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

[MBAustin]

Glad to hear your surgery went smoothly, Lisa.

Went to prayer shawl knitting group this morning, then got my hair cut. Headed up to the water garden shop to get supplies for the pond and sprung for a night-blooming lily. It's supposed to bloom from sunset to around 9am or longer on a cloudy day, which is nice because the regular lilies close up around 5pm and open late morning, or not at all on cloudy days.

After lunch (leftovers) I cleaned the pond, fertilized the lilies, and rearranged things to make room for the new one. Looks much better! Also transplanted a couple of the basil plants out of the giant pot I got at Trader Joe's for $2.99 - have already used it in several dishes and since it's going strong, thought I'd put a few of the plants into the ground and see if they'll grow. Nothing to lose!

 

[nafddur1]

Changed the oil, rotated the tires and reset the (electronic) service reminders on both cars today. Now good for another 6-10 months on one (our travel) car, and 1-2 years on the other (wife's DD).

 

[aja8888]

Good luck, Lisa and hope the repair heals up soon!

My DW is appears to be in denial with her aching knee. She has had several injections and was told by Doc No. 1 it's time for a NEW KNEE!

Now she is on Doc No. 2 and he just ordered an MRI earlier this week to look at soft tissue issues. Guess he is in her camp (maybe you really don't need a NEW KNEE). She is hobbling everywhere we go.

I don't think she realizes that while we are in good shape at our ages (late 60's), joints just wear out!

 

[splitwdw]

Lisa, My younger sister just had this surgery on Monday. She had 3 incisions for 4 tears. On crutches from the hospital. Has to sleep downstairs cause steps are too painful. Suppose to walk but not too much. Stopped taking the Vicodin on Tuesday because of the side effects. Knee is swollen off and on. She's taking aspirin and icing the knee. Doesn't see the surgeon for 2 weeks. Driving her crazy being cooped up in the house all week. Hoping yours is speedy recovery.

 

[freebird5825]

I had to do an update...I went to my boat slip armed with my multimeter and the MerCruiser engine repair manual, along with my gardening buddy as safety check pointer and meter monitor.
I tested the ignition circuit in-line fuse under the dash - good continuity.
I tested the ignition hot lead with key on - 12 V - good.
I traced the ignition circuit wires to every connector I could find (key off of course ) to make sure they were properly seated and not corroded - all good.

Hmmm...

Next I tried to press in the master circuit breaker red button on top of the engine. My hands tend to be weak, so I had my gardening buddy do that. I could not see how far in he was able to press it, so I leaned down and peered through the engine components to see. I noticed two right angled miniature wires with caps (like you see on a lawnmower spark plug but much smaller) that led to something cylindrical right next to the circuit breaker. One wire cap was sitting just slightly higher than the other. Odd....

So I pressed down on it and heard the distinctive click of it locking securely onto the post.
Eureka...it must have vibrated off just enough to lose contact.

Back to the blower ON, wait, turn ignition key ON sequence.

VROOM VROOM....

I called my boat repair guy to tell him what I had found, and no need for his guy to come to the dock Friday to see what the problem is (was).

I'm so damn proud of myself it's disgusting.

 

[Hermit]

I had to do an update...I went to my boat slip armed with my multimeter and the MerCruiser engine repair manual, along with my gardening buddy as safety check pointer and meter monitor.
I tested the ignition circuit in-line fuse under the dash - good continuity.
I tested the ignition hot lead with key on - 12 V - good.
I traced the ignition circuit wires to every connector I could find (key off of course ) to make sure they were properly seated and not corroded - all good.

Hmmm...

Next I tried to press in the master circuit breaker red button on top of the engine. My hands tend to be weak, so I had my gardening buddy do that. I could not see how far in he was able to press it, so I leaned down and peered through the engine components to see. I noticed two right angled miniature wires with caps (like you see on a lawnmower spark plug but much smaller) that led to something cylindrical right next to the circuit breaker. One wire cap was sitting just slightly higher than the other. Odd....

So I pressed down on it and heard the distinctive click of it locking securely onto the post.
Eureka...it must have vibrated off just enough to lose contact.

Back to the blower ON, wait, turn ignition key ON sequence.

VROOM VROOM....

I called my boat repair guy to tell him what I had found, and no need for his guy to come to the dock Friday to see what the problem is (was).

I'm so damn proud of myself it's disgusting.

Congratulations! Have fun boating!

