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

[Meadbh]

Just spent a very frustrating hour and a half trying to sort out Paypal account. A month ago I was the victim of a phishing scam and it all got resolved. However, the Paypal people had kept my account "limited", which basically meant no transactions. I was unaware of this till today, when I needed to pay the balance on accommodation for my vacation in Maui in April. I called Customer Service twice: the first time, waiting in vain for 35 minutes, the second time, for 45 minutes, before finally reaching a human being who was able to sort it out. The only other alternative would be to get a certified check in US currency and somehow get it to the people I am renting from within 24 hours. That might be tricky!

 

[MichaelB]

Grandkids just departed after a multi-week visit. Visiting Seaworld (again) I tried out a "baby bjorn" - a back strap baby carrier. More comfortable that I expected, definitely easier than holding in my arms. Here's a pic of the bromigos (I'm the one dressed like a South Florida Cuban)

 

[Walt34]

Now that looks like fun, and in short sleeves too! I am envious.

We had a busy day yesterday. We started at 7:30 AM taking both vehicles to the shop, DW's car for a state inspection sticker that was lost when the windshield had to be replaced after it was hit by a rock in a construction area on the interstate. My truck was due for it's regular renewal and while there I had them do the oil change & lube. Usually I do that myself but we've been so busy with FIL's house that I just haven't had time and the weather's been lousy anyway.

Then it was off to FIL's house to retrieve the furniture that we had taken over to stage the house, came back, unloaded that here, stopped for lunch on the way back, then loaded up DW's grandfather's bed set that she wanted.

Then it was off to meet a guy at a shopping center to buy a lightly used Nikon SB-900 strobe light for half the price of a new one. Found that on Craigslist.

The bed is still in my truck in the garage and we'll have to get a neighbor's help to unload it because the mattresses are too heavy for DW to help with (her brother helped us load it).

Today we'll be back there to empty out a few more items. Settlement is scheduled for next Friday and we are soooo looking forward to having that done with! When we got home there was an E-mailed report from the structural engineer that the RE agent had hired. There are some horizontal cracks in the cinder block foundation wall the buyer was concerned about and the engineer said basically "That's normal, don't worry about it". Another hurtle cleared and it looks good for settlement to go through.

Did I mention that we'll be happy to no longer have to take care of FIL's house? DW wants to go out to dinner somewhere to celebrate and I'm all for that!

 

[pb4uski]

Went skiing with DW yesterday. The area we went to had just got about 6" of fresh powder and conditions were very good - best of the season. We even did a couple glade runs (glades=woods) which we rarely do but conditions were good and it was a nice change of pace.

 

[MichaelB]

Did I mention that we'll be happy to no longer have to take care of FIL's house? DW wants to go out to dinner somewhere to celebrate and I'm all for that!

A well deserved dinner.

 

[freebird5825]

I got one of those Homemedics Shiatsu massage pillows a few months ago to help loosen my muscles and ease any pain after weight lifting. In my case, I actually thought it was awful (for me, only, Freebird! ). It isn't like a real life massage, but more like you are being repeatedly jabbed with unforgiving metal pieces, wham wham wham, like you backed up against a machine. I guess it's the fact that it is an inanimate object doing the massage, that just doesn't go over well with me. I read on the reviews that if you put a towel between you and the pillow it helps, and that did help a little but just not enough. Anyway, for me it was a waste of money. YMMV and obviously does for some or they wouldn't still be making them.

That's good to know. If I have a lot of aches and pains I can get a prescription for a course of massage therapy from my doctor and I can deduct the cost from my corporate PHSP. I did that last fall and I think that's a better deal, and more enjoyable.

I have persistent aching from muscle knots. I've had massage therapy, which w*rks well for a few months, and then the problem recycles right back. I do the back stretching exercises that I learned in PT, but the problem areas persist.

At $25 co-pay per chiropractor session plus the delay in waiting for approval from my HMO, I figured a home device would be helpful to resolve the problem in real time. I used a smaller version of the HoMedics shiatsu massager and got instant relief. The device arrived yesterday. I will set it up today.

Here is a good diagram of the problem areas in my neck, shoulders and back (courtesy of Jill Dennis - Massage Therapist - ITEC Qualified Therapist)

 

[freebird5825]

I made a crepes and bacon breakfast for Mr B. I had a black cherry Greek yogurt.
I gained 4 lbs and need to minimize eating for a while.

Mr B went off to his PT j*b doing tax prep for a CPA firm owned by a longterm buddy from his days as a govt accountant. He will make 35% of the cost of preparation for each return. He seems happy to be doing PT w*rk, so I do not discourage him.

I planted some chile pepper seeds and transplanted my cherry and beefsteak tomato seedlings. I separated my scallions and replanted the strongest plants in a windowbox. My indoor garden continues to be a source of fun during the winter months. My geraniums (grown from seed in 2012) are in full bloom in the front window. So pretty and cheerful.

My 24/7 radish experiment is going well (below). This Earthbox was planted Jan 11.
I added a row of spinach a few days ago. I'm using up my 2012 seed packets.

I have homemade NE clam chowder in the crockpot for lunch.

I have volunteer duty making pizza for a member appreciation party at the local Legion from 2-8 PM, so I will make very good use of my new shiatsu cushion after that is over.

 

[steelyman]

I was at the grocery store today (unusual for me on a Saturday since I stopped working), and there was the cutest bunch of Girl Scouts standing in the entrance who pretty much all yelled, "would you like to buy some cookies?". I told them I had to get some things, but I would get some on the way out.

So, on my way back to the parking lot, I went up to the one who appeared to be the ringleader and said, "Hi sweetie, I have a serious need for two boxes of thin mints. Can you figure out a way to help me out?". They all (including the mom who was there making sure they didn't get out of control) broke out in smiles, handed me my cookies, took the payment and everyone was happy. Gotta love them Girl Scouts.

