What are you doing today? [Part II]

[Mooseman]

You guys in NY got hammered real bad, something like 28 deaths, and still digging out. That was some wicked weather.

Here we're pretty much done with it. Getting milder tomorrow with a little snow but then the rest of the week will be above freezing with rain . I think mother nature is going through menopause.

 

[BrianF]

We got some more snow in the forecast now and the east wind is back. I spent three hours this morning to punch a hole wide enough to get a pickup truck through. The contractor has been at it now 7 hours and got most of it punched out. Almost.

 

[Mooseman]

Son and fam arrived yesterday, as well as my BIL, his two sons and GF and a couple of friends. Had a big Boxing Day dinner along with our eldest son, the youngest and his GF. We had a full house, just the way the Mrs likes it.

Amazon was a day early delivering my much needed furnace controller today. Took about an hour to transfer the wiring and screw it in place of the old one. Biggest drama was two wires I had to extend. And we have heat!

 

[TJBaker57]

Amazon was a day early delivering my much needed furnace controller today. Took about an hour to transfer the wiring and screw it in place of the old one. Biggest drama was two wires I had to extend. And we have heat!

So now you can safely open up the old one to have a look at the relay contacts?? I always want to autopsy parts to nail down a cause and perhaps resurrect the part for a backup.

 

[northcreek]

With the recent fuel pump problems on my plow vehicle, I am converting it from external fuel pump to in tank fuel pump, which it was never designed for but, it's progressing well, just waiting for the rest of the parts to arrive (thank you mega snow storm). Speaking of which, I'm working outside in my shirt sleeves today...now it's mega snow melt...

 

[mrrsm]

Follow Up for @Mooseman on "How To Treat a Sub-Ungual Hematoma and Relieve The Blood Pressure" after Badly Smashing a Thumb (or other) Nail:

VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED AND CONSIDER GETTING PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL RELIEF:

Using a Heated Paper Clip "Pity Melt" Method:

Using a Micro-Drill "Burr Hole" Method:

 

[Mooseman]

I'd probably just use a small hand pin drill about the same size as a paperclip. My nail is about 3/4 grown back.

 

[TJBaker57]

I have several times used a small drill bit also for the task. I just spin the bit between fingertips, no other tool employed. I also build up a 'stopper' of sorts with electrical tape or the like, leaving only enough of the bit exposed to penetrate the nail. Otherwise as the bit begins to penetrate the nail it can sometimes lurch through like when drilling through this sheet metal. That can hurt!

 

[Mooseman]

Had a visitor today. Can you guess who?

Spoiler: Guess who?

Yep, it's @$ Khalid ! 9130 in the flesh all the way from Saudi Arabia.
He arrived here just before Christmas to attend college and came up from Toronto. He came over for a visit, we talked about his travels, cars and adjusting to Canadian weather. Had a great afternoon just talking and drinking coffee.

 

[Blckshdw]

Had a visitor today. Can you guess who?

That's awesome. Much less exciting day for me today, did meet up with some friends for lunch and to watch some of the afternoon games.

In related forum member news, spoke to MarkMc this weekend and learned he will be moving back to FL (I had no idea he and his family left for 2 years, so shame on me) next week. He'll be about 20 miles away, so we'll be getting together periodically to hang out.

 

[northcreek]

Finished the in tank fuel pump conversion on my plow truck. I'll post the pics of the module that I fabricated as I often get inspiration from members projects posted here. BTW it runs great again

 

[Sparky]

Well back at work today after a Christmas break.
Kid #3 is due any day now. Shifted the car seats around the van so we're all set. The bigger kids think their new seating arrangement is "cool" so that's good - sometimes change is met by heavy resistance!
It went from -10 right before Christmas (and ice on the windows, thankfully none on the walls!) to supposed to hit mid-60s today (currently 57) and it is pouring rain. Man I love Ohio and it's bipolar weather /s (and see what I did there)

 

[azswiss]

While cleaning out the workbench drawer I came across this little reminder that you need to always check before sticking your hand into tight, dark places. Don't let the size fool you; it's the little ones that hurt the most.

 

[TJBaker57]

always check before sticking your hand into tight, dark places

While hiking in New Mexico in 2015 I found this little fellow in my backpack one morning. The pack had been under my feet all night.

 

[azswiss]

Looks like a Bark Scorpion; exactly like the ones we have here in AZ. This kind has a particularly neurotoxic venom. I always shake out my camping gear and overalls before using.

 

[Mooseman]

Glad that the things that can kill you here you can actually see, like bears.

 

[Blckshdw]

Met up with forum retirees @markmc @jimmyjam and @kurupt for a late lunch and to get caught up for a few hours. Didn't think to take the expected staged pic with everyone, until after I was on the way home

 

[BrianF]

As already said, glad the things up here that can kill you are large like bears and high fuel prices.

Day 3 of 4 days off so my wife and I hit the city with the trailer. Picked up a weight machine for the basement and a couple other toys.....

Got a parts machine, possible beater trail machine and a very decent shape complete runner. Best of all, met a nice fellow vintage enthusiast. He's got one hell of a collection, including some rotary OMC's.

 

[Matt]

Going to the in-laws for my FIL's 78th.

 

[flyboy2610]

Just kind of hanging out in the man-cave today. Gotta do that now and then.

 

[Mooseman]

No rest for me. Last night, the shelves in the cupboard collapsed under the weight of the stuff in there. They were held with plastic pegs typical of cheap pre-fab cabinets. So made a plan to reinforce and make them into sliding shelves as we found some not-so-fresh stuff that was at the back of the shelves.

There were two shelves and found that there was a lot of wasted space. So I've done two of them for now. I'll add a third shorter one for cans and such. The only one that won't be sliding is the bottom one that we'll use for the heavier stuff. Each of those pairs of slides is rated for 100 lbs so I think we'll be good.

I may be able to fabricate the third one after I come back from replacing the fuel pump on the TB tomorrow.

 

[Sparky]

Finally had a little time to spend on my brother-in-law's Element (yeah, it is still sitting in my garage). I had to take the sawzall with metal blades to the lower rear strut bolt on the driver side. Burned 3 blades cutting that grade 10 bolt out, but i got it out. Of course, I couldn't just spin the cut end out of the welded nut as the bolt had fused itself to the nut. Had to knock it off of there and now I need to find a grade 10 14x1.5mm nut. Blah.

 

[TollKeeper]

Took my new computer apart... AGAIN!

I am only on the 6th warranty swap on this motherboard.

Took apart the open loop video card, and cleaned it out as well.

7th RMA motherboard is installed... And so far.. Knock on wood... Everything is working as it should! Just got done running stress tests. Never ran above 70c. Idles at 29c.

I just hope this is done.. I need to build a new server. My Dell R710 is starting to show random hard drive errors. And that server cant handle a RTX card for 1080, 2k, or 4k.

Hoping to build a 12600k, RTX3060, 32g of ram, and start with 42T of hard drive useable 28T, upgradable to 70T, useable 56T. Got the case, and power supply.. Just need the rest LOL!

 

[Blckshdw]

Had an all staff meeting in the office today. Business is trending up, so that's good, but more of the veteran people are leaving. I'm starting to consider some options myself, and touched up the resume over the weekend. The job market hasn't been great around here, a number of people I know who left their jobs last year, are still looking currently.

7th RMA motherboard is installed... And so far.. Knock on wood... Everything is working as it should! Just got done running stress tests. Never ran above 70c. Idles at 29c.

I just hope this is done.. I need to build a new server. My Dell R710 is starting to show random hard drive errors. And that server cant handle a RTX card for 1080, 2k, or 4k.

Hoping to build a 12600k, RTX3060, 32g of ram, and start with 42T of hard drive useable 28T, upgradable to 70T, useable 56T. Got the case, and power supply.. Just need the rest LOL!

Man 7 mobos, that had to be exhausting to put up with. Hope this setup plays nice for a while until you can build the new one. Ever since that initial chat about the R710s, I had been keeping an eye out for some I could work with, but then realized the closet my current setup is in, the doorway for the closet was too narrow to fit a rack into Worked out OK in the end, since I repurposed an old square case and bought all new components that did the job I needed.

 

[TollKeeper]

Thats actually what I am going to build this time round. The server grade stuff is nice, and reliable as hell.. But not very upgradeable.

Edit: And yea.. 7 motherboards is a nightmare. Its a watercooled system, so... yea! and in a Mini-ITX system to boot. So already no room to work.

This is the build, although running clear fluid now instead of the purpleish.

 

[Mooseman]

Finished the sliding cupboard shelves. Just have to wait for the paint to dry and it can be loaded up.

 

[flyboy2610]

Nice cabinets! Yesterday I replaced the switch/handle assembly in our Maytag dishwasher. The handle broke, and only comes as part of a new switch assembly. Cost me about $40, took about 20 minutes to install. We got the dishwasher when we bought this house. Been here 15 years in April, so I think we got our moneys worth out of that handle!

 

[BrianF]

Got some sled time in today. My new Ghost got some fresh fuel and after a purge she runs great. A few odds and ends to do, same as everything else I've done to the other sleds.

 

[BrianF]

Son of a btch!! So the one electrician thats been out here for quite some time new I liked OMC sleds and took some pics of two Ghosts sitting in his grandfather's barn. Dirty and a bit rough but damn.... so not like I need more, I said hypothetically, when could I go look and hypothetically, how much......

 

[Mooseman]

That could become a side hustle for you. Either whole sleds or parts, there's gotta be a market.

 

[TollKeeper]

Another vent here... Im in excrutiating pain as my back is spasming while sitting here, my arm is sore as hell.. I am completely wore out.

So this is a TRUE story, happened today...

I sent a message to my wife that I was going to be 90 mins late getting home..

My plan was to go to Microcenter to pick up a CPU and a SSD...

Well those plans went to hell in a hand basket...

I stopped by the gas station to top off the gas tank on the Saab before my short trip..

I heard some yelling. I looked around, and saw a guy mulling around a Chevy Suburban, but nothing more.

Theres a elderly lady behind me trying to change a tire on her Subaru Outback. I walk over and offer to help. She declines and tells me her husband is coming to help, and I head back to the Saab.

Finish topping off the tank, and head into the store to buy some lottery tickets.

The guy I saw mulling around walks in behind me, and very politely asks if he can borrow the phone, theres a guy laying on the ground, and doesnt know whats going on.

I quickly head out the door, grab my cell phone out of the Saab, dial 911 and walk over to the Suburban.

I get to the Suburban, and theres a guy laying on the ground, partly under the Suburban, but not run over, he is breathing, but is breathing, BARELY.

I tell the 911 operator whats going on, where we are, etc...

And then the guy stops breathing, and put my fingers on the side of his neck looking for a pulse..

Nothing... FUCK!

Tell the operator to step up the ambulance, he is no longer breathing, and I cant find a heart beat.

Start doing CPR. My back is not up for this task, but I just cant let the guy die.

Im doing CPR for 6-7 minutes, and a cop shows up, "sir I need you to move out of the way" no fucking shit. My back is screaming at me, my arm is numb. get in here and do your job.

So I moved out of the way, and they start their chest compressions..
Ambulance #1, #2, Firetruck, 4 cop cars show up.
Everyone is working on him.
Ambulance guys pulls out a automated chest compression machine, get it all set up, and it starts doing its thing.

This goes on for another 10 minutes, they get him moved into the ambulance, chest compression machine still going.

The cops just start interviewing everyone else.. Hey.. how about the guy thats standing here, that was doing CPR on that guy.. Nope.

10-20 minutes later, they finally get to me, and only want my identification.

I havent been told I am ok to leave. I havent been told if the guy is alive/dead. My truck is blocked in, so I cant leave. Im standing there, fucking cold (its 26 degrees), in pain, and I just want to go home and hug my wife and kids.

The sheriff finally moves his car, so I move my truck over to the front of the store, head in and buy my lottery tickets.

Head back out to my Saab, and a Commerce City Police man is walking out behind me..

I turned around and asked him, quite pointedly, is he alive or dead. He nods at the ambulance, and says we will find out in a few seconds, if the ambulance thats pulling out turns on his lights, hes alive. If no lights...

Ambulance gets to the corner of the lot and turns on his lights.. I sigh in relief.

I turn around to the cop, and ask if they need anything more, and he just says nope, your good...

I hop in the Saab, and floor it out of that parking lot.. I just want to get home and hug my wife and kids. My back is still screaming. My arm is still numb. I am shaking.... but theres a chance the guy is still alive, because of my actions.. so theres some solace in that.

 

[BrianF]

Tollkeeper, good on ya!! Cpr is a hell of a work out and very rarely successful. Hopefully your body heals up and you aren't crippled for long.

 

[azswiss]

I hop in the Saab, and floor it out of that parking lot.. I just want to get home and hug my wife and kids. My back is still screaming. My arm is still numb. I am shaking.... but theres a chance the guy is still alive, because of my actions.. so theres some solace in that.

Not all heros wear capes. YOU DA MAN!

 

[Mooseman]

Good on you man! Hopefully Karma will smile on you with those lottery tickets.

Were you playing "Staying alive" in your head while doing it?

 

[TollKeeper]

Good on you man! Hopefully Karma will smile on you with those lottery tickets.

Were you playing "Staying alive" in your head while doing it?

Ha! No, no music...I was too busy concentrating on a rhythm, and the pain. 5 blown disc's in my back, not something I should have been doing, but something that needed to be done.

 

[northcreek]

"You're Batman ! "

 

[northcreek]

Scout and I out for our morning hike. The mountains of snow have vanished due to the warm weather/rain. Just a dusting of snow and 25f temps,perfect !
Wife couldn’t go…..see has Covid, I’m waiting to see if Vaxed to the max helps

 

[TollKeeper]

Another vent here... Im in excrutiating pain as my back is spasming while sitting here, my arm is sore as hell.. I am completely wore out.

So this is a TRUE story, happened today...

I sent a message to my wife that I was going to be 90 mins late getting home..

My plan was to go to Microcenter to pick up a CPU and a SSD...

Well those plans went to hell in a hand basket...

I stopped by the gas station to top off the gas tank on the Saab before my short trip..

I heard some yelling. I looked around, and saw a guy mulling around a Chevy Suburban, but nothing more.

Theres a elderly lady behind me trying to change a tire on her Subaru Outback. I walk over and offer to help. She declines and tells me her husband is coming to help, and I head back to the Saab.

Finish topping off the tank, and head into the store to buy some lottery tickets.

The guy I saw mulling around walks in behind me, and very politely asks if he can borrow the phone, theres a guy laying on the ground, and doesnt know whats going on.

I quickly head out the door, grab my cell phone out of the Saab, dial 911 and walk over to the Suburban.

I get to the Suburban, and theres a guy laying on the ground, partly under the Suburban, but not run over, he is breathing, but is breathing, BARELY.

I tell the 911 operator whats going on, where we are, etc...

And then the guy stops breathing, and put my fingers on the side of his neck looking for a pulse..

Nothing... FUCK!

Tell the operator to step up the ambulance, he is no longer breathing, and I cant find a heart beat.

Start doing CPR. My back is not up for this task, but I just cant let the guy die.

Im doing CPR for 6-7 minutes, and a cop shows up, "sir I need you to move out of the way" no fucking shit. My back is screaming at me, my arm is numb. get in here and do your job.

So I moved out of the way, and they start their chest compressions..
Ambulance #1, #2, Firetruck, 4 cop cars show up.
Everyone is working on him.
Ambulance guys pulls out a automated chest compression machine, get it all set up, and it starts doing its thing.

This goes on for another 10 minutes, they get him moved into the ambulance, chest compression machine still going.

The cops just start interviewing everyone else.. Hey.. how about the guy thats standing here, that was doing CPR on that guy.. Nope.

10-20 minutes later, they finally get to me, and only want my identification.

I havent been told I am ok to leave. I havent been told if the guy is alive/dead. My truck is blocked in, so I cant leave. Im standing there, fucking cold (its 26 degrees), in pain, and I just want to go home and hug my wife and kids.

The sheriff finally moves his car, so I move my truck over to the front of the store, head in and buy my lottery tickets.

Head back out to my Saab, and a Commerce City Police man is walking out behind me..

I turned around and asked him, quite pointedly, is he alive or dead. He nods at the ambulance, and says we will find out in a few seconds, if the ambulance thats pulling out turns on his lights, hes alive. If no lights...

Ambulance gets to the corner of the lot and turns on his lights.. I sigh in relief.

I turn around to the cop, and ask if they need anything more, and he just says nope, your good...

I hop in the Saab, and floor it out of that parking lot.. I just want to get home and hug my wife and kids. My back is still screaming. My arm is still numb. I am shaking.... but theres a chance the guy is still alive, because of my actions.. so theres some solace in that.

UPDATE!

The event had been causing me some anxiety.. Ya know.. is he alive or dead?

My wife did some sleuthing today.. And apparently, this is NOT confirmed, but the guy is alive.

My wife contacted the hospital, who told her to call the Adams County Sheriff, who told her someone would call her back. They called back a short while later and said they couldnt confirm whether or not he was alive or dead, but he could say that if he was dead, a detective would have already called me, as they would have been investigating it as a homicide.

Sigh of relief!

 

[Mooseman]

 

[BrianF]

Finally put enjoying the mild weather. My oldest is sick and my wife was busy, so reluctantly my 12 year old put some miles on.