Kerri and Misty May. Wow!  I watched every event they were in, and screamed my lungs out!  They got a lot of mentions by the folks doing the play-by-play in this years matches. 
In the men's volleyball, do you remember Karsh Kurai? ( Know the spellings aren't right) He was a powerhouse.
I still haven't seen any of the Equestrian events, darn it. I was out most of the day doing "stuff"; car inspection, picking up medications, going to the library to pick up requested books, etc. 
It was 100 degrees today, (feels like temp 102).

Tome, the other afternoon, I tuned in and got to see only three or four horses jumping the fences. At that point, the US was in ninth place. The channel switched to an ad and when they came back it was to indoor sports. Bummer! I like the equestrian events and fencing, but otherwise I am not much interested in the summer Olympics. My sister, however, is glued to the Olympics much of the day.

MarsGal  - Were you ever into Fencing? I think it is an unusual sport to be interested in - for most people. At one time many years ago my brother was into it. I have no idea how good he was, just that he did it. I don't think they had much of the electronic stuff then.

BTW - I watched some of it. Sounds like the same day you saw it.

Rick, I took eight weeks or so of fencing lessons through one of those community class offerings when I was in my 30's. Bought my own outfit and sword with a Belgian grip. It wasn't as exaggerated or fancy as some of the pix I've seen, and I did not use a guard. Joined the local fencing club but felt very much like an outsider. Most of those attending were college grads, had regular fencing partners, and/or were training for competition as were a very few youngsters. I rarely got to do any fencing, mostly I was ignored. I never heard about anyone giving private fencing lessons in the area, and I don't think the class was offered again.

So, your brother was into it for a while? Did he fence epee or sabre? Did he learn to fence with sword and dagger? Just curious. 

Quote from: MarsGal on August 02, 2024, 02:29:49 PMSo, your brother was into it for a while? Did he fence epee or sabre? Did he learn to fence with sword and dagger? Just curious. 

It was a real looooong time ago. All I recall is he had the head mask (?), a vest, and a sword (Epee ?). Not sure of those names. He demonstrated for the rest of the family and let me try it - but it was not my thing. I don't know that he took any course, but I think learned from fellow club members (and friends). I don't think he stayed with it very long.

Probably an epee then, Rick. I believe sabre tended to be a bit more advanced. Beginners usually start with and often stick with an epee. Since I didn't have friends to practice with, I used one of those dressmaker's stands as a practice target or just did basic exercises.

I've been slowly, very slowly, moving furniture around, barely started putting together the new TV console, and disconnected the TV in preparation for moving the new console in place when I finish putting it together. The sofa table/storage unit is still in the box, untouched until I get the TV back in place.

Yesterday, Shan was a bit distressed over the furniture moving around or disappearing on him. Oscar has been taking it all in stride.

Tome/Joanne . . .  Karch Karily, is still very much a part of the Beach Volleyball Olympics!  He's the coach for the US women's team,  plus he's one of the commentators.  He's relatively young - early 60's I think, and still looking good . . .  as always!      
   
Mars . . .  sounds like you were serious about Fencing back then, but you just didn't get the encouragement and camaraderie you needed.  It's funny how we take an interest in certain sports, hobbies or projects when we're young adults but those interests fade away if we don't have a partner, a team, a club, etc.

Rick . . .  I watched some of the Olympic Fencing, and found it interesting, but rather distasteful.   The protective equipment is just too extreme for me.   The masks are horrifying, and the clothing looked hot and bulky.  Then, those electrical cords attached to the players!     The whole scene reminded me of  two robots in a Sci-Fi movie.   Just didn't seem like a "sport" to me?

The masks are made of wire, and can be seen through. But they are necessary to protect eyes and face from foil. They want to duel, but not kill. Scoring now detected by electric wire upon contact.

The new TV console and the TV are in place. I got to relax and watch some TV yesterday. At some point, my sound-bar died. I will most likely wait until I get a new TV before replacing it, although the sound was much better with it. The rest of yesterday was filled with household chores and rearranging some furniture in the bed room. The old TV stand is now in the bedroom pretending to be a night table/storage unit. The wood cat "hovel" is now in here where a bookshelf was. The bookshelf is now in the bedroom. I need to put out some trash in a little bit, but the recyclables will have to wait until Wednesday because the bins are full. This afternoon I will be reshelving books and, hopefully, get a few more things out of boxes and on shelves.

