Coffe shop XXXIV - 9/10/12


Good morning, America! It's a balmy 59 degrees right now, in Forgottonia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forgottonia), with a few thunderstorms and a high of 67 foreseen for this afternoon.

The annual Spoon River Drive ( http://www.spoonriverdrive.org/index.htm) is over for another year, thank goodness, and the fall colors have peaked. The colors were especially vivid this year and the farmers had about 90% of the corn crop out, so you could see the trees very well. The Drive started as a path through Spoon River country to enjoy the fall colors and some truly home made crafts during the first two full weekends in October. It has devolved into a 200 mile, or thereabouts, yard sale with more and more junk from everybody's basement and cheap crap made in China that passes as "crafts". There are some real treasures to be found, but you have to sift through tons of junk to find them. The only redeeming value is the food. Some of it is really fantastic, but it's just like everything else associated with the Drive, you have to search out the good stuff.

The Spoon River was made famous from Edgar Lee Masters' book, Spoon River Anthology, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spoon_River_Anthology.
 
Well I wish I knew how to say good morning in every language. Some folks from down under are able to decipher my cryptic scribblings.....as well as most train people.....so let coffee be served. I like a bit of the baileys non-alcoholic creamer in mine. Okay enough of that.

We are waiting for our friend Jeffrey to check in soon we hope. He had a leak in his water heater last night.....which is never fun to mess with. Meanwhile here in mudville.....it's 59* and totally cloudy, then climbing into the low seventies for a high of 73*. Well you would not think that by what it looks like outside.......very dreary indeed.

Since I live above a working dentist office......I cannot just blaze away with my screaming little black and decker cordless circular saw on the back porch......to get lumber cut for new train layout. I'll be hauling it out a few blocks to a field where we fly RC planes......and cut it on the tailgate of toyota. No one flies much these days......least not during the week. Went to nearby early voting place yesterday.......long lines too busy.....so maybe try again today. Arf....arf....arf :)



Mike
 
Last night murphy got into my laptop after I downloaded some free software for a hi-fi audio equalizer. It wasn't what it was supposed to be so I un-installed it. Then none of my usual programs would open or run.....even after several re-boots and power disconnects. System restore program would not open. Was kinda freaking out at that point.......I need this laptop like some kids need their blanky. Then I remembered safe mode. So I started computer in safe mode and was able to run system restore. It worked and murphy is gone....for now.....though I fear he may have just moved into the kyosho DBX 4x4 nitro race car in the closet. :rolleyes::p


Mike
 
Good afternoon. 78° here heading to 85°.
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Tried pulling the kitchen sink out this morning. Not happening! That baby is epoxied in there and isn't budging for anything less than a tank! So reverted to plan B. I removed the drawers and the roller mechanisms and ripped the front off the cabinet and dismantled the framework that held the drawers (four drawers stacked vertically). They WON'T be going back in. I'll put shelves in when it's rebuilt. The drawers were always in the way anytime one was open. Back to the problem. I still can't get to the pipe! It's right there in the open tucked in next to the sink. The water heater is back in the corner so I have to reach in bent foward while on my knees. Well, my foot keeps getting in the way! I can't be on both knees because the foot (in the boot of course, can't be in other way) does not bend at all and there's no ankle to bend so I end up twisted and in intense agony. I can't be on my left knee with my right foot flat on the floor because that's an impossibility. The aforementioned problems with the aforementioned result. Same for having my legs crossed. Ain't happening! No matter what I do I feel like I'm tied up in a series of knots. I'll just have to wait for my nephew to get in from work (incredibly that's lasted for more than two weeks) and let him tackle it. I asked him to last night and he gave me a flat 'No'. I called my father and asked him if he knew anybody who can do it. 'No'. Have X (I won't mention my nephew's name here) do it. I told him he already said no. "Be right back". A little while later he calls back and says X will be there tomorrow after work. Well I found out today what was said to X. "You've enjoyed living in my rent home for eight months rent free right? You've enjoyed having the use of my truck and trailer anytime no questions asked?". X answers yes to both. "Do this or bring me my keys and get out of my house and take your junk with you.". Talk about an offer you can't refuse!

In other news Murphy messed with my vans battery. Three days in a row it's been run down. It's only two months old. I checked and made sure everything was off. No power drain. I checked the output from the regulator. 14v. Nothing wrong there. Took the battery to the parts place and had it tested. Lo and behold the tester said replace it. They did a load test on it. Absolutely failed! It wouldn't hold amperage for even three seconds! Turns out it had a dead cell with another cell showing as weak. Got a replacement under warranty. Cost was $0.00.

Had lunch at my parents place as it's a bit hard to cook here with the kitchen in pieces. I also helped my father get his RV and tag-along car ready to go in for inspection. Hardest part of that was rigging the tow bar and that was a snap.

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Mostly cloudy here. Weather guesser says there's a 60% chance of showers and thunderstorms after midnight.

