Colder Weather And Fixing The Coffee Maker.

The colder weather has arrived!  And it is now time to find ways to stay warm.   My preferred method is to drink warm beverages while snuggled up on a wool blanket.  I also like soup!   

But let us talk about warm beverages for a sec...   The Fancy European Coffee maker that costs a fortune...  Has been acting up again.   ( Funny how European designs always seem to be over priced and unreliable!)  I decided I would take it apart and see what was causing the sudden stops and false starts.   I tend to like my coffee in the morning and hate having to wait or babysit it just because it suddenly stops or will not start. Let's Take this thing apart!

Last time, it was fairly obvious that it was a short.   I rewired the cord into the remaining connector that had not burned or melted.  That worked!   But this must be something else. 

I noticed that a couple of the hoses had missing zip ties around the hose nipple. Luckily, I am currently flush with zip ties of all sizes and colors!  I decided to go with a heavier duty one that was not black.   

I also took several other components out and apart.  I blew through the hoses and cleared out as much as I could.   IF there was one part I was suspicions of... it was this valve that I think regulates the flow of the water so that it does not begin pumping until the heater element has reached its full temperature.  If that part is failing.. then there is not much I can do.  I doubt I would ever be able to find a replacement. 

I buttoned it up and it still fails to start!   I held on to a corner and applied pressure and that seemed to make it work.  Perhaps the screws holding it together are no longer strong enough to keep the bottom tight against the top.  I will have ot experiment in the future.  

In the mean time... I have coffee!  (Decaf... It is late, after all...) Add in a little mushroom Elixir and I will be warm and toasty while I type up this blog post. 

I had originally planned on going fishing this evening after work..  but the cold front brought in a  strong breeze and I was not willing to fight the wind on the pond.  Hopefully tomorrow it will warm up and settle down a touch.  I'm only asking for a couple hours of peace and solitude...

I could always go mushroom hunting.  Last year on this day, I found the Hen of the Woods at the Parkside.  Perhaps it will make an appearance soon.  I have been checking it out every other day this week!   Other than a bunch of fatal Deathcaps...  I have only found Turkey Tail and  an occasional prize:   The Bear-'s head tooth. Hericium americanum  I found a couple of small samples on the same log I found them on last time.  These are the ones that taste like lobster and help heal your memory.  ( Also known and Lion's Mane.. The Bear's Head's cousin.) 

Other than that,  If the rain and wind continues, I will be forced to change my plans and focus on a couple hobbies I have on the back burner.   We shall see how things go.   Being warm and cozy inside sounds nice, but I had planned on enjoying the last few days of Fall before the weather turns bad.   Perhaps I am a little too late.   And every second counts!