Good morning!!!!

[masseyrider]

I've heard rumors of something called the "sun."
Another gray day on schedule.
We're at about 35F going into the lowish 40Fs.
Just that damp uninspiring sort of day.

Feeling a bit foolish still.
I have a 2nd drive down the middle of the property that goes almost to the back.
This time of year I don't go out back too much but if I'm coming back from somewhere I'll drive down and just see what's going on.
It has a decent gravel base.
The weather here has been above freezing and rainy for the last week +.
Got to the back, just a bit greasy, but no problem.
Went to turn around and got off the gravel. Good grass cover, hasn't been cultivated for 10+ years. I thought (or didn't think) it should be OK.
All wheel drive didn't help.
Tractor started on first touch of the key after standing since the Fall.
Needed just a light tug on the trailer hitch.
Neighbor got a good laugh.
Forrest got it right, "stupid is as stupid does."

Oatmeal with Blue berries for brekky, couple boiled eggs for protein.

I must be old. Hated oatmeal as a kid and never thought about healthy choice combos before.

 

[mpham]

Morning all!
Up since 3 am with back issues. 3rd coffee in the machine already. Glad to hear your feeling better Buppies! Hopefully all your issues will get better soon!
Not much going on here. I'm not in any position to get much done in the shop!
I will be taking a ride today to check out a lumber mill about 25 miles away. Hopefully the prices aren't as crazy as the last place! Speaking of the last place. I sent a message today to see if they're available this weekend. I want to bring him his dishes I made.
Still waiting on parts for the blower! Thank goodness we don't have any storms in the 10 day forecast!
Will be taking it easy for a while. Back is getting better daily.
Hope everyone stays safe and Healthy!

 

[masseyrider]

Coffee is done brewing. 33° with cloudy skies this morning. Heading to 43° with overcast skies. Started day off with hauling 2 weeks of garbage to road. Put neighbors garbage out also. He hurt his back. There was no pickup last week because of weather. Got laundry folded and put away. Made some brackets to mount backup lights on Mule. Went to bring garbage cans back in. Driveway was blocked with snow again by road grader. Seat time to clear 5 drives. Grocery shopping this morning. With a stop at Menards for some machine screws. Then work some more on mounting backup lights on Mule.
Who is next.

Everyone stay well and safe.

Good Morning All.

Nice picture.
3-4 years ago we had huge numbers of doves.
Sitting on the power line it was near impossible to get an accurate count.
The last couple years they've vanished.

 

[plowhog]

Another great picture Ron, thanks!

Our big storm has arrived. It poured all night long here in formerly-great CA. 40F going to a rainy 48F today.

Transited Donner Pass yesterday with no chain controls. Getting back will be different. Heavy snow, and the summit is over 7,000 ft. Here is the snow forecast over Donner Summit for Sun/Mon:

 

[daugen]

Phil, glad your back is improving or at least chilling out for you
Masseyrider, always fun getting stuck. I laugh at myself a lot...

I wish all vehicles had a dedicated pull spot in the front. Youtube is littered, literally....
with videos of folks pulling off their front bumper. I kept a long synthetic rope on the back of my big tractor in NC.
Used that rope twice, first time used a chain and while strong worried about scratching up someone's nice truck.
But if no tow hook, where to wrap it? All kinds of different suspensions.

it was nice on my Subaru, Audi and this Volvo they provide a knockout spot on the bumper to screw in a tow hook.
But when someone is down in your ditch in the snow, and the two women sure did not know much auto mechanics,
yes one on the phone where she spun. Big shady spot in front of my farm with overhanging trees. They'd hit that at 45 and whooeeee.
Up and down the street into the ditches they went. Half worn summer tires sure don't grip snow well...

So I'd have to find a place to hook up under the front. And then you don't know if the lady is going to be a lunatic and floor it.
you really have to talk to them and get on the same page.
The one guy in a 2wd old p/u with bald tires was a delight, big hook up front, got him out in two minutes.
Two of the wreckees slid/spun out on black ice, the lady in our rare one inch of snow.
She was one on the phone going almost regular speed.
clueless
but she gave me a nice smile when I pulled her out

My three Ram trucks all had tow hooks on the front and a large pull hook in the rear hitch.
marvelous trucks, too bad for the hemi tick and the body rot. Really reinforces value of getting new truck
undercoated before it sees salt. But I always felt "equipped" knowing I had those front hooks.
likely this comes from being a fireman and being ready to assist folks
When you pull from the front you can see exactly what is going on. Just need to have a very good synthetic rope
that won't come back through your windshield.

