The Coffee House

[nerwin]

Woke up to some snow this morning and it snowed throughout the day pretty intensely but it got warm and the snow got really heavy. We probably got 6 inches but it got compressed and boy it was HEAVY. I figured it would be a good test for the tractor, well it didn't have much of a problem moving it around even with ice under the snow. I was pretty surprised.

One more week of frigid temps and it looks like there's a pattern shift to more warmer (slightly warmer) weather with more daytime highs above freezing so this is a good sign of spring saying its just around the corner and telling winter it needs to start packing!

 

[snowbear]

Well as if we don't already have enough problems, on the news this morning - a shortage of cocoa beans is pushing up the price of chocolate for Valentine Day. Seems like every holiday now they come up with a new excuse to jack up prices on something.

More concerning is they have discovered an asteroid between 100-300 ft across hurtling toward earth with a current 2% chance of hitting us. Due to the size it won't obliterate us, but at a speed of 30,000mph, it'll make for a bad day in a localized area. Anyone interested in starting an "asteroid pool". The winner who guesses closest to where it lands wins pot, assuming they're still around to collect.

I recall some "concern" and pools when Skylab's orbit was depreciating.

 

[nerwin]

Tonight on my local news report on TV made a segment about a man who broke into someone's home, raided their fridge and made a sandwich.

I hope that sandwich was worth jail time.

 

[SquarePeg]

Well, this is a coincidence. I found my way back here for some photo fellowship and I just saw that some of you might enjoy or at least tolerate some poems or short stories as well. I po and short. Hope to see this thread active again!

Welcome back. There’s a haiku thread around somewhere. And you could start a poetry thread if you can’t find one. I would love to read some poetry or short stories. I feel like they would get lost and a bit disjointed in this thread because it has become mostly about weather reports and the banalities of every day life.

Welcome back. Mostly chatter in this thread, these days. There is a Haiku thread somewhere.

Yes the haiku thread! I miss it. Maybe I’ll resurrect it today.

Well as if we don't already have enough problems, on the news this morning - a shortage of cocoa beans is pushing up the price of chocolate for Valentine Day. Seems like every holiday now they come up with a new excuse to jack up prices on something.

More concerning is they have discovered an asteroid between 100-300 ft across hurtling toward earth with a current 2% chance of hitting us. Due to the size it won't obliterate us, but at a speed of 30,000mph, it'll make for a bad day in a localized area. Anyone interested in starting an "asteroid pool". The winner who guesses closest to where it lands wins pot, assuming they're still around to collect.

I think I read the estimated arrival is in 2032? Kind of a long time to wait to see who wins the pool. Maybe space force can go knock it off its path ala that Bruce Willis movie.

I can think of sources of imminent disaster far closer to home. But then I have a good imagination...

No imagination needed. They’re not exactly subtle. It’s pathetic.

 

[jeffashman]

I think I read the estimated arrival is in 2032?

That figures... the year after I'm scheduled to retire...

 

[4rum]

SquarePeg, if there is an active haiku thread, I'd like very much to participate.

 

[snowbear]

SquarePeg, if there is an active haiku thread, I'd like very much to participate.

The Haiku thread is open to all.

 

[smoke665]

On my list of things to worry about, watching the water level rising an inch per hour over the last 48 hours at the lake. Fortunately it was at the winter draw down level, so 4' is just now at the normal summer pool. They're predicting it to peak today just shy of the danger level, assuming no more rain. Another 2' and I'll be hustling moving stuff to higher ground.

 

[terri]

On my list of things to worry about, watching the water level rising an inch per hour over the last 48 hours at the lake. Fortunately it was at the winter draw down level, so 4' is just now at the normal summer pool. They're predicting it to peak today just shy of the danger level, assuming no more rain. Another 2' and I'll be hustling moving stuff to higher ground.

Ugh - rising water is unnerving. I was living in Georgia during the floods of, hmm, 2009? It was all due to rain that just wouldn't stop.

Another snow event up here. Again, I'm grateful to be just north of the icy mess marching across Ohio and heading east. Huge, nasty storm system, but we're still fortunate to just be getting snow with a bit of sleet mix.

I'm assembling an Irish stew for the crockpot today. Will be hunting up a nice Chateauneuf-du-pape from the cellar. A good day to stay inside and cook.

 

[snowbear]

Sabattus Pond is between five and eight feet down. Plus it's frozen (motorbike riders on it a couple weeks ago). The house is about 30 feet above the normal elevation of the lake, so I'm not worried.

The HELOC loan is done, money to be disbursed on Thursday. Paying off a number of accounts, and leaving a good amount to get the MD place ready for sale, the snowblower, and maybe a couple other little goodies. Sticking around with MLSIL for another week - family first.

 

[smoke665]

@snowbear The big advantage of our place at the lake, is the lot is a slight grade down to the bank. Under normal pool it's only around 24" from shore to the water surface. The big disadvantage is it's only 24" to the water surface under normal pool. In 2019 (prior to us buying the property), the water level rose to 7' over normal pool, so most of the property was underwater, from a couple inches to up to 5'.

 

[snowbear]

Yeah. I'm going to at least put in some shallow steps, if not terrace part of the back yard. The alternative is to just use the mower or get a 4x4 buggy to ride down and up.

The latter allows better exploring.

 

[smoke665]

We keep a golf cart for that. Lots of interior roads that the kids and "big kids" can ride around on with little to no traffic.

 

[nerwin]

I went to harbor freight and picked up this neat US General service tray/cart. Will be nice for some future projects.

 

[SquarePeg]

Snowing here again. Getting a little tired of this happening every weekend. Tonight was supposed to be my family birthday party - nothing fancy just Chinese food, cocktails and cake. But we canceled due to the weather. I didn’t want my brother and sister-in-law driving back-and-forth to New Hampshire in this weather and princess would have to drive north 45 minutes to get to and from school so we decided to reschedule. Having a February birthday means I’m used to this. I would say at least 40% of the time we have to reschedule my birthday dinner or drinks or whatever we have planned due to the weather. February birthdays are the worst!