 

[Meadbh]

So I pressed down on it and heard the distinctive click of it locking securely onto the post.
Eureka...it must have vibrated off just enough to lose contact.

Back to the blower ON, wait, turn ignition key ON sequence.

VROOM VROOM....

I called my boat repair guy to tell him what I had found, and no need for his guy to come to the dock Friday to see what the problem is (was).

I'm so damn proud of myself it's disgusting.

Dontcha love it when that happens?

 

[freebird5825]

Congratulations! Have fun boating!

Dontcha love it when that happens?

I don't know which feeling I enjoy better...the triumph of "I figured it out" OR the fact that I didn't have to pay someone else to figure it out .

Credit also goes to my gardening buddy for causing me to look that closely at where he was pressing the circuit breaker. Saved me a lot of time by finding it right away. He is very mechanically inclined (got my chainsaw tension bar problem fixed) but not so good with DC circuit troubleshooting. I gave him a quick lesson in DC circuit analysis and multimeter operation. I'll follow up if he wants to learn more.

Today has a much better weather forecast, so we are going for a spin later. I need to sew on some more Velcro to hold the bow cover to the main cover and clean/wax the interior fiberglas surfaces. He earns his rides by helping me with whatever I need to do and bringing yummy healthy stuff to eat. WIN WIN.

Mr B is not into boating at all but doesn't mind when I disappear all day to be a boat bum. He really likes the idea that I am not out there alone, just in case. Even the most experienced boaters can get into trouble by themselves. Safety FIRST !!!

 

[MBAustin]

Very impressive, freebird! Enjoy your day on the water!

 

[Philliefan33]

The weather is gorgeous here today, so I went for a bike ride along a nearby rail-to-trail. At one point I dropped the bike to explore a hidden walking trail, and was rewarded with finding this beautiful spot to eat my lunch.

 

[MRG]

Went through some of Rocky Mountain National Park. For some reason my fingers hurt now! I'm not a photo person but here's some of the view from the upper parts of Trail Ridge Rd. Pretty cool up there today, temperature was 49F and the wind was probably about 49 also. When we came down to Estes Park the truck said it was 90F with a light wind.

 

[Walt34]

DW got her new couch delivered today, she'd been moving furniture around downstairs most of the day. She has to move stuff, look at it, move stuff... that can and does take all day. On request the delivery guys took the old couch and a love seat out to the curb for pickup and I gave them each a $20 bill for the extra effort. It took them an extra ten minutes if that. Our heavy furniture moving days are over.

Oh, and mowed the strip on the hill out back that has to be done with the 21" walk-behind and not the 33" walk-behind.

 

[fidler4]

Went on a 1-day river rafting trip down the middle fork of the American River with my teenaged daughter. We had a great time. We went a few years ago and I fell out of the boat twice in the rapids. This time I stayed onboard the whole time but another guy in the boat was not as lucky. He went overboard in one of the rapids but we were able to yank him back into the boat before the next set of rapids. Good times!

 

[freebird5825]

Today is sewing day...I need to stitch 3 strips of Velcro hooks to the bow cover, which match up to the loops on the main boat cover. The elements completely destroyed the hooks strip I installed last year. I haven't fired up my sewing machine in ages, so I have the manual open to wind the bobbin and thread the machine with heavy duty thread. I even remembered the change the needle for the heavier thread.

I found out, through the boat club grapevine, that a former co-w*rker has decided to do canvas w*rk for boats as a part time venture in retirement. He is an engineer, so I know he does good w*rk by default. He was really good friends with my late husband growing up, so I am comfy knowing I will not ripped off by a stranger. I have the fabric, I know what I want done, and as long as he has an industrial sewing machine and the space to spread out the 14 foot cover...one less thing for me to mess with.

Things are going smoothly for once.

 

[TallTim]

Spent today finishing our guest room conversion to my new home office. Took delivery of a sleeper sofa, a new standup desk and ergo chair. Lots of lifting and assembly - except we let the furniture store guys haul the couch up the 2 flights

Heading to Dodger game tonight with DS and DD -- DW is out of town and hates baseball, so it's our 1-2x year pilgrimage and overspend at the stadium. 2 teens plus one friend each can eat a lot!!

Got my final $$ bonus distribution and accrued PTO/sick checks yesterday so feeling pretty good

One week into RE and really enjoying it so far.


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[BBQ-Nut]

Got up 'early' to have a quick breakfast, then oldest DS and I went to a free tracking class at the Los Penasquitos Ranch House sponsored by the SD Tracking group.

We learned the differences in tracks, scat and browse signs for different 'critters' in the PQ canyon. Very interesting - and did I mention free?

Back home for some chores, cleanup, and gardening. Then relaxing on the back patio - gorgeous weather about now, something cold to drink and good music playing before dinner.

 

[braumeister]

Finished moving the last few items from the old house to the new condo.
This will be our last home ever, except for the eventual CCRC move when we get to that point, so we're pretty pleased with ourselves for finding a good one.

There are only 17 homes in the community, and everyone we've met so far has been very friendly. My next door neighbor is moderately famous, but I'll protect his privacy by not mentioning his field. I think it's pretty cool that someone with a huge income would live in a relatively modest place like this. He'd probably fit in nicely in this forum!

 

[Sue J]

I just got back from seeing The Cleveland Orchestra perform Beethoven's Ninth at their summer outdoor concert venue. It was spectacular!

I have mentioned before that I'm an usher at this venue, Blossom Music Center, in Cuyahoga Falls, OH. When we aren't working a concert we can use our employee pass to get in for free and sit on the lawn. I rented a chair for $5 and found myself a great spot and had a wonderful time.

This year Blossom Music Center is extra special for me. My 28 year old son is a freelance audio engineer and this summer he is working for the Cleveland Orchestra. His job is to mix the audio for the lawn. The audio in the pavilion is not usually amplified but the sound for the lawn is. He sets up a wireless router from the sound board and uses his iPad and mixing software to adjust the mix while he is out on the lawn. He can move to different locations and make adjustments. He also set up the mics on the stage for the chorus.

This was an excellent concert and a very proud Mom moment.

 

[Taxman59]

Sue: I grew up in Cleveland and loved going to Blossom for the orchestra and other concerts. I saw James Taylor there in the 70's before I went to college and the start of my career, and I will see him again in NC at the end of my first month of RE! A fitting set of bookends!


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[freebird5825]

I am going to the foothills of the Adirondacks for a few days. Nothing fancy, just visiting a lady veteran friend who lives alone. Her brother passed in early June and it's been a bit rough for her. We will shoot the breeze, watch movies, and eat lots of ice cream.
I am slowly converting her into becoming a container gardener. I had some extra plants and she had some empty buckets. I'll start her off with cucumbers, pole beans, and a single tomato.
I gave her my Brinkman bullet smoker because I rarely use it. She loves to do smoked beef jerky, learned from her days of living in Idaho. Last time I was up there she made this unbelievably delicious bourbon/brown sugar jerky.
I love taking little mini-vacations like this. No planes, no trains, only my automobile and my own time schedule.
Maybe we'll go up to one of the Adirondack lakes on a day trip - perhaps Otter Lake or the Fulton Chain of Lakes in Old Forge.

 

[MRG]

Walked out the front door yesterday to see this Elk walking by. I'm more concerned than he is. He's a regular, getting a snack of bird food. His shoulders are about 5' tall, antlers still in velvet.

 

[Lagniappe]

Poking around Vancouver, WA this week in anticipation of moving here next year. Took a hike at the Ridgefield wildlife refuge as part of the tour. So far, I like what I see.

Travelover,

Vancouver, WA is on my short list as a base. I would love to hear how you decided on the town, and what your experiences are as you transition.

Lagniappe

 

[TromboneAl]

For magnesium, around 300-400 mg per day is a good amount. You want the chelated form, so look for magnesium citrate or magnesium aspartate, or magnesium citrimate.

Mg is the one supplement I can be sure makes a difference. I would get heart palpitations almost every day. I started Mg. After one day, they were less. After four days they were gone.

I started and stopped the Mg a few times to test, and confirmed that it wiped out the palps.

 

[tmm99]

Al, will you share what brand and what kind of Mg and how much you take?


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[BBQ-Nut]

Had the house to myself as DW took both DS's to visit the grandparents.

Quiet breakfast while watching the bird show feeding menagerie and sipping coffee.

Then off to the market for the Sunday shopping.

A nice hike in the open space preserve - I stopped at a vista of meadows with no sounds at all except the wind, the grasses, and some birds....centering feeling.

Then back home for some gardening, watering, weeding, and prepping for dinner.

The pork loin is smoking now, the twice baked potatoes are cooling, the grilled corn ready to go and a nice cabernet is breathing for later, and the music is playing now out the back patio door.

It's a good Sunday.