Never thought retirement would be like this

maggiemae said:
... Could it be the ballasts going bad in the fluorescent lights? We have one down stairs in a finished basement room and it would do the same thing. Now when it comes on it is a very very dim light. I have changed the fluorescent bulb (one of those "U" shaped bulbs) and still get the same thing. So I am guessing the ballast has gone out. After all, it's over 35 years old!
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It could be the ballast. Apparently they don't just go kaput one day, they keep get weaker.

I spent a lot of time searching last night. Looks like a lot of people are having trouble with humidity causing corrosion of the metal on fluorescent bulbs and sockets. I tried new bulbs, and steel wool on the prongs once, but it didn't last long. They make corrosion resistant tubes, probably very expensive and special order. And you can buy LED bulbs that retrofit, but my light fixtures are very old also, so their days may be numbered anyway.

It looks like the best bet might be to replace with LED fixtures. Several people mentioned they keep changing them, and older versions become outdated, like phones and computers. :rolleyes:

Here's some strange advice I found. It actually worked for two people on a DIY forum:

"I've seen the humidity thing. It's probably a cheap/bad magnetic ballast that can't put out enough voltage to establish an arc except under ideal conditions. Brand new fixtures can exhibit this problem. I'd recommend a new electronic ballast, however there is a trick to making a weak ballast work; Tape a thin strip of foil along the length of the back side of the bulbs. Do not allow the foil to touch the ends of the bulb. The foil and the glass tube form a capacitor to help establish the arc."

I don't understand it, but think I'll try it just for fun. :)
 

maggiemae said:
Well, you try it first and if your house does not burn down, I might give it a try! LOL
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Where is your spirit of adventure? :lol:

Your post reminded me, so I went down the basement and only *one* of the light fixtures came on. Just got through taping a 1/2 inch strip of aluminum foil along the top of both bulbs of the *worst* light fixture, the one most often out. When I put the bulbs back in, *ALL* the lights in the basement came on. What do you think of them apples?!! Coincidence?

The real test will be after the lights are off for a while.

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Are you smelling any smoke now? Just saying! If your house is still standing tomorrow, I will give it try here! I bet all the electricians out there are having heart palpitations! LOL
 
"...sense of adventure"! Nancy, imagine that you are having your first interview with your dentist, to discuss your "upcoming implants". You ask him how it will go.....he answers "I don't understand it, but think I'll try it just for fun".
 
:magnify:

Meanderer said:
"...sense of adventure"! Nancy, imagine that you are having your first interview with your dentist, to discuss your "upcoming implants". You ask him how it will go.....he answers "I don't understand it, but think I'll try it just for fun".
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Meanderer, I'm worried about you. Maybe you should start taking some multi-vitamins. If ALL CAPS is shouting, then you are down to a faint whisper. I need a magnifying glass. Is it just me?

[Btw, that is what's called changing the subject, on your question. :playful: ]
 
maggiemae said:
Are you smelling any smoke now? Just saying! If your house is still standing tomorrow, I will give it try here! I bet all the electricians out there are having heart palpitations! LOL
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Not to worry! I am *almost* an expert on electric fencing, and I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express. Glass doesn't conduct electricity. Will let you know what happens in the morning. If you don't hear from me I'm probably back at the Holiday Inn. :eek:nthego:
 
The Report: Sadly, only two of the light fixtures in the basement came on this morning. One of those two was *not* the one with the tin hat treated bulbs. :rolleyes:

But I knew at least some of them need replaced. We got more rain yesterday. That means another round of lawn mowing. Replacing lights is way down on the to-do list right now.
 
I owe you one, Meanderer. Popped in here at 7 pm while taking a break from mowing the lawn and saw your post. I was just going to mow half the back lawn, but went back out and finished it all, before dark. Didn't want to come back and report a half-done job. After that I even sprayed some English ivy. :eek:nthego:

Btw, in the South, the dew doesn't burn off until well after 10 am. The recommendations in that link must have been written by a Yankee. :rolleyes:
 
I'm not at all superstitious, but odd-numbered years have always been more "challenging" than even-numbered ones, and this one is no different.:confused: Got the lawn mowed at the farm last weekend, so I'm caught up again! Starting to feel good. :eewwk: How long will it last? Maybe it's a song.
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Monday night I converted the audio from the YouTube video of Buttermilk Sky to an mp3 file, downloaded it, and opened it on a player set to infinite replay. It's been playing in the background for hours, off and on, since then.

