How I Spent My Summer (aka: Where the Heck Has Dirk Been?!?)

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Dirk said:
Ha, you've got quite a collection yourself. But you're also kinda making my point for me. Do you have to use a separate app for each of those? And are there laptop/desktop apps for those, too? That's what I've endeavored to avoid. The goal is for all the control in one place, within one app, that runs on phones, pads, laptops, desktops, and all browsers. That's Indigo.
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Yes Dirk, unfortunately I have an app for all those things however some apps are able to be integrated like I can access the nest and the nest camera and the myQ garage door opener using one app :cheers:
 
Brentr said:
Yes Dirk, unfortunately I have an app for all those things however some apps are able to be integrated like I can access the nest and the nest camera and the myQ garage door opener using one app :cheers:
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We are all struggling through the infancy of Home Automation. While I've been at it for decades, so this "baby" is at least that old, I think just now, with Alexa, etc., we are finally seeing this technology start to take off and become more mainstream. In years to come, all these systems will be much simpler, work better, and have much better integration. In the same way we now just flip a switch instead of buying the oil, filling the lamp, hanging the lamp, striking the match, adjusting the knob, etc, etc.

You youngsters will get to really enjoy (or more likely thoroughly take for granted) a fully automated home. Me, I've had to battle for it, and still struggle with it, and probably won't get to see what it will eventually become...
 
Ha, you forgot, I just took out all my lawns! But you should hear me go off on the neighbors who park in front of my house!! :rant:
 
Arizonarob said:
You forgot to wave your clenched fist in the air and tell them......“you kids get off my lawn!!” :mrgreen:
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Yet another thing that can be modernized...... ‘Alexa, turn on the sprinklers, front zone’.

Or if you want to go all in you can pull a Mr Burns. ‘Alexa, release the hounds’.
 
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So much for "one more project!" I've got two going on now, concurrently, and I just remembered another:
- building three "paver stairways" to help me get up and down some pretty steep slopes I have.
- adding three new flagstone walkways (three more if you count the mini ones I'm extending off of the existing walkways)
- and the pool's expansion joint replacement that I conveniently keep "forgetting about"

And after the security discussions, I'm inclined to add another cam on my blind side of the house, plus wire a decent light on that side, too.

And while writing about them is one thing, I guess I better get out there this morning and actually get some of this done!!

More later...
 
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Dirk said:
Oh, and because I sent in the requisite photos and forms, the city paid me $500 and the state paid me $1500 to replace all that lawn. So, labor aside, the materials and rentals for the entire two projects, lawns and irrigation, were "free."
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How is it that you got money from the city and state? Is this a program that I could look up for my city and state?
 
cu0ngpitt said:
How is it that you got money from the city and state? Is this a program that I could look up for my city and state?
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I'm not Dirk but California probably was encouraging folks to NOT have grass that requires obscene amounts of water to maintain. A couple years ago during a really bad drought period Californians were putting pools in like crazy as a pool uses less water than grass too.

Maddie
 

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CA was paying us to remove existing grass. So much per sq foot up to $2000. My city was doing the same thing, up to $500. What I removed exceeded the max, so I got the max amount from each, but wasn't allowed to collect all of it. CA subtracts what any city pays, so $2K is the max total. They had some sort of quota, so once the money ran out, that was it. I got some of the last of it, because I tried that for a different property but by then the money was gone. It was an initiative to reduce water usage throughout the state. I don't know if your or any other state has/had a similar program.
 
I was struggling with a gardener, and struggling even more with my lawns after firing the guy. I had never owned a lawn before moving. Did you guys know that you have to mow a lawn!?! And apparently the neighbors get all snooty when you don't do that more than once a month!! (I liked it "au naturale!") Someone wanted to pay me to never mow a lawn again? Deal!! Firing the pool guy saves me $150 a month. Same for gardener. Nice. I have a lot of yard, but without having to mow, its doable for me. I just try to do something every day, (or at least an hour or two every week). Fall is the only time I miss the ol' gardener. Did you guys know all the leaves fall off your trees every year?!? Apparently, for that month or two, he was actually earning his pay. (Previous owners had planted about 50 trees!)

It's fun being an adult! Yah...
 
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I can extend my swim season with yard work. The more I do, the colder the water I can jump in to! :swim:

I'll get a seven-month season this year by finishing the gopher fence in the fall.
 
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Right? I debated about putting that post on a pool forum, but five minutes ago another member wanted to know how to keep moles out from under their AGP! Heh, heh, heh...
 
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