Phase 1 of The Move completed ; new wireless network ; 'True Blood'
(posted from home)
(This post covers 11 – 22 January, 2010)
------------------------------------------
Friday, 22 January-
I spent the entire morning continuing to research the Time Capsule and Airport Extreme network to be sure I have everything set up correctly and securely and with up-to-date software and firmware.
I then spent a couple of hours researching the Internet connectivity requirements of the Comcast system at the retirement village and ordered the latest DOCSIS 3 cable modem and an Airport Express wireless router from Amazon.
Late in the day I reserved the U-Haul van for the next phase of The Move and reserved a rental car. This time we're not going to take Mocha Joe since Labashi will be driving Mom and Dad back and I'll be driving the U-Haul.
That evening: three more eps of 'True Blood'.
------------------------------------------
Thursday, 21 January-
This morning I tried to figure out how we're going to move a large, very heavy Berber carpet in the next phase of our move. I finally came up with an estimate of weight and I think we can handle that but the 12-foot long roll is going to be a problem to get in the elevator at the retirement village. I'll have to see if there's a freight elevator.
We also had some research to do on getting the septic tank inspected at the Michigan house. Mom and Dad have accepted an offer on it and the agreement requires an inspection. The county inspector had told us he doesn't do inspections until Spring but in our back-and-forth with him today, it appears he's going to make an exception.
By mid-day I needed to get out so rode the Concours down to Starbucks for a cappucino and Times. The weather was a pleasant 40 and sunny and felt great.
When I returned I attempted to replace a battery in Labashi's older Timex watch but this one defied all logic. After disassembling the watch I finally had to give up. The resin watch strap was cracked anyway so it wouldn't have been long until that broke too. In any case, I gave up on the watch and ordered a replacement for her from Amazon.
Late in the afternoon I replaced our wireless router with an Apple Time Capsule. This unit has a dual-channel wireless router but also has a 1 terabyte hard disk which automatically backs up my Mac.
The installation was really a breeze. I took more time reading the instructions and fretting over software and firmware versions than it took to get the wireless network up. Afterwards both the Mac and Labashi's Windows platform connected to the network on the first try.
That evening we watched three more episodes of 'True Blood'. Oh, Sookie!!!
----------------------------------------
Wednesday, 20 January-
Today I spent quite a bit of time working on the entertainment center we bought late last year. I've finally decided how I want to ventilate it so the gear inside it doesn't overheat. I drilled 36 three-eighths-inch holes in the back, near the top. Labashi had also gotten glass cut to add two shelves for gear as well as a top to protect the nice wood surface.
The ventilation project seemed to drag on but came out fine. But when I tried to install the shelves I had to run to the hardware store for studs.
Of course to do this work I had had to unplug all the cables going to the gear and then get it all working again. Before starting work I made a diagram to remind me where the cables go. I can no longer depend on my memory with such things. The diagram must have helped; everything came up the first time and worked as it should.
In my trip to the hardware store for studs, I had stopped at the video store and picked up several DVDs. That evening we watched the first three episodes of 'True Blood', an HBO series about modern-day vampires 'coming out' in society after synthetic blood has been developed and they no longer need to feed on humans. All this sounds silly but the plot is very inventive.
----------------------------------------
Tuesday, 19 January -
This morning I led out visitors back to the retirement community where we had parked the U-Haul truck. They are taking a portion of the load (the rack of paintings) home for safekeeping. After dropping them off I drove on to Lowe's to buy locks for the storage cages where we're temporarily storing the furniture and boxes for The Move.
I had a chat with the Wellness specialist at the retirement community's pool about their programs for Mom and Dad. As I left, it dawned on me that there are some very, very nice facilities here. I'm really looking forward to walking these long, long halls and stairways (I can get my walk done INDOORS now!), an occasional game of pool and maybe even a dip in the big whirlpool spa.
Back home I picked up our mail at the post office (it had been on hold during our travels), then I started up the motorcycle and Miata and took them for short rides to get the oil circulating and battery charged up.
I did finally get around to walking my six-mile loop, picking up four Wal-mart bags-worth of beer cans and other trash.
----------------------------------------
Monday, 18 January-
Today we unloaded the U-Haul truck at the retirement village near Harrisburg. With the assistance of Labashi's brother and his wife, our unloading process went smoothly and we finished up by 1600. We all then had a well-deserved meal (and a few glasses of wine) at the Hillside. We spent the rest of the evening at home, enjoying a long, leisurely chat with our visitors.
-----------------------------------------
Sunday, 17 January-
We arose early and finished loading and tying down the load in the Uhaul and in Mocha Joe. Labashi and I then departed for home around 1000. Our 500-mile trip went well, bringing us to the retirement home in the Harrisburg area around 2000. We parked the Uhaul in the visitor's lot and went to the nearby Isaac's sandwich shop for a bite before heading home and falling into bed to a wonderfully-deep and dreamless sleep.
----------------------------------------
Saturday, 16 January -
Today was loading day. I picked up the U-Haul truck at 0730 and we loaded all day, again entertaining prospective home-buyers and their agents as we worked! We had four showings and the people didn't seem to mind the fact that we had a moving truck and three or four of the family's vehicles in the drive. In some cases the prospective buyers had to park out on the street and to weave around through us as we loaded. They were all very nice folks, though, and we enjoyed meeting and talking with them. By evening, though, we were completely exhausted.
----------------------------------------
Friday, 15 January -
I spent the better part of the day building a rack for transporting and protecting the paintings. It's eight feet long and four feet wide and I expect to easily fill it. The framework will allow me to stand the bubble-wrapped paintings on end and keep them vertical. It will keep them off the floor in case there's a water leak (Uhaul says their trucks aren't necessarily waterproof). Also, this frame will be useful for storage at the destination.
While all the cleaning, packing and rack-building was going on we had showings of the house! We had told the real estate agent that we wouldn't be ready for pictures of the interior of the house until Monday but she went ahead and listed the property late yesterday. Within an hour there was a call to set up an appointment to show today. We certainly didn't expect that and can only beg forgiveness of the agents and prospective buyers.
---------------------------------------
Thursday, 14 January -
Today we signed the contract with the real estate firm to put Labashi's parents' house on the market. We had a lot of work to do getting ready for showings and spent the day at it.
We also had some odd things happen today. A lightbulb blew out and when we put a new one in it didn't work. I tested the bulb and it was fine. I disassembled the light socket and found a short. Once again, what's going on with things failing just as we're selling the house?
I fixed the short simply by re-routing and re-connecting the wires after cutting them back a bit to ensure there was good insulation around the individual wires and it wasn't going to touch any of the metal fittings of the socket.
That evening we went to Mom and Dad's favorite restaurant, El Nibble Nook. This place cracks me up. It has been in business since 1946, when it opened as a hamburger joint called 'The Nibble Nook'. Years later they decided to become a Mexican restaurant and changed the name to 'El Nibble Nook'. Several family members (including me) sometimes accidently call it the 'Nimble Nook'.
When we were here last May (over Cinco de Mayo) I learned form an article in the Detroit Free Press that 'El Nibble Nook' margaritas are the strongest and cheapest in the entire Detroit metro area and I've tasted a few since. The review was mui correcto.
---------------------------------------
Wednesday, 13 January -
Last night as I stepped into the van to do something I heard the garage door opener working. I had put the extra garage door opener in my pocket and had apparently pressed the switch accidently as I bent over to enter the van. But when I hit the switch again, I noticed the opener didn't make its normal sound.
I investigated and found the opener had malfunctioned and the door was stuck partially open. I had to disconnect the door from the track in order to put it down.
This morning I took the cover off the opener mechanism and found the nylon gears were stripped. I called Sears and made an appointment for a technician but that won't happen until next Tuesday after I've left. This opener was installed in 1991 and lasted all this time but just as we're about to sell the house, it quits. Maybe it's a protest against selling the house after all these years.
I also sold Dad's desk today. Several weeks ago I had put an ad on Craigslist and also sent emails (with a photo) to several used furniture stores in the area. I didn't get any bites from Craigslist but did get a response from a used furniture store. I had hoped to get a private buyer in order to get a better price but ended up letting the desk go for $100 to the used furniture store today. The good is the store's guys took care of getting the behemoth out of the house and onto the truck.
