Our starting point this morning is a thank-you nod to the 3806 KHz (LSB) ham radio crew which is around overnights on the weekend. Spent some quality time with ’em this morning making antenna measurements in order to figure out what’s next for the Antenna Dept.
You see, Winter isn’t far off. And that’s when the high frequency range really comes into its own; 75-meter voice in particular. One of my goals for late this year will be to talk directly to reader Hank (on the Big Island, Hawaii). It will be a challenge, though, because he’s on top of the Lava out there. Which is like setting up on top of a huge insulator.
For those who may have forgotten: The East-West antenna here is an off-center fed dipole. Fed at its low end at 55-feet. The outboard ends are around 65-feet. The North-South is also an OCFD antenna that G2 (KF7OCD) and I put up with a drone and some Kevlar fishing line which – in turn – hauled up paracord lines for support.
Surprisingly, around the southeast, there wasn’t too much difference due to orientation. Until antennas get a quarter wavelength (which is about 60-feet up on the 75-meter band) above ground, they’re all fairly omni-directional. On higher bands (like the 20-meter world-spanning) band, either one models out as a cloverleaf antenna.
Yet-another antenna test will be along soon: I picked up a commercially built G5RV antenna – essentially a 51-foot either side of center dipole with a 34-foot matching section feeding it. If you’re polite, the late-night ham crowd is the nicest sort of humans made with the “font module” for “radio competency.” Thank you for the reports!
Tool Kit for Mama
Don’t remember (and too lazy to look up) whether we’ve had the meaningful convo about tool kits. First time I saw a technician operate out of a toolbox was the IBM Selectric repairman who fixed the newsroom typo-generator back in 1970. (We did radio news, so typos meant nothing – though it’s a hard habit to break!)
I recently picked up a Pro Stormer toolkit for the shop bench. But Elaine’s collection of “Lady of the House” tools was a bit crazy, so I donated the new tool kit to her. Let’s me go endorphin-rush-clicking again.
I did look at the Dekopro $66 tool kit. But I didn’t see one absolutely necessary tool: wire strippers. (I might have missed ’em.)
Never played with King Tools before, but there’s a deal on the Zon for their 325-piece tool kit. Normally $108.99 marked down to $89.98. But then comes a 20 percent coupon off that, so before the Governor’s bite it’s $71.98 which is only a couple of bucks more than what’s now Elaine’s Pro Stormer kit.
It may verge on insanity for two people in their 70’s to be buying tool kits – and who says it isn’t? But, when you have a complex home, I’ve found that a tool kit for every couple of rooms is an ideal thing. No running to the shop and going through the “Where’d I put that?” Instead, everything for serious maintenance is readily at hand.
Every person you meet will have their own “must have in all” tool kits. I won’t buy a kit without wire strippers. And Elaine won’t touch a kit that doesn’t have Channel-Lock type pliers for opening cranky champagne corks.
Priorities matter.
Lean-To’s
I’ve decided my office is too cluttered. Some of the ham radio gear needs to be moved out. BUT where to put it? Shop’s full, guestroom needs to hold on to the pretext of room for a guest…house is overloaded, so WTF?
Answer: Another Lean-To. Any exterior wall (depending on if you have a building department) can be turned into a storage locker for less than a year’s worth of storage building space. However, one joy of living in a genuinely free part of Texas is NO Building Department.
I’ll do a site survey this week and get back to you.
Winter Lawn Plans
In just a couple of minutes, it will be time to light-up the riding mower and whack down the lawn – again. Since the drought ended, the lawn has come back with gusto. Not only the lawn itself, but the fence lines are starting to look like crap. Shaggy.
As we remind victims of home ownership: Now is when you want to keep the lawn pretty well shorn. Because long grass holds leaves like super glue. A season ending scalping is fine as long as the roots survive. It makes leaf blowing a lot more expeditious when time comes – soon.
Animals in Winter
This is the time of year to put an “animal wintering” project on your (impossibly long, never get it all done) Projects List.
We go through it every year: Where to put the cat/cats when it gets cold outside. In favor of letting the cat(s) inside when it’s cold is that they provide company and there’s nothing like watching TV or reading a device with a cat nestled in your lap. Except:
- In our mid (and beyond) 70s cats are one more thing to trip over and cause a fall. With two totally new hips, do we want Elaine tripping? Uh….no.
- The cat(s) can also interfere with kidney function. You’re there, reading or watching something and you need to pee. If there’s a cat on the lap, we’ve measured debates of 2-minutes or more arguing “I have to pee, but can I wait…don’t want to disturb the cat…”
- Then there’s the issue of bugs. Zeus is a (lazy beyond belief) Outdoor Cat. Sam (the blue point Siamese of undetermined gender) is also a forest cat, so bugs are always a given. Only thing that varies is ticks in the hot months, fleas in the cool months, and ants everywhere else.
I’ve built a number of “cat shelters” over the years out here. Some were large and well-insulated. These were ignored. The ones made by plasma cutting a barrel in half and welding the results together into a long tunnel were quickly adopted by possums and raccoons, leaving the cat no better off.
Worst of all, though is the final question appearing at day’s end: “Did you put the Cat out?” If they had their own place with hot and cold running mice, maybe they’d be less interested in imitating a laptop. Which has the same warming effect and don’t get ripped on catnip.
