Let's play Good News / Bad News

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Bad news: I'm officially classified as a "senior". Good news: local grocery has designated special time daily for seniors only to shop. Obviously a few perks to "getting old".
 
Bad news: I'm officially classified as a "senior". Good news: local grocery has designated special time daily for seniors only to shop. Obviously a few perks to "getting old".

When my Mum turned 63 and moved to AZ she turned from sad to 'getting old' to Thrilled. Turns out that AZ had a ton of perks to being over 63 that she found out ;)
Age is just a number, ask my sister how annoying it is to Always tell me "when are you going to grow out of your Peter Pan phase hahahahha Never !
 
Bad news: had a FO accelerate on me bigtime yesterday: it instantly filled the bell of my SB and hardened in there! (Stay tuned for rebatching experience and photos....)
Good news: today I got my first online grocery delivery: $420 worth! That was a whole of of merchandise to wash, so I cleaned up my soap kitchen and used the soap in the bell of the SB to fill my sink with sudz.
 
I had a major acceleration too. I thought I'd written this, but I didn't see it. Maybe I wasn't signed in. Anyway, the recipe was one I got from Anne-Marie. It involved palm oil which I'd never used before. The solution started to trace the moment, I blended the oils and lye-water. I hadn't even added the fragrance. I quickly added the fragrance and color, but it kept solidifying. I put it in the mold and set it in the oven. The result was a disaster. It took forever to get the soap out of my SB. I wanted to try again last night, but I'd used the last of my lye and going out with this virus in the air is only something I do if necessary. I put the needed components in my shopping cart and I'll order them today. Still, they are not scheduled to arrive until April 8th.
 
Good News: I can still ride a bicycle after 30 years :)

Bad News: I thought i could just whip up the road 1/2 mile to see the Air Force Base no issue---- WRONG ! my legs are killing me lol

Bad news x2: 1/2 way there the Winds kicked up to 20mph coming INTO me, and then it started to hail Lentil size bits. Did I say the wind was coming at my face? :(

hahahahhaa
 
Good news: a friend came over Monday (my office was closed for a long Easter weekend) to learn how to make soap. She has a chemistry degree and is a pharmacist, so it was really fun to say a few words about what we were doing, and sometimes not even have to finish my sentence. I mean, how often do you start to explain the issues with lye, and the person responds, "Oh yeah, makes sense because lye is hygroscopic." :lol: Plus, she has experience blending EOs and came up with a wonderful blend that I wouldn't have considered. My cure room smells fantastic!

Bad news: she wanted a lavender soap, so we used a fairly high ratio of my alkanet-infused OO in her batch. After 3 days, the soap is still 100% tan, with no signs whatsoever of any pink, lavender, purple, etc.

Good news: Oh well, it smells really lovely, and the scraps are already lathering well. Plus, she can't wait to come over on Saturday to soap with me again while I work on a yellow hot process soap challenge for another group.
 
Good news: I found a ball of soap I made 20 years ago that I had repurposed for a different craft. Now I remember that after seeing something about a lady spinning yarn and making beautiful sweaters from her dogs' fur, I thought I'd try spinning my cats' fur, so I used the soap ball as a weight on the spindle. The spinning was a no-go, but surprisingly, the soap still lathers great after two decades. However, it looks about like you would imagine -- not exactly the prettiest little thing, lol!

Bad news: I've given up trying to salvage a disastrous batch of soap. This was a recipe I've made about eleventyzillion times, but after switching for a while to CP, I've apparently lost any knack I ever had for making HP. (Reminds me of when I switched from Texas Hold 'Em to Omaha and then back to Texas Hold 'Em. Couldn't play poker worth a crap for a while.) Anyway, this soap is being relegated to confetti status now. I'm tired of messing with it.
 
I had a major acceleration too. I thought I'd written this, but I didn't see it. Maybe I wasn't signed in. Anyway, the recipe was one I got from Anne-Marie. It involved palm oil which I'd never used before. The solution started to trace the moment, I blended the oils and lye-water. I hadn't even added the fragrance. I quickly added the fragrance and color, but it kept solidifying. I put it in the mold and set it in the oven. The result was a disaster. It took forever to get the soap out of my SB. I wanted to try again last night, but I'd used the last of my lye and going out with this virus in the air is only something I do if necessary. I put the needed components in my shopping cart and I'll order them today. Still, they are not scheduled to arrive until April 8th.

