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Grumble… was going to flush the radiator on the big tractor. Only way to drain it per the shop manual is remove the bottom hose. There is no drain cock. I had to remove 3 shrouds/shields to access… a royal pitb!

I discovered the hose hasn’t been removed in years. Pulling it off would probably split the old hose, seen it happen before. No idea where or when I could get a new one.

Soooo… for the few nights we’ll have below 20 degrees I’ll put a heat lamp on the engine block. I don’t think it needs it but if it makes dad feel better, so be it. This will buy me time to purchase new hoses and have them here when I do flush the radiator.

The hardware for the chair project was delivered sooo… Went to town and got 1x6’s, a few brushes and another quart of polyurethane. Picked up 2lbs of pork at the bbq joint then a few groceries on the way home. Who cares if there’s an arctic blast? Got plenty to eat, all the materials for 2 projects and LP heat. I’m set for the next week or so.

Oh, forgot to mention… met a lady this week who plays bluegrass. Her kids pick too. She’s even performed at Pine mtn where I go to play in summer. Best part… lives only 8 miles away! I finally found local pickers!!! Happy dance!!!!
 
Brother showed up today and helped me move some firewood from out back up to the racks on the side of the house. Looks so much better now! Nothing sadder looking than an empty firewood rack. I'm disappointed in the oak that I bought a couple of weeks ago. It looks good, but wasn't seasoned properly. Lots of moisture in it yet, so the fire is busy trying to dry out instead of throwing heat like it should be. But now with some of the older stuff available, I'll be able to mix the loads and hopefully get better BTUs.
Thinking about driving to a neighboring town tomorrow to go to Aldi, it's time to restock the fridge and I'm tired of just using Meijer. Want to get some variety.
 
Slipping and sliding here. Roads not safe for driving, we've had freezing rain. That's ok, it's good to hole up for awhile. Got the Yak Traxx out for mine and little granddaughter's boots so we don't break our necks. After watching the dog run out the door, and slide down the ramp, we decided he needs some, too. Ha. That would be funny. Repacking in food storage. Refilled the dehydrator. Went thru cans of refried beans for FIFO. Baked 2 big loaves of banana chocolate chip pecan bread, made a large bowl of mixed fruit. Talked to daughter in rehab on a zoom call for visitation. Her whole ladies' unit has Influenza A. All are pretty miserable. The staff put dvd players and tv's in everyones room and doled out tylenol and tamiflu. She feels the aches, but is ok. Under blizzard warning soon, expecting up to a foot, but we'll see. And high winds. Not terribly unusual for winter. I just don't like to do animals when it's one degree out.
 
today we put sheep out, and cleaned the sheep area, then it started really snowing hard, and we put them back in. Then, half hour later the sun came out and we put them back out, and the little goat bucks too. Then we decided it was too cold and windy for them and we put them all back in LOL, spent half the day moving animals around... the goats had the option to go out and finally did for about an hour this afternoon.
I wished we could figure out a way to give the sheep access to the barn so they could go in and out like the goats, but its not set up that way. The sheep have to cross the road to get to the pasture. Debating if we should put them together during the day, but we tried that before and the goats push the sheep right out of their barn LOL.

Also made sushi that took a while ( smoked the salmon, cooked the rice, cut up the avocado and cucumber, assembled, cut)
Plus chopped some more wood and brought it in

Started to take Otto for a hike but too cold and windy so we didn't get far
 
Making slow progress on the new building. We lost well over a foot of snow from the warm temps and rain yesterday, up to 38 degrees. Today everything is coated in ice. I'm going down south tomorrow and pick up more lumber to finish the framing.
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@Amish Heart , I was just watching Fox Weather, they had a guy on there who is in Wichita and they were talking about how bad the roads are!! They said the freezing precip hit fast! Stay safe!!
I will. No need to drive. Neighbor Marlon walked over to chat this evening, said paved roads are very iffy, dirt roads with 4 wheel drive ok but not for long. Of course, he drives a tractor for a car, or on Sunday...a horse and buggy. He was just checking on us to see if we needed anything.
 
Just waiting for the TEOTWAWKI snowmaggedon (not to be confused with a real snowmageddon up north). The next couple days we get to see if the model they are using to predict snowfall is valid :)
 
Off today, cleaned my building Friday morning so I could take it easy today!! Listening to the cold front blowing in, the rain that came ahead of it has stopped! Got Bear outside for his 'business trip' earlier and got the outside cats fed too! They will eat more at daybreak when I feed Buddy. Going to feed Bear and the house cats now! Then back to enjoying coffee for a while! Got a nice long list of things to do inside today!!
 
going to get started as soon as it is light out, we have to get everything done this morning before the snow and ice hits including moving some hay bales to the barn . Husband should have done this before there was snow on the road ( there is just a little) but worst case we will roll them down the road
It was not cold in the house this morning, husband got up in the middle of the night and added wood to the livingroom stove and it was still warm this morning and I got it started again.
Also going to stack some wood that is still outside under a tarp and needs to be put in the wood shed
We also still have the truck filled with wood that hasn't been unloaded, but not sure we will get to that today
 
Laundry today.
Hubby caught a head cold somewhere but he's actually taking medicine on his own without me nagging him to (for once).
Waiting on the snow thats coming later this evening.
Have to deal with amazon with an order that never came. It was picked up in Pa but then disappeared. :rolleyes:
 
My usual routine: did KP; made breakfast; moved furniture and odds and ends back in place after having carpet cleaned. Anything that will be done will be inside. Snowing and below freezing outside.
 
Did my outside chores for the day. Cleaned up an organized around the tractor, got my tools back to the house, got the shrouds and bolts stowed on the shop table. I hung a heat lamp on the engine block. Not needed but it’ll make dad feel better. Anyway, the tractor can still be used, just set the heat lamp aside. My cousin might need it to set out a roll of hay for the cows. Speaking of which, they heard me working around the shop. Came down to the nearest gate and begged for sweet feed, looking at me with big sad cow eyes. So I fed them. Critters and equipment are now all taken care of and I’m inside waiting on the arctic storm. Might work on the projects this afternoon.
 
Today is the last day of the hols-back to work for all tomorrow. A lot of tidying away, packing decorations etc and moving to the garage. Changing the outdoor toilet, which is in the garage, to include an extra filter on the water coming into the house, and moving the washing machine and dryer into it, so its a little messy still. It will be a few weeks before it gets finished.
I've a good few indoor plants that got moved and neglected over Christmas, so spent the afternoon cleaning and putting all back to where they were happy, and pruning off damaged leaves. Tomorrow I'm going to start moving furniture as I clean to get ready for my American visitors at the end of the month. Need to fit in extra chairs and beds.
 
Made some chicken and dumpling soup with wild rice and noodles..it's a tad thick but it tastes great.
I got most of my chores done ..was going to walk the pups since it's stopped raining but the fog..gah..I'm just barely above it..my friends property is socked in. I wanted to go there to change it up for the pups and it's only a few miles down but..I just can't get motivated to walk in cold fog. So I'll offer them a run around my property. The roads are one big muddy slushy puddle..I'm not into that.
Kinda a chill day..
 
we just got done putting everyone in, wood got stacked too now it is really snowing a lot. I think we got an inch of snow in half an hour and still snowing a lot. We just got in the house, and Rosie ( the LGD) showed up at the house, husband forgot to latch the door. She comes up here to eat Otto's food mostly, and then I take her back to the barn ( we do feed her LOL, but she seems to like his food better)
I am exhausted, been working since around 7.30 this morning in the cold mostly
Tons of pretty birds including some cardinals at the bird feeders . I just filled them with sunflower seeds this morning and they look half empty already
 
I DID NOT CLEAN THE BIG STORAGE SHED! We cut the branch off the fence and fixed it! I hauled firewood in the house. Hubby is splitting firewood right now. I made a new trail through the woods! Fixing to take Bear for a walk before dark! Everyone is fed except the humans! Leftover fajitas tonight, so no cooking! So out I go for a walk....🐕‍🦺
She sounds might defensive about that Big Storage Shed.
Dang!
 

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