----------------------------------------
Tuesday, 12 January -
Another day of packing, cleaning, and figuring out what to do with years of accumulated 'stuff'. Thank goodness Labashi's brother is able to take many things for his garage sales next Spring. But the more difficult things to place, of course, are those that have a history. Dad was quite willing to let a drawer-full of photos of his sculptures and paintings go but I couldn't. I dumped them in a box to look through later. I also volunteered to take all the Super-8 films and 35 mm slides plus the old projectors. I day-dream of putting them in a digital format so the rest of the family can see them but will likely only do that for a few extra-special items.
I've made friends with a fellow Starbucks fan. Each day I go to Starbucks once or twice for a mocha, a chai or a frappucino. I began talking to 'Larry', a guy who's about my age and apparently also a walker. I noticed he was dressed for walking in this 20-degree weather and we struck up a conversation. I ran into him a few days in a row and now we talk easily. We're mostly just chatting about the news or weather but I've also learned a bit about him. He could easily be mistaken for a homeless guy and he's not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed (nor am I!) but we seem to get along-- at least in this context.
Larry grew up in the area and is a year younger. He's living on disability now but in the past held jobs in a local assisted-living home. He hasn't been married and lives with his sister who has a regular job. He spends afternoons at Starbucks reading the papers and talking with the regulars, some of whom buy him a coffee now and then. I enjoy seeing this neighborhood thing going on and to some degree am becoming part of it. The Starbucks staff knows what drinks I like and chat with me a bit more than the strangers who just come in for a quick coffee. I like it.
----------------------------------------
Monday, 11 January-
I spent most of the productive part of my day wrapping paintings in bubble-wrap and trying to figure out how I'm going to pack them for the trip to PA. The guys at the U-Haul shop are already joking with me about paying more for bubble-wrap than I paid to rent the truck.
In the evening I updated and posted the blog. I've not been walking since I feel I'm already getting plenty of exercise through the work day!
****************** END OF POST ***************
(posted from home)
(This post covers 11 – 22 January, 2010)
------------------------------------------
Friday, 22 January-
I spent the entire morning continuing to research the Time Capsule and Airport Extreme network to be sure I have everything set up correctly and securely and with up-to-date software and firmware.
I then spent a couple of hours researching the Internet connectivity requirements of the Comcast system at the retirement village and ordered the latest DOCSIS 3 cable modem and an Airport Express wireless router from Amazon.
Late in the day I reserved the U-Haul van for the next phase of The Move and reserved a rental car. This time we're not going to take Mocha Joe since Labashi will be driving Mom and Dad back and I'll be driving the U-Haul.
That evening: three more eps of 'True Blood'.
------------------------------------------
Thursday, 21 January-
This morning I tried to figure out how we're going to move a large, very heavy Berber carpet in the next phase of our move. I finally came up with an estimate of weight and I think we can handle that but the 12-foot long roll is going to be a problem to get in the elevator at the retirement village. I'll have to see if there's a freight elevator.
We also had some research to do on getting the septic tank inspected at the Michigan house. Mom and Dad have accepted an offer on it and the agreement requires an inspection. The county inspector had told us he doesn't do inspections until Spring but in our back-and-forth with him today, it appears he's going to make an exception.
By mid-day I needed to get out so rode the Concours down to Starbucks for a cappucino and Times. The weather was a pleasant 40 and sunny and felt great.
When I returned I attempted to replace a battery in Labashi's older Timex watch but this one defied all logic. After disassembling the watch I finally had to give up. The resin watch strap was cracked anyway so it wouldn't have been long until that broke too. In any case, I gave up on the watch and ordered a replacement for her from Amazon.
Late in the afternoon I replaced our wireless router with an Apple Time Capsule. This unit has a dual-channel wireless router but also has a 1 terabyte hard disk which automatically backs up my Mac.
The installation was really a breeze. I took more time reading the instructions and fretting over software and firmware versions than it took to get the wireless network up. Afterwards both the Mac and Labashi's Windows platform connected to the network on the first try.
That evening we watched three more episodes of 'True Blood'. Oh, Sookie!!!
----------------------------------------
Wednesday, 20 January-
Today I spent quite a bit of time working on the entertainment center we bought late last year. I've finally decided how I want to ventilate it so the gear inside it doesn't overheat. I drilled 36 three-eighths-inch holes in the back, near the top. Labashi had also gotten glass cut to add two shelves for gear as well as a top to protect the nice wood surface.
The ventilation project seemed to drag on but came out fine. But when I tried to install the shelves I had to run to the hardware store for studs.
Of course to do this work I had had to unplug all the cables going to the gear and then get it all working again. Before starting work I made a diagram to remind me where the cables go. I can no longer depend on my memory with such things. The diagram must have helped; everything came up the first time and worked as it should.
In my trip to the hardware store for studs, I had stopped at the video store and picked up several DVDs. That evening we watched the first three episodes of 'True Blood', an HBO series about modern-day vampires 'coming out' in society after synthetic blood has been developed and they no longer need to feed on humans. All this sounds silly but the plot is very inventive.
----------------------------------------
Tuesday, 19 January -
This morning I led out visitors back to the retirement community where we had parked the U-Haul truck. They are taking a portion of the load (the rack of paintings) home for safekeeping. After dropping them off I drove on to Lowe's to buy locks for the storage cages where we're temporarily storing the furniture and boxes for The Move.
I had a chat with the Wellness specialist at the retirement community's pool about their programs for Mom and Dad. As I left, it dawned on me that there are some very, very nice facilities here. I'm really looking forward to walking these long, long halls and stairways (I can get my walk done INDOORS now!), an occasional game of pool and maybe even a dip in the big whirlpool spa.
Back home I picked up our mail at the post office (it had been on hold during our travels), then I started up the motorcycle and Miata and took them for short rides to get the oil circulating and battery charged up.
I did finally get around to walking my six-mile loop, picking up four Wal-mart bags-worth of beer cans and other trash.
----------------------------------------
Monday, 18 January-
Today we unloaded the U-Haul truck at the retirement village near Harrisburg. With the assistance of Labashi's brother and his wife, our unloading process went smoothly and we finished up by 1600. We all then had a well-deserved meal (and a few glasses of wine) at the Hillside. We spent the rest of the evening at home, enjoying a long, leisurely chat with our visitors.
-----------------------------------------
Sunday, 17 January-
We arose early and finished loading and tying down the load in the Uhaul and in Mocha Joe. Labashi and I then departed for home around 1000. Our 500-mile trip went well, bringing us to the retirement home in the Harrisburg area around 2000. We parked the Uhaul in the visitor's lot and went to the nearby Isaac's sandwich shop for a bite before heading home and falling into bed to a wonderfully-deep and dreamless sleep.
----------------------------------------
Saturday, 16 January -
Today was loading day. I picked up the U-Haul truck at 0730 and we loaded all day, again entertaining prospective home-buyers and their agents as we worked! We had four showings and the people didn't seem to mind the fact that we had a moving truck and three or four of the family's vehicles in the drive. In some cases the prospective buyers had to park out on the street and to weave around through us as we loaded. They were all very nice folks, though, and we enjoyed meeting and talking with them. By evening, though, we were completely exhausted.
----------------------------------------
Friday, 15 January -
I spent the better part of the day building a rack for transporting and protecting the paintings. It's eight feet long and four feet wide and I expect to easily fill it. The framework will allow me to stand the bubble-wrapped paintings on end and keep them vertical. It will keep them off the floor in case there's a water leak (Uhaul says their trucks aren't necessarily waterproof). Also, this frame will be useful for storage at the destination.
While all the cleaning, packing and rack-building was going on we had showings of the house! We had told the real estate agent that we wouldn't be ready for pictures of the interior of the house until Monday but she went ahead and listed the property late yesterday. Within an hour there was a call to set up an appointment to show today. We certainly didn't expect that and can only beg forgiveness of the agents and prospective buyers.
---------------------------------------
Thursday, 14 January -
Today we signed the contract with the real estate firm to put Labashi's parents' house on the market. We had a lot of work to do getting ready for showings and spent the day at it.
We also had some odd things happen today. A lightbulb blew out and when we put a new one in it didn't work. I tested the bulb and it was fine. I disassembled the light socket and found a short. Once again, what's going on with things failing just as we're selling the house?
I fixed the short simply by re-routing and re-connecting the wires after cutting them back a bit to ensure there was good insulation around the individual wires and it wasn't going to touch any of the metal fittings of the socket.
That evening we went to Mom and Dad's favorite restaurant, El Nibble Nook. This place cracks me up. It has been in business since 1946, when it opened as a hamburger joint called 'The Nibble Nook'. Years later they decided to become a Mexican restaurant and changed the name to 'El Nibble Nook'. Several family members (including me) sometimes accidently call it the 'Nimble Nook'.
When we were here last May (over Cinco de Mayo) I learned form an article in the Detroit Free Press that 'El Nibble Nook' margaritas are the strongest and cheapest in the entire Detroit metro area and I've tasted a few since. The review was mui correcto.
---------------------------------------
Wednesday, 13 January -
Last night as I stepped into the van to do something I heard the garage door opener working. I had put the extra garage door opener in my pocket and had apparently pressed the switch accidently as I bent over to enter the van. But when I hit the switch again, I noticed the opener didn't make its normal sound.
I investigated and found the opener had malfunctioned and the door was stuck partially open. I had to disconnect the door from the track in order to put it down.
This morning I took the cover off the opener mechanism and found the nylon gears were stripped. I called Sears and made an appointment for a technician but that won't happen until next Tuesday after I've left. This opener was installed in 1991 and lasted all this time but just as we're about to sell the house, it quits. Maybe it's a protest against selling the house after all these years.
I also sold Dad's desk today. Several weeks ago I had put an ad on Craigslist and also sent emails (with a photo) to several used furniture stores in the area. I didn't get any bites from Craigslist but did get a response from a used furniture store. I had hoped to get a private buyer in order to get a better price but ended up letting the desk go for $100 to the used furniture store today. The good is the store's guys took care of getting the behemoth out of the house and onto the truck.
----------------------------------------
Tuesday, 12 January -
Another day of packing, cleaning, and figuring out what to do with years of accumulated 'stuff'. Thank goodness Labashi's brother is able to take many things for his garage sales next Spring. But the more difficult things to place, of course, are those that have a history. Dad was quite willing to let a drawer-full of photos of his sculptures and paintings go but I couldn't. I dumped them in a box to look through later. I also volunteered to take all the Super-8 films and 35 mm slides plus the old projectors. I day-dream of putting them in a digital format so the rest of the family can see them but will likely only do that for a few extra-special items.
I've made friends with a fellow Starbucks fan. Each day I go to Starbucks once or twice for a mocha, a chai or a frappucino. I began talking to 'Larry', a guy who's about my age and apparently also a walker. I noticed he was dressed for walking in this 20-degree weather and we struck up a conversation. I ran into him a few days in a row and now we talk easily. We're mostly just chatting about the news or weather but I've also learned a bit about him. He could easily be mistaken for a homeless guy and he's not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed (nor am I!) but we seem to get along-- at least in this context.
Larry grew up in the area and is a year younger. He's living on disability now but in the past held jobs in a local assisted-living home. He hasn't been married and lives with his sister who has a regular job. He spends afternoons at Starbucks reading the papers and talking with the regulars, some of whom buy him a coffee now and then. I enjoy seeing this neighborhood thing going on and to some degree am becoming part of it. The Starbucks staff knows what drinks I like and chat with me a bit more than the strangers who just come in for a quick coffee. I like it.
----------------------------------------
Monday, 11 January-
I spent most of the productive part of my day wrapping paintings in bubble-wrap and trying to figure out how I'm going to pack them for the trip to PA. The guys at the U-Haul shop are already joking with me about paying more for bubble-wrap than I paid to rent the truck.
In the evening I updated and posted the blog. I've not been walking since I feel I'm already getting plenty of exercise through the work day!
****************** END OF POST ***************
posted by Bezabor&Labashi | 23:51
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