Glad I Didn't Oversleep

Had this slid under the door to my room this morning.  Explains why I've not seen any bugs inside anyway.  I think I still might take my anti-malarial pills just in case.

Darwin was right...

I'm actually a fan of the British style plugs.  Lots of metal on metal contact, ground contacts first and these have switches and indicator lights.  The 240 volts still gives me the willies as we use 120 stateside and there can be a much larger "pop" when plugging things into the socket.  With the larger diameter holes than the slotted USA system, it is easier to use a bare wire rather than an actual plug.  This sign was in our conference room at the hotel and it looks like they may have a problem as many of the customers come in from the rural areas around Kumasi for events.

More than gold in this hole

In the states, fresh water aquarium hobbyists pay small fortunes for these types of fish.  Look to be African Cichlids though they appear to be a common and not very colorful variety. They are living in an abandoned pit that is used as a cistern and apparently thriving.

Little Big Lizard

Saw a few of these guys running around the rocks and walls chasing (and I assume eating) smaller lizards more of the size I'm used to.  This one is maybe 14-16 inches and just missed out on catching his lunch when he turned and started sizing me up.  Just glad he isn't a couple of feet bigger :)

Roughing it here at the Man Camp

Arrived at site mid-afternoon and was dropped off at a large home to settle in before registering and attending safety orientation.  Nicest camp I've been in and certainly picturesque.

Bosch Oven Repair

With all the recent thunderstorm activity and related power outages/spikes, our oven went crazy and nearly ruined a rack of baby back ribs.  Fortunately Moyia smelled the beginning of searing and saved them!  The thermocouple was an easy target and the repairs began.

Had to pull out the oven onto a furniture dolly and remove the back of the oven to get the the wires connecting the thermocouple.  

Seems everything use torx screws nowadays...lawnmowers, Minis, ovens.  So I have a handy little set.

Finally got to the thermocouple....doesn't look like much.  The ohm reading was "open" so a new one was ordered.

New thermocouple shows about 1100 ohms...it's good.  Popped it in and tested the oven.  Worked for an hour on "Bake" and then the oven decided all on it's own that it liked "Broil" and turned on those coils as well. So....the only thing left was the control board and a new one was ordered.

Shiny and new.

The control board is in a really easy to access location :(

There has got to be a better way to get to this as I just know those German engineers are better than that even if I do disagree with them on some of the more creative ways they engineered my Mini.

Finally figured it out.  The sheet metal on the side was perforated to create a bendable "flap".

Still tight but much better.

Twins.....

New board went in without a hitch and tested for 3 hours.  Let's hope things settle down as it seems I've had to fix something at least once a week for a while now.

Electric Power Steering Pump Replacement

Old, constantly running electric power steering pump...

1 hour and 40 minutes later a newly installed electric power steering pump.

Had an on again, off again very minor coolant leak. Traced it to a gasket that historically caused these leaks in earlier Minis.  New gasket is entirely silicone.

Changed the air and oil filters while I was at it.  Mini gets the "European Blend" type Castrol (yeah, right).

The newly installed electric pump gets only German made hydraulic oil (Again, yeah, right).

Since Mini was such a brave girl today I gave her a new sticker (via the First Mate) :)

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.