It's nice to live with the seasons. Trick for me was having a small driveway and small walkway.
And a good car with awd and good winter rated tires.
The Volvo awd is good but the Subaru and Audi were better in snow.
put snow tires on an Outback and you can literally go anywhere
and for families up North, you get home too in one piece

sorry to blather on. One of those mornings.
hard frost out, everything coated in white frost
including my car
c'mon sun

I just read Plowhog's post. Now he's the one who clearly knows how to drive in snow.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

THANK YOU! beautiful! The Goodyear Blimp! Haven't seen that in person for a looong time. As a kid, I used to see it all around Philly, it used to moor at N.E. Philly airport.

I could see myself fishing off that pier!

There used to be multiple Goodyear blimps. There was one that was hangar-ed north of Houston.

I think I figured out why I always put off putting laundry away. 700 steps later it’s all folded and put away.
During Dr visit Monday. Dr was trying to explain to me how exercise is important. Until I showed my collected data for last year. I averaged 5977 steps a day for 2023. That’s very good for someone my age. Already on pace to do the same this year.

That's good you are staying very active my friend.
Glad your legs still work. I'm starting to have troubles with mine, and my ankle nearly gave out today about 200 feet from my building. Had to rest for a moment. Resting and getting off of them help out. Don't drink alcohol much at all anymore. Have been a teetotaler this year so far. I bought some beer, but only my wifey has had 1 every now or then

No success with my fuel tank clean out other than getting it cleaned out. Tractor started right up after. Let it run about 45 minutes then decided might as well mow abit. Not even a complete circuit and it stalled. Stalled another half dozen times getting back to shed.

I feel your frustration. Does it have a low pressure pump in the tank, or does it pull the fuel up by vacuum pump near the engine?
Former boss had a diesel 4WD Kawaski mule that he asked me to fix. Took me days and days of my spare time to figure out there was something that would intermittently clog the tube in the fuel tank. I ended up putting some fine mesh screen around the tube's end, and used a small radiator clamp to tighten it down. Told boss it was time to sell it. It had completely bald tires. He was a multi millionaire, but being tight with money, would drive on bald tires. That thing would get stuck on the slightest incline that was slippery. Couldn't drive over a watermelon rind. LOL. On top of that, the Daihatsu diesels were notorious for catastrophic failure.

Coworker took over the Torchmate plasma's motherboard repairs. Parts are ordered. I will have to reload its memory. DB9 sounds right RNG. My buddy bought a twisted pair USB>DB9 cable to talk to his cnc machines. He said it came with a small cd to load a piece of software to utilize it. Our weld instructor does a demo with it. But since we have a waterjet, it prolly won't get used much.

Prayers for Buppies and wife, and our team, our country, Ukraine and ******.

 

[Popgadget]

I wish all vehicles had a dedicated pull spot in the front. Youtube is littered, literally....with videos of folks pulling off their front bumper.


The Volvo awd is good but the Subaru and Audi were better in snow.
put snow tires on an Outback and you can literally go anywhere

I used to help my neighbor that has a Christmas tree farm. Inevitably, someone would drive off the pavement back into the field to get a tree and get hopelessly stuck when the ground wasn’t frozen. Often times in expensive European sedans, not a truck, but trucks would get stuck as well.
I would take a 140 hp articulated tractor out to get them, and throw them a chain, telling them to hook it on to what ever they wanted to follow me out of the mud, suggesting that they probably wanted more than the bumper.
I still remember a BMW driver insisting that I crawl under his car in the mud because he didn’t want to get dirty. He didn’t take it well when I suggested that he should have thought of that before driving off the pavement. I left him there and suggested that he might want to call a towing service.

I agree about the Subaru Outback, it was pretty much unstoppable in the snow. Not a great or trouble free car, but best car you could ask for in the snow.

 

[txdon]

Good morning! 45˚F heading to 70˚ with a South wind and partly cloudy skies.

I got my graduation certificate and T-shirt yesterday for finishing my last day of Physical Therapy. Surgical knee flexion was 124˚, (goal of 120). I like that this place, they did not harp on the flexion degrees but concentrated on practical use and the flexion just came naturally.