New Roof this Week?
If everything goes according to plan, we will have a new roof on the house this week. Local roofing outfit is doing the job only because my son says he’s been to too many EMT calls in his career with “fat old men falling off ladders thinking they are still agile and have their balance….”
Of course, I didn’t see what he was talking about in the mirror this morning. Still, roofing would cut into martini times. This hasn’t been a bad year, so why not write a check and relax?
After that’s done, we will be into the Big Projects part of the year.
- Rebuild the BBQ deck – new ledger board along the house, new flashing there, and 30-sticksd of replacement 5-quarter decking.
- Rebuilding the BBQ Deck stairs – more sticks of 5-quarter. But the main upgrade will be adding a third stair riser. I’d built it with 2 originally, but three would be better engineering and less flex.
- New east side of house deck and fire pit area.
- Lena-To in order to allow for moving some radio gear into an unheated locker without having to pay rent for it.
- Re-Do of the Guest Room roof and ceiling. My design error with too small a pitch to the roof has resulted in leaks. Which means ceiling plasterboard work after the revised roofline is installed.
This last one has G2 concerned (“Fat old men on ladders is stupid, dad!“) But, it may be more thrifty. Especially since Medicare covers things like falls, but I don’t see to where they cover either building materials or roofing company work.
Such is the reality of life in the woods.
Where the main accomplishment of the week was mowing the gun range down with the brush hog. Which, trust me, is not very exciting to take pictures of.
Write when you get rich,
George@Ure.net
the beans are sprouting.. ye haw..
Now I can send the hydroponic planter system.. been waiting for the beans to sprout.. can’t send something that doesn’t show merit..
had the kids put them in the sponge and wasn’t sure if I would have to do it over again..
dollar tree sponge planters.. ( these aren’t.. ) but making sponge planters is easy and cheap.. I like the wedge shape.. dollar tree sponges disintegrate.. which is what you want..
“You’re there, reading or watching something and you need to pee. If there’s a cat on the lap, we’ve measured debates of 2-minutes or more arguing “I have to pee, but can I wait…don’t want to disturb the cat…”
the progressive mind.. lol lol
https://www.amazon.com/Spirit-Condom-Catheters-Hydrocolloid-Rochester/dp/B01AIWATDM/ref=asc_df_B01AIWATDM/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=507467652717&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6135641684570427178&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9020398&hvtargid=pla-1261595391728&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/Spirit-Condom-Catheters-Hydrocolloid-Rochester/dp/B01AIWATDM/ref=asc_df_B01AIWATDM/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=507467652717&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6135641684570427178&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9020398&hvtargid=pla-1261595391728&psc=1
LOL LOL just trying to help her G…. LOL LOL…
really though in years past.. there were contests were if you could keep your hand on an item the longest.. you won it.. I use to think.. doing that.. get two or three bags and the texas catheter.. LOL LOL then drink coffee non stop in a contest.. just the view of someone drinking makes others get the urge.. LOL LOL…
there was a bar that I visited with the owner.. he was talking about this guy.. he bellied up to his bar on a quiet day where he was the only customer…. and drink.. dam he drank.. pretty soon the bar tenders couldn’t believe that this man could hold that much beer and not make the pit stop.. so they were giving him free taps.. just to see how long it would take. for him to make a run to the toilet. the guy was there for hours drinking.. then as customers started to come in.. he left.. and the customers were complaining about all the water on the floor.. the guy had been peeing on the floor the whole time LOL LOL LOL…
The texas cowboy story was better!
I do like that story.. what is funny is when I heard it was in the late seventies.. and I was working at steam cleaning gas tankers and the wonderful job of cleaning blood tanks.. OH YES.. can smell that just thinking about it.. anyway.. this guy was telling that story.. and just after he got done telling it.. a truck pulled in to be steam cleaned before they could go to work on it.. the driver opens up the door and steps out.. he is in a full red cowboy outfit including chaps.. LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL.. it was hilarious..
FOMOL: Ure well served to value limbs and ankles over contractor dosh George. My bride is a surgical RN who would often regale with tales of weekend warriors who fell off ladders. In a strange turn of events I have actually been drafted into surgical prep by a surgeon (though my medical training stops at first aid, yob in finance). This fella went >3 bucks and everything from the shin down was shattered. Coulda been me. Still could. Or you.
Pat the cat …
Egor
“Fat old men on ladders is stupid, dad!“ Sounds like my kid. When contemplating ladder work to save money I consider the possible time in physical therapy and driving thereto as well as the pain involved. Time and pain costs trump dollar cost (almost) every time. My wife broke her ankle in April and I ended up doing a lot more cooking and cleaning than usual; loss of service to others is another variable in the equation. Forgot nanobots and commie conspiracies: the real enemies of old people are ladders, curbs, bathtubs in old hotels, and scatter rugs!
Catbox is another issue to contend with when the felines move indoors. Mom always had cats and a lot of my younger years chores included that disgusting chore. Cats are OK, there are a couple hanging around here semi on the payroll just not inside the house.
Young George is correct I’m afraid but the Fat old men falling off ladders was less than nice though. He forgot to add bald, for some of us anyway, to the list.
Stay safe and on the ground. 73
The catbox doesn’t have to be an issue:
I built a 4×6 ft. catertainment center with a 12.5″ raised floor, cheap outdoor carpet, and a couple cardboard piling tubes. Then I got an automatic litterbox (a “Littermaid.”) Whenever a cat trips the photo-sensor, the Littermaid rakes the litter and dumps any clumps into a ~5″x16″ molded, disposable, .005″ thick plastic container. I took one of the containers, cut the bottom out, and “adjusted” it so it would dump directly into a 5×10 space. I then cut a 5×10 hole in my raised floor, installed the Littermaid above, and a Tidy-Cat litter tub under the raised floor (use a scrap piece of furnace duct, metal roofing, or even a #10 can to create a litter tunnel from the box through the floor). When kitty litters, the box rakes the soiled litter into the little rectangular bucket with the handy handle. When the laser no longer hits the photocell, a light lights, telling me to empty the pail or suffer the consequences. I thought about installing a second, to tell me when the litter level was low, but I passed that box a dozen times a day, and so, decided it wasn’t necessary.
Tidy Cat litter no longer comes in 12″ tubs (they’re now 14.5″). Any enzymatic urine-remover will ensure there are no litterbox odors (a couple spritzes into the fresh litter also pisses the kitties off. They do a #1, they do a #2, and in either case, there is absolutely no smell and it drives them bonkers…) The raised floor is an excellent place to store pet food and cat litter, and provides a place to store (hide) mop buckets and cleaning supplies.
Your son is right. Medicare covers injury but it doesn’t heal broken bones. Your body has to do that.
But I also understand being short of cash. I had to do my roof seven years ago. All I had was $900.00 bucks. I did it, but it was not fun in any sense.
When I did my roof I had to take vacation time for the job. When the time came it was the hottest week of the season featuring the hottest day of the year. With the charcoal colours of the roofing tiles it was 100 degrees on that roof. The job went slowly but I did it right.
The job went slowly because I’m afraid of ladders and heights. My fears are rational. When I was about six years old my parents painted our house. They saved a lot of money because they did the interior and exterior walls themselves. I was watching my uncle paint the gables of our house, when suddenly the ladder slipped and he fell sideways. The paint can hit the ground and splashed on me and the ladder fell inches from my face. My uncle fell into a large Magnolia bush that saved his life. When he came back from the hospital his arm was in a sling.
My parents then hired a house painter to do the gables exterior window sashes and trim of the house. The painter did a great job. He removed what my uncle had started and scraped all the gables with a blow torch and sanded them. Plus he applied oil based primer and two coats of paint. The lesson I learned was. If there is a job on your house that is too difficult to do or requires a skill you don’t have hire someone to do it!
Frustrating part for me is when you have done it all, can do super work, and someone who’s playing the role of referee throws a penalty flag…
Yeah, it’s hard to admit we’re not young and indestructible anymore. I’m dealing with an arthritic hip joint now and just keeping mobile is a challenge… and a pain. I have a low roof with low slope, so I dare to get up there to clean gutters and power wash the roof, but I’m well aware of my fragility now, and take extreme precautions if I must get up there. And the Referee is monitoring me on the ground.
I’m an experienced roofer. I also haven’t done one in over 20 years, and at my age, would not do a roof with more than a 3×12 pitch without rigging that was anchored to a tree or a permanent, heavy post. I also wouldn’t do a roof with more than a 6×12 pitch — period.
The thing to remember is young people fall off roofs and get hurt — old people fall off roofs and get dead…
BTW, 110, I’m afraid of ladders and heights, too. I would have to acclimate to any height above about four feet, before I could function. I would have to be on a roof for 10-20 minutes before I could work without vertigo, but once acclimated, there was never a problem.
“The thing to remember is young people fall off roofs and get hurt — old people fall off roofs and get dead…”
that is so true..when i was andies age i built my house and was still working 2 full time and one part time jobs..big job.. well because a foundation contractor that took my deposit and ran with it.. ( that is where I got my ten thousand dollar hammer..) I had to make some adjustments.. one adjustment was pitch of the roof.. I was at a six twelve pitch.. and went to four twelve pitch.. then a few years ago.. the insulation had settled and needed to be dusted.. I crawled my fat butt up there.. and realized.. I was thirty years older.. and not as agile as I had been then.. I hd to call a young man to do it.. LOL LOL..
Ham Radio, I am a VE team leader and had a testing session yesterday. I had 19 to test, 17 for Tech and 2 upgrades for General. Both upgrades passed and 14 of the 17 for Tech passed with three of the Techs also passing their General. So, we have some new Ham’s out there and hopefully they will get on the air soon. My team consisted of 7 VE’s and all went very smoothly. I am already getting emails that several of the new Tech’s also wanting to upgrade.
Wonderful news – and a here-here well done! I have the VE handbook but haven’t waded into it – it will come out when I get older, lol. Did look at W5YI (dotcom) and may buy the course to get my Radiotelegraph commercial ticket – one of those punch list things.
