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Tank birthday and I'm a Geezer
- Thread starter Paul B
- Start date
Paul B
NJRC Member
Once We were in Sicily looking for my Grand Father's house. He came here in about 1902. So we hired this guide. She was about 18 and looked like Gina Lollobrigida with the boots, leather vest, hair, ear rings, all sorts of make up, a cigarette and her cell phone taped to her head.
The kid was gorgeous and it was 8:00am.
She was going to be our guide and translator. So she comes in a 9 person van with a driver for the two of us. We go to their "Town Hall" which looked like a prop from "Ben Hur". The place looked to be 500 years old, donkeys included. The woman inside (who probably knew Ben) comes to the desk with a book from the movie "The Black Cauldron" I am surprised this old woman could even pick it up.
My name is Baldassano and there were pages and pages of Baldassano's. As a matter of fact, every Baldassano in the world comes from that small fishing village in Sciacca.
The "Mayor" is named Baldassano.
Anyway we get the address to my Grand Father's house and the Miss Lollobrigida guides us while asking people on the "street" for directions.
WE come up to this guy, and Gina is asking him about the house and he is answering in Italian as she translates.
We are doing this for 10 minutes and I heard the guy say something in English.
I said, wait a minute, You speak English! He said Yeah, I spent 40 years in Bayonne New Jersey. Like Duh, Is it me?
He pointed up to this small house on the hillside overlooking the fishing port and said, that is your Grand Fathers house.
It was a tiny stone, almost a hut nestled on the edge of a cliff overlooking the sea.
Then we walked the docks waiting for the Mayor to get up. Nino, is also "connected" like everyone there so no one will wake him up.
They told us to go to the cafe and wait. So we go there and they sell all these pastries that I thought my Mother made up the names for.
Sicily speaks a different dialect than the rest of Italy so things are named differently.
We picked the pastries my Mother used to make and I said to the guy. How Much?
He said "Baldassano, forget about it".
OK, Nino didn't get up yet so we went to dinner. We sat outside in a place that had two tables. The table where the guy told us to sit had a huge basket of laundry on it which took up the whole table,
The guy yelled up to the window in Italian, Hey Nina, get rid of this.
Nina sticks her head out and using a rope, raises the laundry up about 7' off the table where it stayed for our dinner.
I don't hardly speak Italian as my Dad died in 1959, so I ordered the first thing on the menu.
My dinner came and it was a plate of baby octopus and a bunch of fish that looked like whole copper banded butterflies. The way it comes out of the sea, thats the way you eat it. They throw some olive oil on it and thats it.
I thought my family was weird because thats the way they ate. I prefer my copperband butterflies filleted.
The bill came and I said "How Much?" The guy said "Baldassano, Forget about it".
In Europe, if people there have your name, especially the Mayor, they treat you like Royalty.
The kid was gorgeous and it was 8:00am.
She was going to be our guide and translator. So she comes in a 9 person van with a driver for the two of us. We go to their "Town Hall" which looked like a prop from "Ben Hur". The place looked to be 500 years old, donkeys included. The woman inside (who probably knew Ben) comes to the desk with a book from the movie "The Black Cauldron" I am surprised this old woman could even pick it up.
My name is Baldassano and there were pages and pages of Baldassano's. As a matter of fact, every Baldassano in the world comes from that small fishing village in Sciacca.
The "Mayor" is named Baldassano.
Anyway we get the address to my Grand Father's house and the Miss Lollobrigida guides us while asking people on the "street" for directions.
WE come up to this guy, and Gina is asking him about the house and he is answering in Italian as she translates.
We are doing this for 10 minutes and I heard the guy say something in English.
I said, wait a minute, You speak English! He said Yeah, I spent 40 years in Bayonne New Jersey. Like Duh, Is it me?
He pointed up to this small house on the hillside overlooking the fishing port and said, that is your Grand Fathers house.
It was a tiny stone, almost a hut nestled on the edge of a cliff overlooking the sea.
Then we walked the docks waiting for the Mayor to get up. Nino, is also "connected" like everyone there so no one will wake him up.
They told us to go to the cafe and wait. So we go there and they sell all these pastries that I thought my Mother made up the names for.
Sicily speaks a different dialect than the rest of Italy so things are named differently.
We picked the pastries my Mother used to make and I said to the guy. How Much?
He said "Baldassano, forget about it".
OK, Nino didn't get up yet so we went to dinner. We sat outside in a place that had two tables. The table where the guy told us to sit had a huge basket of laundry on it which took up the whole table,
The guy yelled up to the window in Italian, Hey Nina, get rid of this.
Nina sticks her head out and using a rope, raises the laundry up about 7' off the table where it stayed for our dinner.
I don't hardly speak Italian as my Dad died in 1959, so I ordered the first thing on the menu.
My dinner came and it was a plate of baby octopus and a bunch of fish that looked like whole copper banded butterflies. The way it comes out of the sea, thats the way you eat it. They throw some olive oil on it and thats it.
I thought my family was weird because thats the way they ate. I prefer my copperband butterflies filleted.
The bill came and I said "How Much?" The guy said "Baldassano, Forget about it".
In Europe, if people there have your name, especially the Mayor, they treat you like Royalty.
Paul B
NJRC Member
Last night I wanted to clean the front glass of my tank because if I don't clean it in 3 days, it looks like sheet metal so I clean it every day.
I lifted the front panel and stuck the glass cleaning magnet inside.
The tank overflowed a little. I figured maybe I dropped it in to fast and it splashed.
The top rim of my tank is just at my eye level so I can't really see the top of the water.
I started to move the magnet cleaner and a lot of water spilled out.
OOOOOOhhhhNNNNNNoooo.
So I stick my hand over the rim and notice the water is right up to the top rim. AAAAAhhhhhhhhh
I immediately shut off the inflow to the tank from this 7 gallon bucket I have hanging from the ceiling behind the tank that automatically fills from my RO/DI using gravity which goes to a float valve on the top of the tank.
I get a hose and siphon out 10 gallons of water so now the water level is about an inch down and in no danger of overflowing.
Then I look for the problem and find it right away.
Lately, with not much to do I have been cleaning the back of the tank using a magnet scraper.
I have a 6' plastic on the back of the tank that leans against the lights because I lose a lot of fish to jumping. Especially when I listen to my Janis Joplin music.
I must have moved the plastic to much and it was pushing down on the float about an inch so the float valve wouldn't shut off.
I tested the salinity and it was about 0.14 so I could have kept kissing gouramies or goldfish.
I immediately took some dry asw and after mixing it with a little water, poured it into the manifold that feeds the Reverse undergravel filter.
I am not one of those people that worry about raising the salinity more than one percent in 24 hours.
So I did that a few times over about an hour and now the salinity is probably closer to 0.018.
I have not seen the tank yet today but instead of letting the ATO fill the tank in the next week, I will add back the water that I siphoned out and eventually it will get back to normal.
These little occurrences are needed to keep the interest up because if nothing ever happened, we would call this "stamp Collecting"
You could see that white plastic piece here over the back top of the tank.
I lifted the front panel and stuck the glass cleaning magnet inside.
The tank overflowed a little. I figured maybe I dropped it in to fast and it splashed.
The top rim of my tank is just at my eye level so I can't really see the top of the water.
I started to move the magnet cleaner and a lot of water spilled out.
OOOOOOhhhhNNNNNNoooo.
So I stick my hand over the rim and notice the water is right up to the top rim. AAAAAhhhhhhhhh
I immediately shut off the inflow to the tank from this 7 gallon bucket I have hanging from the ceiling behind the tank that automatically fills from my RO/DI using gravity which goes to a float valve on the top of the tank.
I get a hose and siphon out 10 gallons of water so now the water level is about an inch down and in no danger of overflowing.
Then I look for the problem and find it right away.
Lately, with not much to do I have been cleaning the back of the tank using a magnet scraper.
I have a 6' plastic on the back of the tank that leans against the lights because I lose a lot of fish to jumping. Especially when I listen to my Janis Joplin music.
I must have moved the plastic to much and it was pushing down on the float about an inch so the float valve wouldn't shut off.
I tested the salinity and it was about 0.14 so I could have kept kissing gouramies or goldfish.
I immediately took some dry asw and after mixing it with a little water, poured it into the manifold that feeds the Reverse undergravel filter.
I am not one of those people that worry about raising the salinity more than one percent in 24 hours.
So I did that a few times over about an hour and now the salinity is probably closer to 0.018.
I have not seen the tank yet today but instead of letting the ATO fill the tank in the next week, I will add back the water that I siphoned out and eventually it will get back to normal.
These little occurrences are needed to keep the interest up because if nothing ever happened, we would call this "stamp Collecting"
You could see that white plastic piece here over the back top of the tank.
Paul B
NJRC Member
All seems good and everything looks great today and on an added note, I think my Rainsford gobies are starting to spawn.
They normally stay on different ends of the tank, but looking through the back glass they appeared to be doing the Macarana. But it could have been the Hustle or Tango. I am not sure because Janis Joplin music doesn't lend itself to those dance moves.
They normally stay on different ends of the tank, but looking through the back glass they appeared to be doing the Macarana. But it could have been the Hustle or Tango. I am not sure because Janis Joplin music doesn't lend itself to those dance moves.
Paul B
NJRC Member
I am diatoming my tank again. Do I have to? No, I just did it last week. I am starring at the detritus particles going into the intake. This is as exciting as watching paint dry which I did this morning when I painted a wall.....Again.
