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Old 05-29-2014, 12:00 PM   #14201
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Walt , Sorry about the lightening damage . I had my microwave ,dishwasher & oven knocked out by a surge .
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Old 05-29-2014, 04:00 PM   #14202
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So, was this a direct hit, or was it somewhere nearby and caused a surge to your power? Our warranty covers electro-mechanical appliances $1500/item, maximum of $25,000 per occurrence.
Thankfully not a direct hit but very close. My next-door neighbor lost his computer and a TV, and I saw three service trucks in driveways on my way out yesterday. So others had some damage too.

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I wonder if the home insurance will cover lightning strike damages.
I'll hang on to receipts but the deductible is $1,500 and I doubt it will total that much, or if it does go over it won't be much over.
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Old 05-29-2014, 05:35 PM   #14203
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So, I went to have a scheduled minor surgery. I was given local anesthesia, and was talking to the surgeon and his nurses during the procedure.

I had to turn my head, and was covered up so could not see the operated site, but could hear the sizzling of the cauterizer and smell my skin burn. Nice!

Am home now, and the site is still numb so do not feel any pain yet, but it should not be too bad. Just another scar...
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Old 05-29-2014, 05:52 PM   #14204
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So, I went to have a scheduled minor surgery. I was given local anesthesia, and was talking to the surgeon and his nurses during the procedure.

I had to turn my head, and was covered up so could not see the operated site, but could hear the sizzling of the cauterizer and smell my skin burn. Nice!
A vasectomy!
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Old 05-29-2014, 06:18 PM   #14205
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A vasectomy!
I have read about this procedure, and forgot that this could be miscontrued.

No, it's actually on my torso. Something related to the medical problem I suffered for the last year or two. It's complicated.

A vasectomy! At our age... My wife would kill me if I have a vasectomy now. She drove me to the clinic.
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Old 05-29-2014, 09:33 PM   #14206
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One more note:

Because I could not see the procedure with my head turned to one side and my face half-covered, when I first heard the "Pssst...Pssst..." that the cauterizer made, I thought it was a suction device he used to suck up blood, similar to a dentist suction tip in your mouth.

I thought to myself "Darn, I must be bleeding like a stuck pig". Then, I smelled the burn. The smell was the same as when I accidentally burned my finger tip with a soldering iron. Then, I realized that he was cauterizing.

PS. I start to feel the soreness from the incision now, as the anesthesia is wearing off.
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Old 05-30-2014, 11:28 AM   #14207
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Replaced a dead over-range microwave oven. The old unit was 12 years old, not too for 'modern' microwaves. (I've seen ancient Amana Radaranges from circa 1970 still in service, though...) The blower motor used to cool the magnetron had an open winding, the part is no longer available, and I really didn't feel like rewinding the coils on that thing. Besides, the electrical insulation internally was becoming brittle and the safety interlock latches were worn to the point where getting it to run involved handle jiggling, so it was time.

The store was running a deal on installation, which I knew involved some gruntwork in drilling and mounting a wall plate and drilling more holes in the cabinetry. (There's a secret registry for over-range microwave designers, where they can check to make sure their installation won't accidentally use the same mounting holes or fasteners as any other model oven.) I asked about when they could install it. "Two to three business days..." Great! "...and then they'll call you to schedule an appointment to install it." Ulp.

So, I buy this thing on Thursday, and they'll maybe call me next Tuesday to discuss when they might be able to install? I predict that DW will be less than happy with this. I'll just take it to go, thanks.

DW was happy to help me with spotting the 63 lb oven while we did the inevitable trials to hang it after I explained the alternative. The whole process took maybe three hours from store to cooking dinner.
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Old 05-30-2014, 11:40 AM   #14208
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Exercised my 5500 watt portable generator - plugged in the hedge clippers and trimmed for an hour, then changed the oil. I try to exercise it every 6 months or so and always shut off the gas at the tank and let it run dry after every use. I also use Sta-Bil to keep the fuel from going bad.

I've had the generator (a Generac with a Briggs & Stratton engine) for 10 years. It starts on the first pull, even after sitting for 6 months.
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Old 05-30-2014, 11:41 AM   #14209
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The store was running a deal on installation, which I knew involved some gruntwork in drilling and mounting a wall plate and drilling more holes in the cabinetry. (There's a secret registry for over-range microwave designers, where they can check to make sure their installation won't accidentally use the same mounting holes or fasteners as any other model oven.) I asked about when they could install it. "Two to three business days..." Great! "...and then they'll call you to schedule an appointment to install it." Ulp.
Not only they won't use the same mounting fasteners and locations, they won't even use the same mounting fixtures!