Feller asked me once what my fascination with ham radio was. Told him its a bit of mechanical engineering putting a chassis or antenna together, a lot of EE-level circuitry, a private eye’s worth of detective work when components (*or wire, or solder joints) go south. Then we have the mental acuity part of 20 WPM plus Morse, the Musician’s ears to pull out HF QRP stations (low power, back packers and mt climbers) from the noise floor. They there’s mixing all the radio with other hobbies. Had several rigs on our sailboat, did a little 2-meters from our airplane back when. Nothing compared to my son’s “under canopy” 2-meter dx work skydiving, though. My buddy the Major mixes his hamming with emergency services, club work, and RV’ing. Then there’s the whole matter of antenna design and optimization. https://eznec.com is a marvelous (and now free)_antenna modeling program by Ray Lewallen.
So yeah…ham radio is a grasnd hobby and it ties together some of the most diverse personalities with a common interest. See the list of famous and semi-famous hams over here as a starting point.
https://hamradioinsider.com/famous-radio-hams-and-what-they-did-for-a-living/ which has some overlap with the list here https://www.orarc.org/?p=1738
Priscilla Presley? Joe Walsh, THE Mr. Moog?
I’ve talked to McMurdo Sound, Barry Goldwater, A DC-10 flying through the zone of totality of a solar eclipse years ago (yet another hat tip to Capt. Ed Walkewitz of Continental for letting me simulcast it on AM radio) along with Jordan’s King Hussein and even tipped a few with Hugh Downs.
Yessir – damn fine hobby – none better.
Thanks for bringing up the next generation of ’em.
73 (but nesring 74, lol) ac7x
I have the ultimate ‘out-of-this-world DX’ contact. I have talked to a live astronaut aboard the space station… twice now. Back in 2001 on expedition #2, and again this June on Field Day 2022. If you see the NASA photo of Commander Kjell Lindgren talking on the radio with the “Field Day 2022” flag hanging in front of him.. he is talking to ME in that photo. The EXIF data shows it was created at the exact time I logged my contact with NA1SS. Then I enlarged the original Hi-Res image and looked at his notepad to find my callsign there at the bottom of his notes! Picture proof… a QSL from the space station!
I’d love to make a sched with you, George. Let me know when is good for you, and I will try to fit you into my tightly scheduled retirement at home. :-) Doesn’t have to be 75M. I’ve been participating in local scheds with Micronesia on 15M this past week, and we might be able to make a 20M voice contact on a good day. Your choice. Pick a day with good solar numbers.
And Kudos to all the VEs out there keeping the hobby going. We have one active CERT trainer that runs several classes per year and tests new hams. Many start as community active emergency communicators and then discover the ham community and other aspects of the hobby. Got one ex-CB fellow upgraded into ham general who drives a taxi in Hilo and put an HF rig in his taxi. Many Australian hams now know him as that ‘taxi driver in Hawaii’ as he works HF DX from his taxi when not on a call.
“I have the ultimate ‘out-of-this-world DX’ contact. I have talked to a live astronaut aboard the space station… ”
I have never talked on a radio or phone to one.. but I have texted with them as they were doing chores and a live space walk on a go pro or some other camera similar to that a few times…… I love NASA.. kids can ask those guys about things that they are curious about when they have those sessions.. it is amazing..
If you have cats, I’d let them inside! I’m not sure if Sam would enter, but you never know. As cats get older, they generally want more human company. They will find places to hide when they want alone time. I understand the concern about Elaine’s hips(and yours), but my thoughts are to “stay agile”! Is the floor cushioned by anything? Carpets, etc? IMHO, life’s dangerous, and the only way to meet that challenge is with a smile. You’ve flown in situations that were far less than ideal, I’m sure. Sometimes we just need to figure it out in real time.
One thought for a cat friendly outdoor space might be a sheltered area with a heat lamp. A video camera with motion detection would let you know if it was a cat or other critter using the space.
I’m planning to take down a 50′ tree extending over a house for someone. It’s a bit of work, but she has no money or other options, so I’ll do it. It’s very dead and probably won’t remain standing over the winter. If anything goes wrong, I won’t be blaming or calling G2 either. Sometimes you just have to do it. Personally, I’ve always felt safer when up high. Perhaps I’m a cat at heart.
I can understand the roof situation. I’m hoping you go with thick(24 or 26 gauge) metal. Metal should last as long as you do, and possibly as long as G2 does too. BTW, metal roofing is slippery! Even 3/12 can be challenging to maintain footing if new or wet!
Ure always busy with something useful and roofing takes time, especially when working alone. It’s always that tradeoff – time vs. money.
I have a doctor friend [ pre-natal neurosurgeon ] brilliant guy. Fell off a ladder in early Spring., severe head trauma. He lived., but with all his physical therapy and mind-games and puzzles he feels that he is about 90%., and may never get that 10% back. “It would have ended my career if I had still been working.” [ He retired a couple of years ago ]
– So.., yeah.., I have been extremely cautious and leery of climbing up on a ladder since. Especially since I fell off of one about ten years ago., but I managed to do an airborne-roll and just banged up my shoulder a bit hitting a large rock as I tried to roll out of it.
– Ladders suck when you get passed 70., no matter how fit you “think” you are.
Morning George;
On Sundays you sometimes talk about your Light Crown. I find your knowledge about it fascinating.
There’s a bit of Light mentioned in the Bible and I started thinking about that Light in more (medical) terms than in metaphor. Healing.
