The Sanderson Family Garage Sale:
Was a fair success...
We made about $100 bucks.
Laurie is REALLY committed to this financial responsibility thing...
She left the house with 100$ in her pocket and DID NOT splurge...
She bought school supplies for the kids instead. She reasoned that 1) we were going to have to purchase school supplies in a couple of weeks and 2) we have the money on hand now, so...
I am proud of my wife. I ought to follow her example more often.
Grant is Elder's Quorum president...again.
They don't usually call people to the same calling twice in successive years. The Delta Ward EQ needs a lot of work. Grant no less than any other Elder in the ward. We got off to a good start by going to visit Greg Kervin this morning before church. Was a good visit.
I still "heathened" and left early...
This evening, I got to impress my daughter's friends with my bicycle wrenching savvy; I took a few minutes to patch a tire on one of their bikes, while delivering an annoted lecture on bike tire repair. They eventually got bored and started a game of "ma-fia" on the lawn...by which time I was finished. My daughter is moderately impressed.
Getting my son to eat a full meal is becoming a chore. He's at the age where the menu of foods he will eat has actually got shorter, and getting enough food into his tummy is becoming a real game 'o strategy. Coral has progressed to the point where she will at least try new things. She will be a teenager soon, and then we can stop worrying; teenagers will eat anything.
Colin heads off to day camp tomorrow...boy! keeping that kid supplied with outlets for his boundless supply of energy is getting to be a chore...
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Thursday, July 27, 2006
Man...have I been thru the wringer.
Lessee...we'll start with the highlights:
I hit the conveyor at work...
This was NOT one of those "stuff happens" episodes...this was one of those "HEY! you were NEGLIGENT, you TWERP!!" No excuses here...and although I've now been re-instated, I still feel like I've "lost my mojo".
I said as much to Mike L, and surprisingly enough, he understood what I was talking about. This was a good thing...because I have no idea what I'm talking about!
Needless to say, my stress level is going to be thru the roof tomorrow...Although I can't say that being a pedestrian for the last few days has been any picnic, either. Tuesday went OK, but I spent all of yesterday and most of today as everyone's personal Go-fer. I vividly recall Grant G telling me during yesterday's morning standup meeting that; "all the low picks and priority are done so there's really nothing for you to do"...I tell ya; for not having anything to do, I have NEVER been so freakin' BUSY. There just seems to be a lot of minor scut jobs that accumulate whenever we start ramping up our traffic; which we're in the process of doing now. Add to all the above the fact that my #1 pair of work shoes are coming apart (ouch), and you have "interesting times".
I will continue to cope...somehow.
Freddy Fender continues to flatten tubes on the rear tire. I thought I checked out the new wheel thoroughly...but evidently I missed something. I'll give it one more try tonight and see if we can get it right this time. The front seems to be holding air OK, despite having been patched about 4-5 times now.
Computers...what a pain in the butt.
Ours has a piece of mutant "comet cursor" spyware that is acting as a digital "door jimmy" into our system and allowing all sorts of interesting activity. Mostly to do with being kicked offline and shutting down spontaneously. I'd get rid of it if I had the time...or the expertise.
I'd get legit copies of Windoze and Norton (or AVG) if I could afford them, too...
Computer woes and debt reduction have dovetailed. TELUS finally expanded their DSL coverage area to our neighborhood! Concurrently, they are also offering a shiny new DELL desktop system to anyone who signs up with a TELUS homephone/litespeed DSL package. L actually didn't have a problem with this...until................................
The TELUS package actually saves us money over what we're paying to our current home phone provider (Rogers) and our current ISP (DCCNet). There is, however, a clause in the package that levies a penalty if you cancel your TELUS service without cause any time in the 36 months following the time you sign up. Laurie calls this being "locked in" to a "contract"; and she doesn't like it. Mostly, I think she just resents the fact that I am the one who signed up for it without asking her.
...Mind you, I share her distrust of all things TELUS...these are the people who kept us waiting FOUR YEARS before they got off their collective @sses and built up their network to finally cover all the holes (one of which we lived in). L's main arguments against are: 1. TELUS is going to load us up with a whole bunch of services we don't need (so cancel them). 2. If we wait awhile...another 3rd party ISP is probably going to be offering discounts over TELUS's rates. This is actually a pretty telling arguement, as that is exactly what 3Web Broadband did about 3 months ago. I gotta say, I would LOVE being a 3Web subscriber again. If we wait, we probably miss out on a new computer...but the promo MIGHT be run again; and, as L pointed out, we already HAVE a computer. Speaking of distrust, just TRY to get through to TELUS's customer service line...really, these people all need to get on the same page. I just hope I don't have to call my MLA, or something.
