Good morning!!!!

[txdon]

Don, glad you are back, did you find Ed?

We searched the Caribbean for Ed. I saw tractor tire tracks on one beach and I thought they might lead to Ed but the tide washed them and I could not follow them to their destination.

As you can tell by the Vac pic the first day we were fogged in the port of Galveston and it was shut down to all ship traffic. We were delayed leaving by 10 hours and the captain had to adjust our itinerary by skipping Jamaica and adding another Mexico port. We did not have a problem with that but there was a wedding group that had planed to be married in Jamaica. I don't know what they ended up doing, but it was a life challenge/test for them to adjust or be miserable. It was a good cruise but I think we will have to start going on the Holistic cruise out of Florida. The plant based no oil food is really getting hard to find on a regular cruise. Even in the salad bar they sloth all protein (beans) with oil. They do special request but it's a pain for them and me. The people that go on cruises is different than it was 20 years ago. There are maybe 2% of the people that are in their BMI and the cruise ship caters to people who insist on greasy fried foods. I'm thinking they add lots of oil so people will fill up faster and don't eat as much food off the buffet, but it really does not work and most people gain 10 pounds a week. (Looking at the oil just turns off my appetite and I lost a pound.)
The new snorkel masks worked good. It was the full face mask with attached snorkel so you never had to even taste the saltwater and you could breathe through your nose or mouth. They did not fog because the area for the nose and mouth is together but separated from the eyes part of the mask.
I did see news about the California dam and the evacuation in the workout room on the elliptical, I glad it is still standing.
Toppop glad to see you made it through you bout with the terrible flu. Sadamo your panels are looking good. Drew glad you got your trees returned and re-delivered and planted. Eric If you need a loan I have extra monopoly money I can slip to you. Once you start to mortgaging to pay rent it's almost over for you.

Traffic was blocked on Hwy 21 today near Bastrop while they made a movie or commercial with this Leisure Van with the Lost Pines in the background while driving. The next generation of RNG will be restoring these.
http://i.wheelsage.org/pictures/l/l..._spirit/leisure_travel_vans_free_spirit_1.jpg

 

[Mousefield]

Snow is almost gone, rain today with a high of 7 C.

 

[daugen]

just about finished the nut orchard, did not buy enough wire fencing so need to go back for one more. Will leave fenced first year and then see if I can take them off. Deer seem to hone in on new growth here, many of my new evergreens have been wrecked by deer.
Pics of friend/helper bringing most of the bare root stock in, and then when we were almost finished. The water wagon really does make this all possible

 

[RedNeckGeek]

Good Evening! 46F @ 6:00PM. Rain. Low 42F. Winds SSE at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall possibly over one inch.



Sorry for dropping off the grid over the weekend, things were just too busy and I was covering a lot of miles. I decided to go to the Death Valley campout after a friend called and said I'd be welcome to ride with he and a buddy if I wanted to meet them in Kernville Wednesday night. So I did and it was a great trip down. Mild weather, even some sun on Wednesday and Thursday. Even better, they had a motel room reserved, and offered to let me use a fold-a-bed. So while it poured down Friday and Saturday, we were warm and dry while the other ralliers got to practice open water rescues at the camp ground. But we all survived, and as usual the camp food was wonderful. Today got off to a nice start with a ride back over the Panamint range that was topped with fresh snow, but fortunately it stayed above the roads. Even enjoyed a very nice chorizzo breakfast buritto in Olancha. But I paid the piper later when I hit rain about half way home, but that was expected and went just fine with only a few minor leaks in the rain gear. Tomorrow would have been much worse with harder rain over more of the distance, so losing a day I think was a good compromise.

Larro, apparently the rain wasn't enough to overwhelm the outflow rate at the dam and the desired safety margin water level is being maintained. Oh my gosh were there a lot of flooded fields along Highway 70 south of here due to the high river levels, but nothing beyond what is expected to flood under these circumstances.

You guys have been busy; it's gonna take me a while to catch up!

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Some really nice rides there RNG. Glad you made it home safely. That burrito looks small by our local standards (but that may explain my gut).

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Boo, someone put in a van picture, that now shows on this thread instead of the Valentine picture.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Here it is

 

[mostly_gas]

Good evening all. 60F this morning, calm winds overcast with sky obscured. Fog developed early morning but not overly thick. Rain expected late tonight or early morning. Yesterday went on a 65 mile bike ride with 4 other guys, link will show where we rode and a couple of picks to show the scenery "whizzing" by Relive 'Around Ray Roberts Front Flat Then Back Flat and saw Billy K. Running wJon Bruce Jerritt & Jeff w/Jon '
today was slow day very humid.

 

[txdon]

Boo, someone put in a van picture, that now shows on this thread instead of the Valentine picture.

So, on phone app only the last picture posted is the one showing at the beginning of the thread?

 

[Jim Shooz]

Good evening all. 60F this morning, calm winds overcast with sky obscured. Fog developed early morning but not overly thick. Rain expected late tonight or early morning. Yesterday went on a 65 mile bike ride with 4 other guys, link will show where we rode and a couple of picks to show the scenery "whizzing" by Relive 'Around Ray Roberts Front Flat Then Back Flat and saw Billy K. Running wJon Bruce Jerritt & Jeff w/Jon '
today was slow day very humid.

That looks like a great ride.
Sixteen of the originals of our group are riding the Thames to Waihi section of the Hauraki Rail trail on Thursday Hauraki Rail Trail - Waikato | NZ Cycle Trail about 68Km. I would not make that distance without slowing them down so I was elected baggage boy. I'll join them on the ride around on the Friday (then again there are hot pools nearby there so I might sneak off and have a soak) and then haul their bags back home on the Saturday. I've got an 80th birthday coming up in a couple of months so I might have to buy myself an E mountain bike. I run out of puff on the hills.
There were6 or 8 of us started just on 2 years ago and now there are at least 50 turn up 9am every Wednesday.
Hauraki Rail Trail: Mountain Bike and Cycle Trail Guide

 

[RoyJackson]

2017-02-20, 0320

34 right now...and that's where it's going to stay today.
Walks, deck and drive are pretty clear and most of last week's snow is off the roof.

Another week at work...I'm ready to retire!

 

[Eric Salop]

Eric, do you live in English Kalifornia? Who ever heard of restrictions on cutting your shrubs? Are you interrupting the nesting habits of the Great Horned British owl, or something...? Curious as to how many rules and regs do you have on what you can and can't do there. Would you need a whole thread to yourself?...

In this country the people who work in the countryside are not trusted to look after the land and wildlife. We have lots of prescriptive rules that are made with good intent, but with little regard to the practicalities of real life and they have been getting worse. For half of the year, I can't cut off a single overhanging branch in without risking a hefty fine. European directives have often been cited as the reason for this - we shall see how true this is in a few years time.

Not quite as bad as Kalif, I can have a sounder moderator on every rifle and it doesn't cost a cent extra. :laughing:

 

[Eric Salop]

Good morning. Got a little surprise yesterday in the shape of 2 small lumps of white wet wool, which were trying to find out what use they could make of these things that humans call legs. A pair of healthy twin lambs had been born on the hillside slightly earlier than anyone expected. Transport for all the pregnant ewes to a nearby farm with plenty of individual indoor pens had already been penciled in for Tuesday, just hope that is soon enough.


RNG, in your absence, the BBC took over and gave me regular updates on the state of the dam and the rain moving up. I had imagined you floating in a wet campsite, not a nice dry motel. Age may make you go a little soft but sometimes helps with being sensible too.

Don, now who would have guessed you were away at a slimming retreat. Did you bring back a doggy bag for Whipper ?

 

[Thomas]

30F now mid 30's for high.
Good day for puttering outside yesterday,snow banks drop little and driveway clear of ice and snow...until next time.

Last full week of Feb. warmer temps than normal w/showers and rain they say.

Enjoy the day all.

 

[wngsprd]

39 going to 68 after yesterday's 74.

Jim, great looking trails in your land. and happy birthday soon.

Don, welcome back to the US of A. Never been on a cruise, but from what I've heard, losing weight on one is quite a trick.

I don't usually post on the TBN app because then it worries my phone all the time with notifications if I stay logged in. But I just checked it, and the Valentine is back!

I think I've painted for over 8 hours the last two days and still not done on the barn. Anyone know of a trick for painting board and batten? I was going to spray it, but decided it would be faster to go roller/brush than all the prep and clean up needed for spraying for the amount of painting. I was wrong. Also, I'm gonna run out of paint today before finishing. So another trip to town. Maybe the same paint counter guy will be working. Had a great conversation with him last week.

 

[Buppies]

40 high of 72 later very sunny today

Jim happy early birthday

Wngsprd does coco help you paint?

 

[daugen]

45 going up to 71 today, another nice day. Taking my friend back to Amtrack this morning in Wilson NC, little over an hour due West of here, easy drive.

Jim, if all you have to do at 80 is get a little different bicycle, man my hat is off to you. Must be all the kiwi fruit...

 

[Buppies]

45 going up to 71 today, another nice day. Taking my friend back to Amtrack this morning in Wilson NC, little over an hour due West of here, easy drive.

Jim, if all you have to do at 80 is get a little different bicycle, man my hat is off to you. Must be all the kiwi fruit...

That's a very good friend you have there

 

[daugen]

That's a very good friend you have there

considering he has been married to my first wife for 23 years, yes in many ways

 

[daugen]

Toppop, how are you feeling this morning?

probably since I live alone and don't interact with kids very much, I rarely get sick, maybe once every ten years.
I wash my hands a lot, every time I come home after touching the supermarket door handles, carts, bathroom doors, etc etc. I got the senior flu shot this year, geez a 50% success rate on the flu shot isn't very good.

David/Sodamo, stay safe up on those panels. When will the "new juice" start flowing?