What's everybody doing today?

[Mountain trapper]

Got up early to take my Jeep down to the dealership for some work, 75 miles south. It was 10 degs and snowing pretty hard when we left home. I slid off the road in one bad spot on a corner.
I'm still waiting on the Jeep, and it's still snowing. It'll be well after dark before we get home. If the wind is still blowing at home, there's a good chance that our road will be drifted over and we'll have to walk in. Oh well, it won't be the first time.

 

[UrbanHunter]

Today we got Sun and warm. I finished up my work week at 16:00 and started doing some outdoor garden work, the poor greenhouse was 96F, plants are all very sad.... I was able to recycle some container soil into one of the raised beds, got about half done. The wife is crying she's hot need AC... Then got word the son is coming home 2 days early for his mom's birthday... I have been storing hunting clothes in his room so I can wash and put them away neatly (I thought I had tonight and tomorrow) but with the son just hours away I guess I have to change plans.

 

[INresponse]

A nice home burnt down around here a few years ago, the people had a big safe..like one for many guns n whatnot in the basement .
It was not a cheap safe n it melted n burnt up along with the home.
Unfortunately, that's not the first time I've heard this. I guess they can only withstand about half a hour in a fire at a high degree.
I have a friend who built a small shed. He poured a small concrete "tomb" with a secure metal hatch under the subflooring into the ground. Then the shed floor has a cleverly hidden "door" to it.
I have another friend that puts valuables in a ziplock bag in a ammo can n buries it on his 100 acres...lol. his kids know he does it but doesn't tell anyone where they are. He said they will have to look for them if he dies.

I have always heard that you can build an enclosure around the safe using several layers of drywall and or cement board to prevent the heat of a fire from getting directly to the safe. I think it would be best to use metal studs instead of 2x4s. I have considered moving the safe into the back of my deep walk in closet and building it's own door and surrounding it with layers of drywall, but I am not sure how to move it into position at this point. I would need 4 or 5 big strong young men to jockey it around into the closet. The closet door is large enough, but I am not strong enough anymore.

 

[Peanut]

A beautiful day out… 85 degrees, some sun… and I feel like crap so I spent the day inside. I went thru all my new music and created a thumb drive for my truck radio, 149 new songs to listen to while I drive. Every cd has a few dud songs, excluded them of course. Now the radio dead zone between here and the little town will have music. I also backed up my entire music folder and dumped a copy onto my laptop.

Trying to rest and gather strength. Going to an old time fiddlers convention Saturday. Hopefully I’ll be able to enjoy a few hours of it, know I can’t last the whole day. If I’m really lucky I’ll find folks to pick with regularly.

 

[Weedygarden]

I got the bank check to pay my property taxes and then mailed it, with a signature required upon delivery. I finally got a bank check to mail to Magus and got that in the mail today. Took L and N to the dog park for all of 15 minutes, when N was laying down, trying to get the ice out of her paws. It was time to go home, and we did. L, part Husky, had the zoomies and ran in around the park. She needed to get out there and get that done. Back to 3 degrees currently. Ugh! Glad I'm not in North or South Dakota. They are so cold and have about two feet of snow.

 

[LadyLocust]

I got the bank check to pay my property taxes and then mailed it, with a signature required upon delivery. I finally got a bank check to mail to Magus and got that in the mail today. Took L and N to the dog park for all of 15 minutes, when N was laying down, trying to get the ice out of her paws. It was time to go home, and we did. L, part Husky, had the zoomies and ran in around the park. She needed to get out there and get that done. Back to 3 degrees currently. Ugh! Glad I'm not in North or South Dakota. They are so cold and have about two feet of snow.

I have a friend in ND. Yesterday (I think) was -38.

 

[Weedygarden]

I have a friend in ND. Yesterday (I think) was -38.

When I lived there, it was not uncommon for negative temperatures. It would regularly be negative 20 for months on end. I did experience -50 there.

 

[Pearl]

I have a friend in ND. Yesterday (I think) was -38.

I'm still going to whine about it being in the 40's here tomorrow!

