Good morning all.  34 here so not to cold, supposed to be 48 and sunny here today.  They say we got 11 inches of snow.

Wasn't the amount, was wet snow that clung to everything.  Power came on around 8 PM but went back out at 11 PM,

for more tree and power line work I guess.  I just finished hooking the generator back up to the house,  from 3:15 to

4 AM,  have my coffee now.  Only put about 2 gallons of gas in the generator, I'm being hopeful power will  be on soon.

It's a pain to drain the gas back out of it.  This is the new gas now, burned up all 5 gallons kept for the generator in the

Winter. 

I only shoveled the bank the snowplow causes by the road.  Subaru doesn't have trouble with the rest and it should all

melt today.  Still looking like Sunday for my bike trip to the farm.  70 to 75 and partly sunny.  A little warm for the work

on the farm but good for a bike ride.  Mid 40s in the morning so can get started early. 

Looks like a cute swing Susan and looks like she is looking forward to using it.  Can't see the pictures well but must be

some baby eagles. 

Paul, I try to keep up and keep my mind a little sharp, have to laugh at that with the mistakes I make sometimes.  We can

do our best.  I worked on my daughter's Durango quite a few years back with it's 6 computer modules and the Durango 

they replaced it with had 18 computer modules.  They are both history now.  I had to work with the computer modules,

it's relays, and wiring.  Can't escape all of it with the crankshaft position sensor and all the other sensors.  Even has a torque

converter fault.  I had to replace the torque converter and they sent me one that didn't have an overdrive lockup, even after

I had talked to Summit about the lockup.  Cost me a lot of cold hours trying to get that torque converter to fit.  Fit fine except

for the last plate to go on the shaft, so down to about a quarter of an inch.  Finally figured it out and sent it back for the correct

one.  The crankshaft position sensor and the ignition coil went bad at the same time and had to get some computer wiring

straightened out after it started.

I still manage to get most repairs done on our vehicles.  Just this last Fall the subframe collapsed

on the rear of my Subaru Baja.  Then as I was removing the subframe I saw that the frame rails were rotted and ripped.  My brother

law said he could weld in new frame rails so I ordered a used subframe from San Diego California, got it in the car with new stabilazer

links, all new mounting bolts, new lower control arms, new cam bolts to adjust the rear wheel alignment, and my brother in law welded

reinforcement to those two frame rails.  Then after all together replaced the struts and got the wheel alignment done.  So brought my Baja

back from the grave.  I bought it new when I stopped smoking 15 years ago.  Glad I talked to brother in law about it.  He had done that unibody

repair many times. 

Jerthie.  I loved Dallas on Friday nights along with the Duke of Hazard.  I lost track when we moved here and I started on second shift, Friday noght

TV lost for me.  Then started college along with the full time job and family, so hardly ever any TV for years.  We were dirt poor when we were watching

Dallas and having lot of trouble with relatives but still fond memories with wife and oldest daughter.  Our younger daughter born after I was in college.

Don't think we were the easy going Archie type.  We were poor and breakdowns of vehicles, appliances, etc.. were usually intense.  Just to buy the repair

parts was a challenge. 

So Paul lives just south of Kitty in the big city, 175 miles east of us here near Binghamton.  My daughter goes there for tooth implants and her faience works

for a company there.  I've seen it but never stayed overnight there.  We had a bus tour of it and the 911 site when I was down there for some training at an

electronics company in northern NJ. 

I don't know how harmful lozenges are.  I used Chantix same as Kitty did.  Think the routine was 6 months on it and then maybe months of decreasing the dose.

It got a bad rap for suicides but think it was about 26 suicides out of 7 or 8 million.  The millions were stopping smoking so were a depressed part of society. 

Sometimes extremely depressed.  Most of us used this forum, something to chew on or suck on, other things.  Anything to get out of the addiction grip.  We had

a Chantix thread back then but many left and it got down to one or two posts a month.  I've seen other Chantix threads pop up over the years, I post on them some.

Have a good day all.

Ernie

Used subframe I put in Baja.

Subframe installed in rear of Baja.

Good morning, all.  A decent day here, maybe some drizzle.  It will warm up later in the week.

I have a dental cleaning today. Hopefully the no smoking for the last few months will make it easier. Between smoking and lots of coffee my teeth get pretty brown. 

Enjoy the day everyone.

Paul 

40 ish sunny degrees.....son in law tested positive for COvid and had the shots ....will keep you posted.....

Hi Ms Jerthie~
Tis a sunny day here by the shore.  My how that lifts my spirits. I had some plants wintering in the garage, then placed outside too cold, back inside and now outside again. Hopefully to get God’s water and sunshine!  The birds and squirrels are eating and all is well.

I hope to go to a nearby gym I just joined and work on the treadmill.  I rode my inside bike for 5 miles yesterday afternoon!  I need to stay on task….  COVID did a lot to change our lives.  I am not sure that all of the physical repercussions are well known!  I need to register for my booster!

Carry on. Take a few moments to breathe in the fresh air and know that each day you don’t smoke, your lungs are healing!

Susan 

Dear Paul,

The dental office and cleaning is always a challenge for me.  An unpleasant experience with my childhood dentist as a young woman and an unpleasant impression made me very apprehensive for a very long time!

The sun is shining here.  Do you feel that your sense of smell is better as a non smoker?  I love the small of fresh air and even the soil!  Can’t wait to begin my “p u t z I n g” in my flower beds!

Enjoy the day!  Susan

Hi Miss Kitty,

Sorry to hear that.  Is this the SIL to the daughter who has MS?  I was vaccinated twice and managed to acquire it.  Let’s just say that I was happy I was vaccinated. Boostered once….and now waiting the second one!

Keep us posted!  Susan

Hi Ernie,

Let’s hope the worst of winter is behind us. NO MORE SNOW!!!

Finn is reclining on the patio. A favorite for him!

It was not a clear picture of the two eaglets. For as long as I can remember, Stars and Stripes arrived in Avon Lake about eight years ago.  They built their nest in a tree in the middle of a playground at an elementary school.  Each year they have two or three eggs.  People come from miles to observe the nest and them.  Of course, they are protected and the school moved their playground!

I will send some pics of the nest!  Susan 

it is the sil whose wife (daughter) has MS....they won't be sharing a bed but have to be in the same house  now she has to work from home instead of her law office...because of the close exposure.....oh life is sometimes weird....and the virus is changing so much...

Good morning Paul, Susan, Jerthie, Kitty, and all.  I went to bed early because of getting up at 3 AM yesterday

with the generator.  I did have to reset the time on my bedroom clock but didn't realize the battery backup

in it wasn't working.  Power glitch during the day yesterday changed it's time again and I didn't notice when I

went to bed.  Got up way early this morn around 2:30 AM because my clock was wrong. 

Power still out, 3rd day I guess.  Cost much more to keep the house electric going with a generator than being

on the grid.  About $60.00 a day I think.  I use premium non ethanol in all my small engines.  Have run into trouble

using regular with ethanol.  $5.09 a gallon and still using natural gas for heat and hot water.  At least this morn the

generator is still running so got up and got my coffee easily.  I drink one cup of caffeine coffee a day so sending a

small amount of Dopamine to the receptors of my brain when I first get up.  It's an insulin blocker and isn't good for

Diabetics but I still have one cup a day. 

Paul, having some difficulty with my dentist after finally getting some dental benefits back in retirement.  For a couple

years I was waiting in line for free cleanings but now is supposed to be copay $10.00, ended up being $20.00 this last

time and I told the dentist it was supposed to be $10, they told me supposed to be $20 so I called my insurance company

and they told me was because two procedures exam and cleaning even though the dentist office had already told me that

wasn't the cause.  Finance office said they would call me back but didn't get the call.  Also, the tooth clean lady told me no

plaque on my teeth.  I do use a good electric brush, Siltronic or something like that.  My old dentist wants to grind away a

tooth and do root canal and crown on a tooth even though it isn't bothering me he says the nerve is damaged that shows

up in the xray.  So thinking I don't trust them, would lose most of a tooth and $1600 because that stuff isn't covered for

retirees.  Might just depend on my electric brush and drop the dentist.  

Finished the repairs on my amplifier yesterday but it doesn't function right on the generator so maybe try it again after power

is on.  Thinking there is more of a problem in it. 

They've changed the forecast for Sunday here, from 70 degrees to 80.  That will be strange not sure if I will use that day for my

bike trip to the farm.  Nice ride but not used to the heat to do the work down there.  My sister is there now helping them for a

couple days but we will miss each other again. 

Kitty, sorry you have relatives with the virus.  Hope they get well quickly.  I had a friend about 50 miles west of us get it.  Think I

heard some of our relatives that we rarely see had it and two that we do see sometimes.  I think I get two icons over on the right

from your posts, one with the picture you first put on back in 2007 with the flower hat with karno12 as ID and the other with just

a silhouette that has your ID as kittyarnold.

Susan, you might have told us about the eagles in the past but I had forgotten.  When I go down to the farm in PA I see the nests

they have set up on huge poles for Osprey nests, large protected birds there.  Sometimes I see on sitting on the nest.

I have a lot of broken branches to finish cutting off trees and just to pick up.  Might see if the neighbor wants them to burn for heat.

Think we're supposed to get our power back this eve, Thursday.  Think about 7 or so large breaks just on the Hydrangea Shrubs, they're

about 15 or 20 feet high right in front of our bay window.  Two of our 3 bird feeders are back hanging in the air.  They're a transplant

from my dad's farm many years ago. 

Glad Finn is enjoying life on the patio.  Our new pups are still a handful all day.  At least they take naps once in a while.  Usually they're

little helleons.  Think they must weigh over 30 pounds each now.  They fight with each other and try to destroy lots of things they find

here.  I'm still doing 1.5 hours on the elliptical and weights in the morning and another 1.5 hours in the eve.  I need to get back to going

faster to burn more Glucose.  It's much easier just to not go at high speed. 

Hope all enjoy the day.  A little cloudy and rainy here today but still in the 50s. 

Ernie

Finn.

Good morning, all. A nice day here. Should get to the 60s the next few days.

I don't mind the dentist too much. Not enjoyable, but it doesn't bother me. I also have lots of plaque. Supposedly flossing is better for that, but that is something I can't seem to do. My fingers are too fat, or I just don't do it right. I use these soft toothpick-like things. They may not be as good as flossing, but they help some.

Yes, Susan, I feel my sense of smell is better. I haven't noticed any change in my sense of taste yet.

Enjoy the day,

Paul