househouse

our new security systemour new security system

Posted Tue, 12/23/2008 - 7:02pm by dave

We've added a new security system to our house: ice sickles. The example in the photo is over three feet long, over an inch in diameter, and very pointy. I'm sure that it will dig a pretty significant hole when it drops from the second-story roof. It is as beautiful, as it is deadly... bwah!

My car remains completely immobile; up to its hubcaps in snow. The weather forecasters are suggesting more snow tonight, then rain and snow mixed for the next few days. The Seattle area could see some substantial flooding this weekend; we should be fine since we’re 400 feet higher than most of Seattle on a gently sloping hill.
 

T H U N D E R !T H U N D E R !

Posted Thu, 07/03/2008 - 2:34am by dave

Tonight we heard the peel of thunder in Edmonds. To put this event into perspective, we haven't heard thunder here since this time last year. If you know me very well, you know that I love a hearty thunderstorm. I suspect this storm is several miles away; the thunder is pretty tame and not very frequent. Still, it's music to my ears to hear it again.

not so stealthy garage door openernot so stealthy garage door opener

Posted Sat, 03/15/2008 - 11:38pm by dave

If you've known me for very long, then you know that I'm not particularly handy with physical projects. Give me a keyboard and I can do wonders - but a socket set is dangerous in my hands. Since we purchased our Edmonds home, the Genie "Stealth" garage door opener has been humming - getting louder as time has passed. One night last month it was so loud that I could hear it in our bedroom.

frightful weatherfrightful weather

Posted Mon, 01/28/2008 - 2:13pm by dave

I awoke this morning to a couple of inches of snow - sitting on top of an icy bed. Our house sits over 400 feet higher than Puget Sound, so we tend to get a little colder than most of the Seattle metro area whose temperatures are moderated by Puget Sound.

when you're not, you're notwhen you're not, you're not

Posted Fri, 07/20/2007 - 5:06pm by dave

Okay, we had our two weeks of summer, back to our regularly scheduled weather. The old joke in Seattle is, "How can you tell it is summer in Seattle? The mist is warmer." It never actually rains in Seattle; Seattle is the reason that intermittent wipers were invented. However, when the high temperature for the day is in the mid to low 60's, it doesn't feel much like summer... even in Seattle.

dave does not equal handy-mandave does not equal handy-man

Posted Sun, 04/29/2007 - 10:03pm by dave

Usually when I attempt to complete a physical task, such as working on the house or the car, I just make more work for the person who is paid to fix my mess. I'm getting a little better at this handy-man stuff - although I have a long ways to go.

Today's challenge: Our master bathroom door only latches for four months of the year! During the warm summer months, when the door was originally installed, it latches just fine. However, in the cooler months, the door is off just a hair and won't latch.

I thought to myself, "I can fix this. I watch home repair shows on TV. How hard can it be?"

drool electrons all over the floordrool electrons all over the floor

Posted Fri, 03/30/2007 - 9:46pm by dave

Today our friendly neighborhood comcast (cable) technician visted us. It seems that cable companies are required by the FCC to control leakage from their systems, even if it is coming from a residence. comcast recently discovered that our house was leaking.

nerd gardeningnerd gardening

Posted Tue, 03/27/2007 - 12:57am by dave

We recently had Evergreen Clematis planted in the backyard next to our arbor. The service that brought the plants left them attached to the bamboo post from the nursery. I took it upon myself to begin training the plants to our arbor. Rather than using twine, which required one more hand than I possess, I elected to use my cable ties. Cable ties are usually used to tie cables (duh) in electronics projects; they seem to be doing a fine job holding up my new vine…

ain't weather fun?ain't weather fun?

Posted Thu, 03/01/2007 - 5:10am by dave

Honestly, it's March in the morning. What's up with this stuff? We've had several snowfalls this year, certainly more than a normal Seattle winter, but for cryin' out loud! Tonight's snowfall is shaping up to be the most we've had all year. It's all over the roads too. What a mess. Waiter! Can I have my check? I've had enough of this! No more snow!

i shutter to thinki shutter to think

Posted Sat, 01/06/2007 - 1:35am by dave

After over a year of craft paper in our windows, we've reluctantly moved on to something more common - indoor shutters! We had them installed in all of the bedrooms, the kitchen, and the dining nook. They are a white vinyl material that is guaranteed not to discolor, split, warp, or mildew. The installers did a nice job of balancing the shutters, caulking the edges, and adjusting the alignment. The shutters do a nice job of insulating the space (when closed) and will swing completely out of the window frame on a nice day. I still need to get my bench built in the garage!

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