...so now I can put it all together with the new coma corrector, OAG, and new filter wheel and main and guide camera and I had to angle grind a piece to connect the camera...all good....but hold on the new guide camera does not work..I cant wait for all this replacement drama so I order another..so now neither the new guide camera works or the new zwo 2600...my character is already bullet proof so do I need this...OK do this and that over days and finally at least the 2600 worked..and so did one of the new guide cameras...I tested them on the 115 mm rig and of course when transfered it all back to the eight inch the guide camera did not work..anyways a few test shots and finally dial in PA on the new zwo harmonic drive mount..mmm the thing needs some fancy collmination but my thingy is in Sydney so lets just buy another...prices were off putting..but happily the place where I recently bought a kilo of bismuth had something for $27 so I ordered that ..maybe not enough but better than nothing and gives me time to decide if I really want to keep throwing money at this eight inch..it was after all just a placeholder for a new Askar 130...so last night I decided not to waste any more time on the eight inch and do some imaging with the RASA...the Statue of Liberty here I come...well off we go but what this!?! star trails??? Do what I may the guiding was crazy..do another PA..but guiding just would not work..the graph showed two lines red and blue heading in opposite directions off the scale...OK nothing works so lets go to bed...but the inverter switches off when I press the remote for the roof!!! It just wont respond ..OK start the genny..the one I just had repaired and serviced...mmm...wont start???!!!! OK then start the " old" one...great it is running but hang on there is no current going anywhere..no matter what I did I could not power up the motor for the roof...OK get out the block and tackle and get it closed ...what now it jammed when only half closed..mmm get up on the step ladder ( for me a life threatening move) and remove the guide as that seems to be grabbing..yes..so I get it closed...off to bed wondering why the guiding was crazy.

Wake up this morning and I could not move because of the worst pain ( and I have had all variations) ever in my lower back...bed ridden unable to move ...I managed to get up to go to the toilet an hour exercise because of the crippling pain... the pain was insane..it was so bad that when I got back to the bed I could not even move to lay down..it was over the top...so when I finally managed to lay down I lay there until 3 pm and thought I better go to hospital as this cant be normal...so my Ex drives me into Casino Hospital there some hours they then send me to Lismore Hospital and now my character is being raised to a new level as they are keeping me here all night...I have not had back problems other than that big operation years ago so I just cant imagine straining it etc...

But it has put the camera problems in perspective..they are not that bad...the guiding has me baffled...perfect one night and crazy the next..but I can see it all clearly now..all this is to get my mind off the lump in my neck...life is just so good to me...

I probably left stuff out but I think I can say that last night was somewhat disappointing.


Alex