The Trashcan Solution

Seriously, this could be the idea of the year!

Most of us building in a new neighborhood have various HOA restrictions and guidelines for trash can.  Some more extreme then others.  Ours is pretty laid back, by that I mean it states trash cans can not be visible except on trash day BUT since most of us in my 'hood have hilly yards many of us have it "hiding" somewhere in front.  Why?  Well you either leave the cans in your garage OR you develop an invisibility cloak and leave in the front.  I try the garage, but it gets real stinky this time of year.  I hate it being in front, looks ....wait for it....TRASHY!

Being that we recycle (I take the recycling myself to local drop off point....why pay for it?) we do not have a lot of trash.  In fact, our kitchen trash can uses the plastic bags we bring groceries home in. 

So what if I buy a barrel for $90, cut it (I have a jig at work from when I cut up barrels for a job) for holding a can and place it conveniently in front like decoration?  Place a large garbage bag in the can and when it gets full, tie it up and place it out front for trash pick up.

Genius!  who ever did this and posted on pinterest deserves a great trash salute!

Batteries, my arch nemesis!

nem·e·sis  (nm-ss)n. pl. nem·e·ses (-sz) 1. A source of harm or ruin

If you would rather skip the whining, let me sum this post up for you....
change out your back up batteries in your smoke alarms!!
Did you get that?
Why the large type you ask?  Well because I am driving home the point that laziness and/or cheapness may cost you sleep.
Two "mornings" ago, at 0400 (and having gone to bed late the night before) my bedroom smoke alarm decides NOW is the time to let me know the back up 9volt is dead.  How does it do this?  With a chirp every 60 seconds.  
"change it out you say", if I kept 9 volts, I would.  So once I kicked the dancing unicorns ridden by lucky leprechauns in fields of cotton candy dreams from my brain housing group and figured out what may be the cause of the incessant chirp I began to root through the house for a 9volt.  I have a lifetime supply of AA, but I have been reduced to scrounging through my son's toys for a 9volt.  I found one.....but it was dead as well.  
The chirping continues.
I know! I will swap it out with the basement.  5 minutes later, success!  except I can hear that damned chirping all the way into my bedroom creating a blockade to sleep and dreams of unicorns. 
Exasperated, my wife decided to halt my quest to just disconnect the alarm (or shoot it) and headed out to Walgreens.  Twenty minutes later, we had some new, expensive as shit, 9volt batteries.  
Crisis averted....at 0505.  
Back to bed for about 40 minutes before the day started.

Having lived in the house for 1.5years, I have every intention to mark and replace back up smoke alarm 9volt batteries every 12 months.....as long as cheapness doesn't take hold and I wait for the next one to chirp; I mean hell, them 9volts must be filled with rare diamonds to cost $15 for 4!
      

Lubing the Garage Door and Corn hole

Easy killers,
I didn't mean that this post was about lubing your corn hole!  sickos.
I merely am referencing two topics of this blog post.

First, and with no pictures; sorry, but I am pretty sure you don't need me to post pictures of the garage hinges!
Since the day we moved in, our garage door has sounded LOUD and horrible.  Specifically it squeeks, pops, and generally sounds like it's 100 years old.  The opener itself is quiet, but the door sounds like it's going through the grinder.  I mentioned it at the 10month inspection and I received the "you just need to lube it" speech.  I would have thought they would do that for me, but what do I know.  I knew I needed to do it, and I was tired of hearing it.  The catalyst for action was when I went into my friends garage for something and it was whisper quiet.  THAT'S IT, I'm doing something about this.
So off to Home Depot I go and purchase this...
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Blaster-11-oz-Dry-Lube-Silicone-Lubricant-16-SL-THD/202529794#.UdHky5wqS5M
WARNING, you can go back to garage doors and purchase "garage door lubricant" for twice the cost OR buy this shit!  I used to work with mechanics who swore by Blaster products.

I went home, watched a quick video on "how to lubricate a garage door" (thank you youtube for solving most of my questions).  The video was helpful, I suggest you watch it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1lUm7koF2A.
why did it help? well for starters he points out you should lube the TOP of the track versus the bottom like most suggest.

Out to the garage I go with my new can of Blaster in hand and get to spray'n.  It took about a half hour, but it did the trick.  Initially the result was better, but not perfect.  But as the days passed, and the lube worked it's way in, it got quieter and quieter.  Now I barely hear it and almost enjoy listening to it open and close.

Second, I made some cornhole boards.  My daughter asked me to make her boyfriend (and this one I like....he is a Marine) a set of cornhole boards.  He was just thinking I might paint a simple image for the Bengals, Reds, or USMC theme.  But I decided to run with it.  I designed the boards with his MOS and rank in mind.  Add that to the fact I work for a kick ass company that has kick ass printing abilities and voila.....kick ass USMC cornhole boards.

And if you don't know what cornhole is?  google it....I dare ya!  haha.....j/k it's become a pretty popular yard game.  Web search is a lot less shocking in the last ten years. 

that's all I got for now,
carry on