Daily Check-In Thread

[Smigo]

Limited check in all you great people here. Didnt and couldnt check all the messages i have but saw listed. But many many thanks as I know they are all good from so many good and great people here. Checked in on my near gone net connect. Will be back but my connection my end has gone crap. Few days and it expires, my provider says all ok but i will wait n see.
The thing I wish the most is all of you in the US anywhere else stay safe and well, families, friends, all of you.
Am having crap connection issues but I know it's 100% my bush internet provider as I spoke to others with the same complaint here. .
Please, please stay safe and well guys.

 

[misswish]

Morning!

I hope you can get back here soon, Smigo!

Stay safe and healthy

 

[2WhiteWolves]

@Smigo , You'll be missed ! You and family take care and hope to see you back here really soon

! WAKE UP ! from the MEDIA SPELL !

 

[Jimi]

Limited check in all you great people here. Didnt and couldnt check all the messages i have but saw listed. But many many thanks as I know they are all good from so many good and great people here. Checked in on my near gone net connect. Will be back but my connection my end has gone crap. Few days and it expires, my provider says all ok but i will wait n see.
The thing I wish the most is all of you in the US anywhere else stay safe and well, families, friends, all of you.
Am having crap connection issues but I know it's 100% my bush internet provider as I spoke to others with the same complaint here. .
Please, please stay safe and well guys.

Ah man, sorry to hear this my friend, hope you get it cleared up and come back soon.

 

[gopher_byrd]

Today will be a busy day. Go to Mass. Pack for this weeks trip to MN where it will be -2 tomorrow then warming up to a balmy +18 on Thursday. Do some grandson visiting. And I need to clean and re-wick my OTR (On The Road) setups as well as make sure my juice bottles are full for the trip.

The wife and I did Valentine's dinner last night. We were going to eat at a restaurant, outdoor dining only, but our male cat was able to sneak out on us. He's supposed to be an indoor cat, but he doesn't agree with that. My wife wasn't going to go out with him out so I got our food to go. Anyway, he finally showed up at the back door and decided to grace us with his presence.

@Smigo I hope you get your internet sorted out and can rejoin us soon!

 

[misswish]

Morning!

Well, we have a few inches of snow so far, waiting to see if more shows up. We are staying inside and toasty! Hubby is busy making a big pot of thick chicken vegetable soup, yummy. As long as we have power and the internet, we're fine.

Stay safe and healthy, and warm

 

[misswish]

Morning!

Still here, hoping everyone is ok and staying warm. Please check in if and when you can.

Stay safe and health, and warm

 

[Troy44]

Just watched some American news...WOW!! Obviously some of you aren't accustomed to the snow & cold. Texas looks like it could be in Canada stay safe & warm VU fam!!

 

[nadalama]

Just watched some American news...WOW obviously some of you aren't accustomed to the snow & cold Texas looks like it could be in Canada stay safe & warm VU fam!!

Did you see the news report about the pile-up on the interstate near Dallas? Over 100 cars, beginning with two tractor-trailers running all up into each other, caused a chain reaction and a really huge mess.

It's very VERY unusual for Dallas and surrounds to get snow or ice.

We lost power here in Virginia on Saturday morning about 9:00 and just got it back last night about 8:00. The phone and internet was out almost as long - it went down about 2 pm on Saturday. All this because of sleet and freezing rain. The trees just can't take it, especially if the ground is soaking wet already, and they just fall over onto whatever.

 

[2WhiteWolves]

In Kansas, we've had rolling blackouts because of the power outages in Texas. With solar and wind power, they're not good resources to depend on.
I'm thankful, so far, haven't had power shut down. Hopefully, it stays this way.

! WAKE UP ! from the MEDIA SPELL !

 

[Troy44]

Did you see the news report about the pile-up on the interstate near Dallas? Over 100 cars, beginning with two tractor-trailers running all up into each other, caused a chain reaction and a really huge mess.

It's very VERY unusual for Dallas and surrounds to get snow or ice.

