What did you do today? 2016 version

[Big_Hitter]

I was thinking of it, but I'm close to going into the next tax bracket and didn't want to chance it.

a guy at my golf club hit the powerball several years ago, real nice guy

he said he spends most of his time avoiding lawsuits

 

[MichaelB]

Took DD and the 2 grandkids to the airport this afternoon after a 3 week visit. I miss them already - but not so much that I want them to stay any longer.

 

[rodi]

Went to the beach to watch the super-el-nino-storm-surge waves. No beach to walk on but still got a good walk through the chi-chi neighborhood.

Came home cleaned 2.5 bathrooms. (we have a 2.5 bath house.) In theory the boys are supposed to clean the hall/guest bathroom - but boys are gross and I have to go in and de-funk it to better standards. Yuck. On the plus side, our new, almost finished, master bathroom was sweet to clean.

Treated myself to a starbucks house coffee on my way to get the kids at school. That's a rare splurge for me - usually I'll put on a Moka pot in the afternoon if I need some caffeine.

Tonight - younger son has the first basketball game of the season at the local rec center. He's the only 7th grader on his team - the rest are 8th graders... but he's taller than all but 1 player. It will be fun to watch.

 

[Dash man]

Verified my 401k money rolled over into my IRAs, got some medical tests through Lifeline, called to make a doctor appointment for a cervical epidural, talked to my father in law to find out a resident of his retirement home shot himself in the lobby...listened to the local news about the Philly cop that was attacked...feel blessed for what I have and realized how quickly the things you cherish can be taken away.


Sent from my iPhone using Early Retirement Forum

 

[Souschef]

I spent 6 hours in Tax class, so I can volunteer helping seniors and low income people file their taxes. This is a joint AARP/IRS program

 

[Doribe]

DW got a new car today. When the dealership called to say it was ready, she immediately drove her old one to Carmax to get a quote. I had already looked up estimated resale values online, so we had a good idea what she could get for it.

What a delightful experience!
She was in and out of Carmax in 20 minutes with a check in her hand for just a few hundred less than we could have expected from a private sale, and way more than we expected from a trade-in.

This was our first time with Carmax and we were extremely impressed.

I've had good experiences wiht Carmax. Sometimes to get a quote before trading in an old car somewhere else. No hassles.

 

[Sue J]

We had a nice phone call from our son, 29, who is in Princeville, Hawaii. He has a friend who owns a vacation rental property and his friend and his wife are there for more than a month. They told our son and another friend that if they could get out there, they had a place to stay. Their hosts have been showing them their favorite local sites - Waimea Canyon, their favorite shaved ice spot, a coffee plantation, the nearest beach, etc.

He's having a wonderful time in "paradise", but it was a long day to get out there, about 20 hours of travel with 3 flights and a long layover in LAX.

I've been following his adventures because he and his friend are posting pics on Facebook, but it was nice to hear from him.

This is such a unique opportunity for him. The house is in a neighborhood, not at a tourist resort area. Early January is normally a slow time for his work (free lance audio engineer) so this works out good for him.

 

[Walt34]

First time back to the gym for over a week because of the head cold. It is amazing how fast the atrophy sets in! I'm not sore (yet anyway) but I simply could not lift some of the weights I did two weeks ago. Past history tells me that I'll recover relatively quickly but there is a penalty for skipping workouts.

 

[antmary]

In-between storms...went for a walk along a sunny, moist trail. Basked in the sun. It's so nice to have a "normal winter" here in NoCal. Cleaned and re-arranged my office...getting ready to line up my taxes. Planning to pick some greens for a nice salad for dinner. After the frost, the kale is yummy in a salad - if finely chopped.

 

[misshathaway]

Went online to get Geico quotes for auto, homeowners and umbrella policy. Holy cow! For the same coverage they are almost 1/2 on everything. I am in MA switching from Liberty Mutual. Bonus from research here was finding out that Geico offers a discount for Berkshire holders and one share of B is about $130 which is about the discount so it's like getting the Berkshire share for free this year.

Be aware that if you switch mid contract from Liberty they ding you a fee on the car insurance based on what's left on the contract. I need the car and homeowners as a base for the umbrella so practically speaking they all have to move at once. On the homeowners and umbrella Liberty just prorates and refunds the balance.

 

[Ronstar]

Went to the HOA gym, going for a bike ride, and starting a condo reno project (new appliances, hardwood floors, and eventually granite countertops). Oh, and tonight is panini night.

 

[Bestwifeever]

1 degree when I woke up at 5:15. I went right back to sleep.

 

[W2R]

1 degree when I woke up at 5:15. I went right back to sleep.

BRRRRR!!!

It got below freezing last night for the first time this year, here. The low was 27F and I thought THAT was cold.

 

[HFWR]

Smokin'...

 

[Tom52]

Today I finished the wiring in my new garage. It was about 20 degrees outside and not much warmer in the garage because there is no heat in it yet. Glad to get it done, already called to schedule inspection so I can start on the insulation and lining.

 

[Hermit]

Today I finished the wiring in my new garage. It was about 20 degrees outside and not much warmer in the garage because there is no heat in it yet. Glad to get it done, already called to schedule inspection so I can start on the insulation and lining.

Wow, Tom. You are a lot more dedicated than I am. I have not been working on the 20 degree days. Today it was in the low 30s for a couple of hours in the afternoon and I did put up some garage door panels. Tomorrow I plan to go skiing. That is a much more rewarding cold-weather endeavor!

 

[HFWR]

Most of the mess from yesterday's rib smoke-off cleaned; grills soaking in hot, soapy water. Currently contemplating the meaning of life over a cup of coffee. Later will be gym day.

 

[Souschef]

I was supposed to fly a patient from Oxnard CA to Santa Maria CA yesterday. On the return from the doctor, he witnessed a fatal hit and run. The police kept him there past the time we could leave and fly home before dark.
We flew him to our home base and put him up in a hotel overnight. We will fly him home this morning.

 

[rodi]

I've been on a LBYM domestic tear. I borrowed (for free) my sister's rug shampooer. I purchased (for cheap) some soap for the shampooer. Yesterday I did the dining room and area rugs. Dining room furniture shoved into the living room. Today I did all but a small section of the living room. Living room furniture shoved in the small remaining section and dining room. Tomorrow I'll do the last section of the living room.

We have *really* old carpet. We have it planned/in budget to replace it this year - but it was soooo gross I couldn't wait till then. The house smells wonderful and much less wet-dog-like.

While waiting to put furniture back - I helped DH with a presentation he's giving to the neighborhood planning group. There is a very contentious project being battled with NIMBY types being highly vocal. He's got an "outside the box" solution that will address most of the stated NIMBY complaints - but still solve the problem. I expect him to be laughed out of the room. Especially since it would involve federal agencies (Amtrak), state roads (CALTRANS), the city, the metropolitan water board, etc. All because this "greenspace" canyon is anything but... since every agency has running through the canyon. That said, he proposed an outside-the-box will-never-fly solution when he lived in Philadelphia. He was laughed out of the room - and 5 years later it was the solution SEPTA chose. He's got nothing to lose.

 

[steelyman]

I got my new Touch today!

I've rubbed it all over myself, so that it has my scent. Like all us dogs do to mark our territory.

 

[Huston55]

Made a trip with DW to our small storage unit to meet another storage "tenant" (I suppose that's what we're called ) and give her some items. We want to get rid of a wooden media cabinet & standing full-length mirror, she stores items for a shelter & has identified folks who want them. So, win-win-win.

Next...the weight bench & free weights.

 

[Hermit]

Just back from two days of skiing at Keystone. Beautiful weather and great skiing. It was 41 degrees at the base of the mountain when I left about 2:30. Got home just as it was getting dark.

 

[redduck]

I don't remember what I did today. But, I do remember yesterday. S.O. and I went to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). We had tickets for the RAIN ROOM exhibit. Water (rain) falls from the rather high ceiling and it falls fairly hard. You are supposed to wear light-colored clothing and move slowly while in the room--assuming you don't want to get wet. If you do those two things, the downpour doesn't pour down on you. But, it does pour down all around you. Some people moved too fast and got drenched. You might want to Google this--kind of interesting.


"Random International’s Rain Room (2012) is an immersive environment of perpetually falling water that pauses wherever a human body is detected. The installation offers visitors an opportunity to experience what is seemingly impossible: the ability to control rain. Rain Room presents a respite from everyday life and an opportunity for sensory reflection within a responsive relationship."

 

[redduck]

The RAIN ROOM

 

[aja8888]

The RAIN ROOM

Perfect place for a duck!