After I finished reading the manual in my blood sugar tester, I was ready to start the testing.

According to the manual, the first thing that I needed to do was to insert the code key from the box of test strips into the meter. I guess this tells the meter the batch number of the test strips. So, I inserted the key into the meter and turned it on. Yes!, the meter liked it.

Next, I needed check the time and date on the meter. They were correct.

Moving right along, I next needed to load the lancet gun. The lancet gun isn’t really a gun at all. It is more like a pen light. I call it a gun because holds a six shot carousel of lancets. So, with the gun loaded, I was ready to begin.

“Turn meter on.” Check. “Insert test strip.” Check. “Apply test solution.” Test solution?!! What test solution?

I had test strips, lancets, alcohol wipes and the meter, but I did not have any test solution. So, back to the store for some test solution.

As I searched the shelves at the store, I see lancets, test strips, meters and alcohol wipes but no test solution. When I asked at the counter, they told me that the solution is a special order and that they could have it the next day. Rats! I was headed out of town so the testing would have to wait until I got back.

Since the test solution is vital to the operation of the meter, you would think that they would tell you that on the outside of the box. After all, they told me that the battery was included. But, there was nothing about the test solution. I hope it is not expensive.

I haven’t been eating the way that I should lately, so, my blood sugar was a little high when the doctor checked it last week. As a result, my doctor declared me to be diabetic and wants me to test my blood sugar twice a day at home in an effort to get those levels back down. And to accomplish this, he wrote me a prescription for the complete blood sugar testing kit. Great!

When I took the prescription to Meijer’s (regional grocery chain), they said that everything was covered by my insurance except for the actual meter. Rats! I figured that those little meters would be rather expensive so I was delighted to find that they were only $20.

I wondered how they could afford to sell such a complicated and delicate piece of equipment for only $20. But then I saw the price of the test strips. At over a dollar a piece, they were going to make their money on their proprietary test strips and not on their proprietary meters. But, since the test strips are covered by insurance, I guess I don’t really care.

When I got the meter home and took it out of the box, I discovered that there was a 100 pages of instructions. Wow! The ads on TV show the guy just touching his finger to the test strip and the numbers pop up in seconds. Well, I guess it is more complicated than the ads show.

About 70 pages into the manual, I discover that the meter has an infrared unit for transferring data to your PC. And since the meter came with a CD, I figured that the software needed for the PC came on it. Not so. The CD shows you how the software would work if you had the software.

The software can be purchased from the company for $40. I guess, for $40 dollars, I can load the readings into my own spread sheet.

Well, I am sure that the blood testing will provide ample material for my blog.

With winter rapidly approaching, I decided that it was time to replace our old standalone humidifier with an in furnace unit. And while the standalone unit worked well, the prospect of hauling water all winter long no longer appealed to me. So, a whole house unit, with a water line connection, became my quest.

After reviewing several units on line, I found a model that met my needs. And, after reviewing the online installation manual, I determined that it was a straight forward project. In fact, the manual led me to believe that, with the exception of tools, every thing that I needed was included with the unit.

Well, when I got to Home Depot, I found out that every thing was included but only if you purchased the optional installation kit. No problem, the installation kit was right next to the humidifiers. And for $7.49, I thought it to be a worth while investment. But wait, it wasn’t $7.49, it was $74.95. Ouch!

Now, having to spend $75 to install a $140 humidifier really bothered me. So, I looked at what was included with the humidifier.

The humidifier unit, of course, was included but no mounting screws. No problem, I have sheet metal screws at home. Next, there was the hardware to connect to the cold water line but no plastic tubing to connect to the unit. No problem, I already had the tubing from the old furnace humidifier that I removed several years ago. A humidistat and power supply came with the unit but no wire. Well, I purchased 50 feet of wire for $10. And finally, I needed a piece of 6 inch flexible duct which I purchased for another $15.

So, for $25, I had everything that I needed to install the humidifier. Of course, the installation kit included an installation video, but I don’t think that it would be worth the additional $50.

Besides, those installation videos are a little on the hokey side. They usually show a husband and wife team with hard hats, goggles and perfect teeth. The perfect teeth, of course, goes with their perfect, problem free installation. I don’t know what planet they are from but it certainly isn’t the one that I know.

All and all, it took me about 3 hours to install the unit. According to the manufacturer, it should only take an hour so I think I came out OK. And, I only cut myself once so I guess I can’t complain. As soon as the weather turns cold, I will turn that baby on.

The news recently announced that Lowell would be getting 5 hybrid refueling stations. Four this year and one next year.

Well, my first response is that I didn’t know that Lowell had that many hybrids with no place to buy electricity. I just figured that if you had a hybrid, you had your own charging station. But, I guess, the charging stations are for travelers and not the locals.

So, the plan is to provide recharging station between Detroit and Grand Rapids.  And, this is fine.  But why Lowell and why 5?  And, since it takes 3 to 8 hours to recharge those batteries, what do the driver and passengers do while they wait?

In reality, I think that when the batteries start getting low, the driver will switch to gas.  But, at least Lowell can say that it has 5 hybrid refueling stations.  FWIW.

The new Chevy Volt is advertising 93 mile per gallon. Wow!

Now, at first this may sound fantastic. But, that 93 miles per gallon is a combination of gas and electricity. This means that they run the car on electricity until the batteries die and then they use the gas engine. So, the actual cost of running the car includes not only the gallon of gas but also the electricity used to charge the batteries.

The car has a limited range of 35 to 50 miles on a charge with a gas range of over 400. The recharge time is between 3-8 hours depending on whether there is 240 VAC available. Probably the biggest drawn back is the $40,000 price. Still, if you drive 50 miles per day, it might prove to be a good alternative for transportation.

While the 93 mile per gallon may seem attractive, the $40,000 purchase price isn’t.  But, time will tell.

Every years, Lowell hosts the biggest tree contest. And every year, residents enter their trees.

Now, as I see it, trees don’t grow very much from year to year. So, if your tree won last year, chances are pretty good that it will win this year and next year. In fact, unless your tree dies, the contest will be a sure thing.

So, what is the point of the contest? I am not really sure. Maybe they should also have a biggest rock contest.