Had a bad day...

Ok, it wasn't really that bad, but I'm not happy about what happened today.  I went out to my workshop this morning to carve an apple box for Lexie's teacher.  It went well, but just as it was finishing the final cut-out it had a z-axis stall.  I checked the z-axis and it wasn't stuck so I removed the work piece and checked to see if there were any self tests that I could run on my system.  As I was navigating the menu, the machine shut off.  It wouldn't turn back on.  It did the same thing to me last night, but I unplugged it for a minute, then it turned back on.  It wasn't coming back on today.  I looked closely at the machine and right on the corner by the switch was a telltale sign.  There were carbon deposits.  I had let out the smoke.  You know the magical smoke that makes every electronic device work.  I called the customer support line and they are sending me a new power supply.  I have to pay a $40 core charge, but I get it back when I send the defective part back, so I guess it works out ok.  However, my machine will be out of commission for three to five days.  So sad.  I probably needed a break anyway, I have been a garage dwelling hermit for the past week and a half.  It will give me a chance to finally mount my TV and fix my tin house.

Bella and Lexie had a dentist appointment today.  It went well, no cavities.  After the appointment we went to the Bangor Forest to go biking.  Otto is getting really good at biking.  He rode Lexie's old bike today.  It goes faster and he doesn't have to pedal at such a feverish pace to keep up, but it was harder to pedal up hills.  Since I didn't have to pull the trailer with Otto in it I had a chance to play on some of the sand and rock piles that are along the sides of the trails.  I had a good time and Otto thought it was fun to watch me jump off the piles on my bike.  On the way back to the car I noticed a big pile of dirt right in the middle of one of the trails.  I rode over it and it was a nice smooth camel hump, I got some pretty good air over it.  We went back to the car, but Otto was not done riding.  We had brought his bike along in case he wasn't capable of riding Lexie's old bike, and he wanted to take his bike for a ride.  We rode back to the camel hump and took turns riding over it.  Rachel rode over it once and declared it to be a little too scary.  Otto needed help getting up the first part, but he loved riding down.  Lexie went right for it, but had a little trouble getting up.  Bella didn't dare to at first, but after I helped her get into the right gear she got pretty good at it.  Even Ken went over several times.  I tried to clear the middle dip, but I never managed to.  One time I caught my tire right at the rise of the second hump and almost went over.  Luckily my suspension absorbed the blow.

Last weekend we found Otto a new power wheels truck at the dump.  The switches were burned up, but the motors were still good.  I had to do a little rewiring and replace a wheel to get it going.  The truck still doesn't have reverse, but Otto has been having a lot of fun with it.  His old power wheels truck died last year, so he was happy to have another one.  His first day driving it he ran over his tonka dump truck and flipped the truck over with he and Lexie riding in it.  He didn't get hurt, he just thought it was very funny.