What did you do today?

[shan2themax]

Happy Birthday Z!!!! I hope your belly gave you some reprieve!



So.... my day started with being being woken up by the smell of something burning. So I yell at my son asking him if he was cooking, he was already up and searching for source. There was no smoke or flame anywhere, nothing was even warm right above the vent hood.... idk what to think........ I flipped the breaker off for the range hood. It was the only thing that had changed, and the previous one had been problematic. The smell went away as quickly as it came. I have left the breaker off all day and the rangehood is disconnected.

Not how I envisioned my day, but thankful it woke..me.up
I asked the volunteer FD if they would come over and check out the attic. They didn't find anything or see any obvious burnt areas.
One.of them gave me a number for an electrician that is also a volunteer there. I called but I couldn't leave a message.


Whats the best way to choose an electrician? I don't feel comfortable turning that breaker back on until one comes and looks at it.

I worked on my moms room today, took all kinds of empty boxes out. Found several c-pap supplies all packaged up neatly and not opened, so I will need to find someone to give them too.
I had to remove multiple items from garage so that they could climb up to the attic, between that and my moms room, I am completely drained and in a flair from fibromyalgia. I am super stiff and very exhausted....
I'm too tired to do anything with the kitchen. I straightened it up some last night, but had to move it again to take the range hood off. I am very very sleepy, but afraid to go asleep.

 

[zannej]

Thanks for the birthday wishes. Stomach eventually settled down. Feeling better today but still tired. Been having leg and ankle cramps/soreness.
I love bananas. I love them by themselves & in cereal. Its hard to find them ripe and not covered in flies though. I need to get some next time I go to samsclub. They have better bananas than walmart. I might go Monday since my brother is off work and can help with the lifting.

I cleaned off the formerly sticky sides of the velcro pads wit alcohol and put heavy duty doublesided tape on to reattach my subwoofer, speaker, and desk tray. The peel-off backing stuff did not want to come off so I had to use tweezers and had a lot of frustration but I finally got it. Hopefully everything will stay in place this time.

Shan, do you have Angieslist or HomeAdvisor for your area? They might be able to list people. I think yahoo sometimes has reviews of services in the area.

Reminds me I saw one of the local plumbers & couldn't help but comment to myself about what a hack he is. He did a terrible job at my friend's grandfather's house. Even if he would actually come out to my house (which he won't) I wouldn't hire him.

 

[shan2themax]

@zannej Its hard to find honest people around here. I'm sure this is true of everywhere. We just had a 2 more contractors be arrested for not completing jobs and skipping town with money. Its really a big headache. I put a post on Facebook to see if anyone had used someone, no responses yet. I have 3 friends with rental property, so I will see if they have someone they trust also.
I worked on my moms room some today, I hadn't worked on it since I moved everything around in June when she first went in the hospital. I think I emptied 8 boxes of varying sizes, and through 3 33 gallon bags of stuff away. I found some brand new cpap/bipap/avaps masks/hoses, so I will try to find a home for those. I need to go work on her room some more before I go to bed for the night.
I gave my bike rack to the neighbors across the street for his kids bikes for the winter, it was 4 feet wide and It just took up too much space in my garage. I plan to give my bike away, so I didn't need to keep it. My sons bike is a fancy mountain bike that the back tire comes off, so it doesn't take up as much room as 2 bikes did.
I am absolutely exhausted again from working in my moms room, dismantling the range hood again, and pulling stuff out of my garage and moving shelving so that the VFD could get up into the attic. I would love to pay someone to widen the opening and install attic steps for me. I would also like to put some plywood or something up there in a few places so that you had something to stand on.

I need to either hire someone to go up there and remove all the old insulation and vacuum up the mouse poop and install insulation.... or me get my big butt up there and do it.

Honestly, I am at the point with the house, that I wish I could just get a bunch of people over and get it all done at once, lay osb, rip out kitchen, fix sag, FIND HOMES FOR THESE CATS, blah blah blah

Ok ok, enough of my whining. I need to go get busy for a little bit.

