OT: Early Christmas
Stanley Moore
plunge. An abundance of laziness has prompted me to buy a Roomba, I think it
will be fun to have a robit about the place and in liew of hiring a maid to
clean it might be worthwhile. In the reality series Flipping Out Jeff buys a
Roomba partly to goad his live in maid Zoila. They end up having to get rid
of it due to her opposition but since I have no maid at present maybe Roomba
will stick. IIRC someone here in RAM has one. Looking forward to its
arrival. Take care
--
Stanley L. Moore
"The belief in a supernatural
source of evil is not necessary;
men alone are quite capable
of every wickedness."
Joseph Conrad
Pogonip
> I have been pondering this for some time but yesterday finally took the
> plunge. An abundance of laziness has prompted me to buy a Roomba, I think it
> will be fun to have a robit about the place and in liew of hiring a maid to
> clean it might be worthwhile. In the reality series Flipping Out Jeff buys a
> Roomba partly to goad his live in maid Zoila. They end up having to get rid
> of it due to her opposition but since I have no maid at present maybe Roomba
> will stick. IIRC someone here in RAM has one. Looking forward to its
> arrival. Take care
I am on my second one. Carmen, my original Roomba died of old age.
*sob* Last summer, my son decided I needed a replacement and he got me
Bianca, my new one. She goes "home" when her battery is tired or she is
finished. To my amazement, she also turns off the beacons I place in
doorways to confine her to a space. She talks, too, instead of just
beeping a pattern which I have to decipher, as did Carmen. She doesn't
choke on the fringes of the rugs, either. A vast advance in Roomba-hood.
--
Joanne
stitches @ singerlady.reno.nv.us.earth.milky-way.com
http://members.tripod.com/~bernardschopen/
BarbNJ
"Stanley Moore" <smoo...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:PNudndZ6XKyzZWPX...@giganews.com...
well.
Barb
Joan in GB-W
"BarbNJ" <bee...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:hdnf7k$6ig$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
I'm waiting for them to cook.
Joan
Melissa
> I am on my second one. Carmen, my original Roomba died of old age.
> *sob* Last summer, my son decided I needed a replacement and he got me
> Bianca, my new one. She goes "home" when her battery is tired or she is
> finished. To my amazement, she also turns off the beacons I place in
> doorways to confine her to a space. She talks, too, instead of just
> beeping a pattern which I have to decipher, as did Carmen. She doesn't
> choke on the fringes of the rugs, either. A vast advance in Roomba-hood.
> --
> Joanne
> stitches @ singerlady.reno.nv.us.earth.milky-way.com
> http://members.tripod.com/~bernardschopen/
I'm pretty sure Bianca (or her relations) would freak my cats right the hell
out.
Melissa
Stanley Moore
"Melissa" <mmco...@alumnidotutexas.net> wrote in message
news:hdnict$5at$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
On Flipping Out their Roomba was an object of interest to Jeff;s dogs. I do
not have a pet so Im OK. Take care
Stanley Moore
"Pogonip" <nob...@nowhere.org> wrote in message
news:4aff...@news.bnb-lp.com...
I didn't know they talked. My worry is tripping over it as I wander around
the house. Depending on how noisy it is maybe it would work at night. I have
a second floor so I shall have to carry it upstairs to clean there but it it
works out maybe I wcan get on for there too but they are kinda expensive.
Luckily the 2nd floor is not occupoed so doesn't get very dirty. Take care
Willow
Ours talks and very polite it is too. Some time ago, we got rid of
the careting in the front room and replaced it with laminate. The
Roomba does wonders with cleaning up cat hair and light stuff. I find
that it avoids sharp corners and edges so a quick follow-up is
necessary for the final touch.
Willow
BarbNJ
"Joan in GB-W" <jjk...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:7m8vc2F...@mid.individual.net...
Barb h
Lauradog
> I have been pondering this for some time but yesterday finally took the
> plunge. An abundance of laziness has prompted me to buy a Roomba, I think it
> will be fun to have a robit about the place and in liew of hiring a maid to
> clean it might be worthwhile. In the reality series Flipping Out Jeff buys a
> Roomba partly to goad his live in maid Zoila. They end up having to get rid
> of it due to her opposition but since I have no maid at present maybe Roomba
> will stick. IIRC someone here in RAM has one. Looking forward to its
> arrival. Take care
Roomba's are wonderful. Unfortunately mine have both died. I think
Saltillo tile must be hard on them. Irobot honors it's warranties ,
though. I actually got a replacement roomba for each one when they died
before the year was up. But those two also only lasted for a year.
They were both the cheapest model, though - roomba reds. I'm saving up
for one that scrubs.
Sue D.
Pogonip
I have a Scooba, too. I was amazed at what a good job it does. I
didn't really expect it. However, it's a bit delicate, apparently, and
has been on the sick list. I haven't gotten around to putting it on the
exam table to find out what's wrong. I know the front wheel is prone to
failure, they included a spare in the package. It looks like there's a
newer model out now, so maybe they've cured some of the weaknesses.
Pogonip
Some cats think it's a great plaything. I have one cat who sneaks in
and pushes the button to start it. It's the same cat that likes to push
the button on the answering machine to hear the little man in there.
None of my cats are freaked out by it. They watch it for a while,
following it around until they get bored or distracted.
Dorothy J Heydt
You never know. I got my first Roomba at a time that I had five
cats. Three of these would jump up onto the bed when it was in
action. One was so stupid that he hardly noticed it, although he
would occasionally wander over to it with an air of "Oh, it's
that thing that's making the funny noises? Duh." The fifth cat,
who fancied herself the alpha cat (but this was not recognized by
some of the others), I once saw stalking the Roomba. It was
trundling down the hall doing its thing, and she crept ... and
crept ... and got within a couple feet of it and couched as to
spring, just like the Wimsey arms ... and then it turned around
and headed toward her. She jumped, I swear, three feet straight
up, turning around in mid-air, and ran away.
--
Dorothy J. Heydt
Vallejo, California
djheydt at hotmail dot com
Should you wish to email me, you'd better use the hotmail edress.
Kithrup is getting too damn much spam, even with the sysop's filters.
Lynn Allen
> I'm pretty sure Bianca (or her relations) would freak my cats right the
> hell out.
There are plenty of YouTube videos of cats riding around the room on
top of the Roomba. Very funny.
--
--
Lymaree
Dorothy J Heydt
That's Scooba.
There's also one that cleans out your roof gutters. Looj is its
name, I think.
Not to mention all the military bomb-sniffers and such.
Janet
one to the other freak them out? Do they successfully climb up on the rugs?
I'm also wondering if they go under chairs and sofas, or do you have to do
that yourself?
Dorothy J Heydt
Janet <box...@maine.rr.com> wrote:
>How do roombas do when you have area rugs on wood floors? Does going from
>one to the other freak them out? Do they successfully climb up on the rugs?
>I'm also wondering if they go under chairs and sofas, or do you have to do
>that yourself?
They'll go under chairs and sofas if those are more than about
four inches off the ground. I lived once in a place where there
was a wall-heater in the hall that was just high enough for the
Roomba to get under it but not high enough for it to get out
again. I wound up stashing several thick fat books under it at
intervals so the Roomba couldn't get under in the first place.
As to area rugs, if they're flat, the Roomba will go over them.
If they're fat and fluffy, it won't. And if they're flat but
have fringe on the edges, then it depends on size. If it's a big
rug, you're recommended to tuck the fringe under the edges before
letting the Roomba loose. If it's a little throw rug, you can
just pick it up and shake it out the back door.
Annie C
"Janet" <box...@maine.rr.com> wrote in message
news:7madubF...@mid.individual.net...
> How do roombas do when you have area rugs on wood floors? Does going from
> one to the other freak them out? Do they successfully climb up on the
> rugs? I'm also wondering if they go under chairs and sofas, or do you have
> to do that yourself?
I don't have any of these robots, but I'm impressed by their videos & now
think I want one! You might take a look at the videos on their website that
show them in action.. and will answer most of your above questions.
http://store.irobot.com/shop/index.jsp?categoryId=2804605
They have one that cleans out gutters.. and the one for the
garage/shop/patio would be great for us too.
Annie
Joan in GB-W
"Lynn Allen" <ly...@NOT-semiotics.com> wrote in message
news:4aff...@news.bnb-lp.com...
Yep.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQ-jv8g1YVI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTxW3GWZ5hI&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewdbilSWjaM&feature=related
Joan
Pogonip
> In article <7madubF...@mid.individual.net>,
> Janet <box...@maine.rr.com> wrote:
>> How do roombas do when you have area rugs on wood floors? Does going from
>> one to the other freak them out? Do they successfully climb up on the rugs?
>> I'm also wondering if they go under chairs and sofas, or do you have to do
>> that yourself?
>
> They'll go under chairs and sofas if those are more than about
> four inches off the ground. I lived once in a place where there
> was a wall-heater in the hall that was just high enough for the
> Roomba to get under it but not high enough for it to get out
> again. I wound up stashing several thick fat books under it at
> intervals so the Roomba couldn't get under in the first place.
>
> As to area rugs, if they're flat, the Roomba will go over them.
> If they're fat and fluffy, it won't. And if they're flat but
> have fringe on the edges, then it depends on size. If it's a big
> rug, you're recommended to tuck the fringe under the edges before
> letting the Roomba loose. If it's a little throw rug, you can
> just pick it up and shake it out the back door.
>
The newer ones don't choke on fringe. If they get caught on it, they
back away and re-approach. Since my house has wood floors and fringed
rugs, this is a big issue for me. The newer Roomba, Bianca, does much
better than old Carmen did.
Stanley Moore
> one to the other freak them out? Do they successfully climb up on the
> rugs? I'm also wondering if they go under chairs and sofas, or do you have
> to do that yourself?
>
The manufacturer claims they can transition onto area rugs even those with
fringes and assuming there is clearance they go under furniture, I have hard
stone floors in my house with area rugs so I shall see how well it works.
Stanley Moore
My area rugs have no fringes being modernistic in style. I do have a bad
habit of storing things on the floor so maybe I need to change that. There
is a video on the Roomba site showing how it tackles fringed rugs, I just
got an email saying mine has been shipped so I am eagerly waiting. Based on
the Youtube videos of cats the thing seems pretty loud compared to the
Roomba site videos. Take care
Stanley Moore
"Annie C" <anni...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:7mald6F...@mid.individual.net...
I didn't see the gutter cleaning model but I have a two story house with a
steep pitched roof so getting up there and back down might be problematic.
I shall post a detailed report when mine arrives and maybe you can convice
Santa to leave one under your tree this year <G>. It could do first duty
picking up the shed needles from the tree. Take care
Dorothy J Heydt
Cool. Not that I have any large area rugs; I have a couple of
small cotton rag-type rugs which, whenever they need cleaning, go
into the washing machine.
Janet
for one year, according to those who own them!
I'd need one of the "pet" series to deal with golden retriever coat and
oriental rugs. Oh well. Maybe in another lifetime. <G>
Dorothy J Heydt
They generally last for longer than that -- and iRobot is
superhelpful if you need a new part or something. And I don't
know about golden retrievers, but the Roomba is very good at scraping
up cat hair. It has brushes as well as suction.
Mark Alan Miller
> I don't have any of these robots, but I'm impressed by their videos & now
> think I want one! You might take a look at the videos on their website
> that show them in action.. and will answer most of your above questions.
> http://store.irobot.com/shop/index.jsp?categoryId=2804605
>
> They have one that cleans out gutters.. and the one for the
> garage/shop/patio would be great for us too.
Consumer Reports tested the gutter cleaner and didn't think much of it.
Mark Alan Miller
Annie C
"Mark Alan Miller" <mami...@sfdiamond.com> wrote in message
news:hdsdnq$m1q$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
Good to know, thanks. I watched the demo video and wasn't sure..
You still have pick up all the leaves and gunk off the ground.
I just hate for Mr Annie to go up on the (rather rickety) ladder to do
this.. Not safe.
Annie
Joan in GB-W
That is what Mr. Joan is doing today, and I don't like it. The front of our
house is one-story, and that is not much of a problem. But the back is two
stories and I hate to see him up on the ladder cleaning the gutters. He's
got to recognize his age . . . one of these days.
Joan
Joyleen E. Seymour
> I have been pondering this for some time but yesterday finally took the
> plunge. An abundance of laziness has prompted me to buy a Roomba, I think it
> will be fun to have a robit about the place and in liew of hiring a maid to
> clean it might be worthwhile. In the reality series Flipping Out Jeff buys a
> Roomba partly to goad his live in maid Zoila. They end up having to get rid
> of it due to her opposition but since I have no maid at present maybe Roomba
> will stick. IIRC someone here in RAM has one. Looking forward to its
> arrival. Take care
The poor thing would die in our house.
Stanley Moore
When I had my gutters installed a couple of years ago after putting on a new
roof I got the screen option which puts a device over the gutter to prevent
leaf buildup. It works pretty well and if they do accumulate you can just
hose them off easily from the ground. No need for a robot. Take care
Stanley Moore
My Lithuanian grandmoter got a broken wrist from falling out of a tree she
was trimming at age 85. <G> She lasted another decade after that but Mother
forbade he to climb any more trees.