The tried the failed soap I made back in March. It lathers better than any of the other soaps I've made. I don't know what happened to make it accelerate so fast. It has white speckles in it. I'm not sure if that is unused lye. Anyway, I plan to rebatch it. PINK SOAP_FAILED_11A.jpgPINK SOAP_FAILED_LATHER_3A.jpg
 
The tried the failed soap I made back in March. It lathers better than any of the other soaps I've made. I don't know what happened to make it accelerate so fast. It has white speckles in it. I'm not sure if that is unused lye. Anyway, I plan to rebatch it. View attachment 46043View attachment 46044
if you think it's lye have you zap tested it? If it's go loose lye you won't want to rebatch it either. the lye won't dissolve.
 
The tried the failed soap I made back in March. It lathers better than any of the other soaps I've made. I don't know what happened to make it accelerate so fast. It has white speckles in it. I'm not sure if that is unused lye. Anyway, I plan to rebatch it. View attachment 46043View attachment 46044
Have you zap tested the soap? If it passes the zap test, it should be fine.

The flecks are more likely stearic spots. Not knowing the actual recipe, and your temperatures, I can only venture a guess as to why it accelerated so fast. But here are some likely possibilities:

Temperature of oils and lye solution affect trace ( see this link )
If you used a stick blender too vigorously ( see this link )

And excellent video:


About white spots in soap:
https://www.lovinsoap.com/2017/01/white-spots-in-soap/
Incidentally I cannot see the white spots in your picture, (my eyes or the smallness of the photo are probably the reason), but I also do not see anything that looks like lye pockets.

PS: Zap test if for any lye soap. I caution you to be careful with the zap test. Follow these instructions: How To Properly/Safely Conduct The Zap/Tongue Test
 
Have you zap tested the soap? If it passes the zap test, it should be fine.

The flecks are more likely stearic spots. Not knowing the actual recipe, and your temperatures, I can only venture a guess as to why it accelerated so fast. But here are some likely possibilities:

Temperature of oils and lye solution affect trace ( see this link )
If you used a stick blender too vigorously ( see this link )

And excellent video:


About white spots in soap:
https://www.lovinsoap.com/2017/01/white-spots-in-soap/
Incidentally I cannot see the white spots in your picture, (my eyes or the smallness of the photo are probably the reason), but I also do not see anything that looks like lye pockets.

PS: Zap test if for any lye soap. I caution you to be careful with the zap test. Follow these instructions: How To Properly/Safely Conduct The Zap/Tongue Test


Thank you for the comments. I read them before I started the soap project. I didn't SB too long because the moment I added the lye-water, it started to trace.

PINK SOAP_FAILED_RECIPE_13.jpgThis was the recipe. I got it from Anne Marie and I added the lye-water to the oils at 110 degrees.
 
Bad news - now that my husband has a new Mac, he hates using my computer because it's SO slow. I'm not sure if that's bad news or good news. It IS slow but not really that bad.

Good news - because my laptop is 8 years old and so slow (according to him), he suggested I go look at computers. I found one. It's a refurbished laptop from a very reputable local computer shop and it's where I got the last one. DH told me to get it so I now have a new laptop.

Bad news - new laptop = reinstalling everything I want to install on the new one and delete it from the old one = Time suck!

Good news - new laptop!

Bad news - my head aches!

:lol:
 
Background Bad News: My son's house here in town has drained their finances for a very long time because they kept getting tenants who couldn't/wouldn't pay the rent on time, incurring late fees on their mortgage. This culminated in a 6 month run of no rent payments by the most recent tenant due to a moratorium on evictions (CoVid), non-payment of back rent + no rental paymens prior to moving out AT LAST in June. -

Sure them moving out was Good News.

The Bad News of them moving out was: The house was a disaster & I volunteered to clean & get it ready to sell.

The Good News was my granddaughter came back with me when we left Texas so she could help get her parents' rental house ready to sell.

More Bad News was filth, absolute & disgusting filth, leaky pipes, damaged soffits and fascia outside, gutters in need of repair, damaged & broken appliances, grime & gum in the carpeting throughout the house, missing doorknobs, endless debris all over the yard, and expensive repairs in order to get it ready to sell.

Good News: Hubby helped with repairs: soffits & fascia, gutters, & some interior work I wasn't up for; Granddaughter helped with cleaning, spackling, painting, yardwork. Hubby replaced doorknobs as needed, changed locks, maintained the mowing each week (huge huge huge yard) and whatever I asked when it fit into his time-off work schedule. We deep cleaned the interior, hired a good carpet cleaner, a painter to finish the trim & woodwork for us, got the plumbers out to fix the major leak.

Good News: They got an offer on the house within a few days of being put on the market, contingent on the usual inspections. Yay! We're almost done!

Bad News: Not yet done. Inspections lead to more issues with corresponding expenses. Since I am in town and son is in Texas, I coordinated & oversaw the work. Problems found: Garage Door Opener wall switch malfunction; Water Heater vent not up to code; Radon System didn't pass; Drainage in basement from Utility Sink not up to code (non-existant washing machine used to drain into utility sink, which in turn drained into sump pump, which is a code violation); Door from Garage to House was not a fire door (actually it was per our contractor, but we chose to not argue)

Good News: Radon System is working, did not need repair - inspector accepted professional's report; Garage Door system repaired by professionals; Plumber replaced Water Heater (only option to correct the venting issue & it was old anyway) & eliminated the drainage issue by removing utility sink, bringing that up to code; Contractor replaced fire door with a brand new one that has the fire rating sticker on it to show it meets code.

Bad News: We get a call that the Termite inspector can't complete his inspection because the basement is flooded. We had 7 days of rain, & it happens with heavy rains, especially in that part of town, that basements get water. We do sometimes, too, but not this time. I go over there, yes, there is standing water about up to the bottom of my ankles in my Wellies at the deep part of the basement (the floor drain area). I call my son, let him hear the sound of the sump pump motor as it attempts to pump out the water. Decision to call the plumber yet again.

Good News: Plumber replaces the sump pump and the water is gone in no time flat! (We later learn it was probably destroyed by the washing machine being drained into the sump pump and lint and whatever debris comes out of the washing machine is what caused the problem). I mop the floor & use a fan to finish drying out the far corners of the basement before the Buyers walk-through that week-end.

Bad News: Buyers want more done after the walk-through last Saturday. Son & DIL are getting irritated (have to admit, I am too.) DIL says, 'we listed it as is.' Son says, 'We did all we were required to do to get it up to code as found by inspectors. We've already spent $3,000 on this and we can't afford any more.' He's about at the end of his rope.

(I suggest offering a $1,000 reduction in sale price in lieu of the other work the buyers want.)

More Bad News: The city's plumbing inspector didn't pass the work the plumbers did when installing the water heater. Well, I'm really irritated by this because the plumbing company already wet almost $400 over the estimate on that work as it was, and now they have to come back and do more and won't guarantee they won't charge more for what needs to be done!?! I don't go ballistic, but I'm getting close to loosing it over this. Still, I live here and can't afford to alienate the plumbing company. My son lives in Texas, it won't affect him in the long term, if he gets upset. But I'm the one who calls because he is at work all day and can't keep making personal phone calls.

Good News: The Realtor contacted the Owner of the Plumbing company (apparently they have some sort of relationship, friends, professionally, or whatever) and they meet over at the house to discuss the issues regarding both the water heater installation not passing inspection AND the additional work the buyers want and how much that would cost. The Owner of the plumbing company is concerned about having an unsatisfied customer (really? I didn't get that from the person on the phone that very same morning when I called) and has said they will not charge anything for the work to get the installation to pass inspection. Additionally, the owner of the plumbing company also guarantees the other work the buyers want can be done for $350, so my son doesn't have to reduce the selling price by $1,000 after all.

So maybe it is done now. It certainly should be, since it's now under 6 days to closing. And then my son & DIL will only have to pay one mortgage. It's been pretty tough on them paying 2 mortgages, coVid reducing their income and balancing their own expenses & sending money home to help with DIL's sick dad, who recently had surgery.


Of course, I didn't hear what the result of the termite inspection was, but I doubt that will be an issue. God, I hope not!
 
What an adventure. I’m glad you were able to be there for your son and the family could work together but geeze, those tenants should have had to pay for something
 
Background Bad News: My son's house here in town has drained their finances for a very long time because they kept getting tenants who couldn't/wouldn't pay the rent on time, incurring late fees on their mortgage. This culminated in a 6 month run of no rent payments by the most recent tenant due to a moratorium on evictions (CoVid), non-payment of back rent + no rental paymens prior to moving out AT LAST in June. -

Sure them moving out was Good News.

The Bad News of them moving out was: The house was a disaster & I volunteered to clean & get it ready to sell.

The Good News was my granddaughter came back with me when we left Texas so she could help get her parents' rental house ready to sell.

More Bad News was filth, absolute & disgusting filth, leaky pipes, damaged soffits and fascia outside, gutters in need of repair, damaged & broken appliances, grime & gum in the carpeting throughout the house, missing doorknobs, endless debris all over the yard, and expensive repairs in order to get it ready to sell.

Good News: Hubby helped with repairs: soffits & fascia, gutters, & some interior work I wasn't up for; Granddaughter helped with cleaning, spackling, painting, yardwork. Hubby replaced doorknobs as needed, changed locks, maintained the mowing each week (huge huge huge yard) and whatever I asked when it fit into his time-off work schedule. We deep cleaned the interior, hired a good carpet cleaner, a painter to finish the trim & woodwork for us, got the plumbers out to fix the major leak.

Good News: They got an offer on the house within a few days of being put on the market, contingent on the usual inspections. Yay! We're almost done!

Bad News: Not yet done. Inspections lead to more issues with corresponding expenses. Since I am in town and son is in Texas, I coordinated & oversaw the work. Problems found: Garage Door Opener wall switch malfunction; Water Heater vent not up to code; Radon System didn't pass; Drainage in basement from Utility Sink not up to code (non-existant washing machine used to drain into utility sink, which in turn drained into sump pump, which is a code violation); Door from Garage to House was not a fire door (actually it was per our contractor, but we chose to not argue)

Good News: Radon System is working, did not need repair - inspector accepted professional's report; Garage Door system repaired by professionals; Plumber replaced Water Heater (only option to correct the venting issue & it was old anyway) & eliminated the drainage issue by removing utility sink, bringing that up to code; Contractor replaced fire door with a brand new one that has the fire rating sticker on it to show it meets code.

Bad News: We get a call that the Termite inspector can't complete his inspection because the basement is flooded. We had 7 days of rain, & it happens with heavy rains, especially in that part of town, that basements get water. We do sometimes, too, but not this time. I go over there, yes, there is standing water about up to the bottom of my ankles in my Wellies at the deep part of the basement (the floor drain area). I call my son, let him hear the sound of the sump pump motor as it attempts to pump out the water. Decision to call the plumber yet again.

Good News: Plumber replaces the sump pump and the water is gone in no time flat! (We later learn it was probably destroyed by the washing machine being drained into the sump pump and lint and whatever debris comes out of the washing machine is what caused the problem). I mop the floor & use a fan to finish drying out the far corners of the basement before the Buyers walk-through that week-end.

Bad News: Buyers want more done after the walk-through last Saturday. Son & DIL are getting irritated (have to admit, I am too.) DIL says, 'we listed it as is.' Son says, 'We did all we were required to do to get it up to code as found by inspectors. We've already spent $3,000 on this and we can't afford any more.' He's about at the end of his rope.

(I suggest offering a $1,000 reduction in sale price in lieu of the other work the buyers want.)

More Bad News: The city's plumbing inspector didn't pass the work the plumbers did when installing the water heater. Well, I'm really irritated by this because the plumbing company already wet almost $400 over the estimate on that work as it was, and now they have to come back and do more and won't guarantee they won't charge more for what needs to be done!?! I don't go ballistic, but I'm getting close to loosing it over this. Still, I live here and can't afford to alienate the plumbing company. My son lives in Texas, it won't affect him in the long term, if he gets upset. But I'm the one who calls because he is at work all day and can't keep making personal phone calls.

Good News: The Realtor contacted the Owner of the Plumbing company (apparently they have some sort of relationship, friends, professionally, or whatever) and they meet over at the house to discuss the issues regarding both the water heater installation not passing inspection AND the additional work the buyers want and how much that would cost. The Owner of the plumbing company is concerned about having an unsatisfied customer (really? I didn't get that from the person on the phone that very same morning when I called) and has said they will not charge anything for the work to get the installation to pass inspection. Additionally, the owner of the plumbing company also guarantees the other work the buyers want can be done for $350, so my son doesn't have to reduce the selling price by $1,000 after all.

So maybe it is done now. It certainly should be, since it's now under 6 days to closing. And then my son & DIL will only have to pay one mortgage. It's been pretty tough on them paying 2 mortgages, coVid reducing their income and balancing their own expenses & sending money home to help with DIL's sick dad, who recently had surgery.


Of course, I didn't hear what the result of the termite inspection was, but I doubt that will be an issue. God, I hope not!

Wow! This is why my uncle (a many times over landlord) said my Mum and I were a Landlord's dream! We took the time to go through what was our responsibility and what was his. Yes, we rented from a relative, no we did not get a break on the rent! He trained me in the art of hanging sheetrock, how to float the joint paper/mud, and how to run the duct work for the furnace. I made apprentice level to journeyman level working on the house. Skills I still have and have helped me with my own home!
 
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