74F @ 4:15AM. Sunny today. High 104F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph.
Drew, lots in the media out here lately trying to school people on dealing with the heat. One thing they warn against are sugary sports drinks, as the sugar is as bad for you as that in soft drinks. They recommend instead sugar free versions if you feel you have to drink sports drinks, but conclude plain old water is really the best thing for you. Unless you've already let yourself suffer heat stroke, at which point you should seek medical attention. And a headache is one of the symptoms.
Folks like Farmer that have to deal with poison plants (ivy, oak, sumac) might like to watch this video:
How to never have a serious poison ivy rash again! | Extreme Deer Habitat
It's a clever demonstration, using black grease remarkably like what I found under my truck the other day, showing how to remove urushiol, the oil from those plants that makes you itch. Get the oil off your skin within two to eight hours, and you don't get a rash. Trouble is, the longer the stuff is on you, the more time you have to spread it around, and since you can't see it, and may not know it's there, it can get into some pretty sensitive spots. So the author recommends setting up a field station with a jug of water, some soap, and a rag, to be used as soon as you think you may have become contaminated. A common sense approach that requires no fancy ingredients, just a little preparation and discipline.
Yes, Farmer, the press here is shoe horned off the end of my workbench, with another roll away tool box sandwiched up against the other side of it. Somewhat limits what I can get into it without spending a lot of time moving things around, but 90% of the things I end up mangling with it fit in there just where it sits. And mangle I do, much more easily than back in the hammer days. I've learned the hard way that a press is a thinking man's tool, not only because it's easy to break things, but also because there is so much energy in play things can go wrong in a hurry. Safety glasses/face shields are a must, gloves, too, and using the press frame itself as a shield isn't a bad idea, either, in case something decides to take flight. Tools like that make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up every time I use them.
Mostly, there should be a reset button on the router somewhere that will set all the settings, including the password, back to the defaults. Googling up a user manual will then tell you what that password is in case you don't remember, as well as where that reset button can be found. Try something like "ES3296 (or whatever the model number is on the unit in question) user manual" as the google search string.
Dave, plunge cutting like that with the AO sure makes a lot of sparks, doesn't it? :laughing: I always seem to clog up the torch doing it, usually with a nice bang to let me know it's time to get out the tip cleaners. Or put my hair out if I forgot to put on my hat. :shocked:
Ron, I've got an older friend that keeps losing his hearing aides. Seems to go through a couple pairs a year. His latest are the old fashioned style with the battery pack behind the ear, selected because they're bigger and hopefully more difficult to misplace. I've heard special care is needed with tiny modern "in ear" versions when one is also prescribed suppositories, especially those who often forget to put on their glasses...
Eric, I didn't keep my eyes closed very long on the motorcycle, yesterday. But there's a very long, very straight road through the desert in Baja, and on that long and boring trek I did get some practice seeing how far I could go riding by feel. Quick blinks became longer lapses, and I think I eventually worked up to a mile or two. The accompanying adrenalin rush was just the thing to chase away the drowsies, which was the whole point of the exercise. :laughing:
Lots of trees laying on smashed cars and houses on the news last night. I can't make up my mind if the storms these days are more violent or if the camera crews are just getting out there and showing us more of the damage. Either way, sure seems like there's a lot more going on than there used to be.
Another thing we're hearing about locally are bears. A couple of days ago a lady and her dog a few miles north of here got mauled pretty good by a bear in her back yard. Seems that the drought is driving them to water and food, both of which are common at the houses people like me build out in the sticks. One video was shot through a sliding glass door, with a house cat on the inside and a mountain lion on the outside, both hissing and spitting at each other. If either of those happened here I think I'd be reaching for a shotgun instead of a camera

Talk about the three Ss, you'd need a backhoe for one of those...
Took a little nap while a nice slap of ribs thawed in the sink yesterday, then put them out on the BBQ at low heat, keeping wood chips on the burner for the rest of the afternoon. This time I stayed close by for the last hour or so, making sure they didn't flame up when the BBQ sauce (Stubb's) went on. To help with the patience I sampled two of Jim Beam's Signature Craft Harvest series Bourbons: Soft Red Wheat and Brown Rice. Not exactly fancy names, but when the tasting notes mention brown sugar and candied yams, I pay attention. Both were very much as described, and quite good. Being Bourbons a little goes a long way, a good thing owing to the premium price and small bottle size. :laughing: Been looking for the rolled oat version for a while, and it seems I'll have to redouble my efforts!
Review: Jim Beam Signature Craft Harvest Bourbon Collection - Soft Red Wheat and Rolled Oat - Drinkhacker
Hang in there guys, Friday's comin'!