I'm getting ahead on presents for next Christmas.  I bought 4 strings of these slow blinking twinkle lights:

https://a.co/d/bgNVoNi

Be sure to watch the videos.

Last Christmas I got several strings of colored twinkle lights, and gave some to my son.  I noticed he strung them around the ceiling, but used non-blinking white lights on his tree.  I would have preferred white twinkle lights myself last year, but they were sold out by the time I found them. With an additional year's worth of development, these look to be better designed.

I'd been waiting 40 years for independently blinking lights, ever since the first Christmas tree display I made for the Commodore PET computer. When they were finally available for purchase, how could I not buy several, cost no object.

"Only 363 shopping days until Christmas!  Shop early to avoid the rush.  Take advantage of our pre-holiday pricing.  Order now to guarantee Christmas delivery."

Peace, Joy and Happiness to you all.

Hook

PS. I still giggle every time I look at my cat figurine. 😄 

H.

22 hours ago, jon b said:

 a dalmador half Dalmatian half Labrador

Cross-bred dogs used to be called crossbreeds, or mongrels.
I suppose that giving them a made-up name is intended to add
financial value.
 

24 minutes ago, Reader said:

Cross-bred dogs used to be called crossbreeds

Seems like labradoodles have become really popular.  Cross between labrador and poodle.

My family has a dog that a vet has pronounced a "black mouth cur." How anyone could name a dog breed that is beyond me. I tell everyone she's a cross between a pit bull and a jack russel terrier, which seems pretty accurate. One characteristic of the breed is that she never seems to run out of energy. She likes to cuddle, about 1.5 seconds at a time, in passing. Just a little too energetic for my 75 years so my son keeps her.

Hook

On 12/26/2024 at 2:30 PM, Rocky_53 said:

I didn't get anything sim related, so I've just this minute bought myself NZA Simulations Wanaka region! Just firing up a flight as I type! EDIT, Oh, and also Tromso airport! 

 

But did you get the Ferrari you wanted and several Rolex watches? 

50 minutes ago, martin-w said:

 

But did you get the Ferrari you wanted and several Rolex watches? 

I told you not to mention that Martin!

Edited December 27, 20241 yr by Rocky_53

1 hour ago, martin-w said:

and several Rolex watches? 

SEVERAL!?? Heck, you only need two. One for everyday use (GMT Master is good for this, I've had one since about 1972) and one for dress-up.

With a Ferrari and a GMT Master he'll look like Magnum PI. Just need a mustache. 😄 

Hook

Edited December 27, 20241 yr by LHookins

Just now, LHookins said:

SEVERAL!?? Heck, you only need two. One for everyday use (GMT Master is good for this, I've had one since about 1972) and one for dress-up.

With a Ferrari and a GMT Master he'll look like Magnum PI. 😄 

Hook

Actually, the idea of owning a Rolex is about as far removed for me than anything! However, I did purchase a repro/fake Rolex some years ago while in Estepona in Spain. It cost me about £40, But... it was a proper copy if you know what I mean. The second hand swept smoothly rather than jumping from second to second. The strap was beautfully made, and the whole 'feel' of the watch had weight and substance. It really was a great copy. In fact, I'd wager a bet that unless you were a Rolex dealer, you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference. Then about a year after I bought the watch, we were burgled! The word not allowed took everything he could lay his hands on. You guessed, including my fake Rolex! I did however get a little bit of comfort knowing that he probably thought all his christmases had come at once when he saw it in my bedside drawer, but then his excitement would have been scuppered, once he discovered at some point that it was worth only pounds and not thousands of pounds! 

When they broke into our house and looked around, they began to feel sorry for us. And so instead of two cheap Casio watches on the nightstand, there were now four. They also left some McDonalds free sandwich coupons.

My GMT Master was $185 in the PX in 1972.  That's $760 in 2000 dollars (which is what I usually think in) and $1380 today.

In 1972 we didn't have much in the way of digital watches. I think the Pulsar was about it.  The Rolex was certified to one minute per month accuracy, but after my last Rolex mechanic got done with it, it kept to within 15 seconds per month. This is why we sprung for Rolex watches at the time.

The interesting detail is that the second hand moved at 5 ticks per second instead of the 4 that most watches used.

Unfortunately, it quit some years back and I could buy a decent used car for what it would cost to repair.

Not that I need a watch these days. Since I retired my main timekeeper is a Dayclock with one hand that points to the day of the week. 🙂

Hook

The day I retired I also retired my wrist watch and haven't put it back on in over 30 years.  If I need to know what time it is wherever I am I just have to look around and there will be a clock on the wall.  I do have a Sharp Atomic Clock in my living room.  I never have to set it or bother changing from standard time to daylight savings time with it.  It also has an indoor-outdoor thermometer.  Everything I need to know at a glance.

Noel

18 hours ago, Rocky_53 said:

Actually, the idea of owning a Rolex is about as far removed for me than anything!

 

But you didn't say the same about the Ferrari! 😲

That tells me that the male menopause has hit you hard and you long for a macho super car with more horsepower than one of Elon's rockets. 

Admit it Mr. Rocky, you go all of a quiver in your private regions when you see the photo below. 

 

8 hours ago, birdguy said:

The day I retired I also retired my wrist watch and haven't put it back on in over 30 years.  If I need to know what time it is wherever I am I just have to look around and there will be a clock on the wall.  I do have a Sharp Atomic Clock in my living room.  I never have to set it or bother changing from standard time to daylight savings time with it.  It also has an indoor-outdoor thermometer.  Everything I need to know at a glance.

Noel

 

I do the same with my phone. Haven't had a watch on my wrist for many decades. 😁 

On 12/27/2024 at 7:55 AM, LHookins said:i

PS. I still giggle every time I look at my cat figurine. 😄 

H.

😆🫡

6 minutes ago, martin-w said:

 

But you didn't say the same about the Ferrari! 😲

That tells me that the male menopause has hit you hard and you long for a macho super car with more horsepower than one of Elon's rockets. 

Admit it Mr. Rocky, you go all of a quiver in your private regions when you see the photo below. 

 

18 hours ago, LHookins said:

My GMT Master was $185 in the PX in 1972.  That's $760 in 2000 dollars (which is what I usually think in) and $1380 today.

They still sell various versions of the GMT Master.  I looked it up... current prices start at about $10,700 and go way up depending on seller, or $8000 for a pre-owned one. (You weren't the first, but do you really care? 😄 ) Seems the new prices have outpaced inflation by a factor of 10. 

 

1 hour ago, martin-w said:

Admit it Mr. Rocky, you go all of a quiver in your private regions when you see the photo below. 

 

Am I the only person who prefers older styling?  Yeah, that's futuristic as heck, but Magnum's 308 GTS tickles my innards. Or the 2006 Ford GT for sure. Modern cars pretty much all look alike, not like in the 50's and 60's when everything was distinctive. And didn't have computers. 😄 

Hook