What's everybody doing today?

[Patchouli]

I was able to spend a few hours with an uncle and his son, my cousin, who I haven't seen in twenty years. My uncle visits from Florida once every year or two because he's in charge of my grandmother's farm trust. But my cousin lives in Arizona, where he's a musician and a charter school principal (and somewhat of a hippie) and he just doesn't come back to his roots. It was beautiful to spend a few hours with them.

This evening I will visit my mother at the nursing home where she continues to recover from a broken leg she sustained in a fall a few weeks ago. We are hopeful that she can regain mobility but there was a small shatter in the break and the doctors say the surgery to repair it is too risky for an 81 year old woman. She's in good spirits and enjoyed a visit from my uncle earlier today...

Spike, I hope your mom can mend up quickly. I encounter people who are considered elderly every day and they are still rather rambunctious. Glad you got to meet with your relatives.

 

[Peanut]

@Biggkidd I went back and read all the posts about your electric fence. The only time I saw the same symptoms you’ve experienced was when I first moved back to the family farm. It was a system dad set up when he first got back in the cattle business a few years earlier (dad knows little about electricity). He was running about 2 miles of fence.

I went through every part, checked every insulator, replaced as needed. He had a bunch of splices in the line, I repaired/reworked those. I improved its performance but it still wasn’t as it should be. Lastly, I redid the grounding. I went from 1 ground rod to 4, spread them over 15ft and switched to solid copper wire. That solved it, the real issue all along.

Nothing you’ve tried so far has really worked. Me, I’d rework the grounding, 4 to 5 rods and make sure the fence charger and the battery/solar system share the same ground rods. I wish you luck…

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Nothing going on here but the tv and laundry. I got another 2 inches of rain, that makes 6.5” for the week. Everything outside is a soggy mess. My cousin said her ducks went on strike today…

 

[Bacpacker]

Another busy week at work. Rained some everyday. On the plus side the garden is looking good. Needs to dry out a little so I can work the weeds out again.

 

[Biggkidd]

@Biggkidd I went back and read all the posts about your electric fence. The only time I saw the same symptoms you’ve experienced was when I first moved back to the family farm. It was a system dad set up when he first got back in the cattle business a few years earlier (dad knows little about electricity). He was running about 2 miles of fence.

I went through every part, checked every insulator, replaced as needed. He had a bunch of splices in the line, I repaired/reworked those. I improved its performance but it still wasn’t as it should be. Lastly, I redid the grounding. I went from 1 ground rod to 4, spread them over 15ft and switched to solid copper wire. That solved it, the real issue all along.

Nothing you’ve tried so far has really worked. Me, I’d rework the grounding, 4 to 5 rods and make sure the fence charger and the battery/solar system share the same ground rods. I wish you luck…

--------------------

Nothing going on here but the tv and laundry. I got another 2 inches of rain, that makes 6.5” for the week. Everything outside is a soggy mess. My cousin said her ducks went on strike today…

I'm not going back electric on this section UNLESS it's a single hotwire at the base. This area is about 3 acres and all done with field fence now. But I am getting ready to run a LOT of electric on another area and I will be sure to use more grounds along with a full length ground wire as the bottom run of wire. Going to run around a half mile 5 to 7 strands. Just depends on how thing work out.
Just today I replaced the last piece of welded wire fence on the three acre field with field fence. I still need to tighten a few areas and replace a bunch of metal posts with wood.

 

[The Lazy L]

It's down on the ground!

Have a large hickory tree in the front yard that is slowly dying. 2 years ago a huge limb partially broke off but the bark kept it suspended. As far and safely as I could I cut the limb off as fas as I could reach up. It will fall down this winter I thought. It didn't. Well when the spring thunderstorms roll in! It didn't. I hooked the Mule to it and pulled in every which direction. It didn't. I hooked the truck to it! It didn't.

Grandkids are coming to visit. Yes I can warn the parents, place barricades under the limb but...

Leaned the 8 foot step ladder against the backside of the tree. Now my adjustable handle trim saw is long enough to reach. Well a half hour later of moving my arms in a up and downward has turn my arms into noodles. But I have managed to cut have of what was holding it to the tree and limb had drop about 2 feet. Tied a rope around the end and started pulling the limb ever which way. That also most did it! Heavy end of the limb is now touching the ground but the other end is still attached to the tree by a 2" piece of bark. For a dying tree that bark sure is tough! Reached up with my tree saw and ... TIMBER! Limp is now totaling laying on the ground and no danger to the grandkids!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[UrbanHunter]

The visit to the dentist office today left me with a sore mouth and stitches. It may have made me a little grumpy.... I am in the process of re-designing my indoor growing station, I have the shelf spacing right (4 shelves, with 3 heights), but I want to have shelf lighting set up to mimic Natural light transitions (morning, noon, and afternoon), my thinking that making the plants bend a little to follow the light might give them some exercise and make them stronger and less leggy.
I think I can do it with 2 timed circuits per shelf.

 

[LadyLocust]

Well, this was kinda one of those weeks. To give you an example and a laugh, on Tuesday, we were on a job site and I stepped up on the tire of the pick up to reach in the back for a clamp and my favorite pair of jeans finally called it quits. Luckily, I had a longer over shirt on and it was only Hubby and I there at the time. So though I'm pretty sure I was really in style there for a bit, I had to get back home and change jeans before heading back to work. The rest of the week just followed suit. I was supposed to have today off and ended up having to leave early to head to another town to pick up a rail and get it back before the client needed to pick it up.
Tomorrow evening, we are heading almost over the mountain to treat the dad's to prime rib since we have a funeral to attend on Father's Day. It is supposed to rain tonight and unlike most of you, we actually really need it. We are in drought conditions for this time of year.

 

[Amish Heart]

I got a bunch of yardwork done this morning, planted a large blueberry and the echinacheas. Got watering done. I was drenched in sweat way before noon. The humidity and heat today were pretty unbareable. 90 percent and in the 90's in temp. Have the dehumidifiers running and they are helping some.
Twins sweet 16 today, had presents after granddaughter got off work, and some cookies. Their party with friends is tomorrow, a barbeque dinner. We have an early morning birthday party for 2 cousins tomorrow, a brother and sister, so earlier to bed for me today. Early being 8:30, not early by my cousin's standards, but early for me

 

[Weedygarden]

90 percent and in the 90's in temp. Have the dehumidifiers running and they are helping some.

You probably had what we had yesterday. We had 99 degrees yesterday, but in the low 80s today. Such a different day today.
Three dog park visits today, grocery shopping, exchange at WM and a visit with pastor.

 

[Pearl]

I was able to spend a few hours with an uncle and his son, my cousin, who I haven't seen in twenty years. My uncle visits from Florida once every year or two because he's in charge of my grandmother's farm trust. But my cousin lives in Arizona, where he's a musician and a charter school principal (and somewhat of a hippie) and he just doesn't come back to his roots. It was beautiful to spend a few hours with them.

This evening I will visit my mother at the nursing home where she continues to recover from a broken leg she sustained in a fall a few weeks ago. We are hopeful that she can regain mobility but there was a small shatter in the break and the doctors say the surgery to repair it is too risky for an 81 year old woman. She's in good spirits and enjoyed a visit from my uncle earlier today...

Prayers for your mom! I clean houses for a living and work for a lot of older people, many over 90. It amazes me how resilient the over 80 bunch is. We have a lot to learn

 

[Neb]

Probably not useful at this point....but the best way I found to make curved plaster wall sections is to cut a sonotube down one side and unroll it and then screw the edges to the wall for backer material. My whole house is naturally round but I had a cieling in a stairwell that I need to be curved and that was my solution.

What is sonotube?

I used 2 layers of 1/4 fexible drywall that I soaked with water but that gave marginal results that will need a lot of hand work with spackling to finish proper. Since my house is anything but square every sheet called for a new template because each layer was a different size. The groins and corners may get expanded steel mesh and plater to simplify things. It would at least save time.

The final results don't have to be perfect since we intend to go with a rough sand finish to imply an excavation.

Ben

 

[UrbanHunter]

The wife needs stuff from the fabric store, they don't open till after 09:00 totally fowls up my day. I guess I can hit a couple of stores for canned goods, then hit the fabric store, then visit the outdoor store (they open at 10).... The really bad thing is I hate shopping in the middle of the day, and I really hate shopping on a saturday....

