As in—at least I’ve been able to do some maintenance around the place. I think I’ve found the issue with the front fountain, and it’s simpler than I thought, maybe. I need to trench over to the faucet so we can lay some new connection, and bury it. Just have to get a way to connect pipe to a very short hose, which has to have a screw end. Ideally they’ll have a hose barb that’s got a screw end that I could use to make a thing that takes a regular hose screw-on now take a piece of plain hose that I can splice in. They do not make garden hoses in 6 inch lengths with connectors at both ends. But that’s what I need, so I’ll have to make it.
I’m past deadline on the current book but making good progress, and Jane’s backing me up and keeping me going. It’s also good that I’m not breaking concentration for a convention right now—but I do miss being there.
Those should be easy to find at a good hardware store. I find three types usually. One uses an “automotive” hose clamp, another a flattened-oval plastic screw-together clamp. Both these “get in the way”. The ones I always buy have a “crown” of hooked teeth which one carefully and evenly pounds down with a hammer. My local Ace has both male and female separately, and pairs. I keep several onhand. 🙂
Oh, BTW, speaking of 6″ hose lengths, in doing several hose repairs over the years, I’ve made a couple 6-8′ lengths of hose. Did so earlier this spring with one of those flimsy hoses that took a permanent crimp that made it kink. (If I hadn’t and had to start over with new hose(s), I’d probably cut it at 6′ and immediately mend/replace the ends.) I find these 6′ pieces a great advantage at the hose spigot next to the patio. (And when I need longer, it screws together with the long piece so I’ve “lost” no length at all.)
Thanks, Paul. That might be an answer.
“Cut up a brand new hose?!”
How many years it took before that idea occurred to me is a classified secret! 😉
May we know what the current book is?
The current book out is Tracker. The one I’m working on is Visitor.
Whew! Back to three syllables. That’s a relief!
Prestidigitator — An owl arrives way off course….
Twister — OK, I started with one wink and nudge for Twister, then realized a more complete treatment would have to involve not only Cajeiri, Boji, and the three human kids for the Wizard of Oz (we’ll skip over who’s wearing the dress, pigtails, and ruby slippers…) — but would also involve a game played with a plastic mat with colored circles and possibly a young English waif who becomes skilled at picking pockets, but benefits from a steampunk setting….
Yeah, it seemed just a wee bit much!
We’ll explain it all as a batch of rather strong tea….
…’sweetened’ by using equal parts tea and brandy?
Does the fact that your publisher is TOR influence you choosing either an “er” or an “or” book title?
Isn’t CJ’s publisher DAW? Lots of references to Betsy Woolheim in the threads here….. Scalzi just signed a big fat $3.4 million contract with TOR….
Lucky guy. Good for him.
Ah, a bowl of rice and a dash of soy sauce. Blessings on whatever Asian cooks first invented soy sauce, way back whenever. And the Texmati brown rice I like is easy-peasy to fix. (Nothing fancy like a steamer, just a pot on the stove and do the rice, water, and timing right.)
Tomorrow night, I’ll add some stir-fry veggies, some leftover seasoned broth, an egg or tow, and some thawed cooked ham, chopped up. Last year, I got a smaller wok, because the big wok was sometimes too big for just me. Great decision. A good, healthy, one-dish meal, simple to do.
I need to look at the wok cooking book I got a while back and branch out some, but I’ve found the wok is also wonderful for shrimp and other things. A basic cooking tool I wish I’d learned back when I was a kid. Great stuff.
My chopsticks technique is still woefully barbaric, I think, even though it’s improved. I am toying with the idea of making myself use chopsticks a lot more often to practice, to make myself improve my technique. If I were ever to eat with friends or clients, with chopsticks, I would want at least passably good manners, or ideally, as proper as my American and French-style table manners. I envy those who are comfortable with them. Dunno why it seems to be such a learning curve for me. But at least I’m improving…slowly.
The rice hit the spot tonight. Simple is good!
The Italian dressing dry mix packets I got last week? For reasons unknown, they ask the preparer to add dried oregano. Why provide a dry mix, but not include one of the major components? Very, very odd. And of course, I didn’t find my bottle of oregano. So it’s on the list for this week. (I prepared it without, which worked out fine.) Also discovered I had red wine vinegar but not apple cider vinegar. Hmm. On the list too. (I used the red wine vinegar, it was fine.) The old oregano will doubtless show up when I get the new. Heheh.
Books are for reading, electrons are for computing! They are not interchangable. Here is an NPR item on books refusing to concede defeat.