And their cookies

 

[Helen]

I started cleaning my house at 6am and finished around 11:30am, then I immediately began working on taxes. Then I got an alert about a computer from work not responding to a ping and had to go in to check on it (my cat chewed/broke the device I use to log in from home...). When I got back home, I continued to work on my taxes. I sold two properties in 2012, so that is taking some extra effort this year.

Tomorrow (Sunday) I have to be at work at 6am to apply patches to some computers. I have one more week of being on call (in March) before I retire!!!!!! I will not miss the on call duty at all.

 

[bbbamI]

It took me three afternoons of sorting and investigation, but I finally completed my coin project. I took most of the stuff out of my sd box to get better organized. I was delighted to see I have 45 coins (of various denominations) with silver content. Most were given to us, but a few were coins I had found while going through the 'change jar'. Included in the mix is a load of wheat pennies and various other interesting coins. I cataloged them all for my amusement.

Now I have to go through the paperwork; make sure everything is updated and add some other documents in case of a fire or DH and I go 'poof' at the same time.

Being a responsible adult can sometimes be a lot of work.

 

[NW-Bound]

Many years ago, I stumbled across a silver dime in circulation.

The only reason I noticed it was because it kept getting rejected when I dropped it in a vending machine. That prompted me to examine it, which led to the discovery that it was real silver. So, I put it in a corner of the drawer of my desk at work.

Then, a few months later, I remembered about it, and looked for it. It was gone! I must have forgotten, and picked it up to spend it again along with other coin changes. Arghhh! I spent my lucky silver dime!

 

[bbbamI]

(snip)
Then, a few months later, I remembered about it, and looked for it. It was gone! I must have forgotten, and picked it up to spend it again along with other coin changes. Arghhh! I spent my lucky silver dime!

Oh no....that's a shame. Especially since it was your lucky silver dime!

The values I gave most of my silver coins was the melt value. Besides your dime being lucky, today's silver value would be $2.16.

 

[NW-Bound]

I got and lost my lucky dime in around 1980-1981, as I still remember my desk at the then work place. Back then, it was not worth as much relative to the nominal dime as it is now, though I did not know then how much it was.

I just looked up on ebay. I can replace my lucky dime for about $3, free shipping, but it's not the same thing.

I think that dime was "lucky", because how often one would run across a silver dime in circulation? Once in a while a Canadian penny perhaps, but no way a silver dime! Arghhh!

 

[Meadbh]

I think that dime was "lucky", because how often one would run across a silver dime in circulation? Once in a while a Canadian penny perhaps, but no way a silver dime! Arghhh!

Not for much longer. The Canadian penny was produced for the last time on February 4th.

 

[NW-Bound]

OH NO! Not again!

What have I done with that Canadian penny! ARGHHH!

 

[pb4uski]

....Here is a good diagram of the problem areas in my neck, shoulders and back (courtesy of Jill Dennis - Massage Therapist - ITEC Qualified Therapist)

I like the picture of the back of your neck, shoulders and back freebird, can you now please provide a frontal shot?

 

[NW-Bound]

I like the picture of the back of your neck, shoulders and back freebird, can you now please provide a frontal shot?

But, but, but, [-]those[/-] that is not the area that she said was hurting.

 

[pb4uski]

But, but, but, [-]those[/-] that is not the area that she said was hurting.

Perhaps, but it is important to be through.

 

[Walt34]

Settled on FIL's house. It's someone else's maintenance problem now. Yippee!

 

[ls99]

Spent the day at my camp/mancave. Mostly goofed off, watched the scenery, fed firewood into the barrel stove.

The ride over this morning is as seen in the photos.

 

[davemartin88]

Walt34, great news, can see you're happy to have the sale behind you, congratulations!

 

[davemartin88]

Quiet day yesterday, just hanging out. Sat by the firepit for a while outside and let the alpacas play in the yard a while. Went inside and lit a fire in the stove and watched a lot of ice hockey.

 

[grasshopper]

Funny dime story, at the 1964 Worlds Fair the Atomic energy commission was neutron irradiating dimes. They would zap them and snap the dimes into a blue plastic case. Well every year I would take mine to my annual little league physical and the doctor would get out his Geiger counter and read my dime. Flash forward almost 20 years and along with her other booty, Ms G. shows up with the same prize, but wait, she spent the original dime and replaced it with one dated 1970. And to this days says it is the real dime. Must be back to the future.

 

[Lisa99]

Volunteered as an appraiser at our local Destination Imagination tournament. Elementary kids (my group was 9 and 10 year olds) had to build cars that would fit in a 6" by 6" box and use three different propulsion systems (out of seven choices) to take up to 10 cars from a fixed starting point to one of several squares on the floor that had various points awarded based on where the car stopped.

And they had to create a skit that incorporated the cars. They had a time limit of 8 minutes to present their play and launch their cars. Parents weren't supposed to help at all and they could only spend up to $150 for parts and supplies. The kids all received the challenge rules last September and you could definitely tell which used their full time and which started were the procrastinators.

It was a fascinating day. Watching how they worked together, or not; seeing which ones had an engineering mindset vs who were the creative ones was all so awesome to watch.

This was my first year to volunteer but I'll be doing it again next year for sure.

 

[Meadbh]

Not today but this week, I chaired a conference in Toronto. Expenses were paid but my time was volunteered. I may do some more volunteering with this group but only while my skills remain current and while this activity keeps me intellectually stimulated. As this is what I do best, I do not feel the need to do any other volunteer work.

Toronto is a fine city but after 5 days there I am glad to be home.