And my jaw hurts, I think the bone grew over the screw cause I think I heard him using a pick to break off some bone to put in the spacer....

I'm still grumpy.

 

[Neb]

The visit to the dentist office today left me with a sore mouth and stitches. It may have made me a little grumpy.... I am in the process of re-designing my indoor growing station, I have the shelf spacing right (4 shelves, with 3 heights), but I want to have shelf lighting set up to mimic Natural light transitions (morning, noon, and afternoon), my thinking that making the plants bend a little to follow the light might give them some exercise and make them stronger and less leggy.
I think I can do it with 2 timed circuits per shelf.

I knew some people growing ocrea inside that used oscillating fans to give the plants some exercise.

I inherited about 10 dead fans to harvest the copper from them.

Now that all of yor shelves are on wheels can you slide them together and just adjust the timers between shelves to simulate the sun motion?

Ben

 

[UrbanHunter]

You got it @Neb I also found a fan helps the tomatoes make fruit. I am squeezing all my plants into 1 small area, I made a set of curtain rods for the outer edge of each growing station, by adding a clear shower curtain between each station I can limit transmission of bugs between stations, I think it will also keep the heat from the lights with the plants. I wish I were a writer, I could write about cubic foot gardening....

 

[Aerindel]

What is sonotube?

I used 2 layers of 1/4 fexible drywall that I soaked with water but that gave marginal results that will need a lot of hand work with spackling to finish proper. Since my house is anything but square every sheet called for a new template because each layer was a different size. The groins and corners may get expanded steel mesh and plater to simplify things. It would at least save time.

The final results don't have to be perfect since we intend to go with a rough sand finish to imply an excavation.

Ben

Its very thick, cardboard tubing used for forms when pouring concrete pillars. It comes in a variety of diameters, up to several feet across. 'Sonotube' is a brand name but at this point its like 'kleenex' and is just a generic term for anything like it. The stuff I used was the quikcrete brand from lowes but its the same thing.

You can cut it up and use it to easily make curved wall sections. Plaster sticks to it well and its relatively cheap. People use it sometimes to make round skylight wells etc too, which is where I first saw it used as a plaster backer and got the idea.

 

[Neb]

Its very thick, cardboard tubing used for forms when pouring concrete pillars. It comes in a variety of diameters, up to several feet across. 'Sonotube' is a brand name but at this point its like 'kleenex' and is just a generic term for anything like it. The stuff I used was the quikcrete brand from lowes but its the same thing.

You can cut it up and use it to easily make curved wall sections. Plaster sticks to it well and its relatively cheap. People use it sometimes to make round skylight wells etc too, which is where I first saw it used as a plaster backer and got the idea.

I have to check my radius.

Thank you

Ben

 

[Biggkidd]

So on the way to feed I got the crazy idea to zip tie the tie rod end together. (on the 4 wheeler) I stopped at the shop and did that. Amazingly I think it actually worked seeing as it didn't pop off once and by afternoon it was happening about 3 times for a trip from here to yon. Lol house to critter pen. Almost positive I have tie rod ends here SOMEWHERE! I know who in their right mind keeps tie rod ends on hand? Remember I never claimed to be in my right mind! hahaha

Not sure if it's actually as nasty misty out there as it seemed or if it's just all the residual moisture in the air and everything else.

 

[UrbanHunter]

Anybody who has ever used bailing wire to hold a tie-rod end on to get home...... Just a me thing (I kept my old ones when I changed my out, with a tag on them so I remember where they came from). I have stuff migrate onto my shelves and I have no idea why...

Well, slept in till 05;00, been to HD, sprayed my plants, WM is opening now so I'll post more on my break.

 

[Curmudgeon]

We have been hitting community wide garage sales the last couple of days. We typically go to the upscale neighborhoods first, as they buy things and then sell them dirt cheap.

Thursday I bought a pristine Lenovo laptop for 30 bucks, it doesn't look like it was ever out of it's packaging, it was but was taken good care of. It works flawlessly, Windows 10 will take some getting used to.

