What did you do today?

Learnin’ to fly… said:
Said goodbye to this amazing friend, after nearly sixteen years. Better soul than most people I have ever met.

I hope we blessed his life nearly as much as he did ours.
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Condolences! I agree with @Bill...

On another note, I got to fly my friend's pretty little Bellanca Citabria today. Brought back memories of the Navy Flying Club's Champion 7ECA years ago. They're literally the same airplane. The only difference was the Champion Citabria had heel brakes; my friends Bellanca Citabria has toe brakes.

The first landing was a little wonky. That large inflated tailwheel is a completely different feel than what I'm used to with my Sonerai's little shopping cart tailwheel.
 

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Zeldman said:
Saw an 18 wheeler loaded with crushed cars and realized the vehicle I was driving was older than the crushed vehicles on the trailer...
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One year driving out for my elk hunt I passed a scrapper in western Nebraska or northeastern Colorado. He was towing a trailer with a wrecked trucked along with a bunch of scrap. The wrecked truck was in far better shape than the truck he was towing everything with. On that truck he had his logo and phone number tastefully spray painted on the door. "Scrap-man-doo"
 
Put the lights on the house today. Still need to decorate the pasture fence but I have to get some new garlands first.

SWMBO decorated the living room. Next we’ll put up the tree in the family room and decorate it.

Watched U of Miami disassemble Pitt.
 
Today I took the dog out (several times) for his first real snow experience. We had a light dusting last night, and he was very curious about it. He seemed happy to find that it was edible. Today he was acting like, "WTF IS this stuff, and why is my weiner so cold?" He's having fun, though. I'm happy about that; the breeder said he wasn't enthused about cold weather as a puppy (he's 11 months now, we got him in June) but so far he's fine with it.

Then I got to shovel the first of what I'm sure will be a number of heavy, wet snowfalls. "Buy a corner lot", they said. "You'll love the big yard", they said. Over 200' of sidewalk, plus the driveway... I really, really want to hire someone to do this stuff or at least replace the snow blower that got stolen a few seasons ago, but I desperately need the exercise.
 
DaleB said:
Today I took the dog out (several times) for his first real snow experience. We had a light dusting last night, and he was very curious about it. He seemed happy to find that it was edible. Today he was acting like, "WTF IS this stuff, and why is my weiner so cold?" He's having fun, though. I'm happy about that; the breeder said he wasn't enthused about cold weather as a puppy (he's 11 months now, we got him in June) but so far he's fine with it.

Then I got to shovel the first of what I'm sure will be a number of heavy, wet snowfalls. "Buy a corner lot", they said. "You'll love the big yard", they said. Over 200' of sidewalk, plus the driveway... I really, really want to hire someone to do this stuff or at least replace the snow blower that got stolen a few seasons ago, but I desperately need the exercise.
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I'm not sure sure snow shoveling is good exercise, speaking as one that has shoveled a lot of snow over the years. It's hard on your back, and it's pretty intense for a short period of time. GF explained it this way - a snow blower is a lot cheaper than one trip to the hospital for a heart attack. But then again, I'm pretty old.

Now snow here today, though! Just a dusting to brush of the truck windshield is all.
 
Albany Tom said:
it's pretty intense for a short period of time.
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Not the way I do it… it’s about an hour of moderate effort. I learned to pace myself to get the whole sidewalk done.

I had a snowblower for quite a few years. It was stolen from my driveway a few years ago; I didn’t bother to replace it because I was only using it a couple times a year and storing it is a PITA. As I was shoveling this afternoon I was reflecting on how nice it would be to hire it out. Then I could pay someone to avoid the exertion, AND pay again to go to a gym and replace it with just as much exertion. Except… I actually DO clear the snow.
 
Did my yearly switch the mower deck for the snowblower on the one day between when my neighbor's biggest maple drops most of its leaves and the first foot of snow falls.

The mower's lift is merely a chain that hooks over a hydraulic lift arm underneath the tractor. For some reason - evidence indicates a quick and dirty repair by the prior owner - it's damn near impossible to get it off. And it seems worse every year.

This year, after getting really frustrated wrestling with it, I finally gave up for the first time, pulled out my angle grinder and cut the dang thing off. Well, I cut a notch into the chain so I could remove it easier... I might even just try leaving it that way next year, it seems like it might actually still work.

For all the other parts (the parts where he wasn't going to learn new words), I had my 8-yo son helping, which made things much slower but infinitely more enjoyable. He's worked on things with me enough to be actually useful now, as opposed to just being my tool gopher.

We packed it in before we were completely done because he was getting tired (and it was getting late), so tomorrow we'll attach the lift arm and the chute (which I have to pull off to make it small enough to store under my workbench), and put the tire chains on. Then, I'll get to clear the 10-12+ inches (it's still falling) that fell since early this morning.
 
Flying, trying to put some polish on my commercial maneuvers. Tabbing out my FAR/AIM. Plowing snow.

Everybody laughs at my little toy truck until it's time to backdrag a sidewalk. I rebuilt it on a hot-dip galvanized frame a few years ago... thing's going nowhere, this is our lifetime Taco now. :biggrin:


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Ordered a bumper for the F550. Dad backed it out of the shop to use the skid steer for.... Something. Still don't know what. Then proceeded to immediately back into the 550 with the skid steer. As soon as he's of age I'm putting him in a home.

Now plowing the shop parking lot since it's done snowing. IMG_2715.jpeg
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Used Civil3d to thoroughly compare specs and dimensions of child-sized motorcycles to buy for a Christmas present. I started doing this because the two on the top-left were very wrong on their posted specs.

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Kid's current one is on the far right, I ordered the one on the right end of the bottom row. I really wanted to get the one on the top-left, but it just wouldn't fit him.
 
Finally got around to updating the phone to iOS 26. How on earth did I drone along for hours aloft without starlink? So much nothing-to-see out there :D

That autopilot is 5 years older than I am. It's doomed, but... while it behaves, it's hard for me to invest in its demise.

I have the most amazing squawk. When either PTT is keyed and the autopilot is on, it banks pretty hard right. I didn't think they had CWS in the Austin Powers era, but... some wire somewhere is doing funny things that I can't yet explain. I'll enjoy many a rainy day chasing it. Or dropping a large-type check at an avionics hole and make the squawk disappear. Not sure which is more likely yet.

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Cleared a foot of snow off the driveway. It was that weird kind of snow that's kinda good packing snow but also will turn into powder easily after packing. It created some interesting shear patterns as I was pushing it along with the snowblower, so I decided to take a quick timelapse of about 2/3 of the first swipe down the longer part of the driveway:

 
Zeldman said:
Went outside this morning to find a FedEx box with 1/2 brick still inside and used TP scattered in the driveway. I think I know who the person is. Time to install the security camera.

Now, I am open to suggestions on what I should put in the box this time...
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Perhaps you should swing by their house and invite them over for supper… how much lye do you have in hand?
 
Today I learned that "counterfeit bearings" are a thing.
Here I was thinking I got a decent deal on some expensive components, but it turns out it was really just an entirely different, lower grade product.
Now I get to make the same purchase again at the real price. Sigh.
 
schmookeeg said:
Finally got around to updating the phone to iOS 26. How on earth did I drone along for hours aloft without starlink? So much nothing-to-see out there :D

That autopilot is 5 years older than I am. It's doomed, but... while it behaves, it's hard for me to invest in its demise.

I have the most amazing squawk. When either PTT is keyed and the autopilot is on, it banks pretty hard right. I didn't think they had CWS in the Austin Powers era, but... some wire somewhere is doing funny things that I can't yet explain. I'll enjoy many a rainy day chasing it. Or dropping a large-type check at an avionics hole and make the squawk disappear. Not sure which is more likely yet.