My fish have no idea why I am doing this again and the tank is not dirty. It is just a total waste of time.
But it is an essential waste of time at a time when I have more time than I need. At this stage of the year I would be working on my boat. Of course it is still shrink wrapped and I can't get in it as that is not an essential part of life.
Well, for me it is but I can't leave my wife alone to long as she doesn't have the enormous amount of totally useless hobbies that I do.
She will just keep vacuuming until she makes a hole in the floor and my couch will fall into my garage. I installed a very powerful "whole house" vacuum that will suck out your ear wax from across the street.
I can take fish pictures, but I already have to many. I can wax my workshop floor, but I did that too. My car is very clean and if I put more wax on it I will slide off the seat.
I can spent my entire life in my workshop/Man cave as I am now but only because she is on the phone with one of her bored friends.
My fish have no idea why I am doing this again and the tank is not dirty. It is just a total waste of time.
But it is an essential waste of time at a time when I have more time than I need. At this stage of the year I would be working on my boat. Of course it is still shrink wrapped and I can't get in it as that is not an essential part of life.
Well, for me it is but I can't leave my wife alone to long as she doesn't have the enormous amount of totally useless hobbies that I do.
She will just keep vacuuming until she makes a hole in the floor and my couch will fall into my garage. I installed a very powerful "whole house" vacuum that will suck out your ear wax from across the street.
I can take fish pictures, but I already have to many. I can wax my workshop floor, but I did that too. My car is very clean and if I put more wax on it I will slide off the seat.
I can spent my entire life in my workshop/Man cave as I am now but only because she is on the phone with one of her bored friends.
That’s the cleanest workshop I’ve ever seen much too organizedI am diatoming my tank again. Do I have to? No, I just did it last week. I am starring at the detritus particles going into the intake. This is as exciting as watching paint dry which I did this morning when I painted a wall.....Again.
My fish have no idea why I am doing this again and the tank is not dirty. It is just a total waste of time.
But it is an essential waste of time at a time when I have more time than I need. At this stage of the year I would be working on my boat. Of course it is still shrink wrapped and I can't get in it as that is not an essential part of life.
Well, for me it is but I can't leave my wife alone to long as she doesn't have the enormous amount of totally useless hobbies that I do.
She will just keep vacuuming until she makes a hole in the floor and my couch will fall into my garage. I installed a very powerful "whole house" vacuum that will suck out your ear wax from across the street.
I can take fish pictures, but I already have to many. I can wax my workshop floor, but I did that too. My car is very clean and if I put more wax on it I will slide off the seat.
I can spent my entire life in my workshop/Man cave as I am now but only because she is on the phone with one of her bored friends.
Paul B
NJRC Member
Remember I only moved here a year and a half ago so for the move I threw out a tuck load. I built a lot of drawers and closets where I store stuff and have a huge garage with a ton of storage.
My garage is loaded with my mechanic and larger tools along with my larger woodworking tools. In another life I was a mechanic for General Motors.
My bench normally looks like this but I am running out of space because it is filling up with Steam Punk stuff now that the Art Gallery who was displaying them is closed.
My garage is loaded with my mechanic and larger tools along with my larger woodworking tools. In another life I was a mechanic for General Motors.
My bench normally looks like this but I am running out of space because it is filling up with Steam Punk stuff now that the Art Gallery who was displaying them is closed.
I agree with Paulie, that is the cleanest shop. My shop at work looks like a tornado went through... after a bomb went off.I am diatoming my tank again. Do I have to? No, I just did it last week. I am starring at the detritus particles going into the intake. This is as exciting as watching paint dry which I did this morning when I painted a wall.....Again.
My fish have no idea why I am doing this again and the tank is not dirty. It is just a total waste of time.
But it is an essential waste of time at a time when I have more time than I need. At this stage of the year I would be working on my boat. Of course it is still shrink wrapped and I can't get in it as that is not an essential part of life.
Well, for me it is but I can't leave my wife alone to long as she doesn't have the enormous amount of totally useless hobbies that I do.
She will just keep vacuuming until she makes a hole in the floor and my couch will fall into my garage. I installed a very powerful "whole house" vacuum that will suck out your ear wax from across the street.
I can take fish pictures, but I already have to many. I can wax my workshop floor, but I did that too. My car is very clean and if I put more wax on it I will slide off the seat.
I can spent my entire life in my workshop/Man cave as I am now but only because she is on the phone with one of her bored friends.
Paul B
NJRC Member
My good friend who is sick still has a fever and is very weak even though he tested negative. His wife is trying to get him to a doctor today to re test him and her as he obviously has something. I am very concerned for him and his wife, our closest friends for most of our life.
Here on Long Island we can't order food from a supermarket for curbside delivery because it is a 2 week wait just to order so I am going to have to go in person because I don't have enough Amphipods to eat and my fish are all hiding.
I know Larry from LRS foods eats his fish food but I am not in the mood for sushi today.
I may have to start fishing behind my house but I am not sure what I will catch there. In Know in the summer there is sea bass but now I think all we have is ducks and seagulls and I don't want to yell Fowl.
I made a nice breakfast this morning and my wife and I had it on the beach. But it was cold. So cold I saw a chicken with a cape-on.
Here on Long Island we can't order food from a supermarket for curbside delivery because it is a 2 week wait just to order so I am going to have to go in person because I don't have enough Amphipods to eat and my fish are all hiding.
I know Larry from LRS foods eats his fish food but I am not in the mood for sushi today.
I may have to start fishing behind my house but I am not sure what I will catch there. In Know in the summer there is sea bass but now I think all we have is ducks and seagulls and I don't want to yell Fowl.
I made a nice breakfast this morning and my wife and I had it on the beach. But it was cold. So cold I saw a chicken with a cape-on.
You are too funny 
Hope your friend will be okay. Maybe he just has the flu. My sister-in-law has a sister (Carmela). Her husband John is a social work here in NJ. John (55) was tested positive for Coronavirus on March 26th. He became delirious last Thursday and was rushed to the hospital. Carmela, on the same day was tested positive for Corona. He died Friday of cardiac arrest and is being buried this morning. NJ only allows 7 people to attend a burial. Carmela can't attend because he is under quarantine. She will be attending the burial through a computer software called Zoom
Stay safe!
Hope your friend will be okay. Maybe he just has the flu. My sister-in-law has a sister (Carmela). Her husband John is a social work here in NJ. John (55) was tested positive for Coronavirus on March 26th. He became delirious last Thursday and was rushed to the hospital. Carmela, on the same day was tested positive for Corona. He died Friday of cardiac arrest and is being buried this morning. NJ only allows 7 people to attend a burial. Carmela can't attend because he is under quarantine. She will be attending the burial through a computer software called Zoom
Stay safe!
Paul. Check... CoralDelivers.com (no this has nothing to do with reefing. Coral just happens to be my daughter’s name ), this is a ten dollar off link to Shipt, which is Target and grocery delivery. Maybe there wait time is less? She will be able to help perhaps more than you may think. She is management with Shipt and says wait times should not be that long. Hopefully this helps in some way. Best of luck. And happy reefing.My good friend who is sick still has a fever and is very weak even though he tested negative. His wife is trying to get him to a doctor today to re test him and her as he obviously has something. I am very concerned for him and his wife, our closest friends for most of our life.
Here on Long Island we can't order food from a supermarket for curbside delivery because it is a 2 week wait just to order so I am going to have to go in person because I don't have enough Amphipods to eat and my fish are all hiding.
I know Larry from LRS foods eats his fish food but I am not in the mood for sushi today.
I may have to start fishing behind my house but I am not sure what I will catch there. In Know in the summer there is sea bass but now I think all we have is ducks and seagulls and I don't want to yell Fowl.
I made a nice breakfast this morning and my wife and I had it on the beach. But it was cold. So cold I saw a chicken with a cape-on.
How you can turn breakfast into a comedy is funny to me, always makes me chuckleMy good friend who is sick still has a fever and is very weak even though he tested negative. His wife is trying to get him to a doctor today to re test him and her as he obviously has something. I am very concerned for him and his wife, our closest friends for most of our life.
Here on Long Island we can't order food from a supermarket for curbside delivery because it is a 2 week wait just to order so I am going to have to go in person because I don't have enough Amphipods to eat and my fish are all hiding.
I know Larry from LRS foods eats his fish food but I am not in the mood for sushi today.
I may have to start fishing behind my house but I am not sure what I will catch there. In Know in the summer there is sea bass but now I think all we have is ducks and seagulls and I don't want to yell Fowl.
I made a nice breakfast this morning and my wife and I had it on the beach. But it was cold. So cold I saw a chicken with a cape-on.
Well Over be here basically right across from you in Barnegat light the temperature near shore is 50 to 53° which is perfect for life on the wrecks to jump up and eat I don’t know what your termps are over there in the water but you ain’t got nothing to lose but some bait
I’ve noticed you’ve mentioned moray eels in post a few times,, I remembered that I have some pics from a fishing trip in Florida Keys.
Top two are of Amber Jacks, one I landed and one a (I’m guessing) was taken by a large shark,, was half hour fight for fish(I lost)
The next 4 pics are of a moray eel I caught while grouper fishing (it put up good fight ) it was about 5-6ft long and pretty thick(didn’t even try to weigh it)
Was fun day in the greatest fishing area in the world(I could live in the Keys)
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Almost every rock jetty has life to it you know the deal you just have to have the patience