What did you do today? - 2023/2024 version

[Walt34]

Okay, I've gone over to the "Dark Side" in the discussion of electric vs. ICE on OPE (outdoor power equipment). With the "high lift" blade on the Milwaukee battery-electric lawn mower it's just as good as the Toro or Honda's I've used before, but much quieter, lighter, and easier to handle. This matters a lot when you're 74 and have back, knee, cardiac and shoulder issues. I did the front half of the yard today and all went very well with it, no complaints. So now all the OPE we use is electric.

The only tool left with a two-stroke engine is a backpack leaf blower but I haven't used that since we moved here 20 years ago. I think when the developer was clearing this area he had the mindset of "There's a tree. Kill it!" Suffice it to say tree leaves aren't an issue for us.

 

[Sanstar]

Completed wire transfer to pay off mortgage. Bought new house a month ago. Sold last house last week. Made one house payment and now back to mortgage free. Good thing with interest costing us $45 / day.

 

[Surewhitey]

Completed wire transfer to pay off mortgage. Bought new house a month ago. Sold last house last week. Made one house payment and now back to mortgage free. Good thing with interest costing us $45 / day.

$1300/mo savings & a paid for home. That's a great day.

 

[MC Rider]

Yeah, no mortgage is a real good feeling.

I took down the last 2 deck rails and the front steps, plus did small things I already forgot, to get ready for the painters. Today they pressure washed the exterior, tomorrow prep, then paint. Once that is done we build new steps, install new skirting, and build new deck rails. I already need a vacation.

 

[skyking1]

We got that backfill done and I picked up 11 tons of pea gravel and the plate compactor for tomorrow. My foot is much better.

 

[MC Rider]

Good deal on the foot.

So 11 tons is what, maybe 8 cubic yards? Just wondering. We got 6 yards spread out last fall. Plus a couple "Scoops" of larger gravel for the driveway.

 

[skyking1]

~7.5 yards. The truck bed measures 8 yards struck, plus the 6" boards.

 

[MC Rider]

Thanks Skyking1. You have an interesting project going there. Following it.

Ours is much smaller and just fixing stuff that is too old, or just done weird and is now old.
Well, we did build a new steel garage and that is coming in handy and useful.

 

[skyking1]

you bet! We were very close to your new place November 2022. We'll have a carport to start but I'll be itching for a shop.

 

[Out-to-Lunch]

Went on a car club ride through twisty scenic rural backroads, with the top down of course. There were 20+ cars, and I reconnected with folks I hadn't seen in almost 30 years! Met new people too, so great to share a common passion to talk about. Also tried out a new car seat organizer for my radio, phone, cords, power bank and clipboard, for when there is no co-pilot.

Now that I have retired, I hope to enjoy many more fun driving adventures!

Oh yeah, took a huge nap once I got home. No more having to stress out about laundry or getting ready for the Monday morning grind!

No pressure, but are you willing to share what your ride is?

 

[More Cowbell]

No pressure, but are you willing to share what your ride is?

I gotta Miata!

 

[More Cowbell]

Declutter day: Boxed up more books for donation, dropped off old electronics stuff to the free e-waste place and clothes to Goodwill. Every little bit that leaves the house is less stuff to worry about.

 

[1242Vintage]

Just starting the process of finding a 2 bdrm townhouse to buy with my youngest daughter … my hardworking cardiac ICU nurse. Right now she is renting @ $2,750 per month. The gameplan is we go in as equal partners, me with cash for my half and she would take out a loan for her half.

My goal is to put in enough cash to get her net monthly housing cost down to around $2k/month.

Also FYI … she is also on the path to early financial freedom. The kid is 27, no debt and has a healthy nest egg building!!!!

 

[Walt34]

Had a late AM Dr. appointment, then drive to a MD pharmacy to pick up the prescription (I live in WV). The prescribing doc is licensed in MD so WV pharmacies cannot accept the prescription for a controlled drug. On the way back home I stopped at McDonald's and indulged in my Monthly Day Of Dietary Decadence and got a double quarter pounder with cheese and large fries. The fries were free because I used points on the phone app so I only spent $8.00 & change.