So...on the whole, I am inclined to agree with L. I ought to cancel the new TELUS package (new computer, et al)...mebbe sign up for their DSL only...and wait to see if something better comes along.
Coming up next:
THE LEGENDARY SANDERSON FAMILY GARAGE SALE!!!
STAY TUNED!!!
Lessee...we'll start with the highlights:
I hit the conveyor at work...
This was NOT one of those "stuff happens" episodes...this was one of those "HEY! you were NEGLIGENT, you TWERP!!" No excuses here...and although I've now been re-instated, I still feel like I've "lost my mojo".
I said as much to Mike L, and surprisingly enough, he understood what I was talking about. This was a good thing...because I have no idea what I'm talking about!
Needless to say, my stress level is going to be thru the roof tomorrow...Although I can't say that being a pedestrian for the last few days has been any picnic, either. Tuesday went OK, but I spent all of yesterday and most of today as everyone's personal Go-fer. I vividly recall Grant G telling me during yesterday's morning standup meeting that; "all the low picks and priority are done so there's really nothing for you to do"...I tell ya; for not having anything to do, I have NEVER been so freakin' BUSY. There just seems to be a lot of minor scut jobs that accumulate whenever we start ramping up our traffic; which we're in the process of doing now. Add to all the above the fact that my #1 pair of work shoes are coming apart (ouch), and you have "interesting times".
I will continue to cope...somehow.
Freddy Fender continues to flatten tubes on the rear tire. I thought I checked out the new wheel thoroughly...but evidently I missed something. I'll give it one more try tonight and see if we can get it right this time. The front seems to be holding air OK, despite having been patched about 4-5 times now.
Computers...what a pain in the butt.
Ours has a piece of mutant "comet cursor" spyware that is acting as a digital "door jimmy" into our system and allowing all sorts of interesting activity. Mostly to do with being kicked offline and shutting down spontaneously. I'd get rid of it if I had the time...or the expertise.
I'd get legit copies of Windoze and Norton (or AVG) if I could afford them, too...
Computer woes and debt reduction have dovetailed. TELUS finally expanded their DSL coverage area to our neighborhood! Concurrently, they are also offering a shiny new DELL desktop system to anyone who signs up with a TELUS homephone/litespeed DSL package. L actually didn't have a problem with this...until................................
The TELUS package actually saves us money over what we're paying to our current home phone provider (Rogers) and our current ISP (DCCNet). There is, however, a clause in the package that levies a penalty if you cancel your TELUS service without cause any time in the 36 months following the time you sign up. Laurie calls this being "locked in" to a "contract"; and she doesn't like it. Mostly, I think she just resents the fact that I am the one who signed up for it without asking her.
...Mind you, I share her distrust of all things TELUS...these are the people who kept us waiting FOUR YEARS before they got off their collective @sses and built up their network to finally cover all the holes (one of which we lived in). L's main arguments against are: 1. TELUS is going to load us up with a whole bunch of services we don't need (so cancel them). 2. If we wait awhile...another 3rd party ISP is probably going to be offering discounts over TELUS's rates. This is actually a pretty telling arguement, as that is exactly what 3Web Broadband did about 3 months ago. I gotta say, I would LOVE being a 3Web subscriber again. If we wait, we probably miss out on a new computer...but the promo MIGHT be run again; and, as L pointed out, we already HAVE a computer. Speaking of distrust, just TRY to get through to TELUS's customer service line...really, these people all need to get on the same page. I just hope I don't have to call my MLA, or something.
So...on the whole, I am inclined to agree with L. I ought to cancel the new TELUS package (new computer, et al)...mebbe sign up for their DSL only...and wait to see if something better comes along.
Coming up next:
THE LEGENDARY SANDERSON FAMILY GARAGE SALE!!!
STAY TUNED!!!
Monday, July 17, 2006
Wow...two posts in a week...what next?
I am spending a LOT of time lately...
...fixing things.
Such is the life of a poor suburban Squire. The latest project was fixing the 13" TV/VCR combo that had started eating tapes. Found the culprit right away: a broken shuttle that had become disconnected from its armature. It was held on with a plastic peg that was molded into the piece and broke off. I heated a twopenny nail and melted a hole clean thru where the peg was. I then found an appropriate sized screw in the parts jar and used it to re-attach the shuttle. It works...but this fix probably won't last. It will allow the kids to watch their VHS videos, as long as they don't forget to shut it off afterward. The machine will probably break again if it is left unattended and tries to re-wind a VHS tape. If it does break...I may not be able to kludge it back together again.
My bike.
I'm actually riding my ATB to work. It has issues. The Maxxis "semi-slick" tires are not nearly as robust as advertised...I may switch back to generic knobbies. My roadie is out with TWO flats...yes, the front is flat again after I laid THREE new patches on it. The back is flat for no apparent reason I can find. I need two new tubes, two new tires, and sealant...and I'm broke again.
I mentioned issues with the ATB? The super-keen custom frame went to the landfill last year, as I had no way to replace that pressed-in bottom bracket. The Raleigh basher frame I put the parts on isn't quite wide enough to accomodate an 8-speed cassette...so the wheel sits slightly off-center. I had to off-center the brakes, as well. This has the predictable result of the wheel coming out of the dropouts if there is too much pressure on the chain. The tire snubs up against the left hand wheelstay, and the bike stops moving...and I fall off. This happened saturday when I tried to stand up to climb the short slope out of the local mall parking lot...most embarrassing.
What else? The shifters don't work. The brakes rub. I've already had one flat (today, from a broken bottle). It's annoying. I need to lay those parts on a frame that can actually accept them. Mebbe build on that big green ATB frame that Dave F gave me. I can build a "super junker" on that frame (what else would you call a dept. store bike with 24 speed gearing?), then build a decent 18-speed ATB on the Raleigh frame.
I definitely need to make a landfill run. We still have yard waste, and some scrap steel (mostly bike parts) as well as a couple of carpets to go.
We finished moving all the "toyroom" stuff downstairs into what was Granpa's TV room. Colin has his own room now and he was really impressed with it when he came home from camp today. He had a great time at camp and was easily one of the most outgoing kids there. I love my son. I'm glad he's back.
I did get the window on the car fixed. Next will probably be to overhaul the brakes. If it ain't one thing...it's two things. Also, some minor interior stuff needs attention. DS seatbelt needs to be replaced, and the front-seat console needs a new latch on the cover. I don't know why I'm going to the trouble of keeping the car in good condition...L tells me she is determined to drive that sucker into the ground. I think we should trade it in for a '00 or '01 model sometime in the next three years. Some other cavalier or sunfire 4 door with the same type of engine. Problem is: there aren't too many of them left out there that don't have engine issues...you know, just like OURS had!
I fixed up the flower beds...again, I don't know why I bothered: there's no flowers in them and probably won't be any time this year. I still have to paint the deck rail and stairs. Barry K at work recommends renting a paint gun from Home Depot. I like this idea.
I spent part of Saturday and half of Sunday hanging blinds and curtains. We now have blinds on the DS windows to discourage burglary. L believes if they can't SEE our stuff, they won't have any motivation to break in and steal it. I don't have the heart to tell her that isn't quite the way it works. Well, at least the room stays cooler with the blinds in place. The window in Colin's new room got a similar treatment; save that I custom-trimmed the blinds to fit the inside of the window. This was necessary because we used a simple telescoping rod to hang the IKEA curtains L got for the boy's room.
I am now so proficient in installing vinyl blinds I feel I could offer my services professionally.
I am spending a LOT of time lately...
...fixing things.
Such is the life of a poor suburban Squire. The latest project was fixing the 13" TV/VCR combo that had started eating tapes. Found the culprit right away: a broken shuttle that had become disconnected from its armature. It was held on with a plastic peg that was molded into the piece and broke off. I heated a twopenny nail and melted a hole clean thru where the peg was. I then found an appropriate sized screw in the parts jar and used it to re-attach the shuttle. It works...but this fix probably won't last. It will allow the kids to watch their VHS videos, as long as they don't forget to shut it off afterward. The machine will probably break again if it is left unattended and tries to re-wind a VHS tape. If it does break...I may not be able to kludge it back together again.
My bike.
I'm actually riding my ATB to work. It has issues. The Maxxis "semi-slick" tires are not nearly as robust as advertised...I may switch back to generic knobbies. My roadie is out with TWO flats...yes, the front is flat again after I laid THREE new patches on it. The back is flat for no apparent reason I can find. I need two new tubes, two new tires, and sealant...and I'm broke again.
I mentioned issues with the ATB? The super-keen custom frame went to the landfill last year, as I had no way to replace that pressed-in bottom bracket. The Raleigh basher frame I put the parts on isn't quite wide enough to accomodate an 8-speed cassette...so the wheel sits slightly off-center. I had to off-center the brakes, as well. This has the predictable result of the wheel coming out of the dropouts if there is too much pressure on the chain. The tire snubs up against the left hand wheelstay, and the bike stops moving...and I fall off. This happened saturday when I tried to stand up to climb the short slope out of the local mall parking lot...most embarrassing.
