Good morning!!!!

[scootr]

Good Morning!!!! 43F @ 5:15AM. Sunny to partly cloudy. High 53F. Winds light and variable.

That was painful to read, Ted. Another one of Life's cruel jokes.

In addition to snow, I'm allergic to ragweed, and that pretty much rules out anything east of the Mississippi River. But keep those ideas comin'!

Nice car, Scott. If some's good, more's better...

Insurance adjuster never reached out to the contractor yesterday, or any day of the previous week, so I left more voicemail for the claims administrator yesterday. Sheesh, doesn't anyone ever answer their phone these days? Then I got a letter via email from the adjuster stating they consider the claim closed after making that initial payment. This in spite of reassurances in every conversation I've had with her that it would remain open until we can determine the actual extent of the damage. Crap, hope I don't have to hire an attorney.

Got what I hope is a referral to a good real estate agent in the area I'm looking at, so sent him some background info and a listing I'm interested in to help get him pointed in the right direction. First conversation with him will be sometime next week.

Now comparing Sprinter and Transit specs, and also looking at used market. As expected, not much difference in price between used and new, and new ones are rather thin on the ground. Terrible time to be buying trucks or houses, but there ya go.

Parts for Ford came in yesterday, so after it warms up a bit I'll dive into that.

Not sure what else I'll get into today, but I hope it doesn't involve phone calls and the internet.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

If it helps to know I bought a 2016 Transit 250 diesel medium height and length. This is a GREAT van. The 3.2L inline 5 Powerstroke motor makes good power and decent mileage for it's size. Rides decent, has amazing forward visibility. I have glass in the rear doors but none in the sides. Mirrors are big. Seats are comfortable enough. Infotainment is lacking but, may be improved in later yrs. I would recommend this truck to a friend.

 

[IXLR8]

Good Saturday morning all, we made it through another week.
Presently it is 43F under sunny skies after an overnight low of 39. Forecast for light winds with a high of 44.

Contractor showed up on Friday at 9, was due here at 8. I'm having a pole barn put up, he got 5 of the 30 holes dug and his machine quit. He called in a buddy who came and finished the job. Prep work done and now waiting on the inspector to come on Monday to approve the size and depth of the holes. Once that is signed off, the contractor can start installing the poles. Which should start happening on Tuesday.

No 'honey do' list for either Thursday or Friday so they were mostly energy conservation days.

I did pull the Christmas lights off the boat. I told Liz I was going out to pull the lights off the boat and she said okay. Pup and I went out and I pulled the lights while pup supervised from the dock. After I was done and put the lights away, I told Liz I was done and had put the lights away. To which she said, "I wish you hadn't done that, I enjoyed looking at the lights" Wait what!! Why didn't she tell me that BEFORE I pulled the lights off the boat!!??

It looks like I will have a paying project to do, make up some wiring harness's for a car project. I need to clean up a spot in my shop to build a table to lay everything out. I think that will be today's project.

Have a good day all, let's be careful out there.

 

[m7040]

Actually most fossil fuels have the same BTU output per pound, but the density varies greatly. A cord of Willow or poplar will weigh a lot less than a cord of oak, and hence have a lower BTU output. Same for propane at just over 4 lbs per gallon vs heating oil at 7 lbs per gallon. The btu content is proportional to the weight.

Yes true, Locust firewood burns hot and long because it is very dense. We have used it in the past but the old Locust trees are all gone now. The new ones are 6 to 8 inches trunks now and growing fast. Locust trees only get to be 12 to 15 years old and then the Oak and Walnut trees will fill in and take over. Farmers used the Locust trees a lot in the past for fence poles since it is resistant to decay and because they have very straight trunks. Will let them grow a little bigger and then will saw them up as needed for firewood

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

Good morning to all! Low of 19°, going up to only 31°. Maybe a pasing snow flurry. Next storm moves in on Monday.... different models show different outcomes.... snow or no snow---- that is the question.....

Totalof around 3 inches yesterday, but the gusty winds (up to around 35) had areas of a dusting, but other areas now drifted to 6-8". Still not enough to get the tractor going....

The stock tank heater has been working great. Just enough to keep the main areas open and the waterfalls going. Ice is just forming on the sides.

Need to bring more pellets to the house today. There's only a couple inches in the hopper. Then need to go get a couple of propane tanks filled. The shop is definitely too cold to work out there without heat. I need to get started on making the edge tamers for my TBN neighbor.

Buppies, glad you're feeling better. Took a while.

Hope PJ checks in. Hope all is ok with them.

Kilroy, the pup sure looks content.... but also looks like saying - "theses are MY blankets.... don't get any ideas".....

RNG, hope you don't get a hassle from the insurance.... Sounds like they know it is going to cost more and they want to 'finalize' before they are on the hook to pay out more $$$$.

Scootr, anytime you want to take a road trip with the Cobra, I'm willing to make sure it's driving ok....

David, new cover / solar project is moving along nicely. More panels = more batteries right? Or just more work?....

Everyone have a great day!

 

[kenmbz]

Morning all, sun is up, 40
Son volunteer at church cancelled, GF is sick.
He had his friends over last night for a jam session so no work in garage.
He has a job interview today at a fast food place-son has been dropping off job applications all over town.

RNG - hope they reconsider insturance.
LS - They better reconsider, but ins companies do like to try and shut things down before they discuss. Wish it would be more fair, but hopefully your attorney will get em riled up.

Slept in a bit, now off to do some work.

Be well and hope Alien and PJS pipe up soon.

 

[check]

LS -

So your setup has load shedding in the meter too?

This is quite an interesting device being in the Meter itself and the specs look pretty good.
Hard to tell how much they cost since it seems this version only sold to power companies? I don't even see it listed on their site.

I have a whole house surge protector/suppressor that is older and by the incoming service. Seems to work fine as we get power outages and surges all the time.
Only lost a few LED bulbs, but so far I am not happy with the LED bulb resiliency or longevity. I have very old incandescents that have outlasted new incandescent "long life", fluorescent bulbs and LEDs.

I went through two LED 3 foot long light fixtures from power outages. They don’t last at all. I think I will have to switch back to fluorescent. Too bad. The LED fixture provided really nice light over the kitchen sink. But, for essence is better than nothing!

 

[ronjhall]

Almost forgot 2 items
My last living Uncle has his 90th Birthday today. Korean War Veteran. One of his jobs while he was in the service was training new recruits to drive Duce & a Halves. Me and my neighbor are bringing him to my place so he can train us on neighbors Duce & a Half. Plus ride with us in Memorial Day parade.

Today is also National Squirrel Appreciation Day. I want to thank all the Squirrels that took time to pose for my photos.

 

[m7040]

Good morning, very windy yesterday but today is a lot better with high of 42

Returned the lock set to HD and got another one and installed it. It is actually very sturdy and works smoothly and can be re-keyed to match other keys without taking it to a locksmith. Did not know that existed. It also came with a sturdier plate for the door jamb that I will install today.

Surge protection is on my radar too and will look into whole house protection.

RNG, we had a few claims over the years that all went ok. Hopefully you will get it resolved. And hope you figure out what van you want to go with, either Sprinter or Transit. In any case I would recommend the tall long wheel base versions to give most flexibility in what you can do with it. Some of the adventure vans are going with 4 wheel drive and short wheelbase

The last claim I had was for hitting a tree stump with the tractor that damaged the fuel tank and brackets for it and other components.

Scootr, that Cobra looks good. Great find

David, that project is starting to take shape really nicely

Ixlr8, happens to me too. She either is not listening or she changed her mind>

 

[sodamo]

68°F and no rain

Guys lost at H&F. A good game. Guys dominated first half which looked like a runaway, but the gals had amazing 2nd half leaving us in their dust. A good time.

Will start laying out my solar racking today. Pieces to cut and many many holes to be precisely located and drilled. Not a hurry up task. 8 sets to make, 2 per panel section.

Prayers for all
Be safe
Have a great day

 

[buckeyefarmer]

39° and overcast.

Last night was game night at church. Had up to 4 groups playing an assortment of games like rummycube, clue, uno & others. Lots of good snacks & dips.
This morning was breakfast at the mountain diner, and sit around talking.
This afternoon will be looking at 4k projector to replace 1080p one at church. I forget the throw distance since I installed the existing one 10 yrs ago. We use a 12 ft wide screen.

Nice car.

 

[m7040]

Drove around our property today to look for damage from the storms. Looks OK except for small branches down all over and tree shelters down.
Also took a picture of the last remaining grave stone on our cemetery. The top was broken off by vandals and the remaining inscription is hard to read

 

[RedNeckGeek]

I really appreciate all the Sprinter, Transit, and insurance stories, folks. Thanks!

One plus for the Ford is there's a dealer in every town. Closest Mercedes-Benz that has Sprinters is two hours away. Down south it's more like 45 minutes. That right there might be the deciding factor.

 

[RedNeckGeek]

Also took a picture of the last remaining grave stone on our cemetery. The top was broken off by vandals and the remaining inscription is hard to read

Reminds me of the grave stones in the old cemetary behind the house we moved to when I was seven. They were all made from limestone, and were similarly worn and hard to read. And vandals had broken most of the stones. Not too long ago, my best friend from back then led an effort to raise money and restore the cemetary. I haven't seen it yet, but I thought it was a very nice thing for him to do, and it brought back some fond memories for both of us.

 

[m7040]

I really appreciate all the Sprinter, Transit, and insurance stories, folks. Thanks!


