Updates/What's Going On?

Well, I'm going to keep this short, because I just want to assure everyone that I'm still here. I'm just struggling to keep using this website. I have a choice. I can either tear it down and rebuild it with some other technology, or I can limp along with it as is. The thing is, I really like the way this website is now. I don't want to try to recreate it, even though the underlying technology has moved on . . . quite a long way . . .from where it was when I built it.  So, even though writing and posting is a pain here, I still like the form.  So a couple updates:

Smart Lego Lighthouse

It is basically finished,  but I never finished telling you about putting it together, and finalizing the software and the wiring. The software is about 95% there, with a few bugs, but overrall mostly working. The wiring, on the other hand, while it worked initially, has broken. The touch-screen and its interface still works, the sound effects work, the weather reporting and status updates all work, but for some reason, the lighthouse light itself is a problem. It *says* its running, but the light isn't lighting. It does spin, but no light. And if I run it without being plugged into both the wall and the computer (for coding updates), when the light goes and it sounds a foghorn, the whole thing locks up. I seem to have some sort of low power dip that triggers the processor to hang. I'm going to have to tear the wiring apart and redo it to find out what's going on. I still have my photos and notes from before to post, but then I need to roll in the fixes I need to do.

Tansu Teabox

I started working on the teabox last winter. I got the case dovetails done, but then realized that one of the outer box parts was undersized. I only realized recently that I was doing my normal thing, trying to build a project with a just bare-minimum of materials. I realized I needed more maple to build better inner frame components . . . and I had never really figured out the joinery. So I've fired up the web version of Sketchup and started working on that to finalize the design. I'll post those files as soon as I'm done with them.

Small Home Solar Backup System

One other project that I've worked on in the last year, as is trendy with a certain Dad-population of the world these days, is a small solar array in the back yard with a small battery power bank in the house. I use it as a backup circuit for my home network and computers. I'll write up what I've done and get it out on here soon.

Gardening

I've also put in a fairly large backyard vegetable garden this year. It's about 4m x 15m, and with the Fall descending, it's almost completely done for the year. Tons of cucumbers, beans, zucchini, and peppers. I'll write about that some more as well. I'm not sure I took many photos . . .

Anyway, a lot going on. I just haven't posted it because of my struggles with this website. But I want to, if for no other reason than to share these things with my extended family and friends.