Aww man! Redwall author Brian Jacques dies aged 71

February 8, 2011 9:06 AM 2/8/11

Link to the Beeb article here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-12380763

I didn’t read a lot of his stuff but without fail everything I did read I loved. He created a wonderful universe and I hope he’s earned soem well deserved rest and enjoyment.

Please excuse me I have to add some books to my Amazon wishlist...



In other obituaries people who know anything about PDP/VAX systems will be saddened. Ken Olson the founder of Digital Equipment Corporation has died:

http://www.wbur.org/2011/02/08/ken-olsen-2

I currently have...

A PDP-11/04

A MicroVax II and boards to make a MicroVax III. (Complete with rack and RA82 hard drive.)

A Vaxstation 4000-60. (The drive died in i recently so I have to re-load it. Most silent machine I own.)

I grew up working with equipment he designed and for a long long time it was the only computer systems I worked with in school. It wasn’t the first I ever used (IBM 5100) but it was the ones I used the most in early years.

More popping and creaking...

So I woke from a nap because I haven't been feeling well all day and tired myself out doing chores around the house. Just as I woke up I heard a lound POP! from the attic. I went up there and didn't find anything that I could see out of place but that sound worries the hell out of me.

This house was built in the 50's so that means it's seen three large snows as of this season. The means three large snow loads and the resultant stresses.

That means I really should do somethng about the snow that's up there. Tomorrow. It's going to be in the 40's here next week but I don't want to take the chance it might be too late by then.

So that means I need to get up there tomorrow and shovel snow off the one side of my roof. But I may have found another solution...

Warm water. The slop sink is right near the back door so I can easily bring the hose inside (I forgot to take the reel off the wall) and once it's thawed out hook it to the slop sink faucet. I don't need it really hot just enough to melt the snow.

And all the snow in question is in an area where I don't care if there's ice on the ground or not and I know the sump pump works as it went off one day when it got significantly above freezing.

So with the help of a garden hose, a glove, and some warm water I should be able to clear my roof in no time.

If that doesn't work then yes I'll shovel it but I really want to find ANY other method as I still am over 200 lbs and it's a fairly steep incline.

If I had better lighting and a thawed hose I'd try this tonight but it's just too dark out. :-(

Here's to hoping the roof doesn't cave in overnight...