Subj : Minced Garlic To : Nancy Backus From : Barry Martin Date : Sat Nov 09 2019 17:22:00 Hi Nancy! BM> Boo! Happy Halloween! Snowed overnight -- looks like a couple of BM> inches so far. Currently 27ø. Weather prediction for tonight is BM> around freezing so the kids will need to bundle up. Autumn does have BM> an alternate plan set up. NB> And what did she end up doing....? Elsa from Frozen. Fortunately she was able to put her costume over a thin coat so she was costumed and warm. BM>>> Subject reminds me: I still have the minced garlic in the 'fridge. BM>>> Have been adding to some things I'm eating every so often. NB>>> Nice that you've been enjoying it... :) It's handy to have on NB>>> hand... BM>> Yes. When the current container is gone will probably pick up BM>> another, though I'm thinking a different format. This one is minced BM>> and while the size is nice there isn't all that much garlic flavour. NB>> Did they have chopped and/or whole garlic jarred...? Because it's NB>> been processed, though, it won't have the bite of fresh garlic.... BM> There were a few options but I don't recall what they were; at the BM> time minced seemed like the most convenient, though as you said BM> doesn't have the tangy garlicy taste. Actually it's rather mild. NB> Probably is from the processing... guess that's the tradeoff, NB> taste vs. convenience... ;) I've been using the fresh garlic NB> now.... the head seems to stay good for quite a while, at least a NB> couple of weeks, maybe as much as a month or more... I keep it NB> up on top of the fridge (not in it) in the plastic produce bag, NB> and break off cloves as I need them... didn't have any go bad on NB> me even while I was off traveling so much... Plus no vampires -- important during Halloween! I may go back to getting a whole clove and enjoying the flavour. LIS, the minced is a little wimpy. NB>>> She might be catching on to the concept... besides, it's only two NB>>> weeks away, now... BM>> Right, and AFAIK no discussion. The seasonal decorations have been BM>> updated but we don't do Halloween-specific so nothing to remind her. NB>> And now... it's tomorrow night! Did she stay with her costume NB>> pick this year...? ;) BM> Hmmm.... can't remember! (Oops!) She hasn't mentioned anything so BM> sort of slipped my mind. I did print off some Halloween-themed BM> colouring pages which she liked -- had to remind myself to select those BM> that were not too complicated. Back to the costume, possibly a BM> last-minute revision for something warm. The cold and snow for BM> Halloween (tonight) has been predicted for a while so it was sort of BM> decided not to bring up too much to allow for an easier change of BM> plans; don't get Autumn thinking one way and then having to do a BM> last-minute switch. BM> BTW, as for the 'Halloween-specific' previously, that needs to be BM> modified: there is a witch and black pumpkin hung up -- that's rather BM> specific! Nothing like jack-o-lantern lights or spider webs. NB> I always have spider webs around the house... real ones... NB> But no Halloween (or for that matter Christmas any more) NB> lights... ;) We've had spiders place their webs in some rather strange places. Probably logical in their minds but not us humans. Around a year ago had a small web in the upstairs bathroom; rarely see any flies in the hous emuch less in the bathroom. Took the web down, never did see the spider and guess he moved on. NB>>> Mine was built 1900... and originally had gas lights... the electric NB>>> went in later... but still probably before there was as much call for NB>>> extra outlets... :) BM>> This house was built ~1948 (the original portion) and had the BM>> four-fuse fuse panel; also had cartridge fuse pull for an electric BM>> stove, which here was used for the central air conditioner. BM>> "Obviously" with only four circuits not that much to be powered in BM>> those days. Wiring's not bare-bones: the two (original) bedrooms do BM>> have switched ceiling lights. All the rooms have sufficient outlets for BM>> the time. NB>> The only switched lights upstairs here are for the stairs and the NB>> hall... the bathroom and the bedrooms all have the pull cord from NB>> the ceiling light... BM> Those pullcords are probably something I'd change! Used to have pull BM> cord lights in the basement and I ran new wiring to a switch by the BM> entry to that side (unfinished) of the basement. The finished side BM> already had it installed. And yes, an open ceiling (on the unfinished BM> side) makes it so much easier to run wires! Also thinking of here the BM> bedroom lights are in the center of the room, thus over the bed and so BM> not that convenient to reach. Your lighting might be off to the side BM> and therefore reasonably convenient. NB> No, the lights are centered in the rooms, therefore so are the NB> pull cords.... the light in the kitchen is also a pullcord... NB> One just gets used to it... and with so much of the house still NB> using the pull cords, it would be a major project to change that NB> much of the wiring... There are actually only a couple flip NB> switches, some of the switches are push button ones.... Let's NB> see, the front hall/stairs is a flipswitch, along with one for NB> the front porch in the same wallplate... the switch upstairs for NB> that set of stairs is a pushbutton... and also the switch NB> upstairs for the hall/backstairs is a pushbutton, and the NB> corresponding switch downstairs is a flipswitch... in the same NB> wallplate downstairs is a flip switch that turns on the main NB> basement light(s), but there's a pullcord in the front storage NB> room... The attic is pullcord(s)... The downstairs bath used to NB> be a pantry, and that was converted in the 50's, so the light in NB> there is a fluorescent over the sink that has a toggle switch at NB> one end of it... The living room, dining room and music room all NB> have the flip switches, although the last is mounted upside NB> down... We haven't changed any of it since we moved in over 40 NB> years ago... :) Yes, I would suppose one is accustomed: know where to kneel on the bed to get to the pull cord. We know how far to reach in to get to the wall switches, so similar reach and get. Seems I've dealt with an upside- down light switch or two, just not recalling where. "NO" is fine, but what is ¾¾ø ?? Have seen - and used - the pushbutton switches. Technically still used in modern European wall switches as they use a large square rocker switch -- about 2" square. When we bought the house there were some of the old 'click' switches; those got replaced with the silent versions. All except one on the first floor: is at the base of the stairs to go upstairs and while it looks normal there is something weird about it -- when we had the master bedroom addition done and -- OK: remembered: it's a three-way switch because there's a paired switch near the top of the stairs. The electricians had to add another switch and I remember them having difficulties with the old click switch -- could be replaced but type of thing. The loud click isn't a big deal, and so one of those 'pick your battles' type of things: the old switch is fine and we'll let it slide because of super-good and expected plusses elsewhere. Back to your pulls and switches, might not look nor feel (as in ambiance) to update them to the modern ones. Just would not fit in with the overall scheme of things. BM>>> As for the extension cords, etc., have them here too, though because BM>>> of my electrical/electronic background some are hidden as BM>>> surface-mount. (If is an extension is obvious at the exposed ends - BM>>> won't feed a surface-mount outlet, for example; is an extension cord BM>>> outlet.) NB>>> Some of ours are tucked in, others more obvious.... BM>> Same here. Hard to tuck in those 13-Amp 'air conditioner' extensions BM>> I tend to use! If just powering a light do use the regular zip cord. NB>> Dunno as we have any of those heavy duty ones here upstairs... NB>> There's an indoor/outdoor heavy one out on the porch for when he NB>> needs to run power out into the yard... BM> All depends.... I do run some light- and medium-duty extension cords BM> here. Do use the outdoor cords also and never had a problem. One of BM> the advantages of the 'air conditioner' cords is some have a right BM> angle plug so stays flush against the wall; I know now that's a common BM> option for the lighter weight cords but back then didn't seem to be. NB> I think all of ours are older ones, but still quite NB> serviceable... :) Some times the older is better than the new. Plastics can break down and deteriorate. OTOH I have replaced cords on old lamps because whatever the insulation was had become brittle. ...One pair if ever gets to a resale shop will confuse the buyers: one cord is about normal length and the cord on the other lamp is is about 2x. When I rewired the second lamp wasn't near an outlet so instead of using an extension cord with it I just made the new wire longer to get to the outlet. BM>>> Now for getting the transmission fixed. NB>>> Still looking for a good mechanic to do that... my usual one didn't NB>>> want to tackle the project after all... BM>> Appears he knows his limitations. Ask him for recommendation? NB>> He didn't really have any.... I tried our backup nmechanic, and he NB>> said he couldn't do it either because he didn't have the proper Volvo NB>> tools for it.... so now I'm still looking.... a friend was going to NB>> check to see if his regular mechanic would be willing to do it, but NB>> hasn't gotten back to me yet.... BM> The good news is the transmission still works, just needs a bit of BM> coaxing occasionally. And to me when someone states their limitations BM> it's also a good sign they are good mechanic. NB> It can be.... And it's just the clutch slipping, generally when NB> under a heavier load, so I can minimize the issue by driving NB> gently and anticipating hills and such... Yes, something you probably couldn't do as well when on your NC vacation because of unfamiliarity. BM>>> Yes, more back to the 'all depends'. I never needed to drive a manual BM>>> so that impetus was missing. And not cross my mind as "oo - this BM>>> might be a fun thing to learn!". And there are times when automatic BM>>> transmission isn't the right thing for the roadway -- my car has a BM>>> 'lock' button so it won't automatically shift -- think for hilly BM>>> conditions; I'd have to recheck the manual. NB>>> For a steep downhill grade, you might want to lock it into a lower NB>>> gear, to keep control... There are some road situations that an NB>>> automatic can be easier, too, though... like a lot of stop and go, NB>>> like in a traffic jam (construction or an accident).... BM>> Yes, I vaguely recall that from glancing through the manual years ago. BM>> There are some steep hills here but none all that long. And I haven't BM>> noticed the car shifting excessively so doesn't appear to be an issue. NB>> Something to check out sometime, hopefully before you need the NB>> knowledge.... :) BM> Just reach over and pull the manual out of the glove compartment. BM> Ah-eeeeeeeeee!!! NB> Just how deeply buried is that manual....! ;) IIRC there are only a couple of items on top, it's that reaching over while driving causing the problem! ¯ ® ¯ Barry_Martin_3@ ® ¯ @Q.COM ® ¯ ® .... Not Quites: I'm Just Enthused about Harry. --- MultiMail/Win32 v0.47 þ wcECHO 4.2 ÷ ILink: The Safe BBS þ Bettendorf, IA --- QScan/PCB v1.20a / 01-0462 * Origin: ILink: CFBBS | cfbbs.no-ip.com | 856-933-7096 (454:1/1) .