Words and melody are just so simple, innocent, and sweet. One you can sing while you're mowing the lawn.;)

Can't you see my little donkey and me?
We're as happy as a Christmas tree
Headed for the one I love.
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Not tired of it yet.:)

When am I ever gonna grow up? {sigh}

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Calories for the last 3 days: 1240, 1130, 1130. I've got to lose 8 lbs. Putting it in writing!

Anyone want to join me?


Besides the obvious reasons to do this, here are two specifically:

1. Very mild summer so far this year, almost no days even in the upper 90's, but still the heat gets to me when I work outside. I cannot afford that. (I've mentioned this one before, but this year isn't even all that hot.)

2. I've had a hissing in my ears for as long as I can remember (tinnitus?) but just learned to block it out. It's getting harder to ignore. Noticeably worse if I eat a lot of salt. Salt raises your BP. BP up by roughly 15/5 points last time it was checked. Still in the good range, but it was low normal 8 pounds ago. I want to see if it goes back down and if that makes a difference.

Otherwise nothing new here. Waiting for the AC to go out in the truck. It's been working well for too many years. Ha!
 
Ive always watched my sodium intake, Nancy. Not because of my BP which is normal (maybe that's why it's normal) but because I retain water easily.

I eat way less than the recommended daily amount, it's just become a way of life for me. Means many processed foods are a no no.

Watching my sodium has also helped me maintain my weight because most of the food that's lowest in sodium is fruit and veggies and meat that's not been injected with broth or something else that adds sodium.

Good luck!
 
Hi CeeCee!

I retain water easily too. In the summer as much as 3 lbs difference day to day. I would eat more vegetables and fruit if someone would go to the store and get them and prepare them. I just don't have enough patience for preparing food. Gotta work on that. At BMI around 20, my blood pressure was on the low side and sodium was not a bad thing. I want to get back there. I'd rather be lower weight and not watch sodium, than to watch sodium and be at a higher weight.

Don't know what it sounds like when your hearing goes bad with age, other than you can't hear as well. It never happened to me before.;) I've always been able to hear things most couldn't, but this hissing noise just seems to be drowning things out at high frequency now. I may get it tested, but after I get some other things under control first.

I refuse to be like my mother, who never admitted she couldn't hear well, and blamed everyone for mumbling. Obviously something has to start going bad pretty soon. Might as well be hearing. My father never seemed to suffer any hearing loss.
 
Id get it checked after losing a few lbs. my hearing is okay but my sister who is 10 yrs younger than me has some problems in one ear. It's difficult enough that a phone conversation has me yelling so we text more now.

She also had a bad case of tinnitus when she was in her 20's, it went away after awhile though, I think. She never mentions it or maybe she's gotten used to it. I'll have to ask her when I talk to her which will be soon because she expecting her very first grandchild any day now. :)

I do agree that if something has to go, I'd choose hearing but just slightly.
 
Big Moses Gas Well

My father grew up on Indian Creek near Alvy, WV. He never mentioned this well. Wish I had asked him about it.

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Drilled on the Moses Spencer farm along Indian Creek, between Blue and Alvy, the "Big Moses" gas well was the most productive gas well in the world, producing more than 100 million cubic feet of gas daily. When "Big Moses" came in, the pressure and volume was beyond anything the oil and gas industry had ever experienced. The technology of the day was ill suited to control such a giant. For nearly three months, the well shot natural gas into the air, until it was brought under control on Nov. 28, 1894. After three months under control, the well's pressure burst its casing and blew once again, until Aug. 27, 1895.

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Apparently it was so large it was almost more trouble than it was worth, and experienced some bad luck too.

