And now what did you do TODAY?

[skullguise]

SO freaking cute!  Congrats to you and Yumi!

[Augsburger]

Congrats to you and Yumi too!

[Knuckledragger]

I've had some (mis)adventures this week.  On Monday I got dual jabs, covid booster in one arm and flu vaccine the other.  I was deathly ill on Tuesday and both my arms hurt.  That made sleeping a challenge.  I also met a contractor who has done work for my mother for years.  She's spoken well of him and we ...did not hit it off.  There was nothing specific I could put my finger on, but it was clear he took an immediate and strong dislike for me.  I have that effect one some people. 

Today I've mostly recovered from the vaccine hangover.  I spent this afternoon helping out some old people.  Not the zoomer/millennial idea of "old," the Head-Case idea of "old."  There's a couple on the Vineyard my mother knows well.  She's American, born 1940.  He's German, born 1936.  He had to flee Germany and the holocaust when he was a small child.  They live in a nice part of Edgartown.  Their house has approximately 596 wall and ceiling fixtures in it, and they have a weird mix of incandescent,  CFL and LED bulbs. 

I am a lighting nerd.  I ran a one man nightclub lighting business for 15+ years.  I am very sensitive to color temperature and very fussy about the type and location of lighting around me.  My (sainted, octogenarian) mother maintains that my second word after "mama" was "wire."  I spent considerable time going through the stash of spare bulbs the old couple had in their house and then using 3 different ladders (at least one of which didn't scare the shit out of me) to replace a bunch of burned out and mismatched bulbs. 

I also told them that in the future we could go over the fixtures I didn't get to (why do high falutin' wall sconces have THREE CANDELABRA BULBS in them when one larger one would do?!?  I swear, interior decorators need to be dragged outside and...  [KNUCKLES! Not another rant, PLEASE.]) and see about replacing the legion of incandescents they have with LEDs.  The other task I performed for them was dragging their giant fake Christmas tree up from the basement to their living room.  It's a very high end model, and splits into 3 pieces.  Unfortunately, the lower two sections don't want to separate and combined are quite heavy and bulky.  I did succeed in moving the goddamn thing up and in to position without damaging it, the house or (mostly) myself. 

Bonus fun fact: Peter, the husband, is a photographer.  He uses a 4x5" view camera that is older than I am.  He's got his own dark room and I replaced the non-photo bulbs in it with LEDs.  He makes 11x14" prints from his negatives.  I don't think he scans them, but I'd love to see some of them appear online.  Also I'm really tired and sore.

[swt61]

That makes me feel bad. Not only have I never had a reaction to a vaccine, even when doubling up as you did, I don't even feel that bad with actual Covid. I've had it twice now, and just like when I get a cold it's just congestion mostly. This time I have a mild cough as well, but I never get achey or feverish. My Maternal Grandfather gifted me with my immune system, as well as the 'TICE'. Not a bad inheritance. 

[Knuckledragger]

YMMV hugely on this, but I'd not necessarily take having no reaction to vaccines (particularly covid boosters) as a good thing.  My (sainted, octogenarian) mother hasn't had any symptoms from any of her shots.  A doctor told her that might be an indicator that her immune system is not strong.  Both of us still wear masks whenever we go out into enclosed public spaces.  Again, YMMV.  I am the farthest thing from a medical professional.

[swt61]

I could see that interpretation. 

For me though, I rarely ever get sick. I've never had the flu, that I'm aware of. If I catch a cold it's just congestion for a day or two. I've never experienced the body aches that people talk about. Never had strep throat or many of the things that many contract. Hell, I've never even had a headache, not that that has anything to do with immunity. I have a hard time equating that to anything other than being hit in the head. I did have measels and chicken pox as a youngster, but don't remember them being too bad. I've only had any kind of food sickness maybe twice. The same goes for my Mother and my Brother and Maternal Grandfather. Not the same for my Father or my two siblings that have passed. They would be bedridden with the flu and other issues, and it was obvious they were really sick. Their symptoms were always bad.

Luck of the draw I guess. As an example I'm feeling pretty good today. Congestion is much less and scratchy throat is almost completely gone. 

My Mother is experiencing poor health these days, but that has much more to do with smoking for decades, heart issues and macular degeneration. 

I'm not of the opinion that my immune system will be much help in the aging process though. Getting old can't be helped.

[swt61]

Taking Maki to the vet this morning. She has two more shots to get. They have curbside service, but I tested negative this morning. I'll wear a mask to be extra cautious, but am wanting to meet this vet, as I didn't care for Suzy's vet in San Anselmo. 

I loved Al's vet where I had Suzy put down, so I'll make a decision between this one and that one. Her adoption fee covers her general exam here, and I think the last two shots as well. No need to pay twice, especially at Marin prices. 

[swt61]

This vet is great. Much better than Suzy's old vet. I think we'll stick with them for a bit. Maki thought it was a social outing. Didn't even flinch with the shot.

[Knuckledragger]

I dunno if I ever adequately conveyed this fact, but I am in fact a clumsy oaf.  Yesterday evening my (sainted, octogenarian) mother asked me to fetch two potted plants (grape ivy) that have been on my record shelves for months. 