As far as gutter cleaning goes, my yard service will do it once or twice a
year as needed usually for no charge. Take care
Fran Read
> our house is one-story, and that is not much of a problem. But the back
> is two stories and I hate to see him up on the ladder cleaning the
> gutters. He's got to recognize his age . . . one of these days.
> Joan
I was still young and sprightly four years ago when I broke my ankle in too
many places to count - doing the same thing. I am no longer sprightly. Tell
Jack it's not worth it!
Fran
Mike Burke
wrote:
Can I get a note from both of you to Mrs Mique who insists on chasing
my nearly 70-year old self up the ladder every month or two to clean
our gutters?
Mique
Fran Read
>>> our house is one-story, and that is not much of a problem. But the back
>>> is two stories and I hate to see him up on the ladder cleaning the
>>> gutters. He's got to recognize his age . . . one of these days.
>>> Joan
>>
>>I was still young and sprightly four years ago when I broke my ankle in
>>too
>>many places to count - doing the same thing. I am no longer sprightly.
>>Tell
>>Jack it's not worth it!
>
> Can I get a note from both of you to Mrs Mique who insists on chasing
> my nearly 70-year old self up the ladder every month or two to clean
> our gutters?
> Mique
Every month? No way! I was cleaning out a year's worth of gunk. When you
can see grass, shrubs and silverbeet growing in the gutters - then you know
it's time!
Fran
Joan in GB-W
"Mike Burke" <mbu...@pcug.org.au> wrote in message
news:rdu5g5p1m4roicgoa...@4ax.com...
Mrs. Mique - this is Mrs. Joan speaking. Do not, I say DO NOT chase Mique
up that ladder so often to clean gutters. Hire someone younger to do the
job! Gutters do not have to be cleaned every month or two. So there!
Not only did Jack have to climb the ladder to the second floor, he climbed
onto the roof and with a leaf blower blew out the gutters. I stood at the
foot of the ladder or below wherever he was on the roof--my thinking, if he
would fall, I would try to break the fall. In hindsight, I would probably
perish if he fell on top of me and he would walk away . . . with a minimum
of broken bones.
Joan
Bookwyrm
I finally persuaded my DH about three years ago to have Gutter Helmets
installed. I was tired of cowering inside the house waiting to hear a
*THUD* as he fell off the roof while cleaning gutters. Twice a year --
in Spring to get out the 'helicopters' from the maple trees and in Fall
to oust the leaves from those same maple trees (hopefully, before the
snow started falling).
We *love* those Gutter Helmets!
Stanley Moore
You might try some preventative measures. If you have to clean that often
perhaps you should trim any overhanging trees taht shed leaes into the
gutters. You also might invest in some of the screen devices that exclude
leaves.
This might help.
Depending wht kind of rainfall and what the flower beds are like on your
house you might be able to do without gutters at all. The home I grew up in
had none except a small length right over the doors, It was a gable roof and
the rain just dripped into the flowerbeds. You cold gravel them to prevent
erosion.
There is also available in the US a device called Rain Gurad I believe which
disperses rain widely away from the roof line and so does away with the
need for gutters at all. Take care
Stanley Moore
"Fran Read" <fr...@southcom.com.au> wrote in message
news:pXDMm.55498$ze1....@news-server.bigpond.net.au...
To my shame I let it go so long the plants growing in the gutter weighed
enough to pull down the gutters. There is no way you should need to do this
chore monthy. Here is the Houston Texas ares which has about 36 inches of
rain per year and lots of trees you can get by doing it twice a year... or
even once if you are lazy, as I am. Take care
Mary
My husband volunteers for our county's CAP agency - he does home
repairs and fixit type stuff for senior citizens who still live in
their homes but can't do the repairs themselves and can't afford to
pay someone. He cleans a fair number of gutters, in addition to
installing new plumbing, rewiring lights, and that kind of thing.
Oh, and there was the one old lady who wanted a cassette tape of some
particular special Mass that was available online but she couldn't
figure out how to get it from the computer to the cassette tape. He
did that for her too.
Mary
Lynn Allen
>> I was still young and sprightly four years ago when I broke my ankle in too
>> many places to count - doing the same thing. I am no longer sprightly. Tell
>> Jack it's not worth it!
>
> Can I get a note from both of you to Mrs Mique who insists on chasing
> my nearly 70-year old self up the ladder every month or two to clean
> our gutters?
Hmmm. Has she upped your life insurance policy lately, Mique?
Mrs. Mique. Gotta watch her every minute.
--
--
Lymaree
Joan in GB-W
"Mary" <mrfea...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:bad798f9-d7d2-452a...@l13g2000yqb.googlegroups.com...
Mary
----------------------------
We're senior citizens, Mary. Could you send him over here?
Joan
Wes Struebing
wrote:
Sheesh - you two sound like my DW...<G>
However, what I do (my arrangement sounds similar to yours Joan) is
climb that rickety ladder (tm) and get on the roof. I take the hose
and clean the gutters from the roof. I don't have to brave the
ladder, and using the hose generally keeps me from the edge of the
roof.
DW STILL is afraid I'll fall and die a horrible death.
--
Wes Struebing
I pledge allegiance to the Constitution of the United States of America,
and to the republic which it established, one nation from many peoples,
promising liberty and justice for all.
Homepage: www.carpedementem.org
linkedin profile: http://www.linkedin.com/in/wesstruebing
Wes Struebing
wrote:
Ahh. My kinda guy! (though Mrs Mique sounds NOT like Mrs Wes...)
Janet
> On Wed, 18 Nov 2009 06:32:56 +1100, Mike Burke <mbu...@pcug.org.au>
> wrote:
>
>> On Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:07:41 GMT, "Fran Read" <fr...@southcom.com.au>
>> wrote:
>>
>>>> That is what Mr. Joan is doing today, and I don't like it. The
>>>> front of our house is one-story, and that is not much of a
>>>> problem. But the back is two stories and I hate to see him up on
>>>> the ladder cleaning the gutters. He's got to recognize his age . .
>>>> . one of these days.
>>>> Joan
>>>
>>> I was still young and sprightly four years ago when I broke my
>>> ankle in too many places to count - doing the same thing. I am no
>>> longer sprightly. Tell Jack it's not worth it!
>>
>> Can I get a note from both of you to Mrs Mique who insists on chasing
>> my nearly 70-year old self up the ladder every month or two to clean
>> our gutters?
>>
> Ahh. My kinda guy! (though Mrs Mique sounds NOT like Mrs Wes...)
A friend's H broke both of his legs while engaged in this activity. He's
fine now, but had to walk with a cane for quite a while.
Lauradog
same thing. I warned them.
Sue D., gutterless thank goodness
Mary
Sure, you're in Carver County, right?
Mary
:-)
Joan in GB-W
"Mary" <mrfea...@aol.c0m> wrote in message
news:kXlNm.137534$5n1.68828@attbi_s21...
Well, I'm not that far off from Carver County . . . about 250 miles or so
due East. That's not a problem with Mr. Mary, is it?
Joan
Mary
He can probably hitch a ride on Northwest Airlines - as long as he
leaves a laptop in the cockpit.
Mary
Joan in GB-W
"Mary" <mrfea...@aol.c0m> wrote in message
In which case, he would land in Detroit.
Joan
Mark Alan Miller
>
> "Mark Alan Miller" <mami...@sfdiamond.com> wrote in message
> news:hdsdnq$m1q$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
>> Consumer Reports tested the gutter cleaner and didn't think much of it.
> Good to know, thanks. I watched the demo video and wasn't sure..
> You still have pick up all the leaves and gunk off the ground.
> I just hate for Mr Annie to go up on the (rather rickety) ladder to do
> this.. Not safe.
I looked up the review again. CR found it got stopped easily and needed
multiple runs to even clear ordinary leaf litter, and that it threw the
debris everywhichway, including up onto the roof or right back into the
gutter. And it was very slow even when it operated correctly.
Mark Alan Miller
Mark Alan Miller
"Joan in GB-W" <jjk...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:7mmee1F...@mid.individual.net...
> Well, I'm not that far off from Carver County . . . about 250 miles or so
> due East. That's not a problem with Mr. Mary, is it?
Oh, no, you called him Mr. Mary. Now he'll never clean your gutters.
Mark Alan Miller
ell...@webtv.net
Ours talks and very polite it is too. Some time ago, we got rid of the
careting in the front room and replaced it with laminate. The Roomba
does wonders with cleaning up cat hair and light stuff. I find that it
avoids sharp corners and edges so a quick follow-up is necessary for the
final touch.
Willow>>
Are they noisy? And what happens when they hit an area rug?
Ellen want!
Annie C
Not promising..
Hmm. Maybe we should just hire someone (with insurance) to clean our gutters
;-)
Annie