LEAKY TEAKY II

  The solution to my leaking humidifier came about very easily.

   The first day I thought I had to check with the company who made the humidifier. I found out these humidifiers are no longer made and that if you were very, very lucky you might find parts. I then checked out stores that had sold the humidifiers. I found a surprising number of part but no hoses. That took care of the first day.

    We've dealt many times with a man who runs a small retail outlet for a plumbing supply company. So the next day I said we'll go there first. Were we lucky. He was able to supply us with all the necessary parts . So :7 ft of hose, two ferrules, two inserts and a copper compression nut .  Put them together and we were good to go.

    So with a little help from my friend things were repaired quickly and easily.

LEAKY TEAKY !

     Yesterday I got up at the usual time and stumbled around until my head got cleared up. Finally, I was ready to get my breakfast. Oatmeal porridge! Great stuff.

    About the time the last spoonful of porridge was consumed the Micro Manager arrived in a panic and said , "I hear water running!" Now in the last 50 years I'm sure she's heard water running about 5000 times. I usually check because I don't want water to get a head start on me.

    The micro Manager zoomed downstairs as she was in the bathroom when she heard water dropping and thought the water was leaking down stairs under the bathroom..

    I followed her downstairs at a more leisurely pace. We didn't detect water dropping in the furnace room. After bouncing up and down a few times , the micro manager beat it upstairs again. Once her noise was gone I discovered where the water was dripping. Yes, this time she was right . There was water dripping.

    The little water intake hose for my humidifier had sprung a leak. So turn off the valve that controls water to the humidifier and the leak is over.

    Fortunately we caught this leak right away and not much water had accumulated. Water was wiped up and a fan turned on to dry things up. We both wondered what would have happened if we'd been away.

   Now comes the fun part...finding a hose replacement. The proper sized hose is tricky business. Pressure nuts are on both ends of the hose so the hose has to be one that fits the nuts and the ferule inside the hose. So far I haven't found a suitable hose.

   Wish me luck.

WASTE

     The house next door to me is being renovated. I have a ring side seat to see the action. The waste is appalling.

     The house was built in 1963 ...so not old. It was well built and has a brick exterior. Very few houses here have any brick on them. Brick is very expensive here. Wood is very cheap so our houses are mostly built of wood.

    The house next door was sold on Oct. 31. The buyers were reported to be planning to spend $100000.00 on renovations. The next day two women showed up and started taking things out of the house... kitchen cupboards and anything that would move. It's just gone on. Attic insulation was removed. Then gyproc went out to the dumpster. The last two days all the interior studding was hauled out. Now the studding is perfectly good wood. It is a crying shame to throw good would into the landfill site.

    I'm afraid more of this house will go into the garbage before they are finished. and start rebuilding. So all electrical and plumbing will be ripped out and thrown away. 

    Now I admit that this house needed some work on it. The people who lived in it did not do regular up keep and it was not very clean. However, a little elbow grease and cleaning would have made a big difference. Then a good paint job. I think the windows may be rotten so they need to be replaced.

    So I think we are very wasteful. Where I live there's lots of good wood so why not throw good would away? I think it's a shame to throw usable material away.

    Why destroy a perfectly habitable building away?

   

AM I GETTING CRANKY ?

   I had an ultra sound on my right shoulder a few days ago. My appointment was to be Dec.20 but  I had put myself on a cancellation list.  So Friday morning at 7:53 AM I was phoned and asked  I wanted an appointment at 8:30 AM.  I thought for a minute. I really didn't want to go as I had no hair or beard combed. I didn't want a bad hair day! I hadn't brushed teeth or put in dentures. I had finished breakfast. I looked at the clock and was sure I could make it so said , "Sure I'll be there."

    Most people have had an ultra sound. You know, plaster some slimy cool goop on the area and then rub a cold electrode over your skin while they watch a screen. 

   Well the young lady who took me was miss antisocial. No small talk from her. Not even a comment about the weather. Just business. Short brief commands as to where to put my arms hands or body.  Rub more goop on and keep rubbing and searching for soft tissue someplace. 