After a short nap (all that grease y'know) then did some yard work with reseeding grass that DW wanted done and she cannot do because her back issues are worse than mine. Yeah, we're a pair. Anyway we got that done with her mostly supervising. This was made necessary after the neighbor next door had to have the water line from the street to the house redone, and it ran pretty close to the property line. Not the plumber's fault that he had to dig where he did, that's just where their water line is.

 

[Gumby]

I mowed the church lawn this morning. Then I mowed the neighbor's lawn this afternoon (he's away on vacation). I didn't have the oomph remaining to do my own, so that's a chore for the next dry day.

 

[skyking1]

We got the last big pipe in today, and the GC asked us to backfill that area all the way up to a level for the electricians to keep going. We did that T & M.

 

[jollystomper]

Yesterday I spent a looong 15 hours onsite as an election judge at a early voting site for the upcoming state primary. It did not help that, I was never notified about the assignment until Monday evening the day before. A month ago they asked for judges who could be available but assignments were not guaranteed. I told them I could do this week either Tuesday or Wednesday, not both. Naturally, they scheduled me for both days... bureaucracy . At least, as a returning judge, my stipend gets bumped.

I was more boredom than anything, on average we had about 17 voters/hour, so there were times of activity then long stretches of nothing. I least I re-familiarized itself the the procedure.

I declined the Wednesday assignment. Doing 15 hours 2 days in a row is a lot, and golf and other activities call ?. But I will be on duty for the primary next week.

 

[street]

Been raining for three days so been working on many things around home. I did get a couple of turkeys over the last few days. Today I went paddle fishing and snagged a 43 pounder. It was a cold, wet and windy day at the office but I ended up hooking one.

 

[MichaelB]

Picked our first batch of mangos yesterday. Last year we trimmed some branches and neighboring tree branches and the difference is amazing, We have an abundance of magos that are beautiful and easier to reach!

 

[skyking1]

I saw the doctor about starting with Allupurinol for the gout. He concurred and also ordered a 3V foot x-ray for good measure. We are on the way to costco and also get some English cucumbers for the earth boxes.

 

[RetiredAndLovingIt]

After 2 years of my fridge door jumping and making a cracking noise every time it opened and closed I finally fixed it today. Cost me $5 for the closing cam from Amazon and about a half hour to replace and no more noise. My daughter's fridge does the same thing so I need to order the part for her model as well. As a female I'm feeling very powerful today and trying to figure out my next repair. I think replacing the leaky bathroom faucets is my next challenge, replacing the cartridge did not solve the problem.

 

[street]

Picked our first batch of mangos yesterday. Last year we trimmed some branches and neighboring tree branches and the difference is amazing, We have an abundance of magos that are beautiful and easier to reach!

WOW!

 

[street]

Took it easy today a long bike ride and will be going to GD Spring Concert tonight. She is a fiddle player so I'm her hits fan.
Found an old carving I brought in from the shed. I carved it 24 years ago and might give it to a long-time old friend that lives about an hour away. I remember the piece of wood I found down fishing that day on the Yellowstone River. The one picture is on the back of it and was hollowed from a wildfire burn. It needs some oil and cleaned up some.

 

[aja8888]

Been raining for three days so been working on many things around home. I did get a couple of turkeys over the last few days. Today I went paddle fishing and snagged a 43 pounder. It was a cold, wet and windy day at the office but I ended up hooking one.

What did you catch in Montana that weighed 43 pounds?

 

[MC Rider]

Nice carving, Street. Very cool.

I continued "supervising" the painter doing the outside of our house. He has an airless spray rig that sucks paint from a 5 gallon bucket and makes fast work of things. Well, relatively fast. Job will probably be done tomorrow, on day 5, by one guy. I am glad to not be doing it myself even though it is expensive. BTD territory I suppose.