“Arguments are to be avoided; they are always vulgar and often convincing.” – Oscar Wilde
Monday, May 20, 2013
2013 Pool Opening
Opened the pool today. More later, I am sure!
Posted under: New Jersey • Stuff You Gotta Know! • by Rick on 05/20/2013 at 06:53 PM
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Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Plated
Lynne and I discovered this great service that is now available in the NYC area--luckily that includes us.
It is a service that works a bit like a book club. Only, instead of books their product is dinner. It is called Plated and you can learn more at http://www.plated.com/invites/e013c9. (If you decide to try them out later, please use this link to access their site. That way, I get credit for your referral and maybe a free plate!)
Here is how it works. Each week you get an email describing four or five different meals that will be available the following week. You can go to their web site any time to learn more about the next week's meals. If you want to try one or more, you can select them and have them delivered to your door on Tuesday. You must select at least 4 plates and they must be selected in pairs. So, when Lynne and I use this service, we select two meals from those available and then order two of each. Plates cost about $15 each.
The really great part is that you get everything you need to make the meal (well except some staples like olive oil, flour, salt and pepper.) It all comes in a box with every ingredient pre-measured and packaged. Just follow the simple instructions that are included and in less than 1/2 hour, you have an excellent meal.
The recipes can be kept and recreated later (but you must do the shopping.)
If you join as a member an pay a monthly fee (I think it is $10) then you get a discount on each plate (that more than pays for the membership.) And, you will get a preselected set of meals each week unless you go online to cancel (or call or send an email.) This is where it is a bit like a book club. Lynne and I have the membership, but most weeks I cancel the proposed meals and either select our own or select nothing. After all, we really don't need two meals a week from them.
But, if you ever have those weeks where you just can't decide on what you want to shop for and eat, this service is helpful because the recipes are varied, always good, and very, very easy since everything is delivered ready to cook.
Check it out!
Posted under: New Jersey • Food and Cooking • by Rick on 05/15/2013 at 09:15 AM
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Friday, April 12, 2013
First Use of Wired-In Generator
I got back on the red-eye from Las Vegas this morning. I'd been attending the NAB trade show where we pre-introduced the Phantom Flex4K. I'll post about that later.
This post is to announce that I came home to rain and some wind, and while napping for a bit this morning, we lost power! We are not really sure why because the rain is not hard nor is the wind strong. But, the power is out and so, for the first time, we are powering the house from the generator. We have lights, heat, one hot water heater, and obviously power to write this post.
Posted under: New Jersey • by Rick on 04/12/2013 at 08:57 AM
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Saturday, February 16, 2013
The House is Now Wired for a Generator
After losing power for multiple days several times over the past few years (Irene, surprise snowstorms, hurricane Sandy), we decided to buy a generator and wire it into the house. I got a good deal on a 10,000 watt Generac generator -- which can pretty much run the entire house if we shut off truly optional things (like floor heat in the bathroom). And, we had a new electrical panel installed which allows us to switch from grid power to generator power in case of power loss.
The entire electrical panel (which was a bit of a mess from years of some DYI wiring) had to be rewired. And, while the process was a bit scary:
The result is a very clean installation that allows us, with the flip of a switch, to run the house from the generator.
I'll try to remember to take an "after" photo and edit this post with that.
Posted under: New Jersey • by Rick on 02/16/2013 at 06:48 AM
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Wednesday, December 26, 2012
New Feature on Weather Station
For Christmas, Santa brought me a heater for the rain collector on the weather station. This allows it to better collect and measure moisture (rainfall) when the weather is cold and the precipitation takes the form of snow or ice. I installed it today, just before we got some snow. And, it seems to be working fine. We are now getting sleet and ice on top of the snow and the temperature is still below freezing.
Thanks Santa!
You can follow the weather at our home at this web address:
Posted under: New Jersey • by Rick on 12/26/2012 at 06:51 PM
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