Dave's  Sales  Online

Sub-Zero Service

Dave's Appliance Service

  

Pot at the end of the Rainbow

Mr. Roger's, It's a beautiful Day in the Neighborhood Page.

For the not faint of heart, the Good News.  click here. Don't hold it against me if you do not agree.

Want to do something new? Take public transportation somewhere. I took the bus across town awhile back and it was neat. I had to take it down town to the transit center to get the other bus to where I was going. We try and go somewhere every week on public transportation usually to San Francisco. 

I cleaned out our fish pond again, Yuck what a job. It has been about a year since the last clean out and they were pretty crowded with all the junk on the bottom.  I went by the pond store and got a regular pond pump for $160.00 a year ago and it is guaranteed for 3 years. I made a gravity filter and it works perfect with a good flow and the pond is clear as a bell. I only clean the filters every two months now.

My advice from experience after a dozen or more pumps over the years is to get a good one like this one designed for fish ponds that will not clog or leak oil.   I have a good design for a filter too.

 
USS Pampanito

• New Cancer Page: Cancer news and information
• The CHD Quilt Project
• Live from NASA
• ALERT! Whooping Cough is back! Get you babies immunized as soon as possible. They are most at risk.
   
• Charitable giving is available: We are set up with our state to receive funds that are deductible.  We are building a school in India at the moment. We use Paypal and forward funds to the needy areas. Use my email address; svngrace@prodigy.net and designate what it is for. Thank you for your caring.
   
• One of my favorite web sites is the Flying Skunk Chicken Farm
   
• Some One asked about the old Submarines I was qualified on. There is one at Fisherman's Wharf called the USS Pampanito. Here is the link to explain it in detail. Dave is a retired submariner; see his story under INTERESTING.
• Dave's San Francisco Tour Page.
   
• Moo Mixer
•  I have a new hobby called GEO Caching. People including myself, hide little notes and things in secrete places all over. All you need is a GPS locater, any kind will do if you are clever and understand the clues. Most new cell phones have them built in now too. It is a challenge and can be done on the way to where ever you are going.
   
• Colon Cancer; get checked right away. Call and make an appointment with your doctor tomorrow it will save your life and it is no problem. I have had two or more polyps removed every time I have had it done so I am a believer. Don't put it off!
• Breast Cancer is so common today that it is overlooked much of the time. Check for signs often and the slightest change or feeling of something different is cause to make an appointment without delay. Age means nothing today as younger and younger women are finding that it does not consider age. My daughter's tumor showed up with in 6 months of her last exam.  See new page.
   
• New: I have a new Web Site; it is for finding links to companies to purchase items on the internet. Help me and use these links and if one is missing let me know.
   
• New Book I recommend; How the Scots Invented the Modern World
• If you would like to order any of these books, please click on the Amazon link above to order.
   
• Alvaro Vargas Llosa, Liberty for Latin America: How to Undo Five Hundred Years of State Oppression 
   
• Encore Book notes: Irvin Molotsky, The Flag, The Poet and The Song: The Story of the Star-Spangled Banner
   

• New books I have read lately that may be of interest are; The Elegant Universe, by Brian Greene, be sure to get the video that supports it. It is all about super strings and quantum physics in an understandable format and it does not argue against creationism. The other ones are Book on Tape; I'm a Stranger Here Myself, by Bill Bryson. We couldn't wait to hear all of it as we traveled and would sit in the driveway it was so interesting. The other one was; Boogers are my Beat, by Dave Barry and is about a bunch of mishaps in our society and government. Both are a good read and decent. 
  Then I got another book on tape and it is real interesting; The Maigret Collection, by George Simenon. These are mysteries from the BBC.
  Books on tape are a neat way to get your reading done while traveling. I use the public library for my reading now, because it saves a lot of money and it is convenient. I order then on the internet and just stop by when they are ready. If they do not have a book I want I just order it and they let me know when it comes in. When I requested the DiVinci Code I was 85 on the list and it took a month, but I didn't waist my money on a book I would never read again. While I was waiting on the list I would go to Boarders and read it off the rack. I only had it half read when the book came available and as a bonus I got the book on tape too.
  The next best way to read is to borrow, I have been reading a friends book; Sermons by B. H. Carroll. I would like to own a copy, but it is out of print.
  Hope this encourages you to take more interest in reading. It is the best way to stay young, informed and to maintain a proper balance with a sense of humor.
  Dave... 3/04
  Under Interests check out the KIDS ONLY site.

• The Old Mill,
• Checkout my Oakland High School Website.1954 was a good year.
•  See Bonnie's website too. Our Reunion is was this year and it was good to see everyone again.
• See classmates.
   
• Half Dome is nice this time of year, take a look. Half Dome
   
• Update: Books I have read:
• Books read in 2000:  in: 2001 
•  Page 2: 12/21/03      Page 3: 5/21/04
  Some have asked how I can read so many books; I speed read, and I get them from the library. If it is not available I ask them to order it and they do. Use our link to do the same. While I wait, I read them at Boarder's with a cup of java at the coffee shop.
• eHOW
• Ask Jeeves
• Zola Levitt
• Cliffs Notes on line
• wackyuses
• See Nuts and Bolts under Library
• New Book on line, The Church That Jesus Built

Life is something you do when you can't get to sleep. -- Fran Leibowitz 

Dave's Tips and Advice

Food Preservation

Food preservation today seems to be a no-brainer with all the modern stores and transportation and storage available including the preservatives food contains. Well nothing has changed really, food is just the same and with all the technology it still has to be handled and prepared properly. As evidenced by the number of people being sickened all over the country including from food in restaurants.

You may think all the food in your super market is safe and it usually is, however if the distribution stopovers and transfers are delayed it can effect the quality of the storage life and safety. For instance, if the time it takes to move anything from truck to freezer or warehouse to truck is too long the surface of the package may get a little warm and it can start bacteria and spoilage so that when it is thawed the process has already started before and it does not take long before bad effects happen. That is why microwave defrosting is a safe way to quickly thaw food before it has a chance to grow microbes that lead to food poisoning.

When you cook now days, be sure to check the internal temperature of the food, especially meat. It should be at least 160 degrees for safety, however if it has been seared before roasting or grilling 150 degrees is ok if you like it rare. It will rest and come up to temperature. I recommend a quick reading thermometer with a little dial on the end to check everything you cook. I test everything myself so there is no question it is cooked through and safe, as well as not being over cooked too.

 90 % of the service calls are related to the above miss uses by the customers and some argue, but most follow the instructions and unload the shelves for proper air flow. Half of these, the door is kept ajar by the food hanging over the shelf up against the inside of the door.  After 53 years of doing this I feel I know what I am talking about. Just to let you know what it costs to replace a damaged coil from the above causes or a compressor from lack of maintenance, runs about $600.00 plus for labor and materials not counting the price of the parts. The average compressor and coil repair is around $1000.00 today. The average built in refrigerator start about $3500.00 for a Kitchen-aid and $6500 for a Sub Zero so protect your investment. The regular free standing refrigerators are costing up to $3000.00 now too and the same instructions above are the same for them. The old story, pay me now pay me later stands with respect to taking care of your appliance so it doesn’t inconvenient you later.

I highly recommend buying the extended service contract from the manufacturer and it is cheaper than a service call today. The new products only come with a one year warranty on everything including the compressor, a $500.00 part. Be sure you buy it from the manufacturer so you get factory trained service and parts.

I hope this helps you to understand what refrigerators are all about and how to enjoy their convenience.  

If you have any question about appliances, or any other subject email Dave. He is also available for counseling and other life issues. 

Dave Gustafson, Modesto, CA. 

Subscribe to other life sustaining answers: