CLSranch a journal to compensate my lack of memory.

[CLSranch]

Good day all. We got an inch of rain yesterday (when I checked the rain gauge). Came pretty quick 5 hrs. filled up the ditches. Got a wet snow this morning then temps dropped to 27-28 and oh my goodness it turned into ice. Once 7 o' clock hit there was wreck after wreck in Tulsa. I asked the wife what did they think was going to happen when you have a wet road below freezing. I guess since it wasn't frozen and wrecks all over sooner everybody just thought I can drive like my normal dumba$$ self.
It wouldn't be that bad out this morning if it wasn't for the 30mph winds that are going to pick up to 45 later.

I also notice city people may watch the news but don't really pay attention to weather. The wife was talking to a group of friends yesterday at their cooking class and mentioned she wouldn't be there next week and probably going to skip the home school co-op this Fri. Bigger snow coming Fri then single digits next week. She said she wasn't going because of the inclement weather. They said what weather, when, really???.
I really need to fix the 4X4 locking hub in the green truck to get some work done this week. I also need it to set out a round bale TODAY like now. Last time I lined up with the gate stomped on it until I stopped, dropped the bale and romped on it to get out. It's wetter today.
Probably should've posted that in my wittle journal. Ah oh well.

I posted here also to keep the rant rolling on.
I'm still waiting for the insurance check to pay to fix the farm trucks. It also set the selling of the truck back weeks waiting on them with them changing their minds. Also the truck buyers kept hounding me about picking it whilst I was waiting on Insurance, then I gave the go ahead 2 weeks ago and they said be ready, have the truck clean, it may be the next day. They still haven't picked it up and it's an hour away so I can't use it to do some of the jobs requiring 4X4.
Also after getting the welder that doesn't leak fuel running and switching welders around, the one in the truck doesn't want to run now. Also the farm trucks are not tagged as waiting to switch insurance from new truck to 96' after sell is complete.

 

[Mini Horses]

This made me chuckle in acknowledgement of the frustration & disbelief you experience with these situations. I've been on a similar merry-go-round -- the stuck with "what to do & how" part. Fortunately, not so many involved! It will work out, eventually.

I had a conversation with myself, wrote down my options and just moved along with the numbers. The anxiety relief is amazing!!

 

[Baymule]

I tell my friend Chris that I have him on the payroll. Every month it is something, truck, mile or tractor. I guess I’m blessed to have a guy that can fix stuff, but it all needs to run good for the next 6 months and give me a break.

 

[CLSranch]

I can do the fixing. Right now it's kind of a catch 22 without those checks. Hence selling of the new truck at the time I am, even though the others are not perfect or legal to drive. I need them to run to make $$$. I need the $$$ to get them to run. I need an egg for the chicken but first I need a chicken for the egg.

I'm always fixing something. If I finally fix them right I should have a lot less troubles out of the older trucks than the new one, then monthly pick an upgrade for one of them. Right now there is nothing major. Both need the same sensor $150 each, locking hub on one $200, 2 batterys for one (the other truck just got new ones $400 thinking that the insurance check was coming then), tires on one and 3 different trailers. Currently starting the dually to jump the 3/4. They are both 7.3L powerstrokes and should last another 300k. Without the new truck giving issues or payments I can have time and afford to fix one of the other weekly things that break. Blow out here, welder there, tractor there, here's a break, there's a break everywhere there's a break break. E I, E I, E I O.

Both have newer Transmissions one less than 10k miles I had someone put in the dually. 3/4 ton had an aftermarket tranny put in by previous owner just because 7.3's are known for going through a tranny. Dually has 6 tires with the same amount of miles, or I'd have scrapped it. (now I'm glad I didn't) Tranny went out 2 weeks after getting the last 2 tires.

I can't take the wife's car to go feed or weld. I can go do some of the day work with the car but on those I don't need 4x4, a tag or insurance on the old trucks. I should be loading wood today but I can't hook up to the trailer. Although the car is a Subaru and ALL wheel drive,..... no trailer hitch. It could pull the little trailer perfectly with 1/2 rick of wood.lol

I went ahead and ordered the 4X4 locking hub and looked up the sensors I need, to pricey from local. Together they'd max out another credit card. But they would both start and run better.

 

[Mini Horses]

It's always something! You're not alone. I need to put tires on both flat bed trailers. Will do one this month...other, smaller, will wait. Horse trlr was last yr done, dual axles -- use seldom. Truck just bought, all good. Car, new set of 4 in June. Sick truck, ok tires -- just has it's engine apart wish it was tires!

Adding trailer hitch this month to latest truck. Then I'll figure out buying more fence $$$$$$

Lottery win would be fantastic!

 

[Baymule]

I put tires on both trailers a year apart. I bought 2 tires for truck, put on Discount Tire credit card. Pay off before 6 months, no interest. Then I’ll get the other 2 tires. Truck tires have almost doubled.

 

[Mini Horses]

PayPal cr card offers the 6 mo no int if pd in full. Use their $$ for free -- gets you through sometimes. You do have to make a set monthly payment. It's a way to get it "now". Synchrony bank funds it, and also Lowe's, Amazon, Care Credit....all offer some no int terms. But PayPal you can use all over the place. Traditional credit cards give you buy now, pay later but, with plenty of interest.

Everything has doubled!! Even the interest!

Oops...sorry, CLS

 

[CLSranch]

I use to (??? is that right) use the regular credit cards just for fuel and lodging on the way to a job, maybe fuel later as well. That way by the time the bill came I had several checks in and didn't run the bank acct empty staying in a hotel for weeks.

Ordered the locking hub and the insurance check showed up at the repair shop yesterday . Today I went town got the hub, fixed truck, got a hay bale out, got the trailer hooked up and delivered a rick of wood to the neighbor. Wife went to town after lunch to get check and put it in the bank. Different town and direction from the hub. 4X4 works but it doesn't seem to want to slide in that last 1/16" for the snap ring to really hold it, it makes a little noise and has a lot of slack behind it. U-joint looked good but something aint right.
I also ordered the much needed sensors today. I should've yesterday after checks arrival. It was put on the credit card anyway. I don't use debit cards for ordering especially online.

 

[CLSranch]

Use their $$ for free -- gets you through sometimes.

That was the reason for the other CC but it seems each time they just had a little more on them at the end of every job instead of paid off before interest occurred. Eh life happens I guess.

 

[CLSranch]

Did a partial hive inspection last week. Monday, I think 1-29-24. The 2 left are looking good. One is building new comb in a box that didn't get filled like it should've last summer. May have put it on to late and it swarmed before or after that?? not sure I wasn't home. Anyway building comb in January is great. They still haven't touched the open feeder I put out last Oct/Nov when it was in the 60's-70's after the cold spell. On Monday i put entrance feeders in both hives, they didn't touch it for a while then progessively ate faster. They were empty Thursday, I refilled them 3/4 full yesterday morning and they ate all of it by the time I came home for lunch around 3.

I don't remember when I started with the dry sugar (I'll have to go back a few pages and see) but the inspection after they were eating it quickly/they were starving. Monday they weren't really messing with it and seems they were trying to drag it from the top inner cover down and out the bottom door as trash. At the time they slowed on the dry sugar I put some small pieces of store bought feed patties with pollen in them. One hive had so many bees' on the little piece before I could get the lid on I was afraid I'd be squishing them when I put the lid on. But as of Monday they hadn't ate much of it. Also Monday while cleaning the cabin/feed room I could see a few, very few but a few bringing in pollen. Raining today, wondering about making some more sugar water today. They can get food without eating the stores while not being able to fly in the rain. The warm winter weather can be worse than the cold. When warm they fly around, burning energy looking for food, then have to refill themselves without bringing anything to refill the stores. Hopefully we get some maple trees and dandelions blooming soon.