Just add water

Took the cover off a corner of the pool cover this spring to get to a temporarily repaired puncture in the liner from a falling branch last fall.  And within a day or two the pool started turning green.

Have the ladder up against the drain cover, seems sturdy enough mom.

Puncture is cleaned and dried.

A bit closer.  Patch is clear vinyl and uses the same cement as we've all (ok, my generation and before) to patch our bicycle tires.  The solvent that melts a bit of the surfaces together.  Never forget that smell of freshly patched bike tires.

All patched and ready to just add water!

What a Difference a Year Can Make!

Almost time for our Spring flowers.....a tad later than usual this year.

This photo taken March 9th 2014

This on March 9th 2013

Chocolate Oatmeal Protein Powder Cookies

After a few, but still edible, false starts I believe I nailed a recipe for making cookies with loads of protein and fiber---Lots of oatmeal, soy flour, chocolate whey protein, pureed apple, raisins and natural peanut butter.  Packs about 6-7 grams of protein per little ball of chocolate delight not counting all the fiber from the oatmeal.  1 or 2 of these babies is all you need :)

Snow Day

I made a lot of friends after our recent heavy snow....the usual gang.

Tufted Titmouse

All About Birds

House Finch

All About Birds

Northern Cardinal

All About Birds

White-throated Sparrow

All About Birds

American Goldfinch

All About Birds

Song Sparrow

All About Birds

Dark-eyed Junco

All About Birds

Eastern Gray Squirrel aka Bushy Tailed Tree Rats

Wikipedia

Red-winged Blackbird slumming eating seeds with the songbirds

All About Birds

And they brought some friends that all the songbirds love...

Brown-headed Cowbirds

All About Birds

Some things never change....

After seeing how the insulation (of lack thereof) was creatively used over the foyer during our recent frozen pipe saga, I began thinking where in the house other areas may have been affected by this type of workmanship.  Two areas sprung to mind:  The side entrance that I really can't do too much about because of a lack of access and the bay window area that contains the breakfast nook on the first floor and master bedroom sitting area on the second.  Strategically placing a work light to shine into the area under the breakfast nook in the basement I then went outside.

And found light shining through from the bottom of the lower deck....oh joy.  Explains quite a lot about why things get so cold during the winter.  When the north wind blows it literally gets pushed into the basement.....next year will be a bit different :)

Water Torture....The Further Adventures of an Amateur Plumber Part III

With the low temperatures hitting the area again I thought we had all the bases covered with the new hot water pump circulating again.  Unfortunately this wasn't enough to keep the cold water lines in the exterior wall on Alex's and Mackenzie's bathroom from freezing and then flowing when it warmed up overnight.

Came down to get my second cup of coffee and heard water running in the foyer!  Photo is of the foyer chandelier this morning minus the water streaming through it.....note the blue and blown out lamps.  I installed a shut-off valve the first week we moved into the house back in spring of 2004.  Has come in very handy a few times since.

After Moyia called the insurance folks to let them know about the leak, I found the cold water line feeding the upstairs and decided to install a valve to isolate the floor so we'd have hot and cold water on the first floor.

I was always liked these little tubing cutters and this one served its purpose admirably by being able to fit into this tight space with a bit of room to clear the floor joist.

Got the needed piece of copper out and ready to installed the valve!

Not a real big fan of these push connectors fittings for use inside a home but at the local Lowe's this was all they carried---no sweat fittings or compression.  It does make things easy and installed quickly and without a drip once the water was turned on.  Now we wait for the contractor to make the water line and drywall repairs---oh joy.  

Down the Drain---Adventures of an Amateur Plumber--Part II

Recently we had our kitchen sink back up badly---like in no amount of plunging would correct the problem.  The veggie sink on the island counter has always been a bit iffy and I had promised Moyia to replace the line for the last ten years but this was the first time the kitchen line had ever clogged.

Over the years I have installed clean-outs on other drain lines and this time was no exception.  I already had the PVC I needed and prepared myself to be showered in the basement.

The clogs from both sinks were down the length of the drain lines.  Build up from over the last 22 years since the home was built.  I did get showered and sprayed severing the lines :(

Veggie sink drain line with its new clean-out.

The kitchen sink line's new clean-out.

Pump Exchange

Our hot water circulation pump died last spring.  Since it is just the First Mate and I, having to run the water a bit longer to get the shower warm hasn't been a real problem.  With the cold weather lately, the water in hot water lines turned into slush as they had been creatively routed in an outside wall as opposed to the internal routing of  the cold water lines. So....I get to replace the pump.

22 years and they still make the same model......very cool.

Pretty straightforward....230vac and bolted flanges.  Still a very nice DIY project.

First flange off...good old cast iron.

Second flange is stuck....no o-ring was installed.  My opinion of the original plumbers is confirmed yet again.

Got a couple of pipe wrenches and twisted if off.  Looks salvageable.

Man over machine!!!!  (I'll probably pay for that comment when I get my first self-driving car)

In a previous life I was accused of having a lot of stock in the Dow Corning company due to my insistence that everyone use silicone grease when assembling equipment.

Old habits die hard but when the next guy has to replace this pump again it will easily come apart.

The new pump has a few improvements---electrical hole is now threaded.

Quick disconnects on the connections.

Everything back in place and running.  I'll re-wrap the insulation back on after a few days to ensure there are no leaks.  I think I'll go enjoy a hot shower now....

Getting ready for The Long Run

The First Mate scored with this dual input blood pressure monitor that uploads the reading to sites in "The Cloud" like Microsoft's HealthVault.  We've both been taking daily readings and they are readily available with simple Windows 8 apps that the little woman runs on her machines.  Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on what kind of Apple Fanboy you talk to) I'm still running Win7 on Gaia ( the tricked out i7 machine I run with) so I download the data, run my own graphs....kind of like what I do for work, but with a more personal flair :)

My first set of readings---wouldn't mind getting that pulse down some, say 60-65.  When things warm up a bit we'll start working on that part as cold air just hurts breathing must less doing anything strenuous while outside.

And that reference to The Long Run?  Retirement naturally.  The First Mate and I will actually have an excellent opportunity to be retired together longer than we've been married to date :)

It's also a pretty good Eagles tune as well....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Long_Run_(song)

The Frostys Admiring the Tree on Christmas Eve

Things are getting quiet here at 54 Holly.....

Another cleaning product translation

Another tough translation....just doesn't come across the same :)

Cool Ideograms (literally)

Reviewing the contents of the refrigerator during my overnight stay in Magadan, I saw a graphic for what setting to use depending on what food you had in it.  I believe I get most of them but wasn't sure about the bottom right....looked like an antelope or gazelle to me but maybe a deer or goat.

Pier 4 Mirrored in Aqua Impressionism

As we were returning to the boat the First Mate suggested a photo of the lights from a different angle.  I have no clue how I kept the camera steady long enough for this one after a few glasses and standing on a floating finger pier.