On the Upswing

January 31, 2022 by Adam in Family

It was a hard week last week, with getting fitted for a night guard after grinding my molars down being a low point.  I've been stoically taking care of everyone and everything the last couple years and I decided it was time to start taking care of myself more.  I got my shingles shot today, seeing a new counselor tomorrow, and Joanna and I started planning a trip away together.  I've got my passport renewal ready to go and I'm pondering getting together with friends for D&D once this latest omicron surge fades.  My big cup of morning coffee followed by another at lunch has turned into a smaller morning cup with tea for lunch.  Hopefully all of this keeps me from grinding my teeth and generally makes life more cheerful again.

As for the weekend, Emma and I went to the library on Saturday.  I 3D printed a 9-square soil blocker for Joanna, just in time for planting seeds.  Joanna and I went to Home Depot and picked up supplies to make a ladder for the shed.  Ben, Emma, Joanna, and I worked on a murder mystery game.  We couldn't figure out the clue for a password, so I opened up the browser's developer tools and hacked my way through.  If only all problems could be solved that way.

Back to Normalicy

January 24, 2022 by Adam in Family

It was a great week off - hanging out with family, hiking at the coast, playing games, and accomplishing house projects.  Joanna's birthday was a fine affair, with tasty cake and lots of presents to play with.  Soon I'm back in my shed to work away on web pages and everyone returns to school and work.

The weekend was fairly productive.  I'd bought some pegboard during the week, breaking it up into big chunks to fit in my car.  Sunday was spent mounting it in the garage where the smaller piece went.  Now things are better organized and spaced out.  Joanna picked up a couple new tools for their birthday, so I 3D printed a new Makita mount and put it up on the wall.  The end result is a still messy garage, but it's at least on the track to organization.

Flowing Water

January 21, 2022 by Adam in Family

The pipes have been unclogged by the second plumber to come through.  It was relatively painless with the right length snake.  I scrubbed and cleaned our sewage ejector pump while I was in there.  The laundry and dishes are going, and I'm slowly putting things back to normal.  It's also my last day off work, so it's keeping me busy while the wayward son is off visiting friends.  I've got another miniature or two to send him away with - the 3D printer has been making them non-stop.

We had a good shindig last night with virtually everyone coming over.  There's still a ton of food leftover, so we'll be eating corn bread and rice for the weeks ahead.  Tomorrow is Joanna's birthday, which is relatively well organized.  The cake will be picked up in the morning and I've got a few more presents to wrap, but otherwise we're set.

Whirlwind Week

January 20, 2022 by Adam in Family

The flight got rescheduled and the wayward son arrived Sunday.  We've been hanging out and doing things, with a big shindig planned for tonight.  Yesterday was a long hike at the coast through misty woods.  We parked at the same trailhead Emma and I went to, hiking down past the crab shell altar on the way to the beach.  Later was a three mile loop up and down steep paths to see the Heceta Head lighthouse.  We returned home worn out but somehow satisfied.

Since our lives aren't ever complicated enough, we've got a clogged pipe which is causing the dishwasher, washing machine, and kitchen sink to not work.  Hot water and bacterial cleaners didn't work, so a plumber should arrive this morning.  Hopefully we'll have a semi-functioning house by the time everyone arrives tonight.

Mocha Friday

January 14, 2022 by Adam in Family

I am very thankful for my mocha resting next to me this morning.  It's been a stressful week, full of upset people, plans falling apart due to COVID, and various work frustrations.  Fortunately Joanna's been very sweet, the three younger kids are doing okay, and the cat can't seem to get enough of me.  Since our oldest isn't coming into town I suppose it'll be a quiet weekend, though I was hoping things would work out.  Maybe I'll take some time off next week anyway.

The Final Act

January 10, 2022 by Adam in Family

It feels like it's the final act of the movie where the disaster everyone's been either dealing with or ignoring is finally coming to pass.  We're at two family members testing positive, along with notifications that Ben and Duncan were both exposed to someone with COVID, despite not sharing any classes.  Their test last Friday was negative. Fortunately I'm feeling mostly back to normal, though who knows if I had COVID or not.

