The Patio

Sort by newest Sort by date
While walking to the mailbox just now I picked up an earbug. I have been told the best way to get rid of one is pass it on. Enjoy.
<br>
PO
 
After a week or so of cold (relative to location) and stormy weather I am enjoying my patio this afternoon with temps in the low 70s. Daily chores done. Long term chores…

A relatively productive week for an old retired person. I got the income taxes filed to fed and both states. Kinda screwed up the withholding for 2018, wasn’t paying attention to changes in standard deductions so will get back over $3k. Oh well, would have just spent it anyway.

One other project I got back to was the desktop PC which died about 3 months ago. This is geekie so stop reading if you don’t want geekie. Standard troubleshooting-no output from power supply-remove load(s) from power supply since it has internal protection from overloads. Removed all devices except mounted hard drive and motherboard. PC starts and boots. Win XP? I know I upgraded to Win7. Hmmm. Loose 1TB HDD must have been upgrade. I never mounted it in the case maybe? So XP boots and goes to it’s master, Microsoft, and to my surprise starts installing 26 updates. I thought XP went EOL back in 2014. Like cousin Eddie’s dog Snots “best to let him finish”, so I did. Then plugged in the loose HDD and started the computer. (always of course shutting down before removing or adding load). Booted up to Win XP again and showed loose drive as third slave. All newer files on third slave drive. Shut down and unplugged mounted drive. PC booted up to Win 7 and started looking for updates. Updates completed, took a couple of hours and no forced upgrade to Win 10. Reconnected mounted drive and it boots to Win XP so now I get to convince it which drive is the go to. Vacuum out case and put it back together.

Getting chilly out here (60s) so time to go inside and watch SO watch the Oscars.

PO
 
Been a while since anyone came to the patio. Y’all all are welcome here anytime, it’s our patio not mine.

Friday afternoon (according to phone and computer, how else would I know?) and can’t get to the free notaries until next week to fix the TSP withdrawal SNAFU so sharing some random thoughts.

Smoke/fire/CO detectors started beeping last weekend (in the wee hours of the morning of course) and I thought they needed batteries. We don’t do DST here so perhaps I thought I never needed to replace the batteries? WRONG! They are 7 years old so expired. Yes they do expire, especially CO detectors. The new ones I ordered will have 10 year batteries and may or may not fit the current mounting and connectors. If not, like 7 years ago, I still know how to shut off breakers and twist wire nuts. Iffy part is being on a ladder for some of them. I could call the local FD for help but will wait until they expire again and I am 77yo. I replaced all the batteries before I realized the detectors were last replaced in 2012. Time flies. Being the curmudgeon that I am, I took the new batteries out before disposing of them. Much to SO’s amusement I taped the top of the 9V batteries before putting them in the battery storage area. A few years ago a fellow tech at work found a 9V battery in his tool box had shorted out on something and caught fire. Fortunately it was in the metal tool box and just made a mess. Looking on line I found 9V batteries when shorted can cause fires. It is much easier to short them as the terminals are close together on the same end. LOL, all that safety at work is still in my head.

Old HP 952C inkjet stopped working, might have needed a new black cartridge but new inkjet printers are cheaper than the cartridge. Bought a Brother at SWMBO’s suggestion.

I hear the term “alpo retirement” used a lot here and in other places. Here usually “if you keep it all in G after you retire you will have “alpo retirement”. I always wanted to check it out so did today but not in depth. Just trying to get some ballpark figures.

Alpo Prime Cuts with gravy is about $.75 per can or about $.06 per ounce on line. I didn’t look for Alpo bargains. Other stuff is even cheaper, approaching $.04 per ounce. You can get canned ravioli or spaghetti and meatballs for $.06 per ounce. Bargain of the day I found is 12 19.75 oz cans of pork and beans for $12. That is about $.05 per ounce.

I didn’t look very long so some store brands are likely cheaper. A treat could be corned beef hash for about $.10 per ounce.

You can live off canned food, I did it for 6 months while living at Lakehurst NAS while my SO was selling the house in OH. Plus I could walk out of the building and see where the Hindenburg crashed. Downside is the sodium content but sometimes you find the “sodium free” stuff on sale cause nobody buys it.

