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

[ls99]

Decided winter is substantially over. Mounted summer tires on car. I have two sets of rims w/summer and winter tires. Washed the car. Swept out the winter crud from the garage, then used the leftover soapy water to scrub the floor. Rinse. Did not repeat.

In a while off to the cafe for a nice cup of java and watch the world go by.

Can't get to the shed to pull the motorcycle out. 3 feet of snow in the back yard, firmly compacted. Maybe next month. In a few days drive over to the lake, to guesstimate kayaking season.

 

[IndependentlyPoor]

Went bird watching at Hornsby Bend (nice name for a sewage treatment facility). Seems like the spring migration hasn't started yet, but we did manage to get really close to this fine red shouldered hawk

And, the waterfowl were abundant as always. Here is a Shoveler looking very regal.

 

[travelover]

Went bird watching at Hornsby Bend (nice name for a sewage treatment facility). Seems like the spring migration hasn't started yet, but we did manage to get really close to this fine red shouldered hawk

And, the waterfowl were abundant as always. Here is a Shoveler looking very regal.

Nice pictures. I've noticed that one of the best places to bird watch in any town (or country) is the sewer treatment ponds.

 

[freebird5825]

The emergence from hibernation continues...day 3 of 3 out and about.
I went to see my counselor - a positive thing I decided to do for myself recently. She gave me kudos for all sorts of the enhancing life energy things I currently do.
We talked extensively about me taking periodic solo trips south to the coast (like I did in January) to get my extreme restlessness about being stuck in East Nowhere solved. She also told me I was obviously bored with living in the middle of nowhere with no culture for almost 30 years, and from boredom comes an overarching feeling of personal dissatisfaction...yadda yadda yadda.
So I have a legitimate doctor's prescription for traveling more. My next trip is going to be to the Atlantic coast of FL once Spring Break season is done and over with.
My tax refund will be put to very good use.
Wooo Hooooooooooooo

 

[ksr]

I started my tomato plants from seed today. The first round (32 plants), anyway. I have them in those mini greenhouses and started on a heat mat. Once they germinate I'll start round 2.

This is my attempt to kick-start spring. Anyone else have some nice spring-like activities going? I have spring fever so bad I'm afraid it's gonna kill me!

 

[freebird5825]

...This is my attempt to kick-start spring. Anyone else have some nice spring-like activities going? I have spring fever so bad I'm afraid it's gonna kill me!

Does watching the snow melt count?

 

[ksr]

Does watching the snow melt count?

It does for me! I've been doing it, too, and celebrate whenever I notice those big "snow mountains" have gotten a little smaller.

I've also been walking around my yard, looking at the areas where the snow has melted. Lo and behold, I see the tops of some of my bulbs starting to show up! Exciting stuff...

 

[Dreamer]

Woke up shortly after 6:00AM, which is very unusual for me. Could not get back to sleep, so made bed, ate breakfast and read some of Four Pillars of Investing, did 1 load of laundry, cleaned cat litter boxes and swept, did dishes (from previous night), talked to sister on phone, started reading the Fed tax forms, friend called, ate lunch, went to Beginning Bridge class, went grocery shopping and fixed dinner. Our Beginning Bridge teacher told us that she wants us to sign up for the Advanced Bridge Class through Olli in April. I told her that I did not even feel comfortable in the Beginner class (which we have done twice), but she insists that we are ready. I do not know the lady who will be teaching it, but I have decided that I need to get serious about trying to remember the rules better. I also need to play around online at some bridge sites. I am afraid that this might be the first class in my life that I am thrown out and that would be downright embarrassing!

 

[Goonie]

.........Anyone else have some nice spring-like activities going? I have spring fever so bad I'm afraid it's gonna kill me!

Yep, been out and about in the gardens looking things over, and finding signs of life in some of the plants. Some of the native prairie plants are starting to poke through last season's plant debris. I was also making mental notes about what I need to get doing in the few days, now that the weather is starting to warm up!

Only 16 days 'til Spring!

 

[Khan]

This is my attempt to kick-start spring. Anyone else have some nice spring-like activities going? I have spring fever so bad I'm afraid it's gonna kill me!

Also watching snow melt.
And looking at gardening catalogs.

 

[Gotadimple]

Went on a tour of the Panama Hotel in Seattle. For those who have read Jamie Ford's The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, this is the place! The tour is conducted by the owner of the hotel, and she has amassed an amazing amount of history about the Asian International district, in addition to refurbishing the hotel spaces, and holding onto personal belongings that were not claimed after the war.

There was a woman in the group who had been interned with her family from the Seattle area in Manzanar. She looked carefully at the pictures the owners was displaying, looking to see if any of her brothers or sisters were in the material the owner was discussing and displaying.

Pretty Special! Great way to spend the afternoon.

 

[Walt34]

I feel for ya. I got mine out yesterday and went for about a two-hour ride. Borderline hypothermia by the time I got back, but worth it.

 

[happy2bretired]

Only 16 days 'til Spring!

Bless you Goonie!

 

[ls99]

Borderline hypothermia by the time I got back, but worth it.

Understand. Pleasure, pain, pleasure, pain, pleasure......

If the snow melt is going to be slow, I'll just go kayaking. Soon.

 

[IndependentlyPoor]

I've also been walking around my yard, looking at the areas where the snow has melted. Lo and behold, I see the tops of some of my bulbs starting to show up! Exciting stuff...

Yesterday, the Bradford pear that Madam Cardinal is perched in was covered in buds. Today it is covered in blooms. Spring happened here sometime last night.

She has something green in her beak. I wonder what it is.
Apologies for the slightly fuzzy photo.

 

[Nords]

What did you do today?

Recreational planning and loosening the purse strings a little. We're way low on vacation budget spending and we don't have any big summer travel plans, so we decided that it's time to do something about it now and locally.

Next week I'm going to a day-long angel-investing seminar which starts at 7:30 AM and goes until the pau hana socializing starts. The "problem" is that it's "all the way downtown" and I'd have to drive 25 miles through rush-hour parking lots at 6 AM for over an hour. And the day after that I'd planned to go halfway downtown again for a lunch meeting. Why... why... that's almost 100 miles on the car in just two days!

Spouse and I realized that we could avoid the driving hassles with a Waikiki hotel room for a couple nights of a mini-staycation. It's a great break from the usual routine. Spouse will no doubt find [-]Beach Walk and Ala Moana Shopping Center[/-] something to entertain herself while I'm hobnobbing the investing crowd. Our kid could run the house by herself (instead of expecting us to be on perpetual standby to support her and the latest angst/drama). After the second day's lunch we'd beat rush-hour traffic home to resume our parental responsibilities. We'd get a couple days' respite from the tedious little chores on the "To Do" list, and we'd enjoy [-]surfing[/-] all the local opportunities that we never seem to take advantage of.

To say nothing of the opportunities of being temporarily childless in an adult playground...

 

[REWahoo]

Planning ahead and loosening the purse strings a little.

I'm stunned.

What's next, T-Al goes shopping in a retail store rather than at a garage sale?

 

[travelover]

I'm stunned.

What's next, T-Al goes shopping in a retail store rather than at a garage sale?

T-Al! OMG! Did anyone let T-Al out of the trunk?

 

[freebird5825]

I read a really great story about a lady named Grace.

Secret Millionaire Leaves a Big Gift for Lake Forest College | NBC Chicago

Other than that, this is a goof off stay at home day. The sun is shining.

 

[Nords]

I'm stunned.

I know, I know. I got the same incredulous disbelieving look from spouse when I proposed the idea. Or maybe she was just surprised that I was inviting her to come along too.

But you've seen Berkshire Hathaway's stock price this year?

Our kid has already informed us that it's not necessary for us to purchase parental plane tickets to accompany her to Rice in just 156 days. I can live [-]without Houston in August[/-] with her recommendation-- I figure there's no better opportunity for her to learn to carry her own seabag...

 

[ksr]

Only 16 days 'til Spring!

Thanks, Goonie, that's just what I needed to hear!

 

[simple girl]

Booked a cruise to the eastern/southern caribbean...9 days...woo-hoo! Going next November.

 

[IndependentlyPoor]

Our kid has already informed us that it's not necessary for us to purchase parental plane tickets to accompany her to Rice in just 156 days. I can live [-]without Houston in August[/-] with her recommendation-- I figure there's no better opportunity for her to learn to carry her own seabag...

Please forgive me if I have told this story before...

Houston in August is no fun, but one of my fondest memories of there is attending the reception for freshmen and their parents at the residence of the college master*.

We found the residence and rang the bell. The master (whom I had never met) and his wife came to the door and said something like:
"IndependentlyPoor, welcome to Rice, and these must be your parents. We are very pleased to meet you Mr. and Mrs. IP".

At that time each college had about 100 students per class. The master and his wife had taken the trouble to memorize our names and faces from the photos attached to our applications. It was the most flattering welcome imaginable, and a pretty accurate indication of how life at Rice was going to be.

The reception was super, and I think very reassuring for my blue-collar, high school only parents.

Anyhoo, unless daughter feels strongly about it I would go. Of course, things have probably changed in 30 some-odd years, but I hope not too much.

That said, Rice d@mned near killed me. I was in way over my head; some of the students there were just scary smart. I still have occasional nightmares about it.

*Rice has a "college" system. A college is dorm, but has a faculty member who lives there with his/her family. Colleges are a little like fraternities or sororities in that they are self-governing and have distinct personalities, but students are assigned randomly, so there is no social status associated with them. All in all, it is a great system.

 

[TromboneAl]

T-Al! OMG! Did anyone let T-Al out of the truck?

You mean the trunk.

Spouse and I realized that we could avoid the driving hassles with a Waikiki hotel room for a couple nights of a mini-staycation.

That sounds like a great idea. There's a lot to be said for walking across the street and surfing.

 

[Khan]

Took my coins to the CU counting machine: $4.53 into MMA