Post a good thing that happened in your life today

[spacecadet]

52 minutes ago, Dave Richards said:

I spent 50 years as a building services engineer working on large commercial projects down to houses for the rich and famous. I also qualified to oversee gas installations both large and small. You do not know what you are talking about and are encouraging others down a dangerous path.

Well once again thanks for your concern on this photography forum. I'm encouraging no-one, that's just what we do, but this is  quite a wide-ranging thread.

Care to offer any specifics on what I don't know about? Genuine question. Were I to come across someone under a misapprehension here I would probably want to put it right rather than just contradict.

Edited February 23, 2022 by spacecadet

[CAROL SAUNDERS]

I've been taking my other half on his daily visits to Watford Ambulatory Care Unit for his daily dose of intravenous antiobiotics.  It would be impossible for me to find a parking space there, so I drop him off, go shopping and pick him up a few hours later.

 

Yesterday I went to the shopping mall Intu in Watford although it may now be called Atria.  I accidentally parked in a different car park and lost my bearings a bit when I was in there.  Now John Lewis is no longer there it's not great in there, but I found myself in the Apple Shop - suffice to say I'm now the proud owner of 4 apple AirTags - when I'm feeling a bit down, like most gals, I like to shop😁

 

Today I dropped him off and went to the really huge Tesco quite close to the hospital, aim being to get some groceries and have a coffee.  I had just got the groceries when I got a test to pick him up!  😄Tomorrow I will just have coffee there😊

 

Carol

[CAROL SAUNDERS]

7 hours ago, sb photos said:

When an image is zoomed or licensed I always undertake an image search. I have previously read here that it's not important, why bother, it's the sales revenue that's important. Most searches are fruitless, but not all. A repeat search for an image that was zoomed and licensed found its usage. This was certainly worth while as the publisher had credited the image use to Stephen Bell/Alamy CC BY. A copyrighted image should never have been identified as Creative Commons, allowing anyone free usage. I emailed the publication asking for the credit to be corrected, and asked how this could have happened. Had an email by return from the news editor apologising and advising the correction was made. He never answered my question how the mistake was made. I wonder how common the publishers mistake was. A previous image used by them was correctly attributed.

Glad you got that sorted Steve and it's really good to know of these things, thanks for bringing this up....

 

Carol

[Betty LaRue]

2 hours ago, CAROL SAUNDERS said:

Well, our lovely neighbour who is a heating engineer came over Sunday evening and worked his magic on our ancient boiler yet again.  It was something called an overheat thermostat.  Anyway he managed to get it going but said we could really do with a new boiler.  I do actually agree, our boiler which is a Vaillaint was installed in 1997 when we bought the house, so we can't really complain other than the cost of a new one.  Even he said new ones don't last as long.  He said he doubted whether we would still be able to get the necessary part but gave me the details and suggested I contact Vaillant for a part no. so I could order one.  Vaillant were very good and got back to me with a part no. and I managed to order one from a plumbers merchant, it was only about £30 so not so bad.  However, they called today and apologised but it may not be with them until end of next week so I asked them to keep it on order anyway.  Our boiler is still working and our engineer said just to get it and keep anyway for that price i.e., if it ain't broke don't fix it, he's doing us a quote for a new boiler anyway.  He has always been very good with us and our relic of a boiler so I wouldn't want anyone else to do it even if I could get it cheaper.  I am so lucky to have amazing neighbours.  My other neighbour also helped yesterday when our 4 new fence panels were delivered and put them in his garden and will put them up later in the week when the storms have hopefully lessened....

 

Carol

Good neighbors are worth more than a bundle of cash. I live next door to a retired electrician. He has done many things for me, and his wife is who got me interested in raising Monarch butterflies. They are moving halfway across the states in a couple of months to live near grandchildren. I will miss them.

[NYCat]

15 hours ago, Betty LaRue said:

We had a 50 degree drop in temperature from yesterday, yes it’s freezing, A dusting of snow this morning and more coming Thursday. 