For a real treat you can find real meat for $.06 per ounce and up. Add in the cost of electric or gas to cook it (unless living in a place that is provided like I was) and maybe a can of veggies and you are up to $.13 or more per ounce. But that would be a treat. A can of sliced beets makes a great meal not even heated.

So, Alpo diet retirement be damned. I could do it as cheap or for the same cost. And supposedly human rated. Why aren’t dog foods rated to the same standard?

It is now about 93F on my patio since it has been in the shade for several hours, down from 100 whatever. It is the summer solstice after all. Seems like just a few months ago it was the spring equinox.

Everyone have a wonderful weekend.

PO
 
Nice evening on my patio. Only 103F today and now down to 90.


I got all the smoke/CO detectors replaced and after a few disgruntled individual detectors now have them all talking to one another and displaying green. If I can believe the manuals, all is good until 2029. By that time I won't be able to hear them. Prices have gone up but $200 to meet code and possibly save lives is worth that.


After waiting about 30 minutes to see who might chirp, I put the ladder away. In time to watch the debate.

Wow, a lot of candidates between last night and tonight. Many media sources have declared Sen Harris the winner tonight. Some in the house disagree but I tried to explain that she is the ideal dem candidate, has at least three cards to play, Jamacian, Indian (dot not feather) and female. A history of political offices in San Francisco and ties to USC Berkley through her parents.


I hope I am not getting too political.


I do miss the politics thread from days past. Tom? I can answer for Tom I think. NO ****ING WAY.


Enjoy your Thursday evening and don't forget to stay abreast of the upcoming election. Who knows, Weld coud win the Republican nomination.


PO
 
It was a nice afternoon on my patio. About 116F but a nice break from inside where SO likes it cool or as a former coworker put it “you could hang meat in my house and it wouldn’t spoil”.

Then SO announces she needs to go to an urgent care facility as she has conjunctivitis. So off we go. Only Takes abut 45 minutes and of course there is a prescription to pick up. Pharmacy gets it via interweb but has it earmarked for 5PM pickup. It is 3PM. Nice pharmacy people “put it on top of the que” and I am out of there in about 20 minutes.

I get home (didn’t take SO to pharmacy after discussion as that would mean leaving car idling for AC) Yeah I am cheap. SO states lights are out in den/office room. Two are out. They are Phillips LED bulbs, guaranteed to last ten years. I did not date them as I have been doing with CFL and LED bulbs in the past. My bad but I guarantee they haven’t been there ten years.

If anyone has attempted to make a warranty claim for either CFL or LED bulbs, if you get a reply from the manufacturer at all they will claim you put them in the wrong type of fixture or had them on too long. No customer satisfaction available but think of how you have helped save the earth.

It’s about 88F here now but it is a dry heat. AC is still running.

Conjunctivitis of course brought up questions about SO being in the pool. Not for about five years. Me not so far this year. So, I went in the pool. We are paying someone to service the pool but that was supposed to stop when I retired. Then didn’t because I was supposed to be away during August and September for SO’s surgery. The pool service people spend about five minutes here, for about $21. Got to stop that.

Pool was not as warm as I thought it would be. It’s early in the year and only been over 100F for about a month.

I complained elsewhere about SS Administration and its letter but overall retirement is going well. Tomorrow is Tuesday? Why would I care. Not trash or recyclable day. No appointments.

Gotta get at the garage. What to do with a perfectly good surround sound system or a microwave oven that is only 30 years old?
PO
 
A little misleading on the LED bulbs. They say will last 10 years but only if used 3-4 hours a day. Yeah, like that is going to happen.
 
I have been getting calls about twice a month about an antivirus provider who went out of business and to press 2 to get my money back. Today it was every 15 minutes for about two hours. So we called the number back and got a voice mail for Sherie Roll which is full and does not accept messages. On the next call, pressing two takes you to another robo who wants your bank account number so they can deposit your refund. I only went there due to frustration. No info shared. Caller ID number is 415-225-4718. It never changes which makes me wonder if they are just stupid or maybe legitimate. Seriously doubt legitimacy.
A long ago established Century Link (probably was QWEST or US West when we started) land line on copper cable is getting these calls. I remembered all the features advertised and went to the Century Link web site. I followed the directions for blocking calls and got a recording stating the number could not be blocked. Being stubborn at that point I clicked the chat choice on line. I spent almost two hours chatting with different “technicians”. Most of them kept asking what kind of cell phone it was and was it a droid or apple. I kept explaining it was a land line from copper cable. The first three stated that if it was a solicitor or robo call I could not block it. Bottom line with each “technician” (first one said she was a customer service rep) I spoke to they said the land line techs wouldn’t be available until 0800 Monday but they would be happy to activate No Solicitation Service and Security Screen Feature. Security screen only applies to cell phones. No solicitation service costs $12.23 per month and is not guaranteed to work. Holy batbeans frijoleman, WTF?

Long, long ago I recorded the standard AT&T out of service tone and made a greeting starting with that, substituting the standard “no one is available…” for “the number you have reached is no longer in service…” It seemed to work. Now of course I have no recorders to make a new one. (the answering device and computers I recorded that on are long gone). So I try to find win 10 sound recording or voice recording. Nothing. I look on line. The instructions do not work. My win 10 laptop will allow me to make calls so the microphone is there, somewhere. Frustrating. Possibly I need to try to resurrect one of the old win 98, XP or 7 machines I should have trashed long ago. I know this laptop has a microphone as it works for calling. Time to go to bed and think about it tomorrow after deleting the robocalls I will get overnight.

I will go to bed now, get up when I do and sit in my recliner until told otherwise. Maybe go for a walk around the neighborhood and see what I see about a neighbor’s first responder fire fighter flag disappearing. Unless of course I am told about an appointment I didn’t know about or a grocery order needing to be picked up. Retired life is pretty good but not without taskings.

Enjoy your weekend.
PO
 
An add for an old van caught my eye recently. It probably needed a lot of work but it did have a lot of security cage and bars as well as some good storage shelves. Then I noticed the contact was Jezebel Bimbo. I wouldn't call that number even on a bet. :smile:
 
Update on the robocalls. I went to the do not call registry to make sure I was still on their list. There was a choice to report robocalls. I did it for the number I posted before and the calls stopped. For about a week. Then they started coming in under a new, local appearing number. Then they started being identified as an out of area number (area code 169, 127, 714 and one identified as Guam area code 671). Ignoring them for now as I have other priorities but will register them with do not call.

Is anyone else getting these calls or am I just lucky. The robo claims I am owed money from an antivirus company.

I administered a private telephone system for many years and know I could instruct equipment to send whatever caller ID I wished. I came to know that equipment to spoof caller ID became much cheaper in recent years.

Just part of life.

PO
 
Re: Swimming pools

Swimming pools has been a subject in the past but I am too lazy to search for it.

Nnuut may be the resident go to person since the long ago poolman days.

My pool service guy has informed me my 21 year old sand filter is leaking at a bulkhead connector, around the top where the gauge/bleeder valve is and also maybe at one of the welded seams. It’s not leaking at any seams right now or anywhere else so I need to scrub it off and watch it. I do have some other priorities in the next few months so won’t be able to do that. Bulkhead is relatively easy to fix if there is not too much corrosion, seam not so much. Pool person admitted it is no longer leaking.

The sand was never replaced as pool companies around here said they don’t do that. I was always too busy or lazy to attempt it.

Bottom line is the filter probably does need to be replaced. Unless I fill this never-ending money pit in and pretend it never existed. Wait, can’t do that, every few years relatives or kids or grandkids visit and the pool gets lots of use. Even if it is December. Grampa must have a pool, he lives in Arizona.

The pool company suggests a 4-cartridge filter. Claims you hose them off every 6 months and they last for about 5 years. Replacement cost is about $400 for new filters. No backwash needed. There is actually no value added here, just supposed convenience. Theoretically no leaks either. Installation and purchase costs yet to be discussed.

The cleaning system is popups with the octopus valve. Lifetime guarantee on that that so far Polaris has honored. They bought the original company. Century Pools of AZ I think. Century 99 system. Pool people claim it is the oldest system they service. I have replaced a lot of pop ups and rebuilt the valve many times.

Thoughts invited. Pool company suggests I just change the filter. Thoughts also solicited on getting a salt system. Some TSPTalk members swear by them. I just continue to dump acid and put tablets in the floater.

Have a great week and I hope the market turns around for those of you invested.

