Must Be Fall

[JSKY]

Hi all.

You know it must be Fall. Nights are getting colder, The trees are starting to turn yellow, and the people are starting to stay indoors. And of course, starting up PCs that have seen little air time for some time. Now that's where the fun comes in. I have to say I'm sorry I haven't been here as much as I would like to be. But all of a sudden I have gotten swamped with computers. Having a home here at BTs, you get used to everyone knowing somethings about PC safety. And tend to forget the general public has no idea whats goes on with their computers other then it's used for e=mail or looking at and downloading anything and everything there is. And of course, all the little surprises that come with them. In the last couple of day, I have redone and cleaned up a handful of PCs. And have friends, and their friends wanting me to "Fix" their computers. Looks like it's going to be a long couple of weeks ahead. But it is a little extra money for winter. I really can't charge them. (no tax lic,) But I do ask a nice tip for the work.

I will try to make more of an appearance here tho. Getting where I need more breaks from all the work. Fixing PCs gets to bemore work then one would think.

So now to get ready for work, so I can come home and do more. I would love to say no to them more often, but how can one. Maybe I'll have to start.

Well later all. I'll try to be around more often.

[TheTerrorist_75]

Isn't that the truth. I can remember when all it took was a quick couple of hours to thoroughly clean up a PC and have it running like new. Now this damn malware gets so embedded within the system you need several different programs to clean it out. It also seems as though 75% of the users haven't taken the time to download updates or even bothered to obtain an up to date anti-virus program. If you could charge them the standard going rate in the area for these services they could buy a new cheap Dell.

[blim]

I know what you mean. I get "can you help me with my garden", "can you hem this dress", "can you draw/paint/letter/paper mache this for me". Usually the most I get is a barter (which came in real handy a few times--I made curtains for someone and her husband installed a CD burner --great barter! The directions had me panicked, let alone having to *gasp* open the case. And babysitting for a hairdresser meant free haircuts )

Just so you know, your talents and knowledge sure are appreciated, from someone who has been "on both ends of the coin". Problem is, many people don't even bother to say "thank you". Just remember, those folks appreciate your efforts anyways, whether they express it or not.

Liz

[handplane]

Hi all.

You know it must be Fall. Nights are getting colder, The trees are starting to turn yellow, and the people are starting to stay indoors.

Easy for you to say.

Still have middle 90's down here.

Looking forward and can hardly wait for the cooler temps.

[macmarauder]

your right. i guess it is time for my computers oil change and tune-up. hey does anyone know how to rotate the tires on this thing anyways?

[Brian_Holiday]

Fall? It was 78 here this morning at 0445. I could use some Fall!

BH

[JSKY]

It's getting down into the mid 40s here at night lately. Mid 60s to 70s in the daytime. In about two to three weeks all the trees should really be turning. ( I live in the upper elevations of the Black Hills). About 10% are starting to show alot of color now. And my vines have a little red showing up. The lower planes will be in another month. But we get people from all over showing up to see the fall colors.

[TheTerrorist_75]

Break time. It must be time to winterize everyone's PCs. Since yesterday I've helped fix three over the phone and four here at home. The problems have ranged from a bad IDE cable to a bad motherboard. Besides those I still have a Compaq that the owner installed WinXP Pro (school purchase) over WinME that was never updated since 2003. It didn't even have SP1 or any security updates plus the Panda anti-virus was never activated or updated. What a mess. I still can't bypass the WGA to get SP1a or SP2. I have to get the info about what school he purchased WinXP from so I can call MS to validate it after he gets back from a cruise.

Temps here are in the 60-70s daytime and mid 30-40s at night. Our natural gas rates are supposed to jump 38% this winter with fuel oil going up 35%. I guess I'm going to need to increase my rates.

[macmarauder]

[TheTerrorist_75]

Why is fall time cleaning of the house so much more work than spring cleaning? I decided to go down in the basement to see what needed to be done to get this place winterized. I scoped out the crawl space, thanks be no skunks in residence, and found that my heating ducts were pulled apart. The crawl space is only 32" high. I squeezed in and pulled the ducts out to clean them and pop them back together. Three hours of working on that project felt like a ten hour work day. I still have to go back in and fill in some air spaces around the perimeter with some spray foam.

[bozodog]

Oohhh dang. We have winterizing to do too. (dig out the sweats and sweaters) Kinda bad that prices are going up that far. It's gonna hurt a lot of people a ton. I'll be putting up heat shrink films and checking the basement for new openings. Old houses always find a way to open up to "ole man winter".

[TheTerrorist_75]

Oohhh dang. We have winterizing to do too. (dig out the sweats and sweaters) Kinda bad that prices are going up that far. It's gonna hurt a lot of people a ton. I'll be putting up heat shrink films and checking the basement for new openings. Old houses always find a way to open up to "ole man winter".

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Old homes definitely open up to the weather. My house was built in the late 1800s. Stone foundation with a dirt crawl space under the old store front section. I still have lath and plaster with who knows what for insulation. The ceilings are ten feet in the front section where I spend 90% of the time. I closed off the upstairs of the main part of the house. Some day I'll gut this place and start over.

[JSKY]

Old homes definitely open up to the weather. My house was built in the late 1800s. Stone foundation with a dirt crawl space under the old store front section. I still have lath and plaster with who knows what for insulation. The ceilings are ten feet in the front section where I spend 90% of the time. I closed off the upstairs of the main part of the house. Some day I'll gut this place and start over.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

My house is also around 100 years old, We lowered the ceilings to help maintain the heat better. But talk about a sound house. Still have three rooms that have plaster and lath in it, also original push-button light switches. Made the mistake of replacing the light fixtures. Now I'm always looking to find them again. And the woodwork I have here. Complete with original doors. (glad the previous owners never painted them).

We have decided to leave the house as is. in the rooms we haven't touched. Talked to some friends who said it could actually help the value of the house, people want original. They said it's something you see less and less of. So for now, I'll keep fixing the air leaks and the little things that nature keeps working on. And replacing the heat-tape on the water pipes when they burn out (last set was an expensive set, and is holding up real well now).

The one thing I would like to do is replace the siding. It's old asbestos sideing. I'm told its OK if I leave it alone and don't try to remove it. And you for-sure don't see much of it anywhere. But still.

And paying 30K just to have them put a bubble over my place and removing it is a little steep, much less finding a place to dump it.

But it's mine and paid for. and after 20 years. It's now home. So I'll contune to do all the little things it takes to keep Old Man Winter out.

[robroy]

In many states you can remove that siding yourself. If you don't use power tools on it the asbestos is in a non friable condition, it is trapped in the tile and held harmless. Of course you still have to dispose of it properly. Another option is to furr out the walls and install new siding over the top. Here you would be required to identify the asbestos by labelling it before you cover it.

Its great when you can find an older house with the trim not covered in paint. Mine is nearly 60 yrs old, was a rental for 15 years and still had the original stained trim and doors. The lath and plaster is still in good condition, and I am luckier than you Jsky, mine has a brick exterior. I did have some asbestos wrap on the steam pipes but I have removed that myself and replaced it with fiberglass.