what did you do today? (2008-2015) (closed)

[Nords]

I've mostly spent the day avoiding the things I should be doing.

This morning I had a choice of working out or doing taxes. So I worked out. Then I checked the sprinklers. Then I ate lunch and napped. I have the blog loaded up for next week, and I'm even working on a couple guest posts.

I guess I'm finally going to have to knuckle down and do the damn taxes.

Oh, and I got invited to a free breakfast! Well, actually the envelope is addressed to my Dad. Now that I've given Dad's old postmaster a change-of-address card, Dad gets more mail at my address than I do.

The elite "Central Oahu Information Center" of the Hawaii Senior Alliance has invited him to attend their free "Senior Citizen Workshop & Breakfast". They're even an "accredited business" member of the Better Business Bureau. Best of all, it's at that deluxe local fine-dining landmark: [-]Zippy's[/-] Denny's!

It's a real honor for them to invite Dad to join them, because he never even sent them an application. I've attached the invitation so that you all can call them too and ask how to qualify for membership. Dad must really be lucky to be on their list, because seating is limited. I know the Hawaii Senior Alliance has to be a very exclusive, secretive, well-connected group because I've never even heard of them before. They're so publicity-shy that they use a post office box instead of a street address. How very fortunate that they reached out to Dad. I don't think Denny's would let just anyone take over their establishment for a seminar. Especially not on a busy Thursday morning at 9 AM.

I'm hoping that if I call the "local" number really early on Monday and explain the situation then they'll let me attend in Dad's stead. Maybe they don't mind that I'm managing Dad's finances instead of him. Golly, if I show them a brokerage statement would they give me a one-time waiver?

 

[Major Tom]

Just fyi, from what I've read flax hulls are really difficult to digest, which cuts way down on the absorption of the omega 3s and other good stuff. They recommend ground flax seeds for omega 3s. Not to say you shouldn't be snacking on them, but I suspect you'll be getting all your omega 3s from the dark chocolate and the wine.

That's a good bit of information harley. Will have to do some further research on that one - thanks. Good job that I'm taking fish oil capsules too.

 

[Walt34]

I believe he might have given new meaning to the IFR TLA -- as in I fly rivers.

My instructor called it I Follow Roads.

I did that more than once in a J-3. Didn't have any of them fancy electronic thingamajigs.

 

[freebird5825]

Today is my 5th anniversary of FIRE




I am scheduled to help out at a ham dinner fundraiser. I won a ham rolling dice (best numfer of rolls of same number on 1 sheet) , so I will skip eating ham dinner today.

Then it's PARTY TIME

 

[Aiming_4_55]

Today is my 5th anniversary of FIRE

Congrats!

 

[Aiming_4_55]

Last week, kids off for Spring Break, spent 5 days @ Wisconsin Dells and resort water parks, then 3 days in Chicago, drove most of the night while kids slept, unloaded in MN now.

Chicago - Thursday helping my retired mom, enjoyed the features of weekday errands with less wait time compared to weekend lines….

7:30am – dropped off car at local shop to scan for service engine soon light
7:45am – on public transportation to downtown Chicago
8:00am – renewed State ID with no more expiration, free lifetime fee
8:30am – Cook County Assessor’s office to file sr. citizen property tax freeze/exemption
8:45am – bank deposit, ensure I’m listed as the emergency contact & beneficiary
9:00am – appointment with Social Security to review mom’s current survivor benefits vs. her benefits, while it would be slightly more now, asked representative to review benefits from age 66 to 70, with reasonable increases each year, convinced mom to wait until 2013 or 2014, mom is healthy and grandma passed away at 84
9:30am – at train stop waiting for return trip. Mom was happy we accomplished so much within the $2.25 train fare and avoided driving in traffic and parking
9:45am – picked-up car with error code, a free service since I had a coupon

Relaxed, walked/parked at park with DW & kids, researched error code and parts, found coupon online to save 40%, placed order for failing sensors, had lunch, then more errands for mom…

12:00 - 3:00pm – home depot for several 80 lb bags of concrete mix, Asian store for 100 lb sack of rice (only $30), auto store for parts, and grocery shopping.

Relaxed, mixed concrete and filled/leveled, home cooked dinner with mom and family.

6:00 – 8:00pm – in garage to change oil, oil filter, air filter, and topped off windshield fluid. Old friend/neighbor stopped by to say hi, chatted awhile as I got dirty. With laptop sitting on engine with DIY video to replaced camshaft sensor (easy 15 minutes) and crankshaft position sensor (PITA, took an hour due to location), cleared code. Retail cost would have been over $400. My cost = parts $45, a few beers and a few hours and personal satisfaction.

8:00 – 9:00pm – quick shower, DW washed up the kids, read to the kids, kids’ bedtime

10:30 – Found an AMC theatre as DW wanted to see 21 Jumpstart, ok/corny but DW enjoyed it

Seemed busy, but I would take this day over Megacorp anytime.