PO
 
Re: Swimming pools

PessOptimist said:
Swimming pools has been a subject in the past but I am too lazy to search for it.

Nnuut may be the resident go to person since the long ago poolman days.

My pool service guy has informed me my 21 year old sand filter is leaking at a bulkhead connector, around the top where the gauge/bleeder valve is and also maybe at one of the welded seams. It’s not leaking at any seams right now or anywhere else so I need to scrub it off and watch it. I do have some other priorities in the next few months so won’t be able to do that. Bulkhead is relatively easy to fix if there is not too much corrosion, seam not so much. Pool person admitted it is no longer leaking.

The sand was never replaced as pool companies around here said they don’t do that. I was always too busy or lazy to attempt it.

Bottom line is the filter probably does need to be replaced. Unless I fill this never-ending money pit in and pretend it never existed. Wait, can’t do that, every few years relatives or kids or grandkids visit and the pool gets lots of use. Even if it is December. Grampa must have a pool, he lives in Arizona.

The pool company suggests a 4-cartridge filter. Claims you hose them off every 6 months and they last for about 5 years. Replacement cost is about $400 for new filters. No backwash needed. There is actually no value added here, just supposed convenience. Theoretically no leaks either. Installation and purchase costs yet to be discussed.

The cleaning system is popups with the octopus valve. Lifetime guarantee on that that so far Polaris has honored. They bought the original company. Century Pools of AZ I think. Century 99 system. Pool people claim it is the oldest system they service. I have replaced a lot of pop ups and rebuilt the valve many times.

Thoughts invited. Pool company suggests I just change the filter. Thoughts also solicited on getting a salt system. Some TSPTalk members swear by them. I just continue to dump acid and put tablets in the floater.

Have a great week and I hope the market turns around for those of you invested.

PO
Click to expand...
PO If your filter is made of steel and rusts it must be an old one? I use a sand filter, it works well and you don't have to open it up and clean the Stinky Scum off of the EXPENSIVE filters. I changed the sand twice in 18 years, works for me, sand is cheap. I recommend Salt Water Pool Sanitizers, they are much better, Cheaper and almost run themselves, NO trip to get Gallons of Chlorine and all of the other crap they want you to buy. The unit that generates the Chlorine is expensive and you end up paying about $500 ever 6 years to replace the Cell that generates the Chlorine BUT it is much easier to use and I think it's more expensive to go to the Pool Place and buy Chlorine and Stabilizer etc. every week. Salt is cheap, buy it at Wallymart! I test the water about every 2 weeks, no I don't take it to the Pool ripoff place, I test it using Pool test strips it will tell you Chlorine,, total chlorine, Alkalinity, PH and all that other stuff. If my PH gets low I add Baking Soda If it's high add acid! If you have a liner pool without any tile, cement, with PVC piping, PVC Filter you don't have to add Calcium because plastic [PVC] doesn't have Calcium to prevent it from destroying the concrete, in MY OPINION!! Any questions?
 
Last edited:
Sitting on my patio, still a relatively comfortable 67° at 9PM. A song has been going through my head all day and it made me wonder how cultured I’m not. Song is 1812 Overture. Must have heard it on a TV ad. Culture questions-I knew the name, not the composer, words about cereal shot from guns were running in my head along with the final scenes from Caddy Shack. Where do I stand as a cultured individual?

Been paying bills on line today. Been doing that since the extended trip to CA for wife’s operation. Saves on postage and blank checks. Usually painless and straightforward. This month for some reason credit card accounts have been changing the amount to the minimum payment or in one case a couple hundred less than the statement amount which I did select. Just me or are they trying to get some interest payments out of me?

One other thought to share, we have a planned trip to mouse-mega-bucks land in Anaheim for late April with grand kids. (we invited parents too) Not trying to be paranoid but watching COVID-19 progress and may postpone or cancel that. Prudence. Dear Prudence.

Happy Saturday night everyone.

PO
 
PessOptimist said:
Sitting on my patio, still a relatively comfortable 67° at 9PM. A song has been going through my head all day and it made me wonder how cultured I’m not. Song is 1812 Overture. Must have heard it on a TV ad. Culture questions-I knew the name, not the composer, words about cereal shot from guns were running in my head along with the final scenes from Caddy Shack. Where do I stand as a cultured individual?

