What did you do today? 2018 version

[NW-Bound]

We will need pics along the way and when you get home to verify.

(They might also catch some awesome scenery. )

I will try to remember this, to serve as proof.

Just like a houseboat, my brother spends all summer waxing his 70ft Houseboat....bit by bit

Excusez moi! It's not like your brother's houseboat.

After all it's only a 25-ft class C, and I am going to spend only 4 partial days, not an entire summer.

 

[MBAustin]

Happy and relieved that DH easily renewed his drivers license today. He hit the limit of by-mail renewals and had to go in person. Since the last time he went in, his MS has progressed significantly and he’s been driving with hand controls for several years. We were both concerned they would make him take a driving test, but they just added the “must have hand controls” stipulation. I think he would have done fine on the test, but he was very nervous about it. He now drives only short distances, but he’s not ready to give up that independence yet.

 

[braumeister]

Good deal on the DL, MBAustin.

Reminds me of a strange one. My mother kept renewing her DL for many years after she was legally blind. When I found out, I was amazed because you have to be checked at the DMV every few years.

She told me there was a friendly optometrist who lived in her apartment building who wrote her a letter every time certifying to her good vision, and she just mailed it in to get the DL renewed.

There was no problem because she had no intention of ever driving, and didn't even own a car, but having that little card in her wallet was really important to her. This was in NYC in the 80s/90s.

 

[97guns]

10oz bag of Hershey’s kisses from goodwill for .45

 

[Marita40]

Bracing for yet another blast of snow this weekend, in this never-ending winter. Freezing cold wind today.

 

[Hermit]

Bracing for yet another blast of snow this weekend, in this never-ending winter. Freezing cold wind today.

In our case, the bit of snow we are getting today is very welcome. It has been a very dry winter. Prediction is for 3 inches. It is not sticking on the roads, but the moisture is welcome.

 

[RobbieB]

Working out setting the post for my front porch gate.

 

[aja8888]

Saw the knee Doc today about my constant knee pain in the inner side of my right knee. That's the one that had both meniscus's repaired last June/July. X-Rays didn't show much but Doc suspected a "joint issue" that is causing inflammation and the pain.

He suggested a steroid injection (Cortisone?) in the knee and I went for it. That knee is "looser" than the other but walking is normally fine. I thought I might have torn something causing the pain, but he nixed that.

He said time will tell as to whether the injection will help "heal" the issue and I won't be facing more intrusive work.

Getting old is not for sissies.

 

[HFWR]

First tornado warning of the year... Missing me, I hope!

 

[braumeister]

Working out setting the post for my front porch gate.

You made me think of a marvelously funny and offbeat novel. Check it out if you like.

The Restraint of Beasts: A Comedic Novel

 

[Hermit]

Saw the knee Doc today about my constant knee pain in the inner side of my right knee. That's the one that had both meniscus's repaired last June/July. X-Rays didn't show much but Doc suspected a "joint issue" that is causing inflammation and the pain.

He suggested a steroid injection (Cortisone?) in the knee and I went for it. That knee is "looser" than the other but walking is normally fine. I thought I might have torn something causing the pain, but he nixed that.

He said time will tell as to whether the injection will help "heal" the issue and I won't be facing more intrusive work.

Getting old is not for sissies.

Hope that works for you. I had a problem about 3 years ago that was so bad I could barely walk. After a few xrays, (and something poping in the knee, maybe back in place, a couple of days before the appointment) the doc said start taking Aleve daily. I haven't had a severe problem since and I am still taking the Aleve.

 

[RobbieB]

You made me think of a marvelously funny and offbeat novel. Check it out if you like.

The Restraint of Beasts: A Comedic Novel

I did and it's not a kindle, so no deal.

 

[MRG]

I went to a specialist to get a prescription renewed. As I walked in I saw the biggest chocolate Labrador ever! This guy was 150++ lbs easy! Not fat, just huge. I learned he's only half lab, the rest is Great Dane! He only looks like a monster Lab. We exchanged greetings and he walked off.

As I was sitting in the waiting area he came up and stood behind me and set his head down on my shoulder. He is a very special animal. Every doc's office should have a dog like him! My BP would be 20% lower if I could visit with this guy on every visit.

I really like this doc, wish he wasn't a specialist.

Went to the gym after:

A month or so ago we started walking 10 minutes on the treadmill. We've slowly increased our time and intensity. Today I was comfortable, twenty minutes on the treadmill, half it jogging at ~4.5 mph. My goal is a 12 minute mile this year. It would complete my improvement from my first timed mile, 48 minutes, 3 years ago.

 

[Gumby]

I went to a specialist to get a prescription renewed. As I walked in I saw the biggest chocolate Labrador ever! This guy was 150++ lbs easy! Not fat, just huge. I learned he's only half lab, the rest is Great Dane! He only looks like a monster Lab. We exchanged greetings and he walked off.

As I was sitting in the waiting area he came up and stood behind me and set his head down on my shoulder. He is a very special animal. Every doc's office should have a dog like him! My BP would be 20% lower if I could visit with this guy on every visit.

I really like this doc, wish he wasn't a specialist.

Went to the gym after:

A month or so ago we started walking 10 minutes on the treadmill. We've slowly increased our time and intensity. Today I was comfortable, twenty minutes on the treadmill, half it jogging at ~4.5 mph. My goal is a 12 minute mile this year. It would complete my improvement from my first timed mile, 48 minutes, 3 years ago.

