i had to jump the motorcycle for the second time this week (the first time was this past thursday morning). the engine sounded a little weird once it started, like it didn't have enough power, but i figured i'd let it run for a few minutes while i reassembled the motorcycle. i went inside to grab my things and revved the throttle a few times. that's when the engine stopped. fortunately i had all my tools and the jump starter in my bag, but it was a hassle to take apart the bike again to get to the battery. when i tried to jump the engine, it sputtered to life for a few seconds before it dead again. successive jump starts after that didn't work anymore. what could be wrong? could my battery be so badly damaged that it won't work anymore? that's when i realized i forgot to turn on the petcock on: the engine had just been burning up the fuel left inside the carburetor, no wonder the engine sounded weak, no wonder it wouldn't start! once i turned on the fuel, i jumped the battery one more time and the engine roared to life, nice and strong.

temperature was in the 30's. i remembered to put on my handlebar mitts so i wouldn't freeze my fingers. when i arrived in belmont i was going to trickle charge the battery outside in the driveway, but the extension cord couldn't reach, so i moved the bike back out onto the curb and removed the battery so i could charge it indoors with the desulfating charger. it would also allow me to make whatever measurements i needed to make a pair of extending battery cables so i wouldn't have to disassemble my bike every time i needed to jump the battery.

my sister had a nanny gig today so she left hailey at my parents' place. after letting her out in the backyard to chase squirrels, i had some rice porridge for lunch. we didn't start a fire in the fireplace today as it was already kind of late. we did however go into the backyard and pick out some logs we want to burn for tomorrow, cut a few down to size with a portable circular saw (chainsaw would've made faster work but a hassle to bring out the extension cord).

my father took apart a small space heater hoping to fix it. one peek inside showed us the problem: one of the cable had corroded and broken off of the 4 position switch. the switch also looked damaged as it had scorch marks. most likely the space heater was used in a foggy bathroom and the accumulative effects of the condensation on a piece of exposed cabling caused it to corrode. the remaining cables seemed to be soldered into place, but it was easier just to buy a new replacement switch, which i managed to find on ebay for around $2. once it arrives in a few weeks we'll try to fix the space heater.

in the late afternoon an hour before sundown, i went outside to put back the motorcycle battery after it finished charging. i also attached a length of cable to the positive terminal, so i don't have to open up the battery compartment to jump the bike. i only attached a wire to the positive side because i can always attach the negative clamp to a metal part of the bike. ideally it would've been nice to get some 10 AWG cable, but i found some 14-16 AWG wires and just combined two of them together. i don't know if it'll work, i just need to wait for the next time i can't start my bike, which will most likely happen soon enough. it was actually snowing the whole time i was working, large clumps falling from the sky. conditions were wet enough that my mother suggested i leave the motorcycle in the garage for the time being. i decided it was a good idea because it saved me from having to find a parking spot when i returned home, with street cleaning happening tomorrow and the day after, and several parking spots taken up by a large dumpster. plus, it was supposed to rain later tonight and all of monday. i'll retrieve my bike sometime later next week when it isn't raining.

my father made some fried scallion bread with the yeast he asked me to bring. originally he said he was going to make scallion pancakes, but then made a bread version instead. afterwards i got a ride back home.