I know a little bit about Chi, (life-energy: Light) though I’m not an expert by any means. I just know that the awareness of it within me and acknowledging it, is beneficial to me.
I was wondering if, since you’re crowning your pineal gland with light and you seem to get good results, would it be additionally beneficial to illuminate the other 2 areas of the body where Chi resides in the body? Here’s a link …
https://www.healthline.com/health/dantian#breathing
Chi, is used in Holistic healing and is expressed by the palms of the hands. Like Reiki. – and I’m sure you’ve heard about “Laying on of hands” as a means to cleanse and/or heal in various biblical and other readings.
Habakkuk 3:4 “ His splendor was like the sunrise; rays flashed from his hand, where his power was hidden.” – sounds like “Chi” to me, Bro.
Just passing on some thoughts. – it’s like, “Tequila isn’t the answer to all our problems, but it’s worth a shot.”
Have a good day, Buddy.
Peace
PB Chi can be manifested by using just the mind. Try it
Absolutely Abq Joe
Gather, focus, project.
And simply relaxing, will open the flows. The movements are good for flexibility but, not completely necessary to open blockages. “Tapping” locations a specific area of the body, gives Chi some directions. – it knows your body and understands your voice and intentions.
Ever see this?
https://youtu.be/efVUMPdZcPo
I tried to get a jar of PB using my CHI and I can tell you it didn’t work.. LOL LOL LOL LOL….I just didn’t strain or push while focusing.. my fear is that if there was a manifistation that it wouldn’t be PB..that would appear if I did that.
For George:
If you have opted for a metal roof, they are best for longevity. If you are going to be on that roof, buy some rope long enough to throw over the ridge line and opposite to the side you are working on and tie it to a substantial anchor point, and tie the other end to you or your harness.
Watch it close on the ladder too.
Now that’s a SAFE and EFFECTIVE that one can live with…
Only the shop has the metal roof – it’s a 40 x 40 pole building with an office, guestroom and extra office while the rest is workstations for play (metal, 3D, CNC, wood, and a hobby bench).
I don’t like the metal roofing for all the noise it makes. /During a heavy rainsquall I’ve measured 104 dB in the shop – granted there was some hail in it, but to my thinking rain at night sounds should be either electronics or not over 70 db. More and it gets…you know… obnoxious. Like politicians.,,
What… you don’t like living inside a Tympani when a hurricane dumps 54 inches in 24 hours? Nightly rain on the roof becomes routine and ignored. Just like all the chirping Coqui frogs.
“don’t like the metal roofing for all the noise it makes. /During a heavy rainsquall I’ve measured 104 dB in the shop”
Oh my G….. you forgot the most important thing on the metal roof… the sound deadener.. I have a metal roof and love it.. no noise either..
https://youtu.be/tYwzbzTSbFs
George, I put a metal roof on my place years ago and I never hear it unless it’s gully washing, and then only a bit. I have a solid substrate(wood) under the metal roof and it’s got plenty of screws. If I had to do it again(with a bigger budget), I’d do the same thing but put insulation down under it. That should knock down quite a few more db. That shop must have perlins alone supporting the metal, and it’s probably relatively light gauge. 104db seems a bit much.
Seriously – louder than a jet apu when it’s rain.hailing here –
“Seriously – louder than a jet apu when it’s rain.hailing here –”
Drums to that…
I had insulation put unter it.. can’t hear it at all… even in a gully washer.. I believe the insulation was a foam board similar to the quarter inch rubber.. now under the canopy on the veranda.. that doesn’t have it and it is so loud.. you can’t hear yourself think.. the new steel roof shingles.. are not as noisy.. they are coated with gravel and tar.. then interlock.. but they are really expensive.. of course now that all of this mess is going on in China.. steel roofing is more than six times what we paid to have ours done..
Look, LOOB, there’s a case that I can’t “hear myself think” even in dead quiet…
@LOOB
“I had insulation put unter it.. can’t hear it at all… even in a gully washer.”
I saw an episode of “Alaska: The Last Frontier” last year when one of the Kilchers was building a new cabin. They use steel roofing, but they laid down a 2″ sheet of styrofoam, then put some kind of (I think) rubber over it before laying the steel, as a sound deadener.
“I saw an episode of “Alaska: The Last Frontier” last year when one of the Kilchers was building a new cabin. They use steel roofing, but they laid down a 2? sheet of styrofoam, then put some kind of (I think) rubber over it ”
Yes.. @Ray.. the young man that did my roof.. laid out foam board then put ice dam on top of it.. screwed down the furring strips and then put the steel on.. even in hail.. you can’t hear it.. has a fifty year life on the color alone LOL.. what is funny is the cost.. to do a fraction of the amount of roof including the insulation and everything we have the kids got a bid.. and the price was almost five times what we paid for our whole roof just for the steel..
Lookey Loo G,
Take a gander at this scheisse https://lifeoftheblood.com/nanotech-in-the-shots/
As a very biased observer, I am wondering if anyone else sees “em”.
1st we attacked with sars, next – their pork supply (twice), that didnt work either..got good intel though..
So USA sends package to Wuhan containing novel virus samples – China officially protests – 2 weeks later Mil. games kicked off in Wuhan. Understand now why the Slavic DNA samples were needed for the construction of covert19 virus ?- knocked down lethality to Caucasians. All this happened while tRump was “negotiating” trade deals with CCP. All this info/data is being EXPOSED to the world via Russian Military.
– Remember the CPP counter intel Director defected to DIA and not alphabets???
?what does the bis-city of london/crown and vatican have in common, beside ownership (alloidial title) of Youse and Urba Survival…see ancient greece and hammurabi era “contracts”.]
– ?!? got Bitcoin ?
It did NOT knock down lethality to Caucasians, it increased it.
That part of your info is incorrect!!!
These non-vaccines targeted the majority Caucasian nations FIRST.
Katz — like people — are easily trained.
I have poor vision, and being 78, the 0300 shuffle to the pee room is a nightly feature. The katz (2) are mostly black. (“American Shorthair” “Tuxedo” rescue katz. They blend in well with the dark shadows on the floor.
Training was easy. As you shuffle, if you encounter a Kat not yielding way, you place your toe under him and give him a “Doppler” Ride.
MMMMMEEEEEeeeeeeooowwwwwwww & away. (VITAL NOTE: I am NOT saying kick the kat. I AM saying give him a little airborne ride, and he will quickly learn to clear the way as you lumber and stumble towards him in the dark.
We call dinner and bring them in, and close off the otherwise totally free by day Kat Flap door. (“There are dogs in the dark, waiting to attack: and Kat Hawks lookin’ for a late nite snack.”) They warn the bed nicely.
Same with dogs (or any other critter.) I walk by raising my foot just (like a half-inch) above the floor, then moving it forward 32″ – my night-time stride – before repeating with the other foot. I learned that stride when my kids were small and occasionally left toys where they shouldn’t be. You don’t have to step on a piece of hard plastic very many times before you start thinking of ways to mitigate the issue (and the pain.)
“I did look at the Dekopro $66 tool kit. But I didn’t see one absolutely necessary tool: wire strippers.”
Did you notice it is advertised as an ‘auto repair’ kit? Now how many times have you had to strip a wire to fix your car? Now that 325-piece tool kit looks like an arm-stretcher! You like lifting weights? When I was working TV at remote sites, I outfitted my basic Jensen toolkit with connectors, special tools, and anything I might possibly need in the field. Packing was a challenge, and it was heavy! Not fun to carry. Now I keep reminding myself that I have a permanent home on the ranch and I’m not going out in the field to repair stuff anymore. So I’m condensing down my tools, emptying ‘kits’ and putting tools in logical sort order. Electronic tools in the inside shop. Heavy hand tools in the shed/outdoor shop. And I find I have way too much duplication.
I have to ask WHICH Jensen tool kit? They make great stuff, but when I see $2,101 for a tool kit… https://amzn.to/3BcF3tv Which one did you pick?
Not the wheeled monster! Step down a size, it was closer to this:
https://www.amazon.com/Jensen-Tools-JTK-17TTD-Horizontal-Tough/dp/B00DV8KJUE/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=jensen+tool+kit&qid=1663005826&sr=8-2
Station I built in the last century bought kits for me and techs, and I always hung on to and upgraded mine personally. One learns to keep the toolkit locked on bench when there are ‘borrowing hands’ around.
Do you put tools on right or left side? Of the bench?
Last working shop bench for 13 years I had the toolbox on the left side of the bench. I’m left handed. Does it matter?
Well, honestly, I don’t know. Right now (I’m right-handed) the tools are in front, left, and behind. I usually fall into the trap of too many tools on the bench at any one time… My thinking was if the tools were the same side as the dominant hand that there would be less body-crossing twisting and less fatigue…
I gave my daughter a new toolkit, just two months ago. I started with a vintage (Made in USA) NOS Craftsman “Mechanics’ Toolset” (1/4,” 3/8,” 1/2″ English/Metric plus combination wrenches) and then added new Klein chain-nose and dikes, and vintage NOS Xcelite needle-nose and 4″ dikes, 8″ and 12″ vintage Williams adjustable wrenches, a complete set of Craftsman vintage NOS screwdrivers, a new Vaughan claw hammer, and various other useful tools, all of which fit in the Craftsman case. One of her roommates stole her toolkit several years ago, so I figured I’d better replace it while I was still alive to do so. Thankfully, her Ungar station didn’t get pilfered…
BTW, the kit I carry in my vehicle has Klein chain-nose, dikes, stripper/crimper, Weller soldering pencil & .031 Kester solder, solder connectors, crimp connectors, wire, zip-ties, knives, screwdrivers, 12ga, 16ga, and 20ga wire, marine heat shrink, flashlights, Vice-Grips, adjustable wrench, assortments of every type fuse used in motor vehicles, drill bits & a pin vice, stainless wire, tape measure, and duct tape — all in a Plano 5.5x11x15 field box…
… And I have used it a number of times, including rescuing folks with trailers on a couple occasions.
Thast a gas soldering pencil or how do you power it?
Nice kitting job!
“Thast a gas soldering pencil or how do you power it?”
Before I added the second flashlight I had two — a 12VDC Chinesium pencil and the Weller. I bought it because it seemed a good idea, and pitched it because it took forever to get hot enough to melt even .031 60/40.