Found a wasp in my bedroom after the sun came up this morning. He was no match for my fly swatter.

It is 88^o now, heading up over 90. Tomorrow is also supposed to be over 90^o but after that it looks like a string of rainy weather with temps in the 70s.

I would assume you checked the wires to your soundbar --- and re-seated the connections. Could also be a bad wire.

Mars,  looks like you're still rearranging, and will continue until you get things just right for you and Oscar and Shan. We have so much trash every week, plus recyclables, that I always wonder how two old people can accumulate so much?  Getting three large containers down a steep driveway to the curb, is a real chore.  I can no longer help, but AJ still does it. I shudder to think of the outcome, if one of the containers got away from him, going down the driveway. 

Tome - hope you drop in, and update us on what Olympic sports you're now following?  Still lots to go in Track & Field.  Yesterday I watched the Women's Bicycle race through the streets of Paris. I don't remember what the distance was, but it seemed to last all afternoon.  The American woman won Gold!         

Rick, the thing is not getting power to it now. Not that the Xfinity guy had it set up right anyway. It was passing through the signal from the stream box but not getting the sound. I suspect that because the TV was off line so long because of the move that it lost its memory and needs set up again. But now, it seems to have died entirely. Can't go back and reset it without power. I can live without it for a while.

MarsGal  - The Cable boxes we have, and assume yours are similar, have options for switching on/off power from the outlet on the back of the cable box.
I've never had a sound bar so have no idea how they are controlled, but can you plug it into a separate outlet - just to see if that works?

I have a cable box, and a smart TV, and find some of the options buried so well that they can be missed.

Rick, I don't have a regular set top box. This Xumo box is small, about the size of a Roku. No on/off switch. I have mine connected to a power strip. The sound bar does not work either via the power strip or directly to the outlet. When the Xfinity guy set the thing up, it was getting power, but I wasn't really getting use of the dynamic sound, so he either didn't have it set up right, or it needed reset with the basic Sony TV settings, which probably means finding the the code needed for the TV to see the sound box. The guy that did the original setup at the house had some trouble finding a code that worked. But that has nothing to do with the power problem. Oh, well. An excuse to waste time looking at the new TV models. I have room for a larger one now.

Could there be a fuse hidden in the unit somewhere?

Might be, never know without looking, but I am not about to take the thing apart to find out. Do they even use fuses anymore?

Quote from: MarsGal on August 06, 2024, 10:25:45 AMDo they even use fuses anymore?

Yes, but it depends on the designer - and probably the use and quality of the item.

Well, hey Marilyne!  Got a laugh out of your "trash quantity" blurb.  I have so little trash, that my neighbors let me deposit my 1/2 to 1 bag in their roll carts.  I have a roll cart but it is a hassle to get it out the back or side gates, and onto the proper location for pickup.  I do use my recycle bin, but it only fills up about every 3 weeks.And so I very carefully "drive" it out the back gate to the side.  Watch Olympics: the question becomes "what events "don't" I watch!  I finally got to see the finals in the equestrian event.  I watched the women's bicycle road race and was proud the USA lady won!  I have watched almost all of the track and field events, men and women.  Saw some Pole Vaulting today.  I DVR'd some of the artistic swimming and will watch.  Watched as much of the Diving as was shown on NBC.  My daughter signed up for a Trial of Peacock so she could watch the Olympics, which surprised me as she doesn't love sports like I do. My favorite Beach Volleyball has had my attention all the way through, as well as indoor volleyball. Saw a bit of the water polo, but that really doesn't interest me, as well as the skateboarding.  I have watched so much, I can't think of more of the events right now, and I'm sure there will be others coming along that I will watch. I like weight lifting!  Am I just squirrely or what?  I will post later about the "woes" in my life, not that everyone doesn't have enough woes without hearing about mine.  Hope the awful weather misses all of our groups here. (we even had some small earthquakes here in Texas).

The latest prognostication is that Debbie will dump 1-3 inches of rain on my sister's side of the Susquehanna. And on my side? 3-5 inches. The river is often a dividing line when it comes to storms for some odd reason. Temp this morning is 66^o with the predication of only 73^o this afternoon. Big change from the 90+ weather we have been getting.

