bits and pieces

Hockey season is winding down - we are in playoffs and I've had some pretty good games these past two weekends. I was even complemented on a good job done reffing by one coach.
Softball season & baseball season are ready to start soon - Joe had evaluations and two practices already, while Nikki has Eval Day on saturday.
Burning season began a while ago, and this weekend we had a good bonfire, cleaning up lots of branches and old junk wood and even a decrepit wicker love seat.
Tax refund came and went much too quickly, but the mortgage & utilities are paid so I ain't complaining!
First thunder storm of the year tonight.
Ready for Easter & Spring!

So much for DIY saving money

Mary & Matt dropped off our new computer system, which used to be owned by Matt's previous company - so it is a top-of-the-line tricked out gaming computer powerhouse (just for a reference point, the graphics card alone is worth around $300 new), 1-year old, 20" flat screen monitor, keyboard, mouse & all cords/wires. Because nothing is ever as easy as it seems, when I set it all up, I discovered that the cord to commect the CPU & the monitor was missing. I am by no means a computer expert, but I do know that you need a VGA cable here. - but maybe there is something I don't know about this and maybe there is some other type of cable that should be used in this situation. So I called Mary and she confirmed (and apologized) that one cable got left behind at her apartment in Billerica. She offered to mail it down, but we both knew that Suzie wasn't gonna wait 3 days to play with her new toy, so I figured I would just run out and but a new cable (how much could it cost?). So with a quick list of other needed items, I headed to Walmart under the theory that they have everything. Well they don't - no VGA cables. Oh well - Radio Shack would have one, and they did have a very expensive gold tipped "replacement VGA cable". Of course, when I got home and opened the package, I discovered that it had two "male" ends instead of the expected "1-male end, 1-female end" version that I thought was industry standard. So I called Staples to verify if they had what I needed (before wasting valuable time & gas) and they answered that they indeed did. When I picked it up, I questioned the clerk because the package said "for 17" or smaller monitors" and ours is 20" - but he assured me it should work, the disclaimer only means it works better with the smaller screens. It was half the price of the radio Shack cord and time was getting tight, so I headed home with it. The Female end with the Male connector screws attached to the monitor, and the Male end with the Female connectors lined up with the Female port with the....... ?what?...... why does this computer port have Female connectors lining up with the Female connectors on the cord???? That's not right! Damn! So now I've spent 1 1/2 hours and $35 and I STILL can't connect the computer & monitor. And now we have to run off to the Play. On the way we call Mary to say we'll drive up to Billerica after the play - if she will be around - and get her voicemail - and she doesn't call back - for four hours (apparently she has a life!). Eventually, desparately, Sue gets ahold of her and works out a plan to meet her in Waltham - 50 minutes away and half a gas tank ($$cha-ching$$) - to eat at Uno's ($$cha-ching$$) - and get the cable - which by the way looks NOTHING like a normal VGA cable!!!!!!

PS: we DID have a nice visit & meal! and now the computer works wonderfully well.

Remember The Alamo

173 years ago today, The battle of The Alamo ended. I only know this because on the radio this morning they were talking about how Phil Collins has basically given up his regular vocation of music and is obsessively devoting his life and fortune to becoming "All Knowing" about The Alamo (not the usual progression for a British subject - I think you start as a geek and desire to become a Rock Star, not the other way around!). Anyway, today I feel much better about myself and my new Civil War interest - which I dare say has not reached "Obsessive Compulsive" stage.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Alamo

OCRVTHS

Normally, I would be stressing over whether I should get rid of the truck and pick up a new used vehicle or keep sinking money into repairs. But now Jamie is at OCRVTHS (Old Colony Regional Vocation & Technical High School) learning the automotive trade and the cost of repair work has dropped dramatically. Today he will be working on replacing a broken leaf spring hanger, U-joint for the 4x4 drive, a heat controller, a purge pump & solenoid - and if he has time, will repack the wheel bearings. He will spend about 5-6 hours working on these items. A local garage charges $50 or more per hour (that would be $250-$300 for labor - plus parts which they also mark up). Here, I buy my own parts (if I know what I need) at retail list (which is more than the garages pay, but less than they charge for it), or the school can order the necessary parts.

So - bottom line - I paid about $150 for parts and will have to pay the school a $3 administrative fee, and maybe a bit for miscellaneous bolts or clamps, saving probably $50-$70 on the parts & the afore-mentioned labor charges. At this rate, I can happily keep my old pickup chugging along (and the car, and the van) and avoid the cost, stress and uncertainty of picking up a new junkbox (lets face it - a new car is out of the question for a while).

I need to remember to say thanks to Jamie - so far the only child to earn his keep while still in high school.

Maybe I'll have to convince Nikki to go there & take up plumbing, and Joe to become an electrician. Sure, they may do better with a degree from Brown, but I'd do better if they take up a trade!!!