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That sounds like a job for a GFC600
 
Went to dinner with a buddy. His gf just moved out and took all the crap in his house. Couch. Bed. Tv. And both his dogs. One of which he got years before they met.

Oh.... And she took every roll of toilet paper in the house. Bro... Wtf did you do?
 
Racerx said:
Went to dinner with a buddy. His gf just moved out and took all the crap in his house. Couch. Bed. Tv. And both his dogs. One of which he got years before they met.

Oh.... And she took every roll of toilet paper in the house. Bro... Wtf did you do?
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I’m guessing it involved her sister. :)
 
Racerx said:
Went to dinner with a buddy. His gf just moved out and took all the crap in his house. Couch. Bed. Tv. And both his dogs. One of which he got years before they met.

Oh.... And she took every roll of toilet paper in the house. Bro... Wtf did you do?
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Beats getting divorced. At least he still has the house.
 
Dave Theisen said:
I’m guessing it involved her sister. :)
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If the sister wasn't multiple states away I'd agree with you. He actually dated my sister before he started dating this girl. My sister was adult enough to tell him it wasn't gonna work. This one apparently got fed up. Took everything out of the house on a Friday morning and blocked him.
Half Fast said:
Beats getting divorced. At least he still has the house.
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I think he'd rather have his dog of 10 years than the house he grew up in and girl of 5 years.

Me...I'll be the buddy that chaperones and has a couple drinks for free.
 
Sorry for your friend's loss. That especially sucks in the holiday season.

Today I snow blowed the driveway. Only about 5" or so, but it was heavy wet snow, and it's not going to be above freezing here for about a week so it had to be done.

Snow blower started up instantly. The "siphon the fuel out at the end of the season, then run it until it stops" method worked great.
 
Lucerne Switzerland to Mount Titilis to take in the alps before the trip to Basal to pick up a Viking river cruise of the Christmas markets to Amsterdam.

Aviation content? Drove by the Pilatus factory on the way. I thought gee that looks familiar. It’s the building used for Goldfingers factory in the bond film.
 
Racerx said:
Went to dinner with a buddy. His gf just moved out and took all the crap in his house. Couch. Bed. Tv. And both his dogs. One of which he got years before they met.

Oh.... And she took every roll of toilet paper in the house. Bro... Wtf did you do?
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insert clip from "True Lies" where Gibson talks about his ex-wife taking everything from the house

 
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Yesterday: baked a Malt Loaf.
https://thegreatbritishbakeoff.co.uk/recipes/all/prue-leith-malt-loaf/
https://www.thespruceeats.com/homemade-sticky-malt-loaf-recipe-435619
My recipe is a mashup between the two recipes.
Much, much better than a fruitcake, and if you want, you can soak it in rum.
Racerx said:
Went to dinner with a buddy. His gf just moved out and took all the crap in his house. Couch. Bed. Tv. And both his dogs. One of which he got years before they met.

Oh.... And she took every roll of toilet paper in the house. Bro... Wtf did you do?
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My bud's ex took al the TP and the ice cube trays. Thankfully, she left the dog.
 
Racerx said:
Went to dinner with a buddy. His gf just moved out and took all the crap in his house. Couch. Bed. Tv. And both his dogs. One of which he got years before they met.

Oh.... And she took every roll of toilet paper in the house. Bro... Wtf did you do?
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Man, I learned that lesson at 19. She was 23 and built like a burlap bag full of bobcats, I mean she had it all together.!!

Except she was totally nuts.

I foolishly let her move in and the fireworks started. After about 8 months I packed my clothes and tools and moved to another town.

Never co-habituated again....except for a night or two...

But taking the dogs, that is inexcusable.
 
Uff. I, too, have had the misfortune of hitching my wagon to an undiagnosed borderline.

Flew today, hoping I'd earn a commercial checkride endorsement but gusty, shifting winds and LLWS made power-off 180s a complete crapshoot. If the tolerance were -50/+400 I would've been nailing them today. :cryin:
 
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