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Post by Dr. Kobb on Sept 9, 2022 16:10:49 GMT -5
It's not ungodly hot down here today, and we're looking at a cooling front (our version) coming through into next week. This is lovely as relief from the heat, but more importantly, it's a good omen in terms of the remaining storm season. We're not out of the woods yet. Not by a long shot. But this is a positive sign.
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Post by Dr. Kobb on Sept 16, 2022 16:14:31 GMT -5
I've been letting the back yard go to seed for a good couple of months now, to see if it would replicate the enchanted "faerie garden" it bloomed into back in September 2020. Actually, today is the very day (Sept 16th) when hurricane Sally came through that year and did some significant damage. With no power for almost two weeks and a similarly neglected yard, I became enthralled by all the butterfly's, grasshoppers, bees et al that made my backyard their buffet. Well, I'm happy to say that it appears to be working it's magic again!
The wildflowers that have such appeal to the insect visitors are apparently called"Spanish Needles" and/or "Bidens" (thanks Killer Goldfish!). They seem to be very seasonal and to coincide with the migrating Monarch butterflies passing through on their 3000 mile journey.
Anyway, I'm going to make this a yearly tradition so that there will be plenty of nourishment for the insects for years to come.
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Post by Deeky on Sept 16, 2022 19:02:02 GMT -5
Similarly, I tried to mow my lawn today and about halfway through my mower gave up the ghost.
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Post by Dr. Kobb on Sept 18, 2022 23:25:49 GMT -5
Similarly, I tried to mow my lawn today and about halfway through my mower gave up the ghost. Crap! The mower is literally kaput? Damn. How thick did you let it get? Did you mow while the grass was still damp? Are you going to take it in for repair, or just look for a new mower (or service)? I have lawn maintenance questions... |
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Post by Deeky on Sept 19, 2022 9:53:58 GMT -5
Similarly, I tried to mow my lawn today and about halfway through my mower gave up the ghost. Crap! The mower is literally kaput? Damn. How thick did you let it get? Did you mow while the grass was still damp? Are you going to take it in for repair, or just look for a new mower (or service)? I have lawn maintenance questions... I replaced the spark plug and it fired right up! It got fouled, it looked like. All is good. It has hardly rained here all summer. This was only the second time since I moved in I had to mow the lawn, and it wasn't even that bad. Just a little shaggy. |
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Post by Killer Goldfish on Sept 23, 2022 7:15:46 GMT -5
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Post by Dr. Kobb on Sept 25, 2022 11:39:04 GMT -5
Bert I. Gordon turns 100 today! Let's all wish him a BIG birthday!
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Post by Dr. Kobb on Sept 29, 2022 19:08:36 GMT -5
As you're all probably aware, huge storm Ian kicked the shit out of the western side of Florida. Fortunately, we on the Panhandle were totally spared this go round. I wouldn't wish that kind of catastrophe on anybody, but apparently those folks hadn't seen a hurricane in over a century, so... 
Also, I was stressing because my front porch boards were rotting away right as we are heading into Halloween month. Was going to try to repair some of them myself, but I keep finding more rotted out ones. So, I got with my neighbor across the street and he's going to rip the whole goddamn thing out tomorrow! I'm paying him, but the point is, that shit will be done and I won't have to sweat it.
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Post by Dr. Kobb on Sept 29, 2022 20:34:53 GMT -5
I've been letting the back yard go to seed for a good couple of months now, to see if it would replicate the enchanted "faerie garden" it bloomed into back in September 2020. Actually, today is the very day (Sept 16th) when hurricane Sally came through that year and did some significant damage. With no power for almost two weeks and a similarly neglected yard, I became enthralled by all the butterfly's, grasshoppers, bees et al that made my backyard their buffet. Well, I'm happy to say that it appears to be working it's magic again!
I specifically used "appears" above because I had not yet seen any bees. Am happy to report that they arrived fashionably late to the party. I think it took them a little longer to show up last time (2 yrs ago), too. |
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Post by Dr. Kobb on Sept 30, 2022 19:59:48 GMT -5
I'd just like to wish Killler Goldfish a Happy Birthnight* (since the day sounded less-than-optimal)!
*Birthevening? Whateveryouwanttocallit. |
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Post by Killer Goldfish on Oct 1, 2022 14:21:27 GMT -5
I'd just like to wish Killler Goldfish a Happy Birthnight* (since the day sounded less-than-optimal)!
*Birthevening? Whateveryouwanttocallit. Why thank you, Kobbers! It's especially appropriate because my birth time is exactly 10:30 pm. |
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Post by Marxo Grouch on Oct 26, 2022 4:53:01 GMT -5
Did my civic duty today down at the courthouse - first time called for jury duty in seven years, so I can't complain, except of course that I did anyway. Fully prepared to bias my way out of actually being seated, but I didn't even have to because I was never called into a room, and it turns out that they've reduced the required amount of time you need to be there from two days to one, so I'm already done and don't have to think about it again for at least four years.
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Post by Killer Goldfish on Nov 2, 2022 12:23:03 GMT -5
Today they had the meeting to discuss the results of their salary study. It was incredible. Not only has every single job position been reclassified so that we are all making more base pay, but there's a 3% cost-of-living raise coming AND we're getting something totally new called longevity pay. Because I have more than 10 years in already I am getting a thousand-smacker bonus for that, and when I hit my 15-year anniversary in April I get ANOTHER $1500.   |
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Post by Lemmy Caution on Nov 2, 2022 18:05:13 GMT -5
Today they had the meeting to discuss the results of their salary study. It was incredible. Not only has every single job position been reclassified so that we are all making more base pay, but there's a 3% cost-of-living raise coming AND we're getting something totally new called longevity pay. Because I have more than 10 years in already I am getting a thousand-smacker bonus for that, and when I hit my 15-year anniversary in April I get ANOTHER $1500. YAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!! |
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Post by Dr. Kobb on Nov 2, 2022 22:56:56 GMT -5
Similarly, I tried to mow my lawn today and about halfway through my mower gave up the ghost.
I finally cut back the back yard the day before Halloween. I literally had to walk the entire yard with my hedge trimmer FIRST before I could mow. And even then, with the mower at it's tallest grass setting, it was a job. I plan on giving it another mow sooner than later. Those electric mowers are not made for that kind of workout. Will try to keep it at an acceptable lever through the cooler months and into the Spring, then let it go again next Summer.
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Post by Dr. Kobb on Nov 2, 2022 23:04:17 GMT -5
Today they had the meeting to discuss the results of their salary study. It was incredible. Not only has every single job position been reclassified so that we are all making more base pay, but there's a 3% cost-of-living raise coming AND we're getting something totally new called longevity pay. Because I have more than 10 years in already I am getting a thousand-smacker bonus for that, and when I hit my 15-year anniversary in April I get ANOTHER $1500.
Nice! Hopefully it will take the sting out of the new Ishiro purchase a little, at the very least. I bought a Powerball ticket earlier today, so I plan on being filthy rich tomorrow. |
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Post by Killer Goldfish on Nov 3, 2022 10:04:52 GMT -5
Today they had the meeting to discuss the results of their salary study. It was incredible. Not only has every single job position been reclassified so that we are all making more base pay, but there's a 3% cost-of-living raise coming AND we're getting something totally new called longevity pay. Because I have more than 10 years in already I am getting a thousand-smacker bonus for that, and when I hit my 15-year anniversary in April I get ANOTHER $1500.
Nice! Hopefully it will take the sting out of the new Ishiro purchase a little, at the very least. I bought a Powerball ticket earlier today, so I plan on being filthy rich tomorrow. I looked at my bank app and it says my paycheck tomorrow is going to be LOWER than the last one. |
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Post by Killer Goldfish on Nov 28, 2022 22:49:09 GMT -5
Feeling borderline brilliant today after hooking up my new smart TV to my aging DVD/VCR and actually getting it to work. I had a moment of near-despair when I read those three little words in the instructions --
"PRESS MENU BUTTON"
-- because of course there ISM'T A FUCKING MENU BUTTON AND NEVER HAS BEEN, but I persisted. And I persisted even when the color-coded hookups on the TV didn't match the ones on the movie player. And I persisted when I realized I had to program the thing to recognize the hookup was there. And after running up and down the stairs 3x for tools, batteries because you can't see in that room without a flashlight, and putting the remote together and unplugging and replugging everything twice... I finally got to watch the first episode of THE WALKING DEAD on my new antennaless, cable-free T and V.
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Post by Dr. Kobb on Dec 8, 2022 12:06:47 GMT -5
Well, after grousing about it in the ennui section yesterday, I am happy to say I was able to bend time and space and managed to cram about 20 boxes of Halloween crap into five giant tubs.
And, since I now have some (inherited) shelving, I was about to cram another 10-or-so boxes of stuff out of closets and onto shelves!
Short story: It's fucking livable in here again.
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Post by Killer Goldfish on Dec 20, 2022 22:25:46 GMT -5
I got my Visa bill and was braced for the worst because of all the online Squidmas shopping. To my astonishment, it showed NO transactions this month (yet) and the total bill was tiny. I paid off a third of it without even breaking sweat.
And here's the real Christmas miracle. If there was nothing in your P.O. box earlier that day and you spin by again after paying bills or buying stamps, you can -- I did -- find 3 packages AND a parcel locker key to lead you to even more. That just doesn't happen in March.
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