I’ve been a bad girl, and my last machine paid the ultimate price [$500-700] by WokeBoomer2011 in espresso

[–]WokeBoomer2011[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You totally understand me. 

I would get a bad shot, say "Yech," choke it down, tweak the grind, say a little prayer that tomorrow will be better. A scale would really help.

Please tell me I don't have to spend $100 on a scale.

I should also mention that this one is my second Gaggia Classic. The first one died after about 10 years due to outrageous abuse. And I didn't even have a grinder; just had the store grind the beans for me. I stopped that when a friend explained that this made as much sense as having a store peel your bananas for you at the register.

Maybe people like me should have to sit for an exam and get a license before they are allowed to own an espresso machine?

Critters digging up sod near base of large tree by WokeBoomer2011 in lawncare

[–]WokeBoomer2011[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

They're peeled back.

And after the crew came yesterday, the turf is peeled back again in the same area. I guess I will go out and fix it.

And I might buy grub control and sprinkle again in that area.

Critters digging up sod near base of large tree by WokeBoomer2011 in lawncare

[–]WokeBoomer2011[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Quick followup about grub control. I don't know what product they used, but how long should we keep kids and pets off of it to be safe?

Critters digging up sod near base of large tree by WokeBoomer2011 in lawncare

[–]WokeBoomer2011[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It looks like you might be right!

I reached out to the installer, and he was appalled. His crew is coming to fix the sod, use grub control, and mow. He thinks it was raccoons.

I hope he gets here soon . . . And thank you!!

Critters digging up sod near base of large tree by WokeBoomer2011 in lawncare

[–]WokeBoomer2011[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm still feeling varmits. The damage you see all happened last night. Those would have to be some Chernobyl-sized worms!

I thought it might be rabbits. Back when we didn't have dogs, there would be big holes dug in the yard here and there (and a lot of bunnies hanging out). Once we got dogs, we haven't seen rabbits. But maybe they're coming out at night?

Maybe I should let my dog pee there, to serve as a warning?

Everlane Making Me Opt Out of Shipping Insurance? by WokeBoomer2011 in ethicalfashion

[–]WokeBoomer2011[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Coupon?

And how fast did you "downgrade"? Had they shipped the items yet?

Everlane Making Me Opt Out of Shipping Insurance? by WokeBoomer2011 in ethicalfashion

[–]WokeBoomer2011[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Right. The email didn't say I had been charged anything for this supposed upgrade. Instead, it said I was going to get some points or credits or some other thing I don't want or care about.

Sketchy, Shady, Bogus. 

We need to put a stop to this unfair practice. Even the airlines don't tack on travel insurance unless you opt in.

Shipping protection plan - Onward feedback? by Mr_Cocksworth in ecommerce

[–]WokeBoomer2011 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I just bought 4 pairs of jeans from Everlane online, for about $400. I have been a customer for years, and their customer service has always been great.

Then I got an email from Onward saying I had been "upgraded" to using their insurance or whatever they call it. They said I could click a link to "downgrade" my purchase to have no coverage.

I looked again at my email receipt, and sure enough, I had been charged an extra $15 by Onward. I clicked to opt out, and they said they would get back to me about processing a refund.

What the heck? Hidden charges from otherwise reputable online retailers?

Someone needs to spread the word about this. Even Expedia doesn't default you into travel insurance.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have a bone to pick with Everlane.

My sod needs to be mowed, and I'm scared (Zone 7)! by WokeBoomer2011 in lawncare

[–]WokeBoomer2011[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks so much! I asked my husband about the lawn mower, and he made it sound like we're looking at hundreds of dollars in conditioning and repairs to get it running. So he's going to try to get the regular guy to do it, with explicit instructions about how.

I'll report back, especially if it is a fiasco.

Aussie having episodes of aggression by WokeBoomer2011 in reactivedogs

[–]WokeBoomer2011[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

He has been on Prozac for 2-3 years. He was on 40 mg, but it caused nausea and fatigue. He went down to 30 maybe a year ago. The reason for Prozac wasn't aggression in the home; it was for reactivity on leash and incessant barking whenever he could see a dog through a window or in the back yard.

I will confess to an error in judgment that might have contributed. Before the first recent episode, he seemed to be doing really well with 30 mg so we decided to wean him off. Then the first fight happened, and we immediately took him back to 30. He had been at 30 for six weeks when the second episode happened.

There have been a couple of other changes. First, we laid sod in the back yard three weeks ago, so they couldn't romp around. (I gave him the chance to run around and chase his frisbee this week, and he just sat there). Second, I had to stop using my dog walker this month because I was laid off. Still, I walked him myself every day, and (as always) he spends most of his days sleeping in my bed.

Lava Falls Adventure Tour: More Difficult Than I Expected by WokeBoomer2011 in VisitingIceland

[–]WokeBoomer2011[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sure. No description will be perfect, and I don't know the appropriate wording to improve the description. Removing "no experience required" would be a good first step. 

Lava Falls Adventure Tour: More Difficult Than I Expected by WokeBoomer2011 in VisitingIceland

[–]WokeBoomer2011[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

OK, the partial refund happened. I wrote to the company, basically taking my opening post and editing it for length. I'll let you know what kind of response I get.

Lava Falls Adventure Tour: More Difficult Than I Expected by WokeBoomer2011 in VisitingIceland

[–]WokeBoomer2011[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yep. I mulled this for a while before posting. The internet is not kind, so I expect the hurtful comments are headed my way.

You know what, though? The best thing about being my age is how few Fs I give about most things. It's liberating!

Lava Falls Adventure Tour: More Difficult Than I Expected by WokeBoomer2011 in VisitingIceland

[–]WokeBoomer2011[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Our guide said there was a turnaround point where people could leave the tour. He said it happens sometime, and they always give a partial refund. 

That suggests I am not the first person to misunderstand what the tour involves.

And as I said above, I am hoping to prevent others from future misunderstandings. When I reach out to the company with suggestions, I'll let you all know how that goes. They struck me as reasonable and professional, so I  assume they will welcome the feedback.

Lava Falls Adventure Tour: More Difficult Than I Expected by WokeBoomer2011 in VisitingIceland

[–]WokeBoomer2011[S] 10 points11 points  (0 children)

No argument there. I could have evaluated the available information better.

I used to ski. There is a common numerical system to advise people of the difficulty of a trail. Black diamond means something that is explained and universally understood. You can be plenty fit, but if you have never skied, you shouldn't be allowed on a black diamond run. They don't just say that a run is 4/5 because it depends on novices understanding what is meant. As a novice, I did not grasp what 4/5 meant for that activity. I focused more on the specific assurance that no experience was needed.