What did you do today? - 2021 version

[street]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gayl I deserve a really cold beer. Done until tomorrow. 1 more coat. Top shows starting condition, then after cleaning / stain / 1st coat polyurethane, 3rd pic is just finished applying 2nd coat. Attachment 38896

Looks Great! Just one beer thou, you have more work to do tomorrow! Lol

[Hermit]

Quote:

Originally Posted by street We finally got some rain so I was indoors for one whole day and got out today. What a difference some rain can do. I stay busy all day and went back into an area that I found had a pair of golden eagles remaking an old nest in February. I got in and took a few pictures of mom on the nest. A couple weeks ago I posted a picture of the egg in the nest. I will follow up and try to get more pictures.

Glad to hear you finally got some rain!

[Calico]

I went to the dentist today. It was my first dental visit in 15 months (last one was pre-Covid) and my first visit since retiring a few months ago, which means I am now self-paying, as I no longer have the wonderful dental insurance my employer provided for a miniscule charge.

Today was cleaning and x-rays. I also need two fillings (scheduled for later this week) and a crown (in the near future).

I asked for a printout of all the upcoming charges.

Take my advice: if you are still w#rking, get everything done on your dental insurance now!!

It's true what they say - you don't realize what you've got until it's gone!

Still, I wouldn't trade being retired for anything - not even inexpensive dental insurance.

[Ronstar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by gayl I deserve a really cold beer. Done until tomorrow. 1 more coat. Top shows starting condition, then after cleaning / stain / 1st coat polyurethane, 3rd pic is just finished applying 2nd coat. Attachment 38896

Looks great! What brand poly are you using?

[Freedom56]

I removed our old garden lights in our rear yard for disposal. We want to install an new landscaping light system. The new LED lights available today are pretty bright at 12 watts and 900-1100 lumens. We checked on home advisor on what is being quoted for a 22 light system with about 250 feet of cable runs and transformers and had quotes coming back at $4800-$6200. So we decided that this would be a DYI project. We went to Home Depot and Lowes and found that what they offered was no better than the lights we just removed. The components (lights, transformers) they offer at Lowes and Home Depot are pretty poor quality. So we started ordering components from Amazon and other online suppliers. So far the costs including tax were as follows:

12 watt spot lights (quantity 12) - $102
12 watt ground well lights (quantity 10) $88
250 feet 14/2 cable and waterproof outlet cover $99
300 watt multi-tap transformer $132

We will likely need a second lower rated transformer for one of the zones and too keep the load on the primary transformer at 70% and probably more cable. This DYI project should save us about $4500.

[gayl]

91° so I just put 1 coat on. 3 may be sufficient anyway. I still have to sand down the 'gifted' cutting board that has a blond finish to stain walnut. Then do that. Now to hit OSH to look at epoxy tile paint & liquid stainless paint. Then Safeway for yogurt & bread. Think I'll call my DD and see when they're going to their community pool.

All this started when I was looking to replace a damaged carpet in the far end of the adjoining room.

Ronstar: Minwax. I prefer stain & poly in separate containers. I have more control going old school


Added: used up all those pandemic plastic gloves. Not as good as real work gloves but better than nothing

[Walt34]

Had a 10:00 AM breakfast at Cracker Barrel with a college/work friend I haven't seen for ~35 years. He retired early on disability (back injury) and moved to FL and we'd talked on the phone and emailed back and forth a few times. He and a former BIL were close friends too, I knew the BIL from college too before he started dating my sister.

DW took a pass simply because she wasn't feeling well. This was the first time I'd been in a restaurant since about February 2020. It was great seeing Ron, but I had to wonder how he'd gotten so old?

Came home, took a nap, then mowed "the front forty" and took an hour break, then mowed the rest. Right now batteries are charging to go flying R/C airplanes tomorrow, the forecast is for light winds and clear skies. I have several R/C airplanes that have never been flown and that needs to be corrected.

