What are you doing today? [Part II]

[Blckshdw]

After being a long time Adobe suite user, I've been meaning to branch out into other software packages. Had heard of DaVinci Resolve for video editing, as a free alternative to Adobe Premier, and since I needed to do some video clip splicing this morning, downloaded it and gave it a try.

Took a little bit of time to figure out where things were, and how to get from point A to B to C, but I got there after poking around. This is my last day off work, since the 2nd week of December, so have to remember to go to bed on time, so I'm not dragging in the office tomorrow.

 

[azswiss]

Went to replace the leaky seal around the fuel level sensor on the XC70 and made two unfortunate discoveries. First, & foremost, the lock ring was not tight!! This is the first time it has been checked in 18 years so it was either loose from the factory or the o-ring seal has shrunk. Second, the opening for the level sensor is below the top level of the tank. Consequently, since the tank is almost full (naturally) as soon as I start to loosen the lock ring gas starts coming out. Decided to tighten up the lock ring and drive off some of the gas in order to bring the level down below the fuel sensor opening. Fortunately, access is very straightforward from the floor of the rear seat so I did not have to drop the tank or remove excess interior stuff.

 

[BrianF]

It's short lived but the cold is back. What's normally worse is after it's done, the cold that blows back over from the south east is worse.

A buddy is coming by early next week to pick up some hunting gear and we are planning a sled ride.

The other day I used some light silicone spray on the starter pully bendix. I use the term bendix as it's a cammed pully sheave that engages a pully to the flywheel. Anyways, they always stick so it's just easier to pull start. Well they freed up quite well. They now crank over very well.

 

[Mooseman]

-37c? Might use more pellets in the smoker and put on a sweater

 

[BrianF]

That poor trailblazer seems to do all the shit work when it's cold. I can't recall how many times it's pulled this duty.

She's finally slightly warming up. Hit -20 today but still a bit bitter with the wind. So of course my 14 year old and I hit the trails and burnt some 2 stroke. Came up three cow moose on the trails. We stopped about 50 metres back and they thankfully took off. No pictures because I left my phone at the house.

 

[BrianF]

So this idiot had ordered some extended headlight dust covers for my 3500. Found a company a few hours away that 3D prints them. So I messed up on my address, trying to bypass the issue of certain companies not shipping to a PO box, but they will to the civic address. Regardless, my parts never arrived but ended up in a shipping warehouse in town. Went there and snagged them before they got returned.

So I made time to work on my truck today and finally get those LED high beams installed. While the process is straightforward, a few quality control issues arose. First, the new dust caps had a crude finish on the locking tabs, which needed a clean up. Secondly, the one rings on the old halogen and new LED's were on the thin side, making a loose fit. I was able to find a thicker o ring at a smaller diameter that snuggled things up.

Took over an hour of me lazily putzing about. As you can see in the one picture, there is a drastic difference in light color and output. I'll run these for a bit and decide on getting low beams.

 

[Blckshdw]

Even though it's not summer, there's always some yard work around my house. Mango tree has been dropping its leaves, so decided today was a good day to rake and shred them. My collection bags are showing their age, and probably won't last through this season. Went in a different direction with the bags for the shredder, as the tarp-style bags seem to deteriorate faster when crinkling them.

Bought a couple of cheap mesh laundry bags, that have draw strings at the top and they worked perfectly. Gave a nice solid fit around the bottom rim of the shredder, the mesh style let me see just how full the bags were, so it was easier to know when I needed to stop because it was full, vs when the lines in the shredder were beaten up to the point they needed to be swapped out.

Only downside to the mesh, is all the dust that blows out. Depending on which side I was standing, and which way the wind was blowing, my shorts, legs, and shoes were heavily coated. Lesson learned, next time I'll bring my big fan, and put it at my back, problem solved.





Rolled both bags up the the front yard, and dumped them in front of my dining room window, and around one of the shrubs by the garage. Gotta love free mulch! My only issue now, is the neighborhood cats, that like to dig toilet holes. I caught a number of them doing that last year after I dumped fresh clippings.

 

[mrrsm]

Re: Post #2,242 for @azswiss ... and Followers-Readers facing this same "D-Fueling D-Lemma":

12 Volt DC Fuel Extraction Pump Kit:

Amazon.com

,,,Pumped into up to 20 Gallons of Safe, Temporary Fuel Storage:

Amazon.com

 

[BrianF]

Nothing too much. Had a few days off and the weather was nice but unfortunately did not have time to fire up the sleds. Oh well, supposed to snow a bit more tomorrow before dropping down to -30c again.

So, as much as I went back and forth between Timbrens and air bags, I decided on air bags for my 3500. Not sure if I talked about it at all but I had a so so experience running bags on my old 2011 1500. Great performers, great adjustability and ride but issues keeping the damn fittings from leaking.

Not like that 3500 needs much help, our new to us 6 horse gooseneck neck does squat the truck a bit. Nothing crazy but enough that I want to level it. Keep some weight on the steer axle and keeping the headlights pointed where they belong.

Timbrens allow some sag before they engage unless you install spacer plates to engage them sooner. Issue is there is no easy adjustability. With air bags you can adjust to whatever you need. So..... a local shop sells and installs Airlift systems. I am getting a quote on 88295 bags and 25980ez compressor. My wife and I really like the dedicated wireless remote, it just makes leveling and adjusting really damn easy.

 

[mrrsm]

After having the Two Back To Back Hurricanes in October and just after helping my son and DIL and our two Grand Kids get a very nice rental 3 BR & 2B Home to live in very nearby and settled when they returned from North Florida, my Wife and I were surprised to get an invitation to spend Thanksgiving Day with them. It was everything we could have hoped for, too (...Think "Hallmark Card- TV ROM-COM " Good...)

Anyway... during the period we were gone for eight days back then between October 7th to the 14th... of course Duke Energy Linemen and others from supporting states were all struggling to return power to millions of Florida Customers, all of the food I had laid by for our ordinary celebration meals had spoiled. So my son had been good enough to clean out the Freezer and the Fridge for us a few days before we drove back home from Gainesville.

That said, no sooner had we returned than I ventured back out to the local Publix Supermarket and had re-stocked up with "The Thanksgiving Works" and ever since, those "Goodies" have been sound asleep and Ice Cold in our freezer. At least that was the case until today when the inspiration came to prepare the food in concert with the stern instructions of "She Who MUST Be...Obeyed" and for my part, I got to play the role of "The Scullery Maid" with most of the Food Preparation.

The results are always fascinating to me because in order to make these celebratory meals a success, an awful lot of "Busy Work" and Potato Peeling" falls to the Old Man and yet, that seems to add to the satisfaction in the end when you can sit down to a plate of food ...that looks like this,

We've been doing this together for Half A Century now...and if we make it to our 50th Wedding Anniversary, I'm going to ask for "Good and Gain Time" be applied to my sentence of KP Duties in 2025. THIS repast was well worth all of the *Fuss*:




PS

I've never been much for playing "Schadenfreude" against my Fellow Man whenever they are beset by Major Troubles. There is just never anything Funny about Real Tragedy. But I remember somebody here chiding us Floridians just after those two Hurricanes hammered Florida with comments about his 10 Year Old Son saying, "Gee Dad...if they know this is going to happen again...Why Do They LIVE There...?" I really didn't appreciate "Feeling The Needle" being poked at us in this manner...and IIANM...that individual ...mentioned that he Hails from The State of California.

Like so many other Americans, my Wife and I try to vector our concerns for others in practical ways...like sending Money to Californians hurt by the Wild-Fires through Red Cross Donations. I hope that Dude and his Boy were not affected by the Horrors of those Fires and that he has since had a chance to pause and reflect upon being so directly callous towards us. Perhaps he has had a change of heart since then about the logic of insulting people merely for living in states ...where disasters can occur.

There... But for God's Grace... Go US All.

"So Shines a Good Deed... Upon a Weary World..."