Drew I can't imagine having both knees done at the same time but I know it is done.

Today will be a good day to clean out the garage. Yesterday I mowed the dead grass out of the yard and took the citrus from the garage to the back yard.

 

[scott_vt]

Good Morning Guys,
Deerfield Beach, 56 to start going to 74 !Another sunny day ! We went out last night for happy hour, went to 3 different places, and just had some starters for dinner !

Mike,hoping your milk house guy starts soon for you !

David, any chance one of your safety switches is malfunctioning when it gets hot ? Or maybe a new fuel cap ?

Buppies and Mostly prayers !

Phil, hope your back starts to feel better, and a saw mill with good prices !

Plow hog, that is some serious through the pass !

Ron , nice picture thanks !

Kyle, hopefully your leg and ankle improves!

Hope a have a blessed day !

 

[LouNY]

Morning all;
A "warm" 31F already this morning heading for a forecast 38F snow and ice becoming muddy and sloppy.

As far as pulling people out I'll agree if the stuck vehicle doesn't have a good easy to access pull point I hand the stuck owner the hook put it were ever you want. I've used a chain to tow with most of my life, but I broke down and bought a stretch rope the other day a 1" Yankum rattler, put it in a Harbor Freight tool bag with a couple of these new soft shackles, should bet a couple of steel shackles also to throw in the same bag, they get expensive with a wide enough throat to fit the tractor drawbars.

That is one thing I wish the various interfering government bodies would do is mandate a solid tow point easy to access on stuck or disabled vehicles front and rear.

Then if the manufactures and buying public would get away from these ridiculous wide and low profile tires that are only good for smooth parking lot autocross driving and a hazard on snow or even rain. And back to a narrower taller tire that actually gets traction in more places then clean dry smooth pavement which is rare to find.

Everyone have a safe and healthy day.

 

[Helogabals]

Phil, glad your back is improving or at least chilling out for you
Masseyrider, always fun getting stuck. I laugh at myself a lot...

I wish all vehicles had a dedicated pull spot in the front. Youtube is littered, literally....
with videos of folks pulling off their front bumper. I kept a long synthetic rope on the back of my big tractor in NC.
Used that rope twice, first time used a chain and while strong worried about scratching up someone's nice truck.
But if no tow hook, where to wrap it? All kinds of different suspensions.

it was nice on my Subaru, Audi and this Volvo they provide a knockout spot on the bumper to screw in a tow hook.
But when someone is down in your ditch in the snow, and the two women sure did not know much auto mechanics,
yes one on the phone where she spun. Big shady spot in front of my farm with overhanging trees. They'd hit that at 45 and whooeeee.
Up and down the street into the ditches they went. Half worn summer tires sure don't grip snow well...

So I'd have to find a place to hook up under the front. And then you don't know if the lady is going to be a lunatic and floor it.
you really have to talk to them and get on the same page.
The one guy in a 2wd old p/u with bald tires was a delight, big hook up front, got him out in two minutes.
Two of the wreckees slid/spun out on black ice, the lady in our rare one inch of snow.
She was one on the phone going almost regular speed.
clueless
but she gave me a nice smile when I pulled her out

My three Ram trucks all had tow hooks on the front and a large pull hook in the rear hitch.
marvelous trucks, too bad for the hemi tick and the body rot. Really reinforces value of getting new truck
undercoated before it sees salt. But I always felt "equipped" knowing I had those front hooks.
likely this comes from being a fireman and being ready to assist folks
When you pull from the front you can see exactly what is going on. Just need to have a very good synthetic rope
that won't come back through your windshield.

It's nice to live with the seasons. Trick for me was having a small driveway and small walkway.
And a good car with awd and good winter rated tires.
The Volvo awd is good but the Subaru and Audi were better in snow.
put snow tires on an Outback and you can literally go anywhere
and for families up North, you get home too in one piece

sorry to blather on. One of those mornings.
hard frost out, everything coated in white frost
including my car
c'mon sun

I just read Plowhog's post. Now he's the one who clearly knows how to drive in snow.

There are those kinetic energy recovery ropes. Do you know them ?

They work great on ice. Actually I have pulled Scania truck with Volvo XC70.

There comes a little sheet with rope showing max speed with given weight of tractor. Simple as that

Just first example, not so impressive, but still

I have seen video where Bundeswehr recovers Leopard tank with such type of rope

 

[m7040]

64°F and .19 inches of much need rain.