What else? The shifters don't work. The brakes rub. I've already had one flat (today, from a broken bottle). It's annoying. I need to lay those parts on a frame that can actually accept them. Mebbe build on that big green ATB frame that Dave F gave me. I can build a "super junker" on that frame (what else would you call a dept. store bike with 24 speed gearing?), then build a decent 18-speed ATB on the Raleigh frame.
I definitely need to make a landfill run. We still have yard waste, and some scrap steel (mostly bike parts) as well as a couple of carpets to go.
We finished moving all the "toyroom" stuff downstairs into what was Granpa's TV room. Colin has his own room now and he was really impressed with it when he came home from camp today. He had a great time at camp and was easily one of the most outgoing kids there. I love my son. I'm glad he's back.
I did get the window on the car fixed. Next will probably be to overhaul the brakes. If it ain't one thing...it's two things. Also, some minor interior stuff needs attention. DS seatbelt needs to be replaced, and the front-seat console needs a new latch on the cover. I don't know why I'm going to the trouble of keeping the car in good condition...L tells me she is determined to drive that sucker into the ground. I think we should trade it in for a '00 or '01 model sometime in the next three years. Some other cavalier or sunfire 4 door with the same type of engine. Problem is: there aren't too many of them left out there that don't have engine issues...you know, just like OURS had!
I fixed up the flower beds...again, I don't know why I bothered: there's no flowers in them and probably won't be any time this year. I still have to paint the deck rail and stairs. Barry K at work recommends renting a paint gun from Home Depot. I like this idea.
I spent part of Saturday and half of Sunday hanging blinds and curtains. We now have blinds on the DS windows to discourage burglary. L believes if they can't SEE our stuff, they won't have any motivation to break in and steal it. I don't have the heart to tell her that isn't quite the way it works. Well, at least the room stays cooler with the blinds in place. The window in Colin's new room got a similar treatment; save that I custom-trimmed the blinds to fit the inside of the window. This was necessary because we used a simple telescoping rod to hang the IKEA curtains L got for the boy's room.
I am now so proficient in installing vinyl blinds I feel I could offer my services professionally.
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Wow...is it "that time of the month" already?
What a day I had today...
Ever had one of those days that features a perfect dovetailing of misfortune AND serendipity? You are left hanging in the middle wondering "what next?"
Lessee...
Woke up late. Slept thru the #1 alarm and was awakened by the Not To Be Ignored #2 alarm. Spent 20 mins on the pot enjoying severe cramps and rampant trots. Showered just after 5:30 and still somehow managed to make my departure window at 5:50. Sky was dark and foreboding, so I wore my shell and used the cover for the A.W.S. Was still dry at the time tho'.
My rear tire popped halfway down 84th.
I didn't even try to pump it back up this time. I confirmed that there were no holes in the tire, and walked quickly back to the Shell at 112 & 84th. I used the hi-pressure air hose to confirm what I already suspected: that slit someone put in the tube stem with an X-acto knife had finally worked its way thru and the valve stem had delaminated from the tube nipple. Air was rushing out just as fast as the hose pumped it in...
...things like that just make ya wanna BEAT on someone, ya know??
Nyway, I swapped the (sealant-treated) tube for the spare, and rode back home. Took the car to work (6:31 departure) and arrived in sufficient time to clock in at 7AM precisely.
I ran out of patches yesterday while trying to fix all the holes in the treated front tube...had to call on Greg K at 10:30 PM to borrow some more! Note about slime sealant: you still have to patch the holes...you just don't have to patch them right away. Note II: holes in sealant-treated tubes tend to accumulate over time. Arrgh...to spend all that effort shoring up the front tire and then have the back one let go on me. That valve stem cut nonsense is the WORST sort of tire sabotage you can pull on a bike...worse even than slashing the sidewall (and I've had that happen as well). It renders the tube USELESS...sealant-treated or not. Also, it's SNEAKY. The tire won't lose pressure all at once, and the damage is such that most cyclists (even savvy DIY wrenches like me) won't notice it at first. This is the second tube I've lost to this vandalism...and on a different wheel, as well.
--Some of the wrenches in the audience will claim the slit in the valve stem came from abrasion against the hole the stem passes through in the wheel rim. Wrong: first, the slit was cut at an angle; second, the slit was a few mm above the base of the stem...abrasions occur further down; third, this has happened on two separate wheels. One wheel can have burrs near the hole where the valve passes through; but wheel #2 doesn't...I made certain.
