anyone past 50 on here?

[Semisweet]

@Tja, great to see your home reemerging attractively after all the trouble and turmoil.

[Spotastic]

I was busy installing a ceiling fan for the first time yesterday and missed page 1000.  or 🍪 all around anyway.

 

By the way, that was not fun and I spent over 3 hours just trying to get the outlet box back into the ceiling with the fan mount attached to it. Then, the wiring had 2 white wires and 2 black wires, so I had a hell of a time figuring out where the wires from the fan were supposed to go. My body is aching like mad today, but it should be quieter in the house with my niece over at my mom's house.

 

@Tja The floor looks awesome. Glad it's finally finished for you.

[ryn2]

Installing a ceiling fan, especially without a competent, tall, strong assistant, is a deceptively hellish endeavor.

[daveb]

Page 1000 was so yesterday.  (Sky's explanation makes sense - mods are living in the future)

 

Yay, @Tja! Your house looks so much better!

 

@Spotastic, most jobs around the house like that almost always seem take me more time and more hassle than I think they will (and multiple trips to stores to buy parts and supplies). Sounds like maybe you weren't a fan of that job?

[ryn2]

*snorts*

 

It did @Spotastic a bad turn.

[Tja]

Thanks, All!

I never doubted it for a second. ROFL!!!*Hey! Why are my pants on fire...?*

[ryn2]

I’m glad you didn’t give it to the bank or insurance company now that it’s all purty again!

[Sleepy Otter]

Congrats on the house and floor @Tja!  Glad you have something that now looks like a home again.

 

And the puns begin (I'm looking at you, @daveb).  Too bad I've never been a fan...   - sorry, that was really bad.  I've never been good at them myself, but I couldn't help myself anyway...

[Muledeer]

5 hours ago, ryn2 said:

Installing a ceiling fan, especially without a competent, tall, strong assistant, is a deceptively hellish endeavor.

Agreed.  My ceiling fan once fell out of the ceiling and it was hanging by the electrical wires.  How tough could that be, just to put it back in place?  three hours later......it got done but not without an incredible hassle.  

[ryn2]

6 minutes ago, Muledeer said:

Agreed.  My ceiling fan once fell out of the ceiling and it was hanging by the electrical wires.  How tough could that be, just to put it back in place?  three hours later......it got done but not without an incredible hassle.  

Exactly!  It seems so easy.  Yeah, no, and I am a competent amateur when it comes to household wiring.

[cdrdash]

Nice rainy day hike.  I probably should have had one more warm layer on but we did enough uphill hiking that kept me warm.  We had a very short lunch so that we didn't stand there getting cold.  It was   8.3C (47F) at the end of the hike.  That is cold for a May afternoon in northern California!

 

Pictures: https://photos.app.goo.gl/cWro8eMCTgGzSTZ26

[Skycaptain]

@cdrdash, I'd be grumbling if it was 8°c in England at this time of year, never mind California .

 

Ceiling fans would be a difficult installation in modern houses here, as ceilings are plasterboard tacked onto beams, so you have to bolt them to the beam, whilst simultaneously leaving room for the wiring. Some of our ring mains aren't the easiest things to decipher either 

[ryn2]

That’s generally the case here as well (the fan has to be near and supported by a wooden framing member).

 

Most of the problem is that something that doesn’t feel all that heavy quickly is when you have to hold it above your head... and it’s hard to do things one-handed.

 

Definitely a “do-it-yourself-er” job worth hiring out!

[Sleepy Otter]

When I played musical ceiling fans in my house, I had friends come and help me.  Fortunately, they are still speaking to me, but I now hire out for stuff like that.  I agree, @ryn2, it is hard to hold something and try to wire.  I don't mess with electricity anyway, but definitely do not have the dexterity to do any of that one-handed.  Let alone the upper body strength to hold the fan for an extended period.  This is all moot however, since I can't get that far up on the ladder.  Anyway, I hope you have recovered @Spotastic!

[cdrdash]

Lazy rainy day.  The hike I had planned to go on was cancelled because of heavy rain this morning.  I was a couch potato most of the day and watched the PGA golf tournament and college softball.  I took a 2 hour break to go to the REI outdoor store to buy new boots and socks while their 20% off sale was going on.  I got Merrel Moab Mid Water proof boots and 4 pairs of REI liner socks.  I then headed to the gardening store to buy a hand held weeder.  I then finished off my errands with a visit to the grocery store to get milk.  Now I'm back at home watching more college softball 

 

Cathy

 

 

 

 

 

[Spotastic]

14 hours ago, ryn2 said:

Most of the problem is that something that doesn’t feel all that heavy quickly is when you have to hold it above your head... and it’s hard to do things one-handed.

My ceiling fan was made so that there was a t-bracket that fits into the ceiling mount and the fan can sit there while you do all the wiring without needing to hold it. It was figuring out which wire went to which place without a voltage meter that was the problem.

[ryn2]

That’s frustrating as well!  A voltage meter is very helpful for that kind of thing.

[Muledeer]

Greetings (from Elsa):

Spoiler

 

[pickles.]

It's raining hard here now (pouring!), but I got to go on a fun bike ride this morning while it was beautiful (bright overcast, my favorite).  Portland holds monthly events from May to September in which part of the city closes down to automobile traffic, and bicycles rule the roadways.  This one ended at gorgeous Laurelhurst Park, and I got to take my granddog to the lake in the middle to watch the ducks (including one mama and her three adorable ducklings).  

