OCTOBER 2024
Wednesday 2024.10.30
Happy Halloween
Tomorrow is Halloween. I typically don't buy candy to hand out to children. I usually turn out all the lights and hide in my home office with the drapes closed, watching The Rocky Horror Picture Show. I watch it every Halloween.
Enjoy a safe and sane Halloween.
SNL
There was no Saturday Night Live this past Saturday. After Trump's and other's performances in New York's Madison Square Garden on Sunday, I can hardly wait to see what SNL will feature. Weekend Update should be quite hilarious. It's my favorite part of the show.
More LEGO
The military tank is already in the recycling bin. When I built it I glued the pieces together; so, there was no way to save some pieces to my "extras" bag. Up next is a steam locomotive.
When I was a little child nearly 70 years ago I would sometimes run to my grandfather's rear windows to see the train go by. Back then, it had a black steam locomotive. When I saw this kit on Vine I wanted it. It was delivered yesterday and I started the build during the afternoon, completing the bags numbered "1".
It will be large when assembled, about 30 inches in length. I'm not sure where I'll display it. Maybe it will be something I can disassemble later and then save for another time, like my seasonal kits. I'm waiting for Halloween to pass so that I can disassemble and store my kit of the flower shop from the movie Little Shop of Horrors. That will open up a little space on my desk.
Eerie
Maybe something strange is appropriate for Halloween. Who at Amazon is reading my blog?
In Sunday's post I mentioned my plans to attend a bike ride with fellow retirees. The organizer's web site has a video that provides information about safe riding. One of the tips is to "be seen." It recommends wearing one of those bright yellow garments that includes reflective tape. I looked on Amazon Vine. There it was. I ordered it. It's supposed to arrive later today.
It's a pull-on. I would have preferred a zipper front. However, I'm handy with a sewing machine. How difficult would it be to stitch in a jacket zipper of the correct length? I'll measure the front of the garment when it arrives. Maybe I'll find the right size zipper on Vine. Regular Amazon has them and they're inexpensive.
It's That Time of Year
Every fall Costco stocks variety boxes of Chex cereal — corn, wheat and rice — for those who enjoy making Chex Mix snacks for the holidays. I love Chex Mix. Last year I bought two boxes, enough for four large batches. I don't know how many I'll buy this year. They go on sale at $2.70 off on November 1st and they typically sell out quickly; so, I'll shop early.
Some Politics
The election is less than a week away. I've been trying not to listen to any polls. It's difficult. With the news on, it seems everyone is reporting on polls.
One thing that almost amuses me. Trump says criminals should not be allowed to vote, but he says nothing about criminals running for the office of President. He has been arraigned, arrested and found guilty on 34 felony counts. He's a criminal. And yet, a large percentage of the American population want him to be elected. I can understand why many countries around the world are concerned.
Actually, I'm concerned too. What if he wins? My best hope is that he pissed off enough people because of his New York Madison Square Garden rally and they'll decide to vote for Harris instead of him, giving her the necessary 270 electoral college votes.
And a Little Weather
So far, the forecast is for 70% probability of rain on Saturday. If it isn't reduced to "slight chance of showers" by then, it will be our first significant rainfall of the season.
Sunday 2024.10.27
Read the Directions
The neighbor to whom I gave my scooter knocked on my door. I could tell he was a little disappointed in the ride. "It only goes three miles per hour." The scooter will go up to 15mph. He didn't read the directions. I showed him how to press the power button twice to switch modes and then I stepped on and took off at a decent clip. Then I let him do it. He smiled. He was really happy to have the scooter.
Mine arrived on Friday. As I mentioned in Wednesday's blog, it's a little better. It has 10-inch wheels rather than eight-inch. It has some sort of dual action braking system, such that when braking it transfers electric power to the batteries. It's heavier, 33 pounds compared to 25 pounds for the other one. And there is a downloadable app for it.
I downloaded the app, installed it, and registered. Then I started it searching for my scooter. Even with permissions turned on and my phone resting on the handlebars, it couldn't find my device. I uninstalled it.
And speaking of riding…
Thursday afternoon I rode my e-bike for the first time in probably two years. It had been so long, I wasn't sure how to use some of the controls. But I did well enough. I rode to the tobacco store to buy lighter fluid.
I didn't realize how difficult it is to pedal an e-bike. Or, put another way, I didn't realize how badly out of shape I am. I really need to ride my bike more often. It wouldn't hurt to lose a few pounds too.
And speaking even more of riding…
The retirees association where I worked is scheduling bike rides around the area — one here in Goleta on November 5th and another down in Santa Barbara on December 8th. E-bikes are welcome. The organizer rides an electric too. I'm getting ready. I already have a helmet. I ordered a high-visibility hoodie on Vine. It should be here before I go on my first ride with them.
That LEGO-like Kit
I finished assembling the military tank I mentioned in Wednesday's blog. It's ugly. It assembled okay with glue. The doors on the side open and the turret turns. The tracks work, but not very well. I didn't apply the decals because I doubt I'll give this to anyone. Eventually I might toss it into the recycling bin even though LEGO parts are supposedly not very recyclable.
In November I'm supposed to receive a very big Paris Arc de Triomphe kit from Vine. I'll try to assemble the kit without glue. If glue becomes necessary, I probably won't bother.
At 4,436 pieces it will be the largest kit I attempted. I expect it will take most of November to build. It will give me something to do while I'm waiting to start on my Christmas kits.
A Good Soup
You probably remember I did a video of dehydrating frozen mixed vegetables. I got 1½ large Costco bags, about 7½ pounds, into two jars, which I then vacuum sealed with a device I got from Amazon Vine.
One of my plans was to make a chicken vegetable soup with them. I did that yesterday and it was delicious. It worked so well, I plan to shoot a video of the process, maybe this evening.
A Wierd Vine Item
Something intrigued me on the Vine Voices web site yesterday. It's a lighted endoscope remote camera that can be fished down a pipe or conduit to inspect the insides for a possible clog or damage that could be causing problems. I couldn't resist. I ordered it.
I'm not a plumber. I don't need to inspect pipes. But I thought it would be useful for examining the inside of my garbage disposal when I suspect something is causing problems. It might also be good for looking under the refrigerator or sofa when I suspect something rolled under there.
I've been trying to think of a way to joke about it, saying I can now perform my own colonoscopy at home. I wonder what they would say if I had to be taken to the hospital for internal bleeding. They would probably institutionalize me as a danger to myself and others. I won't attempt it, but it might be a good joke in the right settings.
Wednesday 2024.10.23
Thank You YouTube
Once again, YouTube helped me out of a problem. On Amazon Vine I saw a "permanent match" lighter.
It made me think of my oil lamps. One issue when using the lamps is lighting the wicks. I usually start a thin strip of cardboard burning by using the flame in the stove. That works as long as the electricity is on. The stove has one of those automatic lighters that creates a little spark of electricity. When the power goes out, I have to use a match and sometimes those don't light very well.
So, when I saw the permanent match thing, I thought, hmm, that could work well for the oil lamps. (As an alternative, I also have a few of those little butane torches chefs use to melt sugar on top of crème brûlée. It works too.) The permanent match ships without lighter fluid. I looked for some on Amazon and they don't ship it to this state. I looked online at the local stores and they have charcoal lighter fluid, but I wasn't sure how safe that might be.
Where would I look for an alternative? YouTube, of course. In one video the author discusses several alternatives. One of them is moonshine, and that gave me an idea.
I have a magnum bottle of 190 proof Everclear, pure grain alcohol. A friend bought it for me in Las Vegas. It can't be sold in California; however, a lower proof Everclear is available. I wanted it mostly for a prop in videos.
The label warns: "CAUTION!! Extremely flammable." Yep, that's the ticket. If there is a downside, it's also extremely evaporative. Therefore, the lighter will need to be kept tightly sealed when not in use. However, I have a magnum (double the size of a typical wine bottle); so, I have plenty.
The permanent match will arrive by mail tomorrow. I'll test it with Everclear. I'm confident it will work well. But then…
I saw that there is a tobacco store in a local shopping center. Will they have lighter fluid?
Another LEGO-like Kit
I wanted something to build while I'm waiting for December to build my Christmas kits. So, I got another military tank from Vine.
