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UrbanHunter said:
Today, the wife and some of the girls from Church made sugar cookies, she ran me ragged trying to find the right color sugar(s) for the "season". I went up and had 1 cookie, when the girls finished they took all but 1 plate of cookies, I promptly took that plate to the neighbors (the wife and I are both diabetic and we don't need the temptation). It was good to hear the wife laughing and cutting up.... The girls had never made sugar cookies and the wife loves sharing old time recipes and cooking with them. I think they are planning to "visit" us for Thanksgiving.
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For future reference on the sugar: 1 Tbl sugar and 1-3 drops of food coloring. Mix with back of spoon or fork 😊
Prayers for wife tomorrow.

@Amish Heart Oh my! More prayers that Hubby heals quickly both with vision and with skin.
 
I repotted kale and red cabbage in the greenhouse. The new under counter lights arrived so I installed them to replace the defective string. I was able to double the lights over the sink and I still have two spares.

Ben
 
Hey Urban, he's having both eyes done. But they do them two weeks apart. He did fine. They use a small amt of fentanyl (spelling?), and then a shot near the corner of the eye, then some numbing drops, then hold the eye open like Clockwork Orange. He had to wear 3 ltrs of O2, because he can't breathe and lay flat. We were there 3 hrs from start to finish. So tomorrow early morning we go for a recheck at the eye doc office, and then again on Halloween. Two weeks from today he does all that again with the other eye. I'm glad he had it done, he's been miserable not driving, hardly seeing the tv, hard to read. And all those things are important more than ever because he can't get around very well anymore. They're going to check his arm where they took a chunk out tomorrow.
 
Draining and refilling the transmission on the GF's Acadia again tonight. Draining only gets about 5.5 or 6 quarts out of about 9 or 10 and there is no other way to do this short of removing the transmission and opening it up, or going to a place for a flush which is way expensive and could have negative effects by dislodging dirt and killing the transmission. Anyways, the last drain a flush a few weeks ago made great improvements so hoping this fixes things a bunch. I ordered enough fluid to do this one more time, and the next time I will install an aftermarket transmission cooler to help in our hot desert summers. Here is to hoping.
Chiropractor again yesterday, today and tomorrow. Last night my back and hip hurt a ton and I only got about 2 hours sleep AFTER several ice packs finally killed the pain about 5am. Chiropractor said he should have fixed the problem so hopefully tonight I can get some sleep. My back and neck are/were out of alignment and I need the adjustments but with each fix the surrounding muscles will react to the change in position so these setbacks are expected. Hopefully soon the pain will end, but the pain was there before the adjustments and most days I am better than the before. Again, here's to hoping.
Work? Boss is off hunting again for the week. It is annoying and tough to do 2 person jobs by yourself, and when you are doing something unfamiliar it is annoying to not have someone to ask questions about the problem encountered. Eh, he wont mind but the customers might not like the delay in getting their stuff back. What can I do? I am just the grease monkey, not the know it all.
Oh well, back to the car and transmission. Sweet dreams to all ya'all.
 
INresponse said:
Draining and refilling the transmission on the GF's Acadia again tonight. Draining only gets about 5.5 or 6 quarts out of about 9 or 10 and there is no other way to do this short of removing the transmission and opening it up, or going to a place for a flush which is way expensive and could have negative effects by dislodging dirt and killing the transmission. Anyways, the last drain a flush a few weeks ago made great improvements so hoping this fixes things a bunch. I ordered enough fluid to do this one more time, and the next time I will install an aftermarket transmission cooler to help in our hot desert summers. Here is to hoping.
Chiropractor again yesterday, today and tomorrow. Last night my back and hip hurt a ton and I only got about 2 hours sleep AFTER several ice packs finally killed the pain about 5am. Chiropractor said he should have fixed the problem so hopefully tonight I can get some sleep. My back and neck are/were out of alignment and I need the adjustments but with each fix the surrounding muscles will react to the change in position so these setbacks are expected. Hopefully soon the pain will end, but the pain was there before the adjustments and most days I am better than the before. Again, here's to hoping.
Work? Boss is off hunting again for the week. It is annoying and tough to do 2 person jobs by yourself, and when you are doing something unfamiliar it is annoying to not have someone to ask questions about the problem encountered. Eh, he wont mind but the customers might not like the delay in getting their stuff back. What can I do? I am just the grease monkey, not the know it all.
Oh well, back to the car and transmission. Sweet dreams to all ya'all.
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Always glad to see you around!!
 
