Charge!

[rolanni]

So, we here in Central/Western Maine are currently laboring under a Winter Weather Advisory.  We live in joyful anticipation of 2-8 inches of snow and ice (The difference being whether the Cat Farm is situated, for the purposes of This Exact Winter Event, in Central Maine, Western Maine, or "the mountains".  Fascinating how moveable geography is.).

Y'all know what this means, right?

Right.

We're charging all the devices in hand.  In the case of my little Sansa Clip, this also meant receiving a firmware update, a procedure that always fills me with dread, but the machine appears to have taken no lasting harm and my music is intact.  I note that the Clip thought the date was November 14, 2007.  Ain't nobody can say we're right on the cutting edge, here at the Confusion Factory.

Yesterday, having had ample warning of the upcoming stretch of challenging weather, and money in the checkbook, we went out to breakfast at our good friend O'Brien's and then sequed into shopping.  In addition to much-needed groceries, we brought on-board the usual storm items, including cat food-and-litter; bought animal-and-kid safe de-icer for the outside stairs; windshield washer fluid for the cars; and another so-called battery power station to act as back-up to the more elderly unit.

We also bought the house a Yule present -- another set of windchimes.  This brings the windchime population to three, plus a bouy bell.

For the curious, here's a link to the new chimes, so you can hear what they sound like.

So, what with the upcoming storm and all, and the fact that we don't have to be anywhere until Wednesday, we're at home for the next few days.

That'll be nice.

I'm reading, a page or two at a time, Agnes and the Hitman, which is not, I suspect the optimum way to read Agnes and the Hitman, but it's the way that's open at the moment.  I'm also still working on Carousel Sun,
yes I am.  I'm having a bit of a Miss Buncle problem, which, if I can't plot my way around it today, I'll just go with throwing a dart at the board and going where it leads me.

Speaking of good causes (notice that smooth transition?) -- Jim Hines has added new cover images in support of Aicardi Research.

Here's a link to the main cover and donation page

And here's a link to an explanation of how this crazy thing got started

Do consider donating to the cause.

Comments

[starrcat.livejournal.com]

Do you like the Sansa Clip? I have been looking for an alternative to the iPod and was wondering about this.

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

I do, very much. In fact, more than I expected I would. Being basically untrusting, I bought it a mini-SD card, on which my music resides, rather than saving everything to internal memory (I once lost all my music from eharmony when they changed whatever it was they changed, and I am apparently Forever Scarred by the experience).

When I was at the ocean, I also bought it an external speaker. The speaker and Shuffle are heaven. And having all my CDs in one little red gadget is amazing in ways I hadn't anticipated.

I do note that when the battery dies, the machine is kaput; there's no way to give it a battery transplant. I don't know if that's standard with all such devices, but it is a downside.

[starrcat.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I will probably be getting one soon. Sounds really good for travel.

people and animal safe anti-icing

[nocal-kathyf.livejournal.com]

Hi, since we recently moved to a slightly cooler section of northern ca we need some de-icing material. Never heard of pet safe versions. Would like to know more, please advise. And stay safe and warm during the upcoming interesting weather! Thanks, Kathy

Re: people and animal safe anti-icing

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

The stuff we got is called Safe Paw Ice Melt. Here's a link to it at our local hardware store: http://lawn-and-garden.hardwarestore.com/84-521-ice-melt/safe-paw-ice-melter-507533.aspx

The snow so far is very pretty, light and fluffy. Just swept off the stairs and the cars; not looking forward to ice, but maybe we can dodge that bullet

Good luck

[catherine ives (from livejournal.com)]

Good luck with the storm. May it pass the Cat Farm by.
Good luck also with the Miss Buncle problem ....whatever that may be.

Re: Good luck

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

You must read Miss Buncle's Book by D.E. Stevenson. I think you'd enjoy it.

[the wol (from livejournal.com)]

I have a Sansa Fuze plus, which works great with Rhapsody. It has a little chip port too. I believe it's slightly bigger than the Clip. I just love mine. It doesn't look like its "internal workins'" can be accessed for a battery change either. Maybe you can send them in? You might query the company. Glad you have the hatches battened down. Hope you don't get much ice.

[shana.livejournal.com]

I just got one of these http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005NGKR54/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00 (I saw the recommendation on either Dear Author or Smart Bitches, I don't remember which.)

So far it has charged my Sansa Clip+. the little Boom Cube speaker (it says 3-5 hours, but it 16-24 at the volume I play my audiobooks at) and the Duracell battery pack that I use to recharge my mp3 players on the road. And it's only down one (out of 4) lights. The Duracell chargers (I have two) kept my mp3 players going during the 4 days we were without power after Sandy.