The weather has been absolutely dreadful here the last month or so. Each weekend it was raining, and now it gets dark about half an hour after we get home. So that doesn't leave much time for getting outdoor work done (that's my excuse, anyway), like the lawn mowing, avocado pasture prepping, and car washing I've been wanting to do for a long time. Well, I finally got one of those things done: I finally got the lawn mowed after fixing the mower. It was actually a good thing it was so cold, or else the grass would have been a foot tall instead of just the six inches that it was. But, now I don't have to worry about the HOA beating down the door with complaints about the grass. And something I found out while mowing: that rider sucks up the leaves a lot better than the push. I don't remember if it was last year or earlier that I discovered mowing the leaves is waaaaaay easier than raking, and now the rider makes it even easier! Yes, I fully acknowledge I'm a lazy slug.
So let's see. Other chores I wanted to get done this last weekend included cleaning all the fish. It took me two days, but finally got them squared away. I didn't expect them to take so long. And on the topic of fish: the pH meter I use to control CO2 delivery needs another probe. Haven't been able to find the right one yet online, but it's supposed to be a consumable so hopefully not very expensive.
Another thing I want to get done is get my PC up the Windows 7. I don't have a whole lot of programs to worry about not being compatible, except old versions of Paint Shop and all the Office products. I'm going to have to get the paint shop thing figured out, because I currently don't have any suitable program on my Mac. On my old Mac I have Photoshop, but I don't have anything that's compatible with 10.whateversnowleopardis! It makes me wonder why I bother upgrading.
~~END~~
Click for full post and comments
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Happy early Halloween, From Biscuit
You can tell how happy he is.
P.S. Just found feathers all over the basement. Think he's trying to tell me something?
~~END~~
Click for full post and comments
Friday, October 9, 2009
I have proof the blue fish is an asshole
I already had the webcam setup at the last spawn site of the discus, and those eggs lasted a remarkably long time (over 24 hours) before they were eaten. Now there's another spawn going on, probably with the second female, that was happening right as I was playing on the computer. So all I had to do was access the camera, didn't have to get up or anything.
One of the first things I saw the male (blue fish) do after some eggs finally appeared, was EAT THEM!! He ate a few before finally remembering why he was there. I was very upset. But he did redeem himself later, when he finally got into fertilize position.
One of the first things I saw the male (blue fish) do after some eggs finally appeared, was EAT THEM!! He ate a few before finally remembering why he was there. I was very upset. But he did redeem himself later, when he finally got into fertilize position.
He made a few passes, but not as many as the female takes to lay the eggs. Hopefully those few passes is enough to get some fertilized.
I am very happy to know he knows how to do it, now the only question left is if he is fertile or not. Also I need to find a way to protect the eggs so they might have a chance of hatching.
~~END~~
Click for full post and comments
~~END~~
And I did it all by myself
So I have two days before Hubby gets back (I thought it was one day, so I didn't go to work today to spend the day cleaning. Oopsie!) One of my tasks I gave myself was to get the mower repaired and get the lawn mowed, since it hasn't been mowed since the mower's catastrophic failure.
The repairs that are need are the tension spring that engages the blade belt needs to be replaces, and I ordered a new front wheel, because the valve stem on the one I messed up is damaged and the Mr. Tire down the road can't fix one that small. :(
The wheel is easy because all it is is undoing a bolt and putting the new (hopefully already seated and filled) tire and wheel on. The tension spring is more complicated because it (oddly enough) has a lot of tension on it, from the blade drive belt that is pulling against it. You can apparently reduced a little of the tension by raising the whole deck, but it only helps a little. So I needed a way to pull on the spring to get enough slack in the belt to slip it over the last pulley. I am not strong enough to just use something like a hammer to hook onto the thing and pull, while using my third hand to reach around to get the belt on.
The thing I ended up using was something I wasn't sure was even going to work. Hubby has a bunch of tie down strap thingies that have winches on them. I was able to hook both ends onto sturdy parts of the mower. (That was actually the hardest part: finding the second thing to hook onto!) and then start doing up the winch. Hubby also has these clamp wrench things that you can securely clamp onto something to give you more leverage. In addition to giving me the last bit of leverage I needed, they also allowed me to keep my fingers away from the thing I thought was going to snap. So, a few winch strokes, a few more that were harder, then the last couple that I did gingerly because I didn't want it to fly apart in my face. Et Voila! The belt slipped over the pulley!
Now. To undo the winch strap without a violent snap in my hands... hmmm. Didn't think that far ahead.
Well, I ended up getting it undone, still have all my fingers, no black eyes. Yay me! The hard part is done, but I'm still waiting for the tire to show up. Click for full post and comments
The repairs that are need are the tension spring that engages the blade belt needs to be replaces, and I ordered a new front wheel, because the valve stem on the one I messed up is damaged and the Mr. Tire down the road can't fix one that small. :(
The wheel is easy because all it is is undoing a bolt and putting the new (hopefully already seated and filled) tire and wheel on. The tension spring is more complicated because it (oddly enough) has a lot of tension on it, from the blade drive belt that is pulling against it. You can apparently reduced a little of the tension by raising the whole deck, but it only helps a little. So I needed a way to pull on the spring to get enough slack in the belt to slip it over the last pulley. I am not strong enough to just use something like a hammer to hook onto the thing and pull, while using my third hand to reach around to get the belt on.
The thing I ended up using was something I wasn't sure was even going to work. Hubby has a bunch of tie down strap thingies that have winches on them. I was able to hook both ends onto sturdy parts of the mower. (That was actually the hardest part: finding the second thing to hook onto!) and then start doing up the winch. Hubby also has these clamp wrench things that you can securely clamp onto something to give you more leverage. In addition to giving me the last bit of leverage I needed, they also allowed me to keep my fingers away from the thing I thought was going to snap. So, a few winch strokes, a few more that were harder, then the last couple that I did gingerly because I didn't want it to fly apart in my face. Et Voila! The belt slipped over the pulley!
Now. To undo the winch strap without a violent snap in my hands... hmmm. Didn't think that far ahead.
Well, I ended up getting it undone, still have all my fingers, no black eyes. Yay me! The hard part is done, but I'm still waiting for the tire to show up. Click for full post and comments
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Party Time
The month of September was a very social one in the Papaya household! We went to two BBQs at friends houses, and hosted a going away party for a Captain who is PCSing. The one we hosted was the most interesting because it involved Rumpelmintz and puking.
I maybe should have taken the problems I had in the lead up to this shindig as I sign for bigger things to come. All I wanted to do was mow the grass. First, I got one of the small front wheels caught along the sidewalk so the rubber just came right off the rim. This was evening time the day before the party, and I already knew I wasn't going to get the whole yard mowed before dark. I just wanted the front and half the back done. So the wheel is off the rim. We get that off the mower, and use the air compressor to try and get it full again, but it was a tubless tire, so you had to make sure the rubber veil or apron or whatever was seated against the rim. We couldn't get it to seat, to I took it the the tire place down the street with 10 minutes before closing. They got it full, but it turned out the valve stem was broken. Awesome!. But I got it back on the mower right quick, and was able to get a couple rows before it was totally flat and falling off the rim again. That front tire doesn't take a whole lot of weight, so you can go pretty good with it flat. But the yard has hills and you end up needing that corner to be supported. So the tire's flat, I decided to call it a day. I got up early the next day and started the thing up (sorry neighbors) and got about 10 feet before the GODDAMNED DECK BELT BROKE AND THEN I COULDN'T MOW AT ALL!!!!!!!!
Our BBQ was put on as a potluck, because it was decided at a BBQ one week prior to the event that it should happen at all. So, potluck is good because it gave me a chance to not worry about food at all. I ended up doing a chocolate cream pie, some roasted zucchini/squash, and some home made guacamole that turned out horrible because the avacados were not good. Ripe, but not good. The thing I'm most proud of, though, was being able to whip up a goop to put on some chicken breasts that came naked. I googled up chicken marinades to see what type of things go into one, and the first recipe had dry mustard, oregano, pepper, brown sugar, etc. in it. Well, I don't have dry mustard, but I have Heinz, so I squirted some of that in a bowl, sprinkled in some pepper, salt, oregano, and brown sugar (I think, I can't remember), and let the designated barbecuer taste. He was genuinely surprised that I could come up with something that didn't taste like ass. I was not offended, I thought it was funny!
Let me just say that if you have any friends from Guam, have them bring and barbecue up the ribs (beef or pork, both super tasty). The pork ribs were so good and sweet like bacon and I wish I had more leftovers in the fridge.
So once the food was done, it was time to move on the booze. The keg was flowing the whole time (only used half-2/3 of a pony!) and Rumpelmintz was brought by one family that I may have to disown. Apparently that shit sneaks up on you to the point where you can be on round 4 or 5 and be feeling fine, but then the next second be in a horizontal position. Not because you've passed out, but because you feel the need to be steadied by the ground. The guy in question, our barbecuer, had been working on beers all day while grilling. The when that job was done and he could relax, he moved on the 100 proof candycanes of death. After 4 rounds he was standing up on the deck talking to us all, and we literally could see the "oh I don't feel so good" look cross his face. That was when he laid down on the plastic bench. (Which I still have in my yard, freaking two weeks after the party, and haven't returned to our friends yet.)
So he's laying down, by this point it's time for a second round of food, so people start eating again, and then people are leaving. And he's still laying down. Then it's just our core friends relaxing inside (it got coooold!!). And I get a request for the plunger. Because when you're sitting in the bathroom cradling your head, of course you're sitting on the toilet for a chair and then when you have to puke the sink is right there. So we needed to unclog the sink. That was taken care of, and he was either locked in the bathroom or sitting at one of our desks which are 5 feet from the bathroom.
Meanwhile, one of our friends who had had a puking incident at our 4th of July party
back in 2008 was relieved for there to finally be another story to come out of the Papaya household that wasn't him puking in the driveway and me hosing it down while he's still puking. Seriously, one of the guys was still talking about that 364 days after the fact. Guy giving up his crown says "I at least owe the man dinner!"
