What did you do today? - 2023/2024 version

[Teacher Terry]

Testing a client and really glad to be doing some work on my own schedule again. Later I will write a report.

 

[Walt34]

My foresight in placing a water leak alarm behind the refrigerator paid off. Last night it went off and I found the cause was a pinhole leak in the plastic tubing that feeds water to the icemaker. I had everything needed on hand to replace it from the last time. The tubing has a working pressure of 140 psi (it says so right on the label!) but it keeps leaking at a pressure half that. So my next trip to Lowes or Home Depot I'll get the good ol' copper tubing & fittings, and hopefully that will be a more permanent fix.

But I'll still leave the water leak alarm in place.

 

[MRG]

Woke up to fresh snow about another 6" or so. I received the auger belt for my snowblower last night and finished the installation this morning. It worked for about a foot when the auger locked up again. I don't think it's the belt but the 90° drive. I was just reading the local weather we've had about 3' of snow in a week.

Had to take the dogs to the groomers and stopped at a hardware store asking about snowblower availability. "Oh, call me on Wednesday, and I can let you know if something comes in." I mentioned that today was Wednesday to learn the Wednesday truck came in Monday and won't be back until next week. What day? I don't know.

I stopped by Ace, and they said they had a bunch on order that would be in on Friday. I paid for the biggest one they had and it should be delivered to me on Friday afternoon.

Meanwhile, when I left this morning, the garage door wasn't cooperative at all. I got hold of garage door people who are trying to get it working again. I hear drilling in the garage. Who knows what this adventure will cost? Well, they're quoting 700 to rebuild the door, springs, etc.. I've worked with them before and they have a good reputation, 700 it is.

 

[Walt34]

Woke up to fresh snow about another 6" or so. I received the auger belt for my snowblower last night and finished the installation this morning. It worked for about a foot when the auger locked up again. I don't think it's the belt but the 90° drive.

Since you've already bought another snowblower this may be academic but that sure sounds like a worn bearing allowing the pulleys to get out of alignment. There's a forum for everything and you can post the question and hopefully some photos here:

https://www.snowblowerforum.com/

Then if you can resolve the issue you'll have a spare snowblower. And if you don't want to bother and just want to get rid of it you can probably find a buyer for a broken snowblower there too. That way it'll get fixed and resold to someone who wants it, and keep it out of the landfill too.

 

[MRG]

Since you've already bought another snowblower this may be academic but that sure sounds like a worn bearing allowing the pulleys to get out of alignment. There's a forum for everything and you can post the question and hopefully some photos here:

https://www.snowblowerforum.com/

Then if you can resolve the issue you'll have a spare snowblower. And if you don't want to bother and just want to get rid of it you can probably find a buyer for a broken snowblower there too. That way it'll get fixed and resold to someone who wants it, and keep it out of the landfill too.

Thanks. I had no idea there's a snowblower forum. I'll check it out. I'd like to keep the machine out of the landfill for sure. Starts and runs great, just the blowing that's a problem.

 

[street]

I have done that a few times except for once. You probably did save a few hundred dollars but now that you have the experience if there is a next time it will be even easier.

Cheers!

True!!
I was very careful with each step of the processes, just because I have never done that before. I got a confidence boast with that project. Thank you, YouTube. Lol

 

[NW-Bound]

Last evening, I noticed a little moisture around the toilet base. So, this morning went and got a wax ring and some new t-bolts.

I never have done much plumbing in my time, but the task was very simple and straight forward. In all the years of owning a home I have not once had anything issues with seal leaking. I hope it is fixed and have no further problems.

Around 12$ and I would guess if I had to have a plumber it would have been 3 to 4 hundred bucks.

I recently replaced 2 toilets with new low-flow toilets, and discovered how easy it was.

If I knew, would have done it long ago. The new toilets flush so much better, while using much less water. Who would have thought that something as old as a toilet could still be improved so much?

And I just bought the lower-priced ones at Lowe's. Made me wonder what I miss by not buying the more expensive ones that cost a lot more.

 

[street]

I recently replaced 2 toilets with new low-flow toilets, and discovered how easy it was.

If I knew, would have done it long ago. The new toilets flush so much better, while using much less water. Who would have thought that something as old as a toilet could still be improved so much?

And I just bought the lower-priced ones at Lowe's. Made me wonder what I miss by not buying the more expensive ones that cost a lot more.

I love it!!! Old codgers learning new skills and saving money is a great thing. Lol

 

[street]

Well, after my plumbing job this morning I headed for the ranch for the day. Life is so much easier now with the Snowdog. It was a great move to invest in that machine.

Found a deer shed in the bottom land before I went back in the breaks for the day. I stayed till midafternoon and went to look at my son's property on the other side of the Yellowstone River from mine. There is a lot of snow there and decided to venture back in there some other day and look for moose.

A few pictures from the day.

 

[NW-Bound]

I love it!!! Old codgers learning new skills and saving money is a great thing. Lol

Oh, there are so many things to learn one's entire life, if he just cares to look around.

 

[street]

Oh, there are so many things to learn one's entire life, if he just cares to look around.

Ohhhh, so true. I have tackled so many tasks since ER that I would not have done working because of time. So, fun to learn and be challenged and a feel good of the accomplishments on learn new things.

I think back on a project I did and posted it here at the time. I overhauled an old Maytag gas washing machine engine. When all done run like a new one. The fun to learn how and was great fun and learned a lot!!

 

[REWahoo]

I returned a new iPad to Costco yesterday, a gift DW said she didn't want as she was happy with her old one even though the battery dies after 4 hours of use.

Anyway, the CS rep said she needed to get a supervisor to verify the serial # on the iPad was the same as the number on the box and invoice. Turns out the supervisor wasn't much younger than me, and when he arrived he said "Thank goodness! You wouldn't believe how many times I have to get someone up here to help me remove a HUGE TV from a box to do this!"

He didn't bother to check the numbers, just asked the CS rep if she had, and when she said yes, signed off on the return.

 

[braumeister]

the CS rep said she needed to get a supervisor to verify the serial # on the iPad was the same as the number on the box and invoice.

Seems to be the standard culture at Costco -- not trusting their people very much. I've often read that the receipt check when you leave has nothing to do with the customer, only a check on the cashier's honesty. I hate to think it's true, but seems like it may well be.

 

[REWahoo]

Seems to be the standard culture at Costco -- not trusting their people very much. I've often read that the receipt check when you leave has nothing to do with the customer, only a check on the cashier's honesty. I hate to think it's true, but seems like it may well be.

Could be, however it appears to me they pay considerably more attention to the self-checkout receipts when you leave than to cashier receipts.

 

[Sue J]

I returned a new iPad to Costco yesterday, a gift DW said she didn't want as she was happy with her old one even though the battery dies after 4 hours of use.

Anyway, the CS rep said she needed to get a supervisor to verify the serial # on the iPad was the same as the number on the box and invoice. Turns out the supervisor wasn't much younger than me, and when he arrived he said "Thank goodness! You wouldn't believe how many times I have to get someone up here to help me remove a HUGE TV from a box to do this!"

He didn't bother to check the numbers, just asked the CS rep if she had, and when she said yes, signed off on the return.

I had that same issue with my iPad mini. I looked into replacing the battery at Best Buy but I ended up getting a new iPad mini 6. Apple gave me $95 for the trade in.

 

[Walt34]

I played around with a couple of GPS receivers that plug into a compatible R/C airplane receiver. They're about the size of a postage stamp. These were backordered for a couple of months and just arrived. They are eerily accurate - not only will it pinpoint the house we're in, but which room! Viewed from above of course. And this is just hobby-grade stuff, I guess the serious gear gets it down to millimeters.

