What did you do today? - 2023/2024 version

[Ronstar]

My lower back stiffness / pain has been getting worse the past few weeks. DW claims its from too much time in my workshop standing on concrete floors. I let her talk me into a week off from my workshop. Today is day 3. Back is feeling better, but probably just a coincidence.

Took a ride down US 66 to Pontiac, Il to check out the Wally's truck stop. It's a smaller knock off of a Buc-ee's. And got a haircut.

 

[pacergal]

Ronstar--buy an anti-fatigue mat for the floor, easy to clean/hose off and will save your feet/legs/back!

 

[pacergal]

Cold, sunny day here, staying inside and doing housework!
Will take puppy out for his walk later.

 

[Ronstar]

Ronstar--buy an anti-fatigue mat for the floor, easy to clean/hose off and will save your feet/legs/back!

Thanks - yes I have one. Only about 2'x3' so I have to drag it around to wherever I go in the shop. And I very seldom remember to move it around with me. But I do use it when I'm working in one area for a while.

 

[skyking1]

Ronstar--buy an anti-fatigue mat for the floor, easy to clean/hose off and will save your feet/legs/back!

That and new insoles. I was suffering plantar fasciitis pain for really the first time in my life.
I went to the Red Wing store and got new top of the line insoles for
$70.
Pain has gone totally away.

I am changing the oil on the larger excavator. When I went into the garage to gather tools for the job, I was greeted by the freezer alarm. We shopped around and found a unit on a lingering cyber monday sale at Lowes. It has the integrated alarm and can also be switched to a refrigerator if needed. I thought that was a pretty nifty feature.
There's no drama with a chest freezer. The food is still well frozen and will be OK when I get home this afternoon and transfer it.

 

[Walt34]

Played around a bit with a new remote id module for R/C airplanes and drones (i.e., quadcopters and such). This topic can fill pages of debate and is somewhat controversial for some, but as the law is now any model/drone over 249 grams in weight has to have a broadcasting module on it, except when flying in specified pre-approved flying sites, such as those used by a flying club. This is a gross oversimplification of a complicated topic but that's the meat of it.

Anyway, I was more interested in the technical details of simply seeing how the thing would work and what the phone app would show about it. The two that I bought (on sale before they started shipping) are the Spektrum Sky Remote ID Modules. Very easy to install, and it comes with about four or five different cables to get power to it so they couldn't have made it any easier to do that.

It all works pretty neatly. I just plugged one into a battery, and when I plug it into a radio receiver it'll broadcast not only it's location and point of origin, but the module's serial number (which can in turn be traced back to me) as well as the altitude taken from the receiver's barometric chip. It shows up on the phone app as a map showing when it went and it's path flying around.

Notwithstanding all the hand-wringing and pearl-clutching amongst the R/C and drone communities worried about "Karens and Cops" hassling innocent hobbyists, I may well install them even when not needed since the app would lead me directly to a downed airplane in a densely wooded area or acres of cornfield. I have never lost an airplane in the woods but I'll be the first to admit there is a large measure of luck involved in me saying that, and on one occasion recovery was solely because I'd had the foresight to put a "beeper" on it. Otherwise I'd never have found that one.

 

[1242Vintage]

Hanging out in Belize. Drank too much local rum and figuring out where to go for dinner. Hopefully dinner
Includes a healthy portion of local seafood. Then over to “chicken drop” to bet on bet on the square where the chicken poops. Life is good!!! ?

 

[Walt34]

Prepped the main lawn mower for winter - changed the oil and air filter, sharpened the blade, drained the fuel, ran the carburetor dry, and sprayed some fogging oil in the cylinder. I'm confident it'll start right up next spring, although it may need a new battery as I noticed it is cranking a little more slowly than usual. But I'll wait until spring for that decision.

DW's mower is already put away. A few days ago we saw snow flurries and some more are in the forecast so winter is officially here now. I might move the snow blower to the garage tomorrow. Hopefully the snow gods will see that and leave us alone.

 

[brett]

Spent 75 minutes on the phone with my com provider. Most of it hold time.

They sent me a $50 month increase on deal I negotiated two years ago. $600. per year. Got it down to $6. increase after some discussion with their loyalty folks. Good for two years. So you know who I will be speaking with two years from now.

I wonder if they really expected me to cc autopay without noticing the increase??

 

[MC Rider]

@Walt34 maybe hook up a maintenance charger to the battery for winter? Harbor Fright has some pretty cheap ones.


Spent time in the still new garage organizing things. There is a lot to do.

 

[Walt34]

@Walt34 maybe hook up a maintenance charger to the battery for winter? Harbor Fright has some pretty cheap ones.

Oh, I already do that. The battery is easily three, maybe four years old so I think I got my nickel's worth out of it.