And then the evening wrapped up with the new puke king half passed out in one of our office chairs, and all of us (his wife too!) taking pictures of him and writing on his head. We were back to chatting in the other room when he all of a sudden got up and walked out the door to the car. "Time to go, I guess" is what we all said. So we hastily packed them up some food and they got going. They had church the next day, and his head said "fucking A" on it. These are the kinds of friends I have.
And we have about 30 hotdogs and a big box of burgers that weren't even opened, with buns to go with them. It's two weeks later, and I'm am still eating hotdogs.
~~END~~
Click for full post and comments
I maybe should have taken the problems I had in the lead up to this shindig as I sign for bigger things to come. All I wanted to do was mow the grass. First, I got one of the small front wheels caught along the sidewalk so the rubber just came right off the rim. This was evening time the day before the party, and I already knew I wasn't going to get the whole yard mowed before dark. I just wanted the front and half the back done. So the wheel is off the rim. We get that off the mower, and use the air compressor to try and get it full again, but it was a tubless tire, so you had to make sure the rubber veil or apron or whatever was seated against the rim. We couldn't get it to seat, to I took it the the tire place down the street with 10 minutes before closing. They got it full, but it turned out the valve stem was broken. Awesome!. But I got it back on the mower right quick, and was able to get a couple rows before it was totally flat and falling off the rim again. That front tire doesn't take a whole lot of weight, so you can go pretty good with it flat. But the yard has hills and you end up needing that corner to be supported. So the tire's flat, I decided to call it a day. I got up early the next day and started the thing up (sorry neighbors) and got about 10 feet before the GODDAMNED DECK BELT BROKE AND THEN I COULDN'T MOW AT ALL!!!!!!!!
Our BBQ was put on as a potluck, because it was decided at a BBQ one week prior to the event that it should happen at all. So, potluck is good because it gave me a chance to not worry about food at all. I ended up doing a chocolate cream pie, some roasted zucchini/squash, and some home made guacamole that turned out horrible because the avacados were not good. Ripe, but not good. The thing I'm most proud of, though, was being able to whip up a goop to put on some chicken breasts that came naked. I googled up chicken marinades to see what type of things go into one, and the first recipe had dry mustard, oregano, pepper, brown sugar, etc. in it. Well, I don't have dry mustard, but I have Heinz, so I squirted some of that in a bowl, sprinkled in some pepper, salt, oregano, and brown sugar (I think, I can't remember), and let the designated barbecuer taste. He was genuinely surprised that I could come up with something that didn't taste like ass. I was not offended, I thought it was funny!
Let me just say that if you have any friends from Guam, have them bring and barbecue up the ribs (beef or pork, both super tasty). The pork ribs were so good and sweet like bacon and I wish I had more leftovers in the fridge.
So once the food was done, it was time to move on the booze. The keg was flowing the whole time (only used half-2/3 of a pony!) and Rumpelmintz was brought by one family that I may have to disown. Apparently that shit sneaks up on you to the point where you can be on round 4 or 5 and be feeling fine, but then the next second be in a horizontal position. Not because you've passed out, but because you feel the need to be steadied by the ground. The guy in question, our barbecuer, had been working on beers all day while grilling. The when that job was done and he could relax, he moved on the 100 proof candycanes of death. After 4 rounds he was standing up on the deck talking to us all, and we literally could see the "oh I don't feel so good" look cross his face. That was when he laid down on the plastic bench. (Which I still have in my yard, freaking two weeks after the party, and haven't returned to our friends yet.)
So he's laying down, by this point it's time for a second round of food, so people start eating again, and then people are leaving. And he's still laying down. Then it's just our core friends relaxing inside (it got coooold!!). And I get a request for the plunger. Because when you're sitting in the bathroom cradling your head, of course you're sitting on the toilet for a chair and then when you have to puke the sink is right there. So we needed to unclog the sink. That was taken care of, and he was either locked in the bathroom or sitting at one of our desks which are 5 feet from the bathroom.
Meanwhile, one of our friends who had had a puking incident at our 4th of July party
back in 2008 was relieved for there to finally be another story to come out of the Papaya household that wasn't him puking in the driveway and me hosing it down while he's still puking. Seriously, one of the guys was still talking about that 364 days after the fact. Guy giving up his crown says "I at least owe the man dinner!"
And then the evening wrapped up with the new puke king half passed out in one of our office chairs, and all of us (his wife too!) taking pictures of him and writing on his head. We were back to chatting in the other room when he all of a sudden got up and walked out the door to the car. "Time to go, I guess" is what we all said. So we hastily packed them up some food and they got going. They had church the next day, and his head said "fucking A" on it. These are the kinds of friends I have.
And we have about 30 hotdogs and a big box of burgers that weren't even opened, with buns to go with them. It's two weeks later, and I'm am still eating hotdogs.
~~END~~
Click for full post and comments
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
