REAL WORLD EVENT DISCUSSIONS

In the garden, and RAIN!!!!

POSTED BY: SIGNYM
UPDATED: Tuesday, November 1, 2022 17:55
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Saturday, April 13, 2019 1:45 PM

BRENDA


Quote:

Originally posted by SIGNYM:
Quote:

Originally posted by Brenda:
I hate people

Wow, that's uncharacteristic of you BRENDA. What the heck happened???

-----------
Pity would be no more,
If we did not MAKE men poor - William Blake

"The messy American environment, where most people don't agree, is perfect for people like me. I CAN DO AS I PLEASE." - SECOND

America is an oligarchy http://www.fireflyfans.net/mthread.aspx?tid=57876 .



Yeah, I usually keep that little opinion to myself. But Thursday at my work place was not a real good day.

Someone else who works there a few weeks ago offered me a hand to get rid of some dead electronics I got around this place. I didn't take her up on it then, so I did this last Thursday or I tried. She said she didn't remember which friend she had been talking about then started hemming and hawing about helping me and I am thinking in my head, "Never mind".

Also my boss' husband started harping about unpacking boxes and sorting them out to see what is what. I said, "What is the point of unpacking and the repacking things when I can just do that when I move and have the room to put things away properly."

Then he asked, " Is it because you live to far away to easily get somewhere to donate things?'

I said, "Yes." and just left it at that.

My boss wasn't much better not wanting to pay me for something that I did the week before and again I am like, "Whatever" in my head.

They had given me a single bed when I moved into another place and the man didn't remember that and I almost thought he was going to ask for it back. Which for them would be about normal.

Then other people have the nerve to wonder why I think such things.

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Saturday, April 13, 2019 1:47 PM

BRENDA


Last laundry day for this place. Not doing it again until I move.

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Saturday, April 13, 2019 8:10 PM

6IXSTRINGJACK


Quote:

Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:
Quote:

Originally posted by 6IXSTRINGJACK:
Quote:

Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:
Quote:

Originally posted by 6IXSTRINGJACK:
Well... for sure my car problem is not the transmission. Now that it's warmed up after I adjusted that cable, the problem is just a tiny fraction of what it used to be.

It's harder than I would have thought to find the part. I'm going to have to shop around because the place I usually go only has one option for one of the two cables I need and it's over $50 bucks. I'm sure I can get this stuff cheaper than that.

Warm weather is coming. :)

I think all I'll need is these new cables, a transmission fluid flush and filter replacement and I should get another 100k miles on that car. Probably last me another 10 years.

Do Right, Be Right. :)

Have you considered getting another car? A second, backup car would allow less stress when repairing another, if repairing is the choice. Or just switch cars, not get rid of the old. You seem to be willing to spend much more on repairs than I would expect.
My last 5 or 6 vehicles have all been $600 from dealers, and lasted several years without somebody crashing into me.
Would you like to know how to buy cars from used dealers which are driveable, and least expensive?
Mine have included a full size wagon, a compact, a full size van, a 1/2 ton pickup, a minivan with sliding doors on both sides. Most times I had several to choose from. One was a sweet CA car, Nissan Sentra RWD, but I didn't expect it to be rustproofed. The full size vans, I had a choice of several Chevy's, couple Fords, and a Dodge.
When somebody would total me, I'd get a few thousand from insurance payouts.


I haven't really spent that much. A bulk of it last year was a new windshield and 4 new tires, just because I didn't know how to do it myself and the labor was reasonable. ($145 for the glass, and 265 for the tires).

Timing belt was $35, the seal I needed to replace for the massive oil leak was $8, spark plugs were around $12, air filter was around $10, and I probably spent around $60 on various types of Sea Foam.

The cables I'd need might run around $100, and shouldn't be that difficult to change. Maybe another $30 for a new transmission filter and fluid for a change. The entire exhaust system should run around $150, but that's only if it turns out that I can't just replace the small part that's busted without welding.

It's a 90's Toyota with less than 170,000 miles on it. The body looks great. Once I get that transmission cable thing sorted out, anything else I put into it is really cosmetic. It should last me another 50,000 miles with very little repair work, and the way I drive that's another 5 or 6 years. It only cost me $2,000 around 11 years ago, so maybe $2,800 after all the repairs. Not to bad paying about $250 a year for a car.


If you have a way of getting a reliable car for $600, I'd certainly look into having a 2nd one. I'm just not looking to spend much on a new car right now.

Otherwise, I have really gotten to know this car over the years. There's a lot to say about that. The devil you know, right?

Do Right, Be Right. :)

For the SeaFoam, just stick with the $6 item, like I had originally said.



Two of them were $6-$7 (1 for the transmission, the other a spray bottle for the air intake). The rest was a 128 oz can of the regular Sea Foam that you can put in your fuel and oil, which I got on sale and should give me treatments for the next few years a a fraction of the cost.

Being the only thing that I've used, I can't say enough good things about it. It fixed a problem I had with my car dying at stop lights after being on the expressway that pre-dates any of my other car issues by years.

I wasn't even expecting it to do that. I was told by a mechanic that this issue was due to an electrical problem in the car. I only used the Sea Foam to try to eliminate the misfiring that started occurring after I had replaced the bad seal and timing belt.




One valuable lesson I've learned while doing this work on my car is that mechanics don't know everything. It should be common sense to know that, but when you don't know anything about cars yourself, it's easy to think of mechanics as wizards that perform magic.

There are just so many makes and models and an extremely wide range of technology that spans many decades for the cars that are on the road today. So many various mechanical and electrical parts all working together as a whole. Expecting a mechanic to be able to turn a car on for 5 minutes and diagnose a problem correctly 100% of the time without tearing it apart is like expecting the weather man to be right 100% of the time.

Expecting a mechanic to be able to correctly diagnose your problem over the phone or the internet by trying to explain to them what is going on is a fools errand.

Like I said, the Sea Foam treatment fixed issues that a mechanic had attributed to an electrical issue before. When I was trying to explain what was going on with my transmission to somebody on youtube and DIY forums, I was told by two mechanics that the problem was transmission related and would require me to have a rebuilt transmission.


I said earlier that there is a lot to say about getting to know your car intimately. Not only through working on it, but just the bond you form through regular driving. I've struggled with issues with the car for years now, but I got to know which ones were serious, and/or which ones were getting worse over time. After doing all the work I've done, most of these have now been alleviated completely.

A mechanic has a general knowledge of all cars, and will no doubt have a MUCH easier time fixing any random car off the street than anybody else would. But taking it to one requires a lot of up-front costs to diagnose... If they start "throwing parts" at the problem, it can get expensive really quick and not even solve the problem. You're also risking an unscrupulous mechanic taking advantage of you and charging you for work that wasn't even done.

I might not know a wealth of information about all cars in general, and I have worked on parts of my car that I couldn't even tell you their official names. But I probably know more about my own car than most mechanics at this point.


Do Right, Be Right. :)

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Saturday, April 13, 2019 9:15 PM

RUE

I have a vote and I'm not afraid to use it!


I used to have a mechanic who was truly gifted. They never just 'threw parts' on the problem. If they said something was going to fix your car it was guaranteed. Sadly, he retired a while ago.

One thing is that there are now new diagnostic things one can do with a car that there didn't used to be when I was working on my car many years ago. For example, if they're looking for a head gasket problem there are chemical test kits for oil in coolant, and coolant in oil. Who knew?

So IF you can find a good mechanic who'll chat with you about looking for specific things, maybe that person could save you a lot of time and effort.

Maybe for example there's a quick check for downscreen transmission fluid pressure. It could save you from tearing everything apart.

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Saturday, April 13, 2019 9:36 PM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.


Quote:


I hate people - BRENDA

Wow, that's uncharacteristic of you BRENDA. What the heck happened??? -SIGNY

Yeah, I usually keep that little opinion to myself. But Thursday at my work place was not a real good day.

Someone else who works there a few weeks ago offered me a hand to get rid of some dead electronics I got around this place. I didn't take her up on it then, so I did this last Thursday or I tried. She said she didn't remember which friend she had been talking about then started hemming and hawing about helping me and I am thinking in my head, "Never mind".

Also my boss' husband started harping about unpacking boxes and sorting them out to see what is what. I said, "What is the point of unpacking and the repacking things when I can just do that when I move and have the room to put things away properly."

Then he asked, " Is it because you live to far away to easily get somewhere to donate things?'

I said, "Yes." and just left it at that.

My boss wasn't much better not wanting to pay me for something that I did the week before and again I am like, "Whatever" in my head.

They had given me a single bed when I moved into another place and the man didn't remember that and I almost thought he was going to ask for it back. Which for them would be about normal.

Then other people have the nerve to wonder why I think such things. = BRENDA



The people that you're dealing with are privileged and oblivious. Obviously, the husband was suggesting that you get rid of a few things rather than move them. But did he offer to help you donate some of your items? No?

The woman who said that she would help you get rid of some of your elecronic junk, did she follow through?

Now being paid for work that you did?

These people supposdely know you, but they seem incapable of putting themselves in your shoes. They're heartless and unfair.

-----------
Pity would be no more,
If we did not MAKE men poor - William Blake

"The messy American environment, where most people don't agree, is perfect for people like me. I CAN DO AS I PLEASE." - SECOND

America is an oligarchy http://www.fireflyfans.net/mthread.aspx?tid=57876 .

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Saturday, April 13, 2019 10:31 PM

RUE

I have a vote and I'm not afraid to use it!


Brenda

I was also thinking about what you posted. I'm ... well, never mind how old I am. But until a few weeks ago I would have put myself in your category.

I was at my local restaurant and this family was there - two parents one preteen girl. And they were just AWFUL. They were incredibly demanding - after eating half of something they'd say it was too brown, or runny, or cold - and demand another serving. They called the restaurant and the waitress names. And after eating every last bite, they refused to pay their bill. I'm not joking.

i was umbraged on her behalf, so afterwards I said to the waitress "people are so rude".

And she matter-of-factly said "SOME people are like that".

POOF. She totally changed my mind about 'people'. Anyway, I hope some day you have a revelation like that.

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Saturday, April 13, 2019 11:19 PM

BRENDA


Quote:

Originally posted by SIGNYM:
Quote:


I hate people - BRENDA

Wow, that's uncharacteristic of you BRENDA. What the heck happened??? -SIGNY

Yeah, I usually keep that little opinion to myself. But Thursday at my work place was not a real good day.

Someone else who works there a few weeks ago offered me a hand to get rid of some dead electronics I got around this place. I didn't take her up on it then, so I did this last Thursday or I tried. She said she didn't remember which friend she had been talking about then started hemming and hawing about helping me and I am thinking in my head, "Never mind".

Also my boss' husband started harping about unpacking boxes and sorting them out to see what is what. I said, "What is the point of unpacking and the repacking things when I can just do that when I move and have the room to put things away properly."

Then he asked, " Is it because you live to far away to easily get somewhere to donate things?'

I said, "Yes." and just left it at that.

My boss wasn't much better not wanting to pay me for something that I did the week before and again I am like, "Whatever" in my head.

They had given me a single bed when I moved into another place and the man didn't remember that and I almost thought he was going to ask for it back. Which for them would be about normal.

Then other people have the nerve to wonder why I think such things. = BRENDA



The people that you're dealing with are privileged and oblivious. Obviously, the husband was suggesting that you get rid of a few things rather than move them. But did he offer to help you donate some of your items? No?

The woman who said that she would help you get rid of some of your elecronic junk, did she follow through?

Now being paid for work that you did?

These people supposdely know you, but they seem incapable of putting themselves in your shoes. They're heartless and unfair.

-----------
Pity would be no more,
If we did not MAKE men poor - William Blake

"The messy American environment, where most people don't agree, is perfect for people like me. I CAN DO AS I PLEASE." - SECOND

America is an oligarchy http://www.fireflyfans.net/mthread.aspx?tid=57876 .



They are. Forgive me for this but in my sphere they are the epitome of "white privilege."
No, he didn't. He asked me one time about getting rid of things and I said, "Yes, I have a slew of dead electronics that I would love to get rid of." Then he went on to comment about how long he thought it would take for me to get it ready. I ignored him after that.

Not so far. She took my email address but I don't think I will be hearing from her. As she said last Thursday that she would have to borrow a car and then would have to do it after we both finish work. But since sometimes we don't finish our respective jobs until after 5pm, the depot will be closed.

It wasn't work but according to labour laws up here, she is suppose to pay me when I have what she calls a coffee break. So, the week before I had 2 coffee breaks because my blood sugar was going a little low. Means I need to refuel. I know the signs of my hypoglycemia quite well and what to do for it. She didn't want to pay me for the second one, which was whatever. The flip side is she would have gotten pissed if I had eaten and not written down that I had a break.

They are incapable. Religious people who think they are better than me.

I ever tell you about the time the husband told me that his father told him that there could be Indian blood in his family. The guy backed away from the table like this was the WORST thing he could ever have been told. I sat at the other end of the table and pointing at myself said, "Sitting right here. Halfbreed. Doesn't bother my family at all. We've dealt with it." My other thought was he was lucky he was speaking to me and not some other members of my family, like my father or his brothers or sisters.

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Saturday, April 13, 2019 11:21 PM

BRENDA


RUE,

I know there are good people around. That was a bad day there and I was tired and it all just ticked me off.

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Sunday, April 14, 2019 12:45 AM

JEWELSTAITEFAN


Quote:

Originally posted by 6IXSTRINGJACK:
Quote:

Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:
Quote:

Originally posted by 6IXSTRINGJACK:
Well... for sure my car problem is not the transmission. Now that it's warmed up after I adjusted that cable, the problem is just a tiny fraction of what it used to be.

It's harder than I would have thought to find the part. I'm going to have to shop around because the place I usually go only has one option for one of the two cables I need and it's over $50 bucks. I'm sure I can get this stuff cheaper than that.

Warm weather is coming. :)

I think all I'll need is these new cables, a transmission fluid flush and filter replacement and I should get another 100k miles on that car. Probably last me another 10 years.

Do Right, Be Right. :)

Have you considered getting another car? A second, backup car would allow less stress when repairing another, if repairing is the choice. Or just switch cars, not get rid of the old. You seem to be willing to spend much more on repairs than I would expect.
My last 5 or 6 vehicles have all been $600 from dealers, and lasted several years without somebody crashing into me.
Would you like to know how to buy cars from used dealers which are driveable, and least expensive?
Mine have included a full size wagon, a compact, a full size van, a 1/2 ton pickup, a minivan with sliding doors on both sides. Most times I had several to choose from. One was a sweet CA car, Nissan Sentra RWD, but I didn't expect it to be rustproofed. The full size vans, I had a choice of several Chevy's, couple Fords, and a Dodge.
When somebody would total me, I'd get a few thousand from insurance payouts.



