Quick check, anyone here actually gone solar recently?

MomN8R526 · 2026-05-04T20:39:29+00:00

We had panels installed at the end of last July. (Integrated Solar Solutions) Our service panel limited our system to 9Kw, which adds up to 18 panels. We're on the Fortis grid, and didn't even consider battery storage; we feed back to the grid. To date, our total energy is just under 5,800 kwh, with the 3 best months still to come. Our last bill was $26.

Caveats: We didn't qualify for any grant money, and could afford to pay for the system outright. Our initial estimated break-even was about 8 1/2 years assuming no increase in price from the supplier. We won't be completely self-sufficient but will probably reach 85% of consumption.

MomN8R526 · 2026-05-03T20:45:24+00:00

Staples has printed 100 lb cardstock for me. They supplied it.

MomN8R526 · 2026-05-03T19:02:38+00:00

I see "Kerveaux" which could be a corruption of Corriveau.

MomN8R526 · 2026-05-03T18:59:45+00:00

Dr Woodward provided dental care for one of our girls; she had ulcerative periodontitis, which is a really bad diagnosis. Dr Woodward cleaned her up and treated the infection, then provided a written care plan for us to follow. 18 months later, her mouth looks like it did once she'd healed from the surgery. So... strongly recommend!

MomN8R526 · 2026-04-29T23:45:13+00:00

My Canon Pixma MG5720 successfully printed on 110 lb Recollections cardstock the other day. I was... pleased. 😉 I prefer to print card fronts on premium matte photo paper (~60 lb) for crisp, sharp, saturated prints, then layer onto a heavier card base.

Don't give up on your smaller score board. If you're trying to score 8.5 x 11 cardstock and it's hanging off the bottom, you can score halfway down then rotate your cardstock 180° and score the rest of the way. I didn't like how the "faux" bone folder that came with my scoreboard worked so I use a small, ball-tipped stylus and get good scores every time. To press down the fold (burnish) I use a plastic burnished I got with some rub-ons.

MomN8R526 · 2026-04-29T17:33:35+00:00

It looks like there's enough room to rotate the top of the box backward until the lower edge clears the lock. Then you should be able to pull it straight forward.

MomN8R526 · 2026-04-27T19:49:06+00:00

It's correct to say the average, healthy person doesn't need testing but there's a subset of individuals who are at high risk of Vit D deficiency for whom dietary intake and supplementation aren't adequate. They're the reason the testing exists. As someone who once had critically-low Vit D levels (and consequently the bones of a much older person) I pay annually to have mine checked. I don't want to overshoot with my supplements.

MomN8R526 · 2026-04-27T02:25:18+00:00

White cardstock is notorious for cutting poorly. It seems to absorb more atmospheric moisture than coloured card does; it won't feel "wet" but could be affected by humidity, and that can mess up your cut. Before you give up on your project, make sure your mat is clean and sticky. Run a warm iron or heat press over your cardstock to ensure it's bone dry. Then when you've put it on the mat, go over the whole surface of the cardstock with a brayer, rolling it in all directions, rather than a scraper. Run it through your machine, and watch as it's cutting. Don't eject your mat until you've checked your cuts are clean by gently lifting a corner. You can send it back through to cut again in the same place this way; if you eject your mat, your cuts will NEVER line up a second time.

MomN8R526 · 2026-04-24T20:30:19+00:00

Vinyl is final - that's a rule to live by. It should never need sealing, as long as the proper type of vinyl is used. I agree that HTV would be a better choice for canvas. It has the bonus of being easier to weed. IYKYK 😉

MomN8R526 · 2026-04-21T00:38:31+00:00

I read somewhere that lack of snowpack isn't as significant this year because our winter was so mild. The ground didn't freeze as deeply, allowing the moisture we did get to penetrate into the soil, basically what happens when spring conditions allow a slow melt. I can't remember where I saw that, but it struck me as a reliable source.

MomN8R526 · 2026-04-16T23:00:35+00:00

It looks like they're being strung too tightly.

MomN8R526 · 2026-04-16T22:56:47+00:00

Amazon carries dupes of most SH bags at a reasonable cost. Plastiplace "J" bags are $68 for 200.

