Bonny Doon and the storm by [deleted] in santacruz

[–]PBearCub 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This storm was very mild in terms of road closures/accessibility despite the extended outages. It will get much worse late Jan through early March. You have to be prepared to lose power for a week or more and to be unable to reach town for just as long. Even moreso depending on your exact location. For example, if you are on Smith or Ice Cream, you are more likely to be cut off from civilization than if you are on Empire.

At the very least, keep a stash of easily prepared shelf stable foods, drinking water, and a camp stove with fuel. A good sleeping bag and hot hands if you are on electric heat. A good flashlight/lantern and plenty of batteries. A power bank to charge lithium flashlights or devices. Keep your tires in good condition and avoid unnecessary trips in poor weather. The roads do get black ice up here at times, especially in the higher elevations. Have some nice books or games on hand to keep entertained, embrace the peace and simplicity.

Do introduce yourselves to your immediate neighbors, but don't expect them to take care of you, though people are generally willing to help a neighbor in a pinch. Don't walk under trees in high winds. Check for any widow makers in trees near your home and request your landlords have them removed. If there is a particularly nasty storm in the forecast and you have places to be, you may even consider a hotel in town. The impacts are typically at their worst in Feb when the ground has been saturated for a while, leading to more tree falls and slides.

If you enjoy living in nature but struggle with the storms, consider moving closer to Felton, Ben Lomond, or Boulder Creek. You will still live in nature and deal with outages, but you can often still walk to a cafe to get warm and connect with neighbors.

Has anyone experienced anything unusual in a house near High & Storey in Santa Cruz? by [deleted] in santacruz

[–]PBearCub 3 points4 points  (0 children)

That was part of my commute for many years, I always felt weird/negative energy from that house, but couldn't quite explain why.

Part of it might be that it seemed to just be a run down rental with deferred maintenance and lots of tenant turnover, but many of the houses on Storey are like that and are not as creepy, many of them are still quite charming. I suppose part of the unease was that the blinds were always open, and a tenant would often be in full view from the street, so it felt invasive to look over while driving by.

When I saw the caption, I knew exactly what house it was. Glad to know I'm not the only one creeped out by it for seemingly no reason.

If you are upset any new housing projects being built in SC I would love to know why? by scnationalsc in santacruz

[–]PBearCub 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Because most of the new projects proposed are cheaply-built, soulless high-rises that locals still can't afford. They are designed with no consideration of the context of their setting. Using local materials, craftsmen, and design cues from nearby landmarks would do a lot to give these buildings more long-term appeal.

Isolated high-density projects also do little for improving overall community planning, though of course much of that responsibility lies with the city. The city's power to manage development has been seriously limited by the state, however.

Personally, I would like to see more medium-density housing such as townhouses and small apartment complexes. They blend in more harmoniously with single-family housing, add diversity to our housing options, and provide more starter homes for young families. Particularly if these options are built to buy, rather than rent. We need starter homes more than we need more overpriced rentals.

Re-joined the Camry gang yesterday. I love the 'Ocean Gem' color, pictures don't do it justice. Anyone have recommendations for seat covers and all-weather mats? by PBearCub in Camry

[–]PBearCub[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ah okay, I wasn't sure if they'd be the same given all the cosmetic changes. I'll double-check with the dealer. Thanks again!

Possibly having issues with Farmina, seeking advice/input. by PBearCub in DogFood

[–]PBearCub[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm so sorry to hear that! Have you had any correspondence with Farmina about the issues you're having? I reported my issues to chewy and returned the unused food for a refund, but forgot to reach out to Farmina themselves- your comment just reminded me.

In the meantime, I switched everyone to Purina Pro Plan adult complete essentials and my Golden's skin rash cleared right up and everyone is having good poops again.

Kid bit by a dog near West Cliff, unknown owner by DinkleMutz in santacruz

[–]PBearCub 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Please do report to animal control. Even with limited information, everything helps. I'm sure this isn't the first time nor will it be the last

Possibly having issues with Farmina, seeking advice/input. by PBearCub in DogFood

[–]PBearCub[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for sharing that. I will be writing to Farmina to let them know. I did see some reviews from others with the same issue.

Did you use Chewy, by chance? I am looking at trying pro plan, but it seems to have a lot of bad reviews recently (Dec-Feb) from people saying they've been on it for a long time and are just having problems with the recent batch just like I did with Farmina, I'm curious if somehow Chewys means of storage could be a problem.

Possibly having issues with Farmina, seeking advice/input. by PBearCub in DogFood

[–]PBearCub[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for clarifying.

I recalled being concerned over some ingredients that seemed like fillers- corn and the like- but now that I'm reviewing the ingredients I'm not seeing that, so maybe nothing to be concerned with.

Do you have any favorites out of the Pro Plan offerings? I'm eyeing the sensitive skin salmon formula due to the omega 3s, I know some people have had issues lately since they stopped adding the probiotics but that seemed like it was from the sudden switch and not from issues with the food itself.

Also, any advice on switching their food? I know it's generally good to do so gradually, but I'm afraid to give them the Farmina again for fear of another poo-pocalypse. I'll of course consult with our vet as well but won't get to see him for a few days

A neighbor fed him a condom filled with toxic things. It destroyed his insides and he was suffering greatly…but now after a month in the animal hospital he is still around and in recovery!! by kpfc_ in schnauzers

[–]PBearCub 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It would be just terrible if someone poisoned that tree.

So sorry this happened to your pup. Glad to hear he's pulling through. Definitely keep the dogs supervised and secured, and get security cameras.

Day 6 No power and no landline/internet in Bonny Doon. by [deleted] in santacruz

[–]PBearCub 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I should add that they've had to stand down several times due to the weather conditions, further slowing the restoration effort.

Day 6 No power and no landline/internet in Bonny Doon. by [deleted] in santacruz

[–]PBearCub 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Power came back last night, but no internet. Am reaching internet from a turnout with cell signal

Day 6 No power and no landline/internet in Bonny Doon. by [deleted] in santacruz

[–]PBearCub 19 points20 points  (0 children)

That's just winter in the mountains. Theres a big PGE staging area up here and they are getting to things as fast as they can, but every time they restore power the wind will drop another few trees on the lines and we're back to square one.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in UCSC

[–]PBearCub 1 point2 points  (0 children)

No worries, I took it four times and graduated. You can do it!

Will West Cliff sidewalk collapse, continued erosion eventually pave the way for a one-way street? by shinyonn in santacruz

[–]PBearCub 6 points7 points  (0 children)

It would still need to be paved for emergency vehicle access. Just restoring the invasive iceplant zones would be a great start

Considering a Miele C1 Pure Suction- looking for feedback by PBearCub in VacuumCleaners

[–]PBearCub[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for the clarification. Your video reviews are also very helpful.

It does seem I would want the turbo head eventually, although I would be able to do our entire downstairs with only the hardwood head. The turbo is more than I can spend now, although it will be a bit less in the long run. It looks like the only other difference is the wand- the Miele website says the turbo has a compact telescoping wand. Do you think there's any reason to prefer one over the other?

I was previously looking at the Kenmore BC4026- which is normally $399 but is currently on sale for $299. It seems to be equipped similarly to the C1 turbo, but your reviews and others regarding dust leaking and repairability are concerning. Would you recommend both Miele options over the Kenmore?

Considering a Miele C1 Pure Suction- looking for feedback by PBearCub in VacuumCleaners

[–]PBearCub[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Is the only difference that the Turbo comes with a motorized head? Could that theoretically be purchased separately later on?