 

I think you are my best weather forecaster, Betty. 68 and beautiful today and tomorrow drops into the 30s with snow forecast in the evening. I enjoyed some time in the garden today when I had the chance.

 

Paulette

[CAROL SAUNDERS]

2 hours ago, Betty LaRue said:

Good neighbors are worth more than a bundle of cash. I live next door to a retired electrician. He has done many things for me, and his wife is who got me interested in raising Monarch butterflies. They are moving halfway across the states in a couple of months to live near grandchildren. I will miss them.

Ah that's a shame they are moving away Betty but hopefully your new neighbours will be just as good....

 

Carol

[John Morrison]

2 hours ago, Betty LaRue said:

Good neighbors are worth more than a bundle of cash.

Do we get the option? A "bundle of cash" for me, please...

[Dave Richards]

18 hours ago, spacecadet said:

Well once again thanks for your concern on this photography forum. I'm encouraging no-one, that's just what we do, but this is  quite a wide-ranging thread.

Care to offer any specifics on what I don't know about? Genuine question. Were I to come across someone under a misapprehension here I would probably want to put it right rather than just contradict.

This subject has been bouncing around for some time on this photography forum and you haven't been slow in airing your views.

As for being contradictory, what was your penultimate post on the subject other than just contradictory with no substance?

If you want specifics try this:-

Boiler gas supplies are controlled by a solenoid valve. These valves, like any other moving part, are subject to deterioration over time. Eventually the valve seating will wear, resulting in gas leaking past the valve. This may maintain a very small burn of the leaking gas which can be very difficult to spot. I have witnessed this on occasions.

In this situation the danger arises  when the boiler switches off for any length of time, e.g. when shutting down at night. It only needs for that small burn to go out, a draft through the flue maybe, and the boiler chambers fills with gas.

This situation is even more dangerous if the boiler is an old naturally aspirated type with a conventional or balanced flue (there probably are still some of those around).There is a potential for the whole room the boiler is in to fill with a lethal gas/air mixture and the result if that goes off would be catastrophic. Houses get destroyed and people die!

That is why everyone with a gas boiler should have it serviced annually by a competent, GAS SAFE qualified engineer. They don’t just clean the boiler, they check the function and safety interlocks. I would also encourage everyone to read and understand their obligations in that regard in respect of their household insurance policy.

Is that specific enough for you?

I'm looking at the reactions to our posts on this subject and it is apparent that your views are not garnering much support.

As the old saying goes, "when you're stuck in a hole, stop digging".

 

Edited February 24, 2022 by Dave Richards
added text

[MDM]

Regardless of what is legally required or not, the bottom line here in relation to gas boilers is why take the risk? If one has even a potentially faulty boiler then one is not just risking one's own property and the lives of self and family but also the lives and properties of neighbours. The consequences might be and frequently are fatal, as gas explosions tend to devastate all around them. I have a contract with a local Gas Safe engineer for £10 a month which covers an annual service (about to take place shortly) and parts and labour if things go wrong. Over the years it has paid for itself in what I would have paid if I had to call in an engineer when the boiler has stopped working. 

Edited February 23, 2022 by MDM

[Chuck Nacke]

On 22/02/2022 at 17:09, Chuck Nacke said:

Skied all day in the sunshine, 26 miles and hit a top speed of over 40 mph.

Does not get much better than that....

 

Chuck

Well today, Wed was another story, I got hit by another skier and can barely walk and my 14 year-old daughter fractured her collar bone on the other side of the mountain.

Tiger Balm and good beer for me but she is out for the rest of the season.

 

Chuck

 

[Betty LaRue]

6 hours ago, John Morrison said:

Do we get the option? A "bundle of cash" for me, please...

[Betty LaRue]

1 hour ago, Chuck Nacke said:

Well today, Wed was another story, I got hit by another skier and can barely walk and my 14 year-old daughter fractured her collar bone on the other side of the mountain.