(Seen at the top of the frame here.)  Being both the Rhodes Scholar and cat burglar that I am, I clambered up a stepladder to fetch them ...while wearing flip flops.  In a remarkably short period of time (that felt like an eternity as it happened), I got one of my flip flops stuck on the ladder, and went flying ass-over-tea-kettle backwards off it.  I fell on to the speaker on the right of this photo, knocking it to the floor.  Miraculously, I escaped uninjured.  With that said, NS-1000s weigh 70 lbs.  Having one fall from any height makes for a house shaking crash.  It scared the crap out of my (sainted, octogenarian) mother as well as myself. 

As best I can make out, nothing is seriously damaged.  Yamaha saw fit to put really heavy metal grilles on each of the NS-1000's drivers.  They may be a bit more dented than they were previously, but the truth is they were a bit out of shape even when I got them in 1999.  Today I played Sandoz - Beam (by the late, great Richard H. Kirk) off my vinyl copy of One A.D. (Volume One Ambient Dub) (one of the most glorious pieces of wax I own.)  It sounded amazing.  The only real casualty was the frame of the speaker's cloth grille.  As the speaker fell, it slipped off and landed first.  Then the speaker landed on the grille, bending all 4 of the pegs that hold it in place as well as the frame itself.  I spent some time today trying to straighten it out, but it's clear I'm going to have to dedicate some real time to fixing it. 

TBH, I'm quite lucky.  I didn't break or sprain anything on me.  I didn't injure my mother.  I didn't damage any of the antiques, including the 250 year old tiger maple chest visible behind the audio equipment.  I didn't even hurt the damn house plant that started off the whole proceedings.  I'm an utter dumbass, but a lucky one.  Life lessons: Richard H. Kirk was a genius.  Don't wear flip flops on a ladder.

[guzziguy]

I'm sure that's stated somewhere on the multiple warning labels step ladders come with.

[Dusty Chalk]

I shot my new Pew Pew:  Sig P320 XTEN in 1cm.

[swt61]

Drove back down to Lake Havasu City for Christmas. Maki did exceptionally well for her first almost 10 hour car ride. She got bored a few times, but stayed in her car seat. She didn't pee the whole trip, even though I stopped 3 times and gave her the opportunity. Can't complain about her at all! 

[eggil]

Bike riding with grandkids and family around Miramar lake. Beautiful morning. Beautiful day. Merry Christmas!

[swt61]

On 12/22/2023 at 7:30 PM, Dusty Chalk said:

I shot my new Pew Pew:  Sig P320 XTEN in 1cm.

This can be embarrassing, and im guilty of it, but give me 10 minutes and I'm ready to go again. 

Edited December 24, 2023 by swt61

[Dusty Chalk]

NOT listen to "Last Christmas"

half an hour to go

[Dusty Chalk]

I felled a tree.  Fell in exactly the direction I wanted it to, only a little bit of a barber chair.

I feel so outdoorsy.

Thanks to this video:

 

[luvdunhill]

8 hours ago, Dusty Chalk said:

I felled a tree.  Fell in exactly the direction I wanted it to, only a little bit of a barber chair.

I feel so outdoorsy.

Thanks to this video:

 

Axe? Chainsaw? We need more details!

[Dusty Chalk]

Chainsaw, just like in the video.  Used eye, ear, and hand protection (special gloves).  Wedge was not perfect, but since I started with that was able to fix it.  Back cut aim was off, but again I was able to redo it in time.  Wouldn't budge, so cut backcut deeper.  Still wouldn't budge, so I cut it deeper.  Started to go in exactly the direction I wanted it to go, so I ran....perpendicularly to the fall.  It fell with a satisfying "thud".  Wonderfully cathartic.  I think I might cut another piece for a shelf I'm making.

[blessingx]

Was invited by Christian to the California Historical Radio Society open house yesterday. Related: discovered there was a California Historical Radio Society yesterday. It’s housed in a hidden old non-Bell/independent telephone and telegraph wireless exchange building in Alameda. All volunteers and donations at this point, but will be fun to watch this grow into a museum.

[robm321]

Very cool, thanks for sharing. 

[mikeymad]

nice - lots of bakelite ... 

[swt61]

Had an appointment to get my taxes done. A good refund and a very patient Maki waiting in the van, promted a visit to Petsmart (in the same shopping center).

It was Maki's first time to visit Petsmart. Many teen and pre-teen girls fawned over her. She had a blast exploring the toys, and picked out her favorite (well her absolutel favorite seemed to be a live turtle in a low shelved aquarium,  but we passed on that one). Then got treats from the staff (as well as those I purchased).

She really is turning out to be a well behaved girl. If not a little rambunctious for her senior Daddy.

[Dusty Chalk]

Got hearing aids.  I am overjoyed/relieved.  I can hear again!

[swt61]

Dusty, I know what it's like to be slightly visually impaired. I can't imagine what it would be like to be audibly impaired. I'm glad that you have resolved that issue!

[swt61]

Maki is in no way intimidated by the much larger Walter. She is having the time of her life!

At one point Maki had Walter's cheek stretched out like a sail. His size and enthusiasm doesn't seem to frighten her in the least bit.