What's everybody doing today?

[backlash]

One of the annual sports shows starts today so my wife and I and her niece and nephew are going.
Fridays are senior citizens day so it's only $6 admission and that covers all 3 days.
These shows are all the same year after year, like gun shows, but I like to go occasionally.
We'll go to the food truck pavilion for lunch first.

Update: Lunch was good.
The sports show was OK but having my wife along kept me from buying a new rod and reel. I'm thinking about going back tomorrow alone. She has no idea how many rods and reels I have so one more will go unnoticed.
In reality she doesn't care what I buy as long as the money doesn't come out of her account. She'll just roll her eyes and make some snarky comment like "just what you need another pole to hang in the garage."
That's what I do when she buys another pair of boots or a purse.

 

[Bacpacker]

Off today, I let the chores pile up so I am doing house work... The wife is feeling better, she has been able to get up with me in the mornings (she is not happy with that!) and do a little before her lights go out. It's funny, she has been waking up without an alarm for the last 3 days, she comes into the kitchen as I am eating my breakfast and looks at me with that "I'm not Happy" look. Then she say's," You do this every morning, on purpose?"

She's trying to make a grocery list now, being down for 6 weeks has her scratching her head trying to get a handle on what we need.

Oh, I finished my waffle mix experiment: My final measurements for serving of ME... 2/3 cup of the complete mix, 2/3 cup (not full) of water, two cap fulls of oil. Utensils used, 1 quart jar, 1- 2/3 measuring cup, the waffle iron, a knife, a fork, and a plate. If necessary I could skip the knife, but it works well for mixing the batter in the jar, and it helps when adding butter.
For me this was important for identifying something that could be easily (and inexpensively) added to my mid-term (1-5 year) food storage without using the freezer or requiring milk and eggs.... I do need to get some air tight containers for storing the mix when I get it.

How about just a mason jar for all the dry stuff, pour in liquids mix and dump on the iron??
Colonie, wife got me a bottle several years ago. Less than half gone and the odor has changed a little. I don't wear any very often

 

[UrbanHunter]

How about just a mason jar for all the dry stuff, pour in liquids mix and dump on the iron??
Colonie, wife got me a bottle several years ago. Less than half gone and the odor has changed a little. I don't wear any very often

I was trying to get an accurate measure to fill the waffle iron, 2/3 of a cup just works, I could measure it in the jar I, but it isn't marked in thirds of a cup.... I mix it in the jar with the knife I use for the butter, I pour all of the contents from the jar to the iron, the fork is for removing the waffle and eating it, the plate is just so the syrup doesn't end up on the table.
I was aiming for minimalist. I guess I could replace the jar with a 16 ounce disposable cup and use paper plates... but I think that I am near the limit for not using utensils...

The dry contents come in a 2 pound box, no lining, it will not all fit in a quart jar, but if I can get half gallon canning jars I can pour a full box in and then use the seal-a-meal adapter to pull a vacuum and keep the dry stuff shelf stable and bug free (I don't like eating bugs, just not European enough)...

All this revolves around the idea of prepping for a SHTF event where I would need to be able to cook and get by without any outside indicators like smoke. To that end, having meals that I can make using low wattage appliances using power from my stand-by inverter and battery bank is part of my planning process.

 

[BBLife]

It's Friday and no PMO meeting (me, and few other executives just getting into alignment which we do every other Friday) so I'm at the mountain property vs. the office. Just spent the lunch hour putting together the roof of the greenhouse. Just have the vent and door then caulk the crap out of it with clear silicon. Tomorrow I will get the interior shelving setup. We bought this 6X8 kit as just a starter for the farm even though the reviews were not that great. From the reviews I knew exactly what I actually expecting which is a Pain in the A$$ install with instructions written by someone that only halfway knows English. I actually went online and gave the thing an excellent review because it is exactly what it is marketed as and nothing more and nothing less. While the instructions didn't "read" well they were very specific and exact in the steps. You do ONE step out of order and you WILL be taking something back apart to get it right. I simply took the time to read through the instructions while looking at the parts before I ever started and it really was not that bad. Few curse words here and there simply because the design could have been quite simpler in several places making install a bit less in need of octopus arms. I'm going to silicon around the clear panels on the inside and outside to basically glue the thing together for added longevity and wind protection.

Lesson here ... when people do reviews and just $itch about how hard it was to put together and then say it just blew apart you can probably bet they didn't read about the product before buying and they didn't put it together correctly given they cursed the thing so much.

Some cheap products can be very durable with just a little added structure. Bought some Lowes, unfinished cabinets that you have to pick up and put down as if it is made to fall apart on purpose. Took them and added some triangles to each corner with glue and brad nails, painted them to death and they are now extremely durable and nice looking cabinets in the utility building kitchen (where we do all the canning and preserving).

Look at quality then look at cheap and you can see the slight differences and turn the cheap into quality at almost no cost.

 

[Weedygarden]

I will wear it when I wear my good jeans and my cowboy boots. I even wore it Halloween when I dressed up as a Drifter when passing out candy. To clarify, that would include the past few Halloweens, the work Christmas party this past year, a funeral a couple years ago, and for that one other occasion.
Other than that it just messes up the odor of hard work and well earned sweat.

Would love to see a photo of what a Drifter looks like!

 

[INresponse]

Some cheap products can be very durable with just a little added structure. Bought some Lowes, unfinished cabinets that you have to pick up and put down as if it is made to fall apart on purpose. Took them and added some triangles to each corner with glue and brad nails, painted them to death and they are now extremely durable and nice looking cabinets in the utility building kitchen (where we do all the canning and preserving).

Look at quality then look at cheap and you can see the slight differences and turn the cheap into quality at almost no cost.

I did the same thing with the cheap cabinets from Home Depot. Eventually, if I get that far, I plan to buy a few more power tools to cut and build my own cabinets when I do my kitchen because I used to work in a cabinet shop many years ago but I settled for the over priced, cheap ready made cabinets for the garage. First thing I did was cut 2x4's into blocks to glue and nail into all 4 corners top, bottom, and middle. Then I cut a 1x4 and glued and nailed that inside the back for added strength when screwing it to the wall. I used sand paper to scuff up the melamine paper inside the cabinets so the glue would actually grab onto the wood. If you don't reinforce them they wont last. Cabinets today are nothing like I used to build in the old days.

Surprisingly, a couple weeks ago Home Depot started selling build your own cabinets that come in a box. We joke and call them the Ikea cabinets, but they may be good quality because they have real plywood for some parts and not cheap particle board. I still think I will build my own when the time comes, may even buy a backyard sawmill and make my own lumber out of Pinion Pine or Juniper because lumber prices are way to high.

 

[INresponse]

Would love to see a photo of what a Drifter looks like!

Awww, thank you. I don't have a picture. Basically I wore my boots and jeans and a flannel shirt and I have a long canvas coat similar to what you might see in old cowboy movies, and a cowboy hat.
Something like this, but more ruggedly handsome and unshaven.

 

[INresponse]

Slept OK last night but woke up at 11am, only 5 hours of sleep but it is Friday so I guess I will get by at work tonight. My hips are way sore today, far too many items had to be stocked on the bottom shelf last night at work. That's the bad part of stocking in the electrical department, usually I am in hardware and most of that is waist high or above but we are short a few people so I get to fill in elsewhere when needed.
Just one daughter home right now, she was gonna heat up some frozen stuff for her lunch but quickly changed her mind when I mentioned going to the diner in the small town north of here. Gonna get me a patty melt and onion rings.
Scattered some salt pellets on the icy walkway behind the house. The house shades that area all winter so once the snow is packed down it quickly becomes ice. I don't have a walkway back there yet so when the ice melts we get to play slip and slid on the mud instead. Maybe one day I will make a cement path with heat tape in it but not sure when that might happen. Maybe one year or another.
GF comes home tonight from her work trip. She was supposed to fly to Hawaii but the high winds in California grounded many flights and because of the delay and cancelled flights they assigned her to work a flight to cold and windy Chicago. She was not impressed. She traded into the Hawaii trip because it was to land early enough to let her enjoy the beach in the afternoon and a nice dinner out with her friends on the crew but she got Chicago and a lousy hotel room and no one to hang out with instead. I think we are planning a drive for tomorrow or Sunday over the mountain to the other big city to visit the farm stores and maybe drive up the mountain to see some real snow. I think they have a few feet of snow up there but the roads should be clear.

 

[UrbanHunter]

Today went south pretty quickly. I was planning to go for a walk in the woods, today was the last day that my favorite property that is an hour away would be open for the season... they take reservations, open at noon, I have seen deer every time I have been there this year... Anyway around 11AM as I was preparing to walk out the door I noticed the wife wobbling in the hall with a glazed look, I managed to get there just as she started to fall... I was able to get her to her recliner, she was dazed and confused and clearly did not know what was going on. Anyway, my walk got called off. The wife is sleeping but she is sick.

I have a lot to be thankful for, I have harvested a couple this year, so it wasn't like we will starve. I'm really glad she didn't make it to the floor before I got to her, she has had that happen a couple of times.

 

[Neb]

Back on the plumbing project and now have stubs on both sides of the house.

Stubs begins where the new water heater will go.

The push to fit tee assembly I am holding will installed when I do the final interconnection between both sides of the house. The stub out the top of that tee will supply water to a bathroom just off the library. The bottom leg will feed the other side and a powder room just off the Hobbit hole.

I didn't get any trouble today working quietly. The plugs I needed where delivered just in time!
All of the plumbing supplies have been moved to the other side if the basement.

So far so good

Ben

 

[Bacpacker]

Awww, thank you. I don't have a picture. Basically I wore my boots and jeans and a flannel shirt and I have a long canvas coat similar to what you might see in old cowboy movies, and a cowboy hat.
Something like this, but more ruggedly handsome and unshaven.
View attachment 103219

I have a canvas coat similar to that. I like the leather look, but can't imagine the cost of that thing.

Urban sorry to hear your wife is sick again, seemed like she was recovering fairly well. Prayers for you both.

This week has been busy. Got a lot done. Yesterday and today at work was nuts. Around noon a bunch of FBI agents came in the building and was looking for one of the techs in the computer/AV shop. They took him away along with several computers, thumb drives, etc. Everything is very hush hush. And all the other folks are all stirred up trying to figure out what is going on.

 

[kenv1950]

nothing

 

[Patchouli]

Put some chicken wire up on the neighbor's fence since they are not inclined to, two or three more slats knocked down by their neighbor's husky, who likes to come into our yard and steal our dog's tennis balls. They do not care that the husky is in their yard, but in the meantime the other guy is supposed to be putting up a new fence so they can't be seen when they're having their hot tub and pool parties. It looks like 10 or 12 feet tall.
Put more blockade up on another part of the fence and put a spare tire at the bottom to hold it in place, I hope.
Worked today, got out early. Back in tomorrow, early.
@Bacpacker sure sounds sketchy!

 

[Peanut]

Dad turned 89 today. A great uncle from the other side of the family stopped by, he turned 94 today (his son brought him). It was great to see him and my cousin. Anyway, took dad out for his steak dinner tonight, he’s been talking about it all week. We get there and he ordered grilled chicken fingers… go figure . Hey, whatever he wanted is fine with me.

Cold outside so I worked on music this afternoon, 52 songs on 4 new cd’s. Took all afternoon to figure out the key each is played in and add notes about each to its id3 container (metadata). Not finished yet, still have to add a 5 second delay and normalize the decibel levels for each file. Sooo, more music tonight…

This morning I happened to talk to the guy in Franklin TN who works on my guitar. Wished I hadn’t called… turns out 32 of the best bluegrass bands in the country are playing at the Nashville Sheraton hotel. A competition started this morning, held by the IBMA (international bluegrass music assoc). 3 days of good picking and I couldn’t go… darn. Maybe next year...

 

[Pearl]

Today went south pretty quickly. I was planning to go for a walk in the woods, today was the last day that my favorite property that is an hour away would be open for the season... they take reservations, open at noon, I have seen deer every time I have been there this year... Anyway around 11AM as I was preparing to walk out the door I noticed the wife wobbling in the hall with a glazed look, I managed to get there just as she started to fall... I was able to get her to her recliner, she was dazed and confused and clearly did not know what was going on. Anyway, my walk got called off. The wife is sleeping but she is sick.

I have a lot to be thankful for, I have harvested a couple this year, so it wasn't like we will starve. I'm really glad she didn't make it to the floor before I got to her, she has had that happen a couple of times.

My heart is with you!!

 

[zannej]

I got up and cleaned litterboxes, swept hallway, swept my bathroom, did shoulder exercises, fed kitties, refilled water for cats, fed mom, went to get curbside pickup order from Walmart, hung out with my friends for a bit, helped my friend get more of her stuff from her ex's house. He's still holding on to her expensive vacuum and my baker's rack. He dumped her stuff outside near the trash before we got there and didn't come out to talk to us when we got there. No clue if anything got stolen. There are crackheads in the area who pilfer stuff. I know the baker's rack is still inside bc I could see it through the window. I'm probably going to have to go over there myself to get the vacuum and baker's rack.

Got takeout food from a local place & brought it home. Bro & I had chicken while Mom had fish. Transferred cat treats to a better container that cats can't rip open, restocked toothpick dispenser, filled salt shaker with diatomaceous earth and sprinkled it around living room & kitchen. Need to sprinkle more of it later.

I'm currently resting and will probably take a nap soon.

 

[Spikedriver]

Staying at the Primm Valley resort & Casino for a few nights while we work on a project in the area. I'm not really a gambler. I've got a casino twenty minutes from my home and I haven't gone there in four years. But, I had an urge to hit the tables after work. Played blackjack for a half hour and now my wallet is $40 lighter.

I'm probably going back tomorrow night...

 

[INresponse]

Staying at the Primm Valley resort & Casino for a few nights while we work on a project in the area. I'm not really a gambler. I've got a casino twenty minutes from my home and I haven't gone there in four years. But, I had an urge to hit the tables after work. Played blackjack for a half hour and now my wallet is $40 lighter.

I'm probably going back tomorrow night...

Ride the roller coaster next door. You will get a thrill and a chill.
I would drive down to have a drink but I can’t afford a full tank of fuel for the round trip.

 

[UrbanHunter]

After yesterday's turn of events, the wife woke up at 19:30 thinking it was 07:30, but she was too tired to get up. She woke up again at 02:30 needing something to eat. It's now 03:00 and I'm wide awake, I realized that yesterday the wife missed two blocks of medicines and failed to clean her port line, so it could be an interesting day. Interesting is not always a good thing.

 

[INresponse]

I had a decent night at work, despite not having a truck to unload. Unloading a truck is about a 2 hour task and goes by pretty fast making the night seem shorter. I have had some positive thoughts on my mind about work lately, believe it or not, and that made the night better than usual.

As soon as I finish the after work sandwich I will take a hot bath to sooth these aching hips and hit the bed for a few hours. We are planning a trip over the mountain to the other big city to visit the farm stores and maybe the Home Depot. If the farm stores have a decent price on bird feed we will stock up. I also need some sort of wood chip or other animal bedding type product to scatter on my muddy driveway so I wont have to use 4 wheel drive to park my truck in the garage. The ruts are getting deep due to the well needed rain and snow around here. The muddy ruts remind me of the farmers fields in Michigan when they tried to harvest the crops after a few weeks of rain. Deep mud and rich looking dark soil. Maybe I should plant the garden in my dirt driveway this year.

 

[dademoss]

Supposed to be almost 50 today . Lori will be at the farm with her new girlfriend having a spa day. I get to put winter air in my tires, drive out to Harrison for straw, bird seed, and get milk at the store . Luckily, Remke market is right next to Family Farm and Home, and down the street from the place to get straw. Might take the backroad home and stop by the shooting range/gun shop and see if they have anything fun.

 

[sonya123]

Inresponse: we have all mud around here also. Husband managed to get our 4wd truck stuck a few days ago ( but then it froze overnight and he got it back out). It's all heavy clay around here

Going to a meeting in town today planning next years market.

One of our sheep is limping , the oldest breeding ewe, and I don't know why. We checked her leg and hoofs, trimmed the hoofs a little but they were not that bad and didn't see anything. She must have sprained it somehow
We need to figure out where to put the sheep when they are due to have the lambs. Or better yet , last year's lambs before they go in the freezer or to the auction. We have one extra area in the barn but it it not well ventilated, so gets very stuffy in there when it warms up. Or we could put them with the 1 year old goats but then the sheep girls get pushed out of the way and the sheep wethers ram the goats. I don't want anyone to get hurt. Last year we put the ewes and lambs in the extra room but they really didn't want to be in there. Sheep want to be with the herd.
I woke up in middle of night thinking about this ...so not enough sleep

 

[snappy1]

Today, II will walk first.
See DH at hospital and help with shower.
Come home and walk dogs.
Move a few items to shed.
Do tomorrow's Sunday School lesson.
Make a couple of calls.
Organize vitamin and supplement cabinet.

 

[UrbanHunter]

I also need some sort of wood chip or other animal bedding type product to scatter on my muddy driveway so I wont have to use 4 wheel drive to park my truck in the garage. The ruts are getting deep due to the well needed rain and snow around here. The muddy ruts remind me of the farmers fields in Michigan when they tried to harvest the crops after a few weeks of rain. Deep mud and rich looking dark soil. Maybe I should plant the garden in my dirt driveway this year.

Maybe you should move that rich top soil to your garden area and pour concrete or gravel in it's place...

 

[Curmudgeon]

I am doing nothing today, maybe a movie maybe a nap, lol. yesterday was exhausting an I'm in no need of a rerun.

 

[Pearl]

Put some chicken wire up on the neighbor's fence since they are not inclined to, two or three more slats knocked down by their neighbor's husky, who likes to come into our yard and steal our dog's tennis balls. They do not care that the husky is in their yard, but in the meantime the other guy is supposed to be putting up a new fence so they can't be seen when they're having their hot tub and pool parties. It looks like 10 or 12 feet tall.
Put more blockade up on another part of the fence and put a spare tire at the bottom to hold it in place, I hope.
Worked today, got out early. Back in tomorrow, early.
@Bacpacker sure sounds sketchy!

As a dog person, HUSKIES are not for everyone. People in my area have one they keep in a 4×4 pen!

 

[Curmudgeon]

I could not do that to my dog.................................some people.

 

[Pearl]

I am home today, not going anywhere!! I should go take care of a couple of my jobs because next week looks like bad weather, I will miss and have to reschedule some work!! But why do today what I can put off until next weekend?! I will mess around at home, laundry, nap, clean the inside of my truck, vacuum.......there is enough to do here! For the next little bit it's coffee time!!

 

[Spikedriver]

Ride the roller coaster next door. You will get a thrill and a chill.
I would drive down to have a drink but I can’t afford a full tank of fuel for the round trip.

Apparently the roller coaster is not operational. I think they shut a lot of the different attractions down during covid and they haven't opened some of them back up yet. They've been having concerts though. I heard that Carlos Santana played here earlier in January, and Gladys Knight was here last week. I thought those were pretty big names for a casino, but I looked at their concert arena and it holds over six thousand people so they can handle a big crowd...

 

[UrbanHunter]

I'm trying to catch up on chores laundry, dishes, and such. I was in a Shoppers Food Warehouse and finally found the Bisquick complete (just add water) pancake/waffle mix that was highly rated online. It was a little more expensive than the Generic store brand stuff I found at Giant Foods, but it has half as much salt too (which is a plus here). The overall cost is reasonable at about 45 cents per my-size (2/3 cup dry ~ 300 calories) serving. I did get my half gallon canning jars ordered and now I can easily add a 2 month supply (for my family) of this stuff to my food inventory for less than $50, not including the cost of the jars. So now I will have multiple choices when it comes to breakfast in a SHTF event, or on a daily basis if there is no event.... I am very happy that this does not take up any freezer or fridge space and can be cooked very easily even in a grid down situation.