Stijn!!

[Porsche-poor]

Yes. That even happens here at home. Been plugged into a dock were for two years. Almost all files are worked off the company servers over the internet via VPN.

[GH85Carrera]

My buddy that just moved to New Zealand sold virtually everything he owned. All that was left was what would fit an a few suitcases of mostly clothing.

One of the many things he found in his paperwork were some old price lists from the photo labs. He gave them to me. The price list from 1978 has a picture of me, and the old services we offered. Then there are price lists from the 80s and 90s and up into early 2000s. The lists grew a lot as we offered more services.

We had a 5,000 square foot building custom built for a photo lab, 5 processors, a dozen enlargers that could handle 4x5 film and smaller, and two 8x10 enlargers. A huge studio, and as many as 12 employees. All of the light sensitive stuff is pretty much obsolete, and that photo lab and employees can be replaced with my home office, a computer, Photoshop and an internet connection to our print shop that makes the prints for us for cheap.

Of course almost all of that is simply gone as a business. I am so lucky I found aerial photography as a way to stay in the photo world. Professional photography is a really tough business when anyone with a modern cell phone can take really nice photos and be "good enough" for most customers. No one wants to pay for a real pro level photo.

[Porsche-poor]

Morning all TGIF. My allergies are killing me this year.

[GH85Carrera]

A few months ago I got a small rock chip in the windshield on the El Camino. No major deal, so I went and had it repaired, and that cost me $50. I remembered I had "roadside assistance" and that included windshield replacement or repair. So I contacted my insurance agent. My former agent was wonderful, but he went and retired on me, the bum.

The new guy is not so great. I had to email him three times to get him to file the claim, and they will process it and send me 50 bucks. But first, they sent me an email that was a secure encrypted email. I had to set up a user name and password, and two factor authentication to read an email that said they accepted my claim. I cussed a bit to myself, there was no routing numbers, and not one thing that a standard email with we accept your claim and will send funds would not have covered. And they will send a check someday. It is just 50 bucks, but that is 50 bucks of my money, and I want it back. That is why I have insurance. It could have been a full windshield if I ignored the crack and let it spread.

I am not real impressed with my new agent so far.

[Porsche-poor]

I had that happen years ago. Had a rock chip was told it could be fixed and insurance would cover it. I contacted the agent who told me no you have $100 on glass. I went into his office with a $100 bill and an invoice for $900 for a factory windshield. HE cut me a check for $50 to get the chip fixed on the spot.

[GH85Carrera]

It has been slow, and that is not really the issue. The big thing for me was they sent me that email that required I use their secure system, and set up another dang username and password to keep track of, and all that was in it was a big nothing.

Of course they draft my insurance premium right from my account, but they will send a check from the bank of who knows and they will take the float for a few more days. In the end, I will get my money. I sure miss my old agent.

[GH85Carrera]

I received my $50 check on Saturday.

On Saturday we had another Motors in the morning at the Porsche dealership. Then on Sunday we had an autocross. I guess lots of wimps and sissys stayed home because it was going to be warm. We had a small turnout. Another reason was the SCCA had their autocross the same day. Those folks are serious, and with a big turnout it takes them all day. Ours if just go have fun on track, and relaxed.

We had two Datsuns there. One 240z with a 3 liter, monster engine and 100% top notch "resto mod" very well done car and another very well done 210, about as stock as all the 32 Fords hot rods. Both of them had trouble with overheating, and had to raise the hoods and cool the engine. My old basically air cooled 911 just ran and ran and never got to 210, which is where I consider it to be at normal full operating temp.

With a small turnout we all did 8 runs, and I was tired, so that was enough for me. Some of the folks that looked like they were still in high school rand for 10 runs. It was .8 mile total to get around the track, and back to the line. I had not filled up since I was in Arkansas returning from Parade.
I was deliberately trying to get low on gas to fill up with 100% gasoline.

$4.89 per gallon for premium unleaded, 100% gasoline, no corn. 18.34 gallons made for an expensive fillup. Just under 90 bucks. My most fillup of gas ever. In Gettysburg I paid $5.89 a gallon, but only 1/2 a tank was needed. A full dollar per gallon more, wow.

[Porsche-poor]

Morning all. Short weekend for me. The CRV needed and oil change and I had to get it done before the wife takes it to Oregon next week. Then Sunday was the wife's company picnic. Not much time for anything fun.

So far this week no work to be done. Which is not looking good.

[GH85Carrera]

It is always scary when the projects stop coming in.

I got up early and got outside at 7:15 AM to mow the yard. Golly what fun. Some idiot fertilized and set the sprinkler system to keep everything green and growing. We have a nice green lush yard, and more work for me.

The part that sucks about mowing early is the grass is covered in dew, and when I finish up at 9:30 it is just a tad to early to have a beer.

[Porsche-poor]

Its 5 o'clock somewhere!!!!!

[GH85Carrera]

I was looking for the direct phone number of the hotel we stay at for Porsche Palooza in Eureka Springs, AR. We love the event, and we stay at the same hotel every year.

I just googled the name of the place, and that comes up, but with all the "apps" and companies wanting to take a piece of the pie for reservations all I was finding was the 800 numbers for them, and not the direct number. I had to dig deep to find the direct phone number. We are set and reservation is complete for the hotel. Now we just have to get registered for the event. That does not open for several months.

[Porsche-poor]

Morning all. Sitting here in the actual office still with no monitors......

[Porsche-poor]

Morning all. Off to the dentist and then off to the office for a bit. Then I don't know what.

[GH85Carrera]

Phew, yesterday as I was rolling the trash container back from the curb, I looked at the grass in the west part of the yard. It was looking very dry and crispy in some parts.

My wife had pros come plant three trees last spring, and all received three tie down posts to help keep them in place in the Oklahoma wind. We removed the posts this spring. We both noticed the hole from one of the posts just stayed open and we figured the dogs did that.

It was the sprinkler system. One of the posts was driven right into a connection.


It actually broke off the the orange elbow, and I thought this is gonna be easy. I got that elbow replaced, fired up the sprinkler, and it was a geyser. I cleaned off more of the fitting, and you can see the black crack, and the hole in the pipe. Crap.


I dug through my sprinkler parts, and found a saddle tap that would normally get drilled out to add an connection. I just used that as a patch. The for big crack, I dug around in the attic, and found the bell end of a 40 foot piece of 1 1/4 pipe, and cut off the bell end. Cut that in half, and it fits the outer dimension of the fitting real well. Lots of PVC primer, and lots of glue, and it is holding.

I would never try that if it was a pressure fitting or anything inside a house. Worst case, if it leaks a bit, is the tree it is next to gets some extra water. The sprinkler system for that section is back to functional, and now the grass will get watered.

This is the biggest issue I have had with the sprinkler system since I personally installed in 22 years ago. And it was all damage caused by a post driven into the ground with perfect aim at a hard to get to connection.

[Porsche-poor]

That does not look like fun.

[GH85Carrera]

Yea, it was a sweaty ordeal. Digging in wet clay, requires a scraper for the shovel, and a scraper for the scraper.

The only "fun" part was fixing everything, with parts I had "in stock" here at home. I did not ever need to run to the store. I posted a longer description of the project in the what are you fix-in-it thread. I had some unusual parts in my stash of goodies.

[GH85Carrera]

Golly more fun today. When I was slaveing away outside yesterday on the sprinkler system, and testing the fix, and adjusting the spray heads, the bosses wife came out and noticed a couple of heads that were "missing" in action. I told her bigfoot must have stolen them. For some reason she did not believe that, and we started trying to find them.

It was weird, slowly over the 22 years tree roots had grown and expanded, and pulled them underground so far they did not pop up anymore. So I was allowed to dig a big hole to explore and find them. One of them in the middle of the yard was 8 inches underground. So I had to add a riser to it, and fill the hole. Another one by the fence was 6 inches down. I ran out of parts and will have to go to the store to get some more risers for the first time in over 20 years.

The genius, good looking, charming, and very modest designer and installer of the sprinkler system put in 99 spray heads on the original system. 10 sections. Then the crazy customer's wife started putting in flower beds, and koi ponds, and trees. Some heads were eliminated, and most just moved.

There is 12 foot spacing from head to head, so even if one is not working right, that area still gets watered. Only when two or more heads stop is there a dry spot.

[ted]

30 years ago we installed an overhead sprinkler system with 18 zones.
A couple years ago we replaced all of that with black 1/2 inch poly pipe and drip emitters.
The plants look great and seem to like the slow drip deep watering.
This way the water drips directly on the ground and the water bill was reduced.
Seems like we have fewer weeds with the drip system combined with mulch.

The new poly pipe is not buried just covered with mulch.
Very easy to pop in a new drip emitter when adding another plant.
So no more digging to fix white water pipes in the back yard.
Once a year I'll go around and check 80+ emitters and adjust spray patterns or replace broken emitters.
Light duty work, like working on a big model train set in your back yard.

I have big bin of white plastic irrigation repair parts I'm ready to throw away.

Yesterday was Plumeria management.
Planted 2 and gave away 9 big cuttings to neighbors.
Glen would like the white Plumerias hedge because they have no fragrance.
These no fragrance white plumerias are commonly used on bridal corsages.

[GH85Carrera]

In Hawaii we had a Poinsettias as a hedge. Dad had to cut them back with hedge clippers. Of course growing anything in Hawaii is easy.

The bosses wife is letting me out of slave duty in the back yard, and she paid for two ticket to go see Top Gun and a local movie theater - brewery. That should be interesting. I don;t think I can drink beer and sit through a movie however. Maybe if the deliver near the end of the movie. We have not been to a movie in a couple of years. It is a good thing the boss is letting me off of work.

[GH85Carrera]

Well, that was a different movie experience. I liked it.

It is a microbrewery & restaurant & movie theater. Very comfortable seats, with an electric powered foot rest. It is nice to prop yer feet up, a table in front of each person that swings out of the way, to get in the chair, and swings back to be useful. You just go in, and find the seat ordered online before hand, so you reserve a seat. Then the waiter comes over, and takes an initial order, brings it to us, and once the movie starts they go to silent mode. There is a QR code to pull up their menu, and select a meal, or a beer to be delivered. They provide a pen and a scratch pad to write down the order. So before the move started, I selected a beer, and wrote it down. About 45 minutes before the end of the movie, I push a button, and the waiter comes back, takes the order, and brings it back promptly. At the initial order, he swiped my credit card on a reader. With 30 minutes left in the mover or so he returns with a receipt, and we are paid.

We went to see Top Gun. Fun movie, and good graphics, and story line. About as realistic as Mission Impossible, but it was not a documentary.

I gave up all soda years ago, as I just don't care for the tastes, or anything about it. I did order water initially and we ordered a large popcorn, my wife got a diet Pepsi. It was nice later on sipping a beer, feet up in a comfy chair, fantastic Dolby 7.1 sound, and a big screen. Not much more than a conventional movie theater concessions, and a the best chair I ever sat in at the theater.