What are you doing today?

[jaylach]

WOW! It is only the first week of January and I've already done my 'good deed' for the year.

A guy in my apartments is getting a wheel chair lift put on his truck tomorrow and the battery was dead on the truck. The truck needed to be reversed to put the back open to the parking lot for access for the lift install.

Bottom line was my 'jumper box' for starting a vehicle saved the day. Another guy in my apartments was trying to jump start with cables from his truck and could not even get a spark. At first attempt my jumper box was the same but it can also be used as a charger and, after being connected for a few minutes the truck fired right up probably due to a little bit of charge being back in the battery making it not totally dead which allowed my jump box to actually put full output to the truck. The thing started as if had a new battery.

I don't drive any more but will never get rid of this jump box as it could keep me on-lime for several days in a power outage as long as my ISP was still up.

 

[gimme30]

I should invest in one of those, maybe one of the solar versions. I always buy the cheapest battery I can find and they tend to fail at the most inconvenient times. Plus good jumper cables are bulky and take up a lot of space.
Once the lift is installed I hope he'll let you use it to cannonball into the pool!

 

[GaryE]

This is the weirdest winter here. We've been in the region for 4 winters, and in the last week, have equalled the one coldest day we'd had (the day I moved the fish in...). We're getting minus 18 to 24, but with a sharp wind. We got 38 cm of snow, so it's crisp and beautiful, but Wednesday they're talking about zero and possible rain.

I neglected the tanks when everyone was here over the holidays, and can't do water changes because the water is grey with oxygen saturation. I was able to reseal my 40 gallon leaker, and it has held. I made an undergravel for it, and got gravel in yesterday. A frozen Moroccan kid was responsible for the largely shut down garden centre and we slid along the aisle to find the right bags. It must be tough to come from a warm climate into this cold, but he was a cheerful young guy. He'd been preparing while at home - his English was excellent (to my old ESL teacher's ear).

I'll run a slightly too small HOB on the 40 while the undergravel comes to life. It'll be a tank for midwater swimmers, so the 1/4 gravel won't be an issue. In fewer than 60 days, I'll be fishing and learning in West Africa, so I have to begin to think longterm in case I can bring fish back. The inhabitants of 3 smaller tanks'll get this one, and I'll have space for any discoveries.

 

[gimme30]

It's a weird winter here too. 70F yesterday. In January!
The only traveling I'll be able to do is vicariously so I hope you'll document your trip well and post it here! Africa....man what a trip!
Oh and don't forget to bring back something interesting for my tall tank.

 

[Alice B]

Wishing someone would write a new book: Christianity and the Art of Aquarium Maintenance.

is that a takeoff from Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance?

 

[fishorama]

I did filter cleaning today. Started with the dishwasher 1, EWW gross ickiness! Then loaded & washed dishes.

On to fish filters I've been putting off for too long. I thought I could do a quick HOB sponge rinse & call it good. No, a complete impeller clean. I just did 2 of 4 filters on 2 tanks. I may lose some beneficial bacteria. I'll clean the others tomorrow. I hope my plants will keep everything stable, they usually do...Football season is often my tank neglect time...& often lesser dinner cooking season too.

2 more fish filters & the vacuum cleaner filter are on tomorrow's agenda along with laundry.
It's not supposed to rain tomorrow so maybe water changes too. Life can get so exciting! Is this really my "retirement" life?!? Not much different than before...but I used to cook more often.

 

[GaryE]

It's not supposed to rain tomorrow so maybe water changes too. Life can get so exciting! Is this really my "retirement" life?!? Not much different than before...but I used to cook more often.

You could get into extreme dishwashing, if you don't mind broken glass, or lively it up with extreme vacuuming, which involves dressing as a super hero and running behind the machine while being chased by a dog. Retirement doesn't have to be dull!

I don't know how I had time to have a job. I now have several strong and wondrous coffees in the morning, while listening to music and moving at a leisurely pace. I do my share of the house cleaning, walk the dog and go out to the fishroom for around 2 hours. After lunch, I have no idea what I do but several hours pass pleasantly. When there's no ice I'll walk on local trails. I read. I listen to more music. I check out this forum. I may research something. I talk with my spouse. I talk with my dog. I fart around with fishtanks, I see people. I try to take over the world. I help out friends who help out me. I watch hockey games. I buy crazy expensive groceries.