In use, it will give your groundspeed (different from airspeed of course) distance from where it was plugged in and acquired satellites and an altitude, which is an approximation. That's okay because I have a barometer type altimeter for that information. And if the battery in the airplane becomes disconnected as might happen during an "unscheduled landing" the handheld radio retains the last reported position.

R/C hobby radio gear never ceases to amaze me with what is available that used to be either high-end military stuff or simply nonexistent at any price. Starting to show my age I guess.

 

[MC Rider]

We paid $200 top reset a toilet with a new wax ring not long ago.


Today I bought 5 bags of pellets for the pellet stove to make sure we can stay warm until the HVAC guy comes tomorrow to fix our furnace which has been acting up.


Then reset the water heater which shut who knows why. Hopefully it will now just do it's job.

 

[MichaelB]

Could be, however it appears to me they pay considerably more attention to the self-checkout receipts when you leave than to cashier receipts.

The Costco we use in the Chicago area does the receipt review for self-checkout right at the self-checkout lane.

 

[Gumby]

The young wife and I went to the animal shelter and came home with two new cats. We'd been without feline companionship since early October, and the house just didn't feel right that way.

 

[Calico]

The young wife and I went to the animal shelter and came home with two new cats. We'd been without feline companionship since early October, and the house just didn't feel right that way.

Wonderful! Those are two lucky cats.

 

[Badger]

The young wife and I went to the animal shelter and came home with two new cats. We'd been without feline companionship since early October, and the house just didn't feel right that way.

Cheers!

 

[pacergal]

up at 2 something am after hearing "beep beep beep".
Checked, removed and replaced batteries from every fire alarm.
still beeping
Finally realized it was one of the CO detectors! Had a moment of panic, thinking we needed to get outside, until I saw "END" on the readout. Spent time reading the fine print on the back to figure out how/where to push the metal pin in to silence it. Tossed it in the garbage.

They are life saving necessities but jeeze, why does this happen while sleeping?

Off to the store to purchase a new one.

 

[MRG]

I had a plumber come over to plug the gas line on the stove. Monday, an induction is going in. No more problems with me turning the gas on at 2AM. When asked what he wanted for the work, he said, "Nothing, I'll catch you next time."

Ace called and said they're bringing the new snowblower this afternoon. Had a discussion about fuel and had to go get some non-ethenol downtown. It was snowing pretty well. The roads were plowed, but you can not see what's road vs. ditch(see attached, I was stopped). The dog and I just went 20mph all the way. When I pulled in, there were a couple of guys in a pickup pulling a snowmobile trailer, and one was just cutting up big time. I suggested I wanted a day like he was having. "Oh no, buddy, my days sh!t wanna hear?" He had started the pickup next to his FOB and left it behind. When he turned it off to get fuel, no go. I was going back where they came from and offered a ride; before they got my can full somehow, they got it started.

After Ace delivered the new machine, I got the next 4" of fresh snow up and cut the access to the road wider. It is kind of difficult as the ditch is 4 feet deep on the sides, and the snowbank is well over 6 feet tall. It would be wonderful if I knew where the ditch is as all reference points are gone, and I have no desire to drop into it.

The machine is going to take some time to get used to. It's a powerful beast with some nice features like power steering that saves me from trying to hoss it around. Whoever designed the chute controls is a sadistic sob.

 

[1242Vintage]

Went on a bike ride run out of our local bike shop. Pace was advertised as “social”, meaning something in the 17-19 mph range. As expected that social pace ramped up into the low 20 mph range after everyone got warmed up. I hung on for a long time, but got dropped on a climb. Enjoyed my solo slower pace ride back to the shop. Total was 40 miles in a little under 2 hrs.

Hit the gym after for intervals on the eliptical and time in the jacuzzi.

No bike races this weekend, but have a doubleheader next weekend, racing both Saturday and Sunday.

 

[MC Rider]

Took a ride up Kern River Hwy aka Mtn 99 to admire the scenery.
And think I need an OHV, fishing gear, hiking stuff. There is a lot to do outdoors here.