Parkersburg Daily State Journal (June 15, 1895)
A Pillar Of Fire: The "Big Moses" Struck By Lightning.

The "Big Moses" gasser, located about 15 miles back of Sistersville, which has been such a "White Elephant" on the hands of its owners ever since it came in, on account of their inability to control the gas, is now in a worse shape than ever. It is now a roaring mass of flame. The storm cloud which passed by on the other side of this city yesterday afternoon, broke over the region of the "Big Moses" and the column of escaping gas was struck by lightning which set it on fire.

The owners of the "Big Moses" are filled with consternation at this new and unexpected complication of their difficulties. If the control of the big gasser's output was a knotty problem before, it is now an enigma worthy of the attention of an Edison. It seems equally impossible to shut off the gas or extinguish the flames and the only course left to take is to let it burn out.

Parkersburg Daily Sentinel (June 18, 1895)
The Big Moses Well Didn't Burn Very Long.

The "Big Moses" gas well is no longer on fire. After burning about two hours the immense force, with which the gas escapes, blew out the flame which had been leaping to a height of 150 to 200 feet.

The "Big Moses" was drilled in early last September in the hope of getting a good producing oil well. Instead, however, gas was struck in enormous quantities and the tools were blown entirely out of the hole and through the derrick. It is reliably estimated that the amount of gas escaping from this well-conceded to be the largest ever struck in the world-has been several million feet daily and worth in cold cash a sum approximating $3,000,000. It is not surprising, then that, ever since the well was drilled in, the owners have been making an effort to have it shut in. All the devices known to oil men for the purpose of closing in oil and gas wells were used, but all to no purpose. As fast as anything was put over the well or it was shut in in any way the enormous pressure of gas would blow the top off again.

As a last resort the owners of the well sent to Pittsburgh last winter, and had a large casting weighing several tons made, and had a well known oil and gas well driller of that city come down to place the "cap," as it was called, over the well. The cap was finally gotten on the well after much difficulty, and for a short time it appeared that the great gasser had finally been gotten under control, but they had reckoned without their host, for in a few days the immense casting was cut in two by the pebbles and sand thrown up by the gas pressure and the well was again free.

It's difficult to find out anything after 1895! This is supposedly a current picture. Not much to look at, but interesting to me. Kind of eerie looking.

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Okay, Nancy, I have seen your picture with your friends and you do not need to lose any weight! Your "tiny" to me. How tall are you? I am only 5' and weigh 125 and I am okay with that. Lord, girl eat some potatoes and meat! LOL I eat a lot of fruits this time of year. I will hate it when the fresh peaches are gone! And I am constantly drinking water all day! As much work as you put in at the farm and at home, you put us all to shame! Give yourself a break!
 
Yeah, I know, I'm a bit compulsive about it, and probably annoy the heck out of people. It's partly because when we were young Twiggy and mini skirts were in style. I could never wear a mini-skirt and look decent. Now I'll just have more wrinkles, so it's not about looks. It's about the way I feel. I feel really sluggish now. Maybe I'm just getting really old, but I want to rule other things out first. Ha!

You don't see me posting about a bunch of stuff I've done lately, do you? That's because I haven't done anything lately except mow the lawn. Honest.

Btw, I still love that new mower. I've never seen anything start so easy. Always on the first half pull. And the rear discharge means you don't throw grass up against the side of the house if you go the wrong way around. Thank you! And I'm 5'5".
 
Finally got around to checking what time this eclipse is coming tomorrow, and it looks like it's worth at least a trip out to the farm. I'll be within 6 miles of this band, if I'm reading this map correctly, and 30 miles if I stay home. I thought the eclipse was "total" only along a very narrow band. This band is huge!

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So which would be better? Watch an "almost" total eclipse from the farm, or sit in the parking lot of my mom's old grocery store, 6 miles north, and see it "total"? Now I'm starting to get excited. :playful:

Missed the total one back in '84 because everyone at work wanted to take off north to see it, and someone had to hold down the fort, so to speak. It was pretty cool even at work, but not near total.
 

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