Oh.... I have left the breaker off, and I moved the TV to a different wall. The breaker for the wall where the rangehood is, is also the breaker for the ceiling fan and one wall in the living room.
I still have the stove breaker off also. I don't think it was the stove, and it may not have been the rangehood..... but since the one I took out was turning the light off by itself, I feel like that is the most likely culprit. I wish I felt safe getting in the attic to look at the wiring for myself, but..... I don't.

Hoping everyone has a good evening Nd rest of their weekend, I'm off to get busy for a bit.

 

[Eddie_T]

@RedneckGrump, Belated Happy Thanksgiving to you. I had forgotten about Canadian Thanksgiving being in October. Sounds like you had a blessed day.

 

[Spicoli43]

Good luck with smell, Shan... Could it have been something outside drifting by, like a neighbor's burning smell?

Happy Thanksgiving, Redneck... I'm not a fan of Ham or Turkey... Ham because it's a Sodium Bomb and Turkey because it's dry... My Sister said to cook the Turkey in a roaster on the counter and cook it upside down and it will be juicy throughout.

Contractors here are mostly good, some want half the money upfront, some just want all the money at the project end. That's how my concrete guy was for my shop floor... "Please just have a cashiers check when I return to remove the forms."

The contractor for my Brother's shop couldn't figure out where to put the studs, as in the studs were 15" or 14 1/2... I forget the exact details, but when we were wiring outlets and putting up the OSB panels, he was griping about them being "in the business" but having no idea what they were doing. "They aren't Lawyers or Accountants 5 days a week then they go play Carpentry, this IS THEIR JOB."...

The shop frame LOOKED okay, but then put up the 8 foot panels and when they don't work, insert swear words.

 

[shan2themax]

@Spicoli43 I really don't know. I didn't have any windows open, it was 815 in the morning. I have an electrician coming Tuesday and I do have several things that I could hire him for dependent upon what he finds. So we shall see. I have left the breaker off, so no new smells. I am making a list of things to get a price for and writing it on my upright freezer door lol

I have done some laundry today, worked on my moms room last night. Rearranged part of the living room so that I could watch TV while that breaker is off..... I need to go get busy making dinner.... Philly cheesesteaks with pepperjack cheese.... although... I just realized the rolls are frozen, better go get them out to thaw.
I watched 2 episodes on a Bible study about Revelations earlier, that was interesting. She mentioned Corrie Ten Boom and that reminded me of one of the books Corrie Ten Boom had written that I read. Although, I can't remember the name of it.
Trying to relax today, I lifted and carried entirely too much the past few days and have felt horrible in the evenings with temps 99.5-99.9. It happens When I overdue it. Which is close to impossible for me to not do.

I'm hoping that maybe this electrician knows a structural engineer. I am going to try to find some different ones to call tomorrow.
Also, tomorrow, I need to call medicaid to see if I can email the forms I filled out.


Hope everyone has enjoyed their weekend!

 

[Spicoli43]

Ok, Good Luck Shan... You should get a circuit tester like this one and check every outlet to start...

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Fluke-Fluke-ST120-Socket-Tester-with-GFCI-test/1003196402
I just got done watching this documentary, real good...

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4459206/?ref_=fn_al_tt_5

 

[Spicoli43]

I decided to make Clam Chowder with chunks of Potato that didn't work too well last time. Instead of putting the raw Potatoes in the crock, I pan fried them with Olive Oil and some No Salt seasoning from Costco and then put everything in the crock... It has about a half hour, but I tested the Potato and it's Magnifique!!!

Yesterday, I made some Coconut Milk out of 1 Cup of flakes and 1 1/2 Cups of water and blended in some Protein Powder... Then I said "This is real crunchy"...

Yeah, supposed to strain the Milk through a Coffee Filter, Genius!!!

Homer DOH!!!

