What have you done today? (Pt 2)

[Parts]

Worked on getting the storage unit organized

[renaeden]

Woken up and fed Rowan (the cat) and mixed my cordial drink for work.

[DirtDawg]

I opened up my dad's old Blaupunkt radio.

It has been idle, stored in one of my closets in our old house, for almost ten years and it was made in the early '60s.
Being a sixty year old piece of electronic gear is a big red flag. Shit ages, even though they are not in use.
Just pluggin it in can cause a great deal of damage if some of the capacitors have changed significantly. Or if they just dried out in the case of electrolytics, which would result in a dead short in the circuit.
 BAD NEWS.

While I'm still a little gimpy with my left arm, I am planning to replace all the capacitors in the circuitry. It amounts to some bench work, but no real lifting or troubling movements. I can DO IT! It's all tubes, even the rectification. Way bigger than it might look. In fact, it is a little larger on the face than my 23" desktop monitor and about ten times as deep.

Here's a pic. I might have posted this old beasty before, but it would have been about three computers ago or so. Not sure.

Oh, BTW, these are not special in any way. They are not valuable, they were made in Germany by trainloads for the USA market and often sell on eBay now for fifty bucks in working order.
The only reason this is one is worth restoring and maybe a little special to me is that it belonged to my father.
We used to sit in our south Texas home on Saturday nights and listen The Grand Ole Opry from Nashville, Tennessee.  AM transmission in those old days and it got a decent signal from over a thousand miles away, in the '60s.

Dad had a lot of radios. Radio electronics is what he did before his musical instrument repair business. This one was always best at picking up WSM, the station that broadcast the Grand Ole Opry. Sadly, Mom insisted that he get rid of all his old radios when they got super busy with the instrument business. He kept this one. It was by far the best and that includes about every brand you have ever heard of and a couple of other German brands you probably haven't heard of.
I wanted to keep the Grundig, too, but Mom wouldn't have it.

Anyway, I have his favorite old radio, now. It is up to me to help it last another two generations.
Check out my next project:

[rock hound]

Got the plants we wanted for our deck growing efforts, Basil, curled parsley, Jalapeno peppers and some Lavender.  Also bought an Aloe Vera plant, since the one we have now is failing and needs to be replaced.  Hopefully the Bees will be happy!   

[Genesis]

Hanged out with Dad at McDonald's, and then went to the thrift shop... I found Seasons 1 and 2 of The Newsroom for $3.99 each and a copy of Identity (a good movie, by the way, weird plot twists just need multiple viewings)

[DirtDawg]

This evening, I set the oven for lowish and roasted some pecans. No sugar, salt or oils, just pecans, lightly roasted to a deep golden color.

It makes them more crispy, enhaces the flavor, but also makes then more tender. Delicious! It makes the perfect bench snack.

Next batch, I think I am going to roast them with cocnnut oil, put them in a food processor with some maple syrup and salt and make another round of pecan butter. Haven't done that in a while.

Everyone always says that life is too short, but I can tell you that life is WAY TOO LONG if you don't make some pecan butter once in a while.

[DirtDawg]

I got up before the sun and started my grille.

Mother's Day is kind of fucked up this year, so I moved things ahead to today.

I put a ham on the grille to slow smoke for a few hours. I also grilled some corn on the cob and a couple of onions with spiced potatoes. Everything all smoky and delicious!
I had planned for a badass roast of beef, but other things are happening, now ...
I knew the ham would be quicker. Four hours for a ten pound ham, eight or twelve hours for a slow smoked beef roast of about nine pounds.

Pretend Hero Dad here.  I was proud of this meal. Almost broke my other arm patting myself on the back.

A silent table with full mouths is the best applause!!
 

[Genesis]

Cleaned the bird cages, got dressed, fixed myself a late lunch, and now I'm just relaxing and avoiding the Cubs score because I would rather be yelling obscenities at the Dodgers on Twitter than out loud.

[Gopher Gary]

I did my weekend chores and cleaned the cars. I decided to start cleaning the cars more often since they're being used more, instead of getting annoyed because they're dirty before I plan on doing it. I thought I wasn't going to be able to do inside the boy's car because he didn't hang his keys on the hook, but he woke up before I was done and I was able to get in after all. That's good because it would have had to wait until next time, since I plan on not doing much of anything tomorrow. 

[DirtDawg]

As the day has settled some, I made a list of all the components I will need to replace in my dad's old radio, before I try to power it up.
Hoping the supplier I have chosen can fulfill my order.

[renaeden]

Drove out to the country to meet up with parents, sisters and their families. Lots of talking happened (I mostly listened) and things were pretty cheerful. Everyone shared food and drinks. I accidentally spilled half a can of Coke on my chair while moving it out of the sun. So I stood for a while. My mum liked her book about Australian life in the 50s and 60s. She will hopefully have some things to tell me about it. She brought me a bag with some photos of me as a kid to keep. I'm looking forward to showing Kayleigh.

[Charlotte Quin]

Laundry, then went to mums to giver her a mothers day present and she wasn't home. Got the washing dry.
Crush boi flaked out of going to the RSL raffles again so I went for a cruise in the car before getting some takeaway dinner.

[rock hound]

Did my usual solo meditative Sunday walk, picked up the trash along my adopted section of road.  Had a guy stop his car and thank me for doing that (not the first time)    I don't do it for attention, but, it's nice to have that small bit of gratitude thrown my way.   

[Genesis]

Woke up, checked on the birds, had Lunch with Mom and Dad, made my supper for tonight at work, now I'm just relaxing before I headout at 2:30 to do my shift at 3:00

[renaeden]

Went to physio gym with Kayleigh, then to Macca's for an orange juice, went home and found I had a card with details about picking my package up from the post office. Had butter chicken for lunch and then got an email saying my items were in a parcel locker. Kayleigh has had experience with this so she came with me and showed me how to get my package.

Came home and cleaned out the "cleaning cupboard", there were some very old tea towels in there that were yuck so I threw them out. Did the dishes and put some of the clutter away. Brought in the washing and put it away.

Work is next, I leave in half an hour.