Been paying bills on line today. Been doing that since the extended trip to CA for wife’s operation. Saves on postage and blank checks. Usually painless and straightforward. This month for some reason credit card accounts have been changing the amount to the minimum payment or in one case a couple hundred less than the statement amount which I did select. Just me or are they trying to get some interest payments out of me?

One other thought to share, we have a planned trip to mouse-mega-bucks land in Anaheim for late April with grand kids. (we invited parents too) Not trying to be paranoid but watching COVID-19 progress and may postpone or cancel that. Prudence. Dear Prudence.

Happy Saturday night everyone.

PO
Click to expand...

Flying to San Francisco near the end of the month for a two week cruise up and down the west coast. COVID-19 has us a little edgy.
 
The wife and I are reconsidering our trip to Charleston and Savannah. The much needed escape from an abusive manager at work is most likely going to be the deciding factor.

PessOptimist said:
Sitting on my patio, still a relatively comfortable 67° at 9PM. A song has been going through my head all day and it made me wonder how cultured I’m not. Song is 1812 Overture. Must have heard it on a TV ad. Culture questions-I knew the name, not the composer, words about cereal shot from guns were running in my head along with the final scenes from Caddy Shack. Where do I stand as a cultured individual?

Been paying bills on line today. Been doing that since the extended trip to CA for wife’s operation. Saves on postage and blank checks. Usually painless and straightforward. This month for some reason credit card accounts have been changing the amount to the minimum payment or in one case a couple hundred less than the statement amount which I did select. Just me or are they trying to get some interest payments out of me?

One other thought to share, we have a planned trip to mouse-mega-bucks land in Anaheim for late April with grand kids. (we invited parents too) Not trying to be paranoid but watching COVID-19 progress and may postpone or cancel that. Prudence. Dear Prudence.

Happy Saturday night everyone.

PO
Click to expand...
 
Sitting on the patio thinking about moving inside as it is now below 70F and I feel the cold so much in my dotage.

Reading other social media which maybe I shouldn’t, I have seen something that I predicted but still amazes me.

Some of you may live in communities that have home owners associations (HOA). These are supposed to keep people from having junk cars in the yard or old refrigerators or other “unsightly” stuff. Most of them charge a monthly fee and are managed by large companies. They will have hired a local enforcer or two who’s word is the law.

Some of you may also have heard about a movement to display “holiday” lights to cheer us all up and show solidarity in our current situation.

When I first heard of the light idea on a MB I posted it sounded like a good idea but be cautious since the HOAs dictate when lights may be displayed. Maybe it is my fault for posting that but the HOA management companies have jumped right on that cash cow and are fining people $100s per day for displaying “unauthorized lighting”. They apparently have the legal authority to put liens on property. Yeah, we all signed the contract.

The company is a multinational called Vision Community Management LTD. I have had the pleasure of meeting the local enforcer. I’m no fashion expert but he does tend to like dark colored button shirts with epilates. The meeting was about him taking a picture and threatening me with a fine over a neighbor’s vehicle being parked in front of my home. During the meeting I pointed out the vehicle in the photo was currently parked in the neighbor’s driveway. He replied he was just following orders. The warning still stands 6 years later. The management company wrote me that the enforcer was the ultimate authority.

OK, I am rambling. So, the neighborhood decides to show some solidat and display lights. The multinational jumps right on that with fines. The local board backs them up all the way. No lights for the prols. By God that will teach us to have independent thoughts.

How’s everything in your neck of the woods during these times?

PO
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

James48843
Just missed the snow today!
Replies
2
Views
78
nasa1974
nasa1974
RevShark
  • Article Article
RevShark's Traditional Thanksgiving Post 2024
Replies
2
Views
330
nasa1974
nasa1974
tsptalk
  • Article Article
TSP Talk - Stocks pull back and the Fed sounds less dovish
Replies
0
Views
132
tsptalk
tsptalk
tsptalk
  • Article Article
TSP Talk - The seasonal mid-December struggles continue, but...
Replies
0
Views
89
tsptalk
tsptalk
tsptalk
  • Article Article
TSP Talk - Just what the bulls needed - a boring Fed
Replies
0
Views
140
tsptalk
tsptalk
Back
Top