How is your day Today, plans and achievements 2024....

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If you have problems, well, here are some of mine.

My daughter in China let us know she is back in her apartment. We haven't heard from her since. I guess she is solidly asleep for the next 24 hours. It takes my bio-clock three days to adjust to different time zones.

For the first time in my life, I received a "Summons for Federal Jury Service" for two weeks. I was not really excited. So, I pointed out my age and age-related boo-boos. That did it: I was excused. I had been selected on basis of voter registration. I think for California jury duty, you are randomly chosen from the DMV driving license list.

On my morning walk with my pups, my destination was blocked by two big Rottweiler mixed-breeds with raised fur on their back. Luckily, I had my gel pepper spray handy that induced them to make a U-turn before reaching us. I wouldn't dare leaving the house without pepper spray, ever since I was involved in a dog fight maybe ten years ago.

I caught two squirrels that feasted on our chicken food. Now I see plenty of pine cone debris in the garden that indicates more of these critters are around. They are cute and I like them. But they do cause some damage, like invading my supposedly secure dog food container and digging holes much larger than those of gophers.

My wife just saw a big, fat gopher disappearing in a drainage pipe that I am also using as conduit for my drip-water irrigation system. I am afraid the gophers may damage the plastic water hoses. So, I placed out my gopher trap again, using almonds as bait.

Yes, I think I have finally discouraged gophers snacking on our chicken food. But now I saw already at dusk twice what I think are rats inside our chicken coop. I placed out several traps, but ants like the bait and are preventing rats from eating the bait and getting caught. I have to find suitable containers, filling them with water, so rats get get at it (and getting caught) without ants messing things up.

For my grandson, my wife wanted to cut an assortment of color pencils into smaller pieces. Luckily, I have different kind of saws, and one was just perfect for the job.

Kaiser <kp.org> called me to set up an appointment to discuss the results of my bone density test. I have a hunch about the lecture to come, so I checked my supplies to have my answers ready. Ouch, I just realized that for years I took only one tablet of Citracal Calcium Supplement twice a day, instead of twice a day two tablets. My negligence may have contributed to my loss of bone density.

My grandson will start school again tomorrow. So, let me remind my son-in-law to come over and shred more tree branches and bring his trailer to the public dump.

The electronic filter for our heater / air condition is supposed to be cleaned every month, but I habitually keep forgetting it. Such a hassle.
Our first heater/AC (3 1/2 ton Payne unit) lasted about 30 years. In 2008 we had to replace it for $3,200 because Freon was discontinued (environmental concerns.) I heard that now a 3 1/2 ton unit is more like ten grand.

40 years ago, our bills for gas, electricity, telephone, and water totaled $20 per month. Let's see last month: telephone $75, DSL Internet $75, water $79, natural gas $26 (much higher in winter for heating, like $90) and electricity $201 ==> total $456. My income has not kept up with the inflation.

Everyone talks about temperature. When I went to school in Germany, we were sent home when it hit 30 degrees Celsius (86F.) Of course, there were always some wise guys who lit a match underneath the official thermostat.

Well, there are probably another bunch of items that my aging brain fails to recall at this time.
 
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packleader said:
If you have problems, well, here are some of mine.

My daughter in China let us know she is back in her apartment. We haven't heard from her since. I guess she is solidly asleep for the next 24 hours.

For the first time in my life, I received a "Summons for Federal Jury Service" for two weeks. I was not really excited. So, I pointed out my age and age-related boo-boos. That did it: I was excused. I had been selected on basis of voter registration. I think for California jury duty, you are randomly chosen from the DMV driving license list.

On my morning walk with my pups, my destination was blocked by two big Rottweiler mixed-breeds with raised fur on their back. Luckily, I had my gel pepper spray handy that induced them to make a U-turn before reaching us. I wouldn't dare leaving the house without pepper spray, ever since I was involved in a dog fight maybe ten years ago.

I caught two squirrels that feasted on our chicken food. Now I see plenty of pine cone debris in the garden that indicates more of these critters are around. They are cute and I like them. But they do cause some damage, like invading my supposedly secure dog food container and digging holes much larger than those of gophers.

My wife just saw a big, fat gopher disappearing in a drainage pipe that I am also using as conduit for my drip-water irrigation system. I am afraid the gophers may damage the plastic water hoses. So, I placed out my gopher trap again, using almonds as bait.

Yes, I think I have finally discouraged gophers snacking on our chicken food. But now I saw already at dusk twice what I think are rats inside our chicken coop. I placed out several traps, but ants like the bait and are preventing rats from eating the bait and getting caught.

For my grandson, my wife wanted to cut an assortment of color pencils into smaller pieces. Luckily, I have an different of saws, and one was just perfect for the job.

