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Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
37,935
7,508
Who buys a RWD S Class in Calgary? Really

 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
37,935
7,508
Just booked Aya a private lesson for next Saturday. (At age 3 only the private lessons are an option--kids group lessons start at age 4.)

3 hours. $404. Oof. Buying freedom is expensive eh.
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
37,935
7,508
Latest update: got swallow bugs. These are bed bug type creatures that followed the swallows last year. Now they're in the drain pipes. Treatment is apparently akin to bed bugs: heat whole house to 130-140F for multiple hours, then chemical treatments x 2 weeks afterwards.

This will be expensive to remedy, it appears, but got to get this done. Looking at $20k probably--getting some quotes.
 

6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
15,787
12,959
Give it a week or two and Russia might have heated it to 100 million kelvin. Should take care of the issue.
 

SkaredShtles

Michael Bolton
Sep 21, 2003
65,207
12,446
In a van.... down by the river
Latest update: got swallow bugs. These are bed bug type creatures that followed the swallows last year. Now they're in the drain pipes. Treatment is apparently akin to bed bugs: heat whole house to 130-140F for multiple hours, then chemical treatments x 2 weeks afterwards.

This will be expensive to remedy, it appears, but got to get this done. Looking at $20k probably--getting some quotes.
They did say, "Buy a house."
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
37,935
7,508
Got a $3,800 tentative quote for treatment with heat + chemicals, so perhaps it'll be much cheaper than feared. Stimulating the local economy, I am.
 

6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
15,787
12,959

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
37,935
7,508
Got a $3,800 tentative quote for treatment with heat + chemicals, so perhaps it'll be much cheaper than feared. Stimulating the local economy, I am.
Confirmed to be swallow bugs by two vendors today.

Orkin:
$3,112. No heat. Chemical treatment of upstairs areas + preventative treatment of first floor x 2 rounds. "Encasements" for mattresses and box springs upstairs, a la bed bugs.

Thermal Clean LLC:
$3,300. Heat. "Two rounds of chemicals in the house, including the attic". He says the encasements are not necessary given the heat and that they aren't bed bugs proper.

I'm going with #2, the heat + chemicals option, especially since the attic is most likely teeming with them from the prior swallow intrusions and their continued presence all these months later.

Much better than $20k+!
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,134
19,910
Sleazattle
Confirmed to be swallow bugs by two vendors today.

Orkin:
$3,112. No heat. Chemical treatment of upstairs areas + preventative treatment of first floor x 2 rounds. "Encasements" for mattresses and box springs upstairs, a la bed bugs.

Thermal Clean LLC:
$3,300. Heat. "Two rounds of chemicals in the house, including the attic". He says the encasements are not necessary given the heat and that they aren't bed bugs proper.

I'm going with #2, the heat + chemicals option, especially since the attic is most likely teeming with them from the prior swallow intrusions and their continued presence all these months later.

Much better than $20k+!

Wait till you realize you brought them back to Denver.
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
37,935
7,508
[insert Toshi's post from a while back about his neighbor complaining about all the swallows living on the house]
Oh, they were a nuisance. No arguments there. They're just a nuisance that's protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act.
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
37,935
7,508




Ski day with Baby Aya. TIL that she likes chicken tenders and grape Fanta.

IMG_1518.jpeg
IMG_1519.jpeg


Her 70 cm no-name Amazon-sourced skis lost a brake the other week. I tried new ski-spec bolts but the threads in the very cheaply constructed core were just shot. Christy Sports tech agreed as well.

So I jerry-rigged it. Drilled small pilot holes more forward of the original locations and first tried normal length wood screws. Those stripped immediately. I thus went full gonzo and drove screws through the top sheet, case, and the P tex base alike. Then I ground off the excess and cleaned it up a bit with a wire brush.

Pretty? No. Will it drag a bit? Yes. Will it matter for my 3 year old who just needs skis with functioning brakes (and the heel plate to secure her boot in a little bit more, in as much as a 1 DIN setting secures in anything)? Also no. Just needs to last 3 more weekends.
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
37,935
7,508
Currently up with a 24/7 plumber. Sump pump failed, but also unrelated but for being in the same mechanical room had a drain back up with goop from the condensate line on the furnace and water heaters. That’s what caused minor flooding in the adjacent corner of the finished basement.

Another $3k it shall be between those two things for parity with the mountain house bug investment, and then deal with getting the carpet thoroughly cleaned later.

Looking up sump pump costs this 24/7 service definitely has a premium baked in for the convenience, but the guy says it’s a higher quality part than those at big box stores.

4505B916-610E-4B00-AFE1-1EF075A18417.jpeg
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
37,935
7,508
Paid out the nose for the 15 minutes of (needed) drain cleaning. But will get a sump pump replacement by a non-urgent hours vendor and also not be up half the night myself.
 

CBJ

year old fart
Mar 19, 2002
12,848
4,123
Copenhagen, Denmark
I can really see as a homeowner now that a house that is cared makes a big difference for next buyer even if you know you still need to upgrade the house.
 

6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
15,787
12,959
Sump pump failed, but also unrelated but for being in the same mechanical room had a drain back up with goop from the condensate line on the furnace and water heaters. That’s what caused minor flooding in the adjacent corner of the finished basement.
I have to regularly clean out our small sump which clears the condensate moisture from the furnace as it gets that bacteria goop stuff build up...

Own a house...
 

SkaredShtles

Michael Bolton
Sep 21, 2003
65,207
12,446
In a van.... down by the river
Currently up with a 24/7 plumber. Sump pump failed, but also unrelated but for being in the same mechanical room had a drain back up with goop from the condensate line on the furnace and water heaters. That’s what caused minor flooding in the adjacent corner of the finished basement.

Another $3k it shall be between those two things for parity with the mountain house bug investment, and then deal with getting the carpet thoroughly cleaned later.

Looking up sump pump costs this 24/7 service definitely has a premium baked in for the convenience, but the guy says it’s a higher quality part than those at big box stores.

View attachment 172919
Are sumps standard equipment in your hood?
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
37,935
7,508
Going to migrate home-wards at 11:30 and work from home until 4 PM.

12-2 pm plumber 1 out for sump pump replacement estimate
1-3 pm restoration company through insurance out to assess water damage
2-4 pm plumber 2 out of sump pump replacement estimate (will cancel if plumber 1 reasonable and going with them)
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
37,935
7,508
Going to migrate home-wards at 11:30 and work from home until 4 PM.

12-2 pm plumber 1 out for sump pump replacement estimate
1-3 pm restoration company through insurance out to assess water damage
2-4 pm plumber 2 out of sump pump replacement estimate (will cancel if plumber 1 reasonable and going with them)
Plumber 1 quoted $813 all in, parts and labor. So doing that. Canceled plumber 2.

Restoration company guy came out. Air scrubbers going to be brought in shortly. Bottom pane of drywall, baseboard, carpet, and carpet pad all going to be torn out and replaced. Asbestos checking guy also coming around today (as drywall and mud can both have it apparently, and no work can be done before he does his thing).

Busy afternoon given that I'm also working.
 
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Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
37,935
7,508
One of my ski buddies picked up Rustler 10s. Nick, you no doubt have a pair of these. Thoughts on them re my K2s?

Here’s a somewhat relevant multi-blurb article on the class:

 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
37,935
7,508
$3.489/gallon of 85 octane at Costco Arvada this morning. 15.8 mpg on the half tank. Not bad, Land Cruiser, especially as it either is appreciating or not depreciating at all.
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
37,935
7,508
Probably not a delightful drive home for those skiing today

DEDD0E22-3618-4F4B-B93A-A740249B01B8.jpeg


Thursday is looking pretty good btw
 

Toshi

Harbinger of Doom
Oct 23, 2001
37,935
7,508
Snow out front was super heavy, Cascade concrete style. Probably 4”. Ground wet underneath it and already slippery as snot.