Good morning!!!!

[Kyle_in_Tex]

I read somewhere this week that the boys in the Skunkworks are busy again designing a replacement for the SR71, Kyle. Wonder how long it'll be before we get a peek at it?:confused2:

I want to say I read where NASA has got multiple designs they've been working on. I'm kind of hoping they have a few tricks up their sleeve in reserve. The world has been a bit crazy in some areas...

Watching your progress. You could have a party with that genny and never notice the power going off.

They were showing a new concept Mercedes "Vanagon" Van for popup camping. They didn't say the price.

Right now, around here, if anyone opens up an RV camp, no matter how ugly, it gets filled almost immediately. I'm guessing mostly due to oilfield, but wondering if property taxes are driving some of it???

Drew, hope you and your medical team can get you comfortable. I don't like MRI's either. I have shoulder pains and they want me to put my arms above my head for extended time...which hurts.

Ron, nice photos. Thanks for sharing.

Sodamo made me laugh the other day, passing the concrete pad "torch" off to RNG.

My elderly mom traveled to San Diego with my sister. She left her car here. It needs a new battery. Headed to Wally world later for a "NeverStart". I have to go pick her up from the airport this afternoon.

Just went and picked up some small Celebrity tomato seedlings about 4" high. 2 six packs.

Don, please remind me where you all get that special nuclear growing dirt that does so well?

L4N, I'm glad you like cold weather.

I was just looking at the 10 day forecast to see if there are any freezes predicted. None. They show one night getting down to 37F, with rain coming. We need some. These warmer days have me wanting to put stuff in the garden. I did plant some early last year, and they froze. A $3.95 setback.

I need to get my septic tanks "slurped" out. I want to say about $400 if I dig and uncover all 3 lids. Makes me wonder if they recommend re-filling with water to keep them safely in the ground?

 

[RedNeckGeek]

There is no winning with Car Dealerships, so I am stepping back, fixing up my old Girl, a 2003 Ford Ranger 4x EDGE, she still run well enough and I get the same if not better MPG than most of the trucks being sold today.

You'll get no argument from me on that, Scrambler, and I'm sorry you've been treated that way.

Maybe not what you want to hear, but Jeep products have gotten pretty much bottom of the barrel ratings for years for reliability on Consumer Reports. Ford's are better, but still only middle of the road.

They'll have to pry my '00 F250 SuperDuty from my cold, dead hands.

 

[mpham]

As promised driveway pic.Wasn't as slippery as I thought it would be.

 

[RoyJackson]

Boy, it's cold!

Got most of the frozen snow out of the snow blower chute but the hydraulic rotator won't rotate. I hit it with a blow dryer for a while, but still no rotation...I hope the motor hasn't gone belly up.
Tractor's plugged in and, hopefully with a bit warmer weather tomorrow, I can get everything functional...

 

[RedNeckGeek]

Watching your progress. You could have a party with that genny and never notice the power going off.

The inverter is pretty fast at switching, and I'm pretty sure all power for the house will now come only from the batteries, so there should be no blink when the utility power goes out. But I'll be able to configure it so that I get an email or text message if utility power goes on/off, or the generator starts/stops. Sure beats heck out of having to go out to the electric meter to see if the LCD display is on.

They were showing a new concept Mercedes "Vanagon" Van for popup camping. They didn't say the price.

You know what they say: "If you have to ask, you can't afford the price!"

Sodamo made me laugh the other day, passing the concrete pad "torch" off to RNG.

We'll see about that. I might get a start with one of the posts today, but first I need to finish cleaning up the spoils from the last two holes, then get the steel unloaded, then get the posts cut to length, then fire up the concrete mixer to make sure it still works, then put new tubes in both of its tires. Not likely I'll get through all that today...

She left her car here. It needs a new battery. Headed to Wally world later for a "NeverStart".

Been using the WalMart batteries in the Kubota tractor and side-by-side for years, and a marine battery from there at the gate, too. And I just put a new WalMart battery in the van. They still get good reviews.

I need to get my septic tanks "slurped" out. I want to say about $400 if I dig and uncover all 3 lids. Makes me wonder if they recommend re-filling with water to keep them safely in the ground?

I don't remember refilling my septic tank after it was pumped out the last time, Kyle. I thought the video Wng posted said something about it, but I couldn't find it when I watched it again. Maybe Wng can comment after his pumping experience today?