 

[Amish Heart]

Got a call from the Mennonite Manor while I was out with animal chores this morning, and they were taking mom to the ER because she was in really bad pain in her pelvic area. They were thinking that when she broke her leg two days ago, that maybe she broke something else. So I got husband settled, animals finished and raced down there. We were there all day long. Got home about 5 p.m. Nothing else wrong. After about an hour, she couldn't even remember why she was there, or where she was in the first place. So I called the transport driver, and they brought her back. Evening animal chores done, husband tended to, and ended up calling in take out from the amish place for dinner.

 

[Spikedriver]

I'm still going to whine about it being in the 40's here tomorrow!

Texans...

 

[TeeJ]

Check this guy out, he has been testing various battery boxes or generators as they are calling them, basicly lithium batteries with outlets to run devices like CPAPS and such, southernprepper1

Nice, looks like he's got some great ideas!

On my wife's CPAP I use a 1500VA APC, before that I kept a 12V battery and a 750 watt inverter (it could do the job for several days but it was too complicated for her to operate), the ACP does the job and automatic transfer, I did have to turn off the ALARM function....

For the wife's O2 Machine I setup 4 100AH 12 V LifePO4 batteries (4800-Whr) with a 1250 Watt inverter charger (it has the auto transfer function too). That setup was sized to run her machine for 10 hours. We just replaced that machine with a newer more efficient model and now the system can cover 14 hours.

I'm lucky that work is standardizing us on a new model of UPS, so I have a stack of perfectly good ones with old batteries. I've had great luck recharging the batteries with epsom salt, so they're basically free to me

Growing up with grandparents in the Dakotas after the Great Depression, there were stories about people who had buried money, died, and now there is money buried on their property that no one knows the location of. I had several discussion with people about how the money could or could not ever be found. In the 1930s, what would packaging have looked like? A coffee can? A canning jar? Sooner or later, any packaging and therefore it's contents would be affected by moisture.
Should the people who hide money also make a treasure map? There are stories about couches being donated to Goodwill and other places, and money being found inside cushions. I have often wondered about how much money has been hidden and never found by descendants? I understand hiding money from potential burglars and robbers, but what if we are hiding the money too well from those we would like to have it when we die?

I've taken an interesting approach with this... I have shown our small to moderate stashes to one of my boys each. That way they can't swipe any without my knowing who did it and I pretty much trust them anyways. The really big stashes I have listed in a sealed envelope in a pretty hard to access place that they all know about - along with my important passwords, etc. I update it monthly when I change passwords, so I'll know if anyone gets into it. (and no one could get into it without other household members noticing them gathering the implements needed). Feels like a good compromise between risk and potential generational loss...

 

[TeeJ]

Today was my Friday at work, and I was really productive to get everything done before my 3 day weekend
Sore throat has persisted with little talking today, so I'm afraid I'm coming down with a bug. Hopefully not a bad one, since I'm taking my boys down to Vegas this weekend to watch the filming of an episode of Battlebots (250 lb robots fighting each other). Hopefully the weather there will warm up and some time out of the snow and rain will do me some good

Tonight made a big batch of raw dog food so my daughter in law doesn't have to mess with it for the pup while she puppysits him, just scoop it out of the tuppeware. Running laundry and cleaning so the house is nice to come back to after traveling...

 

[Grimm]

I found 3 boxes of glass jars and such in the garage. I poked through them this evening and found 21 pint size jars from coconut oil I have saved over the years. I had intended to turn them into emergency candles. Well, I finally will. I had started gluing wicks into some small glass yogurt jars to make small votive type candles so now I can glue wicks for the emergency candles. I have candle wax flakes stashed away for this project. Now I can use it!

Purging is having a different effect than I thought. I am finding projects I never finished and it is forcing me to either finish them or chuck them. I think the storm is helping with this too. I am nervous with 'what-ifs'.

Honey Bun is due to kindle on Saturday so tomorrow I am going to do the weekly cage clean so I don't upset her or her babies. Everyone else will get cleaned on Sunday since that is when we should get a break in the storm.

We got snow the last few days. Enough that the girls got to really play in it. The neighbors built a snowman on their lawn. A decent sized one. Maybe 5 feet tall. It was fun waking up to snow for a few days and wondering if we'd get more. Well, it melted off tonight and we are expecting heavy rains for the rest of the storm. I did get a picture of a California rarity...

FROSTED PALMS

 

[sonya123]

So here is my granddaughter

Still waiting on the last 3 sheep. If they wait much longer the goats will be having their kids

 

[Tommyice]

I'll be taking Dad to BJs for a little stock-up, doing some outside work (it's going to be windy and cool ) Transplant my broccoli and cabbages into larger pots. Next weekend I should be able to move them to the greenhouse. I also bought a small polycarbonate cold frame at Lidl this week so I need to get that put together and find a home for it. Do some decluttering too.

That's what I plan to do today. Taking bets on how much of it will actually be done.

 

[Amish Heart]

Needing to go into the bigger town to get mom some sweatpants that'll be easier to wear over her leg brace for the broken leg. Then to an afternoon meeting for paperwork that needs to be done where she's at. Also need to change her upcoming doc well check up appt, and schedule a CT scan of her leg before her Wednesday ortho appt. AND get husband's sputum sample mailed to the Denver hospital he goes to. Dinner tonight at the church for fried mush, so just cooking breakfast and lunch today. Hoping tomorrow I can have a day at home and catch up with stuff. 11 degrees out. Ugh.

 

[FarmOR]

I'm hoping for a little friendlier weather today. Yesterday was extremely nasty! The wind chill was dipping into the negative.

Was making progress on my new swather. Still have a lot to do to bring it up to my standards. It's a forty years old machine so I was a little shocked to find a couple of original parts. Original radiator hoses! Original inner air filter! Original plugged tight grease zerks! Sacrilege to my Japanese inspired maintenance training habits...

 

[jishinsjourney]

@sonya123 She is beautiful! What a precious gift.

I’m feeling better today, still not 100% but better. Not quite at “can go out and mingle with the rest of the world”, but I can see it from here, which is nice.

Going to wrap up the work I did on the video game yesterday, and maybe bake bread. The last attempt got derailed because the husband’s blood sugar was up from some chocolate that really didn’t work for him. Bah.

 

[Hooch]

I'm feeling better today..throat is still sore but better.
Its beautiful n sunny..I'd love a long walk with the dogs but my short walk whoed me up a bit.
Getting caught up..going to run into town. Its payday. Maybe my last full paycheck for awhile..yikes well see. I'm not going to stress over it as I saved like I always do.
I wish I could get my greenhouse up..but we got dumped on here the last two days..just when it was melting away good too..

 

[INresponse]

Tried going to bed too early this morning after coming home from work at 4am. I felt sleepy at 7am and headed to bed about 7:30, fell asleep abut 8:30 and only slept for about an hour. I was awake and couldn't go back to sleep so here I am at the computer.
Just this past week a YouTube video popped up while watching other stuff with a warning that the 6.7 Cummins engine has a possible major factory fault where a nut holding the grid heater on the air intake could back off and fall down into the #6 cylinder causing major problems. It isn't super common but could happen. Actually the video was made by Banks with Carl Banks explaining the potential problem and talking about his replacement part that flows way more air and has a less restrictive heater that wont break off. I searched this up for a few days and placed the $1000 order this morning through DDP Motorsports, a sponsor and vendor on the CumminsForum. I don't do super way cool parts on my truck because the big engine makes more than enough power for what I need but I am hoping the claimed 83% increase in airflow will get me an extra 1 or 2 MPGs. One can hope, right?

EDIT: Wow, I already have shipping confirmation and a tracking number!!!!!

 

[Neb]

Got the 3rd water heater plumbed and wired.

I ran into a snag where flex connectors were 4 inches short for the cold line. Didn't have the strength to disconnect the push to fit coupling using the cheap plastic releasing tool. Had to order the proper tool to get it loose and fixed up.

As I mentioned in the Good news thread we did purchase the field out back. The Princess epitomizes "She considers a field and she buyeth it." Now it is up to me to plant the vineyard.

Been busy.

Behave!

Ben

 

[Hooch]

Got a call to go to the mill tomorrow. I'd be nice to have about 2 more days to get over my throat thing but..I do feel better. And they want me there a tad later ..when the sun is out. Better than getting up at 4am so..ok.
I took the dogs for another walk in town. I got my errands done n now it all about relaxing.
Here is during n after the snow storm ..

 

[zannej]

Its already getting warm here again. Still no callback from AC guy. Getting frustrated. It was too hot to do anything inside today. I have windows open to cool the place off but heat really takes the energy out of me. I'm also waiting on a fedex delivery that was supposed to arrive yesterday but didn't. I need to cook and do some laundry.
Got a curbside pickup order later on.

Amish, I hope your mom doesn't have anything else broken.

 

[Wingnut]

Well, just as I was thinking of rolling the bike out of its shed, a raft of high clouds moved into the area and destroyed my chances of a good photo op in the mountains... wind felt like it was picking up too, so I decided to postpone the bike ride until next week. Monday might be a good day, I just want blue skies & sunshine when I return to the mountains... I'd better hear Julie Andrews singing too, even if these aren't the Swiss Alps, lol.

I thought about riding at Red Sands, down here in the Tularosa Basin, but I've already been over all that before... I need a lighter bike for the Sands. So-o-o-o, I did something else bike-related and went to post those ads I wrote for swapping out the KLR with a lighter bike. Got four ads up (cycle shop, grocery store, TSC & a laundromat), and I'll post another in the library when I go there, they have a community bulletin board near the entrance.

Anyway, I'm glad I didn't go riding, even though the temptation was powerful... now I'm looking at a gray afternoon, all cloudy and cr@ppy for photos, aye? I reckon there'll be a better day to ride next week, I don't like riding on weekends due to the additional traffic on the grade leading up to Cloudcroft. I can afford to pick & choose my riding days, and who knows? Maybe soon I'll have a lighter bike and I can ride at Red Sands, weekend or no stinking weekend, lol.

Red Sands is like a big adult playground, 20 square miles with 100 miles of developed trails, I just need a lighter bike, lol. even a 600c thumper would be 100 lbs. lighter than this KLR tank, yeah? So we'll see what happens with the ads, I might just find some hand looking to go BIGGER while I go SMALLER, 10-4? I'd settle for a nice 250cc bike as long as it's street legal, that would open up ALL KINDS of riding at Red Sands, but a 400-450cc thumper wouldn't be bad either...

Oh, well, back to my cold beer and sharing quality time with the cats... I went shopping during my town run and picked up some nice Angus burgers for the BBQ this afternoon or evening, a big ol' double cheeseburger with all the trimmings sounds pretty good as a reward for my self-control in NOT going riding on this day, lol. Might even bake some hash browns in the toaster oven as a substitute for fries... that should work, lol. I'll put some real butter on 'em first, ketchup afterward!

 

[hashbrown]

Jakes FFA class packed food for the Convoy of Hope today in Springfield and Alex got some new laying hens and some chicks.

 

[snappy1]

Well, yesterday's doctor appointment with DH did not go well. He was way past assertive, in my opinion.
The rescue is still trying to corral the du.ped puppies. They got one, but 3 are still out there.

 

[UrbanHunter]

Today was an interesting one after yesterday's 80+ high and the greenhouse getting up to 95+ the temperatures are swinging south again, we could get rain and snow tomorrow.

I made a freshman mistake yesterday, I tried to measure and cut after 2 -22 hour days... I cut straight just 2 feet too short Now I need 4 more boards to finish my project... Not happy.

This morning I got my ears lowered, the rate got increased by $5. I did work in the garden and greenhouse, Not finished but things are closer to where they should be.

The wife had a good birthday, but she was very warn from yesterday's heat.

 

[Tommyice]

We’ll only thing on the list I got don was taking dad to BJs. Filled a cart To top off some preps. Spent a good long while putting it all away In the freezers and cupboards.

The wind was so horrible today it was impossible to get anything done outside. So I spent some inside time combing and getting some more wool prepped for spinning.

Tomorrow morning we’ll be going to Harbor Freight. Going to get some grow lights and another 100 watt solar panel. When we get home, ikm going to make a concerted effort to get some of the outside stuff done.

 

[dademoss]

This morning I got my ears lowered, the rate got increased by $5. I did work in the garden and greenhouse, Not finished but things are closer to where they should be.

Thats why I cut my own hair, I'm retired so nobody expects too much . My old barber Carl shook worse than I do

 

[dademoss]

It's almost spring, the weather sucks, my head hurts, so the family room is now "rigged for red" for the nights I can't sleep.