Yesterday I found a Rigid reciprocating saw (sawsall) in it's own soft case for 5 bucks, looks like it was used very little. I also found a home theater system new, never opened for 15 bucks, 450 watts, plays CD's and DVD's.

 

[UrbanHunter]

Hit WM, picked up lots of canned goods, cream of X... things that I eat like beans & stew in smaller cans. I find I need to stock in 2 general sizes; larger for family meals and smaller (<16oz) cans that I can use for a quick lunch. Also got cleaning supplies, medical stuff, and distilled water.

The wife's CPAP drinks about a gallon every 3 weeks, on the son's last visit he told his mom (who told me) that I had 10 gallons of distilled water on a shelf in the basement... Wife asked me what are you going to do about that? My answer, don't worry I pick up the 8 gallons that we're short next time I'm at WM....

Checking out with 2 carts and 1 person is a bit of a pain... But I'm almost half way through shopping for the day... next stop the fabric store. The wife also wants me to hit a few stores looking for her favorite juice, her instructions are... if they have it take it..... all.

 

[txcatlady]

Planning to go to my 4th daughters class reunion today. I taught that class. How have they been out for 20 years already? Nobody in my class is planning to gather for our 50th next year. I have hosted 2-3 in past, but totally out of touch with others in class.

 

[snappy1]

Yesterday was another busy day! Started out taking Peanut to the vet as she was having lots of congestion and problems breathing and her nose has been hot and dry since she came home from teeth cleaning on Tuesday. Now she is on antibiotics for the congestion and steroids/ antihistamine for breathing issues. She is already doing much better!
Came home and walked (pretty warm by then), walked dogs.
Made 18 pints of Dilly Beans and 9 pints of Pickled beans (sweet-ish).
Got ingredients together to bake this morning for funeral.

This morning walked, walked dogs.
Made spoon bread and an apple crumble--both in oven now.
Going to Church at 11 am to set up, serve, and then clean after funeral dinner.

Thank God that the fellow who is going to till the garden said he can't do it today. I need a day of rest! Haven't stopped for even half a day since I got back.

Hope you all have a good weekend!

 

[Pearl]

So

Yesterday was another busy day! Started out taking Peanut to the vet as she was having lots of congestion and problems breathing and her nose has been hot and dry since she came home from teeth cleaning on Tuesday. Now she is on antibiotics for the congestion and steroids/ antihistamine for breathing issues. She is already doing much better!
Came home and walked (pretty warm by then), walked dogs.
Made 18 pints of Dilly Beans and 9 pints of Pickled beans (sweet-ish).
Got ingredients together to bake this morning for funeral.

This morning walked, walked dogs.
Made spoon bread and an apple crumble--both in oven now.
Going to Church at 11 am to set up, serve, and then clean after funeral dinner.

Thank God that the fellow who is going to till the garden said he can't do it today. I need a day of rest! Haven't stopped for even half a day since I got back.

Hope you all have a good weekend!

You too!

 

[Amish Heart]

We are in the middle of the twins 16th bday barbeque party. We haven't started the grill yet, but will soon. They've been upstairs for the past hour, and now just came down. Looking at the baby chickens and guineas in the brooders in the dining room. Hmmm. This is going to be a long evening. 2 boys, 4 girls, plus little granddaughter. Lots of giggling. Basically at this age, we provide food and get out of the way.

 

[Peanut]

Another day sitting and doing pc clean up work. I did place a component order today, decided to revamp this pc. It’ll be good to go for another 3 years if the cpu chip holds out. After 5 straight days of rain it’s too soggy outside to do anything.

The sun came out for a few short periods, maybe 20 or 30 minutes each time. I actually thought we’d get by without rain… but about 4pm thunder started rattling windows, got another 1+ inches of rain. I thought about going to WM this evening but it’s gotten very foggy out. The last few miles into town is along the edge of the swamp and river, visibility will be 0. So much for that idea.

I don’t do class reunions, only 3 people I’d like to see, 2 are dead and the other disappeared 40 years ago. I was the last person to see him. I saw him at a music festival over in GA, 300 miles from our home town, what are the odds? He was riding with a biker gang, no telling what ever happened to him. Shame, he had a genius level IQ, brilliant and hysterically funny.