I want to get started on unboxing and putting together the sofa console/table today. I'll be taking it slow, with plenty of breaks. Poor Oscar. He has taken a shine to that box, often laying on it. He even decided that is where he wants his meals these last few days.

Yesterday I rearranged some shelving in the bedroom, and the cat's "hovel" is now in here. They weren't using it in the living area, nor in the bedroom, so I'll give this a try. If it continues to be unused, it is easy enough to dismantle and store. Actually, for some reason, they haven't much used it at all since Lucy passed away. Nor did they use the two cat cloth cat "caves" after she died. One of those got tossed and the other is washed, flattened and stowed away.



 

Good Morning Mars, and anyone else who drops in today.  Wish we could have some of your rain, but will have to make-do with heavy damp fog this morning.  It lowers the temperature and makes for easy breathing, but will burn off in an other hour or so, and be hot again by this afternoon.
Mars, I'm curious about the cat's "hovel"?  Is that a structure where they can hide away, or just a collection of their toys and stuff?  Interesting that they don't like it and other things that they associate with Lucy.  I had one of those cloth caves for our last cat, Winnie.  Can't believe he's been gone for five years.     

Marilyne, it is cat furniture. This one is rectangular wooden structure with a door and two pine tree cut-outs in the front and a window on one side. The roof is flat with a lightly padded corduroy cover. It reminds me of a cabin even though I call it a hovel. These things can get quite elaborate and expensive. Some are disguised as furniture, or have a dual use such as end-tables, bookshelves, console tables, etc. More than a few are advertised as being of use for hiding litter boxes. I, personally, would never use wood for a cover for a cat litter box.  Yeah, it is really strange since Lucy mostly used the cloth one that I pitched. Oscar was the one who made the most use of it, but he has his cat perch by the window now that he spends a great deal of time on.

Today will be the last day of the 2024 Olympics. It's been a pleasure to focus on something good and positive.  A brief moment in time that didn't include politics, war or hatred.   

Hoping we hear from  Joanne/Tome, Mars, Mary Page, Rick, Callie, Jackie, and anyone else who posts here?  Enjoy your Sunday, and look forward to the weeks ahead. 
             

Thunderstorm woke me up about 4:00 a.m.  I turned on my side away from the window, put a small pillow over the "up" ear and went back to sleep. When I woke up at 8:30, there was a text from #2 son (who lives on the other side of town) with a picture of his rain gauge. It showed almost 5 inches!   I don't have a rain gauge but my birdbath was running over and it was still raining.

Bless the paper carrier! I read the daily paper on-line during the week but Sunday edition is delivered. This morning, it was double wrapped and right up against the garage door.  I didn't have to take even one step outside and it is completely dry. 

I'll probably be a Recliner Radish (kin to a Couch Potato  ) all afternoon. Plan to watch Olympics closing tonight.

Enjoy your day, Everyfriend. 

I think I saw some of the Olympic closing - between Baseball innings. What I saw didn't impress me. Turned control of the TV over to my son, and have no idea what he's watching.

I agree, Rammel. It was weird! I turned it off to check on here and keep reading my e-book.

I stuck with it for a long time, and finally gave up near the end and went to bed.  I couldn't figure out the purpose or meaning to Tom Cruise appearing at the end, doing motorcycle stunts and showing off . . followed by multiple 1970's looking Rock bands??   Might have been Bruce Springsteen??  What did Cruise or those shaggy looking rock bands have to do with the Paris Olympics?  🤔
Anyway, I enjoyed the two weeks of games and competition, but disliked both the opening and closing ceremonies.

I didn't see the closing ceremonies, but evidently, its theme was a handoff to the 2028 ceremonies in Los Angles and a tease of what's to come. With the Olympics in the US film capital, it's bound to come with over the top zeal.

Patricia, I watched the handoff of the flag to the mayor of Los Angeles, but didn't get the Hollywood connection at the time.      I admit to being a bit slow  these days!        So I guess that's why we saw Lady GaGa being featured on camera throughout the Olympics,  along with lots of other stars? 

Count me in with those who think the closing ceremonies were "weird".

Yes, it's all publicity. Tom Cruise, who I dislike intensely because he cut off all contract with his underage daughter because of his church's practice of shunning all ex or non-members, has a "Mission Impossible" movie coming out where he does motorcycle stunts. So, he's looking out for publicity for his own