What did you do today

[pchast]

completed the first of 4 stool cane backs.

[Tom&Shelly]

Today I built an extension cord with a switch. When the switch is one way, one outlet of the duplex is energized and when the switch is the other way, the other outlet is energized.



Now I know what you're thinking: "Who would do THAT? That's crazy."

And I'd answer: "HAH, CRAZY! I'm crazy? They called George Westinghouse crazy."

At which point you might say: "No one called George Westinghouse crazy."

And I'd say: "Well, they would if he tried to sell an extension cord like this!" And I'd be right.

Actually, I made it for our utility room, so that it turns on either the task light over the washer and dryer, or the LED strobe light we found at a thrift store a few weeks ago.



This all part of a program to try and deter rodents from entering our home. Turns out, the only thing that seems to repel (most of) them here in the East Mountains are flashing lights. So I have strobes in our basement, battery/solar powered operated Christmas lights in our (off-grid) garage, and flashing LED lights in the engine compartments and people compartements of our trucks.

Turns out Shelly also doesn't like the strobes, so we needed a way to ensure they could be turned off when we were in the rooms, but would come back on when we left. Since we had only single switches for the lights in the basement, I simply replaced those with three-way switches and wired in extra outlets that turn on when the lights are out. (Let the next owners figure that one out!) But since the overhead light in the utility room already had a pair of three-way switches, I couldn't do that. Experimented with a light sensing timer, but wasn't happy with the results, so I did this instead.

Tom

[MickinOz]

Haven't done anything yet today, except lay in bed and listen to the rain.
We have had just over one inch of rain for the entirety of 2024.
The farmers were looking down the barrel.
But most went dry sowing in the last week or two, it was a case of put her in and pray for rain or abandon all hope of a crop this year.
Many millions of dollars of fuel, seed, herbicides, pesticides and fertiliser gambled on the weather.
But here it is, drizzling rain for hours now. he season break is here, 5 weeks late. The rain radars show there's more to come.
For me, it means I can finally go camping and have a camp fire with no fear of setting the countryside ablaze.
If you look really carefully you may just discern a small puddle under the ute.

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[twisted lines]

Sure not raining here it's Hot!

[Indiana Rambler]

Camping in Hadley’s Point Campground in Bar Harbor Maine this week. First stop of the trip we stayed at a Koa campground near Niagara Falls, then down the road a few hours to Shodack Island, then the next day to Bar Harbor. This is the reason for a teardrop or smal RV. In and out and enjoying the adventures! Tomorrow morning Cadillac mountain! We finished building this camper two years ago and it’s been out 26 different parks/trips. So if anyone wants to know if TD camping is worth it, I say absolutely. 









Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Gold5one]

I applied for a Northern Tool credit card- accepted- bonus-$75 store gift cards after first purchase. I hope the 5x8 trailer kit is still in stock when the card arrives in my mailbox.

[MickinOz]

Today, well tonight really, I went blood worming.
Each July, on the 3rd,4th and 5th nights after the new moon, the bloodworms have their annual spawning event.
Then the ebbing night tide is supposed to be awash with the squirmy little buggers.
Acting on advice from a trusted friend, I launched at high tide, rugged up for a cold wait for the worms to wash out of the creeks on the run out.
I found a few, but not the copious quantities of legend.
The fog was rolling in about 1 am when I decided to call it a night.
Before it did, I got probably the best photo I've ever managed to take of the smelter at night.
Most of the stacks are wet scrubbed for particulates, which saturates the flue gases with moisture.
When the hot moisture laden hits the cold night air the cloud formations created can look pretty good.
Tonight, I thought it looked spectacular.
About an hour after I took this photo, the smelter disappeared in a fog so thick that it looked like someone literally turned all the lights off.

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[Tom&Shelly]

Today, well tonight really, I went blood worming.

OK, someone's gotta ask, what do you do with the blood worms?

Tom

[bdosborn]

Today, well tonight really, I went blood worming.

OK, someone's gotta ask, what do you do with the blood worms?

Tom

They sell them to England and they make sausage out of them?
Bruce

[MickinOz]

Today, well tonight really, I went blood worming.

OK, someone's gotta ask, what do you do with the blood worms?

Tom

Nothing yet, because I still haven't caught any!
The story is this:
Bloodworms are sea worms that live in the sand
Each year, in July and sometimes Jun and August, they spawn.
Three nights after the new moon in July, they come out to spawn, then drift out to sea on the outgoing tide at night.
They die after this, I think.
Anyway, keen fishermen head out late at night with their spotlights and their little long handled dab nets and scoop them up as they drift along.
They then preserve them for fish bait. A properly preserved blood worm is irresistible to many a species of fish.
Its one of those gunna-do things. i.e. I'm gunna do that one day.
So this week, I went out after the high tide looking for the little buggers.
Found nothing the first two nights, then had a brainwave. I called my mate who is the champeenest hunter gatherer I know.
He set me straight. I found some last night by following his directions but, as he predicted, not very many as it is now too late after the new moon.
Wasn't a big enough catch to bother with, so I let them go and came home, through that awesome fog.
So, I have learned, I have acquired the little long handled scoop nets. I'm all set for next year.

P.S. in that picture of the Smelter, you would normally see the lights of the entire city behind the plant. The fog was just rolling in when I saw it, and had to photograph it. The whole plant with nothing behind it made for an awesome picture. By the time I got back to the boat ramp, I could not see the smelter at all. Not a light. The fog completely obscured it, and the ramp is only a few hundred metres from the plant.

[MickinOz]

Today, I won the Port Pirie Rifle Club Wascally Wabbit trophy.

Capture.JPG (106.44 KiB) Viewed 985 times

[KCStudly]

Congratulations!!!

[Tom&Shelly]

Tom

[Tom&Shelly]

After camping at this site



We decided it would be nice if our folding table (that holds our propane stove) had more than one adjustable leg. Turns out all it took were a few holes, which I drilled this afternoon. (It originally came with one hole per leg, and the spring loaded stud snaps in.)



Of course, it would have been nice if they had the hardware to make all four legs adjustable with thumb screws, like the 4th leg, but I guess that must cost more, somehow.

Anyway, we also take some scraps of 1/4 inch ply with us to make the final adjustment. Funny but you can't find rocks the right size anywhere, and especially in nice places like this where there are no rocks in the campsite.

Tom

[Tom&Shelly]

Tom