What did you do today? - 2023/2024 version

[Teacher Terry]

Struggled with getting logged into the Medicare web site. Had to call twice to get my password issues fixed. Grrrrr!


Then paid my first part B premium online and tried to sort out what plan is for me. Confusing. Or at least complex.



Insurance broker suggests a plan C. It seems if I go OG Medicare plus plan D and medigap, it will cost a lot more in premiums. I am healthy now but don't want to worry about falling into a slow approval trap with roadblocks if that changes. Hmm......


Not a fun day.

The broker gets a good commission if he can sell you an advantage plan. I would read the many threads about why this is a bad idea.

 

[pacergal]

Not doing much today due to weather, 16 degrees, windy and icy pellets falling with an occasional snow flake.

 

[O2Bfree]

Taking photos of some of the rings my mom left so I can image-search them online. They're all 14k gold, but I'm not sure what the various colored stones are. None are marked with DQ or CZ, so they're likely not man-made. I might take a few to the gemological lab on the east side to have them analyzed. They charge $100 per item, but it might be worth it to know what I have.

 

[aja8888]

1. Walked the dog at 6:00 AM. Fed dog.
2. Went to meet the ROMEO group for coffee/breakfast @ 7:00 AM.
3. Chev dealer appointment to have tires rotated (free) and run a diagnostic report on my Bolt EUV @ 10:00 AM.
4. Came home, walked the dog again @ 11:30 AM.
5. Going to watch the Texans/Cleveland game at 3:30 PM with some ROMEO friends.
6. Feed dog at 6:00 PM or thereabouts.
7. Meet DD/DSIL for mexican food @ 7:30 PM.
8. Final walk of the dog @ 9:00 PM.
9. Watch the remainder of the KC/Dolphin game.
10. Bedtime.

 

[Gumby]

Bought and installed a new battery for my Subaru Outback. The old one was starting to get tired on a cold morning after sitting for a day or two, and it was six years old, so I thought it was time for a change, before I got stuck somewhere at the most inconvenient time. It was in the high 50s and sunny today, so I did everything out in the driveway instead of pulling in to the garage.

 

[street]

Stayed home wind chill is -50's below. It is sunny beautiful day if not for the cold.

 

[Ronstar]

^^ That's cold!!

6 am trip to Menards for sandpaper and screws, plowed the driveway, sawed up branches that fell on the driveway overnight, and some woodworking, filled bird feeder to help birds survive cold snap.

 

[athena53]

Well, despite the fact that I'm less than 6 miles from the stadium I am NOT at a Chiefs game tailgate party.

Volunteer commitments are filling my calendar right now, especially being on the Search Committee for a new Bishop. I'm on a subcommittee that has some hard deadlines in mid-February so plenty of Zoom meetings and lots to do in between. It's a mixed blessing- I go out only when necessary so it's good to have honest, necessary work to do while I'm being a homebody. Even our church services are on-line only tomorrow.

I went out and filled the bird feeders- just opened a new 15-lb. bag in the last week and I'll need more soon. Even on the enclosed porch it was COLD. Glad to be back inside.

 

[MC Rider]

Stayed home wind chill is -50's below. It is sunny beautiful day if not for the cold.

You must be tearing through the heating fuel at a rapid clip. Stay warm.

 

[timbervest]

Spent a beautiful sunny day in SoCal refereeing AYSO All Stars (14yo). Great exercise, fun to be with kids and families and I love soccer. Tomorrow DW and I are spending the day with DD/DS and their SOs -- local museum outing and brunch.

 

[Sunset]

Taking photos of some of the rings my mom left so I can image-search them online. They're all 14k gold, but I'm not sure what the various colored stones are. None are marked with DQ or CZ, so they're likely not man-made. I might take a few to the gemological lab on the east side to have them analyzed. They charge $100 per item, but it might be worth it to know what I have.

What is your plan for them ?

Depending upon your plans, I would think a jeweler could tell you what the stones are pretty easily.

 

[athena53]

What is your plan for them ?

Depending upon your plans, I would think a jeweler could tell you what the stones are pretty easily.

