Good morning!!!!

   / Good morning!!!! #215,841  
28 outside this AM, heading to mid 50's with lots of rain moving in tonight.

Nothing on the agenda other than more house maintenance. Spotted a flattening tire on the ZTR yesterday as I walked by it. Will drag the compressor down to it today before it becomes more of a problem. Horses got through a fence yesterday in the back forty. Did not appear to be electrified so I piddled with that. Funny thing was, they saw me coming and went back into their field. Ya...they know where they are supposed to be. LOL.

Hope all have a great day. Be safe. Those ailing or recovering, speedy return to good health.
 
   / Good morning!!!! #215,842  
definitely need to get stuff done today, weather going to get lively.
tonight's trash night and I have lots of extra cardboard
guess that will have to wait til next week
last thing I want is my trash blowing down the public street.
can is already full
if I left extra stuff out, the guy gets out of his truck and does them by hand instead
of running the clamping machine. Some folks looks like that annoys them, others seems they don't mind.
Tipping my guy well, assuming he actually remembers, I think helps.

could be one of those guys who says just leave it if it won't fit in the clamping machine.
They would never be able to work a city trash beat for sure.
If all he wants to do is operate a joystick,
I bet that job could be automated.
Whine your way out of a job
 
   / Good morning!!!! #215,843  
so kids still learn cursive? After keyboarding for 30 years, my handwriting isn't so hot
My kids still learned cursive, but they went to private (Mennonite) school for elementary, then Catholic school for middle and high schools. They tell me the public school kids do not.

But spending much of every week of my career writing technical papers, reports, emails... I can't even imagine having to go back to pen and paper for forming thoughts. I can only think thru a keyboard, it seems. I can certainly type many times faster than I can write, and the ability to edit is very much required, the way I work.
 
   / Good morning!!!! #215,844  
21 deg, again almost 10 deg colder than the projection.
up a lot last night.
Hyundai no theft device was well known the last few years. Suddenly several blue states, including MD are jumping on the "lets sue them" bandwagon. Not aware there was a law requiring the device, so low end models didn't have it. At least that is my understanding. My son just traded his 2017 in, or should I say gave it away. lots of problems with it over the years, including liking to drain batteries, have lights turn on randomly while parked, mirrors that broke easily, engine problems. HIs would randomly shut down at time, they could never figure out why. Why anyone would want to steal one? It still got my son thru almost 9 yrs. Overall, still more reliable than a 70's big 3 auto. I still remember when my mom was driving our 72 station wagon, and the gas tank fell out of it. Only new car dad ever bought to my knowledge, the one I got my drivers license with. Cars were really bad then, especially the rust. At least our hyundai's body did pretty well.

need to clean pellet stove out today. did not run the one in the garage.
 
   / Good morning!!!! #215,845  
there are certain cars whose catalytic converters are prime targets
some others they steal the headlights

judge my son only sawzalled that man's muffler apart
because he had a challenging childhood, and he's just not
responsible for that trunk full of burglary tools.
besides he cut himself on that muffler and it must have been unsafe
so we want money for our pain and suffering.


this would be just stupidly silly
if it didn't happen a lot...
 
   / Good morning!!!! #215,847  
good morning, 32 going to 50

Trip to Costco for tires and shopping. Had to park way in the back with lot being full of cars. However shopping was easy enough. Checkout went well with roving scanner person. Daughter's tires took 30 mins to complete. Apparently they do not carry Almonds any more
 
   / Good morning!!!! #215,849  
Good morning TBN!!
35 this morning going to the upper 50s with rain expected.

Lazy day yesterday. Puttered a bit and spent a big chunk of the day on the computer doing some research, and that was about it.
Got a longer then usual dog walk in.
Today may not be much different.

Time for a second cup
Everyone have a great and safe day!!
 
   / Good morning!!!! #215,850  
Morning all, 20 going to 51 and cloudy m wait, what , 51 !

WCD - good to hear all went well.

Well, back to work.

Be well,
20251217_200638.jpg

Full winter coat, still looks cold
20251218_070938.jpg
 
   / Good morning!!!! #215,851  
good morning, 32 going to 50

Trip to Costco for tires and shopping. Had to park way in the back with lot being full of cars. However shopping was easy enough. Checkout went well with roving scanner person. Daughter's tires took 30 mins to complete. Apparently they do not carry Almonds any more
I got almonds at sams this week, did not see them at costco.
 
   / Good morning!!!! #215,852  
Thanks. Doing well. Already on solid food and trying to get released. I think they will hold me another day but I’m doing my part
Can't keep a good man down. Hope all has been well at the orchard, or should I say Goat Farm. We took the train ride thru the mountain tunnel again last fall and thru Crozet, wife mentioned enjoying the visit with you all. She also enjoyed stopping for lunch at the little country store near you.
 
   / Good morning!!!! #215,853  
WoodChuckDad, hope you feel better.
spent a big chunk of the day on the computer doing some research

that's what we do on snowy days...
let's see, how many tractors could I buy with 1.5 billion powerball dollars.
think I could get a big one for that?...
 
   / Good morning!!!! #215,854  
There 2 other feeders that did not make it in picture. When the Hawk shows up. I save a lot of bird seed.
What kind(s) of hawks do you have? We have some Cooper's hawks around that now call to us, after a year that was a ground squirrel population explosion when I left the fresh ones under the nest for the fledglings. Their first flight happened while we were below. The flight was more like a crash landing down on a carcass that I had left for them, and then it seemed totally confused about what to do next.
Ron, am using one quarter the seed now that I changed feeders. The vertical tubular ones allowed the birds to fling most of
the seed out versus staying within an enclosure. Much better now.

I got a very interesting reply from the headmaster of a local private school I asked questions to regarding their use of library books.
I'm actively involved in managing a small family endowment my naval captain uncle left our local free library.
The one I used to be president of, which made me feel good. Over the years there have been huge changes due to the internet, interlibrary lending and the use of electronic readers. Each year this fund kicks off six to eight grand that allows them to buy new books.
But what to buy when your shelves are already full? Something has to go...

so my SIL and I (she is retired head of English Dept at local high school) are meeting with library board in January
responding to a request from them for a special roof repair distribution. Which we will finally approve...but we want them to explain
themselves and educate our family, because the library today is not what it was 20 years ago when my Uncle set up this permanent fund.

the headmaster replied to my question on the use of technology
I thought his answer was good
Still reading real books, writing by hand (research shows the writing and thought processes are better)
LOL

so kids still learn cursive? After keyboarding for 30 years, my handwriting isn't so hot
Mine, too. Cursive, the bane of my existence. I've always had bad handwriting, and took typing over the summer after elementary school because I could see it was my future. I write in lab notebooks as jottings for me, though I almost never look back at the notebooks, as the act of writing seems to commit it to my memory more or less permanently. Come to find out recently, bad handwriting is associated with some genetic diseases, one of which I have. That would have been comforting to know years ago. Why don't our human bodies come with full workshop manuals? 😆
28 outside this AM, heading to mid 50's with lots of rain moving in tonight.

Nothing on the agenda other than more house maintenance. Spotted a flattening tire on the ZTR yesterday as I walked by it. Will drag the compressor down to it today before it becomes more of a problem. Horses got through a fence yesterday in the back forty. Did not appear to be electrified so I piddled with that. Funny thing was, they saw me coming and went back into their field. Ya...they know where they are supposed to be. LOL.

Hope all have a great day. Be safe. Those ailing or recovering, speedy return to good health.
When our guys get out, they know exactly when they are busted, and trot back via the route in. Even if I'm the guy fixing the fence, their behavior always amuses me.

Today might be a dedicated ditch cleaning and digging day. The heavy rain earlier this fall washed sediment into lots of places where I would rather it wasn't, much of it on a 35-45 degree slope that is bare for fire risk reduction. I've been thinking of a series of narrow "terraces" at a 1-2% slope to move the water out of the problem areas and reduce the water velocity to reduce sediment transfer. I'd like to find some sort of steel edging that could be readily staked in place, without too much futzing around as the slope is quite steep, and slippery with the light coating of sand and gravel.

@riptides FWIW: I don't know how big your crawlspace opening is, but I recently added something like this to ours;
1766070719881.png

IIRC, it comes in a few sizes.
I backed it up with some fiber cement board backing for fire resistance and six inches of XPS inside of that. I also added some woodstove gasket material around the edge of the door as weather stripping. Longer term, I'm planning on a "pillow" of mineral wool in a sturdy flexible plastic to replace the XPS.

Have fun out there! The Christmas forecast is starting to look very wet here, but not cold enough for a white one. One can always hope, right?

All the best,

Peter
 
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   / Good morning!!!! #215,855  
What kind(s) of hawks do you have? We have some Cooper's hawks around that now call to us, after a year that was a ground squirrel population explosion when I left the fresh ones under the nest for the fledglings. Their first flight happened while we were below. The flight was more like a crash landing down on a carcass that I had left for them, and then it seemed totally confused about what to do next.
I have Coopers like I posted earlier this week. Also have Red Tail and Eagles. Turkey Buzzards do cleanup of larger critters.
 
   / Good morning!!!! #215,856  
....

When our guys get out, they know exactly when they are busted, and trot back via the route in. Even if I'm the guy fixing the fence, their behavior always amuses me.

....

@riptides FWIW: I don't know how big your crawlspace opening is, but I recently added something like this to ours;
View attachment 4601350
IIRC, it comes in a few sizes.
I backed it up with some fiber cement board backing for fire resistance and six inches of XPS inside of that. I also added some woodstove gasket material around the edge of the door as weather stripping. Longer term, I'm planning on a "pillow" of mineral wool in a sturdy flexible plastic to replace the XPS.

Have fun out there! The Christmas forecast is starting to look very wet here, but not cold enough for a white one. One can always hope, right?

All the best,

Peter
Oh the horse is a very smart animal. They knew what they did.

On the crawl, I'll have to shore up the cinder blocks and get some new pressure treated wood framing around the opening. It is a spring/summer project. Probably a day job. The heat lamp and plywood shielding around the opening should suffice for the winter. As long as the temp does not drop below 10F with wind, we should be OK.
 
   / Good morning!!!! #215,857  
Good Morning
It’s already above 40° starting at 22° when i woke up.
High in the middle 40’s and sunny for the day.
Significant rain coming overnight and tomorrow.

Yesterday was another day in the shop, a fair amount of time in front of the computer. Making things like this nut and bolt
IMG_7909.jpg

It amazes me that it can print both internal and external threads. Within reason, the possibilities are endless.

Vet is here now, might be putting another alpaca down. We will see what they have to say.
 
   / Good morning!!!! #215,858  
that's a nice bolt, even if the colors clash terribly
who is your decorator?...

have some crabcake filled artichoke bottoms in the toaster oven, trying something
new. Will guinea pig my friend tonight with them.
I was also thinking of filling them with meat loaf mix but I saw this package of mini
crab cakes just the right size to fit in the artichokes, which have a crater in the middle.
Might need a sauce drizzled on top
 
   / Good morning!!!! #215,859  
68°F and still 0 rain

Good trip to town yesterday

Started interior mowing. My focus this morning

H&F at friends after a few weeks break

Prayers for all
Be safe
Have a great tractor day
 
   / Good morning!!!! #215,860  

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