Good morning!!!!

[sodamo]

63°F and .88 inches rain and raining.

Sears tech due out 8-12 to install new control board in dishwasher.

Looking like another inside day.

My gutter garden has a few radishes popping up.

Prayers for all
Be safe
Have a great day

 

[RedNeckGeek]

Good Morning!!!! 38F @ 8:15AM. Cloudy with occasional light rain during the afternoon. High 51F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.
No sun at all during the 10-days ahead. No heavy rain, either, so maybe things won't get as sloppy. I was right on the edge of the snow this last time around, Drew. Maybe a mile up the canyon they had a few inches, but nothing here. Still no snow in the 10-day here, but lots of it at the New Years destination.

Glad to read about so much mending going on, but could do without the photos.

Not surprising you got the bum's rush that last day, Rich. Very reminiscent of my past experience. The hospitals need the bed and the insurance companies don't want to pay any more than they have to. I'm amazed at the level of detail of your recall though! Thanks for sharing.

FWIW, MedCram's got video relating the latest news on Omicron. It is spreading faster and breaking through more than Delta, but seems to be milder in terms of hospitalizations and deaths.

The low noise level of the electric saws may be their best feature, Eric. Just wish the batteries lasted a bit longer.

+1 on the RAM mounts, David. I've used them for years for the GPS on my motorcycles with only one problem. The rubber balls they use take a set, and the clamps need tightened a time or two until the balls stop shrinking under the pressure. But I have had problems with every iPhone I've tried to put on the dash of the truck, though. It always overheats in the sun and shuts itself off. Perhaps a sun shade of some sort would help, but for now I'm staying with a dedicated GPS unit.

Good to hear from you, Ted. Thanks for touching base with Jay. Sorry about the lack of rain. I'll try harder this next round.

Maybe I'm not as smart as you think, Billy. I had to reload the firewood dolly yesterday, but had stacked the boxes of wood I'm taking to New Years in front of the pallet in the garage. I managed to get the dolly in place, but just barely, and fought obstacles both in and out. Especially out, due to the weight of the wood in the dolly.

Then there's the little episode when I tried to get some dirt to fill in a stump hole yesterday. I approached the pile from the uphill side so the weight of the tractor would help fill the bucket. Worked like a charm, except the dirt was a LOT heavier because it was wet. When I went to back up the hill, all four wheels just spun. The tractor was stuck. I was able to work the bucket free by opening the 4in1 and letting some dirt out, and could then row the tractor back up the hill by sticking the bucket in the ground and uncurling. Shoulda seen that one coming, but I'm always learning new ways to screw up.

Not enough traction to get all the way to the top of the stump hole, so I filled what I could and left the rest for next summer. In the process of doing that, I spied another downed tree. Cut the root ball off, dragged that up the hill and out of there, then cut several large limbs off of it before I could skid it up the hill and out. Put the grapple back on and scooped up limbs for it and another large, dead oak nearby. I'm amazed at how much debris can be grabbed when I work the controls just right. And I'm super happy with how much back breaking work it is saves me over doing it the old way.

I had just enough daylight left to get a tarp zip tied onto the burn pile so it would have some dry material to start. Had to do the last few zip ties by feel, it got dark so quickly. Nice that the days will be getting longer now.

Looks like the rain'll start by late afternoon, so one last chance to snag some more branches, and maybe add another tree to the pile.

 

[Thomas]

Buppies...hard strong positive report.

 

[Thomas]

36F clear sky.

Got up early on the PT job 4am 9 1/2 hour shift finally got everything caught up boss said take tomorrow with pay looking forward your return Thursday....

No plans for the evening feet up dinner share bowl ice cream with kittens.

Enjoy your evening all.

 

[Alien]

Good morning! 33˚F now was 31˚F and there is frost on the ground. Lots of sun and a south wind we are heading to the mid 60s. A good day to get some sun in the back yard. If I go to the pool I will scare everyone.

Drew if you were on my Christmas list I get you this:

https://www.forksoverknives.com/cooking-course/

Alien what a nice pile of gravel, it almost looks blue, it will compliment the barn nicely. I was wondering if you were going to put skylights in the building. Being in my grandpas and fathers dark barns I put skylights in every garage/barn I built. Take a pic for us.
If my physical therapist would use the gravel pile and tractor as incentive that would be really fun.

I'm on my own today to do PT so I need to really get self motivative and push/lift/pull/slide to get these swollen sore muscles working again. The actual knee joint is feeling better than the bone on bone joint that was replaced but the muscles above and below the knee need work and they are so sore and tight. I have incorporated mom's unused 3 wheel walker in my exercises trying to get a nice heel toe walking stride. I can see why she does not use it - it is less stable than the 2 wheel/2 leg walker.

It is interesting that the the incisions are longer now than they were years ago, I'll have to ask the Dr. about that when he removes the staples later this week. Bird I will get PT 3 times a week at home this month and starting in January - 3 times a week for 6 weeks at the hospital's neighborhood remote building about 4 miles away. Your PT every day at home sounds like it was a good deal, but insurance dictates treatment now days and that changes yearly.

Mostly you can take my neighbors that had covid off your prayer list they have been doing good for a year now. The ring bearer (cousin in Germany) is going through PT like me but for his broken back and had been in and out of the hospital with infections so he is still in our prayers.

The gravel is called Blue 20mm. Just large enough it shouldn't wash away.
Actually the skylights are for the house. There is enough light in the barn with the windows. After Christmas we will be getting quotes for underground power and lighting for the barn so I can work at night. (if I need to) The original electrician was supposed to do it but he kept finding excuses and other things to do so we sacked him. He was a twit to put it mildly.
Skylight man is here....

 

[Buppies]

Clean bill of health all clear margins

Thanks for all thoughts prayers they really do help stitches out Thursday yippee

 

[sodamo]

Very good news, Buppies.

 

[RoyJackson]

Clean bill of health all clear margins

Thanks for all thoughts prayers they really do help stitches out Thursday yippee

Good news!!!

 

[txdon]

Clean bill of health all clear margins

Thanks for all thoughts prayers they really do help stitches out Thursday yippee

Yea!

And I also get my staples out Thursday. Maybe we can have pretty updated pics by Friday. At least Eric can think of me just when he sees a zip lock bag instead of a coat zipper.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Great news Buppies!!

 

[rswyan]

It was 38F and sunny @ 13:30, 31F and clear now. Almost made it up to 40F for the day but not quite (39.7F)

Calling for a big cool down tomorrow, high will only reach 31F. Then back up to 40F on Thursday, followed by high 40's and rain on Friday and Christmas Day. So no White Christmas here this year ...

Hopper feeder was still about half full, doves, squirrels, and others feeding earlier. All the whole corn I put out the other day was gone the next morning ... can see lawn was torn up pretty good from the house from all the deer that were out there.

Two of the White Feather Hostas are starting to pop through the soil in the pot they are in. Need to water those today, as the soil mixture in the pot is mostly peat moss and it dries out quickly. Once they all come will probably re-pot them into larger individual containers. Still need to figure where put them once they come are they poisonous to the cats. Might have to put them down in the utility room in the basement, since that can be closed off.

Got a little raking work done yesterday to completely fill in the rest of the holes where daffodils were planted but it was too wet to do much else.

Got a call from a guy at Menards yesterday saying orange driveway markers did not come on their truck, wanted to know what I wanted to do, offered to substitute yellow instead. Told him to leave them on backorder and give me a call when they come in.

Spent most of yesterday working on paperwork though, plus more clean up in basement.

Woman was texting with a dear friend who lost her husband unexpectedly this past year. That turned into FaceTime phone call with us that lasted over an hour and blew a good part of the afternoon. But was good to get caught on how things have been going her and the family. They seem to be doing well.

After that we got those bottom two wires put up on the electric fence today, plus four strings of tin cans.

Then a run over to that hardware store to get the two elbows for the flue for the wood stove, plus another 1' length of stove pipe. Took the recyclables up to the can on our way out to do that.

Woman wanted me to run and grab some Coke since the grocery store was right there. That was questionable ... spent 5 minutes grabbing the Coke and a few other items and then spent better than 20 minutes in the check out line waiting to get rung up.

Stopped by the good Mexican restaurant on the way back since it was close and pretty much right on the way. Good as always.