[Hermit]

I've been sanding a glue-lam beam after puttying some cracks in it yesterday. You might say I'm attempting to make a nice silk purse out of a sow's ear. It is construction grade wood that holds up a portion of the roof between the dining nook and the kitchen. I haven't decided to leave it natural or stain it to look more like the trim. DD will be up this weekend so maybe she will have some input.

[street]

A scholarship meeting early morning and then went and spent the day at the ranch. Planted tomatoes and picked wild asparagus.

[Gumby]

I did a third skim coat of the walls in our new walk-in closet. I feel almost competent in skim coating now. I also stumped out a giant shrub that I had cut down over the winter; a lot of axe and spade work. Finally, went to the fish market for fresh red snapper and oysters, then stopped at the garden for some of our own asparagus, all of which the young wife turned into a delicious dinner (well, I did shuck the oysters and open the wine).

[gayl]

Not much today. Touched up a few spots, lunch with a friend, dog park, bought part of the materials to do next phase:
Phase 2:
Sentimental cooktop -> satin silver finish
Backsplash -> paint tile white
Left side -> cutting board top (hard to find space for us to all cook in kitchen)
Other tile next to cooktop maybe the same as backsplash?
Phase 3: 50' aka rest of kitchen counters.
Phase 4: hiring out floors. Think that was where this all started! [emoji28][emoji1787][emoji23]

[RetireeRobert]

Walked my near daily five mile walk in the hills in my neck of the woods before lunch. Went to men's bible study at lunch hour. Came home, had lunch and some fresh sliced strawberries. Afternoon, turned on the backflow valve for sprinkler system, tested the zones, cleared grass from around a few of the sprinkler heads, then set the system to "Auto" for the summer. Dug a few weeds, then called it a day. Thawed a frozen meatloaf slice and peas for dinner. Will sleep well tonight.

[NW-Bound]

After refilling the pool last week, I finally jumped in today.

The water out of the hose was 70F when I filled the pool. Today, the pool has heated up to 79F. Air temperature was 100F today.

[RetireeRobert]

Quote:

Originally Posted by NW-Bound Today, the pool has heated up to 79F. Air temperature was 100F today.

Nice. What part of country are you in? Arizona?

[NW-Bound]

^^^ I am in the Phoenix Metro area. Not all of AZ has a hot climate. Upstate at 7,000 ft elevation, it's cool in the summer and cold in winter.

I don't think 100F air temperature is nice, even if it's dry heat. After getting out of the pool, I did not linger outside.

I am not looking forward to 120F.

[Hermit]

Yesterday I shoveled about 3 inches of snow off the decks. That is all melted and it is supposed to be in the mid 60s today. That is warm enough this time of year.

[pacergal]

Home after three days at the coast. First time in a hotel since pre covid!
Had a balcony, so kept the door open for fresh air, had room service "food drop", so no one else came into the room, dipping our toes in the traveling pool!
Nice to be away for a few days and made us want to start looking at places to travel again.

[Jim59]

Just back from a 44 mile round cycle trip to Luss, Loch Lomond. Great wee day on a day of annual leave. Finished off with a celebratory pint. Retirement beckons for more of this.

[gayl]

Starting part 2 today. Refinishing cooktop / adjoining tile / inserting removable cutting board to the left of cooktop. The board will be 24×20". So necessary when we are all prepping for family meals. 20210513_102744.jpegIt's going faster then I thought (clear / clean / tape / sand cooktop)
Coit is out cleaning the carpets. Once he's done, I'll take Koda to the park.

[Souschef]

This was an interesting day. DW and I have lived in this town for about 15 years. She grew up near here, and thought she knew all that was around.
By a fluke, we found a company called Limoneria,that packs and ships lemons all over the world. They have a huge private recreation area, including a basketball court , some bocce courts, and a nice covered picnic area that we never knew about before.

We had a nice picnic there, and explored the facilities. We met the manager, who told us that reservations were needed, as it is a private development.
When we got home, we looked up bocce and petanque on Youtube, and were quite interested. DW ordered a set of petanque balls for my birthday, and we discussed where to play in our MHP.
She used to be a great bowler, so I think I will have a lot of competition when we finally play.