Relaxed Friday & Saturday visited family & friends with the kids.

 

[Lisa99]

Eliminated Tucson from retirement relo this weekend. While it's beautiful with the desert and mountains, I don't see us living here...there isn't anything spectacular enough to make me willing to pay a state income tax (which is something we've never done).

Next up will be checking out central Florida.

 

[Moemg]

Eliminated Tucson from retirement relo this weekend. While it's beautiful with the desert and mountains, I don't see us living here...there isn't anything spectacular enough to make me willing to pay a state income tax (which is something we've never done).

Next up will be checking out central Florida.

Just curious as to why you are looking at central Florida and not the coastal areas ?

 

[Lisa99]

Just curious as to why you are looking at central Florida and not the coastal areas ?

Some friends told us about The Villages so I agreed to give them a look. DH is super social and when he saw that they have a woodworking club, cricket club (playing cricket) and bicycling clubs they hit his holy trinity.

We plan to retire at 55 and 51 though so the visit will be to see if we'll feel like we fit in or if most are our parent's age.

 

[dm]

I did my first solo cross country today. The weather was much better. And the trip was only 55nm away. But I was out of sight of the river. But I found the place and my way home. Next up is the long cross country and then 3 hours of night. Then practice for the checkride.

 

[pjdaddy]

I officially retired the end of last week, so today is my first 'real' day of retirement. I spent an hour on the elliptical trainer at Snap Fitness (planning on hiking a section of the AT this summer), cleaned the house a bit, worked the hobbies, mowed the lawn - it's a glorious Monday!

Odd thing is, I can't yet shake problem-solving the projects and thinking of the emails that need to be sent, etc for a part of my life that is behind me now. This too shall pass.

Got to work on defining my new normal.

 

[freebird5825]

I slept in late and woke up to glorious sunshine. I helped Mr B with a homew*rk problem and was very glad to see he is almost self sufficient with the math.
I dropped off my Jeep to get a diagnosis of a minor clunk in the front end when steering at low speeds, a variable humming noise while driving at different speeds, and a transmission fluid leak that was showing up on the driveway where it was parked. The mechanic looked it over and told me there were 3 problems, 2 of which I had already guessed. It needs 2 wheel bearings, and 2 new tie rods. The fluid leak is a line that is just about rusted out near the oil pan.
So the "damages" to repair will be approx $1000. Considering it has 97,000 miles on the odometer, and has not needed any major repairs, I am not upset and actually relieved to get by so cheaply.
I am heading down to the club where I volunteer to finish up a bathrooom floor tile repair j*b I started 2 days ago. I never did tile replacement before, but thanks to my Reader's Digest Home Repair manual, it was a cinch to do. I will be applying the grout today now that the tile adhesive has had 48 hours to completely cure.

 

[Nords]

Believe it or not, more taxes.

I also started learning the fifth black belt taekwondo form. I have the rest of my life to get it right, and I think I'm gonna need it...

I've been watching HECO work on an electric pole behind our house. We live on the edge of a gulch, and the pole is about a third of the way down the side of the gulch. For overland access, these guys would have to drive into our cul-de-sac, go through the sewage booster station parking lot to the rear gate, and hike a couple hundred feet down the hill to the pole. And if they have hundreds of pounds of gear, then they'd have to somehow get it down the crumbling lava-rock hillside with ropes & sleds... or Sherpas.

Or: they could use a helicopter.

They're nuts. I watched the whole crew assemble in a fallow field on the other side of the gulch. The chopper picked up two of them in a breeches-buoy sort of arrangement, flew them over to the pole (staying clear of the transmission lines, trees, and other obstacles), and winched them down. Three of those trips put the six-man crew there. Two more trips flew over a 4'x4' cage of supplies and an entire reel of cable. They spent about six hours there and then called for extraction.

The noise is unbelievable, and it sure doesn't seem very safe. You're practically at eye level with the pilot a hundred yards away, wondering how far those rotor blades would be flung if he happened to nick the top of that pole.

I have no idea what they've done to the pole, unless they've been somehow strengthening the guy wires supporting the wood. Those poles are easily 50 years old, and their transmission lines will probably the first things to go when the hurricane roars up through the gulch.

 

[harley]

My mom lives on the Shenandoah River, which has about 100' of flood plain then goes uphill severely. The lines are on teh steep slope behind her house. The electric company has been cutting tree branches off the power lines using a helicopter for the past couple of weeks. They dangle a multi-bladed saw down and take out the branches. Pretty wild sounding.

I just found this video. Not her electric company, but the same process. HELICOPTER TRIMMING TREES FOR TGT SALOMA KY IN TAYLOR COUNTY - YouTube

 

[grasshopper]

Gee, we never learned that skill in the Master Gardeners class.

 

[TromboneAl]

Mhis video. Not her electric company, but the same process. HELICOPTER TRIMMING TREES FOR TGT SALOMA KY IN TAYLOR COUNTY - YouTube

That seems like something out of ThereIFixedIt.com.

-------------------

First sunny, warm (54 degrees) bike ride of the year today.

 

[justplainbll]

Proofread State & Federal Income Tax returns, scanned an 'As Filed' Copy to an offline drive, backed up offline file to another offline drive, assembled the 30 pages of flapdoodle and associated W2's and 1099R's, purchased 2 USPS 6" X 9" envelopes. Will fill out return receipt and certified mail USPS forms and mail tomorrow. Just another 2 weeks of my remaining time pee'd away. No great sense of accomplishment wasting time to document my payment of a pound of flesh to the governments of this land of the 'FREE'.

 

[bbbamI]

I officially retired the end of last week, so today is my first 'real' day of retirement. I spent an hour on the elliptical trainer at Snap Fitness (planning on hiking a section of the AT this summer), cleaned the house a bit, worked the hobbies, mowed the lawn - it's a glorious Monday!

Odd thing is, I can't yet shake problem-solving the projects and thinking of the emails that need to be sent, etc for a part of my life that is behind me now. This too shall pass.

Got to work on defining my new normal.

Congratulations! Don't worry, you'll ease into retirement like a fine leather saddle....

Speaking of leather, today I've admired the new leather recliner we had delivered last week. Last week my old sofa didn't look too crummy beside it, but now the sofa is really looking worn. I really should wait until next year before I buy a leather sofa.

Took care of some chores around the house including laundry. I put some towels and rags that had been on the patio and the garage in the washer. When I started to remove the towels from the washer to put them in the dryer, a moth flew out.

Oh...and I took a little profit today.

 

[FIREd]

Woke up at 4:00 am. Flew to San Francisco (packed plane and bumpy ride). Ate lunch at CPK. Went for a walk. Now resting. Tomorrow, apartment hunting begins in earnest...

 

[chas57006]

Drove home from Denver after spending 4 weeks enjoying the Arizona sun, 6 weeks snowmobiling in the Big Horns, West Yellowstone, Togwotee Pass, and two weeks with our daughters and grand daughters in Denver.

I love retirement.

Now I think I have to do some work around home after goofing off for 3 months.

 

[W2R]

Woke up at 4:00 am. Flew to San Francisco (packed plane and bumpy ride). Ate lunch at CPK. Went for a walk. Now resting. Tomorrow, apartment hunting begins in earnest...

Oof. That plane ride reminds me of so many when I was traveling for work. Good luck in your apartment hunting today!

 

[freebird5825]

Slept in late again and woke up to glorious sunshine again.

My grouting job turned out fabulous. I have grout sealer on hand and will go down later today or tomorrow to apply that. Mr B is doing his Accountant thing and getting their manual records into an Excel spreadsheet. Nice to have a place where we can both volunteer.

Next step is to bring in my manual pump garden sprayer and give the entire floor a good cleaning in the corners. There is a floor drain so I can spray and spray to my heart's content. A floor squeegee will help channel the excess to the drain.
I noticed the front entrance to the club is full of cobwebs near the ceiling and the wallpaper and wood trim and pillars need some cleaning. The tile floor also needs some TLC in the corners. Years of accumulation of dirt is going to be eliminated.
I got approval from the club President to enlist the help of 2 young men (on the payroll as dishwashers) for any heavy w*rk. I just need to give him an estimate of hours required so they can add it to their normal clocked in hours.

 

[Moemg]

i spent today cleaning the patio furniture .We have two sets of furniture . One on the deck upstairs and a separate set by the pool.Both sets take a beating due to the salt water and high winds which living on the water brings . Our upstairs set is frequently blown down the steps . When we first moved in our grill almost went down the stairs before we bunged it to the railing . Our view is spectacular but the poor furniture takes a beating .

 

[Meadbh]

I was in Vancouver yesterday and today for meetings. Today's meeting ended early and I had a few hours to kill before catching my flight home. So I went to the Vancouver International Auto Show. I am now completely car-overloaded but at least I have shortened my shortlist of possible next cars. I struck the Infiniti EX off the list because it's just not worth the money. Despite outward appearances and elegance, it's actually a small car inside. The Prius V is now on my list as the poor rear visibility of the original Prius has been corrected and the fuel consumption is pretty good. And I do like the new Honda CRV. The Hyundai Tucson also gets good marks. And in the category of cars I would never buy, the Fiat Cinquecento was cute but the back seat was completely nonfunctional.

I went up to the Honda desk and reported a problem with my Honda: it just won't give up after 17 years. They called the manager over, congratulated me and gave me a free Honda T shirt!

 

[Nords]

I just found this video. Not her electric company, but the same process.

Gee, we never learned that skill in the Master Gardeners class.

That seems like something out of ThereIFixedIt.com.

Sounds exactly like that just with its own rotors.

But I think I saw that tree-trimmer in a James Bond movie: