What did you do today? 2016 version

[NW-Bound]

Have not done a thing other than cleaning the pool. We had a thunderstorm last night, and a lot of debris got blown in.

Then, BS'ing a bit here on this forum, and taking a nap. Waiting to go to my son for dinner.

Tomorrow, I head back up to my high-country home to finish the deck rebuilding.

[Dawg52]

Today is my b'day. Can collect early SS now if I want it. Good to have that in my hip pocket, but going to wait a little bit before pressing the start button. Played golf today and will go to my favorite pub tonight with friends. The establishment gives you a free beer on your b'day so I feel obligated to collect my gift.

[W2R]

Happy Birthday, Dawg52!! It's nice to know you have the option of starting SS anytime you want.

My daughter and son-in-law are visiting this week, so I have been busy and very happy lately.

[MichaelB]

Happy Birthday! This one is on the house
.
.

[Walt34]

Went out to dinner with DW at the Bavarian Inn in Shepherdstown, WV. 28 years of wedded bliss!

[Moemg]

Happy Birthday !

[Dash man]

Just set sail with DW, her two sisters and a BIL to celebrate three of us turning 60 on the Oasis of the Seas.


Enjoying life!

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walt34 Went out to dinner with DW at the Bavarian Inn in Shepherdstown, WV. 28 years of wedded bliss!

Congratulations to you and your DW! I fondly remember the Bavarian Inn in Shepherdstown, WV, from work travel to that area. Good choice.

[NW-Bound]

Happy birthday to those celebrating!

When I was young, birthdays were exciting as I wanted to be older and be an adult with more freedom. Then, it did not matter that much once I reached adulthood. Now that I get older, birthdays become meaningful again. They serve as milestones to the time they allow us to draw from our IRA/401k (whose money is it anyway?), SS eligibility, etc...

Last but not least, any day of good health becomes more precious, as we can no longer take anything for granted. I learned the meaning of that too well myself.

Enjoy! But do not drive drunk.

[MRG]

I taught myself a lesson with a chef's knife. I think it's going to hurt.

Paying too much attention to the thumb and the nail on the index finger got sliced into but not off. Blach! I haven't passed out, yet. I can't believe how freaking stupid that was.

[harley]

Quote:

Originally Posted by W2R Congratulations to you and your DW! I fondly remember the Bavarian Inn in Shepherdstown, WV, from work travel to that area. Good choice.

Did a lot of oceanography there in Shepherdstown, eh?

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by harley Did a lot of oceanography there in Shepherdstown, eh?

Was at a week long planning retreat with upper mgmt from HQ. Shepherdstown is pretty close to D.C.

You're right, often qualified senior oceanographers don't get to go to sea nearly as frequently as we might wish.

[pb4uski]

Our 34th anniversary is today. Plan to go to a friend's lake house for lunch, cards and if weather permits a relaxing boat ride around the lake.

Yesterday was a busy day.. Saturday morning errands, a sail on my catamaran (first in two years), an unexpected pontoon ride around the lake with a couple friends, then visitors and went out to a dinner event at our pond association. Between a couple beers and all, I immediately fell asleep when we got home.

The sail in the catamaran was interesting since I have been sailing monohulls recently. I forgot how difficult the cat comes about when tacking upwind and how quickly things happen when on a cat. I had a scare a couple years ago.... turtled it for the first time ever and had a devil of a time righting it... ultimately needed assistance from a powerboat passing by. I'm considering buying a ski buoy and clipping it to the mast to prevent it from turtling... I'm not gonna spend $150 for a mast float for a boat I paid $500 for!

[NW-Bound]

Packed up the car and was ready to go up to our high-country home, when I saw that the tenacious roof rat/rats has/have chewed another hole in the ceiling of the garage to go up to the attic. So, postpone the trip until the battle comes to the conclusion, hopefully in my favor.

I have set the electronic rat zapper in the attic, and got a small young rat, and a teenage one. The presumably big daddy/mommy rat is just too smart, and left a lot of rat droppings around the trap, but would not enter it. Attempts to plug up the entrance hole seemed to work, until I saw the new hole this morning in a different corner of the garage.

So, if it refuses the clean and humane dispatch by the electronic zapper, out come the traditional spring traps. If that fails, I will buy some glue traps.

C'est la guerre.

[Walt34]

Quote:

Originally Posted by harley Did a lot of oceanography there in Shepherdstown, eh?

Actually there is a large national training center used by lots of different federal agencies nearby. When I worked for a federal contractor I got training/recertifications there. Driving past, one doesn't know it's there other than by a large guarded gate but once over a hill inside the property it is huge. Beautiful area.

https://nctc.fws.gov/

Now back to our regularly scheduled topic....

[W2R]

That's where we had our retreat. Pretty amazing facility!

[misshathaway]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NW-Bound I have set the electronic rat zapper in the attic, and got a small young rat, and a teenage one. The presumably big daddy/mommy rat is just too smart, and left a lot of rat droppings around the trap, but would not enter it. C'est la guerre.

I have rats and mice also entering through the garage. Had an exterminator come and plug up the holes. That worked for a couple of months. It is very frustrating. I have had every kind of trap, including snap. I set the snap off easily myself while baiting them (with gloves on so my smell supposedly does not get on the trap). The vermin either ignore them or take the food out. Tried just peanut butter and peanut butter crackers. All I get for results is droppings and crumbs.

I wish you better luck.

[harley]

Quote:

Originally Posted by misshathaway I have rats and mice also entering through the garage. Had an exterminator come and plug up the holes. That worked for a couple of months. It is very frustrating. I have had every kind of trap, including snap. I set the snap off easily myself while baiting them (with gloves on so my smell supposedly does not get on the trap). The vermin either ignore them or take the food out. Tried just peanut butter and peanut butter crackers. All I get for results is droppings and crumbs. I wish you better luck.

I was just reading my new Family Handyman magazine (just got it yesterday). According to them, the best rodent bait is a mixture of peanut butter and bacon. Supposedly irresistible.

[MichaelB]

Quote:

Originally Posted by harley I was just reading my new Family Handyman magazine (just got it yesterday). According to them, the best rodent bait is a mixture of peanut butter and bacon. Supposedly irresistible.

To be honest, it sounds pretty tasty to me as well.

[W2R]

My daughter and son-in-law are flying back to Oregon today, after their week long visit to New Orleans. I miss them already! She's my only child and will always be my baby girl even now at age 38.

She saw my dream house for the first time, and loves it. She especially loves the fact that it's next door to F, so that she doesn't have to worry about me being alone (and possibly getting into an "I've fallen and I can't get up" scenario with nobody to help me) as I grow older. I agree. She is healthy and happy, and we had a wonderful visit.