John's Blog

More news about some things.

Kyle has stopped by several times this week. He’s been bringing Titania with.

Kim and I left early this morning for a short notice dentist appointment for Kim. A tooth is aggravating a nerve, she has puffy-face which indicates infection. She called four dentists, the one at The World’s Largest Truck Stop (this is their home page interactive map) just west of the QCA on Interstate 80 took the job. He x-rayed but couldn’t do anything because too much swelling. So she’s on antibiotics until next week. A real good dentist, she said.

While we were at the dentist Kyle stopped by to drop off Titania then he left for his doctor appointment, leaving four dogs to fend for themselves. Titania got into our bread supply, devouring the following: a entire bag (half dozen) of blueberry flavored bagels, one half loaf of 12 grain wheat bread, and was grinding on a raw potato when we walked in the door.

I’m doing fine. I am reducing the amount of food I eat that contains added sugars. This is not fun. Apples have no added sugars so they’re fine to eat. Instant oatmeal has added sugar but it’s oatmeal so it’s okay to eat. I received a Christmas gift of a decent-sized bag of golf-ball sized milk chocolate covered cashews. They are delightful to eat and do not count as having added sugar because they don’t. They’re just herkin’ sized cashews with a very generous coating of chocolate. Very healthy ingredients. A quick glance at the ingredient list didn’t really show added sugars but I am limiting myself to one each day to be on the safe side.

One cup of hot apple cider has 40% of the recommended daily allowance of added sugar. One cup! 40%! And don’t get me started on Ovaltine. So I limit myself to one cup of each of those per day. To be on the safe side.

I have not done any work on the improved exhaust system that pulls the smoke and fine particles from the laser engravers and dumps it outside because I’ve been doing other things.

Yesterday it was above freezing out and there was some snow that needed clearing from the storm that just passed through here. So I spent five hours outside running a snow blower and shoveling. My cheap Chinese snow blower is now busted because the accessory belt that powers the augers and impellers has glazed over and needs to be replaced. Instant bog down whenever I engage the snow blowing part. Bummage.

Replacing that belt is a big job, the snow blower must be unbolted into two halves. Then I’d have to grope around inside the gearbox-transmission thingy to swap the belt. The only place I could do that is in the garage. Annnnd it’s gonna get cold out.

A wicked big storm is headed our way from the Pacific Northwest, it’s gonna get wicked cold out. I have plenty of batteries for my electric socks but I’m running out of those small bags of instant heat that you tuck into your socks and gloves to stay warm. A bag in each sock (that’s two) plus two in each glove (four more) just for one outing. But they work good enough. That’s all for now, cheers!