I haven't really spent that much. A bulk of it last year was a new windshield and 4 new tires, just because I didn't know how to do it myself and the labor was reasonable. ($145 for the glass, and 265 for the tires).

Timing belt was $35, the seal I needed to replace for the massive oil leak was $8, spark plugs were around $12, air filter was around $10, and I probably spent around $60 on various types of Sea Foam.

The cables I'd need might run around $100, and shouldn't be that difficult to change. Maybe another $30 for a new transmission filter and fluid for a change. The entire exhaust system should run around $150, but that's only if it turns out that I can't just replace the small part that's busted without welding.

It's a 90's Toyota with less than 170,000 miles on it. The body looks great. Once I get that transmission cable thing sorted out, anything else I put into it is really cosmetic. It should last me another 50,000 miles with very little repair work, and the way I drive that's another 5 or 6 years. It only cost me $2,000 around 11 years ago, so maybe $2,800 after all the repairs. Not to bad paying about $250 a year for a car.


If you have a way of getting a reliable car for $600, I'd certainly look into having a 2nd one. I'm just not looking to spend much on a new car right now.

Otherwise, I have really gotten to know this car over the years. There's a lot to say about that. The devil you know, right?

Do Right, Be Right. :)

Least expense for a reliable vehicle:

Make a list of used car dealers, the cheapest ones. Include Salvage yards, metal scrap yards because they often keep a dealer operation on the side.
Call each one with this:
You need a car, you don't have much money. What is the lowest price they have on a vehicle on the lot, that runs? Say under $1,000. They will try to pigeonhole you: what color do you want, what size, what type, what make? Always say you don't care. If they have more than one, which are they and what prices are they? You are letting them fight against themselves, negotiate in their own heads.

Some won't have anything low priced, but the ones who do might be only valid for a day or 2. You can always go there at night to look-see what vehicle they were talking about.
You are obviously under no obligation to buy, but this is the way to find what they most want to sell, what has been on the lot the longest, what they most want to deal on.
I've seen $1,200 prices on the vehicles I paid $600 for.
As dealers, they should still have those required vehicle inspection reports on the window, showing what works and doesn't.
Also test drive before you hand over the cash. Oh, yeah, tell them you have cash to pay.

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Sunday, April 14, 2019 12:46 AM

RUE

I have a vote and I'm not afraid to use it!


Oh - then nevermind!!!

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Sunday, April 14, 2019 8:41 AM

6IXSTRINGJACK


Quote:

Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:
Quote:

Originally posted by 6IXSTRINGJACK:
Quote:

Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:
Quote:

Originally posted by 6IXSTRINGJACK:
Well... for sure my car problem is not the transmission. Now that it's warmed up after I adjusted that cable, the problem is just a tiny fraction of what it used to be.

It's harder than I would have thought to find the part. I'm going to have to shop around because the place I usually go only has one option for one of the two cables I need and it's over $50 bucks. I'm sure I can get this stuff cheaper than that.

Warm weather is coming. :)

I think all I'll need is these new cables, a transmission fluid flush and filter replacement and I should get another 100k miles on that car. Probably last me another 10 years.

Do Right, Be Right. :)

Have you considered getting another car? A second, backup car would allow less stress when repairing another, if repairing is the choice. Or just switch cars, not get rid of the old. You seem to be willing to spend much more on repairs than I would expect.
My last 5 or 6 vehicles have all been $600 from dealers, and lasted several years without somebody crashing into me.
Would you like to know how to buy cars from used dealers which are driveable, and least expensive?
Mine have included a full size wagon, a compact, a full size van, a 1/2 ton pickup, a minivan with sliding doors on both sides. Most times I had several to choose from. One was a sweet CA car, Nissan Sentra RWD, but I didn't expect it to be rustproofed. The full size vans, I had a choice of several Chevy's, couple Fords, and a Dodge.
When somebody would total me, I'd get a few thousand from insurance payouts.



I haven't really spent that much. A bulk of it last year was a new windshield and 4 new tires, just because I didn't know how to do it myself and the labor was reasonable. ($145 for the glass, and 265 for the tires).

Timing belt was $35, the seal I needed to replace for the massive oil leak was $8, spark plugs were around $12, air filter was around $10, and I probably spent around $60 on various types of Sea Foam.

The cables I'd need might run around $100, and shouldn't be that difficult to change. Maybe another $30 for a new transmission filter and fluid for a change. The entire exhaust system should run around $150, but that's only if it turns out that I can't just replace the small part that's busted without welding.

It's a 90's Toyota with less than 170,000 miles on it. The body looks great. Once I get that transmission cable thing sorted out, anything else I put into it is really cosmetic. It should last me another 50,000 miles with very little repair work, and the way I drive that's another 5 or 6 years. It only cost me $2,000 around 11 years ago, so maybe $2,800 after all the repairs. Not to bad paying about $250 a year for a car.


If you have a way of getting a reliable car for $600, I'd certainly look into having a 2nd one. I'm just not looking to spend much on a new car right now.

Otherwise, I have really gotten to know this car over the years. There's a lot to say about that. The devil you know, right?

Do Right, Be Right. :)

Least expense for a reliable vehicle:

Make a list of used car dealers, the cheapest ones. Include Salvage yards, metal scrap yards because they often keep a dealer operation on the side.
Call each one with this:
You need a car, you don't have much money. What is the lowest price they have on a vehicle on the lot, that runs? Say under $1,000. They will try to pigeonhole you: what color do you want, what size, what type, what make? Always say you don't care. If they have more than one, which are they and what prices are they? You are letting them fight against themselves, negotiate in their own heads.

Some won't have anything low priced, but the ones who do might be only valid for a day or 2. You can always go there at night to look-see what vehicle they were talking about.
You are obviously under no obligation to buy, but this is the way to find what they most want to sell, what has been on the lot the longest, what they most want to deal on.
I've seen $1,200 prices on the vehicles I paid $600 for.
As dealers, they should still have those required vehicle inspection reports on the window, showing what works and doesn't.
Also test drive before you hand over the cash. Oh, yeah, tell them you have cash to pay.



Good tip. I do have the cash and I don't care what color or "frills" it has. Just a point A to point B car.

I'm hoping to clear out my garage this year after I fix my 3 season room. If I can get the 2nd space, this will probably be a worthwhile investment. I let my brothers old beater Toyota sit in my driveway and it rusted through. Gotta keep this one in the garage and take it out for a spin every once in a while.

Do Right, Be Right. :)

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Sunday, April 14, 2019 1:28 PM

JEWELSTAITEFAN


Quote:

Originally posted by 6IXSTRINGJACK:
Quote:

Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:
Quote:

Originally posted by 6IXSTRINGJACK:
Quote:

Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:
Quote:

Originally posted by 6IXSTRINGJACK:
Well... for sure my car problem is not the transmission. Now that it's warmed up after I adjusted that cable, the problem is just a tiny fraction of what it used to be.

It's harder than I would have thought to find the part. I'm going to have to shop around because the place I usually go only has one option for one of the two cables I need and it's over $50 bucks. I'm sure I can get this stuff cheaper than that.