Mom had to go to ER for pain, they found a big kidney stone and sent her to big city hospital. There they find she had a heart attack. Did a heart cath today, she did ok and they say the damage is minimal but it's going to be a time of meds and docs and trying to heal ahead for her before they can even address the stone. Hopefully she gets discharged in the next day or two. Healing is hard in your 80s.
Had a freakishly warm day with some sun and 70s after thunderstorms in the wee hours. After seeming weeks of rain and 50s it felt amazing. I was finally able to cut the grass at the old house, and the got three sides of it powerwashed. Looks nice, sure hope it makes someone want to buy it. Wind and rain have moved back in now. Still have to close the pool and do a bunch of other outdoor chores, but they'll have to wait for another break in the weather.
 
LadyLocust said:
For future reference on the sugar: 1 Tbl sugar and 1-3 drops of food coloring. Mix with back of spoon or fork 😊
Prayers for wife tomorrow.

@Amish Heart Oh my! More prayers that Hubby heals quickly both with vision and with skin.
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I looked for liquid food coloring and could not find the stuff anywhere...
I just looked on Amazon and found it at a local store. I think I will pick up some for future use.
 
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It's 4:00 AM. Can't sleep, no idea why. Something is freaking out the neighborhood dogs and ALL my cats and friendly wildlife (Roscoe, Maude and brats raccoons) Hoover and snowball possum are piled up in here with me. Something is out there, something Roscoe is scared of! I just jacked a clip full of the green tip into the AR and laid out the Redhawk, you don't want none big creepy whatever you are! keep going!
 
Nope. Big, ugly might be a coyote or a bigger-than-usual pit bull. It got "Judged" and sent packing. Now if none of the neighbors called the cops, I'm golden! I really need a better tactical light.

When I lit that ugly whatever it was up, it looked like Noah's ark exploded in here!
 
Couldn't sleep here either! Ending up getting chores done early though, so apart from letting a big shovel swing back on my knee, catching the soft part (already damaged) it's all good.
A tiny bit ahead of the game with my assignments also; can't do much more until the essays are handed out, so will catch up on my reading today, as my final thesis will be based on American Literature. Decided to make use of my student discount card and use it to go to the city on Sunday for a short wander. One of my sons is coming also, he'll buy me breakfast ;) I'll mooch around the stores and visit the annual 'Alternative market', which is a gothic-themed market with skulls and cool stuff.
 
Good morning everyone! The critters let me sleep until 4:45 this morning!! 🤔 Waiting on flooding rains today and tonight! Guess we will be ending the horrible drought all at once, flood watch issued through tomorrow morning!! Older guy I would have cleaned for first this morning is sick, not going there. Will go to my next job early (younger couple who both work) and get home before the rain starts! My dead end road floods and I am not taking any chances!! Had Bear out in the back yard just before 5am and heard a tree fall in the woods. May have more go down with the sudden onslot of rain!!
 
I'm enjoying my early day, meeting started early, they are having lunch now, will resume at 08:00 my time.... Today will end up being a 13 hour day, but I will get paid for 9. ;)

Today is our recycling/trash preparation day (gather for taking to the curb), I hope to have it done early so I can hit the sack by 20:00. I would go to bed earlier but I just can't go to sleep before the sun does...
 
Ugh. I don't know how you do it with so little sleep, Urban.
Need to get ready to take husband to his morning doc appt. for his eye and arm recheck. Expecting rainstorms today, but I'll need to do animal chores when we get back, and the countdown started for me to get the tomatoes picked and the greenhouse straightened out. Saturday night will be the first freeze.
 
Did something fun yesterday, went swimming at the big town indoor pool. I swam 20 laps then floated in the heated exercise pool area which is like bathwater warm and watched some divers jump of the boards.

Then went to Aldi and the Asian store to do more shopping. So now we are back to stocked up and I have things to cook with other than goat, lamb and frozen veggies from the garden

Today laundry and cleaning
Weather is still nice
 
Amish Heart said:
Hey Urban, he's having both eyes done. But they do them two weeks apart. He did fine. They use a small amt of fentanyl (spelling?), and then a shot near the corner of the eye, then some numbing drops, then hold the eye open like Clockwork Orange. He had to wear 3 ltrs of O2, because he can't breathe and lay flat. We were there 3 hrs from start to finish. So tomorrow early morning we go for a recheck at the eye doc office, and then again on Halloween. Two weeks from today he does all that again with the other eye. I'm glad he had it done, he's been miserable not driving, hardly seeing the tv, hard to read. And all those things are important more than ever because he can't get around very well anymore. They're going to check his arm where they took a chunk out tomorrow.
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A couple of years ago, I was sent to an ophthalmologist for a blepharoplasty --a procedure where eyelids are incised to shorten them and then sutured, which keeps them from drooping.

One of my friends had mentioned earlier that a guy moving into a very big house being built across the street from me was going to be inhabited by an eye doctor and his family. When I mentioned that to the doctor, my friend was right; Kyle was my new neighbor-to-be. Being a small town where everyone knows their neighbors, our families became friends, pet-sitting and chicken-sitting for each other as needed and helping each other when there are big homestead jobs.

Last year, Kyle did both of my eyes for cataracts; riding home from the first procedure, I was astounded how well I could see. Dawn had had the procedure earlier after she suffered a detached retina, and we agree that a well-done cataract procedure, while not "fun" is one of our favorite operations!
 
Walked early.
Helped DH wrap foil around air hose to deter cat from chewing it. Went through 3 hoses yesterday. Will see if it works.
Going to pick up friend in a few minutes and run around locally to stores for sales.
Have to cut carrots for dog treats.
Will come up with something to do later.
 
I took some trash out, moved some water cases to be easier to reach, moved the canned cat food to be easier to reach, gave Mom the last of my raisin bran crunch cereal. Will need to get more at the store later today.

Unloaded some stuff from the truck and started organizing so I can get my new computer setup-- checked to see if the shelf brackets fit-- although the one I held up to the wall seems to bend outward at the bottom so it will have to be straightened. At least it does fit though.

Since I want to make a lightsaber, I found some pieces to use-- an old tub diverter knob, the drain pusher thingy that makes the drain pop up from an old faucet that is no longer used. It fit in to the knob- although I had to drill out the center of the knob a bit to get it to fit. Other part I will use is an empty caulk tube. Still trying to figure out what else to use for the build, but that is more of a side craft project.

I need to take more trash out later on.

Waiting on a package from Fedex but expecting to get the same "no delivery attempted" run around I've been getting for the past few days.
 
Back from travel! Went to visit the husband’s parents and brother and sis-in-law. Also was an excuse to go to the Texas Renaissance Festival — I’d never been and he hadn’t since before we were married.

Cooked the in-laws dinner one night while we were there, and the biggest compliment on earth is “I thought we were having the leftovers tonight” the next day. Alas, because we had not anticipated brother and sis-in-law coming over for that dinner, I had not planned enough food to do leftovers for six, and I sure was not in the mood to run to the grocery store for the fourth time that trip.

The ren faire was pretty great, very hot, absolutely enormous. Had a good time, might go back next year since it’s the 50th anniversary.

Also got to hit the Houston Japanese garden (small but very pretty) and the natural science museum — that was fun too.

I’m glad to be home now though and settling back into something resembling a normal routine. Way too much eating out. If my mom-in-law lets me (which I think she will, she’s decided she hates cooking), I may do a lot more cooking next trip.
 