[Skycaptain]

@Spotastic, I'd find a voltmeter only has one function. To make sure there's no live feed into the work area , as I switch the circuit off at the breaker board before even starting to work on it. 

[Myssterry]

Lots of cool, dry weather here.  Nice day, @cdrdash, though having to cancel plans always makes a day seem a bit lost.  

 

Beautiful Elsa, @Muledeer.  Dogs eyes get so soulful as they age.  My dog's eyes are just bright and beady at the moment.  Life is so exciting when you are only two.  He has unusual eyes, in sunlight the dark iris has a lot of deep blue pigment and there is a pale blue rim underneath the iris.  That isn't the white of the eye showing.

Spoiler

 

[AllThisTime]

Good morning! I'm just getting ready to go to work at the garden centre and play with plants for the day...

 

I went for a drive yesterday along the road that skirts the north shore of Lake Erie and stopped at Long Point to see if the nesting pair of Sand Hill Cranes were making an appearance. Saw one!  "In 1986 Long Point Biosphere Reserve has been designated as a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO and as a globally significant Important Bird Area by Bird Life International"  A couple of young guys were just releasing this - I think its a bass - back into the water.  

Spoiler

 

Spoiler

 

[daveb]

I had a great time with @faraday☘ visiting me the last week plus!  

Now getting back to "real life".

[AllThisTime]

Mr. Glommie, the fish that will not die, has died.  He was approximately 17 years old, with the ages of my sons as indicator. Beware the end results of winning gold fish at the fall fair!  ha.  This started us down the tropical fish road and Mr. Glommie - who may have been a Ms., never having divulged the information - and I was the disembodied arm cleaning the tank ever since.  No idea how long these plecos normally survive, but in his honour, I've looked up that he was a Hypostomus plecostomus.  As they say, he's now pushing up daisies... and it is the end of an era.  

 

Note: I am not getting another fish!  I've still got the pump running because the sound of the running water is so much part of my home environment it was too quiet when I unplugged it!  Maybe I should try growing plants?? (like I need another project) 

 

Spoiler

 

[ryn2]

That’s a nice long time you spent together! 

[Tja]

Perhaps, some water plants, for an indoor pond, @AllThisTime?

[Nick2]

8 hours ago, AllThisTime said:

Mr. Glommie, the fish that will not die, has died.  He was approximately 17 years old, with the ages of my sons as indicator. Beware the end results of winning gold fish at the fall fair!  ha.  This started us down the tropical fish road and Mr. Glommie - who may have been a Ms., never having divulged the information - and I was the disembodied arm cleaning the tank ever since.  No idea how long these plecos normally survive, but in his honour, I've looked up that he was a Hypostomus plecostomus.  As they say, he's now pushing up daisies... and it is the end of an era.  

 

Note: I am not getting another fish!  I've still got the pump running because the sound of the running water is so much part of my home environment it was too quiet when I unplugged it!  Maybe I should try growing plants?? (like I need another project) 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

 

Not sure but 17 years for a fish sounds like it might be a record.

[AllThisTime]

10 hours ago, AllThisTime said:

Mr. Glommie, the fish that will not die,

I never considered that fish might have personalities of a sort, or preferences. I'd look at the tank in the morning, after having dropped in one of the veg tablets, and he'd have redecorated the furniture.  Plants might be uprooted and floating, or moved part way to the other side of the tank.  I spent an inordinate amount of time once shopping for the perfect rock for him to glom onto. 

 

2 hours ago, Nick2 said:

Not sure but 17 years for a fish sounds like it might be a record.

Kind of insane, really .. 

 

I may try some plants! I've got everything running and probably just need a full spectrum light. Anyone know about growing underwater plants?  On the other hand, I'm sitting here talking about my fish while there are pots and pots that are waiting to be planted in the garden right now.   ha  

 

onward!

[daveb]

I found this online:

Quote

The average life span of a pet goldfish is five to 10 years. In the wild, they can live as long as 25 years. In fact, the oldest goldfish ever recorded was 43 years old. But prolonging the life of your fish depends on proper care and tank environment.

 

So 17 years isn't out of order, but well done for a pet goldfish. 

 

Speaking of fish, I haven't seen the fish in my backyard pond for a while now. They do tend to hide under plants, but I would still see them once in a while in the past. It's always possible that they succumbed to birds, cats and other critters, or to other hazards and/or natural causes like old age. If they are gone I don't plan to get more. They just came with the pond when I bought the house. I could still keep the pond going without them. I could see how a tank inside the house with a pump going and water plants growing could be a soothing "white noise" machine.

 

I saw a house (in pictures not in person) that had a central atrium open to the outside only through lack of roof, but otherwise surrounded on all sides by the house. I always liked that idea. A small outside oasis, good for indoor cats and a bit of nature where you could be secluded from outside view.

[Muledeer]

12 hours ago, AllThisTime said:

Mr. Glommie, the fish that will not die, has died.  He was approximately 17 years old, 

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Even though he's "just a fish" it's still a loss for you and I am sorry for that loss.  He was part of your life for 17 years!  And I do believe that fish, birds, reptiles, and even earthworms can have their own personalities.  How did you dispose of the carcass?  He looks too big to flush.....and I assume you did something respectful for him.