As for the weekend itself, it was generally pretty good.  Joanna, Emma and I went to Hendrick's park to walk around, seeking out the handful of blooming things.  I helped Emma with homework a little - she's hoping to play god a little this week and cut up some DNA for analysis.  We unfortunately couldn't find a white beard and robes for the role.  Duncan recorded a Minecraft video with friends.  Ben worked on SCP writing.  Joanna wrote and did the radio ready emergency thing.

The 3D printer has been running non-stop, mostly making little organizational things for the shop.  I'm at the part where the garage is still a giant wreck, but there's hope for something better on the horizon.  I mounted the battery chargers and battery racks, which ended up looking really nice.  Plenty more to do.

Medicinal Madvil Friday

January 07, 2022 by Adam in Family

I'm doing my mocha and Advil cure this morning, though fortunately my symptoms are pretty mild.  I managed to go to work yesterday and cook dinner last night, taking the occasional painkiller when I feel achey.  Hopefully I return to normal soon.  Ben and Duncan spit in tubes last night, which should get turned in today and we'll get news about their COVID status on Sunday.

As for everyone else, our cat continues to be fascinated by the new self-cleaning litterbox.  Kids are going to school.  Joanna's screwing up the courage to work on insulating the writing shed.  I'm slogging through one of the more complicated forms ever.  Looking forward to Emma's arrival today, promising to help with bio homework.  Life goes on.

Low-Level Blah

January 06, 2022 by Adam in Family

It's day four of feeling under the weather.  I've generally been able to do things and I've started up at work today.  Being sick during a pandemic is a little anxiety producing, though I managed to get a full night's sleep last night.  Duncan and Ben get their COVID tests through school, so hopefully they'll be our canary in the coal mine if that's indeed what we got.  Supposedly rapid tests will be available next week, though that feels a day late and a dollar short.

Emma's generally reporting good things about her new term and that her Oceanography professor is really cool.  This is likely one of her harder terms, but she feels well prepared.

After running the 3D printer for days, I think I've got all I need for the garage/shop.  Now I just need to mount battery holders and chainsaw hangers to the wall.  Later today perhaps.

Garage Update

January 05, 2022 by Adam in Adam's Projects

I've spent the last three days off working on the garage.  It makes me long for my cushy desk job.

I'd been long complaining about how disorganized and dirty the garage is, so it's deeply satisfying to do something about it.  I moved various things out so I could paint the drywall, which had been unfinished ever since the play room was put in nearly twenty years ago.  I went with a nice flat white, which turned out relatively well, then rearranged everything in hopes of making better use of the space.  So far I'm happy with the results, though I have a lot to organize and put away in a more logical fashion.  I've also been 3D printing various things to help, such as battery and chainsaw mounts for the wall.  This resulted in my first serious failure printing something - the chainsaw mount decided to push the printing plate away and make a spaghetti-like ball of filament somewhere in the middle of the night.  It seem somehow appropriate.

Surge Weekend

January 03, 2022 by Adam in Family

The Omicron surge is kicking into high gear in Lane county and most of us have weird upper respiratory things going on.  Unfortunately it's impossible to get a COVID test, so we're masking up and staying home where possible.  Ben's got an occasional cough, Joanna's sinuses feel a little weird, and I've got a funny lung feeling.  It's cold season too, so it's likely just that.

The weekend was generally okay.  Kevin made it to town after airline delays and hung out with Ben and Duncan.  I've continue to play around with the 3D printer, going through more than half of the white filament dad brought over.  I find I'm mostly making practical things - wall mounts for our Makita batteries, a self-watering planter for Emma's fern, and Emma made herself a bookmark for the Hobbit book she bought over the weekend.  Ben printed a thumb and finger extender which look strange and skeletal.

I also have a few days off of work, with goals to clean up the garage.  We'll see how I'm feeling and how far I get.  The weather is wet and dreary and the garage is cold.  I may not have enough coffee in the house for adequate liquid enthusiasm.