Warm weather is coming. :)

I think all I'll need is these new cables, a transmission fluid flush and filter replacement and I should get another 100k miles on that car. Probably last me another 10 years.

Do Right, Be Right. :)

Have you considered getting another car? A second, backup car would allow less stress when repairing another, if repairing is the choice. Or just switch cars, not get rid of the old. You seem to be willing to spend much more on repairs than I would expect.
My last 5 or 6 vehicles have all been $600 from dealers, and lasted several years without somebody crashing into me.
Would you like to know how to buy cars from used dealers which are driveable, and least expensive?
Mine have included a full size wagon, a compact, a full size van, a 1/2 ton pickup, a minivan with sliding doors on both sides. Most times I had several to choose from. One was a sweet CA car, Nissan Sentra RWD, but I didn't expect it to be rustproofed. The full size vans, I had a choice of several Chevy's, couple Fords, and a Dodge.
When somebody would total me, I'd get a few thousand from insurance payouts.



I haven't really spent that much. A bulk of it last year was a new windshield and 4 new tires, just because I didn't know how to do it myself and the labor was reasonable. ($145 for the glass, and 265 for the tires).

Timing belt was $35, the seal I needed to replace for the massive oil leak was $8, spark plugs were around $12, air filter was around $10, and I probably spent around $60 on various types of Sea Foam.

The cables I'd need might run around $100, and shouldn't be that difficult to change. Maybe another $30 for a new transmission filter and fluid for a change. The entire exhaust system should run around $150, but that's only if it turns out that I can't just replace the small part that's busted without welding.

It's a 90's Toyota with less than 170,000 miles on it. The body looks great. Once I get that transmission cable thing sorted out, anything else I put into it is really cosmetic. It should last me another 50,000 miles with very little repair work, and the way I drive that's another 5 or 6 years. It only cost me $2,000 around 11 years ago, so maybe $2,800 after all the repairs. Not to bad paying about $250 a year for a car.


If you have a way of getting a reliable car for $600, I'd certainly look into having a 2nd one. I'm just not looking to spend much on a new car right now.

Otherwise, I have really gotten to know this car over the years. There's a lot to say about that. The devil you know, right?

Do Right, Be Right. :)

Least expense for a reliable vehicle:

Make a list of used car dealers, the cheapest ones. Include Salvage yards, metal scrap yards because they often keep a dealer operation on the side.
Call each one with this:
You need a car, you don't have much money. What is the lowest price they have on a vehicle on the lot, that runs? Say under $1,000. They will try to pigeonhole you: what color do you want, what size, what type, what make? Always say you don't care. If they have more than one, which are they and what prices are they? You are letting them fight against themselves, negotiate in their own heads.

Some won't have anything low priced, but the ones who do might be only valid for a day or 2. You can always go there at night to look-see what vehicle they were talking about.
You are obviously under no obligation to buy, but this is the way to find what they most want to sell, what has been on the lot the longest, what they most want to deal on.
I've seen $1,200 prices on the vehicles I paid $600 for.
As dealers, they should still have those required vehicle inspection reports on the window, showing what works and doesn't.
Also test drive before you hand over the cash. Oh, yeah, tell them you have cash to pay.


Good tip. I do have the cash and I don't care what color or "frills" it has. Just a point A to point B car.

I'm hoping to clear out my garage this year after I fix my 3 season room. If I can get the 2nd space, this will probably be a worthwhile investment. I let my brothers old beater Toyota sit in my driveway and it rusted through. Gotta keep this one in the garage and take it out for a spin every once in a while.

Do Right, Be Right. :)

Some of the Used Dealers will occasionally get in a Trade-In beater, which they then shunt or auction to other dealers. You can ask them to call you when they get in an extra-cheapie, but those don't happen every week. That is a different ploy that the one I have been using, explained above.

Yes, invariably one of 2 vehicles will be better in snow, and one will be better in rain, and one has better heater and one has better A/C. One better for road trips, one better for hauling groceries or building supplies, or pulling a small trailer.

Yes, at least one of those vehicles did not have working A/C, at least when I bought it.

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Sunday, April 14, 2019 8:43 PM

6IXSTRINGJACK


Quote:

Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:
Quote:

Originally posted by 6IXSTRINGJACK:
Quote:

Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:
Quote:

Originally posted by 6IXSTRINGJACK:
Quote:

Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:
Quote:

Originally posted by 6IXSTRINGJACK:
Well... for sure my car problem is not the transmission. Now that it's warmed up after I adjusted that cable, the problem is just a tiny fraction of what it used to be.

It's harder than I would have thought to find the part. I'm going to have to shop around because the place I usually go only has one option for one of the two cables I need and it's over $50 bucks. I'm sure I can get this stuff cheaper than that.

Warm weather is coming. :)

I think all I'll need is these new cables, a transmission fluid flush and filter replacement and I should get another 100k miles on that car. Probably last me another 10 years.

Do Right, Be Right. :)

Have you considered getting another car? A second, backup car would allow less stress when repairing another, if repairing is the choice. Or just switch cars, not get rid of the old. You seem to be willing to spend much more on repairs than I would expect.
My last 5 or 6 vehicles have all been $600 from dealers, and lasted several years without somebody crashing into me.
Would you like to know how to buy cars from used dealers which are driveable, and least expensive?
Mine have included a full size wagon, a compact, a full size van, a 1/2 ton pickup, a minivan with sliding doors on both sides. Most times I had several to choose from. One was a sweet CA car, Nissan Sentra RWD, but I didn't expect it to be rustproofed. The full size vans, I had a choice of several Chevy's, couple Fords, and a Dodge.
When somebody would total me, I'd get a few thousand from insurance payouts.



I haven't really spent that much. A bulk of it last year was a new windshield and 4 new tires, just because I didn't know how to do it myself and the labor was reasonable. ($145 for the glass, and 265 for the tires).

Timing belt was $35, the seal I needed to replace for the massive oil leak was $8, spark plugs were around $12, air filter was around $10, and I probably spent around $60 on various types of Sea Foam.

The cables I'd need might run around $100, and shouldn't be that difficult to change. Maybe another $30 for a new transmission filter and fluid for a change. The entire exhaust system should run around $150, but that's only if it turns out that I can't just replace the small part that's busted without welding.

It's a 90's Toyota with less than 170,000 miles on it. The body looks great. Once I get that transmission cable thing sorted out, anything else I put into it is really cosmetic. It should last me another 50,000 miles with very little repair work, and the way I drive that's another 5 or 6 years. It only cost me $2,000 around 11 years ago, so maybe $2,800 after all the repairs. Not to bad paying about $250 a year for a car.


If you have a way of getting a reliable car for $600, I'd certainly look into having a 2nd one. I'm just not looking to spend much on a new car right now.

Otherwise, I have really gotten to know this car over the years. There's a lot to say about that. The devil you know, right?

Do Right, Be Right. :)

Least expense for a reliable vehicle:

Make a list of used car dealers, the cheapest ones. Include Salvage yards, metal scrap yards because they often keep a dealer operation on the side.
Call each one with this:
You need a car, you don't have much money. What is the lowest price they have on a vehicle on the lot, that runs? Say under $1,000. They will try to pigeonhole you: what color do you want, what size, what type, what make? Always say you don't care. If they have more than one, which are they and what prices are they? You are letting them fight against themselves, negotiate in their own heads.