I've been working on it a little at a time. This kit suffers from a common problem among these made-in-China LEGO knockoff kits — lack of clutch power. Some pieces fit together really tight. Others come loose too easily. When that happens, I use super glue. The problem with glue, however, is fixing mistakes. I assembled one section incorrectly and couldn't get it apart to fix it. Thankfully, I have a lot of brick pieces from other kits. I was able to substitute with other pieces to rebuild that section. The colors aren't right, but they're hidden inside anyway.
It's a Gift
I was sitting on the deck several weeks ago when a young neighbor went by, walking his bicycle. It's an old clunker. I asked him if it needed repairs again. No, he was just too tired after work to ride it home.
So yesterday I saw another electric scooter on Amazon Vine. It's about the same as the one I have, except it has better brakes and larger tires. There is also a smartphone app that's available. I couldn't resist. I ordered it.
I thought about my neighbor. He's a really nice guy. So I offered my older one to him to use for commuting back and forth to work. I wasn't sure how his family might feel about an old guy offering their son an expensive gift. (Retail is $220.) They're Vietnamese and I'm not sure how people in their culture might feel about such things. So, I asked his mother first. She accepted it.
However, would he really want it? Maybe he doesn't like the idea of riding a scooter to work. I half expected to see the scooter on my porch this morning with a note — "Thanks, but no thanks." I'll talk to him later. If he doesn't like it, maybe he can gift it to one of the people he works with.
Meanwhile, I finally got around to filling my e-bike's tires. They were flat. I also brought the battery inside for charging. The plan is to ride to that tobacco store later today to buy some lighter fluid, if they have it.
One More Thing
On my Meta Quest 3 VR headset I have an app called Thrive Pavilion. It's a meeting place where people can gather to socialize. This morning they are meeting to play Walkabout Mini Golf. My plan is to join them. More about that later.
Sunday 2024.10.20
DIYer
I'm thankful I ain't too stoopid. The lamp in the bathroom failed to light up this past week. I used a battery-powered storm lantern for light until I could solve the problem. Is it the bulb? The wiring? The switch?
I started with the easiest test first. I moved the bulb to another light fixture. It lit normally. I plugged a small device into the socket at the switch and it worked normally. I used a voltage tester at the two switch screws and it indicated current. I turned off the circuit breaker and crossed the two switch wires. When I turned the circuit breaker on the lamp was lit. That eliminated any problem with any of the wiring. Ergo: The fault must be in the switch.
I had to do a shopping errand to Costco anyway, and Home Depot is in the same shopping center. I bought two switches — two because I sense the switch in the kitchen is going to fail next. I bought the best "heavy duty" switches they had. A few years ago I used one in the bedroom and I liked how it was made.
Installation was easy and now my bathroom lamp works normally again. And I'll admit I felt a sense of pride, having fixed the problem myself. How much would an electrician charge me?
I'm Prepared
I like to be prepared. Of course, one can't anticipate everything. I've been joking about what might happen if Trump becomes president again. Could the economy crater? Would there be another run on toilet paper?
This past week I scored another bargain on Vine — an 18-roll pack of commercial toilet paper. They're about the size of conventional household rolls, but the paper is not "textured," which is a trick the manufacturers use to add false thickness to the paper and therefore put less paper on the roll, thereby increasing profit. Why is Charmin so "squeezably soft?" It's all the air in between the layers of paper.
These rolls have about 500 feet of paper per roll. It's next to impossible to determine how many feet of paper are on a conventional roll of paper. They don't put that on the package; they only tell you the number of sheets. A good average is about 100 feet, based on 4-inch sheets and 300 sheets per roll. So, one of these rolls I got from Vine should last about five times longer.
Looked at another way, these 18 rolls are equivalent to 90 conventional rolls. I did a lot more math (I won't bore you with the numbers) to calculate my actual savings. Bottom line: It's like buying conventional toilet paper at 6¢ per roll. That's a bargain.
War
I started reading Bob Woodward's latest book, War. In a 1989 interview Trump gave to Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein Trump revealed how he deals with difficult problems. Refuse to give people what they want. Whether it is creditors, the FBI, the mob, whatever, never give them what they want. They will eventually give up and go away.
It seemed to connect with his actions after he lost the 2020 election to Biden. Stubbornly refuse to concede and eventually the problem will go away and he'll be president again.
I've only read the first few chapters, but as I experience with all of Woodward's books, I learn more than I thought I would. Some people have asked me why I read books. It's because the news gives us sound bites. Commentators give their opinions. But books tell us the whole story.
Back when George W. Bush was president I always felt there was much he and his grandees weren't telling us. I wanted to know more. So, I turned to books.
My belief back then was that Bush and Dick Cheney wanted to enter Iraq for the oil. Liberate the people from the dictator Saddam Hussein. The country would show its appreciation by selling oil to the USA below market prices, stimulating the economy and helping Republicans win elections. The Americans, however, botched the war and China got the better oil deal.
Headphones
I'm a geek for headphones. I've liked them since I was a teenager. I remember fondly the times I sat back with headphones on and listened to music on my stereo. Thankfully, I was never into loud music. At 73 years of age, my ears are still good (which is remarkable because my father and his mother both needed hearing aids early in life). Back then, heaphones were big clunky wired things. Today they are wireless with Bluetooth.
This week I tossed two old heaphones in the trash. I wasn't using them. My favorite is still my Bose. I have a pair on Sonys, one of which is wired (an old favorite) and the other I sometimes use with my TV and a Bluetooth transmitter.
All this came about because I saw some Bluetooth headphones on Vine. They were inexpensive things, about $55, but I ordered them anyway. I'm thinking I might use them with my laptop computer when watching holiday movies while building LEGO-like sets. Speaking of which…
Done and Dusted
I completed the LEGO-like Little Shop of Horrors kit that is based on the movie of the same name. It seemed appropriate for Halloween month. I watched the movie when I started the assembly.
As I mentioned in Wednesday's blog post, some of the pieces didn't stay in place very well, especially those that attached to the base. The gray and white floor tiles were the worst.
I ordered baseplates on Vine and one of those was enough to secure the base and better hold the pieces in place. I was able to finish the assembly yesterday morning.
As I said on Wednesday, I will eventually disassemble this kit, packaging the pieces in a logical order, and set it aside until next October. I would like to eventually have several seasonal sets I can build at different times of the year.
Wednesday 2024.10.16
Shed Work
I did more work in the shed this week. Things were piling up in my living room. There were things I never use but thought I should keep. How many bowls do I need? How many ramekins? It wasn't easy to part with the bowls. They were hand made in a pottery class at the local University. However, I haven't used them in years. Most went into the trash.
I also have two stacks of plates in the shed, each one different, some cheap, some a little expensive. I used to buy those things for food photography. I don't have as much interest anymore. And I need the room.
It will take time to get rid of all the excess clutter. It took time to get rid of the LEGO-like kits I built and no longer wanted. I gave a few away. Some went into the recycling bin, one each week, until they were gone. I'll keep the seasonal kits. Speaking of which…
Halloween
The Little Shop of Horrors kit arrived yesterday. I was able to start the assembly while watching the movie.
It isn't the best set I've worked with. Some pieces don't stay together securely, especially on the base. Pieces that span a seam are the most vulnerable. I found a set of four 10‑inch by 10‑inch base plates on Vine, which I ordered. I won't do anymore assembly until the plates arrive. I'm hoping I can transfer this kit to a better base without having to do much disassembly.
However, the kit is fun to work on and I'll probably build it again next October.
Vine
I continue to reduce my shopping on the Amazon Vine Voices program. My wish list gets smaller and smaller. There was a time when I would order a few things each day. Now I might order one thing every few days.
I fulfilled my obligation for this six-month evaluation period, which ends on November 8th. The obligation is to review 80 items during the period, 90% of items requested. As of this morning, I am currently at 119 items at 95%.
There are hundreds of thousands of items to choose from. At one time last week the number peaked at over 120,000. Almost none of it I want. As I've said before, I mostly watch the Recommended for You page, which usually has fewer than 30 items on it. That is where I find my best deals.
Doctors
I hate dealing with doctors. Try to cancel an appointment. They always try every way possible to get me to come into the office because they want to bill my insurance for the procedure. I get it. Everyone wants more money. I do too, but how I do I get more? I feel like I'm at the bottom of the pecking order.
I find that the best method is to be pleasantly stubborn. Don't give in.
The Election
I don't know about you, but I am really looking forward to this election being over. Maybe then the junk email will stop — dozens of requests for donations.
I expect a really close race. Although I don't pay attention to the polls, I've seen a few headlines that say the two candidates are almost tied. My hope is that there is enough intelligence out there to elect Harris. Trump is too much of a danger to this country.
The closer the results are, the more I expect Trump's sycophants to challenge the results in all the battleground states. Recount after recount. If I remember correctly, there were some 50 court cases after the 2020 election, all of which were lost. Giuliani was a clown, and he lost his license to practice law in the state of New York. Trump was impeached twice and he still faces several pending indictments.
Another Wet Winter?
Last year California benefitted from a few "atmospheric rivers," moisture streaming up from the tropics and dropping rain on the West Coast. Meteorologists are again predicting another winter of rains in California.
Sunday 2024.10.13
Christmas House
It's a little too early to be thinking about Christmas (although the local Costco store has had their Christmas items on display since last month). However, I needed to get a LEGO-like kit out of the way because I have a Halloween kit on order.
I built the Griswold house kit from the movie National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. It was the largest kit I ever built, 1,156 pieces.
I gave it a good review on Amazon, but I probably should have deducted one star. The chimney section for the little side roof was held in place by too few studs. It would come loose way too easily. A true LEGO kit would have given it more support. Thankfully, I have a bag of extra bricks. I used some to add stability. They're hidden inside; so, it didn't matter that the pieces are an army green color.
I added a few other pieces in some places to hold sections together better. Among my extras are bricks of the correct color. So, although it isn't obvious, I added a white brick to the snow scene in front because one piece, held by only one stud, kept falling off.
I also didn't bother with the strings of lights that are supposed to go on the roofs. There wasn't any way to attach them in a secure manner.
I also glued a few small groupings together. There is a dining room table with a turkey and other small pieces on it. Those would fall off with a light nudge. So would the chairs around the table. Most of the pieces, however, fit together snugly and stayed in place.
The plan is to disassemble this kit in January or February and bag the pieces in a more logical sequence to make it easier to assemble again next December.
And maybe worth mentioning: there were five pieces left over. It is customary in these kits to include a few extras. They are mostly the smallest parts that can get lost in the carpet if they fall to the floor.
And I learned something new this week: "Clutch power." Clutch power refers to the way LEGO bricks grip to each other. At more grip, larger kits are possible because sections are less likely to fall apart.
As mentioned above, my next build will be a Halloween kit, the flower shop from the movie Little Shop of Horrors, complete with man-eating plant. That kit should be easier, 850 pieces. It's supposed to be delivered on Tuesday, maybe tomorrow.
Election
Voting time is here again. I received my mail-in ballot. I'll vote for the Democratic candidates. Kamala Harris will get my vote for sure because I fear how much damage Donald Trump would do to our nation. He is a danger to democracy.
There are several state and local bills on the ballot. I'll follow most of the recommendations of the Democratic Party, but not all. Yes, it's good for some programs to get additional funding, but that extra funding comes from the state and local budgets. How do we pay for it?
No one wants higher taxes, but they want more money. I'm in favor of increasing the minimum wage. And increased wildfire protection might be a good idea here in SoCal. But additional funding to high schools and community colleges seems like a burden on taxpayer dollars.
As for which candidate will win the presidency, the race to still too close to call. Harris is doing better in Pennsylvania, a key state, and Trump is ahead in Arizona. I do my best to avoid the poll numbers. The only polls that really matter are the official votes on election day in the swing states.
And although I get most of my news from CNN, I've been leaning toward MSNBC a lot lately. I like that CNN tries to be fair by allowing political strategists from both sides speak on their panels. However, I can't help thinking the Republicans are telling more lies than the Democrats.
More Experimenting
I'm almost always willing to consider something new in the kitchen. Lately I've been looking into making waffles, or chaffles, with some corn masa flour. My first attempt made very crisp waffles, but the flavor was lacking. I used them as buns for a cheeseburger, which was okay, but I would have liked a better flavor.
Another experiment was with beef. A former friend told me to age beef for a few days before using it. The aging process supposedly improves the flavor. I let some tri-tip sit in the refrigerator a little longer than usual and I made Real Texas Chili with it yesterday. It seemed risky.
I did a little research online and found that beef can be safely aged a little. It does change the flavor. I ate a couple bowls of the chili yesterday and so far I don't see any negative effects. The chili, by the way, was delicious.
Wednesday 2024.10.9
Dehydrator Fun
In some of my videos, you might remember seeing a sign on my refrigerator — EAT FREEZER FOOD. I shop at Costco and I often buy large bags of frozen foods, such as mixed vegetables. Recently I bought a bag of frozen chicken wings and the bag was huge. Similarly, a six pound bag of 140 meatballs is large. It's easy to fill my freezer.
I've been watching YouTube videos about dehydrating. I learned a good first project for beginners like me is frozen mixed vegetables. They're already blanched. One only needs to spread them on dehydrator trays and dehydrate them at 125°F for 10 to 12 hours. Then they can be stored in jars. Dehydrated, they take up a lot less space. I set aside one shelf in my shed to store dry foods.
Some people vacuum seal their jars before storing them. I found a jar vacuum sealer on Vine; so, I ordered it. It arrived on Sunday.
I also made a quick trip to Target to buy a dozen Ball mason jars. (I looked on Vine, but no luck this time.) I do have one of those FoodSaver vacuum sealers with plenty of bags, but the bags are not reusable. I can use the jars many time. And because I am jarring dry food, not wet, I can reuse the lids as well.
And for added protection for my dehydratred vegetables, I ordered some silica gel desiccant packets to place in the jars.
On Monday evening I put about 7½ pounds (1½ bags) of frozen mixed vegetables on my dehydrator racks and started the process. The following day I transferred the dried vegetables to two mason canning jars. I added a silica gel desiccant packet to each jar and I used the electric jar vacuum sealer to finish the jars. It took three cycles with the sealer to complete the task, but it worked well. I videoed the process.
Some people on YouTube said to leave the jars on the kitchen counter for a few days to watch for any moisture on the inside of the glass. If none appears, the jars can go into storage. Mine will go out in the shed. I'll rehydrate the vegetables in soup this winter.
An Experiment
Those of you who have been reading my blog for a while know that I make a few batches of Chicken Stock each fall for winter soups. I freeze it in one-cup containers, then pop out the frozen stock and store them, eight cups at a time, in one-gallon ziplock bags. Obviously, they take up room in my freezer.
I saw a YouTube video in which the cook made "boats" with pieces of parchment paper. He called them boats. They were flat like a cookie sheet with sides. The idea was to pour stock, one cup per tray, in each boat and then dehydrate it down to a dry powder.
One precaution was to carefully handle the trays. If they are tipped or bumped, stock can slosh over the sides onto the counter or floor, making a mess.
Now here's my idea. Freeze the stock as usual. Then place the frozen stock in the boats and arrange in the dehydrator. The ice should melt and the stock should dehydrate, without any worries of spilling stock onto the floor.
I haven't tried this yet, but I still have two cups of stock in my freezer. That should be enough for an experiment.
Sunday 2024.10.6
I Love Oil
I'm a sucker for a good oil lamp. I have a few. One is an antique, two are small cheap things I got from Vine, another is one I've had since my college days. I don't use them often, but they're handy when the power goes out. Sometimes it's a storm or a fire up in the mountains; sometimes it's simply and unexpected outage.
I have battery-powered lanterns too, but they don't have the same warm pleasant glow of an oil lamp. They're also not dimmable. On my oil lamps I can turn the wick up or down as needed to get the amount of light I want.
On Thursday there was yet another oil lamp on Vine. I couldn't resist ordering it.
How About More OCD?
I don't suffer form obsessive-compulsive disorder, but there are times when I do things that might suggest OCD.
Here's the thing: I've mentioned having a few LEGO-like kits that have a Christmas theme — The Griswold house and Cousin Eddie's RV from the movie National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and the Parker house from the movie A Christmas Story.
I thought it might be fun to build them in December while watching some of my favorite Christmas movies. I don't want to leave them assembled indefinitely. The plan is to disassemble them in January or February and put them away until the following December.
This week I found something I've wanted. On Vine there were packages of ziplock poly bags, six inches wide and 18 inches long. The plan is to put the kit pieces in poly bags, but in an order that would be easy for reassembly when I'm ready for the kit again. For example, all the pieces for the first few steps in one bag rather than having to search for pieces in multiple bags.
The bags are too long; however, I have an impulse heat sealer. I can shorten the bags as needed. And the zipper top makes the bags reusable.
I decided the Eagle-5 RV from the movie Spaceballs would make a good first project to test my idea. It was already built and needed to be disassembled. The process went well. All the pieces are now nicely sorted and in the original box with the instruction book. I'm not sure when I'll build it again. It seems like a good project for when the weather is stormy outside.
I didn't number the bags; instead, I labeled them according to the steps in the booklet. Is it OCD or do I simply enjoy being organized? I'll go with the latter.
UGH!
Not everything on Amazon Vine is worth having. This past week I ordered a package of "printer paper." The description on Amazon said it was 22 LB. The label on the package of paper says 24 LB. I put the paper in my laser printer and tried to print a document. The paper jammed. The jam was so bad, I had to disassemble part of my printer to remove the paper. It took about an hour.
I have a small digital scale that measures weight in tenths of a gram. A sheet of 22 LB paper weighed 5.1g. A sheet of this new paper weighed 4.7g. This is awful paper and the product description is deceptive. I left a negative review, 1 out of 5 stars, on Amazon.
Finally, Food
I'm already starting to think winter foods. I bought six pounds of beef at Costco yesterday. I used half to make a pot of Real Texas Chili yesterday. I put seven servings in the freezer. This week I'll make another batch. One thing I really like about making chili is using my Kuhn Rikon pressure cooker. It's a beauty of stainless steel.
Wednesday 2024.10.2
The Debate
I watched the Vice Presidential Debate yesterday evening. I thought both candidates performed equally well. The difference was that one lied a lot and the other didn't. The decision as to which candidate won the debate, that depends on whether or not you believe the lies.
One thing that irked me a little was the GOP's insistence in blaming Harris for the immigrant problem and inflation in this country. For the past four years she was the vice president, not the president. They were not her policies; they were Biden's. However, of course, Biden is not running for re-election (much to the chagrin of the Republicans). Harris is running. So, the other side can't smear him; they therefore smear her.
Politics is dirty business and I almost wish the election was over — except, I don't look forward to seeing all the challenges and claims it was stolen. I still hope Harris will win, and I'll vote for her. It's not that I think she would be an excellent president; I think Trump is a danger to our democracy.
A Very Useful Knife
This week I saw how useful that Chinese cleaver I ordered from Vine could be. I wanted to grill a couple of chicken thighs, but they were thick. I used the broad side of the cleaver to flatten the thighs. They cooked more quickly and evenly on the grill.
Technically, it's not really a cleaver. It's a Chinese kitchen knife, and they use it for almost everything. I've been using it for almost all my cutting tasks too. It's handy.
Frustration
I can withstand frustration for only so long. I've been trying to build the vintage Model A car kit I received from Vine. The pieces fit together well enough, but not securely enough. Sections repeatedly came loose during the assembly. Finally, I disassembled my progress and started again, using glue.
Some of the LEGO-like Chinese knockoff kits assemble easily. The Eagle 5 RV from the Spaceballs movie was a fun kit to build. No glue was required. I wish the Model A was designed with the same quality.
Finally, a Little Weather
We are currently under a heat advisory for today. Triple-digit temperatures are not expected here, but it could climb up into the 90s. I'm ready. My air conditioners are still connected and there is coffee cooling in the refrigerator for my afternoon glass of iced coffee.
Although the days and nights are cooler, October can still offer some hot days. When I bought my Pedego e-bike (October 23, 2017) the temperature was 103°F.