Every motor vehicle I’ve owned since I was 19 has had a power inverter in it. The trucks have inverters that’ll drive significantly-powerful power tools. I even have a WW-II era vibrator so as to have a 120v outlet in my 6-volt vehicles, but because of the prohibitive power demand, I don’t expect to ever use it.
Denizens of Socal will be delighted at modernizations made to the monarchy in 1917. Under those amendments created by King George V, the Sussexes lately of Montecito may now properly be addressed as Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet being grandchildren of the monarch rather than great grandchildren as they were before.
Do we ever hear a fuss from Willow the White House cat? Willow, formerly a barnyard cat from Pennsylvania, was famously added to the household by Dr. Jill Biden after the duo paired up at a successful campaign speech. Willow apparently has a quiet regal presence amongst the private executive offices at the White House. Her cat carrier transport has been a fixture on Marine 1 First Family journeys to the Beach House and Camp David in fulfillment of Willow’s modest sunroom requirements.
The Administration’s lesser success with dogs has been documented in msm. One understands Major has been rehomed with family friends. Commander at least has settled in rather more favorably having more bark than bite.
George: Your comment about talking to Goldwater brought back some old memories. While a student at ASU in Tempe I drove by his house and marveled at his antenna array a couple of time. Later, in 1970 while in Viet Nam I was able to place a MARS call to my wife in Phoenix and he was the ham that made the phone connection. I wonder if as our situation devolves something like the MARS system could be put back in place. Gray Fox
Well, if ya fall off the ladder and die Geogre? Maybe I can resurrect ya. It seems I’ve developed a new skill or uhmm. Let me just say tell ya the story.
So I’m in my side dump doing oh about 45 mph and a bee hit me in the arm and feel on the door by where window up and down switch is. Poor little fella was bang up pretty bad. Looked like it was just wee tiny thread was holding back on and his head was all smooshed. And one of his wings damn near fell off.
I felt bad for him. Because bees love me. They always land on me. They never sting me. Never ever been stung. They think I’m a flower or something.
Well I brushed him off the door and fell on the floor of the cab where I couldn’t see him and said sorry little fella about that bell ringer you just took. Then I said only two words. Be healed.
I didn’t exclaime it or pray really hard or plead with THE DUDE or anything. I just had empathy for him and said be healed.
Another 10 more minute down the road had the windows shut and the AC going and he buzzed right infront of my face. Fully restored and healed. He sat there mid air in front of my face looking straight at me with wings going a bazillion mph for a few minutes and I was tripping. I think I just resurrected a bee. He was sure as dead. There he was. So I said wow, you look good Mister. He flew forward and bumped me on the nose and then turned and flew to the other window, so I opened it up at the stop sign and he turned and looked right at me again. Paused then flew out the window.
I’ve never resurrected a bee before. There was those 2 dead trees infront of my office that came back to life. The first to blossom in the whole city of Seattle. I wasn’t sure it that was my doing or not. That little bee gave me a little bump on the nose to kinda say thank you in his own little bee way. Trippy.
Wonder if I can heal other things like that? Been thinking about it ever since.
Was at the Sopranos Italian restaurant on Saturday having a smoke outside waiting on my to go order of an authentic Italian pizza. Real Italians work there with Italian accents. Big boys. Like me. It’s funny, big dudes always nod to big dudes when they see them and I’m a big dude.
Anyway I was outside and I had a few more bees come up while I was smoking and hover right inftont of my face like the one I healed. I just sat there having a smoke and said hello. How are you? Two different bees bumped me in the nose, then backed up, hovered for a minute then flew away. Someone walking by said I think bee kinda gave ya a fist bump. I said ya weird huh? They like me. He said most people would swat at and scream. I said they never sting me. They think I’m flower or something. He laughed and said you are pretty strange looking flower and walked away.
You ever notice at the tops of cowboy boots it makes a shape of a heart? I never noticed that before. When you set them together it makes the number 22 as well.
Was at church today and the Paster says, you got to put in the work! Get some dust on ya. Get in there and work with God on life. I came home and my cowboy boots are covered in dust. So I sent him a picture and that is when I realized the tops of cowboy boots make a heart. When you set a pair together? They make the number 22.
.
Ladder eh? Like the 12 strand double helix DNA or uhmm maybe Jacob’s Christmas light tool?
Andy got a really nice new house?
Wonder what other critters I can heal? Or if I can do it again. Hmmm.
Truly, I am Blessed and Highly Fortunate. It is my hope you are as well.
Cue: ~ Stairway to heaven ~
https://youtu.be/X791IzOwt3Q
Led Zeppelin
Could there have been two different bees? Smoke calms bees. Regardless, do be the good bee.
Nah, i dont accept the seed of doubt you are offering. You are welcome to plant that in someone else’s willing garden.
I will tend to planting my own seeds of faith.
Since it is written, “The Just will live by faith.”
there was only one bee in the truck with me that day. It seems my prayers are being answered “permeate the very fabric of my presence with your Living Energy DUDE so that the world around me will flourish with eternal vitality.” A line from an old prayer I prayed for a while.
Well I’m on to the mountains to do mountain man rough neck cowboy stuff. I may not be a dazzling career in fame. But it is honest work.
My new favorite country song. I really like this song alot.
Just Andy
I ~ Q: ~ buy dirt ~
https://youtu.be/AKec3LTILRU
Jordan Davis.
