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

[Ronstar]

Went to the Arizona ironman triathlon- as a spectator. I don't know how they can swim 2.5 miles, bike 112, and run 26 all in the same day.

[NW-Bound]

They are not humans, but aliens!

[Ronstar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NW-Bound They are not humans, but aliens!

You may be right. I was riding my bike next to one of the runners - I don't think he was breathing.

[martyp]

Worked and attended the San Francisco Bay Area Salsa Congress. Thurs - Sunday. Lots of late night salsa dancing to live bands including the 2x Grammy winning Spanish Harlem Orchestra. Stretched the limits of my endurance to events like this . . .

[NW-Bound]

I just got home from the downtown court for another jury duty. This was the 2nd time I was picked as a juror. It was just a DUI case, but ended up spreading over 2 days. Clear cut as day, and the cops did everything right. The driver could have just pleaded guilty and saved everybody the hassle, and a lot of court costs.

I guess it could have been a repeated offense, and he had to take his chances and hired a lawyer to try to sow thoughts of "unreasonable doubts" in at least one of the jurors' mind. Nope. I am glad it did not work in this case.

[Nords]

We woke up yesterday and realized that Black Friday was coming, which renders Oahu retail establishments intolerable until 2013. So we drove down to Ala Moana shopping center to the island's only diamond appraiser.

Dad gave my brother and me three rings that he's had for decades-- Mom's diamond engagement ring & wedding ring (two rings soldered together), an eternity ring of what looks like tiny little diamonds, and a funky-looking topaz ring that I think they bought on a trip to Mexico. Dad's Alzheimers has taken those memories.

The first thing the jeweler noticed is that the engagement/wedding rings have not only Mom & Dad's anniversary date engraved inside the band, but their engagement date as well. It's the first time in my life I've heard it.

We think these are going to stay in the family, but we want to know what they're made of. We should have an answer later next week-- peak Black Friday hunting season, but hopefully we can find a quiet appointment time.

This morning we visited the rental property to weedwhack the grass. Spouse did 90% and asked me to finish off the last 10%. Within five minutes I'd managed to snap off a plastic part of the string spool that can't be replaced, although I might be able to swap it out with a new spool. However spouse has decided that it's time to buy her a luxury electric weedwhacker, so we'll go shopping in early 2013.

I spent most of this afternoon kicking myself. Our investment group changed the date on our regular Friday-afternoon meeting, and I thought today was the day. I drove "all the way to town" to learn that it's actually a week from today. But I ran some errands along the way, picked up pizza for dinner, and have a couple of trashy novels from the library to console myself. Life is still good.

Tomorrow: a drive up to the North Shore in search of a neoprene long-sleeved high-necked rash guard, and this time I really mean it.

[MichaelB]

Well, it can't be said I don't have good timing. Broke a tooth last night during dinner. I'll call my dentist first thing tomorrow morning but she's probably off for the weekend (well deserved, she works hard). Now, if I can only remember not to stress that side of my mouth I'll get through the weekend.

[REWahoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelB Well, it can't be said I don't have good timing. Broke a tooth last night during dinner.

It is interesting these 'minor disasters' seem to happen at the most inconvenient times. We're currently visiting DD#2 and family for the holiday and the plumbing in one of the bathrooms developed a blockage (don't blame me - it happened just as I was arriving). Fortunately they have two others that remain operable...

[Bestwifeever]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo It is interesting these 'minor disasters' seem to happen at the most inconvenient times. We're currently visiting DD#2 and family for the holiday and the plumbing in one of the bathrooms developed a blockage (don't blame me - it happened just as I was arriving). Fortunately they have two others that remain operable...

Three years ago our oven broke Thanksgiving Eve, as we were getting ready to host DS's fiancee for her first visit to our house and the same day someone knocked the right mirrors off both our cars. Love the holidays.

[braumeister]

Started the day with about 15,000 neighbors at the 103rd running of Cincinnati's Thanksgiving Day Race. It's a 10K through downtown Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, and a large percentage of participants wear costumes of one sort or another (turkey hats, Pilgrim outfits, tutus, etc.)

Lots of fun and you get to burn off a few calories before the typical overindulgent holiday dinner.

[Nords]

We're having a "How the heck did we get into this mess?" day.

Two weeks ago a good friend invited us over to their house for Thanksgiving. Score! Gratefully accepted. Even better, they're oenophiles who'll appreciate the suspenseful thrill of a donation of our old bottles that have been sitting in our house for about a decade. They understand that our "collection" is either a yummy vintage or toilet cleaner... we're just not sure which is in what bottle. One of them (the bottles, not our friends) even came from a "bottle your own" winery and another from a grateful stamped-concrete contractor. The stories are probably worth more than the contents.

A few days after our friend's invitation we were also invited by our neighbor, the excellent cook who buys curry powder in five-pound bags. We explained the schedule conflict and she's good with that. So we're lunching at her house and dining at our friend's house. Our neighbor's been widowed for just over a year, but all of her adult children are in town this week so it'll be the usual huge family affair. We're all just hoping to get through it without (too many) tears.

Tuesday evening we got a "mission creep" call from the good friend to prep mashed potatoes for 12. No problem, happy to handle that. Luckily there are enough potato flakes and spices in our pantry to avoid a trip to the store. Hawaii never has a large potato inventory at any time of the year, let alone holiday season.

Last night our neighbor asked to borrow... our oven. Apparently we're cooking turkey #2. So this morning we're strolling up the street a few doors, hauling a broiler-panned bird back to our house, cooking it, and returning it. I'm not quite sure how we'll get a hot fowl back up the street, but we'll figure it out. We haven't turned on our oven since our daughter was home from college in July, but I think that'll be fine too.

So somehow we got invited to two places for Thanksgiving yet ended up cooking most of one on our own.

I'm going to feel a frisson of fear every time the phone rings today...

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo It is interesting these 'minor disasters' seem to happen at the most inconvenient times. We're currently visiting DD#2 and family for the holiday and the plumbing in one of the bathrooms developed a blockage (don't blame me - it happened just as I was arriving). Fortunately they have two others that remain operable...

Time to start interrogating the two youngest children and completing a 100% toy inventory...

[REWahoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nords So somehow we got invited to two places for Thanksgiving yet ended up cooking most of one on our own.

Sounds like they've got your number. Better develop a new strategy before you end up hosting all your neighbors on Christmas.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nords Time to start interrogating the two youngest children and completing a 100% toy inventory...

Done - but "the dog ate it" still leaves a lot of room for plausible deniability.

[imoldernu]

Reading the last dozen or so posts has me exhausted.
What appeared to be a catastrophe on Sunday (DW acute bronchitis - postponed Thanksgiving til next weekend for the family gathering) ... has turned into a blessing in disguise.
With a no-stress Monday Tuesday, Wednesday... it was time for the first major garage cleaning in 7 years. Casual, lazy, rediscovering good stuff. Organized 10 years of indiscriminate hoarding. Repackaged in to new containers for a new 'three years and gone' plan.
DW is fine BTW...
So this AM... cooked the ham and turkey anyway, and spent the entire morning redoing the house for Christmas... as well as watching the Macy's and Chicago Thanksgiving Parades (first relaxed watching in 15 years... Excellent!)
Fantastic meal for two... candles and wine... and...
A loud noise! Like screeching. The sky turned black.. Our dinner table is in an alcove with a bay window. In an instant, at least 5000, perhaps double that... of birds, blocking out the sun and settling in our back yard and in the trees for a hundred yard around the house. As I raced for the camera, they rose and flew in a huge circle.. wave upon wave and flew off. A fitting, fleeting sign of happiness to mark a great day of thanksgiving.

Hope y'all ended the day ok.. and, ain't it great that we don't have to go to work tomorrow?

[freebird5825]

Day 3 of playing nurse to a flu stricken Mr B. He caught it from a member of his college w*rk group. Damn her for coming to our house for the study group while she was still sick.

He has no appetite and has a fever we are controlling with aspirin. I am cajoling him into eating SOMETHING and making sure he has taken fluids.
I am constantly washing my hands. I feel like Howard Hughes.

I feel fine today, but I suspect it will be my turn next. Argh!!!!!

Turkey is in the oven. I bet I can get him to eat a little bit.

[M Paquette]

Oog...

*URP*

See also "What did you eat today?"

[NW-Bound]

I have been spending some time to look over my equity holdings, with the intention of selling enough, then buying back, to take advantage of the tax laws on cap gains that may go away.

I have held 4 MFs for more than 20 years, and have had quite a bit of gains, hence have been reluctant to sell them and to get ETFs. But when I added up the cost basis, it turned out that much of that gain has already been taxed when the dividends were re-invested.

The short story is that I will get to sell mucho in dollar amounts, before I exhaust the headroom that I have. And selling/buying that much means I could lose some money if the timing is wrong. So, being a market timer careful rebalancer, I looked at the market movement in the last couple of trading days, and decided to wait a bit more. I still have December to sell-sell-sell/buy-buy-buy.

Off to pack my carry-on to head out to Hawaii. Life is good, although wife said it will be raining where we are headed.

[ls99]

Oil & filter change on the Jag. +4 qts of tranny oil change was due. Usually every 2yrs.
While checking the tranny oil level after the change, a liitle chirp was audible.

A quick check using a 4' pry bar as a stethoscope, a bad bearirng in a belt tensioner was identified. Logged onto NAPA web site found one, the local store 3 miles away had one left in stock. Went to get it, $ 23 later own it. R&R the pulley, and all is quiet on the western front.

[grasshopper]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo Sounds like they've got your number. Better develop a new strategy before you end up hosting all your neighbors on Christmas. Done - but "the dog ate it" still leaves a lot of room for plausible deniability.

Next year tell them you are only eating tofurky.

[Nords]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo Sounds like they've got your number. Better develop a new strategy before you end up hosting all your neighbors on Christmas.

"Maui"...

Quote:

Originally Posted by NW-Bound Off to pack my carry-on to head out to Hawaii. Life is good, although wife said it will be raining where we are headed.

The heavens just opened up here and delivered a torrential downpour. Visibility is down to only a few hundred yards, and we even have lightning. We only see lightning a couple times a decade, but all of the vog in the air probably made it super-conductive.

Welcome to winter in paradise!

[Walt34]

Must be "oil change day" since I changed the oil & filter on DW's '03 Buick with 151,460 miles on it yesterday. Hey, it might make it to 200k miles! That would set a new record for us keeping a car.

I also went down to the creek at the bottom of the hill in the back yard with a camera and tripod just to see what I could get on an otherwise kind of so-so day, weatherwise. This is a HDR photo from three frames and some mucking around in Lightroom and Photoshop CS6: