Red Mosquito

spike wrote: Tue October 20, 2026 1:43 am

E.H. Ruddock wrote: Tue October 20, 2026 12:52 am Tell me more about a “US food store” down under

It’s some mob that imports all sorts of stuff from America - snacks, sauces, canned foods, treats, coffee creamers, even household products. I believe they’ll take requests, and if enough demand, they try to make it happen. It’s especially handy around Thanksgiving for pumpkin pie and other ingredients.

It’s been around since I first started visiting here back in 2008-2009. Not sure if they’re Yanks or not, as they tend to have regular Aussie kids running the registers. They recently expanded, adding an all candy room.

https://usafoods.com.au/

before we moved to Vancouver there was a small store called Pirate Joe's...the owner and his employees would drive a couple vans down to Washington state and stock up on trader Joe stuff and sell it here..they shut them down within the first year...

I heard about Pirate Joe's on a podcast at some point. Probably 99% Invisible or This American Life.

Bought a new oven today to replace out 2003 unit. Hoping it will last longer than 5-7 years like most appliances these days.

I had to do something today that I hate to do and haven't done in years...I need a new suit for December and February for different things...I got dragged to the shop to try things on today..I bought a suit that needs a little tailoring and a sports jacket..cant wait to have a drink later

Monkey_Driven wrote: Tue October 20, 2026 8:21 pm Bought a new oven today to replace out 2003 unit. Hoping it will last longer than 5-7 years like most appliances these days.

did you get a wolf or a viking?

doug rr wrote: Tue October 20, 2026 9:13 pm

Monkey_Driven wrote: Tue October 20, 2026 8:21 pm Bought a new oven today to replace out 2003 unit. Hoping it will last longer than 5-7 years like most appliances these days.

did you get a wolf or a viking?

I'm not a billionaire, doug

Monkey_Driven wrote: Tue October 20, 2026 8:21 pm Bought a new oven today to replace out 2003 unit. Hoping it will last longer than 5-7 years like most appliances these days.

We’re starting to think about refrigerators. Our current one makes all these sounds, and I keep expecting to open it up and see the pyramids and dog-monsters from Ghostbusters.

tragabigzanda wrote: Wed October 21, 2026 2:04 pm

Monkey_Driven wrote: Tue October 20, 2026 8:21 pm Bought a new oven today to replace out 2003 unit. Hoping it will last longer than 5-7 years like most appliances these days.

We’re starting to think about refrigerators. Our current one makes all these sounds, and I keep expecting to open it up and see the pyramids and dog-monsters from Ghostbusters.

Please be safe

tragabigzanda wrote: Wed October 21, 2026 2:04 pm

Monkey_Driven wrote: Tue October 20, 2026 8:21 pm Bought a new oven today to replace out 2003 unit. Hoping it will last longer than 5-7 years like most appliances these days.

We’re starting to think about refrigerators. Our current one makes all these sounds, and I keep expecting to open it up and see the pyramids and dog-monsters from Ghostbusters.

We bought a new one in June of 2025, I really liked it. Then seven month later we decide to sell our house. I really wanted to bring that one with us, but the house we ended up in had the exact same, brand new model. It is the little things...

E.H. Ruddock wrote: Wed October 21, 2026 7:35 pm

tragabigzanda wrote: Wed October 21, 2026 2:04 pm

Monkey_Driven wrote: Tue October 20, 2026 8:21 pm Bought a new oven today to replace out 2003 unit. Hoping it will last longer than 5-7 years like most appliances these days.

We’re starting to think about refrigerators. Our current one makes all these sounds, and I keep expecting to open it up and see the pyramids and dog-monsters from Ghostbusters.

We bought a new one in June of 2025, I really liked it. Then seven month later we decide to sell our house. I really wanted to bring that one with us, but the house we ended up in had the exact same, brand new model. It is the little things...

I would have lost so much sleep over this

in the past three years I have bought a new washer and dryer
a new dishwasher (under the counter)
a new gas stove (had to have a gas pipe installed since the original was electric)
a new fridge (bottom freezer which has been a game changer)

tragabigzanda wrote: Wed October 21, 2026 8:27 pm

E.H. Ruddock wrote: Wed October 21, 2026 7:35 pm

tragabigzanda wrote: Wed October 21, 2026 2:04 pm

Monkey_Driven wrote: Tue October 20, 2026 8:21 pm Bought a new oven today to replace out 2003 unit. Hoping it will last longer than 5-7 years like most appliances these days.

We’re starting to think about refrigerators. Our current one makes all these sounds, and I keep expecting to open it up and see the pyramids and dog-monsters from Ghostbusters.

We bought a new one in June of 2025, I really liked it. Then seven month later we decide to sell our house. I really wanted to bring that one with us, but the house we ended up in had the exact same, brand new model. It is the little things...

I would have lost so much sleep over this

I know you would have. When i saw i was quoting/responding to you, its the first thing i thought of

Great way to start the morning. Get out of the shower at the gym to the fire alarm going off. Mind you it wasn't the honking blaring kind. no it was beep beep beep and a small strobe light.

We agreed it must be a false alarm because of how timid the alarm was. Then the employee comes in and says every one has to leave.
Luckily I only had to put my shoes on but the lack of hurry the effe up was amazing from everyone. Mind you in the locker room there was only a slight smell. Once you exited the locker room it was like a fog machine had gone off.

Everyone got out ok but who knows what the actual damage will be. I am thinking I get to sleep in with the Handsome Devil tomorrow cause I doubt the gym will be open.

E.H. Ruddock wrote: Wed October 21, 2026 10:18 pm

tragabigzanda wrote: Wed October 21, 2026 8:27 pm

E.H. Ruddock wrote: Wed October 21, 2026 7:35 pm

tragabigzanda wrote: Wed October 21, 2026 2:04 pm

Monkey_Driven wrote: Tue October 20, 2026 8:21 pm Bought a new oven today to replace out 2003 unit. Hoping it will last longer than 5-7 years like most appliances these days.

We’re starting to think about refrigerators. Our current one makes all these sounds, and I keep expecting to open it up and see the pyramids and dog-monsters from Ghostbusters.

We bought a new one in June of 2025, I really liked it. Then seven month later we decide to sell our house. I really wanted to bring that one with us, but the house we ended up in had the exact same, brand new model. It is the little things...

I would have lost so much sleep over this

I know you would have. When i saw i was quoting/responding to you, its the first thing i thought of

You should have taken the fridge out of your old house to give to Trag

I'm still pissed at the buyers of our old house, so maybe I'll go steal it. We had to rush to get out of there, and two months later there is still no one living in it.

SO last night I finished off the 7 week challenge that my jits club was running. General idea was that for 7 weeks you train 3 nights a week and have 6 six minute rolls. Originally the challenge was for 6 weeks, but our coach decided to add on a 7th week and in the last week you roll with the same person all class. Went in nursing injuries which haven't had a change to heal - hopefully now they can. Spent a lot of time flat on my back while a black belt smothered me. Week 1 or 2 I ended up rolling with this doode Marco who I'd never seen on the mats before. He's a pretty solid guy so I knew he'd be tough, but he was also a blue belt, so I thought I should be able to hold my own. Bro immediately took me down and smothered me for the entire round. It was only afterwards I found out that Marco is a black belt in judo and won the Oceania comp and competed in the worlds....
Anyway - now that's done - I can focus more on getting my shit together for my next belt grading at the end of the year

I am sure Marco is on a Nickleback board telling people about this tough son of a bitch who worried him.

E.H. Ruddock wrote: Thu October 22, 2026 3:45 pm I'm still pissed at the buyers of our old house, so maybe I'll go steal it. We had to rush to get out of there, and two months later there is still no one living in it.

so the new fridge is just sitting there?

sounds like time for a caper

here's the plan:

ruddo rents a u-haul to remove the fridge

once he arrives in the dark at 2am, he finds the dolley is missing

having already committed to the act, he enters the house anyway to see if there is a way to shimmy it out

seeing a leftover floor mat out front, he attempts to wedge the fridge onto the mat and slide it out

as he tips the fridge, a mouse runs across the floor, startling him and tipping the fridge over

as it topples, his pants become stuck and rip down to his ankles

now trapped under the fridge, with one trapped arm, de-pantsed, and unable to move - he must fight for a way to stay alive

he passes out from exhaustion

when he awakes at dawn, disheveled and hungry, he scrambles to reach into the fridge with his one working arm

and as luck would have it, a leftover peanut butter jar remains just within reach

he struggles to open it with his one hand, but eventually manages to unscrew the lid open.

as he attempts to scoop it out, the jar slips and, and now warm since lack of refrigeration, slowly dribbles peanut butter out everywhere down the side of the fridge and on to his crotch...

just then the swat team rushes through the door, the neighbors having called due to the lurking u-haul truck....

a team of police dogs rushes in, enticed by the warm peanut butter aroma, and then...

Who keeps peanut butter in the fridge