What positive can you list today?

[KayC]

Glad it didn't materialize like they predicted, Gail!

[widower2]

I guess a positive, I decided to buy the house I've been renting; tbh I've already lived here much longer than I planned, but the owners want to sell it and I couldn't find a place to rent that worked for me, and since it's just a transaction direct between the owners and me,  no real estate agents involved, so I got a break on the price. I hope to live here just another year or perhaps two, do some improvements in that time, and hopefully make enough when I sell to come out ahead.

[KayC]

6 hours ago, widower2 said:

I guess a positive, I decided to buy the house I've been renting

I look at it as a positive as you can take your time and plan out your next move and when you sell you will likely make $ on it as that seems to be the trend the last few years.  I think it's likely a smart move so long as there are no surprises, and I doubt that, you probably know the place better than the owners do!

[ThereIsAField]

I cleaned some of the gutters today... without getting overwhelmed and crying and giving up.

Didn't get it all done, but at least it's a start.

Seeing as I've been avoiding it for a long time and it really needed doing, it feels like a positive to have accomplished it.

[KayC]

Computer is dead, it wanted to open 19 windows in each browser, restarted twice, seemed okay then dead. Will have to go out of town to buy one and no idea where.

[KayC]

Will be without one five days, it's going to kill me! 😭 

[widower2]

52 minutes ago, KayC said:

Computer is dead, it wanted to open 19 windows in each browser, restarted twice, seemed okay then dead. Will have to go out of town to buy one and no idea where.

By "dead" you mean it won't even power up, or-?

[KayC]

Nope, nothing, nada.

Ordered one on Amazon, be without for five days. I think it'll kill me. Can't even access my budget!

[widower2]

ouch, sorry to hear. It's nice to get a new PC but not for that reason.  

[Gail 8588]

Kay, 

So sorry.  I know how you feel. My laptop locked up on me, just black screen.  I got a new one, but I haven't  been able to get my files off the old one. It's  driving me crazy.  

My son in Atlanta thinks he will be able to get the old files and transfer them to my new computer.  He will work on it next time he is here.  

My new laptop has windows 11, not a fan of that yet.  It is also very intrusive, wanting me to use cloud storage and other programs or stuff. I just want to be left alone to type and file my documents on this computer. 

Hope your new one comes early.

[KayC]

Widower2, Yes, black screen, won't even come up in safe mode, had 1 1/2 years, long enough to be off warranty.

[KayC]

Okay, positive with fingers crossed...it suddenly came back after a couple of hours of black screen...who knows if it'll stay working or not or what caused it (Windows 11?) tried cancelling order on Amazon but up to the seller.  Bad timing with needing every cent for this construction project, overspent already.  Still waiting for his bid.

[Marq]

After years of trouble and annoyances with PC I finally switched to Mac.  Soooo much easier.  And the hardware lasts forever.  I have a 10 year old macbook that is still ticking along without a problem.

[KayC]

They cancelled my order so I hope it is still working when I get home!

[foreverhis]

5 hours ago, KayC said:

Computer is dead, it wanted to open 19 windows in each browser, restarted twice, seemed okay then dead. Will have to go out of town to buy one and no idea where.

Oh no!  That's just not right.  Sheesh, they aren't even making computers like they used to.  I am so angry on your behalf and sorry you have to go through again!

Is there a Best Buy anywhere near you?  The Geek Squad here has worked wonders on our computers in the past.

[foreverhis]

3 hours ago, KayC said:

what caused it (Windows 11?)

I am hating Windows 11 more and more every day--and I don't even use it!

Fingers crossed that it stays working.  Have you cleared your temporary files and cache or optimized the hard drive?  That's something I forget to do and sometimes it leads to problems.  Of course, it's just as likely that it's something else, but who knows what little computer gremlins are in there!

I'm going to send a little prayer out that it stays working and you can figure out what caused it.

[KayC]

Just did that this week.

[widower2]

The intermittent off and on thing makes me suspect a loose or faulty power connection somehow, like your power cable or maybe even the socket in the wall (or the power surge strip if you have one)...might want to try plugging it in elsewhere and see if it changes anything. 

[KayC]

I checked that already.

And it was plugged directly into the socket, nnot through a power strip.

Was not touching anything when it came back on.

[widower2]

Oh well just a thought. Very strange...

[KayC]

I've used computers since I was 16 (Otis), that is 55 years, this is one for Ripley's!

[widower2]

You were using computers in 1969? Wow...working for IBM or some such? I don't miss punch cards.

[KayC]

The school system, they used OTIS, it took up the whole wall. We had a Gaztetner machine, took up the middle of the room, very messy black ink. And those duplicater machines with purple ink that got lighter the more you used them.

I was 16, the person that was supposed to train me left before she started, there was no one, just me, to do 1 1/2 positions in a half a day. It was the best thing that ever could have happened to me, it taught me to rely on myself and work hard.

[ThereIsAField]

I got a bit more of my gutters cleaned today. That's the trickiest bit done... There's one section of gutter (about 6 - 7 meters) that are super inaccessible... It's a gutter of part of the main roof, but there's a built on room in front of that, so I can only reach each end of the gutter with a ladder... Sigh... This gutter is under a birch tree which clogs the gutter up like crazy with its leaves and its pollen-thingees that it drops...

My depression is so bad that I barely get the daily necessities done, let alone things like the gutters... but this gutter, when it clogs up, the water seeps into the walls and I've been ignoring this and noticed a wet patch on the wall a few days ago... Unfortunately there was some mould on it too, which upset me, cos that's obviously a health risk. Luckily it's a room I don't currently use, but still.

I've now got one ladder installed on each end of this stupid gutter and they can stay there, so I can climb up at any time and check (well, in theory).

I'm listing it as a positive, because it really does feel like an important achievement to me... When the walls are getting damp, you really can't afford to ignore it any longer, can you... I didn't give up, didn't cry, even tho the temptation to do just that and go hide in bed is so strong...

I hope I can clean the lower gutters on that side of the house in the next few days... those ones aren't a problem... The roof there slopes down so low that I can almost reach the gutter without a ladder at all...

[DWS]

It's a lonely long Victoria Day weekend here in Canada but my positive is that I was able to connect with my new neighbours a bit more yesterday. This summer will be two years since they bought their small house and moved in...a husband and wife with three kids. That house was always a bit of a problem place in the past but now this incredible turnabout happened with them putting a lot of love and attention into their new home.

I had mentioned to her earlier in the week that my offer still stands if they would like some plants. My hostas, in particular, need some major dividing so yesterday, I heard this "hello" through the fence while I was planting some impatiens. I invited her over to the backyard and she was overwhelmed with it all. She said that she's peeked through the fence at times to get a glimpse of the gardens but had no idea of how much was here and said it was like walking through a garden centre. I was beaming at being able to show it off to someone. My neighbour is the first person to have seen it this year!

Anyway, I told her that I will get some plants ready for her. I'm relieved because of the overcrowding of the plants. No one in my family cares about having any of them so to be able to share them with someone who appreciates them is a big positive for me. 

[DWS]

19 minutes ago, ThereIsAField said:

I've now got one ladder installed on each end of this stupid gutter and they can stay there, so I can climb up at any time and check (well, in theory).

I'm listing it as a positive, because it really does feel like an important achievement to me... When the walls are getting damp, you really can't afford to ignore it any longer, can you... I didn't give up, didn't cry, even tho the temptation to do just that and go hide in bed is so strong...

That sure sounds like a positive to me! Going up and down ladders to clean gutters isn't child's play!!! With the trees around my place, they have to be done three or four times each year. I get a good feeling after they're done...a feeling of relief. Just one of those tasks that would be so nice not having to do. Expensive leaf guards sure would be the solution but "expensive" is the key word here. 

[KayC]

If it continues to be a problem, I would have the Birch tree trimmed or removed so it doesn't do that.  I had that with some DF trees which I had trimmed back from the house, also a fire hazard if wildfires come through here.  Getting gutters cleaned out is definitely an issue!  When I had the roof put on my 30 1/2 ft Patio, I had the gutters removed and roof overhang extended a bit so it goes onto the ground below instead if clogging up.  My patio is up in the air (stilted 8 ft) so no way to reach them w/o a ladder from the ground, or if from the patio itself a stepstool that you have to inch along the patio, cumbersome.  Also works best from the roof with a blower but I don't do ladders/roofs!  Sometimes downspouts clog up too and need removed to get the DF needles out and then put back, but if not as stuck can sometimes thunk the downspout and dislodge it.

 

 

[ThereIsAField]

Thanks - it's comforting to hear others struggle with their gutters too.

I feel like such a wimp for being overwhelmed by them and I'm really hard on myself why I don't just get this supposedly simple task done.

I've considered leaf-guards for this section of gutters too @DWS but birches drop such a lot of weird gunk that I'm concerned that would clog up the leaf-guards, making the whole problem so much more difficult, cos I can't easily access those leaf-guards to clean them, other than climbing on the roof... yikes...

I basically just need to be on top of it... clean that particular gutter every 4 - 8 weeks and not let the birch gunk build up.

We cut off one of the birch's branches that over-hung the roof @KayC but I'd hate to cut the whole thing down. I've had a deep connection to trees since childhood and I'd always try to find a workaround rather than cut it down...

It's just something I have to be better at doing regularly...

I'm thinking of maybe setting up a hose so I can flush out that gutter regularly too... I've got enough old hose in the garage, so this would (in theory) be easy to set up...

[widower2]

30 minutes ago, DWS said:

That sure sounds like a positive to me! Going up and down ladders to clean gutters isn't child's play!!! With the trees around my place, they have to be done three or four times each year. I get a good feeling after they're done...a feeling of relief. Just one of those tasks that would be so nice not having to do. Expensive leaf guards sure would be the solution but "expensive" is the key word here. 

Gutter guards don't have to be overly expensive FWIW....for ex (in fact I'm eyeing these myself):

https://www.amazon.com/Frost-VX620-Plastic-Gutter-Guard/dp/B000LNNS3W

[KayC]

19 minutes ago, ThereIsAField said:

I'd hate to cut the whole thing down. I've had a deep connection to trees since childhood and I'd always try to find a workaround rather than cut it down...

Me too, and for 45 years that was fine.  Then we got a threatening letter from the Dept of Forestry, it was horrible!  Basically demanding we get 50 ft clearance from any structures, blah blah blah...they didn''t send this to anyone but the rural people even though whole towns were threatened by wildfires.  Forest rangers came out and did a lot of cutting of trees I'd loved and privacy barriers I'd had.  They didn't trim/cut large trees, telling us we'd have to get someone to do it, so I had Jack do some, but not 50 ft away and not trees/shrubs like photinia or mahagany that were not a threat.  Cut back some but nothing threatening the tree itself.  There was such an outcry that the Forestry Dept did some backpedaling but not until damage was done.  Homeowner's insurance using this against us to greatly increase our rates or cancel!  All the $ paid out to treecutters and trimmers came out of our pockets.  
And then there was the early morning I woke up to the sound of cutting (AFTER they'd already been here, yet they never announced themselves!) so I donned my robe and slippers to go out and see what was going on...rangers cut down my beloved lilac tree, the first thing I'd ever planted here!  It was a start off my MIL's tree, the only thing I have left of her...gone.  The beloved mom I'd always wanted.  Fragrant and beautiful and the tree had never been in better shape!  They admitted it wasn't a threat yet they did this w/o telling me!  He said he thought he was doing me a favor.  If you want to do me a favor you could cut the stickery bushes that keep growing here that I continually try to eradicate.  Oh no, none of those were cut!

[RichS]

32 minutes ago, widower2 said:

Gutter guards don't have to be overly expensive FWIW....for ex (in fact I'm eyeing these myself):

And not difficult to install if you feel comfortable climbing a ladder. If not, a handyman can do it for you.

[RichS]

1 hour ago, DWS said:

I heard this "hello" through the fence while I was planting some impatiens. I invited her over to the backyard and she was overwhelmed with it all. She said that she's peeked through the fence at times to get a glimpse of the gardens but had no idea of how much was here and said it was like walking through a garden centre. I was beaming at being able to show it off to someone. My neighbour is the first person to have seen it this year!

The world is a better place for all of us when we build bridges instead of walls.........................

[Boggled]

1 hour ago, ThereIsAField said:

I've now got one ladder installed on each end of this stupid gutter and they can stay there, so I can climb up at any time and check (well, in theory).

hey, I could do that.  We have a plastic-and-metal ladder we have always just kept collapsed on the side of our back deck, where it collects leaves that I blow off occasionally;  is there some REASON not to just leave it up all the time?   wow.  Just leaving it up sounds like a great idea(??) to me!

[DWS]

53 minutes ago, widower2 said:

Gutter guards don't have to be overly expensive FWIW....for ex (in fact I'm eyeing these myself):

https://www.amazon.com/Frost-VX620-Plastic-Gutter-Guard/dp/B000LNNS3W

The expensive guards I was referring to are the professional installation ones they advertise on TV. I imagine those are likely in the $2000 - $3000 range these days...but I have put those inexpensive plastic gutter guards on the house years ago. They work quite well. The disadvantage is that gunk from tree seeds and other debris still make their way under it. In the late fall, I usually have to clean them out because the gutter would still get quite clogged. Then it's a matter of cleaning under them with the brittle ends of the guards scratching the tops of my cold hands....not fun!!! The wind can play havoc with them as well. 

I still have one side with those on it and might buy another roll for the other side of the house. I did buy a pack of these metal ones for the front of the house. They work good. I got them on sale the one year. These get screwed into the gutter to stay in place. Unfortunately when I got through installing mine, they didn't look quite as nice as this one in the pic...

 

[ThereIsAField]

15 minutes ago, Boggled said:

hey, I could do that.  We have a plastic-and-metal ladder we have always just kept collapsed on the side of our back deck, where it collects leaves that I blow off occasionally;  is there some REASON not to just leave it up all the time?   wow.  Just leaving it up sounds like a great idea(??) to me!

Yeah, I know right? I just need these jobs to be easier... If I have to go and get a ladder each time, it's just one more hurdle that I probably won't take and delay and procrastinate the task for another day/ week...

I guess it could tip over in a storm? Maybe make sure it's either secured somehow or that if it tips over, it won't fall into a window and break it...

[KayC]

16 minutes ago, Boggled said:

We have a plastic-and-metal ladder we have always just kept collapsed on the side of our back deck, where it collects leaves that I blow off occasionally;  is there some REASON not to just leave it up all the time?   wow.  Just leaving it up sounds like a great idea(??) to me!

I have one I leave up all the time, originally to clean off the internet satelite dish but I no longer have that and still leave it up as it's wedged inbetween something and is an easier place to enter the roof.

[Boggled]

1 hour ago, ThereIsAField said:

Yeah, I know right? I just need these jobs to be easier... If I have to go and get a ladder each time, it's just one more hurdle that I probably won't take and delay and procrastinate the task for another day/ week...

I guess it could tip over in a storm? Maybe make sure it's either secured somehow or that if it tips over, it won't fall into a window and break it...

The idea I could just leave the ladder standing up ... (!!!  oh!) was so encouraging for me that I just went out, stood the ladder up next to the gutter on the back deck (hunh, been more than 2 years since I cleaned it last), and cleaned out the whole thing.   ha.  Positive for today.   Also used the 20V Max hedge trimmer to chop back some forsythia and vines climbing right over the end of the decking ... so I could get the ladder to get to the gutter.   I absolutely love the idea I can just leave the ladder standing there.   😁

[ThereIsAField]

Very cool!!! 😁

[KayC]

And I went and got more sticker bushes and put them on the burn pile!

[KayC]

Got my glasses last night, I can't believe the eye strain I've been under, how tired it made my eyes, I knew I needed new glasses, no openings last year so super bad this year!  It felt like a world of difference driving home.  Nine hours sleep, yay!

[KayC]

Car repair done! √ Over two hours instead of one, but hey, it's done!

[Gail 8588]

My to do list seems to get longer and longer. But my positive is that a few things are getting checked off as done. 

I am starting to use my new laptop.  (Since my old one is not functioning, is is good that I am overcoming my fear of the new one.)  I wracked my brain to remember my sign in and passwords for some important accounts that were stored on my old laptop allowing me to log in without having to enter anything.  But after so many years, I no longer knew what the log ins were.  So the fact that I could log in and pay some bills today, before they became past due feels like something to celebrate. 

[KayC]

Absolutely and I applaud you, esp. with what I've been through lately!  That's a huge triumph! 

[widower2]

I'm in the process of buying a house I've been renting. Get this:

- The foyer and walls where the stairs lead upstairs, and the master bedroom, are powder blue.
- The kitchen is dark brick red.
- The living room is taupe.
- The half-bath downstairs is a dark hunter green.
- The other bedroom is a bright banana yellow.
- The other bedroom was a dark navy blue, and when I asked if I could paint it, they said "just make sure you use a neutral color" 

The first order of business I'll have is painting. So I'm positive I'll hate painting when it's over.   

[Rey Dominguez Jr]

That is quite the color combination you have in the house, specially the kitchen and half-bath downstairs.  I would start with those, perhaps?  😊

[widower2]

Oh yeah. They are on top of the list.

[KayC]

8 hours ago, widower2 said:

The other bedroom was a dark navy blue, and when I asked if I could paint it, they said "just make sure you use a neutral color" 

This gave me a laugh!

[Sparky1]

11 hours ago, widower2 said:

I'm in the process of buying a house I've been renting. Get this:

- The foyer and walls where the stairs lead upstairs, and the master bedroom, are powder blue.
- The kitchen is dark brick red.
- The living room is taupe.
- The half-bath downstairs is a dark hunter green.
- The other bedroom is a bright banana yellow.
- The other bedroom was a dark navy blue, and when I asked if I could paint it, they said "just make sure you use a neutral color" 

The first order of business I'll have is painting. So I'm positive I'll hate painting when it's over.   

You're going to need lots of primer to hide those dark colors. And maybe at least two coats of paint on top. Not an easy job, I feel for you. 

[Boggled]

39 minutes ago, Sparky1 said:

You're going to need lots of primer to hide those dark colors. And maybe at least two coats of paint on top. Not an easy job, I feel for you. 

Kilz.  Kilz works really well for covering, I think you can add a base color to it, too.   So, these rooms aren't in the part of the house you had previously been renting, Widower2?

BTW, another benefit of leaving the ladder up next to the gutter ...  yesterday it started to rain and I just went out to the nice already-standing ladder, got a little wet, but climbed up it and looked at the corner of the gutter it was standing by ... a leetle teensy pile of maple seeds building up in the corner and a nice flow of rainwater flowing through the gutter!  Grabbed the maple seeds & tossed 'em;  watched the lovely flow of rainwater through the gutter a short while longer, felt good!     

[KayC]

True, I used Kilz on my ceiling when the roofer did a bad job and it leaked over 8 ft by 3 ft area.  It did a great job!  (Had my son check that area in the rafters when he installed wood stove.)  Now have to use Henry's around chimney on roof after chimney sweep but no more leaking onto ceiling!