Kaiser <kp.org> called me to set up an appointment to discuss the results of my bone density test. I have a hunch about the lecture to come, so I checked my supplies to have my answers ready. Ouch, I just realized that for years I took only one tablet of Citracal Calcium Supplement twice a day, instead of twice a day two tablets. My negligence may have contributed to my loss of bone density.

My grandson will start school again tomorrow. So, let me remind my son-in-law to come over and shred more tree branches and bring his trailer to the public dump.

Well, there are probably another bunch of items to be done that my aging brain fails to recall at this time.
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Nature sucks. :D

On the one hand, I want to protect wildlife. I spent an hour chasing a butterfly out of my living room last night. I feed the foxes, watch the birds as they poop on cars in the neighborhood. But then I can't come to terms with mosquito's and flys. I bought a device to lure them to their electrical death, but it started catching moths, and I have nothing against moths, so had to turn it off.

Ridiculous.
 
Pepper said:
Why don't you just buy an A/C so you don't have to suffer?
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there's 2 reasons most Brits don't buy an AC....seriously we're not masochists..well most of us aren't.... the simple truth is, because they're not commonly used here as they are on the continent..or parts of the USA.. they are more expensive to install.. in Spain my AC cost just 300 euros... here it will cost more than 10 times that amount... secondly... our electricity prices are through the roof, so the average Joe, just cannot afford to run AC...
 
A fairly lazy day after yesterday's 12 hours job at Wigan Pride. Feel like I've been run over by a truck today. I'm getting too old for running up and down the length of a parade etc all day! So - breakfast out at the cafe on Carnforth Station - location for the famous 'Brief Encounter' film. Then a trip down to the beach for some photos showing it nice and busy. Then happened across a small two sided demonstration over the current political climate here - all went peacefully!
 
-Oy- said:
A fairly lazy day after yesterday's 12 hours job at Wigan Pride. Feel like I've been run over by a truck today. I'm getting too old for running up and down the length of a parade etc all day! So - breakfast out at the cafe on Carnforth Station - location for the famous 'Brief Encounter' film. Then a trip down to the beach for some photos showing it nice and busy. Then happened across a small two sided demonstration over the current political climate here - all went peacefully!
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my favourite film of all time... I can see that train station in head as I type...:D
 
Painted another garden chair today, that's all finished now with the chairs. Also painted the shed door... it looks nicer in real life.. but the little dints and dents you can see are age.. the shed door is 70 years old.. Over the years I've had it many colours, and changed the hardware on it several times... I think I might change the handles again..

IMG-5696.jpg


It's just getting dark now almost 9pm .. the solar flower lights are just lighting up one by one.


I've done the laundry today as well.. but being as my dryer is broken, I will take full advantage of 90 deg temps tomorrow to hang out on the line...

Also this evening I cooked some pork Loin chops in BBQ smoked Maple sauce... with a jacket ( baked ) potato for dinner
 
hollydolly said:
there's 2 reasons most Brits don't buy an AC....seriously we're not masochists..well most of us aren't.... the simple truth is, because they're not commonly used here as they are on the continent..or parts of the USA.. they are more expensive to install.. in Spain my AC cost just 300 euros... here it will cost more than 10 times that amount... secondly... our electricity prices are through the roof, so the average Joe, just cannot afford to run AC...
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3,000 euros equals about $3000. dollars, right? I would pay it, given the state of your weather for the past few years and years to come, which very well might be worse. I'd scrimp & save to pay my electric bill.

I spend almost no money on myself, anyway; basically I pay my living expenses & my grandson gets most of the left-overs, and that is not a lot. My mother called it "priorities" and I agree.
 
Pepper said:
3,000 euros equals about $3000. dollars, right? I would pay it, given the state of your weather for the past few years and years to come, which very well might be worse. I'd scrimp & save to pay my electric bill.

I spend almost no money on myself, anyway; basically I pay my living expenses & my grandson gets most of the left-overs, and that is not a lot. My mother called it "priorities" and I agree.
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yes but you're forgetting the ongoing electricity prices which are enormous.... I have absolutely no intention of spending thousands of pounds on getting AC installed and then going without essential things so I can have it on.. that's madness...I'll stick with my fans for the few weeks we get of hot weather
 
Pepper said:
I don't know what enormous means. I don't pay electricity where I live. It is included in our monthly maintenance. I don't know what the people across the street from me pay. No clue. How much is enormous? As high as a month's rent?
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It;s far more than it's ever been before.. depends on how much is used , depends on the size of your house... but £250 per month just for gas and electricity ...for a smallish house is very common...even while switching almost every light off, and going careful with heavy loaded items

Everyone pays for their electricity and gas separately here, as well as water bills, council tax.. it's not included in a mortgage or rent...

remember also our minimum wages are very low at £11.44 for over 21's... and rents for a typical 2 bed house is around £1500 - £2000 pm..

State pensions are also very low...
 
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