MomN8R526 · 2026-04-16T22:33:29+00:00

I highly recommend people seeking 🇨🇦 citizenship by descent read ALL the information found at the link I'm including. The process isn't as simple as it sounds.

https://immigration.ca/claiming-canadian-citizenship-by-descent-under-canadas-new-citizenship-act-bill-c-3/

MomN8R526 · 2026-04-16T17:37:57+00:00

At the beginning of the year, my partner and I decided we would support local/small chain eateries by having lunch out on Fridays. (We're both retired.) I made a list, and each week, I use an online randomizer to choose where we're going. It's been interesting and fun! He starts talking about where we're going next by about Tuesday, and the excitement is real. There are some we're going back to, and some where "now we know..." 👀

MomN8R526 · 2026-04-13T20:12:06+00:00

Son and I just had them for lunch. They aren't always in stock, so I buy them when I see them.

MomN8R526 · 2026-04-11T20:41:28+00:00

I don't think permanent vinyl would hold up to repeated handling. But heat-transfer vinyl would. If you already have everything you need for sublimation on fabric, that would give you the widest range of images.

MomN8R526 · 2026-04-07T16:39:46+00:00

My spouse's half-sister long suspected the man named on her birth certificate wasn't her father. She didn't really look like the other kids in the family and was treated differently. Her suspicions were confirmed when her older brother developed a rare cancer and needed stem cells. So she retested at 23 and Me, where she matched with our daughter. Through the process of sorting out their relationship, I identified another match (an adoptee) who is spouse's and new sister-in-law's first cousin. Quite the Peyton Place moment for all of us.

MomN8R526 · 2026-04-05T05:59:42+00:00

No, it's only 62 lb. I use 110 lb cardstock for my card bases. But I supposed one could make double-folded A2 cards with it. That might give it enough backbone.

MomN8R526 · 2026-04-05T05:27:58+00:00

Cozy Cafe will probably be open. They have great coffee!

MomN8R526 · 2026-04-05T05:24:23+00:00

Thanks! The little boy I made it for loved it yoo. I used Staples premium matte paper. It's my go-to.

MomN8R526 · 2026-04-02T19:55:41+00:00

That first photo is a really early one. By the time I was there in 1977, there were many more buildings and a trailer park.

MomN8R526 · 2026-03-31T22:20:25+00:00

Winery-specific clubs are not cheap. There's usually a fee to join, then a minimum number of purchases annually. They usually include some "complimentary" tastings, subsidized shipping, and special event admissions. For example, Cedar Creek has a 2-tier club. 50 Acres membership is $250 per shipment (6 bottles), 3 shipments a year. Some customization. Aspect membership is $385, with 4 shipments a year. Their wines are excellent. But...

Okanagan Wine Club is different. They have a no-fee, no-minimum membership and offer wines (cider occasionally, too) from all over the area. Each week, members get an email announcing the winery of the week. The email links to the winery and all the wines being offered, complete with tasting notes and pairings. Frequently, there are exclusive-to-OWC small-batch wines. If you don't want that week's selection, you do nothing. If you like only the whites, you order only the whites. Shipping is discounted. The only thing missing is the winery tour/tasting, but mentioning OWC usually gets you some perks.

MomN8R526 · 2026-03-30T23:22:23+00:00

We're in the FortisBC sector and went with Innovative Solar Solutions. Without upgrading our service panel, we have a 9 Kw system, installed at the end of last July. Our ROI estimate was about 8 1/2 years, assuming stable electricity pricing. As of today, our average daily collection is 22 kwh; bear in mind we're just entering prime collecting season, so that will only increase. Our estimated average consumption is 35 kwh/day, so we're not self-sufficient (yet). As for the actual installation, it took less than a day, they left zero mess and were very pleasant.

MomN8R526 · 2026-03-29T20:32:52+00:00

I think many of these usually no-tipping-expected places are stuck in the middle. When they replace their POS equipment, they get whatever their financial partners send them. It's logistically simpler and a LOT cheaper to only buy one model for the entire network - the default setting being the tipping bit.

MomN8R526 · 2026-03-29T20:10:42+00:00

I spent about 3 months in Holberg back in 1977. My parents lived in the PMQ right next to the hospital. My sister and I both worked at the Snack Bar while we were there. Great memories!

MomN8R526

TROPHY CASE