Anyway...I got to work on time. IT RAINED THE REST OF THE DAY. Ever feel like life is trying to tell you something? Tomorrow or Friday I've got to try to fix the window on the car, and I need it to not be raining when I do.
I may ride tomorrow...rain or no. I need to develop some more cohones when it comes to braving the elements.
Work was weird too...lots of hassle, yet things automagically seemed to work out anyway.
Laurie has decided, in usual Laurie style, on a unilateral move into Granpa's (former) suite downstairs. We CANNOT actually move any of his stuff out of the house (yet). So we're moving it into the back corner of the downstairs TV room. About where the "office" I've been dreaming of would have been if we were going with the "landlord" plan. Apparently we aren't going to be renting out the suite any time soon. The kid's toyroom is moving into the downstairs TV room and Colin will be moving into the former toy room (actually our third upstairs BR). My computer is already moved downstairs and I am enjoying an internet connection that DOESN'T pass thru a flaky wireless dongle with poor signal pickup. I need to ask Keith if connecting directly to the modem is a good idea, or if I should hook up the router and connect thru that. We'll see...
This is gonna be soooo embarrassing if Granpa actually makes a miracle recovery and gets sent back home for a while...
What a day I had today...
Ever had one of those days that features a perfect dovetailing of misfortune AND serendipity? You are left hanging in the middle wondering "what next?"
Lessee...
Woke up late. Slept thru the #1 alarm and was awakened by the Not To Be Ignored #2 alarm. Spent 20 mins on the pot enjoying severe cramps and rampant trots. Showered just after 5:30 and still somehow managed to make my departure window at 5:50. Sky was dark and foreboding, so I wore my shell and used the cover for the A.W.S. Was still dry at the time tho'.
My rear tire popped halfway down 84th.
I didn't even try to pump it back up this time. I confirmed that there were no holes in the tire, and walked quickly back to the Shell at 112 & 84th. I used the hi-pressure air hose to confirm what I already suspected: that slit someone put in the tube stem with an X-acto knife had finally worked its way thru and the valve stem had delaminated from the tube nipple. Air was rushing out just as fast as the hose pumped it in...
...things like that just make ya wanna BEAT on someone, ya know??
Nyway, I swapped the (sealant-treated) tube for the spare, and rode back home. Took the car to work (6:31 departure) and arrived in sufficient time to clock in at 7AM precisely.
I ran out of patches yesterday while trying to fix all the holes in the treated front tube...had to call on Greg K at 10:30 PM to borrow some more! Note about slime sealant: you still have to patch the holes...you just don't have to patch them right away. Note II: holes in sealant-treated tubes tend to accumulate over time. Arrgh...to spend all that effort shoring up the front tire and then have the back one let go on me. That valve stem cut nonsense is the WORST sort of tire sabotage you can pull on a bike...worse even than slashing the sidewall (and I've had that happen as well). It renders the tube USELESS...sealant-treated or not. Also, it's SNEAKY. The tire won't lose pressure all at once, and the damage is such that most cyclists (even savvy DIY wrenches like me) won't notice it at first. This is the second tube I've lost to this vandalism...and on a different wheel, as well.
--Some of the wrenches in the audience will claim the slit in the valve stem came from abrasion against the hole the stem passes through in the wheel rim. Wrong: first, the slit was cut at an angle; second, the slit was a few mm above the base of the stem...abrasions occur further down; third, this has happened on two separate wheels. One wheel can have burrs near the hole where the valve passes through; but wheel #2 doesn't...I made certain.
Anyway...I got to work on time. IT RAINED THE REST OF THE DAY. Ever feel like life is trying to tell you something? Tomorrow or Friday I've got to try to fix the window on the car, and I need it to not be raining when I do.
I may ride tomorrow...rain or no. I need to develop some more cohones when it comes to braving the elements.
Work was weird too...lots of hassle, yet things automagically seemed to work out anyway.
Laurie has decided, in usual Laurie style, on a unilateral move into Granpa's (former) suite downstairs. We CANNOT actually move any of his stuff out of the house (yet). So we're moving it into the back corner of the downstairs TV room. About where the "office" I've been dreaming of would have been if we were going with the "landlord" plan. Apparently we aren't going to be renting out the suite any time soon. The kid's toyroom is moving into the downstairs TV room and Colin will be moving into the former toy room (actually our third upstairs BR). My computer is already moved downstairs and I am enjoying an internet connection that DOESN'T pass thru a flaky wireless dongle with poor signal pickup. I need to ask Keith if connecting directly to the modem is a good idea, or if I should hook up the router and connect thru that. We'll see...
This is gonna be soooo embarrassing if Granpa actually makes a miracle recovery and gets sent back home for a while...