a New Thing for 2018

My recent switch to one.com as web and email host came with a WordPress site. 
I'll be test-driving that for a while, in the hopes of 

1. leaving the past behind me, with all its bad habits
2. using tags well enough to enable me to also leave behind my geek 'blog
3. leave behind the latest Blogger interface, where I keep editing the wrong 'blog!

See you at https://geeklog.longviewers.one/ - for a while, at least!

- and a few more niceties

We finally saw a counter-depth refrigerator fall to our price point, so that should arrive Thursday. Our current 'fridge came with the house - and it runs all the time! No not quite, but we notice when it's off because it's quite rare.  A modern device (with a door-ajar alarm) will definitely improve matters.

Also coming Thursday are a new washer and dryer. They will bolt together and thereby free up a lot of space in the laundry zone. Some days our clothes come out looking less clean than when they went in - this should cure that for a long time to come.

All three are Samsung products.
We received a call from them asking to be sure items will fit through our doorways, then asked if I had any questions. I asked why the NX camera series is no longer supported, probably not an expected comment.  It has to be asked though; I would embrace the NX300/500 series if I believed other lenses were coming, but no comment from Samsung and no signs of life in the NX system.  They do now have refrigerators with cameras inside - sorry, not quite.

postscript - never mind, then. I visited the Samsung website and their Products tab shows no cameras whatsoever. Appliances, phones with cameras, and IT solutions - no consumer electronics, cameras or NX by any name.  How sad.

parallel tests

 -  and a new tiny desk!

I now have the new weather system set up outside, its receiver is on the left side of the monitor.  The old model with ailing sensors (no wind or outside temp data) is on the right.  The rain data is close enough to be deemed a match, so on Sunday the 1st of Feb I will reset the new one, sum up January's rain (now 6.88", slightly below normal) and see what the new system software can do.  It should be able to post to WUnderground (we're thinking Coal Creek Crest is a fine name) and the webcam on the side of the monitor can rotate for the view outside, at least for now.  Should be interesting, and fun!

The former computer desk was small but nothing like this, plus it had a stand up top for the printer.  For living-room use it was a bit jarring as a decorative statement, so having the printer in the back room is a far better option.  It's a WiFi printer after all, it can go almost anywhere.

a fortunate turn

One factor to remember when living further out of town is the value of self-reliance.  In the big city one can shout "hey can you help me?" and several neighbors are in earshot.  Out here that's less likely!

Our car battery died over the weekend, but we didn't go anywhere so it was good and dead today.  I don't even have normal jumper cables at hand, far less any other easy options.
Oh wait I sort of do.

Once upon a time I bought a power center with multiple purposes.  For one it could power a items via 12v power plugs; it could also convert to 110v and power telescopes and other items used in remote areas (its primary purpose for us).  It could also inflate tires or air mattresses - for a while, but that broke early on so it was put out of sight and therefore out of mind.  Its fourth purpose was to jump-start a dead battery.  I've never tried that part!

Now to find it in our two garages of mostly-unpacked items...

I went out to our large garage and found the orange box, and plugged it in to get back to its full capacity.  One of the first general-garage boxes I looked into had the jumper-clip cable - amazing since that alone could have taken an hour or two!  Then it was time to wait and let it gain strength, as it probably had not been charged in over a year.

My first attempt went poorly, as the cables must be done in proper order along with switches on the power station.  Once I puzzled those steps out the car brightened up, but insufficient power left it dead.  About a half-hour later I tried again, and was successful!!

This was a valuable lesson, and I'm glad it happened in good weather and when all parts fell to hand at the earliest moment.  This could have been so much tougher.  Hopefully I'm surrounded by neighbors who are familiar with such trials and could have fixed me up -- but so nice not to need help for a problem that anyone in the wild lands should be able to fix!