No sign of the nephew as yet. I wonder how fast he can find another place to stay rent free? My father doesn't play games and he doesn't make idle threats either. Looks like I may be working on repairing that pipe myself tomorrow no matter how much it hurts.

Time for me to call it a night. See y'all tomorrow maybe.

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I hope it all works out for the best Jeffrey and things get back to normal soon. We had some nice weather today and I got two thirds done cutting bench frame lumber. New blade on saw goes through pine like whip cream.


Mike
 
Good Morning!!!

My insomnia kicked in again....so I'm up and getting things ready for a general clean up of the layout...

Weather here was just great..sunshine and mild temperatures...and next to no wind here...got up to 72F....today will bring us a mixed bag....as it will get cooler with rain in the afternoon...maybe...:rolleyes:
 
Unfettered said:
I have a coat of paint yet to apply on the daughter's house before she gets home sometime tomorrow. She had my first grand daughter yesterday.
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Congrats on your first grand daughter Patrick!....and best of luck with the new job in missouri.


Mike
 
Patrick: Congratulations on your first grand daughter!

Good afternoon. It's 74° and mostly sunny. The high will be 79°.
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Plumbing front: I'm very P.O'd with the nephew. He was supposed to fix this leaking pipe on my water heater. He didn't show. Instead he cut our mutual water line and plugged it off so he has water. Not a word about it to me. I discovered it for myself when I was packing out the laundry. I let my father know about it and he's agreed to pay for a plumber to come fix it. It'll be interesting to see what happens to Mr X. I'd love to be a fly on the wall for that one.

Before all this plumbing mess started I got a base coat of paint on the elevator gallery structure. Looks better than start white.

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It's 66° here with 47% humidity. Feels wetter than that. Looking like the low will be 48°.

Plumbing front: Yet another night with no running water. Plumber came out and looked at the pipe and said that's not the problem. The problem is the hot water tank itself. So there's nothing Mr X could do about it anyway so he's still got a roof over his head. May father and I went to Lowe's and got a new water heater which is in my van at this time. Twelve gallon capacity, 120v, side connect. It looks like it should fit in the hole. If it won't there's a nice big open spot where the kitchen drawers used to be as you'll see in the photos below. So plenty of room. I was planning on putting shelves in there to replace the drawers but if the tank has to go there I can keep my rice and pasta meals in a box on top of the fridge. I already have my primary utensils hanging on cup hooks below the upper cabinets. Safety can opener, pizza cutter and several tea strainers. I use the strainers to filter the lumps out of my latex paint. By this time tomorrow I hope to have hot and cold running water again.

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Jeffrey, it doesn't look nearly as bad as what's left of the decaying reactor vessel at chernobyl. :)



Mike
 
railfan said:
Sorry about that. Iv'e been in similar situations and the inconvenience is no fun. :(
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No problem. I got eighteen years out of the old water heater.



Been a busy day for me. Time to call it a night. Calling the plumber back out in the morning to pull the old water heater out and put in the new one. I ain't touching it! See y'all tomorrow.

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Good Morning

Well, here I is..all awake again...went for a snooze earlier then, just as my head hit pillow...POW!!!...all awake.....

Oh...no one forecast any thunderinboomers up this way...but...we here in LONDON got a couple of 'em ...so today? Now they are saying a 30% chance of thunderinboomers ....kinda late don't ya think?

So...today is going to be my try to catch up on some stuff day again...

Have a good one!!
 
blownoutcylinder said:
Good Morning

Well, here I is..all awake again...went for a snooze earlier then, just as my head hit pillow...POW!!!...all awake.....

Oh...no one forecast any thunderinboomers up this way...but...we here in LONDON got a couple of 'em ...so today? Now they are saying a 30% chance of thunderinboomers ....kinda late don't ya think?

So...today is going to be my try to catch up on some stuff day again...

Have a good one!!
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Barry, I guess the weather people see revisionism working in politics, and are giving it a try.:p
 
Good morning. It's 44° with 100% humidity so it feels even cooler. It'll be mostly sunny and the high will be 78° (that still remains to be seen).
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Got a new water heater yesterday along with the installation kit. The tiny roll of thread tape in the kit didn't look to me to be enough so I got a larger roll to go with it. I measured the old water heater last night. At ten gallons it's just a hair smaller than the new one. The hole might be a tight squeeze. If it doesn't fit it can be installed in the hole where the kitchen drawers were. I'll be putting in the call to the plumbers office in just a little while to have them send a team out today.

I don't expect to get any work done on the layout for obvious reasons. If I feel up to it later I may go down and mow my parents yard.

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Well I put the call in to the plumbers office. They say they'll have a crew out here today. What time is anyone's guess. Hopefully I'll have hot and cold running water by tonight.
 
It seems we never really appreciate the "little" things like hot and cold running water, heat, AC or electricity until there is a problem. Then our world is on the verge of collapse!
 
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