Tiger Balm and good beer for me but she is out for the rest of the season.

 

Chuck

 

Chuck, I’m so sorry. It’s the risk one takes when hitting the slopes, I guess. I had a few spectacular falls on my own, but was never hit by another skier except a 4 year old who crossed the back of my skis.  At least the season is on the short side for your daughter, but still a bummer.

[Betty LaRue]

7 hours ago, NYCat said:

 

I think you are my best weather forecaster, Betty. 68 and beautiful today and tomorrow drops into the 30s with snow forecast in the evening. I enjoyed some time in the garden today when I had the chance.

 

Paulette

Yes, dear, whatever we get in Kansas/Oklahoma, just wait a day or 3 and it’ll be served up to you! Enjoy! I’m sure not! 😁

 

I had to get out in 18 degree weather to go to PT. Jeff helps me from the car and it’s a slow process. Whatever was gained working to loosen painful parts inside was lost when I and my walker rolled out the door to go home, and that lovely, frigid wind slapped me in the face, turning my body to stone.

Stick that painful foot of yours out of the window for 3 minutes, and you won’t need to ice it. I’m doing the opposite, applying heat since I can’t stick my back out there without the rest of my body following along. Nah, nah. Our low was 3 this morning. Wind chill way below zero.

[Betty LaRue]

On 19/02/2022 at 12:30, Rebecca Ore said:

 

I recommend half crutches, but if possible, try before you buy.   This is my set of walking aids.

 

 

Thanks, Rebecca.  I have a wheeled walker with a seat from a medical device loan place, and two canes my neighbor leant me. Plus a reacher. When I’m fully mobile again, it all goes back.
If someone medical can figure out what’s the cause of this debilitating, stabbing, ripping groin pain and fix it, I’ll be able to properly do my physical therapy and get back on my feet. Right now, it’s like there is a knife ready to slash me at the tiniest wrong move…mostly moves I cannot predict will hurt.  So I’m living in fear, terrified every time I try to stand up or sit down, cough or sneeze or make one of those unpredictable moves.
I have to physically pick up my right leg with my hands to get into bed or turn over, or risk the slashing knife. I do see my regular doctor Friday, and my surgeon March 2, so maybe someone can figure it out.

I do have to stay straight. No reaching, bending, stooping, picking up anything weighty, (other than my leg) possibly for a few months. I’m hoping my surgeon allows me to shed the back brace when I see him.

Can you not have your knee fixed?

[Betty LaRue]

5 hours ago, Dave Richards said:

This subject has been bouncing around for some time on this photography forum and you haven't been slow in airing your views.

As for being contradictory, what was your penultimate post on the subject other than just contradictory with no substance to back it up?

If you want specifics try this:-

Boiler gas supplies are controlled by a solenoid valve. These valves, like any other moving part, are subject to deterioration over time. Eventually the valve seating will wear, resulting in gas leaking past the valve. This may maintain a very small burn of the leaking gas which can be very difficult to spot. I have witnessed this on many occasions.

In this situation the danger arises  when the boiler switches off for any length of time, e.g. when shutting down at night. It only needs for that small burn to go out, a draft through the flue maybe, and the boiler chambers fills with gas (I'm talking about a room sealed, balanced flue boiler here). In the morning, when the boiler switches on, the bomb goes off.

This situation is even more dangerous if the boiler is an old naturally aspirated type with a conventional flue. Overnight the whole room the boiler is in could fill with a lethal gas/air mixture and the result when that goes off would be catastrophic. Houses get destroyed and people die!

That is why everyone with a gas boiler should have it serviced annually by a competent, GAS SAFE qualified engineer. I would also encourage everyone to read and understand their obligations in that regard in respect of their household insurance policy.

Is that specific enough for you?

I'm looking at the reactions to our posts on this subject and it is apparent that you are not garnering much support.

As the old saying goes, "when you're in a hole, stop digging".