Some won't have anything low priced, but the ones who do might be only valid for a day or 2. You can always go there at night to look-see what vehicle they were talking about.
You are obviously under no obligation to buy, but this is the way to find what they most want to sell, what has been on the lot the longest, what they most want to deal on.
I've seen $1,200 prices on the vehicles I paid $600 for.
As dealers, they should still have those required vehicle inspection reports on the window, showing what works and doesn't.
Also test drive before you hand over the cash. Oh, yeah, tell them you have cash to pay.


Good tip. I do have the cash and I don't care what color or "frills" it has. Just a point A to point B car.

I'm hoping to clear out my garage this year after I fix my 3 season room. If I can get the 2nd space, this will probably be a worthwhile investment. I let my brothers old beater Toyota sit in my driveway and it rusted through. Gotta keep this one in the garage and take it out for a spin every once in a while.

Do Right, Be Right. :)

Some of the Used Dealers will occasionally get in a Trade-In beater, which they then shunt or auction to other dealers. You can ask them to call you when they get in an extra-cheapie, but those don't happen every week. That is a different ploy that the one I have been using, explained above.

Yes, invariably one of 2 vehicles will be better in snow, and one will be better in rain, and one has better heater and one has better A/C. One better for road trips, one better for hauling groceries or building supplies, or pulling a small trailer.

Yes, at least one of those vehicles did not have working A/C, at least when I bought it.



I haven't had working A/C in a single vehicle in all of my 23 years of driving.

It just occurs to me I never mentioned that "problem" with this car.

Do Right, Be Right. :)

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Sunday, April 14, 2019 8:44 PM

6IXSTRINGJACK


#$@!ing snow on the ground all day!

Good thing it's going to be 70 degrees 48 hours from now.

Do Right, Be Right. :)

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Sunday, April 14, 2019 11:36 PM

BRENDA


Quote:

Originally posted by 6IXSTRINGJACK:
#$@!ing snow on the ground all day!

Good thing it's going to be 70 degrees 48 hours from now.

Do Right, Be Right. :)



Sorry to hear that Jack. Think it is suppose to rain here tomorrow.

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Sunday, April 14, 2019 11:36 PM

BRENDA


My chiropractor will be happy tomorrow.

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Monday, April 15, 2019 8:19 AM

6IXSTRINGJACK


Quote:

Originally posted by Brenda:
Quote:

Originally posted by 6IXSTRINGJACK:
#$@!ing snow on the ground all day!

Good thing it's going to be 70 degrees 48 hours from now.

Do Right, Be Right. :)



Sorry to hear that Jack. Think it is suppose to rain here tomorrow.




My lawn is STILL white! It snowed all damn night while I was at work. Came home to my furnace blazing and I've got it turned all the way down to 54 degrees on the thermostat. What a waste of money. It's going to be 70 degrees tomorrow. :(

Do Right, Be Right. :)

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Monday, April 15, 2019 12:41 PM

BRENDA


Quote:

Originally posted by 6IXSTRINGJACK:
Quote:

Originally posted by Brenda:
Quote:

Originally posted by 6IXSTRINGJACK:
#$@!ing snow on the ground all day!

Good thing it's going to be 70 degrees 48 hours from now.

Do Right, Be Right. :)



Sorry to hear that Jack. Think it is suppose to rain here tomorrow.




My lawn is STILL white! It snowed all damn night while I was at work. Came home to my furnace blazing and I've got it turned all the way down to 54 degrees on the thermostat. What a waste of money. It's going to be 70 degrees tomorrow. :(

Do Right, Be Right. :)



Don't know what to say. You've got some messed up weather down there.

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Tuesday, April 16, 2019 1:32 AM

BRENDA


Latest round of Star Trek in at the library. I will pick it up tomorrow.

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Tuesday, April 16, 2019 7:15 PM

BRENDA


Trying to rain which is adding to my feeling of no one cares.

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Tuesday, April 16, 2019 8:18 PM

JEWELSTAITEFAN


Quote:

Originally posted by Brenda:
Latest round of Star Trek in at the library. I will pick it up tomorrow.

What is the latest round?

Shouldn't Canadian Libraries have a Shatner wing at each location?

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Tuesday, April 16, 2019 8:40 PM

RUE

I have a vote and I'm not afraid to use it!


So, for anyone who's curious - speaking of Shatner - that 77 Sunset Strip episode I posted about was actually a 4-parter show, with Shatner appearing in more than the first episode. In the first one, as I mentioned, he got into fisticuffs right away - lost AND managed to keep his shirt on. But he barely had any lines and I rated his acting as worse than average.

In the next episodes he had to - yanno - act. With words. And facial expressions. And body language.

OMG he was abysmal. Horrible. Literally the worst I've ever seen. It's hard to believe, but Star Trek was a BIG step up in acting for him. Being a scene-stealing hack looks like it was the pinnacle of his accomplishment.

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Tuesday, April 16, 2019 9:04 PM

RUE

I have a vote and I'm not afraid to use it!


Poor Brenda. Virtual hug.

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Wednesday, April 17, 2019 1:26 AM

BRENDA


Quote:

Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:
Quote:

Originally posted by Brenda:
Latest round of Star Trek in at the library. I will pick it up tomorrow.

What is the latest round?

Shouldn't Canadian Libraries have a Shatner wing at each location?



Think it is Discovery.

And JSF, I don't give a frak about Shatner. Never really liked his acting.

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Wednesday, April 17, 2019 1:27 AM

BRENDA


Rue, just letting out my frustrations.

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Wednesday, April 17, 2019 1:49 AM

6IXSTRINGJACK


Shatner is just an awesome human being.

Sure his acting sucked, and I could never get into the original Star Trek series because it was way before my time.

If ya'all still haven't watched Black Mirror, I'd recommend the USS Callister (Season 4, Episode 1). Great love/hate letter to the original series.



I know it's an unpopular opinion almost everywhere, but Deep Space Nine is the best Star Trek, IMO. It's the only one I was able to sit and binge watch all the episodes.

Pretty impressive, I must say, for a Nazi like me to love a show with a black Commander and a female XO.

Oh... look at me, practically virtue signalling all over DS9. But I've got a long history here of saying that it's the best Star Trek show, and I fell in love with that one many years before inter-sectional politics even had a name and a TV show could just stand on its own merits rather than have political agendas forced down your throat.

Do Right, Be Right. :)

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Wednesday, April 17, 2019 9:37 PM

BRENDA


Rained today but on the flip side. I won at mah jong and had a nice fish and chip dinner out.

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Wednesday, April 17, 2019 10:55 PM

RUE

I have a vote and I'm not afraid to use it!


"Shatner is just an awesome human being."

I'm not acquainted with that side if him. Perhaps you could explain a bit.

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Wednesday, April 17, 2019 10:57 PM

RUE

I have a vote and I'm not afraid to use it!


Hey Brenda - that sounds enjoyable!

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Thursday, April 18, 2019 12:26 AM

JEWELSTAITEFAN


Quote:

Originally posted by rue:
"Shatner is just an awesome human being."

I'm not acquainted with that side if him. Perhaps you could explain a bit.

Did some woman die unexpectedly at his house?

