Post snowpocalyspe...

Well, many of my friends living elsewhere got it pretty bad, but here sheltered in the Annapolis valley, we got off easy peasy, yet again...
The Bay of Fundy and the north mountain often act as a dividing wedge in our storms passing by, the worst splitting north toward New Brunswick shores.
It looked pretty bad on the satellites and radar pictures, but we were kinda in the eye.
Some snow accumulations, not much, followed by a rapid raising in temp, turned into icy rain, then rain, melted all the snow we had.
Inside my garage workshop it went from minus 10 Celsius (about the lowest so far) to plus 6 Celsius within hours... Strong winds at time, more broken branches around my property, and that's about it!!

After a small dusting of fresh snow on top, this is what we were left with...

Never seen such a big pond in my front yard.

Hopefully it will quickly freeze and make a great skating surface for the kids.

We had a small pond left over from the last similar storm bust, 

that we were using as a small skating surface.

So really just about the same amount of snow that Ken got earlier this month :-)

Ken's snow

Bob's snow

So how does one spent the time during a storm???
How about a quick project, like putting the TV on the wall?
Should be a quick one, I previously mounted the large 50 inch plasma on the wall in the man cave, my PC monitor and another screen in the gym, so I know it`s an easy project.

I had previously marked the location of the studs on the wall using masking tape.
Reading the instruction, it instruct you to install the mounting plate on the TV first, then attach it to the wall bracket. They say, to used whatever bolt size fit your TV and bolts pattern (VESA mount)
The first bag I opened was of course, too big, it was the next size down M4. So you end up with spare parts right of the bat. These screws used a Phillips screwdriver.

Then, when seeing how the bracket would be attach to it, it quickly became obvious that the two nuts required (metric of course) were not included??? Whattttt?? ^%$@#

After rummaging thru my spare bolts and nuts inventory, did not found suitable donor.  Going to the stores? Its Sunday and there is a storm (?) brewing, wont be much open.  Beside, don`t feel like shoveling...yet

Finally, decided to replaced those two screws sticking out (were simply screw in from the back into threaded holes) with Imperial screws and nuts.  Go figure! I have very little stock in Metric size :-)

These new screws of course are using Robertson heads.  Problem is, I am in the middle of some renovation works at my daughter`s place, guess were my drill, driver and screwdrivers are?...
Plan C, I found others Robertson screwdrivers in the kitchen drawer, pheew.

My quickly growing pile of tools and supplies

 after many trips up and down to my shop downstairs and the garage

Since I could not threaded my new screws into that ^%#@ Metric thread, I used slightly smaller screws to fit. But that would leave the screw loose and unable to be tighten... OK so the plate will be screwed to the bracket, then the TV.  Just have to predrill my mounting holes on the wall and we are almost done...

Half an hour later... Since I do not have my cordless drill and driver here, I need something else to drill, then screw the lag bolts into the studs.  Oh and my drill bit box is also at the daughter...
Using a hand drill (MF No 2) and using a bit from my son's toolkit I'm putting together :-)
managed to drill the correct holes called for (5/16)

After more rummaging around, finally found a matching socket and wrench size
No ratchet, but I will be using a brace, so need to adapt.

My small selection of nut drivers for braces all used a square opening, for square nuts, 

which of course does not fit unto a modern hexagonal head, need modern socket set.

Then I needed some adapters for my 1/4 in drive socket.

Of course, my braces are not friendly with round shanks, 

but I was hoping it would lock better on an hex shape shank.

It kinda does, but when encountering too much resistance it slip no matter what.

That is as far as it got,  Finished with the wrench

 And using it, I see that this brace is overdue for a trip to the wire wheel...Squirrels

And a mere 3 hours after I started, the $#@*& TV is on the wall :-)

Meanwhile Rudy got exhausted of seeing me running around looking for supplies and tools.

So he just dragged his favorite blanky (from the chairs) and took my spot on the couch (Sheldon's spot :-) Are you done yet? There is a bag of treats over here...

We do not have  a suitable piece of furniture to put under, so a project for another day (added to the list).  In the mean time would be using a small table.

Oh, look at the time,  I`m starving...

Later we finished putting the room back together and sat down

 to enjoy the fruits of this labour of love which took no time at all.

The plan is to upgrade this older 32 inch 720P to a bigger screen (about 42 in max for that spot) and new electronics (receiver, speakers and etc). But for now it will do until I get around to built a piece for this corner.

Meanwhile spend a lot of time at my wire wheel.  I have been dunking in Evaporust and wire brushing a ``few`` pieces.  Most of my brace bits, a bunch of braces, and lately my C-Clamps after founding them rusting in the bottom of a container which had water ingress.

On the L after Evaporust and wire wheel, R as found

Then I went nut and did all my C-Clamps, about 17 :-)

Bob, getting low on storm chips, beer and Evaporust