davidd's A DOLL A DAY 2024

[davidd]

Aww, a teeny sextant!  That's really neat!  Did that come with one of your action figures or did you find it separately?

The miniature sextant is a Pullip doll accessory, from Pullip EOS, I believe.

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22 January - A Doll A Day 2024:

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If Pops had known how big the back yard excavation project would become, he would have made sure Janie and Triv, the industrious Smart Dolls, joined the Florida crew this season.

[Alliecat]

LOL, you know what, I think I might've asked the same question about that sextant last time I saw one. Because "it's a Pullip accessory" now sounds familiar. Maybe it was even one of your photos.
>sigh< Please let me know if my posts start becoming really erratic and incoherent. Some days I really worry about my cognitive abilities!!

Oh dear... broken pipe? Are you having to do all that digging yourself?

[davidd]

LOL, you know what, I think I might've asked the same question about that sextant last time I saw one.  Because "it's a Pullip accessory" now sounds familiar.  Maybe it was even one of your photos.
>sigh<  Please let me know if my posts start becoming really erratic and incoherent.  Some days I really worry about my cognitive abilities!!  

Oh dear...  broken pipe?  Are you having to do all that digging yourself?

Yeah, well, now I'm seriously doubting my own cognitive ability, because apparently the sextant and telescope are NOT Pullip accessories. Now I don't know where they came from, nor can I remember where I purchased them.

As for the digging, yeah, since Janie and Triv aren't here to do the hard work, I'm having to do it all by myself. Which in this case is better. It's not the sort of job I want many people to know about, lest tongues start to wag and the subject of permits and inspections comes up, along with mention of a requirement that certain projects must be completed by "licensed" contractors.

To that part about licensed contractors, I say... something profane.   My excavations revealed that a pipe connecting the main septic tank to the dosing tank was broken and leaking, which was not discovered by two separate septic maintenance visits last year nor by the mandatory "home inspection" required prior to a real estate title transfer. Last year I was told I would need a new "dosing tank pump," and probably new wiring, and the starting range for the cost was north of a grand just for the pump. One "licensed contractor" told me I could revert to a "gravity fed" system, but that would necessitate hauling away the topsoil and an ekspense he estimated "in the thousands." The second "licensed contractor" said that reverting to a "gravity fed" system was not permissible once a raised bed leach field had been constructed, and that the dosing tank pump definitely required replacement, at a cost higher than the first contractor estimated.

Among three real estate agents, one said "I don't know" when asked about the strange broken wires protruding from the ground. A second said "the listings say these houses are all on city sewer, there are no septic tanks out here" which is flat-out wrong. A third said the wires are for "an alarm system that tells you when you are full of sh*t."

Yes, that's seriously what he said. And actually, no, the "dosing tank alarm" has little or nothing to do with when the main septic tank requires pumping, so that wasn't even accurate; rather, it is a system designed to indicate a failure of the electrically operated lift pump.

And then... don't worry, I'm almost done... the guy who just bought the house next door was told he would need to replace his septic tank. So he had that done. When the inspector came out to look over the work, the inspector told the guy that the tank had been set "two inches too deep" and that he would have to have a dosing tank and pump system installed. Some thousands later, in addition to the initial septic tank replacement, he has an "alarm" mounted to the side of his house. "Nobody eksplained to me what it does, what it means, or how it works," he said in frustration. He's already thinking seriously about moving out of the neighborhood.

Bottom line: "eksperts" don't know jack, and a high percentage of them are little better than racketeers.

Over the past few years, while helping the Utah neighbor with his project, I paid close attention when his new septic system was installed. I asked the excavator guy a lot of questions. I asked the tank installer a lot of questions. I asked the county inspector a lot of questions. Then I read and read and read some more online, wading through commentary from a lot of idiots and opinionated morons, to learn exactly how a septic system drain field works (it's, like, super simple, there is nothing complicated about it at all) and, after getting past 90% of the "opinions" that "you must have a professional do it" and "you need a backhoe" and "depending on the local permit requirements," I figured out exactly what I need to do to have a fully functioning and safe septic leach field, and I'm doing it all by hand (well, with a shovel and a wheelbarrow) rather than spending who knows how many thousands of dollars to have somebody else do it wrong and then charge me more to bring it up to county inspection standards, which would still probably be wrong but it would cost even more.

Plus, I'm getting some much-needed exercise.

Whew!

I'm pretty sure my frustration over the septic issue is negatively impacting my attitude about A Doll A Day and Life In General. But two or three more "work days" and I should have it pretty much done... if the rain holds off so I can actually dig in the ground.

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23 January - A Doll A Day 2024:

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For years I have believed this miniature sextant and telescope were Pullip doll items, but I just learned that apparently they are not.

Is my mind going? I cannot for the life of me remember where I got these. They must have come with something else... but with what?

Then again... if I recall accurately... which is increasingly problematic, apparently... the Pullp doll I thought these belonged to was purchased second-hand. Perhaps the seller included these with the doll.

Or I might be misremembering that as well.

I dunno where these little more-or-less 1/6-scale navigational instruments hail from, but they're pretty neat.

[Alliecat]

Holy cow! What a runaround. It seems contractors are hit and miss everywhere, and I know that home inspections miss things. I hear frequent complaints on FB real estate groups.
So, um…. What do you think about overhauling my septic system? I could pay you with food and beach time… you know, in case you find you have a talent for it and want some more work   
Srsly, I’m just kinda hoping to get out before that decides to join the long list of other worn out crap around here.
Well, good luck. Hopefully the neighbours won’t be too nosy.

[davidd]

24 January - A Doll A Day 2024:

Only 335 More Days Until Christmas!

[davidd]

25 January - A Doll A Day 2024:

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Moon Pie & Mini Barbie Astronette
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P.S.: only 334 more days until Christmas!

[Alliecat]

Christmas countdown already??  Yikes
How big is mini Barbie?  We don't have moon pies up here, I don't think.
I like the colours in yesterday's pic.

[davidd]

How big is mini Barbie?  We don't have moon pies up here, I don't think.

Mini Barbie is only 3 inches tall at most. Maybe 2-1/2. I guess that's 5 or 6 cm.

I did not recall seeing Moon Pies in a store ever, anywhere, in my life until I spotted them last year at one of those "Dollar Store" type places. I'd heard of them but had never had one. They're kind of a graham cracker crust with marshmallowish stuff covered in a thin chocolate-esque shell. I have not seen the Moon Pies anywhere since.

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26 January - A Doll A Day 2024:
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Pleasant Screams

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NECA Toys Toony Terrors Elvira Mistress of the Dark figurine
 
About 6 inches long.
 
The spooky cardboard backdrop is included with the figure.

[davidd]

27 January - A Doll A Day 2024:

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27 January - Disney Doll - A Doll A Day 2024

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The Disney "Bambi" themed ILY4Ever doll was almost tempting when I saw it in the toy aisle, mostly because of the nicely designed hat.

But I resisted my initial impulse to add one to my shopping cart.

[Alliecat]

Haha, my first thought before scrolling down was also that I liked the hat. Was it fabric? or plastic?
The boots look possibly nice too, unless they're cheapie plastic.
Elvira looks quite cheerful.

[davidd]

Haha, my first thought before scrolling down was also that I liked the hat.  Was it fabric? or plastic?
The boots look possibly nice too, unless they're cheapie plastic.

The hat and boots look like plastic. Probably not totally cheap plastic, but definitely plastic.

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28 January - A Doll A Day 2024:

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Bratz "Blind Box" Flashback Minis Series 2

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I am tempted by the Bratz Flashback Minis every time I see them, but the trauma of getting duplicates the first time I purchased these "blind box" Bratz toys has been sufficient to deter me from making further purchases.

The trauma, plus the nine bucks a pop they cost.

[davidd]

29 January - A Doll A Day 2024:

Green Plastic Army Men: Awesomely Iconic

[Alliecat]

That is a cool shot with nice lines and lighting that lead your eye around the scene. Great use of the septic excavation
I guess if one is going to buy blind box things, one needs little people to pass them on to if there are duplicates. I have no trouble resisting all that packaging.

[davidd]

I have no trouble resisting all that packaging.

That is another factor bolstering to my wall of resistance.

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30 January - A Doll A Day 2024:

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Character Name: Arabella Carter

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Head: FireGirl FG071C
Body: TBLeague S34

[Alliecat]

She's really cute!