What did you do today? 2017 version

[ivinsfan]

The nice young neighbours may not have the money to pay for tree removal. Are there any municipal ordinances that you can use to facilitate this?

This might take a long time and could cause some dissention with the neighbors. If you really don't mind paying the whole the bill, I suggest you tell the neighbor your husband hasn't been well and he is worrying about the state of the tree. Offer to find a reputable removal firm to stop by his house and then offer again to pay the bill. If he drags his feet, you might say "are you really on board with taking down the tree, because it seems like you are procrastinating and it would be pretty upsetting to us if the tree causes damage to our yard/house in the meantime."

If this doesn't get things moving I would definitely talk to the municipal powers that be about what rights you might have.

 

[Hermit]

I got WiFi up to the house today!

I put a directional antenna on a mast at the motor home and an access point with standard omnidirectional antennas at the house. The funny part is if I open the window up there, the speed just about triples. I think I will try a wired remote antenna that I can set up out on the back deck. If UPS ever sends my small refrigerator out, I am going to be all set to enjoy the views up at the house!

 

[W2R]

I got WiFi up to the house today!

I put a directional antenna on a mast at the motor home and an access point with standard omnidirectional antennas at the house. The funny part is if I open the window up there, the speed just about triples. I think I will try a wired remote antenna that I can set up out on the back deck. If UPS ever sends my small refrigerator out, I am going to be all set to enjoy the views up at the house!

Yay!! So glad you have WiFi at the house now!

Even though I live in a suburb where all I had to do was call the cable company, I was so happy to get my internet and Wi-Fi all set up after my move. That made it feel like home.

BTW, I noticed your photos above and your house looks wonderful.

 

[Fedup]

Cleaned the water fountain with chlorine. For some reasons we didn't use this fountain and something was growing there.
Then we took a break waiting for my daughter to come back to help move our living room furniture.

We've caught up on her work related stuff. She told me her company will be offering health care insurance. It's music to my ears. I will be researching for business insurance from Costco for her. She said the reason for her business to offer heath insurance is to attract new employees, they just hired 2 new employees.

 

[Morricol61]

We sold our camper trailer which means we now have space to move in the shed as well because we included 3 camp stretchers, a car fridge and esky. Also started making a timber "bespoke" letterbox for our investment property. Feeling good about this weekend.

 

[splitwdw]

The nice young neighbours may not have the money to pay for tree removal. Are there any municipal ordinances that you can use to facilitate this?

We did not know if cost was a problem, that's the reason we offered to pay for half and then the whole cost of tree removal. They are about 15 years younger than us and have a 3 year old child. They do know my husband has health problems. They are very easy going.
No municipal ordinance.
I would certainly hire a reputable and insured company. The tree is close enough to our house that it would hit our house if not taken down properly.

 

[ls99]

Drove 30 miles one way to get a cup of coffee and an oatmeal cookie. Could not buy the Sunday paper, none was delivered today to B&N. Since the coffee shop is in Barnes & N. bookstore, just emulated the usual freeloaders, grabbed a CU magazine from the rack, read it then put it back. I call it my "drive therapy"

 

[daylatedollarshort]

We did not know if cost was a problem, that's the reason we offered to pay for half and then the whole cost of tree removal. They are about 15 years younger than us and have a 3 year old child. They do know my husband has health problems. They are very easy going.
No municipal ordinance.
I would certainly hire a reputable and insured company. The tree is close enough to our house that it would hit our house if not taken down properly.

We have Redwood trees in our neighborhood which planting must have seemed like a good idea at the time to someone decades ago. Now they seem kind of scary since one fall could do a lot of damage to multiple houses, cars and fences. We had one we used to enjoy watching the raptors landing on top during their hunts since it was the high point. Our neighbors wisely had it removed but we still miss watching the raptors.

 

[Ticker]

woke up motivated to continue to prep the house to put on the market. Patched a hole in the kitchen wall, sprayed it with texture, then finished priming the deck while dw finish painting the kitchen. got around to planting the sequoia sapling that the wine club sent me, finished replacing some siding, found an old boat gas tank in the shed, cleaned it up and put it on craigslist. added a spring to close the porch door, sprayed for pests around the house, patched a couple of chips in the floor, then had lunch. this afternoon i will try to re-screen the porch door, mow 2 acres if I can finish the lawnmower repair, and then have a nice toddy and call it a day.

 

[REWahoo]

Walking back to my car in the parking lot of a big-box store earlier today, I heard trumpet music. No, I wasn't having "the big one," someone was playing the trumpet - and playing it very well. On further investigation, I spotted an 18-wheeler in the far reaches of the parking lot with the driver's door open. Standing by the open door was the driver, playing the heck out of his horn!

 

[jjquantz]

Walking back to my car in the parking lot of a big-box store earlier today, I heard trumpet music. No, I wasn't having "the big one," someone was playing the trumpet - and playing it very well. On further investigation, I spotted an 18-wheeler in the far reaches of the parking lot with the driver's door open. Standing by the open door was the driver, playing the heck out of his horn!

