YET *EVEN* MORE things that made you happy today!

[von Corax]

My new place has wheelie bins. My old place had a dumpster at the back of the parking lot. I like wheelie bins so much better.

[SeVeNeVeS]

I bought a knackered old small bench vice from a car boot about 5 years ago for 2 quid. Spent a day playing with it yesterday bit of a faff but it's like brand new, works and will now be put to good use.
I love tinkering with stuff.

[The Bullet]

After pickung up my daughter from Kindergarten we tested one of my old fire pumps (TS2/5 for those interested). She is only six years old but can operate the pump (except for the recoil starter).
Spent some time emptying the underground rainwater tank.
Fire brigade seems to be genetically programmed in our family.
Me for more than 30 years, my father, uncle, both grandfathers,....

[Synistor 303]

After pickung up my daughter from Kindergarten we tested one of my old fire pumps (TS2/5 for those interested). She is only six years old but can operate the pump (except for the recoil starter).
Spent some time emptying the underground rainwater tank.
Fire brigade seems to be genetically programmed in our family.
Me for more than 30 years, my father, uncle, both grandfathers,....

Oh I do like hearing that your daughter has a solid grasp on the fire brigade engineering. I might be a little biased where girls are concerned, having only daughters and granddaughters and having to put up with my brother telling how 'hard' everything has been for his poor sons as they never really achieved anything near what my girls did (through hard work!). Now he has only granddaughters and I am waiting for him to start telling me how hard it is for them... Hasn't happened yet.

[The Bullet]

Oh, we spend a lot of time in the workshop.
She has her own toolbox.
We built several shelves/cupboards for her room.
She is allowed to use my big pillar drill (I have the switches, she "just" pulls the lever to drill the hole or countersink). Battery drill, spanners and screwdrivers are no problem to her as well.
She has put the cupboards together. I just stood and watched.
Only painting ends up with 50% of the paint on herself....
We have also repaired an old 1.6 kW Petrol generator.
(one with the legendary Barkas EL150 two-stroke motor)
This thing was built for the GDR army in 1974 and had less than 300 running hours on the clock.
Good old German engineering.
You need a few spanners and a flathead screwdriver to take everything apart.
No clips, no rivets, no glue. These things were made with a view on maintenance.

She is also the reason that I have two TS 2/5 pumps.
We refurbished the red one (firebrigade version) and I showed the pics of my daughter using it to a friend. He asked if I needed spares. Of course. For an old thing like that. He told us to come round and pick up some spares.
We were given another TS 2/5 as "spares". Millitary version, identical except for the green colour and missing lamp on the pressure gauge. This one had a broken shaft, due to the rpm governor having failed.
We took it apart, found spares and now have two working TS 2/5 Pumps.
Next project on the list was a TS 05/5. A tiny pump weighing only 13 kgs (ready to run, full tank) with a 32cc two stroke motor. Lots of fun getting our handy dirty.

I often have to hear silly talk at Kindergarten from other parents. Things like:
Workshop!! Thats sooo dangerous.
It is not, if there is proper supervision. This is the way I learned it as a child.

The best on the list (or worst) comment came from a mother picking up her son:
"Why would she be in the workshop?"
I said she wanted to join in and I let her as long as she is interested.
The next comment from this person was hard to take without saying what I thought in that moment:
"BUT SHE`S A GIRL!"
I just managed to keep my mouth shut. This was quite an effort. There were so many things I wanted to say but none would have been polite.

Some people....

[J. Wilhelm]

I got the second phonecall from the doctors telling me that my mother's condition is improving. Her kidneys are back to normal, but her heart is very weak, and yet she's gaining strength.

Also, though perhaps temporary, I'm enjoying in a certain way my "Mid-century Bungalow" at "Camp Randall."





This room is very large!

[Cora Courcelle]

Good news Admiral

[J. Wilhelm]

Good news Admiral

Indeed, I got called a 3rd and 4th time with news of slow but steady improvements.  The doctor does say it'll be a very long time before she's able to leave hospital, though.  Looks like the second doctor (besides the team lead), the one who suggested hospice is no longer working on the case.  The team lead is far more optimistic.

[von Corax]

Indeed, splendid news, JW.

It's 20° in the Capitol of Turkeys right now, and I have all my windows open!

[SeVeNeVeS]

Every week I take my van for a drive to charge the battery usually early in the morning.
One of my favourite pit stops is a car park on a hill which overlooks my city , has a convenient burger van open 24/7.
This morning..... a great sunrise then sat with a coffee and a bacon roll watching the wildlife and birds with my trusty pocket book. https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/1071994808/1969-pocket-book-of-british-birds?show_sold_out_detail=1&ref=nla_listing_details
Because you are sat on a rise you see some wonderful birds in flight. Todays was a flock of geese at eye level about 10 yards away.
I love it.
I may try and take some photos next time and post them in photography.

[von Corax]

After two months my computer finally has a desk under it again.

[J. Wilhelm]

Little things made me happy this weekend. Stumbled upon a new Chipotle flavored sausage made by my local supermarket chain and combined it with a basil-Alfredo sauce over Capellini ("Angel Hair" pasta).  Absolutely delectable. Smokey, not too spicy new favorite.

Got a small pay raise

My schedule changes every week. For the next two weeks (Saturday through Friday) I'll be getting Saturdays and Sundays off (like a normal human being!!). Yesterday I got Friday off, so in total three days off this weekend.

I get to file my taxes over the internet.  My refund will be deposited very quickly directly to my bank account. A cool extra $1k, in my  bank account in the next couple of weeks I believe.

[Cora Courcelle]

Went to the first meeting of a new craft group last week and feedback today is good so it looks like it will be continuing - I thought it was chaotic fun and I'm glad others felt the same 😊

[Sorontar]

When we sold our previous house, it was amazing how much we put in storage about 1 mile away so we had more space when showing the place off to potential buyers. The problem is 5 years later, my office in our present home still has things (mainly books) in boxes, but at least I know they are here.

Sorontar

[Sir Henry]

I called a friend and had a chat this afternoon.

It was only a short call, but it's the first time I've spoken to anyone other than my wife, son or cashier at the supermarket (and you lot) in well over two months. I was supposed to go to a party a week ago but had a panic attack instead, so today's call was the first baby step back to being social, I hope.