Yeah, $100/item seems pretty steep. Having said that, some stones do look alike- pink tourmaline and some imperial topaz stones (imperial topaz colors vary from brown to pink), various shades of quartz vs. other colored stones such as aquamarine, etc. A reddish stone might be garnet or it might be ruby- rubies, of course, are worth more. OTOH, if it's purple it's likely amethyst- pretty but not particularly pricey. I'd start with a jeweler, who may be able to at least tell you which may contain more expensive stones, making it worthwhile to get a gemological analysis or an appraisal.

A favorite topic of mine- can you tell?

 

[Time2]

I've had one for 20 years and it gets regular use on the Canadian prairies, and it's still in good condition.

I'm sorry, from sunny Florida.
Although we have a hard freeze coming on Wednesday morning, putting tarps over the greenhouse today. My yearly pia for the one or two cold days of the year.

 

[MichaelB]

Went to the funeral of a very fond relative in the Ohio Valley. It was good to see family. I go back every 4-5 years.

Another reminder of just how fortunate I’ve been. That area has been in terminal decline for decades and shows no indication this will change.

 

[Badger]

Yeah, $100/item seems pretty steep. Having said that, some stones do look alike- pink tourmaline and some imperial topaz stones (imperial topaz colors vary from brown to pink), various shades of quartz vs. other colored stones such as aquamarine, etc. A reddish stone might be garnet or it might be ruby- rubies, of course, are worth more. OTOH, if it's purple it's likely amethyst- pretty but not particularly pricey. I'd start with a jeweler, who may be able to at least tell you which may contain more expensive stones, making it worthwhile to get a gemological analysis or an appraisal.

A favorite topic of mine- can you tell?

I wish my friend had an outlet for the $300k+ of a variety of gemstones that were left in his father's estate. He has been selling them for less than 50cents on the dollar for the past couple of years. At $1k to $10k on that price or less it might take him 10 years to sell them all. He is ready to be done with it.

 

[1242Vintage]

Hanging out in San Jose, Costa Rica this weekend. Went to the Jade Museum today … wow! … and had a nice lunch downtown.

Jumping on a small plane tomorrow early to Tamarindo for a week of beach chill time.

 

[skyking1]

DW and I ran to get her allergy shot and some special food for Cricket dog.
On the way home she felt something, and then the tire warning light came on. I checked it and we ran for home, and it was really flat when we got here.
It had a big hole and leak, and then I see that it is also protruding through the sidewall!
it looks like a steel wheel weight, and we picked it up right in front of Les Schwab and Firestone

Luckily my tire shop has a used one for me to check out tomorrow.
That tire is DED, Jim.

 

[Walt34]

Went out this morning to three to four inches of snow and played with the snow blower, doing my driveway/sidewalk and two of the neighbors who also have cardiac issues. Last year I put heated handgrips on the snow blower but never got to use them because... no snow. Found out they get so hot that I have to cycle turning them off and on because there's no thermostat on them. And this through thick leather gloves. I suspect these handgrips were designed for areas where temperatures get far colder than we'll ever see. I don't know offhand what the record cold is here, but in 21 years the coldest we've seen is -5°F and that was only one day. It's rare to see single digits.

 

[pacergal]

Staying at home again today, freezing rain expected later this afternoon and tonight on top of what we have already. Currently 22, high of 31 today, then back to our normal 40's tomorrow (hopefully) to melt all this nasty stuff.
The city is pretty much closed again today, Day 3. We don't do well with snow and ice, trees falling, and power outages. Luckily, we still have power.

 

[1242Vintage]

Sorry all that are living through the freezing cold sub-zero weather this week. I grew up in San Francisco and never saw the thermometer anywhere near zero … and many of you are surviving temps this week way below zero. ��

 

[Gumby]

Not me.

 

[finnski1]

Not me.

Wow. Palm trees in CT!

 

[Gumby]

Islamorada, Florida. We flew down yesterday morning.

 

[REWahoo]

Sent an email today to a lady who worked for me at my old mini-megacorp, congratulating her on her 50th anniversary with the company. I probably should have sent her a sympathy card instead.

 

[More Cowbell]

Rode my bike to outdoor workout this morning. In the afternoon, took my first pickleball lesson (free, indoors). Picked up Syrian takeout for dinner. It was a good day!