Love it!

 

[jjquantz]

Took DW out for a paddle at the local state park. Saw lots of egrets along with the usual collection of bald eagles, osprey and herons. The usual 100+ photos taken with the usual 3 or 4 worth keeping. However, may have a new egret photo for the wildlife wall. I'll have to get it printed up and see how it looks.

 

[brett]

Got a new smart tv two weeks ago.

It is clearly much smarter than I am. Managed to get it on, etc but am now working through the details in order to hook up my box. The old one was not this complicated.

 

[braumeister]

The old one was not this complicated.

Or as capable.

Gotta move with the times.

While driving last week I saw a sign outside some shop that said

Do you miss just having an on/off switch?

I had to admit that sometimes I do. But not often.

 

[NW-Bound]

I got WiFi up to the house today!

I put a directional antenna on a mast at the motor home and an access point with standard omnidirectional antennas at the house. The funny part is if I open the window up there, the speed just about triples...

Years ago, when I brought up a Direct TV dish to install at my boondocks home, I first tried to find the correct orientation by playing with it inside the home. The idea was to get the rough pointing orientation with the dish antenna on the ground before mounting it permanently up on a beam above the deck.

I tried to point it through the large glass door looking out on the south-facing deck. For the life of me, I could not get any signal. Then, somehow I thought of sliding open the glass door. Boom! Strong signal.

Slided the door close. Not even a weak signal, but no signal at all. Opened it, strong signal. Son of a gun!

RF signals are supposed to go through glass. I think there's a thin metallic film on these double-pane doors and windows to provide the low-emissivity quality, and it proves 100% effective in blocking satellite signals which are in the 12 GHz.

 

[MichaelB]

I drove DW into Chicago this morning so she could vote in the Venezuelan popular consultation. It is a non-binding but formal communication of collective opinion on a specific issue, in this case a new proposal for a constitutional rewrite. Then we went out for a very enjoyable brunch.

 

[jjquantz]

...

RF signals are supposed to go through glass. I think there's a thin metallic film on these double-pane doors and windows to provide the low-emissivity quality, and it proves 100% effective in blocking satellite signals which are in the 12 GHz.

Neat story. 12 GHz, that's about 2.5 cm wavelength. If you have two thin films that are separated by something like that distance I can see where some significant destructive interference could be occurring (I'd have to think about the phase issues to be sure about the separation). It would be interesting to try it with regular window glass or with just a single pane of low-e glass.

 

[braumeister]

I drove DW into Chicago this morning so she could vote in the Venezuelan popular consultation. It is a non-binding but formal communication of collective opinion on a specific issue, in this case a new proposal for a constitutional rewrite. Then we went out for a very enjoyable brunch.

Good luck with that one. Terrible situation there.

 

[Walt34]

Had an AM eye exam and ordered contact lenses, then lunch with DW at Outback Steak House, then grocery run.

 

[Music Lover]

Played a round of golf in the morning, then had a nice lunch at the course.

After I got home, the drummer in one of my bands called (I'm teaching him how to play guitar)...his wife is buying him an acoustic guitar for his birthday and they wanted some help selecting one. So, we headed to the music store and tried out a few and with a little bit of hopefully helpful advice they found one they liked and bought it.

 

[RobbieB]

Replacing florescent fixtures in garage with LED's. Mounted 8 outlet boxes and strung romex to 2. When sweat started dripping gave up and went inside.

Supposed to be cooler tomorrow. We got a hot one this year.

 

[FlaGator]

I drove DW into Chicago this morning so she could vote in the Venezuelan popular consultation. It is a non-binding but formal communication of collective opinion on a specific issue, in this case a new proposal for a constitutional rewrite. Then we went out for a very enjoyable brunch.

Good on ya! Hope there is resolution of that situation soon. Glad for all the motivated Venezuelan immigrants in my former home area, but sad what has happened to their old home.

 

[rodi]

Went to the beach for the usual dog walk followed by my geezer water aerobics class which I am now supplementing with lap swimming. I hit my goal of 20 laps today. Yay.

During the class a friend mentioned that the local Sears has great sales because it is closing down in a month or so. Coincidentally our fridge temp controller board has been wigging out. The board is unavailable (trust me, I've looked,. Talked to the manufacturer, and a repairman). So we've been debating replacing the 12 year old fridge. We decided to see if the sales at the local Sears were good. Turns out the sales were awesome. We get our new fridge Thursday.

 

[Morricol61]

Spent the morning crocheting and chatting with the ladies at my local craft group, home for lunch and will be heading out later for dinner with my daughter and husband.

I love winter days like these, sunny, warm and relaxed. I also love the fact that there are no time pressures. I don't have to do anything or be anywhere other than whatever/where ever I feel like being/doing.

 

[Khan]

New septic tank almost installed, needs to be inspected.