Access to service is a downside to the Sprinter. Only selected MB dealers will do service. And the good ones are always further away. In my case I use Sun Motors in Mechanicsburg PA which is an hour and a half away even though there are several dealers closer by. Luckily I do most of my own service so I seldom need them but on occasion I will put up with the drive because they are reliable and very good.

 

[IXLR8]

I acquired this replica from the widow of the builder through an online auction house call Bring A Trailer. It's a fun site but be careful or you will end up with a new toy like me. The AC Cobra is an iconic 1960s car made famous when Texas race driver/builder Carrol Shelby stuffed a Ford V8 into it and won Lemans beating the Ferraris. This replica is a way to experience driving the classic without actually paying the million dollars plus price tag that any running example would bring today.
This is a 1965 model. Smog and safety exempt. It is the rawest driving experience you will ever get. lol

Is that from a Factory Five kit, or somebody else?

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

Propane all done, shop is heating up.

RNG, have you considered the RAM versions?
2022 Ram ProMaster City® Cargo | Seating & More

Not really sure if they are comparable, but seem to have a bunch of features. Might be worth looking into.....

 

[rswyan]

33F and cloudy over @ CAK, heading up to around 35F for the high.

Ten Day says we've moved into more typical temps for this time of year, high temps only in the 30's for the entire period.

No joy on the two remaining valve seats last night. Was thinking with the prevalence battery-powered impact drivers, it would be really nice if someone made a driver bit for those valve seats ... sometimes a little "rat-a-tat-tat" is just what needs to loosen things up. Probably an economic opportunity there.

Did get some work done myself on cleaning off the backs of the tiles. Need to pick up some more single-edge razor blades.

Woman made some oatmeal raisin cookies ...

Did get a little done on cleaning off the free router table. That needs gone through and some refurb and upgrading done to it.

Amazon just dropped off the renewal kit for the shower valve ...

Woman is planning to venture downstairs for a shower, She'll get a real treat when She steps out of it onto the cold floor ...

She's also planning on heading out to do a little grocery shopping later.

I think I'm going to run down to Menards myself and grab a few items, mainly the stuff for the sanding table (hardboard, pegboard), some more wood glue and a brush, plus a few select pieces of some various types of wood for projects (mahogany, maple, red oak, hickory, etc)

Before I do that though, will probably head out and get the deer and bird feeders filled.

Can't remember if I posted this earlier or not, but this is the link for the sanding table the Japanese guy built:

He's a fairly industrious fellow and has built a fair number of tools - mostly out of wood - that look like they would be very handy, quite the craftsman. Offers plans for some of them at I what I think are reasonable prices:

JSK's Plans

Time to get cracking I guess.

Hope everyone is having a great Saturday ...

 

[Alien]

Morning all, sun is up, 40
Son volunteer at church cancelled, GF is sick.
He had his friends over last night for a jam session so no work in garage.
He has a job interview today at a fast food place-son has been dropping off job applications all over town.

RNG - hope they reconsider insturance.
LS - They better reconsider, but ins companies do like to try and shut things down before they discuss. Wish it would be more fair, but hopefully your attorney will get em riled up.

Slept in a bit, now off to do some work.

Be well and hope Alien and PJS pipe up soon.

Thanks Ken
I am still around but have had lots going on and little time on the puter. Lots of hospital Dr visits CT scans etc. Not just for myself. Trying hard to get the paddocks tidied but hard with a bad back. CT scan didn't show any good news for my spine with wear and tear and 2 nerves getting pinched etc which makes walking any distance plain hard work. Dr said, "I'm glad it's not me" !!! A bit depressed about it all and not wanting to give up this slice of paradise so just have to learn to live with it.
Lesley has a bad case of anemia which has knocked her about quite badly as well.
Sorry about the moan but sometimes we have to let it off our chests. I try to get on here but sometimes I just go to bed instead. I get exhausted very easily. Hope you are keeping well and I will do my best to report in when I can.
D.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Drove around our property today to look for damage from the storms. Looks OK except for small branches down all over and tree shelters down.
Also took a picture of the last remaining grave stone on our cemetery. The top was broken off by vandals and the remaining inscription is hard to readView attachment 780134

Looks like :
Wife of Hiram Baker born Sep 15 1821 & died Dec 26 1845 aged 24 years & 3 months& 10 days

The bottom is quote from Rev 14:13 KJV :


Write, Blessed are the dead
which die in the Lord from
henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit,
that they may rest from
their labours; and their
works do follow them.”
‭‭

 

[m7040]

Looks like :
Wife of Hiram Baker born Sep 15 1821 & died Dec 26 1845 aged 24 years & 3 months& 10 days

The bottom is quote from Rev 14:13 KJV :


Write, Blessed are the dead
which die in the Lord from
henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit,
that they may rest from
their labours; and their
works do follow them.”
‭‭

Thanks well done!!!

The top part as best we can remember said:

Sarah Ann Baker
Died in child birth 1845