 

Years ago, my husband was a safety inspector for a natural gas company. He investigated more than one destroyed home, walls collapsed…some with deaths…(the 8 month old baby! 😫) from gas leaks. The child was lost from a hot water heater leak that became a bomb with shrapnel and scalding water.

Thank you for pushing for safety.

[Michael Ventura]

7 minutes ago, Betty LaRue said:

Thanks, Rebecca.  I have a wheeled walker with a seat from a medical device loan place, and two canes my neighbor leant me. Plus a reacher. When I’m fully mobile again, it all goes back.
If someone medical can figure out what’s the cause of this debilitating, stabbing, ripping groin pain and fix it, I’ll be able to properly do my physical therapy and get back on my feet. Right now, it’s like there is a knife ready to slash me at the tiniest wrong move…mostly moves I cannot predict will hurt.  So I’m living in fear, terrified every time I try to stand up or sit down, cough or sneeze or make one of those unpredictable moves.
I have to physically pick up my right leg with my hands to get into bed or turn over, or risk the slashing knife. I do see my regular doctor Friday, and my surgeon March 2, so maybe someone can figure it out.

I do have to stay straight. No reaching, bending, stooping, picking up anything weighty, (other than my leg) possibly for a few months. I’m hoping my surgeon allows me to shed the back brace when I see him.

Can you not have your knee fixed?

So sorry to read about the pain you are in.  Is the groin pain something completely new, since the surgery?  I really hope someone can identify the cause and get you on the mend!  Chronic pain can be so debilitating and demoralizing for sure.

[Betty LaRue]

10 minutes ago, Michael Ventura said:

So sorry to read about the pain you are in.  Is the groin pain something completely new, since the surgery?  I really hope someone can identify the cause and get you on the mend!  Chronic pain can be so debilitating and demoralizing for sure.

Yes. It reared its ugly head right after, or a few days after. Whenever I was off the Oxycodone I took for 3 days it was there. Stiff-upper-lip-me screamed the first time it happened when I tried to stand up from the hospital bed. It’s that severe.
I’ve been in my chair since coming home from PT this afternoon, when the pain hit getting into the car, getting out of the car, and coming up the garage 3 steps into the house. I would have fallen if my son hadn’t been there. So here I sit under a heat blanket, needing to get up but afraid to move.

Edited February 24, 2022 by Betty LaRue

[Rebecca Ore]

21 minutes ago, Betty LaRue said:

Thanks, Rebecca.  I have a wheeled walker with a seat from a medical device loan place, and two canes my neighbor leant me. Plus a reacher. When I’m fully mobile again, it all goes back.
If someone medical can figure out what’s the cause of this debilitating, stabbing, ripping groin pain and fix it, I’ll be able to properly do my physical therapy and get back on my feet. Right now, it’s like there is a knife ready to slash me at the tiniest wrong move…mostly moves I cannot predict will hurt.  So I’m living in fear, terrified every time I try to stand up or sit down, cough or sneeze or make one of those unpredictable moves.
I have to physically pick up my right leg with my hands to get into bed or turn over, or risk the slashing knife. I do see my regular doctor Friday, and my surgeon March 2, so maybe someone can figure it out.

I do have to stay straight. No reaching, bending, stooping, picking up anything weighty, (other than my leg) possibly for a few months. I’m hoping my surgeon allows me to shed the back brace when I see him.

Can you not have your knee fixed?

I'm in Nicaragua.  The other knee finally healed, and this one has been getting better.  Also, a friend of mine had a private clinic quote for shoulder surgery here and found that a guy at the public clinic gave him exercises that fixed it.  My helper has my cane (see bad things that happened to me today in a few minutes. 

[spacecadet]

15 hours ago, Dave Richards said:

If you want specifics try this:-

Again thanks for your concern and I am aware of the usual gas safety advice. I am satisfied that the boiler is working properly and I will bear in mind your observations about the gas valve, although I do understand they are very durable parts and likely to outlive the boiler..