No success with my fuel tank clean out other than getting it cleaned out. Tractor started right up after. Let it run about 45 minutes then decided might as well mow abit. Not even a complete circuit and it stalled. Stalled another half dozen times getting back to shed.

Off to Hilo town this morning. Sophie has her ophthalmologist appointment. Need to do a few errands including a resupply from the Brewery.

Prayers for all
Be safe
Have a great day

David, not sure I can add much that has not been said already. I had one mystery problem on the ZT mower with stalling after 10 mins or so while switched to the right tank. Cleaned the tank and blew out the lines as much I could but still no success. Had to get the tank off the mower and found a small piece of acorn or something like it that I think caused some intermittent blocking of the fuel line.

 

[kenmbz]

Morning all, 25 going to 49 and cloudy.

Helo - always love seeing a good installation. Have seen enough bad ones.

Wngsprd - sorry about MIL multiple falls. Did you get her one of those call button things? It saved my GM when she fell down the stairs once.

Wife's last two BMWs had bumper hook locations front/back with hook in trunk lid.

Need to buy a few more furring strips and some other little bits to finish off garage. Only one difficult panel left to do, the rest are smaller partials and trim, woohoo,
See if I can get wife to pick out paint for garage shelves so I can redo them. Nice metal shelves.

And start getting parts/paint for closet project. Buying small dresser, move and remove shelves and bar hanger. Pretty easy stuff, but cleaning all the stuff out will not be fun

Then sort and organize garage so it's usable again as workshop and band practice area.

Hopefull some time outside if the ground solidifies to buck fallen trees and move them out.

Be well,

 

[RedNeckGeek]

Good Morning!!!! 55F @ 5:15AM. Considerable cloudiness with occasional rain showers. Expect mist and reduced visibilities at times. High 59F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%.
This latest storm came in about 6PM yesterday, accompanied by 25 MPH winds and sometimes heavy rain. Blew itself out about 3AM today, with 1.4" of accumulation.
Noticed something banging around on this side of the house when I went to bed, got dressed and grabbed a flashlight to go find what it was. I'd not closed the door on a breaker panel properly, and it was complaining loudly. Otherwise no rattles or squeaks, and the drain line out to the curb kept the back patio from flooding again. Plenty of leaks from the porch cover, though. It's always something.

There are some high wind warnings still up for I-5 in the Tracy to Sacramento area this morning, but I expect the system to keep moving and see the warnings drop well before we get up there. I say we because my landscaper buddy down here can't work in the rain, so has decided to tag along and help with the schlepping this trip. The 10-day down here is calling for rain every day until a week from Friday, with another storm riding in over this weekend.

Nice to see you back, Helo, and to see the progress on the new building. I'm curious to learn about the smart home components you've chosen for it. I've had good luck with the Lutron Caseta wall switches, and the Ecobee Lite thermostat. I'm thinking you'll be using something more industrial?

Glad the tractor started and bailed you out, MR. All part of getting old, but at least you were prepared.

All this talk of pulling and synthetic rope. The come along I've been using to load the trailer is a little short in reach, so yesterday I ordered a Wyeth-Scott Amsteel Power Puller with a much longer synthetic rope. Got tired of wrestling with the stiff and cranky steel cable on the old one, too. Hope it arrives in time to be of some use on the next trip.

Once I pulled the toilet to fix the closet flange yesterday, I noticed that the shut off valve was leaking. After reading up on the thinset I'd purchased to secure the flange, I decided to make the trip to HD and exchange it for a polymer concrete compound and a new shut off valve. The 1/2" copper pipe sticking out of the wall was pretty short and I had a hard time getting the compression ring off of it. Used the vibrating saw to cut off the nut/fitting, but in the process nicked the pipe. So down to the local hardware store for a coupler and some solder and flux, but water in the tube prevented me from getting it hot enough. The clerk had suggested to repair it with a shark bite fitting, so I returned for one, cleaned up the solder mess, and by some miracle the fitting didn't leak. Two small batches of the new concrete filled up the empty space under the closet flange, and what had expanded into an almost all day job was done. Did I mention how much I hate plumbing?

In among all that I finished loading the van and trailer, got the trailer hitch lubed and mounted, and pulled the rig out onto the street since it won't all fit in the driveway. We're shooting for an 8 AM departure this morning.

