CS #730 - Happy New Year

[Valret]

This deck makes me and my wife very happy, so much so that our only regret is that it is too cold this time of year to use it. We eat supper on it every day weather allows and look forward to doing that in the new year.

I designed the deck in 1993 and a contractor built it that year. I had read that when planning the size of a deck, it's easy to make one that is far too small because the feel of an outdoor living space is different from an indoor space. The book I read recommended having a party in the yard and tying balloons to objects to indicate the perimeter of the deck to be built; once the party was in progress, you could move the balloons until you achieved the ideal size and shape of the planned deck.

I didn't have a party and I didn't use balloons but I did mark the perimeter of the planned deck. It's a darned good thing I did that because, otherwise, the deck would have been way too small. Once I moved the objects to indicate the perimeter of a larger deck, my wife and I were satisfied. Indeed, the deck has been the perfect size over the last three decades relative to our entertaining needs and the size of the house and property.

Does anyone wanna guess the objects I used to mark the perimeter of the planned deck?


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As a project in progress that's good advice regarding the space/size considerations, thanks.

 

[West]

I do have some serious plans to continue to work on wood projects. I have visualized either a new top for my current office desk or perhaps a whole new desk/table, and I have some lovely sequoia (redwood) that I'm working on as well.
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Sequoia is actually very difficult to work with as it is extremely soft. No cutting boards here ... maybe a serving piece or ??

Happy New Year folks!!

Ken

Pretty wood grain, looks like a Sockeye filet

 

[NEF Said]

Good one, Paul! It's clear that you have a LOT more patience for detail work than I have. Once everything is repaired and reassembled, be sure to post another photo. The CS ends Wednesday so you have no pressure about that.

I didn't know a straight razor is also a musical instrument.

Yeah, I'll definitely post an after photo (if it works out ).

I was surprised too, of the name. I guess some Spanish company that made razors for a very long time. Not sure, but I think the one I have is one of the later ones and not one of the old vintage designs.

 

[NEF Said]

Our ringing in the new year was very quiet. Did join with our neighbors for some fireworks around 9 ... captured our son playing with the kids.
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As my wife is (thankfully) working at home most of the time, I suspect things will remain rather quiet. It's getting harder and harder to stay away from the TV all day as the weather remains in "blah" mode and there's so much good stuff to stream!!

I do have some serious plans to continue to work on wood projects. I have visualized either a new top for my current office desk or perhaps a whole new desk/table, and I have some lovely sequoia (redwood) that I'm working on as well.
View attachment 1676755
Sequoia is actually very difficult to work with as it is extremely soft. No cutting boards here ... maybe a serving piece or ??

Happy New Year folks!!

Ken

Very cool looking wood! Will be interesting to see what you craft it into!

 

[Pa]

Here's an update to the pot of bulbs I pictures earlier. Changes are occurring rapidly!

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[Mike Buckley]

Changes are occurring rapidly!

Understatement! You forgot to mention that they're also so beautiful, as is your photo.

 

[Pa]

Understatement! You forgot to mention that they're also so beautiful, as is your photo.

Thanks, Mike. They do make for a spectacular arrangement. After my earlier post I got compliments on my "green thumb", but I can take no credit for that. I think my wife has watered them a few times, but otherwise they just sit in front of a sunny window.

 

[NEF Said]

Here's an update to the pot of bulbs I pictures earlier. Changes are occurring rapidly!

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Indeed. Beautiful subject and great shot!

 

[Mike Buckley]

This arrived just minutes ago and I expect it to make me happy not just in this New Year but also for years to come. That's because once it's assembled, I'll move all of my non-photography items from my storage room, which also serves as my makeshift studio, into the shed. Doing so will increase my working space in the makeshift studio more than 60%. I plan to provide a photo of the assembled shed before the conclusion of this collective shoot.

On the other hand, I'm not at all happy that I have to carry all 325 pounds of it piece by piece from the carport, around the front and side of the house, and to the far corner of the backyard where it will be assembled.

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[Kry27]

Sometimes it's the simplest things that make me happy and this scene is a perfect example of that. This is how I expect to be happy at the beginning of nearly every day of the new year. I have been enjoying this breakfast of cereal, blueberries and orange juice every day for decades. I even eat it when I'm traveling. When I'm home, as in this case, I enjoy it at this television table while watching the morning news. Thus, the need for the remote control devices.

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Good choice - the meal, and to have a Panasonic TV. I have exactly the same remote (Panasonic Plasma TV)

Here's an update to the pot of bulbs I pictures earlier. Changes are occurring rapidly!

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Words can't do this justice.

 

[NEF Said]

This arrived just minutes ago and I expect it to make me happy not just in this new year but also for years to come. That's because once it's assembled, I'll move all of my non-photography items from my storage room which also serves as my makeshift studio into the shed. Doing so will increase my working space in the makeshift studio more than 60%. I plan to provide a photo of the assembled shed before the conclusion of this collective shoot.

On the other hand, I'm not at all happy that I have to carry all 325 pounds of it piece by piece from the carport, around the front and side of the house, and to the far corner of the backyard where it will be assembled.

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Hopefully the weather will support your efforts!

 

[Clix Pix]

One thing I did a lot during 2020, of course, and which makes me happy, is shooting photos and experimenting. I definitely plan to do more of that during 2021! I like creating something visually interesting, such as this colorful shot I did this afternoon:

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[Mike Buckley]

shooting photos and experimenting. I definitely plan to do more of that during 2021!

You've most definitely gotten off to the start of the New Year with a creative image. Heck, you even began it with your own special kind of bubbly!

 

[Mike Buckley]

Hopefully the weather will support your efforts!

Less than 10% chance of rain and the temperatures will be in the 40s Fahrenheit. Let's hope all the parts are in the box!

 

[Mike Buckley]

I won't be able to provide a photo of the assembled shed before the conclusion of this collective shoot as I had hoped. That's because of two reasons: Though we had less than a 10% chance of rain, naturally, it rained. Also, the shed manufacturer left out two bags of hardware from the box. After 1 1/2 hours, after getting put on hold interminably, after getting put into voice mail while I was on hold, and after talking to three people, I finally was able to convince the company that they should overnight the missing hardware to me, which they had refused to do.

I left a message with the manager of customer service recommending that she should listen to the phone conversations I had with her customer service staff and that I hoped she would personally follow up with them to make sure the missing hardware was shipped overnight as promised. At the end of the day she called me. I kid you not, the first words out of her mouth were, "Hello, Mr. Buckley. How has your day been?"

The conversation went downhill from there. I ended the conversation telling her that at least it was clear why her customer service department is so poor. It's because of her.

 

[NEF Said]

I won't be able to provide a photo of the assembled shed before the conclusion of this collective shoot as I had hoped. That's because of two reasons: Though we had less than a 10% chance of rain, naturally, it rained. Also, the shed manufacturer left out two bags of hardware from the box. After 1 1/2 hours, after getting put on hold interminably, after getting put into voice mail while I was on hold, and after talking to three people, I finally was able to convince the company that they should overnight the missing hardware to me, which they had refused to do.

I left a message with the manager of customer service recommending that she should listen to the phone conversations I had with her customer service staff and that I hoped she would personally follow up with them to make sure the missing hardware was shipped overnight as promised. At the end of the day she called me. I kid you not, the first words out of her mouth were, "Hello, Mr. Buckley. How has your day been?"

The conversation went downhill from there. I ended the conversation telling her that at least it was clear why her customer service department is so poor. It's because of her.

Man! That is just awful.

 

[Palouse]

I won't be able to provide a photo of the assembled shed before the conclusion of this collective shoot as I had hoped. That's because of two reasons: Though we had less than a 10% chance of rain, naturally, it rained. Also, the shed manufacturer left out two bags of hardware from the box. After 1 1/2 hours, after getting put on hold interminably, after getting put into voice mail while I was on hold, and after talking to three people, I finally was able to convince the company that they should overnight the missing hardware to me, which they had refused to do.

I left a message with the manager of customer service recommending that she should listen to the phone conversations I had with her customer service staff and that I hoped she would personally follow up with them to make sure the missing hardware was shipped overnight as promised. At the end of the day she called me. I kid you not, the first words out of her mouth were, "Hello, Mr. Buckley. How has your day been?"

The conversation went downhill from there. I ended the conversation telling her that at least it was clear why her customer service department is so poor. It's because of her.

Just imagine had this been 2020

 

[Pa]

Just imagine had this been 2020

I bet it was packed for shipment in 2020.

 

[Mike Buckley]

Just imagine had this been 2020

The customer service manager actually said they've had issues with their quality of service because of COVID. Two other companies said the same thing to me recently. I think companies are using the "covid card" to make excuses. Imagine in the good old pre-covid days of a company saying they weren't giving the same quality of service because the flu had run through their business; no business would ever have made that claim and it's appalling that companies are making that claim about covid.

I'm the first person to understand that delays occur through all levels of the supply chain because of COVID and other reasons. However, I'm the last person to understand that the quality of service is expected to suffer once a product has shipped.

By the way, not one of the four employees at this company thanked me for buying their product. That's despite that I mentioned to every single one of them that this was the second shed I had purchased from them. That speaks volumes to me.

I bet it was packed for shipment in 2020.

I ordered the shed in 2020 and it shipped in 2020.

 

[Hylander]

Here's an update to the pot of bulbs I pictures earlier. Changes are occurring rapidly!

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Stunnung photo!