articles

By peterm95018, 13 January, 2024

I got into home automation with an environment known as SmartThings when I read about them on Kickstarter back in 2013. As you can read here, over the years we went from just SmartThings with its proprietary UI and migrated towards Apple Homekit in our ever expanding home Applesphere.

We've finally abandoned SmartThings in favour of Hubitat Elevation. My objective was to get better and more consistent behaviour from our Zwave devices using Apple Siri voice commands.

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By peterm95018, 13 January, 2024

On my 2013 911.1, I have had a couple of opportunities to wonder why the HVAC wasn't blowing any air. After reading this thread on Rennlist, I found an answer.

Both times this happened, the car had sat for a week or more. It turns out the fan can stick. An easy fix is to open the frunk, and remove the air filter box. When the box is open, you can see the fan. Give it a turn, put things back and start up the car. Should be working.

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By peterm95018, 7 January, 2024

In April 2022 we started to sense the septic system wasn’t working quite right. We had pooling water in the leach field and the accompanying smell.

Since it had only been 10 years since we had faced this situation we thought, it can’t be. Yeah, well, it was. In the picture below you can see a whole drilled into the line that has roots that have filled the line.

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By peterm95018, 31 December, 2023

We began 2022 with a drive south to Palm Springs for the dog show.  This was our first big dog show. Lynda and Leo competed in confirmation, rally and obedience. They got some good learning opportunities and experience. We hadn’t been to the desert before and now we totally understand why it is such a draw especially in winter.

By peterm, 20 December, 2023

2021 began with a trip to Palm Springs for our first dog show. Lynda and Leo were competing in confirmation, rally and obedience. The trip was successful and we all learned a lot about the difference between the movie and an event.

Due to the pandemic and home schooling and TKD via Zoom, we decide to permanently park the cars outside and change out the flooring from hard plastic tiles to rubber mats style tiles. This would give some extra give for workouts and TKD. By this time Lynda was also participating in TKD.

By peterm, 20 December, 2023

In 2017, we started the year in Australia. Lynda rented a home for Gunnar, Courtney, Mom and I in the Darlinghurst neighborhood of Sydney. We used this as our home base to enjoy the city sights especially the New Year’s Eve events and fireworks.

By peterm, 18 December, 2023

After thinking COVID was the big story for us in 2020, the fire started. Early on 8/16/2020 lightning strikes north of Santa Cruz set off fires that eventually coalesced into the CZU Complex Fire.

We watched the reports and were fine for the first few days. By the 19th, we were seeing lots of ash and large, burnt tips of oaks land on our driveway and cars. We had been preparing to bug out as the news worsened.

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By peterm, 18 December, 2023
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As the world locked down, we adapted. Sure there were a few accidents (broken arm, cut forehead).

By peterm, 18 December, 2023

The world (ours at least) turned sideways in March of 2020. We went from having a grandnephew in first grade at Baymonte and dog training classes in Capitola to starting a home school at the dining table and Tae Kwon Do classes in the garage via Zoom.