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Thursday, April 18, 2019 12:30 AM

JEWELSTAITEFAN


Quote:

Originally posted by Brenda:
Rained today but on the flip side. I won at mah jong and had a nice fish and chip dinner out.

In Canada does that phrase mean deep fried fish and French fries?

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Thursday, April 18, 2019 12:47 AM

BRENDA


Quote:

Originally posted by rue:
Hey Brenda - that sounds enjoyable!



It was a good afternoon out.

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Thursday, April 18, 2019 12:50 AM

BRENDA


Quote:

Originally posted by JEWELSTAITEFAN:
Quote:

Originally posted by Brenda:
Rained today but on the flip side. I won at mah jong and had a nice fish and chip dinner out.

In Canada does that phrase mean deep fried fish and French fries?



That phrase means the same as it does in bloody England. Deep fried battered fish and French fries. FISH & CHIPS!!

Bloody Yank!

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Thursday, April 18, 2019 12:59 AM

RUE

I have a vote and I'm not afraid to use it!


Deep fried battered fish and French fries ...

Gotta ask - with vinegar?

eta now I'm getting hungry ... I think I'll be taking off to rummage the frig ...

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Thursday, April 18, 2019 1:53 AM

JEWELSTAITEFAN


Quote:

Originally posted by rue:
Deep fried battered fish and French fries ...

Gotta ask - with vinegar?

eta now I'm getting hungry ... I think I'll be taking off to rummage the frig ...

I forgot that. Are Canadians allowed to use tartar sauce or lemon juice with the battered fish, or just vinegar? Or tartar sauce with fries, or vinegar with them?

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Thursday, April 18, 2019 11:37 AM

BRENDA


Quote:

Originally posted by rue:
Deep fried battered fish and French fries ...

Gotta ask - with vinegar?

eta now I'm getting hungry ... I think I'll be taking off to rummage the frig ...



I don't like vinegar. I just use a little salt on my fries.

Two other ladies I was with and one was eating ketchup. Another thing I don't like and the other is originally from Scotland and likes her vinegar.

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Thursday, April 18, 2019 11:45 AM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.


Quote:

Originally posted by Brenda:
Trying to rain which is adding to my feeling of no one cares.

Hmmm ... your landlady and her husband, your boss and HER husband, the person that you sometimes work alongside ... seem like exceptionally uncaring people, if not downright nasty. Maybe you feel that way because you're surrounded by uncaring people?

I care, and I think other people here care, but we're, like, virtual carers. Not much use in real life. But here's a virtual hug anyway.

*****
Winning at mahjong?

WOOHOO!

I NEVER win at mahjong, and I just play a computer game that lets me cheat and take back moves! I hope I never play against you.


-----------
Pity would be no more,
If we did not MAKE men poor - William Blake

"The messy American environment, where most people don't agree, is perfect for people like me. I CAN DO AS I PLEASE." - SECOND

America is an oligarchy http://www.fireflyfans.net/mthread.aspx?tid=57876 .

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Thursday, April 18, 2019 5:13 PM

RUE

I have a vote and I'm not afraid to use it!



Speaking of In the garden, and RAIN!!!!

It looks like our rainy season is over, and we're not going to get any more until November (if we're lucky and it starts on time). It was a good rainy season, not phenomenally exceptional. One thing that was nice about it is that the rain came in regularly-spaced waves, which - I think - allowed it to soak in rather than run off.



The rain was enough to end our drought listing on the drought monitor, except for down by San Diego which is listed as exceptionally dry at the end of the rainy season. The last storm, which missed SoCal entirely by tracking east, brought some needed relief to the Four Corners area, which preciously had large areas listed under exceptional drought.



Even though the rain removed our drought listing, I do wonder about the 2011-2017 drought damage already done to huge swathes of forest. Hundreds of thousands of trees are already dead, and many are damaged.

Bark beetles have moved in and killed large swaths of forests in the wake of drought.

Will the rain allow many trees to recover their health, or will they continue to decline?

Also, there are a few quarries nearby, which are good indicators of groundwater supply in the area. Since I've been in SoCal (over 30 years), the lake levels at the bottom look like they've dropped about 30', and haven't recovered.

The fire forecast for SoCal is predicted to be fewer / smaller than normal - UNLESS there are unusual conditions like the "Ridiculously Resilient Ridge" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ridiculously_Resilient_Ridge, in which case, as the fire marshal said on the broadcast, all bets are off!

The north American drought monitor does indicate areas of up to severe drought in Canada. So it'll be interesting to see how the rainy season progresses, and how the fire season turns out.

https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/monitoring-content/temp-and-precip/drought/n
adm/maps/pdf/nadm-201903.pdf



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Thursday, April 18, 2019 5:40 PM

RUE

I have a vote and I'm not afraid to use it!


Quote:

Originally posted by Brenda:

I don't like vinegar. I just use a little salt on my fries.

Two other ladies I was with and one was eating ketchup. Another thing I don't like and the other is originally from Scotland and likes her vinegar.

I was quite young - less than 5 years old - and our family was vacationing up in Canada (Wasaga Beach to be exact). That was the first time I ever had vinegar on fries, or even knew about it! I personally think it's too strong and overwhelms the delicate potato-fry taste; but imo so does pretty much everything else I've seen on them - gravy, ketsup, tartar sauce etc. I too enjoy them with just a touch of salt. :)

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Thursday, April 18, 2019 11:06 PM

BRENDA


Quote:

Originally posted by SIGNYM:
Quote:

Originally posted by Brenda:
Trying to rain which is adding to my feeling of no one cares.

Hmmm ... your landlady and her husband, your boss and HER husband, the person that you sometimes work alongside ... seem like exceptionally uncaring people, if not downright nasty. Maybe you feel that way because you're surrounded by uncaring people?

I care, and I think other people here care, but we're, like, virtual carers. Not much use in real life. But here's a virtual hug anyway.

*****
Winning at mahjong?

WOOHOO!

I NEVER win at mahjong, and I just play a computer game that lets me cheat and take back moves! I hope I never play against you.


-----------
Pity would be no more,
If we did not MAKE men poor - William Blake

"The messy American environment, where most people don't agree, is perfect for people like me. I CAN DO AS I PLEASE." - SECOND

America is an oligarchy http://www.fireflyfans.net/mthread.aspx?tid=57876 .



That is why.

Virtual caring is good as it allows me to vent my feelings and I can sort of get back on track.

I learned how to play mah-jong first on the computer. Still play on the computer and I can even beat the computer, sometimes. :)

I've actually won 3 times this week. Monday, Wednesday and today(Thursday). So a very good week for me.

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Thursday, April 18, 2019 11:08 PM

BRENDA


Quote:

Originally posted by rue:
Quote:

Originally posted by Brenda:

I don't like vinegar. I just use a little salt on my fries.

Two other ladies I was with and one was eating ketchup. Another thing I don't like and the other is originally from Scotland and likes her vinegar.

I was quite young - less than 5 years old - and our family was vacationing up in Canada (Wasaga Beach to be exact). That was the first time I ever had vinegar on fries, or even knew about it! I personally think it's too strong and overwhelms the delicate potato-fry taste; but imo so does pretty much everything else I've seen on them - gravy, ketsup, tartar sauce etc. I too enjoy them with just a touch of salt. :)



I don't know the name of that beach, so I will hazard a guess that you were in Ontario. I like gravy on my chips. Don't eat that all the time but once in a while.

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Thursday, April 18, 2019 11:09 PM

BRENDA


Raining here today. All day. Yuck!

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Friday, April 19, 2019 8:51 AM

6IXSTRINGJACK


So...

In more positive news, I'm getting back into rehabbing my house after a 5 or 6 year hiatus! :)

I'm not sure if I had mentioned the fact that I had taken in water in my 3 season room and some of the floor joists had rotted out. Have I told that story before?

Anyhow, the porch was an addition to the house around 20 years after it was originally constructed, and the more I pull it apart, the more I realize that this wasn't a professional job. It was just hard to notice that from the inside where they had put large heavy 4'x 8' cedar paneling to cover up the hack job.

Outside of building garages from the ground up when I was a teenager, this will be the first time I do any structural work. I do hope that the only structural work I need to do is to replace the two joists that had rotted and fallen underneath the floor, but I won't know that until the demo work is done, and everything is revealed.

The windows are the cheapest things I've ever seen in my life. Little more than some aluminum runners nailed into wooden planks nailed up around them on the inside and then covered with those cedar boards. Single pane garbage from the late 70's. Leaks abound. The porch has probably been taking in water for the last 40 years the way it was constructed, but it only became critical when I had re-used the carpet from the master bedroom and covered the porch with it because it was a perfect fit. The carpet was holding in all of the moisture, and on the extremely hot and humid days the crawl space underneath was a pressure cooker.

I wasn't aware of how bad the water issue was until I used a pressure washer a few summers ago to clean my entire house and afterward came into the porch and smelled it. The carpet was soaked. The damage was done. I immediately ripped out the carpet after that, and several months later when my brother came over he asked me about my sagging floor after he came in the house. He's a big guy, but he's not that heavy. Something was wrong...


So I'm going to be gutting the room, installing a new floor and windows and once it's all buttoned up I'll put in some drywall and a nice coat of fresh paint. Since there will be no heat source directly to the room, it would still be considered just a porch for tax purposes, but otherwise, it will function and look like a large additional room to the house.

It's where I do my smoking now. I'm almost afraid that when it's done I'm going to be forcing myself out to my own garage every time I light up.

Some interesting stuff has been revealed. I'll be taking pictures with my crappy camera and it should be a good laugh.

Do Right, Be Right. :)

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Friday, April 19, 2019 9:16 AM

RUE

I have a vote and I'm not afraid to use it!


So, fwiw, I had a screen door put in that's supposedly break-in proof (the name of the company is Wynstan - "Wynstan, with a 'y'!" - in case anybody wants to look it up). And I've been leaving the front door cracked open so the cat can sit behind the screen door and watch the world go by.

Last nite he scooted away from the door about 8 feet and sat facing it looking very alerted. So I peeked out and saw the fattest coon I've EVER seen in my life waddle as fast as it could go carrying something large and furry in its mouth. Coons do hunt and kill rats, but they also carry babies around with their mouths, so ...

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Friday, April 19, 2019 10:36 AM

6IXSTRINGJACK


Careful.

Somebody here is liable to take part of your post out of context and claim you're a racist.

Do Right, Be Right. :)

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Friday, April 19, 2019 10:50 AM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.


Quote:

Originally posted by rue:

Speaking of In the garden, and RAIN!!!!

It looks like our rainy season is over, and we're not going to get any more until November (if we're lucky and it starts on time). It was a good rainy season, not phenomenally exceptional. One thing that was nice about it is that the rain came in regularly-spaced waves, which - I think - allowed it to soak in rather than run off.



The rain was enough to end our drought listing on the drought monitor, except for down by San Diego which is listed as exceptionally dry at the end of the rainy season. The last storm, which missed SoCal entirely by tracking east, brought some needed relief to the Four Corners area, which preciously had large areas listed under exceptional drought.



Even though the rain removed our drought listing, I do wonder about the 2011-2017 drought damage already done to huge swathes of forest. Hundreds of thousands of trees are already dead, and many are damaged.

Bark beetles have moved in and killed large swaths of forests in the wake of drought.

Will the rain allow many trees to recover their health, or will they continue to decline?

Also, there are a few quarries nearby, which are good indicators of groundwater supply in the area. Since I've been in SoCal (over 30 years), the lake levels at the bottom look like they've dropped about 30', and haven't recovered.

The fire forecast for SoCal is predicted to be fewer / smaller than normal - UNLESS there are unusual conditions like the "Ridiculously Resilient Ridge" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ridiculously_Resilient_Ridge, in which case, as the fire marshal said on the broadcast, all bets are off!

The north American drought monitor does indicate areas of up to severe drought in Canada. So it'll be interesting to see how the rainy season progresses, and how the fire season turns out.

https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/monitoring-content/temp-and-precip/drought/n
adm/maps/pdf/nadm-201903.pdf





Hey thanks (or as JO says, xanks) for checking up with the drought monitor. I think this is THE BEST I've ever seen it in the 15 years or so that I've been looking at it. If the drought monitor has taught me one thing, it's that there's always extreme drought in theUSA somewhere ... except now! I wish it would show water surplus as well as deficit: The midwest from Nebraska south would be awash.

Now that we have a reprieve, this would be a good time to crank up that "create wide firebreaks in the forest" project, by taking down dead and small trees and preferably turning them into biochar in situ. OF COURSE, we will use this reprieve to do ... nothing.

-----------
Pity would be no more,
If we did not MAKE men poor - William Blake

"The messy American environment, where most people don't agree, is perfect for people like me. I CAN DO AS I PLEASE." - SECOND

America is an oligarchy http://www.fireflyfans.net/mthread.aspx?tid=57876 .

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Friday, April 19, 2019 11:14 AM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.


Quote:

Originally posted by 6IXSTRINGJACK:
So...

In more positive news, I'm getting back into rehabbing my house after a 5 or 6 year hiatus! :)

I'm not sure if I had mentioned the fact that I had taken in water in my 3 season room and some of the floor joists had rotted out. Have I told that story before?

Anyhow, the porch was an addition to the house around 20 years after it was originally constructed, and the more I pull it apart, the more I realize that this wasn't a professional job. It was just hard to notice that from the inside where they had put large heavy 4'x 8' cedar paneling to cover up the hack job.

Outside of building garages from the ground up when I was a teenager, this will be the first time I do any structural work. I do hope that the only structural work I need to do is to replace the two joists that had rotted and fallen underneath the floor, but I won't know that until the demo work is done, and everything is revealed.

The windows are the cheapest things I've ever seen in my life. Little more than some aluminum runners nailed into wooden planks nailed up around them on the inside and then covered with those cedar boards. Single pane garbage from the late 70's. Leaks abound. The porch has probably been taking in water for the last 40 years the way it was constructed, but it only became critical when I had re-used the carpet from the master bedroom and covered the porch with it because it was a perfect fit. The carpet was holding in all of the moisture, and on the extremely hot and humid days the crawl space underneath was a pressure cooker.

I wasn't aware of how bad the water issue was until I used a pressure washer a few summers ago to clean my entire house and afterward came into the porch and smelled it. The carpet was soaked. The damage was done. I immediately ripped out the carpet after that, and several months later when my brother came over he asked me about my sagging floor after he came in the house. He's a big guy, but he's not that heavy. Something was wrong...


So I'm going to be gutting the room, installing a new floor and windows and once it's all buttoned up I'll put in some drywall and a nice coat of fresh paint. Since there will be no heat source directly to the room, it would still be considered just a porch for tax purposes, but otherwise, it will function and look like a large additional room to the house.

It's where I do my smoking now. I'm almost afraid that when it's done I'm going to be forcing myself out to my own garage every time I light up.

Some interesting stuff has been revealed. I'll be taking pictures with my crappy camera and it should be a good laugh.

Do Right, Be Right. :)

Wow, that's a big job SIX. We're doing similar work on our house, but due to age and debility much of it is going to conractors. In fact, we just has three very large single pane windows replaced ... actually one of those was a sliding glass door converted to a window. It made a huge difference in the comfort of the house and the heat load on the A/C. Hubby has the idea that we're going to renovate he bathrooms ourselves. Boy, I dunno. I have just enough energy to do the three things I have to do every day (walk the dog for a half hour, yardwork for an hour and cooking for two hours plus whatever errands I have to run and finances I need to take care of) and then I have maybe another hour in me, and then I'm done. I guess because I'm limited by energy and my knees I kinda peck away at things, but big jobs .... ?

Now, hubby likes to do big jobs in one fell swwop. Difference in work style... gets us bolloxed up sometimes.

Are you sure you know where the water is coming in? It might be coming in from more than one place ... windows and roof, for example. It would be a shame to do all of that repair and then have it get all wet again with the next thunderstorm! What kind of flooring? Carpeting or something else? (Thats another thing we had done: repalce carpeting with flooring that we had bought ages ago for the project)

But I look forward to the pictures though! Please be sure to take "before" and "in process" and "after" pictures. We've had a lot of things done and are tackling the big post-retirement cleanup (pecking away at it!) and I've always forgotten to take "before" pictures, so it's hard to get an overall view of the progress. It's hard sometimes to see where you've gotten unless you can see where you've been.

Cheering you on, SIX! Let's hope no nosy neighbor calls the city inspector on you!

-----------
Pity would be no more,
If we did not MAKE men poor - William Blake

"The messy American environment, where most people don't agree, is perfect for people like me. I CAN DO AS I PLEASE." - SECOND

America is an oligarchy http://www.fireflyfans.net/mthread.aspx?tid=57876 .

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Friday, April 19, 2019 11:15 AM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.


Quote:

Originally posted by 6IXSTRINGJACK:
Careful.

Somebody here is liable to take part of your post out of context and claim you're a racist.

Do Right, Be Right. :)

Oh my! Too funny!!!!

-----------
Pity would be no more,
If we did not MAKE men poor - William Blake

"The messy American environment, where most people don't agree, is perfect for people like me. I CAN DO AS I PLEASE." - SECOND

America is an oligarchy http://www.fireflyfans.net/mthread.aspx?tid=57876 .

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Friday, April 19, 2019 11:18 AM

SIGNYM

I believe in solving problems, not sharing them.


Quote:

Originally posted by Brenda:
Quote:

Originally posted by SIGNYM:
Quote:

Originally posted by Brenda:
Trying to rain which is adding to my feeling of no one cares.

Hmmm ... your landlady and her husband, your boss and HER husband, the person that you sometimes work alongside ... seem like exceptionally uncaring people, if not downright nasty. Maybe you feel that way because you're surrounded by uncaring people?

I care, and I think other people here care, but we're, like, virtual carers. Not much use in real life. But here's a virtual hug anyway.

*****
Winning at mahjong?

WOOHOO!

I NEVER win at mahjong, and I just play a computer game that lets me cheat and take back moves! I hope I never play against you.


-----------
Pity would be no more,
If we did not MAKE men poor - William Blake

"The messy American environment, where most people don't agree, is perfect for people like me. I CAN DO AS I PLEASE." - SECOND

America is an oligarchy http://www.fireflyfans.net/mthread.aspx?tid=57876 .



That is why.

Virtual caring is good as it allows me to vent my feelings and I can sort of get back on track.

I learned how to play mah-jong first on the computer. Still play on the computer and I can even beat the computer, sometimes. :)

I've actually won 3 times this week. Monday, Wednesday and today(Thursday). So a very good week for me.

Well, if being a virtual ear is at all useful, then I'm prepared!

Winning three times at mahjong? Damn, girl! I'll never challenge you on that!

How's the move coming? Everything more or less on track? Life has a way of throwing curveballs at us, and I"m kind of a pessimist I guess so I'm always waiting for the other shoe to drop.

-----------
Pity would be no more,
If we did not MAKE men poor - William Blake

"The messy American environment, where most people don't agree, is perfect for people like me. I CAN DO AS I PLEASE." - SECOND

America is an oligarchy http://www.fireflyfans.net/mthread.aspx?tid=57876 .

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Friday, April 19, 2019 2:48 PM

BRENDA


Quote:

Originally posted by SIGNYM:
Quote:

Originally posted by Brenda:
Quote:

Originally posted by SIGNYM:
Quote:

Originally posted by Brenda:
Trying to rain which is adding to my feeling of no one cares.

Hmmm ... your landlady and her husband, your boss and HER husband, the person that you sometimes work alongside ... seem like exceptionally uncaring people, if not downright nasty. Maybe you feel that way because you're surrounded by uncaring people?

I care, and I think other people here care, but we're, like, virtual carers. Not much use in real life. But here's a virtual hug anyway.

*****
Winning at mahjong?

WOOHOO!

I NEVER win at mahjong, and I just play a computer game that lets me cheat and take back moves! I hope I never play against you.


-----------
Pity would be no more,
If we did not MAKE men poor - William Blake

"The messy American environment, where most people don't agree, is perfect for people like me. I CAN DO AS I PLEASE." - SECOND

America is an oligarchy http://www.fireflyfans.net/mthread.aspx?tid=57876 .



That is why.

Virtual caring is good as it allows me to vent my feelings and I can sort of get back on track.

I learned how to play mah-jong first on the computer. Still play on the computer and I can even beat the computer, sometimes. :)

I've actually won 3 times this week. Monday, Wednesday and today(Thursday). So a very good week for me.

Well, if being a virtual ear is at all useful, then I'm prepared!

Winning three times at mahjong? Damn, girl! I'll never challenge you on that!

How's the move coming? Everything more or less on track? Life has a way of throwing curveballs at us, and I"m kind of a pessimist I guess so I'm always waiting for the other shoe to drop.

-----------
Pity would be no more,
If we did not MAKE men poor - William Blake

"The messy American environment, where most people don't agree, is perfect for people like me. I CAN DO AS I PLEASE." - SECOND

America is an oligarchy http://www.fireflyfans.net/mthread.aspx?tid=57876 .



Like I said sometimes I just need to vent my feelings.

Yup, it was a real good week. Monday I got all four flowers then had a really good score. Wednesday, in the final hand I got all winds and dragons along with both of my own flowers, so I wound up with over 15,000 points in that hand. Thursday again I got one decent hand and just beat 1 lady I was playing with by 2oo points I think it was. But still it was enough to make the highest out of 16 players. I finished with over 3,000points on Thursday.

Move is still on track for next Saturday the 26. I am stressed out thinking about how I am going to get things sorted out and all that. Got an offer of help from one of the ladies in my mah jong group. So I will be giving her a call next week. This long weekend is making things awkward to get any more boxes and stuff because places are closed today.

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