Hang in there, gang, Friday's comin'!

 

[Looking4new]

Good morning, the low is 32 and going to a high of 36°F. Wind W 5 mph. 40% chance of showers. Foggy.

Went to bed at 0100 and got up at 0800. That is late for me.

Going to take the roof off the tractor and see if I can change the 3 or 4 relays that are there. Maybe that will fix my electrical problem. Fingers crossed. About noon I will start that job.

I found a place in New Brunswick that makes and sells wheel spacers. I don't need them for stability, I need them for clearance for the tire chains on the rear. Probably get a pair for the front, too. I will go 2" on the rear and 1.5" on the front.

I found that the 'all wheel drive' on the Journey was the fastest way to get stuck in the snow, even with snow tires. So in snow or on ice, I disable the AWD and just go with the front wheel drive.

I'll do the dump/town run tomorrow.
Only burned $45.oo worth of gas last month. Wish I could do that every month. Fat chance.
Forgot to go to the jewelers' so that will wait until the February trip.
Junior replaced his computer chair. It cost him about $300.oo. Mine will come when my income tax rebate comes back.

Regarding towing,b I have the number of the local tow company on speed dial. I don't have insurance to cover towing other vehicles. And NO I will NOT pay your tow bill. As for towing with a chain, I have been on the end of a 30' chain running 60 mph on a paved 'back road' up near Timmins, ON. Great fun! All I have ever used for towing has been a chain.

That is 'it' for this wall of text,.

Stay safe and get healthy all who aren't

 

[m7040]

Had the Unimog stuck in mud up to the axels and with portal drives for each wheel means the axel is up high. Broke a chain trying to pull it out but successfully pulled it out out with the flexible tow strap. Hooked it to the tow bar on the tractor and backed it up to prevent it flipping and took a run at it. Moved a little on each try and was able to pull it out

 

[riptides]

...

Mike,hoping your milk house guy starts soon for you !

...

It did not go very well.

I'll be looking for a different carpenter and tile guy.

It did not go well at all. At least I kept my cool. But dang it...I am hot right now.

When the wife gets back, this will sure be another forest fire to contend with.

UFB

 

[Popgadget]

Good Morning
It’s 32° with a high in the low 40’s under a partly cloudy sky. Visibilities are improving, presently 3 miles or so.

Haven’t really had anything noteworthy to report, just grey days and soggy ground, so no outside work. Been walking Zoe on leash because she turns into a muddy mess if I let her run.
Catching up with some TSA paperwork for the inevitable ( but not scheduled yet) audit.
Got a call to play electric bass tonight, and I’m scheduled to play with the regular group tomorrow night, so there’s that.

 

[Helogabals]

Nice to see you back, Helo, and to see the progress on the new building. I'm curious to learn about the smart home components you've chosen for it. I've had good luck with the Lutron Caseta wall switches, and the Ecobee Lite thermostat. I'm thinking you'll be using something more industrial?

Me too, really like the looks of installation. Guys have right attitude. And are not ripping my pants off

System is based on Jung (D). And with KNX protocol. If I am not wrong, in my house there are only one switch which works really like classic switch. All other just looks like switches, but in fact are push buttons, connected by CAT5 cable to KNX "logic machine" which gives command to lamps. Maybe sounds like a bit over-engineered, but you can't achieve smart goals with simple tools. Goal is to adjust automatically intensity of lights and color T.

Tomorrow here should come programmer, to start set up of "logic machine".


I mean, tricky will be with the blinds. Really can't imagine, how to command them with just a button. Tap, double-tap, long hold is all we have ...
But I want to stop blinds in the middle, adjust angle, shut completely.
Those guys were confident, to find the right logic. I trust them, but still. Curios.

Here pic from summer, how southern facade looks like. You can see that all blinds can be set individually and different. that is done by me, manually, just playing with bare wires

 

[sodamo]

65°F and no rain.

Yesterday successfully eaten up by small errands. Glad to get home. Had lunch at McD first time in a long time. Rather disappointed in the new Double Big Mac. While I’ve come not to expect the product to match the pic this wasn’t even close. Wally World didn’t have proper battery for my Mule.

Will be piddling around this morning. Probably start with checking out the LS fuel cap.

H & F at friends this afternoon.

Prayers for all
Be safe
Have a great day