Since my last post my computer has again crashed (my own fault) and has been fully reloaded and we have moved from a very dry winter into spring. Again it has been dry but a stormy night recently which yielded almost 4" of rain has got things back and green again. However another stormy 4" of rain would not go astray as the place dries out again.
So the spring cleaning has been all but completed. Windows have been washed (though they all look dirty again after a couple of days), the concrete pavers around the pool have been cleaned with chlorine (3 parts water to 1 part chlorine and then 5 minutes later a hose down) and are looking great again.
Needless to say new solar lights around the top of the fence are up again and working OK along with the cheap set we bought however long ago and also are still working after well over 12 months.
The other big job has been sorting the pool. A couple of bags of salt and around $40 worth of pool chemicals got it all back again looking inviting and crystal clear. It'll get to around 25° later on today. With the extremely dry and windy weather, the pool always seems dirty with red dust blowing in from the Queensland interior.
As the photo above shows, there is a ledge about 60 cms below the water level which goes all around the pool which I guess is to provide strength to the fibreglass pool shell. But it is a great place for this dust to congregate. So I get the broom and brush along the ledge to move the dust. Regretfully while sweeping just under the pool light, it was wedged upwards breaking the plastic where the retaining screw pinned the light to the pool wall. The light just floated to the surface with the waterproof power cord still connected.
So we were up for a new pool light and upon making inquiries I was told they don't make that type of pool light any more and to supply and fit a new light would cost $550! And on top of that we would have to wait a few weeks until the pool water warmed up enough for the installer to hop in the pool and install it!.
As you can see from the photo above I decided to try to re fit the light myself. and all it needed was a 37c stainless steel washer from Bunnings. I did leave out it took around 10 goes and about 5 hours of messing around in the pool to get the excess electrical power cord to store the correct way so the light could be slipped into a bracket on the pool wall and the retaining screw (and several washers) again put into place.
I help a few people around here with TV shows and stuff and I also help them set up their TV boxes. The best TV box is the Nvidia Shield at around $300. An older guy I help (and a Vietnam Vet) bought a Shield and I would pop around to his place and keep it going for him. Unfortunately Mick passed away recently (possibly respiratory problems most likely from being sprayed with Agent Orange). That Shield has now come into my possession giving me an extra gadget to play with.
Trish has been down to Melbourne to catch up with family.
I continue to mess around with Plex and now have quite a library online. I am very choosy with whom I share this library as so many people now have access to Netflix, Stan or one of those. For most people this is more than enough choice. The stuff I get comes from Netflix, Stan, stuff from the BBC and other various sources. We are never stuck with out anything good to watch. Currently we are watching "Sanditon" which has just finished on BBC1.
A week or two ago we watched (and enjoyed) "A Confession" which I see is on Channel 7 soon.
Our community involvement continues to keep us busy. I am still ducking swooping magpies on my bike rides which are no longer every day and over 15k's a trip. Now it is more like 11 or so k's up to 5 times per week. Computer Club remains a great source of fun for me and I have gained some great friends from my weekly meetings.
So that's about it, we are both well but slowing down a little bit. I get a bit of pain from my back most days but nothing I can't handle. I have recently had a root canal and new crown on a tooth. After getting the bill I think and extraction is the way to go in future!
Roll on summer time and the pool getting warmer.