We the retired post here more because we have time. It's precious.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

is that a takeoff from Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance?

Yes, it was an attempt at a joke...very effective, obviously.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Yesterday: Touched my toes without bending my knees for the first time since the 90s. Maybe the 80s? Let's just say for the first time I can remember, and I can remember a ways back. The Badgerling got me going on stretching regularly last summer, when I could only reach a couple inches below my knees, being naturally about as flexible as a brick. Took several months, but now I can touch my toes. It ain't pretty, and I can't hold it, but I can touch them.

 

[jaylach]

Yesterday: Touched my toes without bending my knees for the first time since the 90s. Maybe the 80s? Let's just say for the first time I can remember, and I can remember a ways back. The Badgerling got me going on stretching regularly last summer, when I could only reach a couple inches below my knees, being naturally about as flexible as a brick. Took several months, but now I can touch my toes. It ain't pretty, and I can't hold it, but I can touch them.

LOL! How long did it take you to stand back up?


I can do that too but it takes me a couple of 'bounces' to get there.

 

[Essjay]

I have back problems but somehow I can touch my toes without bending my knees. And get straight back up again. If I sit or kneel on the floor the only way I can get up from that it is to get onto my hands and feet, straighten my legs then stand up. I shouldn't be able to do that at 72

 

[GaryE]

I saw a foot specialist today, who informed me I had wonky feet and that my gait was probably behind my hip and leg issues. It was interesting to hear him point out the signs of the problem, all of which I had thought were just normal, that's how feet work stuff. We'll see what happens, but touching my toes?
I just came up about an inch short when I tried. But after my new @#$%*& expensive shoes inserts, I'll be leppin' round like a ballerina or a Ukrainian dancer. Just you watch.
@WhistlingBadger and I will meet up at an aquarium store somewhere between here and there someday, and we'll be downright elegant as we pick up flopping fish from the floor.

As for the zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance joke, it can't have gone worse than my recent comment where lindeman had a knife leaning on a vice, and I noted it WAS a vice. No one saw the background....

 

[connorlindeman]

Side table I made for my mom out of cherry. Inspired by shaker furniture.

 

[jaylach]

Did my second good deed for January. Now I'm a month ahead and can be a jerk for a while.

A lady in my apartments is a major Chicago Cubs baseball fan. In 2016 I made a bet that I lost which made me buy a Cubs' championship cap and wear it at work for a week. Since I'm a Cleveland fan I had no use for the cap and promised it to this lady. Sadly, it seems I had already given it away and just didn't remember.

So, what do I do to fix? I found a Cubs World Series cap on-line and bought. With shipping it cost me about $36.00 USD but $36.00 is really nothing to me. I sort of crushed it up a bit to make it look like it had been around for 9 years when I found it in a storage container. If I promise something I do everything I can to deliver. The look on her face and the major hug was well worth it.

Ya, I lied to her as to finding the cap which is a bad thing but, sometimes, a lie can be a good thing when it causes no harm and makes someone happy...

 

[fishorama]

Huh, a new year miracle? I had removed the HOB filter sponges & rinsed them yesterday but they didn't start up again. I cleaned 2 impellers & left 2 for today. But I unplugged the wrong things & this am both were flowing well, lol. The plugs are labelled but of course I never look, that would require bending way over or squatting to get in bifocal range. I guess the filters just needed a rest, me too.

Since that chore was off my list I did almost nothing useful. I sorted some laundry but didn't wash it...read my new book, interrupted my husband while he was reading several times to discuss many diverse topics. Taxes, pool maintenance, football news, where to move next, etc. & could he please get the printer working on his PC soon? (my only nagging...today)

@GaryE beware the shoe inserts! I had some as a teen & the foot cramps were severe! I cried several times when trying to sleep. My advice is to use them for an hour or so & work your way up, like any new exercise. I'm sure there are better options these days but go slow.