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WEEK 41 2020
Last Week- Sun- Mon- Tue- Wed- Thur- Fri- Sat- Next Week
Saturday - Definitely fog to the south on the hills. A nice day, oeverall.
Now that I've take down the SunTex screens (some of them) temperatures are expected to be back in the high 90's next week.
The Celestron battery arrived. It was too windy to go outside, and a bit hazy as well, but I tested the light: it's bright. Ridiculously bright. I'll have to find some film to darken it.
It's kind of necessary, because the 5se can't be aimed without the battery. Weird. Not sure I'm going to like that.
Friday - Warm and a bit windy.
There were traces of what looked to be fog in the southern hills, in Leona Valley, maybe. Could be smoke.
Oddly the swamp cooler is working fine. I had a text from a neighbor that there was an airshow going on and went on the roof to watch. While I was up there I opened up the swamp cooler, and the belt looked OK and the fan spun easily by hand. I then turned things on - and it worked fine. WTH?
I used it for the rest of the day, without issue, except that it got too cold in the house after a while.
The airshow itself was a bust, for me. I saw nothing but a couple of F-5's or T-38's off in the distance, in a desert camo paint job.
I did try to use the Linux Mint box for something...but it doesn't recognize the administrator password, again. I think I'll blow the OS away and re-install something else, this is getting to be a habit with Mint. One thing after another. Maybe MX-Linux.
Researching the wheel thing again, it seems like some people like to use smaller rims for rough and off-road type of applications. They use a taller sidewall, and there is therefore more cushion for the ride, and a little more protection, maybe 1.5", for the 17" instead of 20" rim. And tires for smaller rims are cheaper. So this might be an option for next year's Alaska trip.
So, perhaps I'll hang onto the 17" rim with the donut spare, then buy 4 more rims and 5 good A/T tires next year. Expensive...
I was surprised to find out that the tires on the Ram, a 4WD vehicle, are P rated. Even the old Explorer had LT tires on it, and it's 2/3 the weight.
Thursday - Warm, but not crazy. A bit windy.
I'd ordered a rim for the spare, but got a message late in the day that they were out of stock (despite saying they had 7 or maybe 17 in stock on the page when I ordered). So I'll have to try again with a different vendor.
My hands are still sore, so I didn't do much. I need to accurately locate the power and internet lines, before starting on the walkway. Probably hands-and-knees work with a garden trowel. I have a rough idea from the metal detector, but I want to be sure.
I also took the three upper SunTex screens off of the western office, the temps are unlike to be in the 90's and it is just too dark in there with the windows all covered.
It's too windy to paint outside.
Wednesday - Warm, but not too hot, in the 90s. Smoky, buy better than it has been. Winds to about 20mph.
In the morning I filled the trash barrels with weeds and debris and put them out by the curb.
I then did a few small yard chores, but mostly ended up cleaning the garage for several hours. There is a lot of stuff that needs to go back into the containers, and a lot of stuff that could be easily shelved, if I put my mind to it.
I've assembled the new scope, but the weather is still overcast clouds
and smoke, can't use it.
Tuesday - Down to about 102F today. Clear for a change. Cool at night.
I did a bit of painting, under the gables, at each end of the house. Except for the eaves near the master bedroom windows everything now has one coat of paint.
My hands hurt after this, so not a lot more got done outside.
Research on the truck shows that the cladding with the too-small hole can be removed from a Ram rim, and the steel rim can be used as a spare that will fit up under the truck. Unfortunately there are no singleton tires/rims to be had locally, used, that I could find. There are some down below, but it's probably cheaper to just buy a new one off of Amazon.
Monday - Hot, but OK.
I did a bunch of laundry: towels, blankets, mats, cat beds.
I discovered the source of the odors that plague my wash: there is a lot of black mold on parts of the washer. So I hit that with bleach and whatnot... If I wasn't on septic I could just run a couple of loads of heavily bleached water through.
The Softopper arrived, somewhat stealthily. The delivery guys no longer ring the door bell, I'd guess to avoid people that might have Covid-19?
Anyway, 104F out, installing will have to wait for the predicted cool down later in the week.
Plus my hands hurt from Friday and Saturday, and my back from carting that TV around Sunday.
Sunday - Hot.
Did some shopping with S at WinCo and the 99 cent store.
She also handed me some plates of nice freshly baked goods, for my birthday. And a Keurig (new-to-me), the only presents anyone gave me this year.
In fact, other than texts, and one phone call, no cards either this year.
I delivered the TV to her - even brought it in from the truck, since it weighs about 60#. And the clicker, and the wall plate, in case that gets needed. I believe she is heading down to SD later in the week.
BTW, the trick to getting Gimp to be able to access the photo's is to blow it away, and reinstall. At the first access OSX will ask if it should be trusted, you say "yes", and you are good. Until the next version of OSX I suppose, because this is what I did last time.
The photo below is proof it works.
