We are back at the family cottage for a couple of weeks. Might as well do school and work remote from here. However, I think we are going to burn through our 50G monthly plan in 10 days. Night potty training puppy is the worst part of puppy, especially puppy with a GI infection. Last night was a better night though. rezzeJ has carried bfv's #weeklymusicthread torch across the 400 week mark. Share your love: I am probably going to push a fix (that hopefully fixes) in a bit, so don't save any treasures in chat. Sometimes the internet doesn't give you what you want, but gives you what you need:
You got rid of mute just so you could make us watch this without consequence, didn't you?
Hey 'skis. Tell me what's good. There's plenty of bad news out there. What's making you happy? For me, it's the rain. It is wet and dreary and raining and windy in Seattle today. And it's wonderful. The smoke has cleared. The air smells fresh. The plants are happy. It feels like Seattle again... And, because I'm a Seattleite, I love the rain. So that makes me happy today.
I installed new smoke alarms on all levels of the my house and put a fire extinguisher on each level. I suppose that is doing good, not a laugh riot but it could save my home or a life. I built a school desk for my daughter last week, which she really liked but wanted a little taller. Today I built a 2nd school desk that is a little taller and I suppose I'll give away the first one. I might make a similar desk for myself on which to play Dungeons and Dragons (we play on line now, which I hate but it's better than nothing). I put a few splashes of fish sauce in some chicken noodle soup that I'm making, it was the right choice.
I bought a new bike, and I'm picking it up this afternoon. The weather looks great this weekend, so I should be able to get some nice rides in.
Pedal powered. It's a BMC Roadmachine road bike. It's my first bike with disc brakes, and they're amazing. It's a significant improvement over my old bike in a lot of ways but especially in fit. My old bike was a little too big for me, but this one seems perfect. 
I've been really enjoying my last couple evenings listening to some music recs from cgod. It's late in life, but I'm happy I finally realized that when it comes to effortless weekday evening meals, boneless chicken thighs are one order of magnitude better than boneless chicken breasts, which are totally for basic bitches. I actually feel a bit foolish for not knowing this important truth years earlier but whatever I'm good now.
A good friend of mine is a sculptural artist and got interested in Tandoor ovens. So he started building them and refining the design. Which lead to him making Naan bread. And then a full Indian food menu. He's been extremely successful at it. He now makes almost all his money from catering traditional Indian weddings... which is an incredibly profitable business, it turns out. Everything changed when he moved from making his tandoori chicken with breasts, to thighs. Yeah, the meat is weird shaped and harder to put on the skewer, but OH MY GOD it is delish!!! Chicken thighs are da bomb.
That's awesome. You never know where not terribly idle curiosity will lead you. On the list of simple pleasures, good Naan and Tandoori are near the top I think. TBH I should build a tandoor next Spring. When it isn't winter, 80%+ of my meals are on my grill anyway.
writing is making me happy these days. written quite a few shorts in the past year, working on a novel. going to do some writing tonight.
I had the surprising experience of sitting in a garden with Rita Golden Gelman the other day. She's a famous children's author with more than 70 books to her name, and is also now well-known as a travel writer on women's nomadic travel. She knew I was a writer too, and asked me about my writing... the only published books I have are practical technology books written in the 1990's about technologies that nobody remembers anymore... So I told her about my children's book I wrote, but have never published. It is very illustration-heavy (think Dr Seuss) and therefore far too costly for me to produce myself. (40 illustrations at about $1000 each is a seriously big risk.) She brought out several of her books and showed me how she works. How her agent and publishers take her words and turn them into amazing books. The whole inside works... And INSISTED I get a children's/YA literary agent RIGHT NOW. And send them my story. So I am. Last time I opened the files was 2010. I polished up the stories. Found three local agents that are looking for work like this. Going to get everything ready this weekend, and send the agents my work next week. Fingers crossed!
I bet the market for kids books is hot because everyone is stuck at home and libraries and schools are also down. So instead of a classroom for 30 kids each kid needs a classroom worth of books. I honestly don’t see how we don’t get two tier schooling after this mess
Interesting thought... maybe so! Looking at agent profiles the other day, there are clearly far more agents who are "full" and not taking on any more clients, than there are agents who are open to looking at new work. Probably a 70/30 split, in my research.
I have landed a full-time job within a month of graduating, (slowly) reading up on investing plus opened a self-directed retirement account. I’m planning on getting back to the town of my most recent group of friends within the next couple weeks thanks to the huge help of my knowledgeable S/O who lives there, too. This is a net neutral, but the whole of my nuclear family lives in our hometown for the first time since grade school. Moving away now feels odd since I’m enjoying the time spent with some of my favorite people amidst a pandemic. Buuuuut, I want to see where life goes elsewhere knowing my hometown may call me back in the future.
I am putting my head down, reading Atomic Habits, journaling, running, creating art daily, eating clean, drinking lots of water. These are my goals, day to day. (That and working.) It is working for me. I will be going back home to DE for the next two weekends in a row, it looks like. Then I have some friends from DE coming to visit me and the local breweries here! I have a nice number of things on the short term horizon to look forward to. Yes, my grandmother is dying. This is an event that will be more about my mom, and aunts and uncle, than me. I am trying to be there for them, now and when it happens. It is not so sad for me -- and also, I feel like this need to live life with health and balance -- is probably a part of it. But it is certainly helping me mentally to feel I am living healthily and well.