    The ordeal didn't take long. She briefly told me that she had to see the doctor to see if she had been successful with the ultra sound. On her way out she put a towel on the stool for me to wipe the goop off myself. I picked up the towel. Ich! It had the horrible goo on it. I found a place without goo and wiped. The towel was so goopy it didn't seem like I got much off. I put my shirt half way on. Yuch! More goop. 

    I finally got enough goop off to finish dressing.

    About that time, smiley face returned and informed me that things were alright and that I was good to go.

    Some people just can't realize the miserable projection they give of themselves. Have they ever thought of enjoying their job by trying to be pleasant to patients?  Have they ever thought of cleaning the patient off with a warm towel? Now after that I had a good day. I wonder if she had a good day?  

    Or am I being just a little bit cranky?  

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES.

     Yesterday morning, Nov. 17, it was minus 17 C (0 F) when I got up. I was going out at 10:00 so needed the car. I plugged the car in ( the block heater) to make sure that it would start.

    The day before we had a nice winter snowfall...about 6 or 7 cm ( 2 -3 in.) I had shoveled my driveway and found it cold. I say nice snow as it was what we call dry snow...not a sloppy slushy mess.

    At 1:30 Pm yesterday I was meeting my bird watching group. It was minus 4 when we started. It was a brisk pleasant winter afternoon.  Nine of us spent 2 hours and found 9 species of birds. At the end of 2 hours I was ready to go home.

     All photos from Lynette Asselstine Braun.









    Today  Nov. 18 , when I got up it was plus 3 C ( 35 F). Around 9:00 AM it started to rain and rained for a couple of hours. Now we have a sloppy slushy mess. When things freeze this evening it will become icy. For the next three days our highs are 6 and 7 C. This is very unusual weather for us. I prefer weather to be stable and make gradual changes. It's easier to get used to things that way.

    So it's been a big change in just 48 hours.

ALL THINGS RED

     
        I couldn't miss this photo opportunity!

        Our city is hosting the Canada winter games in January. We've been preparing for this event for 3 years.

       We've got two new arenas, an outdoor artificial speed skating oval , new cross country ski trails... When a city agrees to host an event like Canada winter games various governments come up with grants to build new modern facilities. An old elementary school has been turned into a sports administration center. 

       There are various things set up around the city to promote the city. One thing that's neat is the large red and white letters that say Red Deer. These are placed all over the city. I guess the city hopes that visitors will do as I did and take some photos.

      The letters are close to 2 m (6 ft) high. 

      The Micro Manager posing.

I couldn't resist this for someone who goes by the name of Red.

I'm a big cheering section for our city!

THE WASHING MACHINE

     I came home from birding about 3:30 Sat. afternoon.  As I entered  the house I sensed that the Micro Manger was in the basement.  I was unloading my back pack and putting birdy things back like my field glasses.

    I thought I heard something different like a screech. It happened again. The third time I realized that the micro manager was calling me. Instantly, I was on high alert and went downstairs two steps at a time. This sounded serious.

    I found the Micro Manager behind the washer with towels trying to stem the flow of suds. At first, I thought she was mopping up water.

    She was finally able to tell me that soap suds were coming out at the back of the washer. As her panic lessened she told me that she was running the washer on a special cycle that would clean the washer. It was cleaning the washer alright. Massive amounts of soap suds were forming. This special cycle would clean out soap residues. It was doing a great job. Soap suds were coming out of the washer drum from somewhere.

    As calmness was returning, she told me that she had never run this cycle before. She had always been cautious with the amount of soap she used for the washes. She always used less than the recommended amount of soap.

   So the micro Manager was very surprised at the amount of suds and therefor the amount of soap left as residue in the washer. She ran the cycle over again and also had a huge build up of suds. She has had this washer for close to ten years and never run this cycle.

   I guess after this she will run the cleaning cycle more often. As you can see it's one of the washers with all kinds of gadgets and options.