 

[shan2themax]

I do have something similar, it plugs into the outlets, I also have one shaped like a pen that tells you if its live and an ohmeter also. I haven't checked every single outlet, still haven't turned the breaker back on. I'm not going to.
Larry, (the guy that cut down the bush and is helping me out with all this stuff and going to today up all the weeds and such), came by this evening and we got the building cleaned out. To me a longish story short, a mouse jumped out of a box at me and I screamed! Lol. Idk why I screamed. But then about 15 minutes later I was moving stuff out of the building a teenage opossum came peeking around a box..... I slowly backed out of the building. We got him out of the building and hopefully he leaves. He wasn't sml but he was skinny and lanky... thats why I think it was young.
We got rid of a bunch of stuff though, he is going to come back tomorrow.
I have been helping, because I can't stand to see someone work and I am not working... but idk that I will feel like it. We shall see.

I made a sort of Philly cheesesteak for dinner. I used the shaved beef (ribeye) that Walmart sells and cooked frozen onions and peppers with it and put pepperjack cheese on it with some mayonnaise and I put it on Hawaiian Rolls. It was pretty good.
I think tomorrow will be bucket steak in the crockpot with cream of mushroom soup and mashed potatoes and peas or green beans.

Hope everyone has a good night!

 

[Flyover]

I think I mentioned I have a neighbor who mills his own wood. He does a lot of de-barking of slabs for customers who want a live edge, and my wife picked up from somewhere the idea that this discarded bark makes good mulch, so I've been carting over buckets of the stuff. I think it's from red oak but I'm not positive. Last week I laid some of it around my mailbox and today I helped her put more around our lamppost. I like how it looks. What's leftover is great in fires too.

Today I made lentil soup. I didn't have as many green lentils as I thought, so I supplemented it with red lentils, which disintegrate into nothing but at least added substance. I also included finely chopped peppered beef jerky (this is one of my standard ingredients in lentil soup), onions, and carrots, and seasoned it with my usual mix of Middle-Eastern spices. It turned out very nicely.

 

[Spicoli43]

Shan, you should check every outlet besides the ones that are off. Every bit of info the Electrician has when they get there is a step ahead...

Flyover, you know the Fire risk with wood Mulch, right?

 

[Spicoli43]

I'm going to take this webinar on Hormones... After my 7 week Detox from the same group that is sponsoring this Free webinar, I figure why not? No longer am I running around Bulletproof like when I was in my 20's...

https://hormonesecrets.thesacredscience.com/webinar/

 

[RedneckGrump]

Good Morning Girls and Boys...
Well, yesterday's Thanksgiving was good... Really nice having younger kids around... Love when my Grandkids come for a visit... and poor Lucy by near the end of the visit, is teething, and just by looking at her, you knew she wasn't feeling too good... But you can tell Daycare is really helping her out... I remember when my kids were growing up, there was no such thing as Daycare... Daycare was up to us... I find kids are coming a lot faster, and know so much more today... Especially on the Tech side... The only problem is they aren't taught things like telling the time, or even printing so much anymore... Sad, but very true...

But the day was wonderful... I forgot to mention, on Saturday when Carll and I went for our usual walk... we were approached by a guy that was homeless pushing his shopping cart with all his belongings... He stopped me, and asked if he could pet Carl, I said of course... We get talking, he lost his family a couple of years back, his Mom & Dad, and brother and sisters in a bad car accident... Seemed like a really nice guy... He told me he was in jail for stealing and told me he smokes. but not into the really bad drugs... He seemed really sincere about who got burnt in his life... I told him my wife and I were talking about taking in a homeless person for the winter and trying to help them get back on his feet... So he took my number, and is supposed to call me this afternoon... and Lorie and I will meet him down near the riverwalk, and Lorie can check him out, and see if his story is the same as he told me... I trust everyone till you screw me, and then you don't get another chance ever... Just the way I am... So, we'll see if he calls this afternoon, and I will either take him a turkey plate or stop at Wendy's and grab him a meal...

Whats the best way to choose an electrician? I don't feel comfortable turning that breaker back on until one comes and looks at it.

I would go to a home depot, and other electrical supplying stores and asked if they would suggest an Electrician... I would take someone who has their name on their truck... and the way I pay a tradesperson is 1/4 of the bill when he starts... 1/2 way through, I would pay another 1/4, and at the end of the job, and after I had it inspected, I would pay the other 1/2... And if the word money came out of the conversation right away, I personally would stay away from him... After looking at the job... I would say something like "How much do you think it might be" and at the end of the meeting, I would ask him to deliver you an estimate... and I would have two other companies do the same, and YOU don't always go for the cheapest, but the one that treated YOU like a customer, and the one who suggested ways of doing the job... But also one who wrote his estimate properly in detail, because YOU don't want any surprises when done with the job... That sounds like a lot... But that way you are protecting yourself, your home, and the job to be done properly...

Happy Thanksgiving, Redneck... I'm not a fan of Ham or Turkey... Ham because it's a Sodium Bomb and Turkey because it's dry... My Sister said to cook the Turkey in a roaster on the counter and cook it upside down and it will be juicy throughout.

Thank you, Buddy, the two days were great... Also, love spending time with my Grandkids, and my niece... all the holidays need kids in them, that is what makes the days special I think, seeing the magic and love in their eyes...

I too am not a big fan of Ham, and turkey, I am an all-beef kinda guy... (LOL) The ham was mostly for my brother in law... He loves the ham with a bone in it... and Lorie and my Sister in Law love turkey... But Lorie's Turkey is always moist... The turkey I prefer after the holiday, I do love turkey sandwiches with mayo and salt and pepper... But thanks for the Happy Thanksgiving...

Wel, Boys and Girls... I hope YOU all have a GREAT week... and Z I hope your pain goes away and YOU have a better week... and that YOU had a nice Birthday...
Cheers~

 

[Flyover]

Flyover, you know the Fire risk with wood Mulch, right?

Aside from the fact that it's wood and wood is flammable? Hey if I could exclusively mulch with volcanic rocks I would, but that stuff is like $10 a yard.

 

[Spicoli43]

Aside from the fact that it's wood and wood is flammable? Hey if I could exclusively mulch with volcanic rocks I would, but that stuff is like $10 a yard.

No, it can spontaneously combust, even when it's not blazing hot.

That reminds me about Volcanic rock, I want to do that next year... Thanks.

 

[Flyover]

I was not aware that wood mulch can spontaneously combust even when it's not blazing hot. Everywhere I've owned a house, I have seen people mulch with wood. I've always mulched with wood (again, only because of the price of the pumice alternative). I have never seen this incendiary phenomenon, but I believe you when you say it is possible. I suppose it's the risk we all take for leaving cooled magma on the garden center shelf and money in our debit accounts. (The irony of drizzling bits of volcano around my house to reduce the possibility of my house erupting in flames is not lost on me.)

 

[Spicoli43]

Mulch Fire warning...

https://search.brave.com/search?q=mulch+fire+warning&source=web

 

[Flyover]

Thanks Spicoli. It looks like the recommendations on how to prevent these fires include things I already do, such as not smoking, using hardwood and bark mulch (in my case, hardwood bark!), and not mulching deeper than 3 inches.

 

[Spicoli43]

Yeah, I would include not near the House. And, if your kids put a piece around the tree and another beside it like a puzzle, that won't be a problem. I also don't like Wood Mulch because it loses it's look and fades quickly...

I'm going to get a price on Volcanic rock soon... That raises property value also... I highly doubt Wood does.

 

[Eddie_T]

I like the appearance of bark mulch. I suspect the fire risk from spontaneous combustion is close to negligible. I used to grind leaves and use as mulch but now just blow them into the woods. I do burn a few piles just to get the deja vu of autumns of my youth. A friend (lives near Savannah, GA) makes sculpted tree islands on his property by placing leaves around groups of trees. He got the idea from golf courses.