Guy from car repair shop called yesterday and the call went to voicemail. I'm guessing parts may be in. Got distracted today and forgot to call him back. Will have to do that tomorrow.

Tonight probably work on drilling stove pipe and get that all screwed together and hooked back up.

Hope everyone had a great day ...

 

[rswyan]

Clean bill of health all clear margins

Fantastic news ! ... glad to hear it ...

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Work today.

Forgot to do something before I left work last week, so had to restart a test I thought would run while I was away. But the project manager was in a happy mood and didn’t seem to mind.

Traffic still pretty heavy coming home, should be light this week.

Now to get caught up at home.

Did clean pellet stove out last night.

Nice looking pile of gravel. I need to order a load, put behind the barn where I store the trailers.

Ordered 4 new tires for the pilot today, over $1k. They will ship to Costco and made appointment to install for 3 Jan.

Trying to make a booster appointment. County health dept must have hired someone to administer, they now want health ins info to bill. Original jabs did not need insurance info.

 

[RedNeckGeek]

Thinking this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09LHC41RM/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A1UZHLJF13JCG9&psc=1
May be a better phone mount. Think I can attach to the cross piece that runs over my dash

FWIW, I just took delivery of a phone mount that uses a 1/4"x20 threaded hole for mounting, so it fits most camera tripod heads. Fits the iPhone 12 Pro Max just fine in the short direction. It's all metal except for the cushions around the phone and the tightening knob. Easy on, easy off with the tripod shoe. The tolerances aren't the tightest so the bracket has bit of an angle in the middle, but there's no flex in it at all. Very solid. If I were going to use it in a high vibration enviornment, though, I'd put an o-ring under the tightening knob so it wouldn't work loose. Pretty sure you can get a 1/4x20 adapter for the RAM stuff, too.

 

[rswyan]

Good evening all. 39F for the start, light rain, light breeze. Not much rain, overcast cleared of some and light wind. High temp was 49F, DP 32F. Restoked insert after removal of some ash, Need to put more wood in wagon. was groggy till after nap then went for bike ride, what a difference the nap made.

A little nap always seems to help ...

RS sorry to hear about hospital overload.

Yes, it's unfortunate and very hard on the healthcare workers.

Are you moving the stove?

Nope, just hooking it up primarily as a back up heat source if need be ... but it will probably also get used for burning waste paper and the like.

prayer for all, ... RS wife/ dog bite recovery ...

Yeah ... you can drop that last one off the list too ... she's fully recovered at this point ...

 

[rswyan]

I've been invited to my closest friends home over Christmas to see his family, his two kids, one of whom is my godchild, and four grandchildren.
Staying healthy and safe is a challenge. I think I'll mask up even if none of them do.

Saw a good bit of mask wearing while we were out today, but not as much as wisdom should dictate, given the current COVID circumstances.

I'm around a bunch of folks this week. The idea of me being an unknowing carrier and getting that whole family sick is worrisome.

Can you imagine what it would be like to cause someone else to get sick and have them get seriously ill or even die ?

Definitely not anything I want to cause.

RS, do you have a nice garden gift for your wife for Christmas?

LOL ... no ... at least none that she hasn't already received ...

You can't go making her a sheet cake and say that's it...

Well ... I had considered seeing if I could pick up a fragrance she used to wear when we first met. She had expressed some interest in it in the last year or so and I really like it on her as well.

Unfortunately it was discontinued at some point. I did see that there is a little still out there, but at $350 for an unopened 11ml spray bottle of Eau de Toilet (in a damaged box), I'd be in the dog house for sure ...

(She says I can get her a cat sling ... so she carry them around ... )

At any rate, beings as you were talking pies and needing pie crusts, The Woman sends the following along.

It is the recipe She uses ... and She makes the best pie crust ... EVAH !

It comes from Mom's First Edition Betty Crocker Picture Cookbook(4th Printing, 1950):

For a two crust (top and bottom) 9" pie, mix together:

2 cups sifted GoldMedal Flour, 1 tsp. salt

Cut in:

2/3 cup of shortening, if using hydrogenated shortening add 2 tbsp more.

Woman says this next part is absolutely critical:

The shortening must be CHILLED, and the water used in the the next step must be ICE WATER.

Ya mix the flour and salt in a mixing bowl and then use a pastry blender to cut in about half the shortening finely until the mixture looks like meal. This makes for tenderness.

Then cut in the rest of the shortening coarsely until the particles are the size of giant peas. This makes for flakiness.

Next you mix in the ice water one teaspoon at a time, mixing it lightly with a fork until all the flour is moistened.

Gather the dough together with your fingers so it cleans the mixing bowl and press into a ball.

After that it can be rolled out or stored in the refrigerator in wax paper until needed.

The above recipe will likely horrify Don.

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

BUPPIES..... GREAT NEWS!

RS, that's the same recipe my wifey has been using since she has been baking. You are correct---- best EVAH!

 

[mostly_gas]

Good evening all. 28F for the start, fog, near calm breeze. Light wind day, partly cloudy sky and high temp was 62F, DP 38F. No rain till the end of next week and only 25% chance then. Restoked insert in morning after ash removal. Kept insert running till noon and let fire go out. Worked on wood pile, goot most of the dead choke cherry cut to length got big branch that fell on GC cut up, need to get that wood stacked, got some of the branch ends busted up and in big trash can, it's full now. Bike ride after lunch got to ride with another Saturday morning crew today . Nap and take wife to dinner and shopping.
Covid update: Cooke 4308 confirmed cases, 93 active cases, Montague 2778 confirmed cases, 83 active cases, Grayson, 16,792 confirmed cases, 246 active cases. Cooke 3, Montague 5, Grayson 10, new cases.
Doug referring to the tree the ROPS hit and made your wife made Otherwise you are doing great on the remodel good thing Ted taking break or he would be drooling big time on that gravel
Bill enjoy your plowing
Roy what is a day without meetings
Ron glad you got Sassy's meds hope cancel order worked. Nice sunrise.
Buppies praying for biopsy result
Drew enjoy all the visiting, do your best to isolate if you don't feel 100%. Yes I am with you on having so much.
Mike Sorry about the cost of plumber work
Billy glad you got a long hike in
Ken good luck with shelve, sorry about son's Covid contact.
paul hope booster went well, tractor all dressed up and no place to go
Rich sounds like you can practice being retired
Don hope your PT goes well, and thanks for the update on neighbors.
Randy great tradition.
Ted good to hear from you, thanks for update on Jay and Peg, sorry about Family visits over Christmas canceled.
David good to hear gutter garden is showing results.
RNG good to hear more rain. Sorry your seat time did not go as planned.
Thomas give them an inch ...
Doug love our skylight in living room.
Buppies great report Yeah!!
Don you mean we won't be able to call you Don zipper knee?
RS Sorry about white Christmas, got a lot done
Dennis sorry about test not completing correctly. Good to hear life goes on
RS good to hear dog bite healing complete.
RS & Ted Wife has similar recipe, but has egg and vinegar in it.
prayer for all, especially Jay/Peg, Kyle's daughter/friend PT from Covid, Bird/aging issues/, Don/knee recovery /ring bearer/back broken & infections, Randy/FIL living alone adjustments /MIL covid, /cancer surgeries, PJ/FIL death, Dennis /wife wrist surgery and recovery, Roy/ palpitations/ angina, wife/ankle recovery, Billy/ wife fall, David(moss)/remodel/divorce, Buppies/good biopsy report, Thomas/gout, Phil/reflux/wife's eyes, Steppenwolfe/son-auto immune disorder, Grev/wife's eye, Ted/knee recovery/retirement, Doug and wife/health issues/nerve and pain/ wife's eyes, Ken/aunt fall injuries, David(sadamo)/Sophie's new eye surgery, Chris/neighbor's granddaughter and Covid issues, Scaredy/injuries from fall, Paul/ wife's disc issues, Gale and KY/ tornado victims, Bill/ getting care for DIL and Country.
stay safe and healthy you all.

 

[rswyan]

This seems like very good news if it proves out with no issues:

US Army Creates Single Vaccine Effective Against All COVID & SARS Variants, Researchers Say

Just in time for Christmas …

 

[sodamo]

This seems like very good news if it proves out with no issues:

US Army Creates Single Vaccine Effective Against All COVID & SARS Variants, Researchers Say

Just in time for Christmas …

Could be very good news. Didn’t see a timeline.