akamukade - Tumblr blog

[akamukade]

New lawn mower

I finally converted from gas powered lawn equipment to battery. Battery technology has made some significant improvements over the years and now a 56 volt lithium battery has enough power to completely mow a 1500 square foot lawn. Plus these batteries can now fully charge in about an hour. So about one hour of run time with a one hour recharge. I was sold. Got the string trimmer and blower first. Figured I’d I could cut the lawn with a string trimmer then no need for a mower. Tried it … took too long, and made me tired. Bought the lawn mower. Unpacked it and set it up. Charged the battery while setting up and breaking down the box. Then took it out of a test run. Put the grass catcher on the back and cut the front lawn. It did great. I did notice that the grass and leaves were not getting picked up as well as the gas mower. Completed the whole front yard and got the green waste bin to empty out the grass catcher. Removed the grass catcher and saw three blades of grass and some dust. WHAT THE HECK! Looked at the exhaust chute …. Darn! I forgot to remove the factory installed plug. Fail! Took the plug out and vacuumed up the loose grass and leaves that I could.

The good news … I got it right in the back yard, and emptied two bags full of clippings onto my green waste pile.

[akamukade]

The test drive

my faithful truck finally died, so I was in the market for a new or gently used car to replace the truck. We visited several dealerships looking for that car. At one dealership, the salesman hinted that in todays tight car market both new and used cars sell very quickly. If I see something I liked, he recommended that I jump on it and make the purchase rather than wait to think about it. He said that he has seen a number of shoppers wait to think, then come back only to find the car they wanted had already sold. I told him, I would prefer to do a little bit of research, before I made a purchase and it would be ok if the cars I was looking at today got sold. Fast forward…. We decided on a new car that was already in transit to the dealership. Since there were no test models available, the salesman said I could test drive a similar used car that was on the lot. We jump into the car and my wife says “hey why don’t you drive up to my work place and drive around the area no one should be there”. I see the salesman’s eye get larger so I say “this is a test drive, they normally want you to just drive around the block and go back to the showroom, not take a drive to a far away place.” Her response was “oh”. We bought the new car.

The salesman that told me to buy a car when I saw it called to follow up. I told him thank you, but I had purchased a car from one of his competitors. When he asked why, I told him I was following his advice and purchased a car that I liked when I saw it.

[akamukade]

The Master of DIYsaster

Yup that should be my new name. DIY auto ac repair. So my truck ac went on the fritz a few months ago … sometime after I retired. But then again, I was not running my truck regularly… I mean like I did not even start it for like three months after I retired. Anyway the ac is ded, so I start using the car with no ac and just rolling the windows down. What the heck, I am retired and don’t really get out much. Well the daughter gets a JOB (yay! Thank the powers that be). Ruh oh, now I am the Uber driver for my daughter. Sooooo I decided to look up DIY auto ac repair. Recalling the advice as I was growing up. “Always start with the cheapest and simplest thing then work your way up”. So I turn to my old friend Google. Google says - buy a auto ac recharger kit for about 40 bucks. Ok. Done. Fine the low pressure line … low pressure line hmmmm. What the heck does that look like … hey Google! Ok low pressure line found and pressure cap removed. Follow the posted Google instructions which are kind of like the instructions on the can. Most importantly DO NOT OVER PRESSURIZE the system. In simple terms add Freon until the gauge is in the green. Ok! Puff … what the heck was that little puff of mist coming out from behind the fire wall? Oh well. Check the gauge. All good. Test the ac. Wait …. Wait….. wait …. Rats! No cold air. Ok that didn’t work. Must be the compressor. Too big a job for me. Let’s just not use the ac… weeks go by. Then one day … as I backing into the garage… I hear a knocking noise coming from the engine compartment. Ruh oh! Hey Google! A loose pulley or belt? Shit. Time to call the professionals…. Took the car in for a diagnostic the other day. The ac compressor’s pulley is loose and will need to be changed. So that means a compressor change out. Oh but since you put that cheap Freon with sealant into your system and did not clean it out, we can’t do your ac job for you. The sealant will totally destroy our Freon recovery machine and cost us 1600 to repair. So we won’t take your job. Oh by the way, you may choose to run your car with a loose pulley… but if it breaks, your car will suffer a catastrophic failure.

Oh crap!

Guess who is buying a new car during a time when new cars are very hard to get …..

Ultra-epic fail!

I think maybe I need to go back to work so I say out of trouble.

[akamukade]

Car wash fail

The sort version - I forgot to check to see if the back windows were completely closed before I started to wash the car. They weren’t… inside passenger backseat area got a little wet.

The long version - for all that know me, they know I not a really big car guy or a car wash guy. Guess I had to wash my parents cars one time too many or was volun-told to help at community/organization car washes once too many time. So I typically do not wash my car. My 15 year old truck was washed maybe six times total in 15 years and one time was because the painters hired by the homeowner association painted the garage door while it was raining - so when I opened the door to drive out the paint dripped on my truck. So, today, I decided to wash my truck. Now in my defense my ac is not working and I have been driving with my windows down to get fresh air. So I did not double check to see that all the windows were completely closed. They weren’t. Alas the back windows were about a half inch open and I failed to notice before I started to hose the car down. The back passenger interior got a little soaked. Luckily, I noticed the waterfall occurring as I looked through the windows to make sure I got the water over the roof and flowing down the opposite side - yup fail again.

[akamukade]

DIY plumbing - part 2

Okay, so the drain line clearing going through the tub overflow was an epic fail. So, I decided to try the sink drain … heck they are all connected to the same outflow right. If I can’t get through one, just use an alternate. Okay! I clear out under the bathroom sink cabinet… man there are a whole lot of really really old cleaning products under here. When did I purchase AMWAY products?!! And where did the “Fuller brush” product come from. Hmmmm let’s see … feels full. Ok mental note. Throw out the really old stuff.

All clear, let’s drop the p-trap. Oh lord what is that smell? Sewer …. Like the trap has not been flushed …. Ever. Well at least I k ow the trap works. Trap is off, time to snake. Ok slowly let the snake work. Two feet in … three …. Four … wait it’s stuck. Pull it back … nope. Damnnn. Hit the reverse …. Okay wait a minute, now the cable is all twisted inside the drum. Time out. Need to take apart the machine and untwist it.

35 minutes later. The machine is back together (the cable is un-twisted, all 25 feet) and I am ready to get back to it. Here we go …. But this time pull back every once in a while so you don’t get stuck again.

Four feet, five, six … ten …. What the heck is that thumping noise?!!!! Better go check. Maybe my daughter woke up and is in my bathroom since. I am working in the hall bathroom… shut the machine off and goes to look …..

Holy crow! The snake went up, instead of going down and came through the drain in my sink, grabbed the trash can under the sink - threw it into the bedroom and deposited the can liner in the sink. Trash everywhere….. groan…. Time to stop and clean up. Maybe I should call a plumber

[akamukade]

DYI plumber

Did you know a plumber will charge you between 300 and 500 dollars to snake your drain? And that’s just that one time you call him. Did you also know that you can purchase a drain auger (snake) for as little as 12 dollars and use it over and over again? Let’s do the math …. 500 bucks for a one time deal carry the 2, divide by the number of calls …. Equals … big bucks! Ok 12 dollars carry the 1, divide by the number of times I’ve called a plumber … equals … major savings. Ok, let’s buy a snake.

Now … what the internet doesn’t tell you is …. There are places you should use a drain snake, and places you definitely should not. The tub for example. You should not use the snake in the tub drain (I did not know that). Instead, find the drain over flow and send the snake down thru that pipe. Okay simple enough … remover the drain over flow cover …. Ah … over flow cover…. Look it up dummy! Ah for this brand… you need to turn 1/25 turn counterclockwise to align the hidden tabs, the it will “pop” off. Ok, that seems simple enough. 30 minutes later … after trying with bare hands, a rag (cause it’s slippery), a screwdriver, and a pipe wrench. Why won’t this overflow cover move!!!! Okay pry off the drain knob …. Daaammmnnnn there be screws holding this cover plate down. Ok, unscrew the screws…. Wait a minute. Those are brass screws and you have totally bent them with your brute force method trying to get a 1/25 turn. Dammit! Ok it’s a good thing you have screw extractor bits! Screws are off and they are bent. Those are not going to go back in. Make a list for the hardware run. Brass screws, machine, flathead, Phillips head - 2 each. One hour later I got the cover off, the drain mechanism out and drain plug out. I am ready to start snaking this bad boy! Set up the auger and start going. Damn! The snake is not feeding into the drain. Well, look it up. Oh I see getting past the trap is the hardest part once that is done it will feed easily. Two hours later. Ok, this is not working. Let’s close this up and try the sink drain. Oh wait … hardware run. Maybe I will try the sink drain tomorrow. Maybe I need to call a plumber….

[akamukade]

What happens in Las Vegas….

Traveled to Vegas on a red eye with the old man and family. Didn’t get much sleep, rooms were not ready, so we all started doing the Vegas thing. Got the rooms in the afternoon, reset and went back out to play. Came back for dinner and got ready to finally get some sleep - or so I thought. The crazy old man wants to do more deposits, so We got dressed and went back down. Finally at midnight (now we’ll beyond 24 hours without a good nights sleep….). We all head up to sleep. The doorstop alarm is triggered at about 3 AM. The crazy old man has somehow gotten out of the room and has disappeared. Crap! I get dressed and go out to his usual spots to try and find him. No luck. I end up walking around the entire two floors of the place … twice. I then go talk to the hotel security staff and explain the situation. I am looking for an old man that has suffered a TBI, and may not be completely clothed. Security looks at me like I am not all right in my head They tell me if there was anyone wandering on the premises without clothing, they would know.

So, security has not yet encountered the crazy old man. I decide to go back upstairs and double check the floor. As I walk pass the alcove that holds the vending and ice machine, a movement catches my eyes….. it’s HIM! He is wearing a t-shirt and underwear. No pants, no shoes or teeth. I escort him back to the room before I go back to notify security that I have located the escapee.

I reset the doorstop alarm, push the ottoman to block the door and switch places with mom so I end up sleeping in the same room as dad. It’s finally lights out and it’s only day one.

Good grief

[akamukade]

Retirement adventures: Mr fixit for my house and my parents house.

The missing keys adventure. My father calls me last night and asks if I can take him to the local hardware store in the morning so he can pick something up. Something? Hmmm could be anything, best dress to get dirty. Keys! He needs new house keys made because he has misplaced his set. Not lost, just can’t find them and can’t remember where he put them. (So lost). We get the new keys cut, as he is pulling the little bag (with the keys) out of his pocket, the keys fall onto the ground. He continues to walk to the door. Then looks at the now empty bag and says “where the heck are those new keys? Son of a gun, I just had them”.

The broken door: my father can’t get the front door open. Instead of asking for help, he decides to remover the door knob, then disassemble the knob. Now the bolt is locked into the strike plate and there is no door knob to retract the bolt. Dad says he needs to cut the door open to remove the bolt, then replace the door. He stuffs an old T-shirt into the knob hole, and tapes the door closed.

[akamukade]

After a period of not having to drive my truck (about three months), I needed to drive to an appointment. Now don’t get me wrong, I do start the truck up and keep it in shape, I just have not actually driven it on the street. So you know how the windshield gets dirty from the outside environment and you wash it off before you go on a road trip? Well that’s what I tried to do. I activated the washer and alas... no fluid. So I turn off the engine and go get the jug of washer fluid. Pop the hood and ... exactly the washer fluid is low, still some in there but low. Okay full it up, close the hood, put everything away and get back in the start up the truck and wash that dirty windshield... I need to get going. Pull the lever and .... no fluid. Ruh oh! Maybe the pump is broken. Pull it again, still nothing... BUMMERS! Pull it one last time and notice that my high beam indicator is flashing off and on. Doh! Wrong level. Pull the other side lever and fluid sprays on my windshield. All clean. Time to go. Guess I will need to drive the truck more often. Vehicle control panel a perishable skill .....

[akamukade]

Happy New Years Eve - as we all say farewell to 2020 and look forward to a new year! Be safe

[akamukade]

I need you to hold my room

Got a text from a conference attendee telling me they would arrive late. They asked that I make sure their hotel room is not given away. I say sure. I’ll be at the hotel at six and will tell them to hold your room. What’s your confirmation number? They say - I don’t have one...... ah ... um .... so what you are actually saying is you don’t have a room. You are coming to the conference, arriving tomorrow and don’t have a room booked. Okay - that’s a totally different story. But I’ll work with it. Thank you

[akamukade]

Wow already December

[akamukade]

The parking pay station jackpot - again

Six months later - at the same parking pay station trying to get my car out of the parking garage. I hit the jackpot again. Put in my 20 bucks and the change comes out in coins. Just like a vegas jackpot. 11 bucks in quarters. I had to laugh again. Money is money. Put all the coins in my coin bucket. I’ll roll them and deposit them at the bank again. Looks like every time i come to this pay station,I should plan on hitting the jackpot. I’ll need to pack a small money pouch for the next visit.

[akamukade]

On-Line Appointments

SO i am trying to get with the program and start using more of the capabilities offered by this fantastic web-based society that we now live in. On-line appointments for car service - wow, what a concept. I log on to my service shops website, and start the on-line booking process. This is really neat! I no longer need to call during the business day and talk to a real person, I can just log on to the website and book an appointment. Okay, book me a safety check appointment for my truck. Follow the on-screen instructions - hmm - type in my vehicle license. Select the vehicle - yup my truck. select the service.... No safety check available. No problem - select vehicle inspection. Select the time and the date. Submit! Congratulations! You have booked an appointment. Neat ad easy. The next day, I get an email confirmation - for my cars undercar evaluation. Hey! Wait a minute. I said (typed / selected) - TRUCK, and Safety Check. Damn, Id better call them to make sure they know that I am bringing my Truck and not a car. Call the service center, explain that I must have fat fingered the on-line appointment screen. Got everything verbally cleared up. Truck for safety check. I get a second e-mail. Congratulations, we have you booked to bring your truck for its engine repair service. WTH? Oh never mind. I’ll explain it again when i get there. Groan.

[akamukade]

Are you listening?

Attended a video teleconference with the big wigs. I am the slide flipper, I sit in the far backend of the room - the furthest from the speakers. The briefer does not remember to call out next slide or slide numbers to add more fun to all of this, the big wigs in attendance put the conference on mute and decide to have a full blown discussion. Now is the time to mention that i am old and have significant hearing loss. Needless to say, my electronic slide flipping was not the best with regard to timing. Between the side bar discussion and the lack of cues from the speaker ... it was a ling 90 minutes. I hate attending these things with the the big wigs. They never listen to the person presenting the information, and they make it difficult for those of us that want to pay attention. The funny part is the big wigs always ask the minions to provide notes and analysis of the discussion that they just sat through without listening. Sigh - leaders......

[akamukade]

DMVentures

My adventures at he DMV. Saw that my drivers license would exprie this year. I have heard the horror stories about the new process to renew drivers licenses, and watched the many news reports of the long lines, power outages, computer crashes and the compliants that people were making. I did my research, made my appointment and gathered all the necessary paperwork. The day of my appointment arrived. I took the whole day off - just in case. I arrive at the DMV an hour early. The parking lot if full... ruh oh, not a good sign. I finally find a place to park. Walking to the DMV entrance, i see a line of people sitting on the sidewalk. Reminds me of the black friday sale lines. Ruh oh, another not so good sign. I open the door, and step in. It’s wall to wall people. I ask the security guard “is the end of the line outside the door- even if i have an appointment?” He asks what time the appointment is. I tell him 10. He looks and points out a single unoccupied seat, and tells me to have a seat and wait inside. Okay, at least i get a/c. He tells me that they will call my appointment number when they are ready for me. I can track the wait time by looking at the monitors on the wall. I take a seat. First - the monitor in front of all the people waiting is not working. The only working monitor is above the DMV clerks - 10 million feet away and very small. To look at it, you either need binoculars or you need to leave your seat to go look. (Ding) thats why there was an empty seat, and so many people standing. Note for next time - bring binoculars. For today, i take a picture and enlarge it - ok i am number 18 in the queue. Luckly, the clerks have a PA system to call out the numbers. I can just sit and listen for my number to be called. The PA comes to life and squaks “now serving ....”. Alas, the PA system has an overlapping sound like a triple echo in a large cave. All I can hear is “ now serv..now serv..numbe..now servin..1..number.. 3.. now se...at...win...numbe..1..dow..3”. Holy crow, fix your PA system! Turn off the reverb! Speak slowly!! This is so funny. So i capture a recording of it, because on one will believe me. Then as the echo slowly fades and no one has stepped up to the window, the clerk yells out the number - just as someone starts using the PA to call out the nunber again. This is hillarious. I decide to keep my eyes locked on the screen and track my number. The screen glitches and - i lose track of my number. I take another picture. The screen now shows a whole new set of two digit numbers interspersed with the four digit appointment number (like the one i have). I am now 25 in the queue. How is it possible to move backwards in the queue? Oh wait the monitor says that the appointment time is only a estimate. Silly me for thinking that by making an appointment, I’d be seen at that time. Oh well. People start to leave thier seats to go talk to the security guard and complain about their numbers being skipped over. The guard takes their slips of papers with thier numbers and goes to the back. I am thinking ruh oh - guess thier numbers are being shredded. The screen flickers once again. The two digit numbers vanish. I am number 4 in the queue. One person (who gave her number away) asks another person - “did gou get your number back.” He says no. Okay im up. I submit my pre-completed applcation provide the required documentation, pay the fee. Get my picture taken, get issued the temporary license and away i go. I wonder if those people ever got thier numbers back. Good bye DMV. See you again in another 8 years. Hope the process and facilities gets fix by then. Wow DMVentures. No one will beleive me.

[akamukade]

Battery Fail

A co-worker lamented about a dead battery in his favorite car.  I asked him how old the battery was.  He said over three years.  I told him, it's time to replace the battery.  He told me he purchased a new high tech battery re-conditioner and had plugged it into the battery.  He was confident that the battery would be as good a new in the morning.  I asked him how much that device cost him.  It was about sixty bucks.  Hmmm - I thought to myself - just about the cost of a new three year battery.  Now it's important to realize that there is a major hurricane headed our way in the next 48 hours.  The next day my co-worker comes to me all smiles and triumphantly announces that the battery is as good as new.  The exclaimed that he unhooked the battery in the morning and the car started right up, in fact, he drove that car in today.  Later....after his shift was done, he says good night and leaves.   A few minutes later, I see him outside my cube - looking not so happy.  He announces that his car won't start, the battery is dead.  I start laughing uncontrollably.  He begs me for a jump start.  I say, wait...I'm not done laughing.  I get him started and tell him - I think you need to go get a new battery.  EPIC BATTERY FAIL.   He got a new battery, and just in time too.