Good morning!!!!

[toppop52]

Mid thirties all day with light snow, mixing with rain at times. No accumulation.

I was having pain in my leg and getting worse, went to the doc, now I’m on Bactrim for a few days. Already feeling better. Way less pain.
Doc is studying pathology report. He said if anymore tissue has to be removed it’ll require hospitalization.
Praying it won’t.

Buppies, I’m sorry you can’t catch a break, I hope you feel better.

Don, I’m sorry about Gray2, but we know there’ll be no mice near the Rainbow Bridge.

 

[newbury]

Drew, I had the good fortune to get to build and service pipe organs for about five years. Aeolian eventually merged with the Skinner Organ Company, and became the premier organ builder in the US through most of the 20th century, Aeolian-Skinner. Their instruments and pipes are still sought at great value. However, they eventually fell in the '70s to the same killer that gets pretty much every organ company; building a giant organ.

While working for Wicks Organ Company, I met a gentleman from Birmingham AL by the name of Barry Norris, who has over the course of many years turned his residence into a giant pipe organ. At 200 ranks (over 12K pipes), it's already considerably larger than the Longwood instrument, and he is still adding to it all the time.

The pipe organ is truly a magnificent instrument. And no, there aren't many still being made. They've gotten so expensive that most churches simply can't afford one. A moderately sized new organ for a moderately sized church will start anywhere from $300-400,000. Even a rebuild and modernization of an old instrument can run $100K and up. Most churches these days just go the route of a digital organ or the praise band direction.

I had a small 2-rank (134 pipes) organ in the living room of my old house. I bought it from a church near Perryville MO after they suffered tornado damage, and didn't want to take it to their new location. I spent a long time rebuilding it with modern wiring and new electrical contacts (it was originally built in the 1940s, and had all cloth-covered wiring). When I got married and moved here, my Wife's old farm house only has eight foot ceilings, and the case for the organ was just under 10 feet tall. So, I put it in storage and eventually sold it to a friend who is still building and servicing organs. I believe it's currently serving a small church in rural Missouri again.

Wicks Opus 1384 in my living room.
View attachment 724104

Me working on one of the four new wire harnesses for the pedal keyboard, soldering 128 horseshoe connectors onto telephone cables
View attachment 724105

The top board for the wind chest inside the case, getting new wiring for the electric valves that open to allow air into the pipes
View attachment 724106

I've been a pipe organ nerd for as long as I can remember. Owning one in my home, even if only for five or six years, was a lifelong goal met.

I can just imagine your pick up line -
"Would you like to come over and see my organ"

 

[txdon]

Thanks for the kind thoughts for Gray2.

Got some good news today, there was a cancelation and now my knee gets resurfaced before Christmas.

Now I'm really watching out so the lingering Covid cases don't get me, and cause me to cancel. There are still about 60 new cases every day in the county and when I was in the gardens one guy said his wife had covid and she had been vaccinated.

 

[rswyan]

Was 28F and cloudy @ 02:00 this afternoon, high only made it up to 29.3F. Light dusting of snow as Rich mentioned.

Got hopper feeder refilled yesterday. (Lots of bird activity out there this morning/afternoon)

Got downstairs fish fed as well, also moved water jugs that were refilled from stationary tubs over to fish room.

Cleaned the adhesive off a couple dozen old plastic peanut butter/mayo jars, will use to store small items: fasteners, nails, etc. Worked some on that today.

Drained about 30 gallons of water and sediment out of the hot water tank, dumped another 5 gallons out of it today - just to make sure I got most of the crud. Was surprised at how much came out and how cruddy it was. (The water has been softened by the time it gets to the water heater)

Heater was manufactured in 2012, probably also installed around that time. May pull the anode later this week and have a look at it. Understand a magnesium one provides better protection.

Carted some trash/recyclables up from the basement to go to the cans at the road. Probably several more bags to bring up.

Cleaned off top of table saw.

Trimmed a piece of 3/4 plywood with the angles for the roof on small bird nest box, also got it glued and screwed on to the rest of the box. Cleaned up entry hole in the front door with hole saw.

Need to cut slots for L screws to secure the front door and get the door put on, think I am short one L screw (need two)

Earlier today:

Refilled hopper feeder and brought one of the sunflower tube feeders in to refill, didn't get it filled and put back out before it got dark.

Noticed deer browsing around hopper feeder late this afternoon, looks like they noticed me as well:

So I grabbed a bucket and threw some whole corn in it and headed out to give them a little dinner.

Of course they bounded off over to the woods but stopped before they got too far and turned around to watch. Made a bunch of noise, swirling the corn around in the bucket with the scoop before I threw it out on the ground.

It wasn't too long before they came back looking for treats ... :

Cleaned out a little bit of semi-solid glue out of the TiteBond III bottle and then laid another bead on the inside rear of the roof of the roost box.

Emptied out the whole house vacuum.

Sorted small parts into plastic jars.

General clean up back in the utility room in the basement.

Cleaned off soles of old boots. Clean and oil the uppers tonight and then see about getting them into the repair shop.

Called and confirmed tele-medicine appointment.

Fed upstairs fish.

Grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup for dinner plus the last piece of pizza from yesterday.

Hope everyone had a great day ...

 

[rswyan]

Don,

Sorry to hear of Gray2's passing.

Buppies,

Hope you are feeling better soon and other health issues resolve quickly.

Same goes for you Top ...

 

[rswyan]

RS are you losing ash tree to the emerald borer?

I suspect so as they are here in this area. Have never actually seen the adults flying around but have seen their exit holes on the trees where they emerge.

Ohio implemented a state-wide quarantine in 2010 in all 88 counties. Still in effect as far as I know.

Lots of ash trees dying, including mid-age trees that are not fully mature.

The good news I guess, is that ash trees tend to be pretty prolific and we have lots of volunteers sprouting up all over.

Bad news is probably that it's endemic at this point.

Glad your bush trimming went well ...

 

[buckeyefarmer]

Don, sorry about Gray2.

Little snow flurries on way to work, nothing to write home about, but enough for a tbn mention.

Busy at work, they want to deliver before Christmas and I don’t see it happening.

Someone came to Bible study tonight hacking a lung, they had a mask on, but why come if you are like that?

Peddling away furiously to catch mostly. Seats not real comfortable.

My phone data is maxed out till 10th, so no tbn during the day, was too busy anyways.

Neighbor cats like coming over to visit.

 

[Buppies]

Got to work this morning everything good till 10:20 felt terrible like sugar low that’s not it threw up twice totally dehydrated wife came and got me. There is a black cloud following me.

Don sorry about Grey2

PJ that you worked on organs is fascinating

Toppop hope the antibiotics clear it up fast

Rich I really enjoy your story sad commentary on our medical profession Popagadget sorry for your experience as well

 

[RedNeckGeek]

Heater was manufactured in 2012, probably also installed around that time. May pull the anode later this week and have a look at it. Understand a magnesium one provides better protection.

The last two water heater problems I've had involved what I think is called the dip tube, the cold water inlet tube that runs from the top to the bottom of the tank. In both cases, it had broken loose at the top so that cold water stayed in the upper reaches of the tank and never really got hot. They get brittle with age, so it might be a good "while I'm at it" job to stick a new one of those in there, too.

 

[toppop52]

Don,

Sorry to hear of Gray2's passing.

Buppies,

Hope you are feeling better soon and other health issues resolve quickly.

Same goes for you Top ...

Thank you.