As to the confused emojis, there are a couple but I'm not too concerned about popularity- I'm not radical on this, just describing what we happen to do. Our experience of gas engineers working on the previous boiler was not of the best so it seemed sensible to gen up ourselves. There are always going to be people experienced in some field or other when we don't know each other personally.

It's only an internet forum. I thought my comments were in a light enough vein.

 

Edited February 24, 2022 by spacecadet

[Chuck Nacke]

11 hours ago, Betty LaRue said:

Chuck, I’m so sorry. It’s the risk one takes when hitting the slopes, I guess. I had a few spectacular falls on my own, but was never hit by another skier except a 4 year old who crossed the back of my skis.  At least the season is on the short side for your daughter, but still a bummer.

Thanks Betty,  according to the doctors my daughter may be able to ski / race in March, if there is any snow left.

For me the beer and Tiger Balm helped, I can sort of walk this morning. 

 

My problems are nothing compared to what is happening in the Ukraine.  Odessa is one of my favorite cities in the world. 

I lived in Kiev for years.

 

Best 

 

Chuck

[Dave Richards]

3 hours ago, spacecadet said:

Again thanks for your concern and I am aware of the usual gas safety advice. I am satisfied that the boiler is working properly and I will bear in mind your observations about the gas valve, although I do understand they are very durable parts and likely to outlive the boiler..

As to the confused emojis, there are a couple but I'm not too concerned about popularity- I'm not radical on this, just describing what we happen to do. Our experience of gas engineers working on the previous boiler was not of the best so it seemed sensible to gen up ourselves. There are always going to be people experienced in some field or other when we don't know each other personally.

It's only an internet forum. I thought my comments were in a light enough vein.

 

Mark,

if I see what I consider to be misinformed and potentially dangerous comments, I am going to call them out.

Contrary to your understanding that the gas valve is likely to outlast the boiler, it is in fact a not uncommon problem. My 22 year old boiler, which I had replaced just before Christmas, developed that very fault not once, but twice during its lifetime.

Another specific I would take you up on: in your original post you claimed that your 20 year old boiler has never been serviced. If that’s the case it’s a fair bet that it isn’t burning gas efficiently and is chucking out carbon monoxide (another killer) by the skip full. That is another thing a boiler engineer will address by analysing the flue gasses and adjusting the gas to air ratio at the burner as necessary.

For your own safety and that of your family and neighbours I would urge you to get your boiler properly serviced  without delay.

[spacecadet]

21 hours ago, Dave Richards said:

you claimed that your 20 year old boiler has never been serviced. 

In fact the words I used were "professional attention" but I note your comments and again thankyou for your concern. 

Enough said I think.

Edited February 25, 2022 by spacecadet

[Ed Rooney]

On 24/02/2022 at 13:22, Chuck Nacke said:

Thanks Betty,  according to the doctors my daughter may be able to ski / race in March, if there is any snow left.

For me the beer and Tiger Balm helped, I can sort of walk this morning. 

 

My problems are nothing compared to what is happening in the Ukraine.  Odessa is one of my favorite cities in the world. 

I lived in Kiev for years.

 

Best 

 

Chuck

 

Sorry for your three hits, Chuck -- your daughter, you, and your former home city. 

 

Edo

[Chuck Nacke]

7 minutes ago, Ed Rooney said:

 

Sorry for your three hits, Chuck -- your daughter, you, and your former home city. 

 

Edo

Thanks Edo,

 

Hope you are well.

 

Sorry should have been Kyiv, not Kiev,  Can't get use to writing Kyiv?

 

Chuck

[spacecadet]

1 hour ago, Chuck Nacke said:

Can't get use to writing Kyiv?

It's now a right-on matter of solidarity with Ukraine as it's the non-Russian name. Ooh just found the coloured smileys again!

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/feb/25/how-to-pronounce-and-spell-kyiv-kiev-ukraine-and-why-it-matters

Edited February 25, 2022 by spacecadet