What's everybody doing today?

[MoBookworm1957]

I drove my daughter up to the high school this morning. (You know, because 6/10ths of a mile is soooo far to walk...). It's a beautiful morning so I spent a half hour going out to the lake to take pictures. I normally wouldn't do that, but the Good Lord outdid Himself today...
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There's something about days like today, when the air is still and cold, that makes a person feel alive...

Beautiful

 

[MoBookworm1957]

Dishes done.
2 loads of laundry washed,dried, and hung up, put away.
Made potato soup for supper in the crock pot.
So will have hot food for several days.
Walked this morning.
Was blessed today, received several very nice sweaters, several nice long sleeve shirts,
These nice clothes were payment for sewing Christmas night gowns, boys pj's,fleece robes for 6 children under the age
12.
And no I don't ask where they got the clothes.
But they had a death in the family recently, so I figured that's where they come from.
Delivered the pants I had hemmed this morning.
Connecting blocks for a blanket for Christmas.
It will go in gift cabinet for Christmas.

 

[txcatlady]

Repairman came today and put new part on my 1 year old stove and hooked new electric plug today. Been broken for 5 weeks. Had to cook supper tonight

 

[INresponse]

I had to drive to town for some errands this morning. About 2pm started taping and mudding the ceiling upstairs. The corners take forever but got about 1/4 of the ceiling done. I am using the mesh tape and mudding with a knife because the banjo is too messy and a pain in the azz, but to me it is worth it to take longer instead of dealing with the messy and difficult banjo and I the mesh and knife method gives a cleaner finish. I am not a pro, and never will be a drywall pro, so learning to use that efficiently is not worth the mess or the lousy finish. I suspect I will be pealing some of the paper tape off in the future and re-taping with the mesh.
Tomorrow, all day drywall tape and mud. My shoulders looked more defined after hanging the drywall, I suspect they will be solid and ripped after I finish taping this beast.

 

[Spikedriver]

Made it to the job site, just north of Mankato, 0416 in the morning. Made it in 3.5 hours including a gas and coffee stop and a bathroom break. Made it in pretty good time. Now, just gotta stay awake for a 10 hour work day...

 

[UrbanHunter]

Today is going to be a regular work day, but back is still hurting so I will not be good company...

 

[zannej]

I'm trying to wake myself up. I feel like a slacker compared to the rest of you folks. I wish I had the energy & motivation to do more. Legs, shoulder, and back are bugging me today.

Jim, yikes, that's expensive! But yeah, with the cost of all of the supplies going up, I understand why. Lumber is so high right now-- metal too. I wish it was easier to find surplus/old stock stuff.

I will need plywood for the bathroom floors & unless prices go back down (which I doubt) it's really going to suck. I wish I'd purchased more stuff before prices went up.

 

[snappy1]

Walked first this morning and walked dogs.
Watered rose garden.
Picked up car from mechanics. May know what the problem is. Taking it back tomorrow after DH runs around some.
Did ebay photos for DH.
Am re-canning salsa, tomato sauce and spaghetti sauce.
Will do pedicure tonight and relax.

 

[Amish Heart]

Went to Dollar Tree, husband's allergy shot, and to Tractor for turkey food stock up. Chick fil a for a chicken salad. Also got some extra rabbit water bottles for the winter, some cage clips and a tool for them, so I can't find mine. Getting ready to go pick tomatoes. Filled the dehydrator with kale and green onions. The kale is coming back like crazy, and the rabbits love it, have a bunch in the freezer for kale soup, so thought I'd just make a bunch of green powder.

 

[Double R]

Processing more apples for the freezer awaiting their turn in the freeze drier.
Got another load in the freeze drier and the next staged and ready in the freezer.
About to head to one of the bigger towns to pick up a pallet of pellets for the pellet stove. We still have over a pallet left from last year. Playing it safe and getting another before people start buying them up when the weather really does turn cold. Several stores still haven’t even received their orders which seems to be a theme since Covid started. I saw some pallets outside the store the last trip to town. Called and they have some (city folk don’t tend to use wood or pellets it seems) so I’m headed to get a pallet just to be sure we’re stocked.

 

[The Lazy L]

Installed an additional outside video camera.
Buried the cable for one of the driveways. Fun digging in a woods.
Used salvaged aluminum antenna tubing to mount the driveway alarm transmitter.

 

[Peanut]

I had to use a Tap & Die set today on the tractor. Been at least a decade since the last time so I spent the first 30min figuring out how to use it again. Someone gorilla fisted the stop for setting the hydraulic control arm travel and stripped the threads. The threads on the bolt part cleaned up nicely, the nut was toast so I had to go buy another one at the little farm store down the road. I remembered to get more fire ant poison but forgot the locking pin for the trailer hitch. Getting 2 of 3 items at the store is good for my memory.

I unloaded the new bush hog this morning. I took it for a quick test drive, ran fine. This afternoon, after I got the hydraulic stop fixed, I ran it for a couple hours. Me like the new bush hog!!!!! Now it looks like one, all dusty, no more shiny. I also broke one of the little chains that clip to the plastic safety shield around the PTO shaft. I hate those shields which only exist to protect idiots. The shields have 2 states, annoying or cut off with a knife. I unhooked both little chains, dad, being helpful, reattached one when I wasn't looking. I promptly broke it when I put the shaft in gear.

It needs the rear wheel height adjusted. They assembled it at the equipment company. If they’d have set it where the paint clearly indicated it had been set at the factory it’d be fine. But the guys who worked for the equipment company… I saw them. Not one looked like he’d last an hour running a tractor so I guess they get a pass for ignorance.

Oh! I saw a metal rooster on a porch today. I’d stopped to check on some corn I want to purchase. Mr. R wasn’t home but I took a photo of the rooster. It was all metal attached to a metal frame. I'd never seen one like this.

 

[Grimm]

The girls have head colds. I think it was from spending so much time at several field trips in 2 weeks with other kids in the co-op. They need an immune boost anyway. All these 'restrictions/lock downs' aren't helping anyone.

I take Alice for her vaccines tomorrow. I had to dig her carrier out of the hall closet and make sure her harness and leash were in it. I tucked her records in the pocket so if they ask to see them I don't have to play dumb because I forgot them. I am going to a different clinic because our local one didn't have any appointments. I didn't want to wait for an appointment so I took one up the mountain. It is only 20 miles away but the switchbacks make it an over 90 minutes drive. Good thing my wagon has working heat.

I am debating taking the dogs so they don't have to be home alone but it will be warmer here at the house verses the car going up the mountain.

 

[Neb]

Delivered and set up a dehumidifier in the basement of the remodel house. The drainage is working good but we have had condensation that I want to fix.

Did some experimental gardening tasks this afternoon. I cleared some weeds from from a raised bed where I had tossed the tops of Egyptian walking onions i harvested about a month ago. I was pleased with how well they held their own against the weeds. I will encourage them to fill the box so that I have a cache of the genetics I can deploy elsewhere.

The next experiment was planting wild garlic cloves collected earlier this year. They are small but considering they were growing in cramped conditions I think that should be expected. I planted them in good soil spaced 3" apart to see how big they will get with plenty of room and resources. I may take a year or two since the bulbs of larger cloves are bigger than small cloves.

Then I moved on to the domestic hard necked bulbils I collected from the heugelculture on The Ridge were I have been growing garlic for years. Being busy i didn't get up there to cut off the scapes. There were so many i just sprinkled them and covered with a thin layer of soil. These may also be a multi year adventure to get decent cloves.

Time will tell.

Ben

 

[Bluetick21]

Had to work today but this evening the kids wanted to carve punkins.

 

[Bacpacker]

Got 5 or 6 projects running already this FY after just finishing up 4 last month. Had another interview this morning, makes 4th one. We had some good canidates, 2 that will fill the bill nicely. The one today I think is gonna get the offer. Great interview, went thru 3 different schematics and scored 100% on that. Good solder skills and aced the electrical test.

 

[LadyLocust]

Last night we went to the folks so Hubby could see aunt also (surprise visit). All 3 nieces made it as well so we all had a nice visit. Got to see Lacy (see prayer thread). All her stitches are out, still has some nerve damage but hopefully regaining, still on soft diet (she’s a rack of bones) but she said she’d eaten a hamburger the day before because she was tired of pudding. Said at first felt like all of her teeth were going to fall out but was feeling better. Also, youngest niece told me quietly that she (Lacy) was still not 100% thinking wise from concussion but getting better. Yowza! Anyhoo, was blessed to share time together, tell and hear family stories etc.
Had to take aunt to the airport this morning. Just received a text that she is almost home
Been on the run since I’ve been back. Plenty of work and need to get ready for cider pressing this weekend. It’s supposed to rain. Hasn’t really rained since April but since we have something planned, Mother Nature is whipping up a little something special

@Bacpacker I missed your birthday- so Happy Belated birthday
@UrbanHunter Do you think a chiropractor would help? Hopefully you are feeling better.
@INresponse I didn’t get ripped from drywalling my house- just blew out my rotator cuff
@The Lazy L you should have asked Ben to do your digging. He likes that
@snappy1 is 135 your desired weight or how much you’ve lost? I know you and Mobook have both lost lots of weight.
Sweet dreams I’m off to bed.

 

[Amish Heart]

Like the cutter and the rooster, Peanut. We have a metal rooster about 6 feet tall in our front yard, and a baby chick next to it. Can't find a mama. Oh well.

 

[snappy1]

I love the rooster, Peanut!

is 135 your desired weight or how much you’ve lost?

135 is goal weight. At that point, I will have lost 103#s. Right now, it's 90 something. I am persistent, though.

Walked first and then walked dogs.
Just started prep for colonoscopy tomorrow (preventative, not for problems). I think I will stay close to the house today. Have to be there with DH at 6 am tomorrow.
Today, I will take elderberries off stems and bag up to re-freeze.
Will make out some Christmas cards. Just got off phone with Shutterfly. They are reprinting some 4X6's that turned out too dark to use.
That's really all for today. Tomorrow should be interesting. maybe wrong word.

 

[Amish Heart]

You are doing great, Snappy1. I need to focus on my weight more. 30 lbs off would be nice.

 

[Magus]

I'm going shopping for a phone, mine died.

 

[Amish Heart]

Aww. You won't miss it.

 

[Magus]

I don't. but on occasion I need one.

 

[LadyLocust]

I'm going shopping for a phone, mine died.

That is a tiresome chore

 

[LadyLocust]

I love the rooster, Peanut!

135 is goal weight. At that point, I will have lost 103#s. Right now, it's 90 something. I am persistent, though.

Walked first and then walked dogs.
Just started prep for colonoscopy tomorrow (preventative, not for problems). I think I will stay close to the house today. Have to be there with DH at 6 am tomorrow.
Today, I will take elderberries off stems and bag up to re-freeze.
Will make out some Christmas cards. Just got off phone with Shutterfly. They are reprinting some 4X6's that turned out too dark to use.
That's really all for today. Tomorrow should be interesting. maybe wrong word.

That's awesome! Just think, you can just about say "I'm only half the woman I used to be." (I mean that kindly.)

 

[INresponse]

@INresponse I didn’t get ripped from drywalling my house- just blew out my rotator cuff

Sorry to hear that, but that is why I bought the drywall lift. Paid about $300 for it, sold it last month for $170. More than worth the $130. Besides, big house and very little help so proper equipment is a must.

Finished taping the ceiling in the upstairs great room, today I will mud over some of the thin spots and call it good enough for now. I will probably tape and mud a closet or two upstairs then hopefully I get some help to place the bath tub in the framework in the master bath. I have it sitting 1 1/2" higher so I will need to mark the floor and place a couple treated boards under the tub supports. The tub drain kit arrived yesterday so maybe I will get that installed today. I doubt it, but maybe.

Fall weather is here, highs in the low to mid 60's this week and cooling off again early next week. Yesterday I was curious how well the house was insulated, 2x6 walls, so before the furnace started to kick on for the night (about 11pm or so) I walked around with an infrared thermometer. The thermostat claimed the house was 65, the infrared measured all the walls, interior and exterior walls and the ceilings upstairs and down, at about 62 or 63, except the top of the vaulted ceiling in the living room which was reading 53. That portion of the wall is not insulated yet because the truss backer is only 1 1/2" and with the 2x4's being flat it wont allow fiberglass insulation to be installed properly. I will need to get around to mounting 2x4's vertically on the attic side and then I will insulate with the 6" fiberglass bats and cover with plywood, BUT until wood prices, come down some more I am not spending big bucks on that lumber yet. I have a bunch of stickers, the 1 1/2"x2"x42" boards used for stacking materials on pallets, that I used for odd jobs around the house/property and I am considering using them to build out for insulation, staggering the joints. I am OK with that because it is not structural but I know it will be hokey and just not sure if I want to cobble that together after putting such effort into building everything better than normal. Overall though I am pleased with the insulation quality of the house. I suspect the ceiling will stay warmer if I ever get a chance to blow in insulation over top the 6" fiberglass batts that I used initially just trying to hold heat in the living areas. The house is not done, haven't passed final inspection, but we are living in it because we simply have no other choice.

 

[Neb]

Supervised delivery of the new refrigerator today. Fit! Yeah!

This is a picture of the Egyptian walking onions I mentioned yesterday.

I pity the weed that tries to grow in that patch.

Then I cleared another raised bed and planted wild garlic bulbils. Then a couple of rows of wild garlic seeds. Again these may take 2 years to get to a state where they are practical. Still have half a bed waiting for domesticated garlic.

I did get an email telling me my garlic order should be here Friday. So I moved on to clearing another bed that had been onions that I let go to seed so that I could collect same. While clearing the second bed I was pleased silly with what found growing there.

Many of my garden beds are under telephone lines that cross my yard. The birds like that perch and help me out in doing their business and continually fertilizing my gardens. One of the feathered critters planted what I am convinced is a wild black raspberry bush. It is still small but it has the purple tinge on the cane like what I find on The Ridge. The granddaughters love them so bonus.

I didn't finish clearing that bed because I got a desperate phone call from the eldest granddaughter. Switched to science tutor mode to help with density, mass, and volume homework. She caught pretty quick and should get an A.

Confession time

I do fear the day when she has a math or science lesson that I cant help her with.

Not sure what I will do to stay productive tomorrow with rain predicted for a good part of the day.

Behave

Ben

 

[LadyLocust]

Supervised delivery of the new refrigerator today. Fit! Yeah!

This is a picture of the Egyptian walking onions I mentioned yesterday.

View attachment 74105

I pity the weed that tries to grow in that patch.

Then I cleared another raised bed and planted wild garlic bulbils. Then a couple of rows of wild garlic seeds. Again these may take 2 years to get to a state where they are practical. Still have half a bed waiting for domesticated garlic.

I did get an email telling me my garlic order should be here Friday. So I moved on to clearing another bed that had been onions that I let go to seed so that I could collect same. While clearing the second bed I was pleased silly with what found growing there.

Many of my garden beds are under telephone lines that cross my yard. The birds like that perch and help me out in doing their business and continually fertilizing my gardens. One of the feathered critters planted what I am convinced is a wild black raspberry bush. It is still small but it has the purple tinge on the cane like what I find on The Ridge. The granddaughters love them so bonus.

I didn't finish clearing that bed because I got a desperate phone call from the eldest granddaughter. Switched to science tutor mode to help with density, mass, and volume homework. She caught pretty quick and should get an A.

Confession time

I do fear the day when she has a math or science lesson that I cant help her with.

Not sure what I will do to stay productive tomorrow with rain predicted for a good part of the day.

Behave

Ben

That looks way more impressive than my weed patch which is thriving

Also - a Ben sea story time
Back when I was subbing, I was the sub for a science teacher who was in the middle of M, D, V section. I was supposed to tell the kids to read the chapter and answer the questions sort of thing. I asked just in general, if they understood what it was all about - Nope! With volunteers, I had the biggest kid in the class come up and explained that he was made out of marshmallow fluff (laughing) then the littlest kid also came up but was made out of solid gold (aahhh cool) etc and on the lesson went. One of the kids said "You taught that better than Mr. Q. He said subs never know about science." Would be curious as to how they did in that section.

 

[Grimm]

Took Alice for her shots. She is good for the next 3 years. She will be 14 years old then and we will see if we need to bother with the vaccines.

It was interesting going up the mountain to Big Bear to the clinic. Everyone had masks on except the girls and I. A few 'woke' pet parents at the clinic inched away from us like we had the plague which made me smile. A couple older folks saw us without the face diapers and took theirs off. My dad likes to say I am a bad influence on him because he never wears a mask when he is out running errands with me. He got the jab.

Stacked half the firewood. The girls helped me. I stopped because I fell tossing the wood down the small hill so it was closer to the rack. Just bruised and shaken. Not as bad as the fall I took last year outside the wine shop with my dad. Everyone thought I was on my phone when I fell but it was in my pocket. I told K he can finish stacking the wood.

 

[Peanut]

My day, crap is so bad I can’t even write about it, gonna wait until 9pm to call the sheriffs office.

But! In the mean time everyone might need a laugh. When I picked up the new bush hog the other day the guy said the papers were taped to the frame.

CFS really s*$%$ sometimes. The details on the CDC website scratch the surface but they do mention “Auto Pilot”. We reach a state of exhaustion where higher though is no longer possible. We run on “Auto Pilot”. People who don’t know me can’t tell. I respond to input, that’s about it.

Anyway, I was exhausted when I picked up the bush hog. I forgot to look underneath the frame for the manual when I left. When I got home I checked, it wasn’t there. I assumed it blew out during the drive. No problem. I down loaded the pdf version from the manufacturer website.

Today I ran the new bush hog all afternoon. I got a lot done. I also found the owners manual… I had to laugh, this was the best part of my day.