 

[street]

Went and talked to building contractor about getting some huge old windows, that he is replacing in an apartment building he owns. He said, I can have them when he replaces them, there are 5 left to do. I will use them at the ranch when I start to build a 20x16 foot one room cabin. I will build right where the century plus old homestead sits now. I don't need anything fancy or energy efficient just want big windows to be able to take in the views of the north slopes. A place to warm up at in winter and be able to use 4 seasons.

I also cut some flashing and made a 90 degree angle with it, to use where the lean-too will meet the tin siding to keep water away from wood structure.

I also went a bought a clock for our new kitchen remodel we did last year. I sent a picture of it to DW and she liked so I brought it home and hung it. It was at a secondhand store and there is always some unique items there.

 

[skyking1]

The internet and mobile phone networks were down in out neighborhood, so DW accompanied me to the office to borrow a cup of internet. She works from home.
I had the wrong filter for the excavator, so I went to trade that out and also made a field trip to Superlon, a pipe supplier in town that has a long history with the company. It turns out that they can supply us with a whole bunch of our needs at the new home build.
After I got back I spent two solid hours in the rain on my belly, trying to install the oil filter.
I had forgotten just how bad that job was.
I cleaned it off with brake clean, washed my hands and then took a break to warm up with a cup of joe.
It was just what I needed and I got it done.

 

[Ronstar]

I wished I would have had a day like street and skyking as posted above, but I spent the day shopping with DW. Ulta, Sephora, Apple Store, Eddie Bauer, Walmart, Jewel, a fish market, and a women's clothing store. Checked in on MIL and went to lunch.

But I did get home in time to design my next woodworking project.

 

[skyking1]

really? I was laying on the back of the excavator in a continuous puddle, donating blood to the mechanical gods through multiple small cuts and scrapes, in moderate rain. I was failing for hours to get the threads started.
Shopping with DW is not THAT bad.

 

[pacergal]

Thanks - yes I have one. Only about 2'x3' so I have to drag it around to wherever I go in the shop. And I very seldom remember to move it around with me. But I do use it when I'm working in one area for a while.

BTD and buy another one or two

 

[pacergal]

Today DH and I have appts for our RSV injections. Then we will be updated for all the recommended Fall/Winter vaccines.

10 year TDAP is due, but that will be another day--that one is one I really react too.

 

[Gumby]

I was happily surprised this morning to find that the town has put up no parking signs on the phone poles in front of my house. The street is very narrow and when cars are parked on both sides of it, delivery trucks, fire trucks and ambulances cannot get between them. So now you can't park on my side of the street, which I wholeheartedly support. Every house on my street has off street parking, so there is really no need to park on the street anyway.

 

[Badger]

I wished I would have had a day like street and skyking as posted above, but I spent the day shopping with DW. Ulta, Sephora, Apple Store, Eddie Bauer, Walmart, Jewel, a fish market, and a women's clothing store. Checked in on MIL and went to lunch.

But I did get home in time to design my next woodworking project.

WOW! Eight stores and checking on the MIL all in the same morning. That is some fast shopping.

Cheers!

 

[Car-Guy]

Just bought a new wireless home weather station (Wind, rain, temps, pressure, humidity). I temporarily got it setup and running last night just before dark. Now it's time to set it up permanently. Almost too easy. Plug and play. I may even read the instructions someday.

 

[1242Vintage]

Dang lovely wife got me in trouble!!!!

Flying from Belize (through Cancun) for a few days in Havana to meet up with friends. Unknown to me lovely wife put a bag of ground coffee in my backpack. Had a hard time getting decent coffee last time we were there.

Belize airport security pulled me and my bag aside for a more thorough search. Then questioned me on the ground coffee, WHICH I WAS UNAWARE WAS IN MY BAG to begin with. Was told that this is a big no no!!!

Wife admitted she stuck it in there because good coffee is hard to get in Cuba and issue got resolved. Heart rate returned to normal and all is now good!

On our way to Havana for a long weekend.

 

[skyking1]

The internet outage yesterday was deliberate sabotage in two communities about 15 miles apart.
Today I arranged for a second internet connection with our old provider. It is $35 a month, and I can set up our Microtik router to failover automatically. It is a good BTD for DW's home office situation.
I'll have to dig into the documentation on the router, but there are plenty of tutorials and documents on that. It is a very powerful little box.
https://www.amazon.com/Mikrotik-RB750Gr3-5-port-Ethernet-Gigabit/dp/B01MSUMVUB/ref=psdc_300189_t1_B00ZPTW8T2

 

[Idnar7]

Street, do you ever see wolves? Big controversy here in MN wolves vs deer. I have never heard you mention them, so just wondering if they are on your property.

 

[street]

Street, do you ever see wolves? Big controversy here in MN wolves vs deer. I have never heard you mention them, so just wondering if they are on your property.

There are a few around I just got pictures from a guy that seen some. Cats I see more than wuff.

 

[street]

Went to ranch early day and finished tinning one side of that old shop I'm rescuing from death. Had lunch at the cabin picked the SD cards and cleanup a tree row some between fields. When we get some snow, I will burn all the slash will burn for a couple days.