Excellent Que. And on topic. Mentions grass and ladders.
Huh. What a coincidence. Lol
Let us speak planely N____. The same power that resurrected me from the dead 12 times lives within me. To deny that is to deny my own life as it is today. That same power whirls your atoms together and creates you. To deny that would be to deny your own existence. The same force that resurrected me can flow through me and resurrect a little bee.
And that same force that spoke life into a little bee that was resurrected from the dead N___? Is the same force that prays often good for you. It profits you nothing to deny yourself that power of thought and prayer spoke on your behalf into your life. Did you ask me to pray good things for you? No, you did not. That same power and force of life that resurrected me 12 times and the little bee asked me to speak those things into your life. As well as many others.
You know the problem with questions like from fellas like choices who likes to badger me about not receiving things from THE DUDE and others on here and all over the world especially in some religions?
They ask THE DUDE to supply their needs. Some even pray like they are rubbing a magic lamp waiting for the Genie to grant their desires. I don’t pray like that. I ask to be shown what THE DUDE can do through me. Ya see that line i quoted from an old prayer isn’t about me. Read it again. “Permeate the very fabric of my presence with your Living Energy DUDE so that the world may flourish around me with eternal vitality.”
That line has nothing to do with ego.
When your done bitching about denial of your denial? May
Happy Monday. It’s a beautiful day to be Alive. Which I might add is only one letter away from Alice. Who went to a strange world. Lol
N____ JOY!
so a question, I can’t speak German, does the individual speak after the three minute mark truly say that September 24th will be a day we all remember?
https://youtu.be/HWnSezF_lFo
Interesting. Bo Polney in an interview with Nino Rodriguez earlier has also said that the 24th, the day before Rosh HaShanah, will be a significant day but couldn’t say exactly why. In the comments below the video Watchman Sascha shed a little more light on the subject but not much. One other commentator said this address was made in February and that Merz MEANT to say “February”. Feb. 24th was when Russia invaded the Ukraine but why would he make some slip up like that and put the date in some other random month and why would it upset the other members of that parlement?
Every time I think of ladders, I think of the Clark Griswold scenes in Christmas vacation.
The balance really does go when we get older George. My doctor has warned me over and over. As MarkR said in above comments “the real enemies of old people are ladders, curbs, bathtubs in old hotels, and scatter rugs!” To which I would add stairs, slippery floors and loose floor boards.
Age brings wisdom even if we have to swallow some pride. Stay off the ladder, we need you to help guide us through this approaching financial and political hurricane.
And windmills. I’m the only one that used to climb them and now I need someone to replace the tail spring on one out in the pasture. My son gets shaky on the third rug of the tower ladder. Damn age creeps up on you!
LOL! I had an old windmill that I needed to take down since it was 100 years old and pieces had fallen off to the point that it was both useless and dangerous. The scary part was climbing the tower ladder that was falling to pieces at the time. I had no idea how bad it really was until I got it all on the ground and disassembled. In the old days it seems they made better steel, but used far less of it, especially when it had to be transported by steam train to the old west and then delivered on a horse drawn wagon! I still have some parts, so it might make a good decoration some day, IF the world doesn’t fall apart too badly.
The last new windmill head I had installed 5 or 6 years ago, can’t remember for sure, the guys that installed the gear box said they were all coming out of Mexico now and it probably wasn’t going to be as good as the old ones. All the other working windmills we had on the ranch at the time had lost their oil years and years ago but were still running just fine. About 7 or 8 months after installation of the new one I found one leg of the tower was an oil slick all the way to the ground as a result of the bottom seal failing. I thought I’d see if it would last as long as the others have with no oil but six months later I went out to turn it on and it was frozen solid … and it wasn’t Winter. That’s when I said “I’m tired of this sh*t!” and put the RPS solar pump in that I’ve cussed mightily on this comments section before. Now we’re going to have to pull that solar pump this Friday to trouble shoot the low water sensor and it’s a bear to get out of the hole. I’ve been told to build a roller out of a 55 gallon drum but haven’t gotten around to that just yet. Water wells out here are always a pain to work with! I can’t even imagine what y’all do with those mile-deep wells out in your country!
Oh yes.. I fell thirty feet.. got busted up pretty good.. what saved me was the rung of a ladder.. I slipped and on the way down.. my foot slipped through the rung… white hot pain.. I would have not made it.. if I had hit the concrete at the bottom..
the doctor wanted to admit me.. I said naw.. I would go home.. didn’t expect the family to move out LOL LOL had to crawl for water and food.. LOL LOL that is when I discovered that MRE’s that are decades old are still good.. we all kept one of the MRE’s when young and noticed that it had been made when we were like five LOL to see if they would still be good when we retired.. sitting there looking at that thing on a shelf.. I tossed a pillow at it to knock it down LOL LOL and you know what.. except the gum was hard as a rock.. the rest was ok.the cigarettes were all dried out LOL LOL
Even though my wife now would never do that.. I still keep a shelf of heat and eats close to the floor.. Just in case.. .
Probably made a dumb move, but the price was too good to resist…
I just bought a Nye Viking KW Matchbox…
Gosh – I’ve got a couple of classic Johnson Matchboxes (1 kw type) and I would have made you a deal.