Generic update
Yesterday I got a new battery for the Ninja and performed a quick check and adjustment of the parts that needed adjusting, lubrication of the parts that needed lubricating, all in anticipation of a good, long ride today since I'm taking a comp day from work for working over a weekend in November. But it rained overnight and I woke to fog and mist signaling rain-slick roads. Perhaps it will dry out enough later this afternoon. I haven't ridden the thing in over three months probably, which is shame on me.
At Kuma's last checkup at the veterinarian, his weight check showed him gaining about ten pounds in the past year. This is right on par with what I've gained myself. The correlation between the amount of exercise we now get and our weight gain is significant - my continuing single complaint about moving to the mountains and further away from work is the amount of time commuting steals from my day. During the summer we're able to go to the park while it's still light, though we don't spend enough of that time doing what I'd call real, strenuous exercise. In the winter the 'yote and I leave in the dark and get home in the dark. Fortunately, Kuma is able to come to work with me one day a week. Anyway, we both need to lose some weight.
His blood work and lab tests all came back "terrific" according to the doctor.
It's tick season around here apparently. Last year at this time we noticed a lot of them, and the same thing is happening again this year. Yesterday we went for a late afternoon hike at the north end of Wilder Ranch, and afterward found hordes of ticks on Kuma and ourselves. For some reason, the ticks we get around here are these tiny little things. They're still freaking monstrous as far I'm concerned.
Living in an old house: Our chimney pipe is leaking sooty water around the outside from rain or condensation. I had it checked out and the chimney guy gave me a story about how it was oddly constructed and old and doesn't meet current standards and on and on and why don't I come down and look at a new wood stove. Well, I did, and now I'm drooling over this one, which I've seen in action over at E___'s place. One of these days it'll be feasible, even. It's too bad I can't take advantage of the tax credit for energy efficient upgrades right now - "they" say owning a home gets easier after the first year. Our one year anniversary happens to have been yesterday.
Also, about a month ago the faucet in the laundry room exploded. By the time we noticed it water was gushing in a 360° arc from the broken faucet, soaking everything in the laundry room and making its way through the floor showering the basement. I got completely drenched going down to turn it off. That was easy enough to repair the next day though.
We started on a project to build extra parking while my parents were visiting back in September, but one thing that stands in the way of completion is an old, one-car garage. Other than the fact that it still has some solid lumber, it really has no value to us. It could be restored with a bit of work, but I don't like where it is and I don't know if the effort of moving it is worth it compared to the effort of simply tearing it down. We were all set to do just that while my parents were here, but the couple that chairs the community center up at the old schoolhouse expressed interest in hiring a company to move it up to their property. So I said sure, I'll wait to do anything with it until you find out whether you can work something out. Well, three months later they've finally decided that they don't want it after all.
The work that I did over the summer to prevent the basement from flooding during winter rain storms seems to have paid off.
Speaking of home improvement, check out this project (via B. Schneier). It's given me ideas for re-tiling the hearth.
In other news, I'll be DJing at Further Confusion 2010 in January. I have the first spot on Sunday night - come out and see me and shake your tail and other fuzzy bits.
Did we just have a tiny earthquake? The only one I can find on the USGS map was around the time I felt something, but nearly 170 miles from here and only a magnitude 1.0. Hmm.
(EDIT: I rode the motorcycle anyway.)
At Kuma's last checkup at the veterinarian, his weight check showed him gaining about ten pounds in the past year. This is right on par with what I've gained myself. The correlation between the amount of exercise we now get and our weight gain is significant - my continuing single complaint about moving to the mountains and further away from work is the amount of time commuting steals from my day. During the summer we're able to go to the park while it's still light, though we don't spend enough of that time doing what I'd call real, strenuous exercise. In the winter the 'yote and I leave in the dark and get home in the dark. Fortunately, Kuma is able to come to work with me one day a week. Anyway, we both need to lose some weight.
His blood work and lab tests all came back "terrific" according to the doctor.
It's tick season around here apparently. Last year at this time we noticed a lot of them, and the same thing is happening again this year. Yesterday we went for a late afternoon hike at the north end of Wilder Ranch, and afterward found hordes of ticks on Kuma and ourselves. For some reason, the ticks we get around here are these tiny little things. They're still freaking monstrous as far I'm concerned.
Living in an old house: Our chimney pipe is leaking sooty water around the outside from rain or condensation. I had it checked out and the chimney guy gave me a story about how it was oddly constructed and old and doesn't meet current standards and on and on and why don't I come down and look at a new wood stove. Well, I did, and now I'm drooling over this one, which I've seen in action over at E___'s place. One of these days it'll be feasible, even. It's too bad I can't take advantage of the tax credit for energy efficient upgrades right now - "they" say owning a home gets easier after the first year. Our one year anniversary happens to have been yesterday.
Also, about a month ago the faucet in the laundry room exploded. By the time we noticed it water was gushing in a 360° arc from the broken faucet, soaking everything in the laundry room and making its way through the floor showering the basement. I got completely drenched going down to turn it off. That was easy enough to repair the next day though.
We started on a project to build extra parking while my parents were visiting back in September, but one thing that stands in the way of completion is an old, one-car garage. Other than the fact that it still has some solid lumber, it really has no value to us. It could be restored with a bit of work, but I don't like where it is and I don't know if the effort of moving it is worth it compared to the effort of simply tearing it down. We were all set to do just that while my parents were here, but the couple that chairs the community center up at the old schoolhouse expressed interest in hiring a company to move it up to their property. So I said sure, I'll wait to do anything with it until you find out whether you can work something out. Well, three months later they've finally decided that they don't want it after all.
The work that I did over the summer to prevent the basement from flooding during winter rain storms seems to have paid off.
Speaking of home improvement, check out this project (via B. Schneier). It's given me ideas for re-tiling the hearth.
In other news, I'll be DJing at Further Confusion 2010 in January. I have the first spot on Sunday night - come out and see me and shake your tail and other fuzzy bits.
Did we just have a tiny earthquake? The only one I can find on the USGS map was around the time I felt something, but nearly 170 miles from here and only a magnitude 1.0. Hmm.
(EDIT: I rode the motorcycle anyway.)