No plans for the evening but tv and working on plant photos…

 

[Neb]

Another day sitting and doing pc clean up work. I did place a component order today, decided to revamp this pc. It’ll be good to go for another 3 years if the cpu chip holds out. After 5 straight days of rain it’s too soggy outside to do anything.

The sun came out for a few short periods, maybe 20 or 30 minutes each time. I actually thought we’d get by without rain… but about 4pm thunder started rattling windows, got another 1+ inches of rain. I thought about going to WM this evening but it’s gotten very foggy out. The last few miles into town is along the edge of the swamp and river, visibility will be 0. So much for that idea.

I don’t do class reunions, only 3 people I’d like to see, 2 are dead and the other disappeared 40 years ago. I was the last person to see him. I saw him at a music festival over in GA, 300 miles from our home town, what are the odds? He was riding with a biker gang, no telling what ever happened to him. Shame, he had a genius level IQ, brilliant and hysterically funny.

No plans for the evening but tv and working on plant photos…

Re: Class reunions

Aside from a couple of HS thespians i haven seen in 30 or more years, the rest of my buddies checked out at or before age 50. 13 years ago.

Many if them were as you wrote " had a genius level IQ, brilliant and hysterically funny. "

But they all had their mark on me and still live on in their influence on who I am.

Ben

 

[Biggkidd]

Well I just walked in the door. Went about 100 miles round trip to get a HUGE bag (1500 lbs) of peanut skins which are 26% protein for the critters. Got enough of the new fence stapled to cut the end and move the tractor out of the way. Got a plastic pallet to put the feed on and pulled it off the truck without issue. Fed the new feed which the pigs really liked cows not so much and I really can't say about the goats. I was watching the cows. lol I mixed up a bucket of it with water and then the cows seemed to like it a lot better. Guess I'm going to need another garden hose run over to the feed for mixing. Half ass built a rain shelter over it using a used roll up garage door and a cow panel also have fence around it in a triangle. That was just the way it worked out wasn't intentional. I'll likely do something better when rain isn't an immediate threat. Took another 10 foot piece of cow panel and made a shelf they can eat off of without walking all over the hay or having pigs all over the hay. Problem there is the dang goats still managed to get up on it. But it's okay I've got another idea that will workout better I think. It also has the added bonus of it will stop the daily moving of hay for me. I also want to make a feed trough up high enough for the cows and figure out a way to keep the goats out of it. I don't mind the goats eating the same feed as the cows it's them getting in it that's the problem. I feel like I moved in the right direction anyway. Won;t be all that much longer and I'll have enough done to separate the goats cows and pigs I hope and I really want to get the male pigs separated from the females. One day at a time!

 

[Bacpacker]

Drove to near Atlanta and back. Went to help celebrate our 1 yo great nephew. Glad we are back home. Drove thru a major thunderstorm for about 30 minutes. We saw it before we got there. Temp dropped 22 degrees in about 5 miles. Traffic got bad, but kept moving and had no problems.

 

[UrbanHunter]

After I finished doing the shopping (hit 9 stores total) got everything unloaded and ready to be dated and Inventoried.

The wife and I hung 2 of the draperies she has been making. Then she was hungry, I baked her some french fries and breaded shrimp, while she was eating supper I went out and mowed the lawn, finished just as I lost the light. Came in to clean up and realized that I need to do laundry but the wife needed a shower, so I held back the laundry till she was finished. I am now on my second load of laundry for the night, there are 4 more waiting, but if I can get the second one in the dryer and the 3rd one in the wash I will call it a day.

If I get up before 05:00 I can have the other 3 done before 9AM, that way we won't miss church tomorrow.

It's funny how these weekend days can just wear you out...

 

[zannej]

Cats broke an antique oil lamp. It was on the highest surface in the kitchen and they've never been able to get up there before. Must have jumped from a bookcase 6ft away. It shattered and spilled oil all over the floor. Had to spread baking soda over it to soak it up. I'm letting it sop it up for now and will sweep it up and clean with dish detergent in the morning. Back was not cooperating enough to work on it tonight.