Keep up the good work!

 

[Hermit]

After snow for a few hours this afternoon, it is snowing very lightly now. And all the stars are out.

 

[gayl]

Well not exactly today but did get home well after midnight so .....

Went to Grove on Hayes for dinner b4 SF City Symphony Russian Masters performance at Herbst. It was packed but there were also performances at Norse & Opera House so that's why I thought restaurant was sooooo busy. Wrong.Finally got to Herbst and found 6 seats together in last row (open seating) but some others sat on stairs in aisle which shows how packed it was. Anyway great performance / then drinks / metro has "issues" (3 lines out) delaying connecting to Bart but we all finally got back

Today 2nd grandson plays cherry festival in Davis.

 

[38Chevy454]

Technically this was yesterday. Saved myself $459 by locating the survey pins in my yard, vs the surveyor coming out to do it. Surveyor wanted $500, I went to Harbor Freight and bought a metal detector for $41 (total out the door, incl the 20% off and accompanying freebie, of course). New house on 2.5 acres, need to find the pins so I can put up fencing to keep dogs in. My temp fence area is small and never intended to be used more than a few months - plastic fencing like used on construction sites with metal T-posts.

DW and I went out with the plat printout showing measurements. Using the metal detector and shovel, combined with some measurements, I was able to find all 5 pins on my irregular shaped lot. Took a few hours, and had many false signals from various metal debris in the ground. Most pins were about 2-3 inches below ground level. But very happy to have found them all and saved the $459 cost differential.

At least the weather yesterday was decent to be outside, mid-50's. Today had dusting of snow and temp struggling to reach 40. I am really ready for this winter to let go and become spring!

 

[braumeister]

Using the metal detector and shovel, combined with some measurements, I was able to find all 5 pins on my irregular shaped lot. Took a few hours, and had many false signals from various metal debris in the ground. Most pins were about 2-3 inches below ground level.

Good job!
I had to do the same at my last house, and I would strongly suggest, if you haven't already done so, to pound your own stakes in close to the official pins. You'll almost certainly need to know where they are again some day.

A good example is if you want to put a new outbuilding on the property. Local zoning rules generally require them to be X feet from the property line.

 

[RobbieB]

Heading out to Home Depot for a couple bags of redi-mix and a sack of mortar. This means lunch at the sushi bar -

 

[Hermit]

Heading out to Home Depot for a couple bags of redi-mix and a sack of mortar. This means lunch at the sushi bar -

You California people have the life! All my Home Depot has is a hot dog stand.

 

[travelover]

Technically this was yesterday. Saved myself $459 by locating the survey pins in my yard, vs the surveyor coming out to do it. ......

Now a true LBYMer would resell the metal detector on Craigslist and recoup half its cost.

 

[Ronstar]

Technically this was yesterday. Saved myself $459 by locating the survey pins in my yard, vs the surveyor coming out to do it. Surveyor wanted $500, I went to Harbor Freight and bought a metal detector for $41 (total out the door, incl the 20% off and accompanying freebie, of course). New house on 2.5 acres, need to find the pins so I can put up fencing to keep dogs in. My temp fence area is small and never intended to be used more than a few months - plastic fencing like used on construction sites with metal T-posts.

DW and I went out with the plat printout showing measurements. Using the metal detector and shovel, combined with some measurements, I was able to find all 5 pins on my irregular shaped lot. Took a few hours, and had many false signals from various metal debris in the ground. Most pins were about 2-3 inches below ground level. But very happy to have found them all and saved the $459 cost differential.

At least the weather yesterday was decent to be outside, mid-50's. Today had dusting of snow and temp struggling to reach 40. I am really ready for this winter to let go and become spring!

Good job! As a former surveyor, I enjoy reading stories of people finding their own stakes. It sounds like you checked the measurements between them to make sure that they match the plat. That's important in order to verify that you found the right stakes.

Now if you have time - swing by my BIL's in Missouri and give him a hand - he's been looking for a stake for 3 weeks now.

 

[Marita40]

Despite our continuing cold and snow, I went out and bought a wicker patio set today. Hope springs eternal...

 

[NW-Bound]

For an electronic project, I made some temporary wiring in order to do some experiment and to take some measurements. Used a 12-gauge speaker zip cord as I happened to have a 25-ft length of it.

Was perplexed to see a lot more voltage drop across that wire compared to what theory said it should be.

Took the wire to the bench to make a careful measurement. Found out that it had a resistance of 0.0041 Ohm/ft, instead of 0.0016 Ohm/ft. Hmmm....

Did some Web research, and learned that CCA (copper-clad-aluminum) wire is universally used for speaker wire. OK! So that explains the higher resistance.

But wait! Aluminum has resistivity 1.6x higher than that of copper. But what I saw was a factor of 2.6x. Still missing another factor of 1.6x.

Maybe they cheat and use smaller gauge than the indicated 12AWG? No, the wire diameter is about right. Lousy recycled aluminum with high impurity? That seems likely.

So, I grabbed a spool of 10AWG THHN wire bought at Home Depot, and measured its resistance. Right on the specs book value of 0.001 Ohm/ft. Ah, I felt so much better.

 

[aja8888]

Finalized the guest count for DW's upcoming wedding on 4/21. Now to contact vendors and send them more money.