First the dryer threw a belt (previous post). Easy enough fix except for fighting with the tensioner and improvising a clip.

Second was our dishwasher: a roller axel broke in the top rack adjuster last Friday evening. I was able to sleuth out the part number and get the kit overnighted so that I could repair this the next morning. I would not normally pay for the delivery but I missed Amazon’s cut off by mere minutes. Happily the overnight fee was only $2.99, but the part had a coupon for $2.10. A win! I followed an online video for replacing this assembly and got it back together in about an hour.

The third- the Sync3 touchscreen in our new/used car blanked. After trying several suggested remedies, resets and a battery disconnect, and even a trip to the dealer to be told they could do a diagnostic, in September, I settled on updating the device. Ford can tell you if you need an update using your VIN and checking their database: it was last done in March and now overdue (apparently the system was not set for automatic updates). The fix required a 32GB USB stick formatted in exFAT with an MBR partition (so said the webpage) with the appropriate files on it. It worked! The process took half an hour with the car idling the whole time out in the driveway.

Let’s hope all things stay running now :o)

Three for Fun-


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Took me a second as well!

Ruminations

I may have mentioned we’re dropping our Paramount+ subscription this month. It’s a cheap enough service at $90/year, but that’s more than I wish to spend right now. We have access to Prime, Criterion, TCM, and a questionable Jellyfin account ;o) So I’ve been bingeing as the month runs down: Star Trek movies of all things. These are presented starting with a two minute commercial cluster and then commercial free. Heh, I started with Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (I had seen a clip in an FB reel), and went back to Star Trek, the Movie (a movie I once described as every trekkie’s wet dream), and have now completed the series through V.

After the movies I hop onto LJ and DW and either post or just read/reply with Spotify playing in the background. Here I am :o)

Otherwise-

I had my annual skin cancer screening this week. I do this because I had so, so many sunburns back in the tanning lotion days. I passed, happily, but in trying to get positioned on the exam table I must have pulled a muscle in my lower back. Nothing immediate, but by the next day I could hardly stand without fear of a spasm. I’m better this evening.

The clothes dryer threw its belt yesterday. Luckily I had a spare that I had purchased in 2020. Easy peasy except a sheet metal clip went awol. Improvised…

I completed adding an extra wire above the fence and under the top electric wire in an effort to discourage the deer. Upon finishing I realized, from looking at hoofy landing prints, that the deer had hopped the top electric wire to get in. I raised the top wire a couple of more inches.

Tonight, when checking the garden (between rain drops as it’s been wet all day), I spooked a young woodchuck who was outside the fence. The electric fence should keep this little fellow out… should. They are destructive critters and indiscriminate in their ravaging forays.

Enough- pics!


Classic!


Had I not seen Pulp Fiction recently I would not have known where the ref was from.


I assume this is linguistically accurate, with added cats!

Edit- here’s the original!




Goodnight!

Another lovely, smoky day here in New England!











Haze from Western Ontario wildfires. It got dark enough to look like it was going to rain, and you could smell the smoke today!

Edited to correct spelling errors… eeeeee!

Damn, it seems like we were just celebrating the 200th! On July 4, 1976, I was with a friend visiting his hometown in upstate New York. They had a wonderful ‘small town’ parade and fireworks to celebrate the Bicentennial. *sigh* good times…

Flash forward to our 250th! We celebrated here at home (yesterday) with a nice family cookout. Tonight I’m watching events unfold on YouTube, although bad weather has postponed the DC activities, and I’ll be in bed before any fireworks displays happen ;o)

And still few, if any, fireflies here, but there is a large doe grazing on the front lawn. And there is a fawn, across the road; cars are slowing down, thankfully.

Happy 4th, to those who celebrate!

A couple of kittens out in front of the house this evening :o)







Eastern cottontails; their nest is in an overgrown area just outside the side yard fence.

Taxes done: submitted and accepted. The buffer I had withheld from closing a non-performing SEP will all be refunded. And, per Newsweek, “The IRS said it will continue normal operations amid a partial government shutdown that began on Saturday.”

I keep digital and paper copies of my returns; I was lucky to have a spare printer cartridge on hand as the ink ran out on page 18 of 20. After I finished I went to order another two-pack of cartridges from HP and found they had discontinued these… in 2021! The printer is only 18 years old, for mercy’s sake :o( I had to order sketchy aftermarket replacements from Amazon.

TV watching- I decided it was time to watch Hannibal Rising and Red Dragon. I also did Skyfall and a western or two.

Tonight it was Groundhog Day. I thought I had seen this through, years ago, but I didn’t remember anything past the first fifteen or so minutes!



And now I’m listening to Spotify via the Roku and headphones. Tinnitus is fairly quiet this evening so the music is clearer :o)

A couple of weeks ago I dropped my razor. I should say I juggled it, trying to avoid having it land in the john: it hit the floor and broke apart. So I went online and bought yet another Norelco. I’ve always used this brand having been infatuated with their Santa ads as a child. Really.



I need to stop reading the news.

As it had been a month from the last time, I decided to ‘exercise’ the generator again this week; the manufacturer recommends doing this every thirty days: run the generator for about thirty minutes, under load (a box fan was suggested). I do run it once or twice a year, but decided that after getting the generator six years ago maybe it wouldn’t hurt to do this more often.

The machine has an electric start, but after charging the battery for several hours and it only causing the starter to ‘click’ when pressing the switch, I knew it was new battery time. I have no problem with the recoil starter (usually two pulls are enough), but why walk when you can ride ;o)

I also did some research on how many watts are actually available when the generator is hooked up to the house. This came about after a good friend here picked up a generator of their own, and I started looking deeper into my own machine’s specs. I don’t do electricity, as a rule, so most of what I read just made things more confusing. The machine produces 8000 watts, but the 30 amp cord carries a maximum 7200 watts (240 volts x 30 amps). For 120 volts it is 3600 watts. Yeah, not my bailiwick. Anyway, I read some discussions on Reddit where others asked about this, and they talked about the house electrical panel, alternating 120 breakers, legs, and blah-blah-blah, and I’m comfortable that I’m getting at least that 7200 number… really!

Today it was ‘run the snowblower’ time. I had done a small run with this a few weeks ago, but decided to let it idle away (full throttle, actually) for about fifteen minutes: it’s still got last year’s stabilized gasoline in it, so this used a bit up. After running I also sprayed silicone inside the housing and chute, and straightened a corner where a skid is attached.

Temps here got into the 40s F this afternoon, so I took advantage of that and put up some Xmas lights! Tomorrow I will finish the decorations by adding deer and a tree :o)

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Some animal humor…

It was a blustery, chilly day here. A lot of oak leaves have fallen since our two heavy frosts, and I decided to brave the winds to move the deepening layer out of the driveway. I had a rake and a push broom, but the best tool turned out to be a snow shovel! I’d rake the leaves to the driveway edge and shovel them up into the air somewhat for the wind to help carry them off a ways.

Speaking of snow shovels, we did have some light flurries this afternoon!

Because I missed Halloween posting-

I tried a new pressure canning recipe from the Ball Guide to Preserving book today: clam chowder base (Also found on this .edu site*- https://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/sp-50-931-canning-soup). I had been looking for six packs of Snow’s Clam Chowder when I thought that maybe there was a canning recipe available, and yes, there was ;o)

The actual instructions are for a 20 half-pint batch, but I reduced this to 10 for a first run. I had the jars, and the basic ingredients were on hand (onion and potato); I had to pick up salt pork, and the 51 oz clams/juice can came from Amazon.


Wooohoo!

All went well! The lids all pinged (sealed) and will be checked tomorrow.


The rings come off in the morning and the jars will be washed before going to the pantry. To prepare for a meal: in a saucepan, add a tablespoon of butter and a cup of milk per half-pint, season to taste, and heat.

*Only use recipes that have been tested/approved by USDA, Ball, or .edu sites. I do see a discrepancy between my Ball book and the website I linked: the website says you add two tablespoons of butter and two cups of milk per half-pint when serving. I’ll go with my book!

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A couple of more comics (pups!)

I finished swapping out my stored gasoline today; I put last six gallons from August, 2024, into the truck, and headed off to BJs for more. I filled the five and two-and-a-half gallon cans, topped off the truck with fresh, and headed on home. I stabilized the gas in the cans for storage and should be all set for emergencies!

No pics from this, so have some fun:









I have way too many of these in my photo apps, but won’t spam your timelines all at once ;o)