[noelcmn]

Male rose-breasted grosbeak from a Spring gone by. I'm almost certain this image was posted some time ago. I've been forced into re-posting by a major external hard drive failure

OH NO! That is terrible. Fortunately, most of it can be recovered. Hope you can do so. In any event, I have no objections with reposts, especially not if they are as beautiful as that grosbeak. Keep them coming.

[WPRESTO]

Thanks for the compliment, noelcmn. Here's a flicker from some time ago.

[OrchidJulie]

. I've been forced into re-posting by a major external hard drive failure

OMG! Not good, I hope your files can be recovered! I have a vague recollection that there are utilities that can be brought to bear on wonky hard disks, off the top of my head I don't recall details but I'll cogitate.

[WPRESTO]

OMG! Not good, I hope your files can be recovered! I have a vague recollection that there are utilities that can be brought to bear on wonky hard disks, off the top of my head I don't recall details but I'll cogitate.

All of my image files are on one of several external hard drives. I have backup discs that are updated monthly, The drive that failed had too many files to put on one of the backup discs, so the folders are divided between two of them. I've been using the "restore" function on the first of first of the backup discs after purchasing a new external storage discs but one unexpected and one anticipated problem have arisen. 1) the restore function is incredibly slow. To get all of the image files back from both backup discs will take six to eight weeks with the computer running 24/7; and 2) so far LightRoom has not reconnected with any of the restored image files, which may mean that thousands of hours of PP work may be lost.
August has been a troublesome month. Aside from the hard drive failure, the utility outlet in the hatch of my Forester snapped off and disappeared in between inner and outer panels somewhere down in front of a rear tire. Our dishwasher, only 3 1/2 year old, broke down. I called a highly recommended repairman who said he wasn't sure what went wrong, might be the motor, might be the chip that controls all the cycles, but in either case the machine isn't worth repairing. That will be $175 dollars thank you. So we washed by hand for about two weeks, then I labored four days getting the new machine installed. I will spare you the list of things that did not go as smoothly as they should have, nor the minor errors I made that meant undoing a few hours work and starting that part of the installation over. My arthritic legs were none too happy about getting me down on the floor and back up time after time. And I don't know how many trips I made to the hardware store to pick up little parts that were not included with the machine (primarily small electrical things). I am sitting now quite exhausted waiting for the machine to complete a "quick wash" cycle to test it out. So far, so good on that project. And there's another thing that was equally laborious this month, but I won't clutter this message with that project.

[jersey]

From trip to zoo in Toruń, all with 70mm Ltd:

[OrchidJulie]

1) the restore function is incredibly slow. To get all of the image files back from both backup discs will take six to eight weeks with the computer running 24/7; and 2) so far LightRoom has not reconnected with any of the restored image files, which may mean that thousands of hours of PP work may be lost.
And I don't know how many trips I made to the hardware store to pick up little parts

Indeed...at the office we subscribed to one of the 'net backup services (I forget which one), and one day I had to restore a couple of files... took hours, as I recall, just for two or three files. Ridiculous, but necessary, alas. I have two external drives which don't get used as often as they should. I have no experience with Lightroom (R uses it a lot) because both here and in the former office, it refused to deal with my file organization scheme. So I refused to reorganize my files for its silly requirements and I don't use it.


Oh, trips to the hardware store...yes, that's a running joke here. Both R and I are fairly handy, but there are some kinds of projects I will not touch. Neither of us is a plumber or electrician, so I am inclined to call a pro rather than tackle something that will result in iffy repairs and multiple trips to the hardware store. Couple of years ago we had a cascade of plumbing issues at the kitchen sink...R was insistent on trying the repairs himself, I called the plumber. It was done in an hour and a half, with a warranty on the labor, and no trips to the hardware store (one trip to the truck). OTOH, a plumber gave us a song-and-dance and outrageous estimate for a leaky toilet, "can't be repaired...yadda-yadda..." when the issue was nothing more than a failed gasket between tank and bowl. Bit of a hassle (tanks are heavy) but only one trip to the store, some cussing, done.

[WPRESTO]

FYI: I did get the dishwasher installed, ran it empty once to see if it worked, then loaded it last night and it did OK. One error = a small Styrofoam block somewhere at the back of one of the racks, probably the top one (I'd have to bend way over to see it, and I was tired, and aching, and...). I missed removing it and it dropped down to the bottom sometime during the clean cycle and prevented the sprayer from spinning. Consequently a few items came out this morning not-quite-clean, but those right above the stuck spinner were pristine. M always loads the dishes while I work on things that need scrubbing or cannot go into a dishwasher (some non-stick pots & pans). Her complaint is always getting used to new racks, where to put what. The new machine is a bother to her at the moment (only one loading) because it has three racks rather than the usual two, which means those upper racks have less vertical clearance than what she's used to. She'll eventually work out a system that is satisfactory to her.

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Last edited by WPRESTO; 08-31-2022 at 09:58 AM.

[normhead]

The bear pigging out on berries across the lake from our camp.

[OrchidJulie]

FYI: I did get the dishwasher installed,.

Good. glad to know it. My late mother worked for a contractor-cum-appliance dealer, and somehow thought the addition of a "portable" dishwasher was an excellent idea. Not. Monster was huge, clunky, absolute PITA and ridiculous. I used it a few times after getting back into the house (needed to wash every dish in the house) but once that was done, I banished it to the carport. Glad yours is working properly!

[WPRESTO]

Good. glad to know it. My late mother worked for a contractor-cum-appliance dealer, and somehow thought the addition of a "portable" dishwasher was an excellent idea. Not. Monster was huge, clunky, absolute PITA and ridiculous. I used it a few times after getting back into the house (needed to wash every dish in the house) but once that was done, I banished it to the carport. Glad yours is working properly!

FYI. Our first dishwasher was a portable. I replaced the motor once, and was glad at the time that it was portable (rolled it out through the sliding doors onto the deck = kitchen stayed clean). BUT, it wrought havoc on the kitchen floor, The little wheels eventually wore down almost completely through the linoleum.

[OrchidJulie]

FYI. Our first dishwasher was a portable. I replaced the motor once, and was glad at the time that it was portable (rolled it out through the sliding doors onto the deck = kitchen stayed clean). BUT, it wrought havoc on the kitchen floor, The little wheels eventually wore down almost completely through the linoleum.

This monster was almost too big to fit through the doorway from utility room to kitchen. Floor was OK -- terrazzo -- but it occupied altogether too much space. And it was avocado green, too, which gives you some clue about its vintage. Glad to be rid of it!

[WPRESTO]

This monster was almost too big to fit through the doorway from utility room to kitchen. Floor was OK -- terrazzo -- but it occupied altogether too much space. And it was avocado green, too, which gives you some clue about its vintage. Glad to be rid of it!

Ironically, ours was avocado green as well. So were the fridge and stove. Now two out of three are brushed stainless steel. Makes it much easier to know when there is any dirt or smudge however minor. I never saw an avocado porcelain finish cleaner, but there's a reassuringly large selection of stainless steel cleaners.

[noelcmn]

The Swallows are back

[WPRESTO]

Zoo specimen photographed a long time ago (scan from a chrome). I've wondered - if this rhino is still alive have they cut off its horns to save them from thieves who would kill the rhino to get them.

[mgrondin]

From our local zoo. The cougar was trying to kill me with his(or her) look.