Tracked whatever it was I shot in the butt last night to a nearby bit of woods. it wasn't headed toward anyone's house. Whatever it was decided to rub itself on a tree, made a nice mark. I stopped after a few yards for fear I might fall down. I still have no idea what I shot but from what I saw, a Weimaraner and a mop had sex on an Ouija board in a graveyard and that was the result! Just guessing it weighed over a hundred pounds! a 410 out of a 2" barrel isn't going to do much at twenty feet, so whatever it was is still out there. I've never seen the cats, coons, and neighborhood dogs react like last night to anything, and we've had packs of coyotes swing through! 0_o
 
Cabin is mostly packed up. All thatks left is tomorrow stuff before leaving- packing up sheets and towels for coming home, fridge and last minute food. Swung by brother’s this morning for some of that cedar planking that he uses on dock builds and potatoes. Divied up the Lima beans from yesterday’s garden cleanup. He didn’t take that many--I think he plants them for Dad. Filled two of those 25# tomato boxes with potatoes.
 
@jishinsjourney Was it the festival in Humble, TX? What did you think of it? We went to the one in Humble a couple of times. Really enjoyed seeing The Other Brothers act.

I did a test fit of the computer shelf, did some measurements, marked for holes to be drilled in the wall. drilled the holes, and tried to see how the shelf brackets will line up. The board on the wall is a bit warped so I may have to shim at the bottoms, but it's not a big deal. So long as the brackets support the shelf, it should be ok.
I need a nap but my brain is all over the place. too tired to do more cleaning but don't know if I can get rested.
 
zannej said:
@jishinsjourney Was it the festival in Humble, TX? What did you think of it? We went to the one in Humble a couple of times. Really enjoyed seeing The Other Brothers act.

I did a test fit of the computer shelf, did some measurements, marked for holes to be drilled in the wall. drilled the holes, and tried to see how the shelf brackets will line up. The board on the wall is a bit warped so I may have to shim at the bottoms, but it's not a big deal. So long as the brackets support the shelf, it should be ok.
I need a nap but my brain is all over the place. too tired to do more cleaning but don't know if I can get rested.
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I’m not really familiar with the area, but I think so? It’s on Farm to Market 1774. We didn’t see The Other Brothers but did catch the Mud Show. -facepalms- Hilarious but so wrong. :p

Generally had a great time but it was overwhelming — so much going on. I think it’ll be less so the next time we go, since we’ll know a bit more about what to expect. (Husband: “… they’ve paved!” )
 
snappy1 said:
Now he looks like he is heading out on a spacewalk as moves through the house! LOL
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Never thought of doing that when Mom was here!! Her cats thought the oxygen hose was the best toy ever invented!! They would pull it off of her!! One time they chewed one in half and were weirded out about the air coming out of it!!
 
NOOOOOO....

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Not what I wanted to find when starting the work to add a new light for the shower shelf.

Back story

This half of our house was purchased from my great uncle's estate. He was a millwright back in the days of the steel mills. As such gis job was to fix everything in the mills. Electrical plumbing you name it. It was all about making things work. To hell with what is right.

I discovered his approach soon after I purchased this half of the duplex. Gas lines that ran in a loop (?) I would only guess he had the right fittings for a loop but not to do it right. Then there was the Ivory dish soap bottle used to adapt the drain line from kitchen sink to main sewer line.

Two phrases have become standard terms when working on this side of the house.

Uncle-Jim-erisms ( his name was Jim)
"YOUR relatives!" ( standard response from The Princess when I report a new wonder I found)

Back to today

So my plan to add a junction box and install a new light changed to rewiring the circuit correctly. The ceiling light in the basement was an over loaded junction box. Ripped all of that out and added a junction box next to it to support outlets in the Lego Lounge on the first floor and ran a new line ro the switch at the top of the basement stairs.

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Rewired the switch the RIGHT WAY and install that junction box I had planned for today.

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So tomorrow I plan to install that light. ( second verse same as the first)

Final though...

This is the first time I am using WAGO wire connectors.

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Much easier and smaller than wire nuts. I am a fan.


Ben
 
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