I just did this job last month and found a microwave that was "close" in size to the old, dead unit. I had to order a new faceplate and mounting kit for an additional $100. Since nothing lined up as before, I had to modify the wood trim opening, add some new trim pieces (cut down to an odd size and thickness), and remount the whole business. Then paint the modified opening trim. All this took about 4 hours.
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Old 05-30-2014, 11:46 AM   #14210
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Today I signed up for a Marriott Visa that will add 70,000 points to my account (yes!), give me a free night stay at any Category 1 - 4 hotel after approval and give me another free night after the account anniversary.

Since we burned up about 50,000 points in hotel stays earlier this year, this will get me back to a 300,000 point balance!

Annual fee is $85 waived the first year. Looks like I won't make the first anniversary.
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Old 05-30-2014, 11:47 AM   #14211
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Exercised my 5500 watt portable generator - plugged in the hedge clippers and trimmed for an hour, then changed the oil. I try to exercise it every 6 months or so and always shut off the gas at the tank and let it run dry after every use. I also use Sta-Bil to keep the fuel from going bad.

I've had the generator (a Generac with a Briggs & Stratton engine) for 10 years. It starts on the first pull, even after sitting for 6 months.
Thanks for the reminder....I need to do the same.
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Old 05-30-2014, 11:57 AM   #14212
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Just had a new motorized awning installed on my patio. We've never been able to use the west facing patio in the summer because of the blistering afternoon heat. Now that I'm retired I plan on spending a lot more time out there in our new shade!
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Old 05-30-2014, 01:19 PM   #14213
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Worked out two people so far...one more to go Going for a walk in the part after he gets done with work tonight, make some dinner, and work on a sign for the kitchen...break out my wood burning tool
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Old 05-30-2014, 03:22 PM   #14214
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More bad news from the lightning strike and a possible ray of sunshine. Found out the igniter for the gas oven doesn't work this morning when I wanted to warm up the house a bit. Then DW suggested "Why don't you turn on the gas fireplace?" D'oh. To me it's an ornament that I never use. DW likes it though. And I hadn't had my morning caffeine.

Anyway, when I called the power company about replacing the whole-house surge protector (small fee on the bill for that every month) they said they might cover all or part of the cost of the furnace and A/C repair, which is going to be ~$750 total. This was a surprise to me so that's great if it happens.

New motherboard for the tower PC is going to be $230, so I'll go ahead with that and get a few more years out of the system.

And we went to meet some friends for lunch an hour away, plans made three weeks ago. Good time had by all.
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Old 05-30-2014, 03:42 PM   #14215
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Today I signed up for a Marriott Visa that will add 70,000 points to my account (yes!), give me a free night stay at any Category 1 - 4 hotel after approval and give me another free night after the account anniversary.
...
Annual fee is $85 waived the first year. Looks like I won't make the first anniversary.
I got one of these a couple of years ago and am happy to pay the $85 annual fee (after the first year). Since having the card gets me a free night every year, the way I see it I'm not paying a card fee, I'm buying a night's lodging for a really great rate, plus the other benefits of the card.
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Old 05-30-2014, 03:48 PM   #14216
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We recently did the Soc Sec routine where I filed and suspended, and DW filed for a spousal benefit. We will both wait to claim our own benefits when we each turn 70.

DW got her first SS check deposited in the account today. She is treating it as play money, which I heartily approve of.
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Old 05-30-2014, 04:22 PM   #14217
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I got one of these a couple of years ago and am happy to pay the $85 annual fee (after the first year). Since having the card gets me a free night every year, the way I see it I'm not paying a card fee, I'm buying a night's lodging for a really great rate, plus the other benefits of the card.
Yes, that's a good point.
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Old 05-30-2014, 07:59 PM   #14218
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Sorry to hear about your problems Walt. Hopefully, things will get better.

NW-Bound, I hope that you are healing nicely and not too sore.
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Old 05-30-2014, 09:21 PM   #14219
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Thanks, Dreamer. The incision is just uncomfortable right now.

Lightning strikes can have seemingly random effects. My only experience has been this. A summer rainstorm was about to hit one afternoon, and I thought I'd better go out to the backyard to disable the sprinkler timer before it rained to save on unnecessary watering. A lightning bolt happened to hit somewhere in the neighborhood, perhaps 1/4 mile away or closer. At the same time that I heard the thunder and saw the flash, all water valves simultaneously turned on. This was an electronic timer, and the surge has zapped all the output transistors on all the circuits. I happened to be out there to witness it just as it occurred.

The thought that ran through my mind was that there would be more devices and appliances inside the home getting damaged. But after checking everything inside the home, I found no other damages.
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Old 05-30-2014, 09:32 PM   #14220
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We get some pretty wild storms down here in south Texas. A friend had lightening strike a tree in his yard (blew it apart) and the flash hit the house and took out most everything that was plugged in.

He had an expensive UPS type surge protector on his very expensive computer and the lightening pretty much ate that and then his computer. I mean toasted. Well, the company that made the surge protector made good on their warranty and replaced his high end computer and all attached to it.
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