I know there is a way to vote in person in Oregon but I think it would probably be a hassle. I don't know of anyone who has ever done it. I've only heard that you can do because the Secretary of State has sometimes mentioned that if your ballot was lost, destroyed or you had to change addresses on short notice there is a way you can still vote. I used to know one of the guys who spearheaded the vote by mail preposition, He was a campaign manager for some pretty big races and a generally good guy. I got to see the underbelly of politics by knowing him. Even if you are a good guy there is a lot of soft corruption that goes on in government.
I will more than likely be voting in person as well since the polling place I am at usually doesn't have a lot of people. Also it helps that New Jersey has taken the pandemic seriously as our numbers have gone drastically down throughout these last couple of months.
Hasn't been an option in my state for ... what? ... three years now? I miss the pageantry of going to the polling station, punching the little cards with the dopey little card-puncher, and getting the sticker to wear proudly. But, voting by mail removes most of the ill-willed people from the chain of custody, so I feel better about it overall.
Does anyone know if it causes a problem if I have my absentee ballot but end up voting in person instead? I have my absentee ballot already but don’t have anyone convenient to witness. I could probably go to the clerk. I’ve been socially distancing and so have my friends, though maybe we’d all be ok with a short meet up to sign a ballot.
Only 14 more weeks to go until 2020 is over.... If only 2021 had more promise.... I think we another 8 month of this at least. Also cdc canceled Haloween... https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/holidays.html#halloween Because you know everything is canceled this year.
Living a busy life of working on that plastic non-profit, going out to my friend's cabin building it out to be this epic hangout spot. Latest addition is the floating bar: Made a habanero hot sauce today, tried this weird wax-ironing techinque to make art with my mom and cleaned a bunch in the house. Tonight is thai food dinner with a friend, and then we're going to watch a documentary about a local makerspace. Productive, full and fun day just like i love them.
Just wrapping up a two-week self-quarantine after being exposed to a COVID positive housemate. Full on quarantine, where you don't leave the house for any reason was grueling compared to the mere social distancing of the last six months. If this year has taught me anything, it's that social contact is a completely vital resource.
I applaud your responsibility. I had to convince a relative not to swing by and spend a night at the family cottage with us yesterday. She doesn't think COVID is a big deal, thinks we are being hysterical. She's going to a wedding tomorrow. I will be surprised if she doesn't catch it this fall. I hope she doesn't, but it will be a matter of luck.
The end is in site - we are nearly done painting the siding, just one patch left that requires me to build a platform to stand the ladder on because of the way the ground slopes along the house. Then a quick coat on the frieze boards and a couple of windows. Hoping to be done this weekend. My wife has already planned out my next project - a porch for the front door. Permit is in process and lumber has been ordered. So when I finish painting this weekend I will put away the brushes and ladders I will then pickup the pick and shovel to dig the footings. Our daughter and grandson came for a quick visit last weekend. Before they left my wife gave our grandson a bag for trick or treating and he immediately went to the pantry and started collecting foods he likes. Keeping it short this week since I should be working right now. Wishing you all happy and healthy days ahead!
Anyone ever use an electric fireplace? A place I'm looking at living doesn't have central heating - which is 'fine' given the climate I'm in. Seems like these are a safer version of space heaters. For <600 sq. ft. I believe it should do the trick on the rare 30 degree weather nights.
Electric fireplaces ARE just space heaters. Same technology; more expensive box. I thought it'd be the answer to the one room in my house that doesn't have (and can't have) a heater vent in it. And... it works fine. But it is a glorified space heater. That changes colors. And looks like a fireplace. Kinda. If you squint at it. I'm not thrilled, but I am warm enough. And electricity is cheap in WA State, so that helps, because space heaters are an incredibly inefficient way to convert electricity into heat. Your other options are to burn something (propane, etc.), but you do that inside, and you'll probably die. Unless you spend $1200 on one of these fantastic little beasties.
Welp, I didn’t jump fast enough on the house to rent that would have needed the heater. Not happy about it, but will keep this in mind for the chance the current applicant falls through. Electricity for heating in winter here is not optimal, but that’s what window A/C units are equipped with. The electric fireplace was intended as a ‘safer-than-normal-space-heater’ option to heat the area given where the heat is output and how the heated surfaces are buffered by the display. At least, these are what are cited in why they cause less house fires (something tells me the sample size just isn’t as large, though). Yeeeaaaaaahhhhhhhhh... 🤑 It’s more in budget currently than the propane heater. Electric fireplaces ARE just space heaters. Same technology; more expensive box.
This is basically the one I got, because I wanted a piece of multi-purpose furniture, not a little space heater. The cabinet is surprisingly well made, solid wood. Sturdy. I've stood on the top when putting up a new curtain rail in the window, and I'm 240 lbs. But the fireplace insert is still just a glorified space heater.
We got an Evni heater from www.eheat.com. It takes a little time to warm up the room, but it is efficient and keeps the room at a good temperature. You can get a plug-in version so you don't have to do any wiring. They mount to the wall and only protrude a couple of inches.
We got ours last fall, November 2019. So well after the recall (2015/16). We put it in our bedroom, which does not have insulation (built in 1860's) nor any other source of heat. Prior to installing the Envi, we could see our breath in the winter and had to scrape ice off the windows to be able to see out. Now we don't. When I can afford it, I plan to eventually install heat in the house, but for now I might just get a couple more Envi's for the other bedrooms to supplement the pellet stove that we use to heat our whole house.
It's really cranking out some heat for you... a stray thought of mine was how much more the cost would have been with the electric fireplace. Unfortunately, the unit I had in mind is no longer on the market. The lack of insulation was a concern of mine for the place... not the case after all. If I remember right, you are from the US? I'm surprised the house wasn't updated with insulation before you bought it. There are local laws in my state that mandate a certain level of modern protection against the elements is required for residential buildings.
I am in the US. Our local residential building codes only require you to update things if you open the walls for any reason. So, for those rooms that I have remodeled, I had to add insulation, fire-blocking (house is balloon construction), and update the electrical. Basically, if I opened the wall up, I had to update everything in that wall to meet modern codes. If I don't touch it, I don't have to do anything. At this point, I have three rooms left that I plan to remodel, the master bedroom is one of them. The bigger surprise for me was the framing. I fully expected to have to improve the framing, but the inspector said that it was well done. He even commented that the builder must have gotten a really good deal on nails and didn't skimp on those. :)
Wowzas. I see now. A of mine brother is re-modeling a new home now, with a healthy chunk of work done alongside handy in-laws. It's a hell of a project, but well worth the money saved (not to mention satisfaction). You thinking of re-doing one of the rooms each summer? Have an example picture of the home structure? I've been exposed to barns converted into homes recently. Is that similar? Many of those I would be concerned about especially for heavy winds vaulting trees into the side of the home. Sounds like you got lucky with the builder of the home!Basically, if I opened the wall up, I had to update everything in that wall to meet modern codes. If I don't touch it, I don't have to do anything. At this point, I have three rooms left that I plan to remodel, the master bedroom is one of them.
(house is balloon construction)
This is the best I can find for a diagram of balloon construction. Basically, the studs go from foundation to roof without a break. Then the floors are 'hung' off of the studs. If a fire starts in the basement, it can travel up the wall cavity to the attic and engulf the house very very quickly. In modern construction the first floor is set on the foundation, then the studs for the walls are set on top of the first floor structure, then the second floor structure is built the the first floor walls, etc. So between each level of the house the wall cavity is blocked. To remedy our situation, if I open a wall, I have to create a fire block at top and bottom. Our building inspector just had me cut boards to the size of the cavity between the studs and nail them in place. The building inspector was really nice and helpful in making sure I did it right. I expected a crotchety old man to snap at me for being a bafoon, but he really took the time to explain things and provide advice and guidance on how to do things right. When we started the remodel, we had crazy ideas that we could get it done in 6 months to a year. So we gutted 9 rooms in a weekend. Then we hit one snag after another, and with kids, work, life in general we just couldn't put in the time needed to make significant progress. It took us five years to get most of the rooms re-framed (moved several interior walls, removed one that was exterior load-baring wall of original part of house), replace half of the windows, two of three exterior doors, wired, plumbed, insulated, sheet-rocked, taped, painted, floored, and fixtures installed. Oh, and siding on about a third of the exterior that had rotted. We converted two walk-in closets into full bathrooms and took out the 28inch wide bathroom at the top of the stairs. Yes, 28 inches wide, by 11 feet long. My wife had to squat and shuffle to get past the sink to the shower when she was pregnant. We hired out most of the plumbing work, and I worked along side the electrician to pull wire and he upgraded the panel. Otherwise I did all of the work myself (and with occasional help from friends) until this summer. We hired a contractor to put on new roof, gutters, and replace the garage door that I had installed. To say this project has been long and painful is an understatement. The mental and emotional toll on always needing to do something on the house and take away time from the kids has been enormous. I took off about four years to help coach a youth sport team and for physical health reasons. This summer I have been trying to push through and get stuff done. The big projects (and big wins) are done, but so many small things need my attention now. Sorry for the wall of text!
No worries on the wall of text. 6 months to a year is aggressive given the responsibilities on your plate. Serious power to you for working through it all. I’m watching my brother and sister-in-law ground down to the nubs over the past half year - the helpful, guiding home improvement professionals are a blessing along the way. Seriously impressed with the project of converting the closets into full bathrooms. It sounds as though this is the home you see yourself watching your kids grow older in, no doubt. Once it’s all finished, that’ll be a helluva day.
We spent so long working on the house that two of the three kids are adults now. The youngest is a junior in high school. I am hoping to finish everything before she graduates. We missed out on a lot with the kids because of the house. My recommendation is for people to get the 'remodel bug' out of the their system before having kids.