 

[wngsprd]

The inverter is pretty fast at switching, and I'm pretty sure all power for the house will now come only from the batteries, so there should be no blink when the utility power goes out. But I'll be able to configure it so that I get an email or text message if utility power goes on/off, or the generator starts/stops. Sure beats heck out of having to go out to the electric meter to see if the LCD display is on.



You know what they say: "If you have to ask, you can't afford the price!"



We'll see about that. I might get a start with one of the posts today, but first I need to finish cleaning up the spoils from the last two holes, then get the steel unloaded, then get the posts cut to length, then fire up the concrete mixer to make sure it still works, then put new tubes in both of its tires. Not likely I'll get through all that today...



Been using the WalMart batteries in the Kubota tractor and side-by-side for years, and a marine battery from there at the gate, too. And I just put a new WalMart battery in the van. They still get good reviews.



I don't remember refilling my septic tank after it was pumped out the last time, Kyle. I thought the video Wng posted said something about it, but I couldn't find it when I watched it again. Maybe Wng can comment after his pumping experience today?

The guy just asked me to flush the toilet several times so he could watch the flow to make sure everything looked good. My tank is a 1,500 gallon concrete one with a concrete lid. $385, after the senior citizen discount. More than last time, a bunch of years ago.

 

[toppop52]

44 and breezy, had 55 mph gusts yesterday and 2+ inches of rain, pretty sunshine today.
Sold my Monte Carlo. Been busy with that.

 

[txdon]

Mostly, here is the bed extender pic requested.

Kyle 400 sounds about right from Ace Hardware in Giddings. If it's not going to rain for a while no water was necessary but if the ground gets saturated you should put water in the septic tank to keep it down. I filled my half full of water the last time I had it cleaned.

My garden soil is a mixture of homemade compost from my 60 gallon compost barrel and mushroom compost and garden club compost and acid compost (to offset alkaline well water). The greenhouse SIG does free PH soil test and my results will be available Tuesday.

 

[jbrumberg]

A mostly sunny 15ºF for today’s low. A mostly sunny 23ºF presently which is probably close to today’s high temperature. My truck which had not moved since before the previous icing event required close to an hour of deicing following yesterday’s icing event just to make the dump run. It was a 4WD dump run this AM. I saw quite a bit of tree damage on the trip.

Eric- Procol Harem fans were/are a unique breed.

Lou- I am sorry to read about your slush management. Operating the tractor in slush conditions is not my idea of fun.

Trails End- Thanks for sharing your pictures of snow and one content looking sleeping dog.

Bruce- Thanks, I would not want to see myself in a dark alley either

RNG- Thanks for sharing your snow picture.

Phil- I am happy to read that your gout and BP symptoms have resolved. Take care on the ice. I see a couple of snow/mixed precipitation/rain events early next week in our futures here in MA.

RonJH- You were awesome steady for your moon picture. Thanks for sharing. If I tried that the moon would look like a lightning bolt. :embarrassed: Good luck with the MRI.

Bill- Since I retired I no longer manage snow in the dark and/or in the rain if I can avoid it.

Billy- Thanks for the wood ash offer. I still have not thrown any ashes around in the driveway. No way am I am going outdoors without wearing either my YakTrax or crampons. We have our septic tank emptied every 3 years.

Drew- It was really nice of you to offer some financial advice to the widow. I really hope that you can find relief.

Grev- Good luck with the truck search.

Thanks for the shared pictures. I appreciate all of them.

I hope that everyone is having a manageable weekend.

My thoughts, wishes, and prayers.

 

[LouNY]

Well afternoon all its warmed up to a balmy 22F today after starting out at 12F this morning.
After all the rain we got yesterday then the snow that followed it had to do some plowing yesterday afternoon and most of this morning.
The forecast 2-4" ended up at well over 8". We got lucky and our power stayed on last night many lost theres and are still out.
Took a few pictures this morning before I got started plowing and sanding;


and a couple of close ups,




Took several hours today by the time I finished plowing,
some places that I hadn't plowed yesterday the ground wasn't froze so working with mud, ice and snow so much fun.
Got ready to sand and the sanders battery was dead, had to boost it off, it's on the charger now.

Hope everyone has a good weekend and stays safe.

Those mri machines are not very big, had my shoulder done last week go in and talk to surgeon Monday,
tendon tear from early this past summer talking surgery and no use of the arm for 6 weeks, we will see.
The fun never ends :drink: