Maggie’s It's Christmas: A Thread For All the Homey Things

Yesterday afternoon, the family took in the Trans Siberian Orchestra concert Live.

Hoolawdee!

If you haven't seen them live, put on your bucket list. It used to be on mine.

Do it soon, they've been at it for over 20 years.

You have no idea how fabulous Christmas music can get...

Greg
We went to their Christmas concert two years ago. They do put on a good show. This year, we're going to out local planetarium to see a laser light show set to TSO's Christmas music.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Blue Sky Country
Spent yesterday afternoon up on Phoenix listening to these folks, live, in concert.

...more....

...and more...

It was on my bucket list, and well worth the whatever it took to get us into those seats. We didn't get back home until 10:20pm last nigh;, 4 hour drive.

Put it on yours and do it soon; they've been at this for over 20 years.

Greg
 
Last edited:
Probably is, they work very well in our area as summer is generally very hot with very little humidity, cooler is ducted through the whole house. We do also have a couple of wall mount split refrigerated systems for the odd days when humidity is high but they are rare.
 
Is this what we in the southern US call a swamp cooler?


Thats what I was guessing.

We in the Northern States call them "useless". Well I do.

My only experience with that type of system was at a class in New Mexico.

The classrooms remained a constant state of "too warm".

Give me refrigeration gases in my AC please.
 
In our part of Australia (South Australia) they work really well and also are very cheap to run. Ignoring the manufacturers recommended size also helps, our first unit was oversized and this one is bigger again, cools the bbq area and blows the smoke away from the smoker. Keeps Pam happy.


Sounds like a different system that what Im familiar with.

the swamp coolers in NM I assume are some sort of condensation/evaporation cooling system involving water and moving air across it.

Just didnt seem to get interior spaces cool like I expect with AC.

In an exterior application as you describe it sounds nice. Like a Roman fountain will cool a plaza as long as you have a breeze to create the evaporative cooling.

Me I prefer cooling by subtraction.

Give me gas so cold once compressed that it draws molecules of heat from my environment.
 
Sounds like a different system that what Im familiar with.

the swamp coolers in NM I assume are some sort of condensation/evaporation cooling system involving water and moving air across it.

Just didnt seem to get interior spaces cool like I expect with AC.

In an exterior application as you describe it sounds nice. Like a Roman fountain will cool a plaza as long as you have a breeze to create the evaporative cooling.

Me I prefer cooling by subtraction.

Give me gas so cold once compressed that it draws molecules of heat from my environment.


And you guys laugh at us because we have TEMPER tents. ?
 
I might have to add This to my Christmas list.


Each of my kids have one.

First I bought the full size than when I realized Daisy made a "carbine" model better suited to small kids I got them one of those.

I shoot it more than they do.

A full reservoir of BBs and some tin cans 20-30 feet distant tend to pass the time sitting on the step while shit cooks on the grill.
 
<iframe width="1280" height="720" src="" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>


In the late sixties used to listen to Gene Shepard on the radio and loved his story telling. Watch this movie every year just for grins and my wife just rolls here eyes and goes into another room when I watch it. And yes I had a Daisy bb gun when I was a kid and broke alot of glass with it including some windows all unintentional of course.
 
The wife is all about Christmas, I think her favorite activity is picking the perfect Christmas tree and getting it set up:

IMG_20191129_210628-01.jpeg


This will be our first Christmas together, I've had to work the past 4 Christmas' in a row. Was supposed to celebrate it in our house in Tucson AZ, but got late notice that my green card interview is in Montreal on December 20th. She'll be flying up to meet me in Montreal, and after the interview we'll be flying over to the other side of Canada to celebrate Christmas with my family.

It's a good turn of events, I'm really excited to get a green card and be full time down in the US with my wife. Will be some big changes coming up, including a career change which hopefully means I don't have to work any more Christmases.
 
This Christmas is going to be special for us as we will be informing the 7 and 11 year old grandkids that we are taking them and mum and dad to Disneyland Anaheim and Vegas for 2 weeks early February. Then we get to send them back to Australia and spend the next 5 weeks travelling the West coast area and maybe catching up with some of you guys. They need some cheering up as they lost their other Grandpa last weekend.
I'm flying into Sydney on Thursday , and than on to Auckland for Christmas this year. First Christmas on a beach since Camp Pendleton days in the mid 70's. Will be spending the rest of the winter in the south island...f*** the cold and snow.
 
In the late sixties used to listen to Gene Shepard on the radio and loved his story telling. Watch this movie every year just for grins and my wife just rolls here eyes and goes into another room when I watch it. And yes I had a Daisy bb gun when I was a kid and broke alot of glass with it including some windows all unintentional of course.

I think I married your wife's sister.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ZiaHunter
Sounds like a different system that what Im familiar with.

the swamp coolers in NM I assume are some sort of condensation/evaporation cooling system involving water and moving air across it.

Just didnt seem to get interior spaces cool like I expect with AC.

In an exterior application as you describe it sounds nice. Like a Roman fountain will cool a plaza as long as you have a breeze to create the evaporative cooling.

Me I prefer cooling by subtraction.

Give me gas so cold once compressed that it draws molecules of heat from my environment.
106 F outside at the moment, 72 F in here and the fan is barely ticking over.
 
106 F outside at the moment, 72 F in here and the fan is barely ticking over.
New cooler working well, it sounds like..... (y) (y)(y)

106 F ? ughhhh. Fug that shit. You know what it's like around our neck of the woods. 106 is "call the Coroner" material.

Presently, it's about +5C and drizzling rain out. The usual stuff. I'm in the sack with a warm woman/wife, my usual 6" layer of blankets on top and the heated mattress pad turned up to 7. Marvelous !

Be well Mate ! ;):)
 
Yep, cooler working well as is the plumbed in ice dispenser on the new fridge and the new solar system on the roof has given us 2.1 MWh in the last 7 weeks so the electricity to run everything is now free. All part of retirement preparations. You can keep your winters, next time we will come in summer.....
Mark it on your calendar......... Summer starts on July 32nd. :ROFLMAO:

Usually, we have good summers. But, about every 5 years or so, we get a dud. You spend 7 to 9 months looking at rain, a bust summer usually doesn't bother you. Conversely, when it's nice, there are very few places quite as pretty. Let me know before your next trip, we've got a place for you and Pam. ;)

I hear you on the retirement thing. I'm buying reloading components........Oh, and a new Ultimatum Deadline Short Action may have just snuck in there...........:unsure::eek:;)
 
Yep, cooler working well as is the plumbed in ice dispenser on the new fridge and the new solar system on the roof has given us 2.1 MWh in the last 7 weeks so the electricity to run everything is now free. All part of retirement preparations. You can keep your winters, next time we will come in summer.....


Jeepers Crow!

You are a right regular Greta Thunberg now, arent you?
 
My only concern is our bank balance, would rather spend money on Bourbon or visiting you guys than buying electricity at market rates. I do not believe all this climate change crap going around but I do know your winters are a hell of a lot colder than what we get down here. Our trip to your West Coast last winter was severely impacted by weather.
 
Making Christmas present for late wife's father. He is impossible to buy for, but I know he always needs slinky weights for catfish. He was complaining about circle hooks not always catching. I asked him if he is sn
IMG_20191214_013219005_HDR.jpg
elling the hooks... "Am I what?"
I explained, "Nah I just tie em ragler."

So I'm making slinky's and snelling some good hooks for him for Christmas.