We lost power here in Virginia on Saturday morning about 9:00 and just got it back last night about 8:00. The phone and internet was out almost as long - it went down about 2 pm on Saturday. All this because of sleet and freezing rain. The trees just can't take it, especially if the ground is soaking wet already, and they just fall over onto whatever.

That's a long time to have no power! When there is an ice storm and or lots of sleet & freezing rain the trees take a beating. Just too much weight.

 

[Smigo]

Hi all. Back on. Tried some sims from other providers but coverage in many bush areas was non existent. Sometimes the one I use called Telstra has dead areas but the others were hopeless in comparison. Just cheapies I tried, the sims with, so back to Telstra and topped my data credit right up.
Glad to still be here in another way. 6 yrs ago had minor surgery done on a knee. Ever since it has random episodes of no strength when I step down on it. Walking is ok but stepping down is the random issue. When it happens without warning its like I have nothing below the knee.
Long story short it happened a week ago when I went downstairs to the garage to lock it.
First step and was gone, head first, rolled and crashed to the bottom.
Thought I was ok but some pains have increased so had a check up. Dr spent about 45 minutes going over me and testing everything. Told me off for waiting so long.
Having a series of xrays this arfternoon, pelvis, collar bone, shoulder, neck and skull.
I hate stairs
Here they are.



Edit... Went and had it done real quick. One of the privileges of living in a small town.
My Doc had rang before me getting in and asked for a Cat scan of my head and neck as well. Awesome doctor! New here but so on the ball.
Xray guy, they dont usually do it, but the xrays after called me back in to his room to look at the screen and said "Look at this, that, I cant see any alerts as far as I'm concerned." They do that here as our scans and xrays get sent to major hospitals and can take up to a week for results. He said "mate you look good and I think you were very lucky, cheers! It must be just soft tissue injury and bruising pains!" Wrapt hearing that. Still have to wait for the CT scans but im betting its the same and I dodged a serious bullet.
Im in a lot of pain yes, but feeling great hearing all that

 

[misswish]

Morning

Smigo - I's sorry this happened to you, and so glad it wasn't worse! Take care of yourself and feel better soon.

Nada - Glad you got your power back! That's forever without heat.

We're ok here, rolling black-outs only. Jessie loafs on the carpet, stares at her cat door. She got brave again yesterday and went out, lasted about 2 minutes before she came in complaining. Single digits is too cold for fur babies.

Stay safe and healthy, and warm!

 

[nadalama]

Morning

Smigo - I's sorry this happened to you, and so glad it wasn't worse! Take care of yourself and feel better soon.

Nada - Glad you got your power back! That's forever without heat.

We're ok here, rolling black-outs only. Jessie loafs on the carpet, stares at her cat door. She got brave again yesterday and went out, lasted about 2 minutes before she came in complaining. Single digits is too cold for fur babies.

Stay safe and healthy, and warm!

We had a generator going most of that time, so we had heat, lights, TV, water. But no phone and no internet, so I missed two days of work because of it. My poor husband must have made a hundred trips out to the generator, checking on it, filling it up with gas, recranking it when it would get overloaded and konk out. At the end of all that, he looked like a slight breeze would have just blown him over. AND I think we spent somewhere in the neighborhood of $240 on gasoline during that 5 or 6 days.

I thought we were gonna get off light with today's precipitation, but it's starting to collect on trees now - sleet and freezing rain. I sure hope we don't lose our utilities again.

 

[nadalama]

In Kansas, we've had rolling blackouts because of the power outages in Texas. With solar and wind power, they're not good resources to depend on.
I'm thankful, so far, haven't had power shut down. Hopefully, it stays this way.

! WAKE UP ! from the MEDIA SPELL !

That looks like a serious mess in Texas and most of the surrounding states. My grandson is down at Ft. Hood, and I've tried to get in touch with him this morning with no luck. I hope they can get something worked out for the region soon, but as long as the temps stay as low as they are, seems unlikely that much is going to change.

ETA: Heard from grandson. He has power but water is frozen. Jeez, it's always something.

 

[CaFF]

Looking forward to the Mars landing in about 30mins, my time.

Watch an epic journey unfold on Thursday, Feb. 18 as our Perseverance rover lands on Mars. To reach the surface of the Red Planet, the rover has to survive the harrowing final phase known as Entry, Descent, and Landing. Only then can the rover – the biggest, heaviest, cleanest, and most sophisticated six-wheeled robot ever launched into space – search Jezero Crater for signs of ancient life and collect samples that will eventually be returned to Earth. Tune in to a live video feed of key landing activities and commentary from Mission Control at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

The JPL feed is a bit less media stuff and more raw techy stuff, it's fun.

 

[CaFF]

Well, we did it, all is well.

 

[DogMan]

 

[DogMan]

I'm in Carrum Downs

 

[misswish]

Morning!

Nothing new here, all is well.

Stay safe and healthy, and warm

 

[CaFF]

Weather was pretty nice today. Not any rain or much new snow..mebbe 3-4"... temp in the low 30s.
So, went for a bus/walk trek to the thrift store to get the heck out of the apt for awhile.

Got some nifty things:

• A couple fleece throws..Milly loves those and just handy to have.
• A thing I think was a duvet cover that I made into a new 'curtain' for the BR window. Milly hasn't killed it yet so that's good. Also, the outside part is white so it'll bounce a lot of the summer heat.
• Two pairs of Merino wool blend socks...awesome.
• And, one thing I've really needed since Milly messed up my old headphones; A pair of comfy Sony MDR-ZX100 headphones for $3. Not exactly audiophile stuff, but well-rated and fine for TV/movie watching.

Pics including the crappy old blanket 'window cover' that Milly had ripped up and the new one I made. That thing made two coverings, so if she wrecks one, I have a spare.

Icky old blanket needs to go...

Much better and Milly seems ok with it.

Bargains!!!!

I also had a great chat with one of the ladies that works there about their 'store cat' and our respective cats..lol...nice to talk to a human once in awhile.

 

[Smigo]

Had an unexpected weather change here, was supposed to be 36c but we have near full cloud cover and its only 23c and was a light shower before too.
I forgot too to post a picture of the prize from the comp. I first did it in wood but found out that customs would hold it for however long in quarantine and I needed to fill out declarations and so on. So I changed it to a plastic frame instead to save the drama and clearance time.
All here I personally found on the Victorian Golden Triangle goldfields. Bottom Chinese coin is from the mid 1700s, 1800s English penny, then early Australian coins. The Aussie ones came from a now gone small town/village that was situated on the diggings area. The nugget 2.6 g was from the infamous Emu diggings. They say it was our most wildest, lawless rush ever on the Aussie goldfields.
Anyway thats what the prize was and is now on its way to the US. The goldfields played a huge role in our states history with many towns existence today in our region being a direct result of those wild goldrushes. Which is why I said it would be uniquely Aussie historically.

 

[CaFF]

Had an unexpected weather change here, was supposed to be 36c but we have near full cloud cover and its only 23c and was a light shower before too.
I forgot too to post a picture of the prize from the comp. I first did it in wood but found out that customs would hold it for however long in quarantine and I needed to fill out declarations and so on. So I changed it to a plastic frame instead to save the drama and clearance time.
All here I personally found on the Victorian Golden Triangle goldfields. Bottom Chinese coin is from the mid 1700s, 1800s English penny, then early Australian coins. The Aussie ones came from a now gone small town/village that was situated on the diggings area. The nugget 2.6 g was from the infamous Emu diggings. They say it was our most wildest, lawless rush ever on the Aussie goldfields.
Anyway thats what the prize was and is now on its way to the US. The goldfields played a huge role in our states history with many towns existence today in our region being a direct result of those wild goldrushes. Which is why I said it would be uniquely Aussie historically.
View attachment 178355

Wow, that is awesome...and very generous of ya too! Those things must be worth quite a bit, eh?

2.5gm of gold is worth like $172USD man.....

 

[Smigo]

Wow, that is awesome...and very generous of ya too! Those things must be worth quite a bit, eh?

2.5gm of gold is worth like $172USD man.....

Thanks Caff. You live once and it doesn't come with me when I go.
Your country has been smashed by covid and things in the past yr and more.
The comp was hopefully a bit of fun, and that, well, it could sit stashed away or put a smile on a face. I like the idea of the smile option personally.
You, and that spoilt cat of yours , stay safe n well there Caff.

 

[CaFF]

Thanks Caff. You live once and it doesn't come with me when I go.
Your country has been smashed by covid and things in the past yr and more.
The comp was hopefully a bit of fun, and that, well, it could sit stashed away or put a smile on a face. I like the idea of the smile option personally.
You, and that spoilt cat of yours , stay safe n well there Caff.

Thx man, since my day trip Milly and I been calmer and we had a nice nap after a bit when I got home. She's hasn't ripped the new curtain to bits just yet either...I say win-win.

I do get it, hell, my dad was into detecting and gold/garnet panning and I used to do it too before people got weird about it in the city. It's a good way to get robbed these days...or have angry cops think yer a bomber or something. People are just insane nowadays.

 

[CaFF]

A couple little things....

Sanitized my 'new' headphones and did a bit of preventive maintenance on the pleather can covers...simply wiped down with USP Mineral Oil, let it set a bit then wiped dry. Keeps 'em from peeling or cracking.



They are a bit mushy/boomy as you'd expect from modern budget headphones, but with some EQ they are perfectly usable for late-night tv/movies/rockin' out.

If I can't repair my ancient rat-shack heaphones from my late uncle, I'm getting some damn Grado headphones. Still handmade in the USA. =)


Also, I always get a grin seeing my Bodum "1928" model french press in TV and movies. Love my Bodum.

 

[CaFF]

Pretty good day today, thus far.

Milly woke me with a horrid growl about 5am. I guess she had a bad dream, that happens once in awhile. Wish I knew her history before the foster home and then Humane Society got her, but pretty sure it was grim. I do know she'd had 6 kittens at like 9mos and nearly died of URIs before they made her well again.

Then, she sat in the HS waiting to be adopted for like 6mos before I saw her and was like I WANT THAT CAT. They were like, "are you sure you want that one?" LOL...


I also made some spruced-up cornbread out of an old Jiffy mix Mom gave me because it was expired. Added extra baking powder, 1/4C of Masa harina, used two medium cage-free eggs and upped the milk to 1/2C. Then I mixed in some parsley/seasonings, bacon bits, and a whole diced red habanero.
Because I can.

Baked it in the countertop oven, and it came out great. Nice and savory and spicy both.

Edit - Not sure why I called it johnny cake, it's definitely not flatbread...hehe.

 

[misswish]

morning!

Still good here, supposed to get warmer today. I'm crossing my fingers! Jessie is spending more time on the deck, and Hubby is in his workshop. I'm liking it!

Good haul, Caff!

And wow, Smigo, that is just wonderful!

Stay safe and healthy, and warm

 

[CaFF]

It's a day, looking forward to the NASCAR race later on. Had some excitement early on though.

Milly woke me like 2:30AM, needing food and a litter scooping done. <grumbles> Got that sorted.

So, about to go back to sleep, when 4-5 very near gunshots rang out at about 2:41AM. Definitely on my block somewhere...no echo at all. Zero doubt that they were handgun fire, as the spacing was too irregular.

I ducked down while Milly immediately went full attack mode, bristled up to about twice normal size and growling like a demon from hell. Tried to stop her getting into the windowsill to see out, but that was futile.

I never seen her do that before. Thunder/fights in the parking lot/car crashes/fireworks, etc, she either runs and hides or just looks out to investigate. Somehow, she knew what gunshots were and meant...I don't wanna know how.


MIlly finally came back to me and we lay low a bit, just listening for activity but there was none. No peeps running around or yelling, no cars in sight, nada. Cops never showed up either...must have been a drive-by and not reported. No posts on the SpokaneNews FB or heard anything on their police scanner page.

Ghetto shit sux.

 

[CaFF]

Tried to sleep again, but just lay there for a hour or so and decided fuckit and got up and made a nice breakfast.

Got a plan for a cheesesteak pizza for the race too: got some of that top-round London Broil I'd bought the other day chopped up and marinating in the fridge now. Mmm.

Nothing about those shots fired on any local news...oh well.
If it'd happened in a different area or downtown, SWAT woulda swarmed the scene. Nobody gives a fuck about this section of town.

 

[misswish]

Morning!

Wow, Caff, that's frightening! Can't believe the police weren't called/didn't come. Glad you and Millie are ok.

Well, it's getting a bit warmer here. Feels better! Jessie is spending lots of time on the deck enjoying the fresh air. Hubby is out in the shop again. He goes back in the hospital again tomorrow for another procedure. Hope it's only overnight.

Stay safe and healthy, and warm

 

[CaFF]

Morning!

Wow, Caff, that's frightening! Can't believe the police weren't called/didn't come. Glad you and Millie are ok.

Well, it's getting a bit warmer here. Feels better! Jessie is spending lots of time on the deck enjoying the fresh air. Hubby is out in the shop again. He goes back in the hospital again tomorrow for another procedure. Hope it's only overnight.

Stay safe and healthy, and warm

Thanks Miss, nice to see someone cares. I appreciate it. =)

As to the pizza, I'm all setup. I have extra Mozz, Provolone, and Pepperjack cheeses to add if needed.



It just needs a quick chopping and saute of a few things, the assembly, then to put it in the tabletop oven for like 8-mins and it's done.

For now, I'm gonna kick back and watch the pre-race show and chillax...race isn't until Noon PST, so I got time...always a bunch of blah-blah before the actual race anyways. ;-)

 

[CaFF]

NASCAR watching..woohooo!

The Pizza: https://vapingunderground.com/threads/what-are-you-cooking.529351/post-2997685

Me:

 

[2WhiteWolves]

Morning!
Well, it's getting a bit warmer here. Feels better! Jessie is spending lots of time on the deck enjoying the fresh air. Hubby is out in the shop again. He goes back in the hospital again tomorrow for another procedure. Hope it's only overnight.

Stay safe and healthy, and warm

Hope everything goes well for your hubby

! WAKE UP ! from the MEDIA SPELL !

 

[CaFF]

Weather is weird here, today it's really warm with temps above 40F, so everything is melting.
But, that is bad because we're under a high wind warning today as well. Forty degrees is nice, but a WC of like 20F is less so.





Expect a lot of falling trees and debris flying around. Not to mention more power outages.
I should be fine though, I'm like two blocks from a hospital in a semi-commercial area and they recently upgraded the power pole that services this building.

Milly hates the winds whistling and banging stuff around though, so she'll be a handful probably.

 

[CaFF]

On a lighter note...the local Costplus World Market has this sign in their booze section...LOL!!

 

[CaFF]

So, Dad texts me outa the blue at like 4:45AM, says he has some bread for me and is in my area as he woke up early today. I say sure, come on by I'm awake.


He shows up with this tasty stuff:




And then hands me a $20. "I didn't know what kind of bread you wanted so I brought a variety"

Funny guy...

I replied "Thanks for the bread, man!", flashed him a Peace sign, and we had a laugh.

 

[CaFF]

Looks to be a great morning here, the sun is shining and weather looks to be nice too.



(A KHQ mast-cam photo from Downtown, looking East)

 

[misswish]

Morning!

Caff, you have a cool Dad. Very nice of him! Be careful with that wind, too.

Ok, Hubby came through his procedure with flying colors yesterday, so relieved! This morning he is feeling pretty good. Pain is all but gone. Doctor told him that he had plenty of reason to be in that much pain, made Hubby feel better. Jessie sticking pretty close to him, she's a good nurse.

Stay safe and healthy

 

[CaFF]

Morning!

Caff, you have a cool Dad. Very nice of him! Be careful with that wind, too.

Ok, Hubby came through his procedure with flying colors yesterday, so relieved! This morning he is feeling pretty good. Pain is all but gone. Doctor told him that he had plenty of reason to be in that much pain, made Hubby feel better. Jessie sticking pretty close to him, she's a good nurse.

Stay safe and healthy

Thx, the winds really didn't end up being much, at least in my area. 35-40mph maybe. Not a biggie.

Funny thing is, Dad is probably the biggest Square ever....Mom was more of the Hippy...but he definitely has a sense of humor. I DO like the bread...

Glad to hear ya hubby is feeling better, ain't a great time to be any kind of ill.

 

[CaFF]

I made this with those onion buns....a pastrami cheeseburger with browned onions



Posted more pics/infos in the food thread.

 

[CaFF]

Fuuuck.

Just got this info. in an e-mail from a mutual gaming buddy. The guy had been bitten by a Recluse years ago, we all thought it was settled after losing a chunk of his leg...guess not.

Family and Friends I should have posted something earlier I guess since communication is facebook. A lot of you know I have had issues with a surgery with my leg that was a non healing issue over a couple years.. at the end of January I went to another Orthopedic surgeon/wound care specialist that told me either amputate or die.... So In a one day decision my wife and I Chose to amputate.
I am doing well .. rehab was good they say I'm strong and will do great...
I will try and update more it's a major life change. I appreciate all the support you all have given me.

Sad Boosh....when does life stop sucking?
And, why do I feel guilty for still being a healthy 54yo at near H.S. fitness while everyone I've ever known dies?

 

[MyMagicMist]

Doing so so this morning. Nothing new, I'm so so most of the time.
No great news here. As has been said no news, good news.

 

[misswish]

Morning

I'm sorry about your friend, Caff. That's a tough one. I did like the looks of your sandwich!

Thanks, Hubby is doing better, needs to build up again. Feels much better. Jessie is easing off of the nursing duty, spending more time in the sun on the deck.

Stay safe and healthy

 

[CaFF]

Slogged my way to the Discount store to get a couple thing they'd had on special from their FB page.



12 pack dbl rolls for $5
10 packs of heat 'n eat lentils & beans in madras sauce for 0.49 cents ea.

All for less than $11.



Great stuff for the larder as they last pretty much forever.
And I'd just made a nice pot of Calrose rice and have much meats/veggies to go with.

 

[nadalama]

Slogged my way to the Discount store to get a couple thing they'd had on special from their FB page.

View attachment 178613

12 pack dbl rolls for $5
10 packs of heat 'n eat lentils & beans in madras sauce for 0.49 cents ea.

All for less than $11.

View attachment 178614

Great stuff for the larder as they last pretty much forever.
And I'd just made a nice pot of Calrose rice and have much meats/veggies to go with.

We had leftovers last night - hubbs had made some beef tips au jus a few nights ago, and then had cooked a big bag of purple hull peas the next night. Last night he heated up a Ready Rice, put beef tips and some of the gravy on top of the rice in one side of those flat-ish pasta bowls, then filled the rest of the bowl up with peas, with the pot liquor they cooked in, and man alive was that ever good. He kept saying "It's all mushed up together!" like that was a bad thing, but I dug in like there was no tomorrow.

Shame, we ate it all. *sigh* I won't forget that, though. I'll plot and scheme to have that again.

 

[CaFF]

We had leftovers last night - hubbs had made some beef tips au jus a few nights ago, and then had cooked a big bag of purple hull peas the next night. Last night he heated up a Ready Rice, put beef tips and some of the gravy on top of the rice in one side of those flat-ish pasta bowls, then filled the rest of the bowl up with peas, with the pot liquor they cooked in, and man alive was that ever good. He kept saying "It's all mushed up together!" like that was a bad thing, but I dug in like there was no tomorrow.

Shame, we ate it all. *sigh* I won't forget that, though. I'll plot and scheme to have that again.

Sounds yummy. I pretty much live on leftovers.

 

[nadalama]

Do people who don't live in the South know what "pot liquor" is?

 

[CaFF]

Do people who don't live in the South know what "pot liquor" is?

I had no clue, but Google told me.

TIL: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pot_liquor

 

[CaFF]

Zags play tonight, we should ruin Santa Clara in The Kennel.



Several other top-10 games going on tonight too, sadly (ha!) Baylor's game got cancelled...they just can't stay out of trouble.