Latestarter's ramblings/musings/gripes and grumbles.

[Latestarter]

So, just back from a home depot, wally world, bank, gas station, Chinese food buffet dinner run (only meal today)... Built 8 more "H" braces today and wired up 3. Couldn't do more because I ran out of fencing staples. Reason for HD inclusion in the above mentioned run. Will be back at it again tomorrow and hope to get those five wired up and round the corner to start on yard posts and fencing. The pasture is so swampy that had I not had 4 wheel drive, the truck would still be down back. I'm sore & tired. Also dehydrated... Sucking down 1/2 & 1/2 crystal light iced tea and power aid (grape).

Hope everyone had a great Monday. Jacuzzi is on the fritz again so no hot soak for me.

 

[Wehner Homestead]

Getting there! I know you’re trying to hit it hard before the summer Texas heat makes it hard to get much done during the hottest part of the day. Your herd should be growing soon too!

 

[Pastor Dave]

All that sounds like it's justified because of the hot tub soak. Gotta get that fixed quick Joe! We bought a house once upon a time, and began remodeling. Poured a large patio at abt 16'x25'. Then decided on a place to set a hot tub, and mixed up quickrete to add the location adjacent to tbe new patio. It was a Softub brand hot tub with a lid and canvas straps to lock down for childproof, etc. The pump was insulated and separate that sat behind. It was covered in same color vinyl coating. The convenient thing is that it was 110 and could plug in any standard outlet. The pump heated up and discharged into the tub creating the hot water. The intake to the pump cooled it down. It fit through standard sized doorways on its side, and one guy could roll it and tote it or assemble it. We left it 7 yrs ago when we moved. Oh, how I miss it.

 

[greybeard]

We have Jacuzzi tub in the bathroom. I've been in it twice in 9 years and probably never will get in it again. It too, has a heater built in to the supply line. Wife uses it about once /month..maybe.

We have a shower directly across from this picture, that we use 99% of the time.
The jet tub, IMO was a waste of $$ and space for us.

 

[Bruce]

Built 8 more "H" braces today and wired up 3.

Including digging the holes?? You SHOULD be dead tired!!!

 

[Latestarter]

The vertical posts had already been sunk. Just the chain saw work and attaching the horizontal brace logs, then the cross wiring. Got up late, stiff and a bit sore this morning so postponed continuing till tomorrow. Gonna do some other chores instead today.

 

[Latestarter]

So yeah... still stiff and sore but forced myself out into the horrid weather today (sunny, light breeze, ~65°f, clear blue sky) and soggy ground conditions. Finished up cross wiring the remaining 5 "H" braces, tried to pull some old T posts unsuccessfully (buried in tree roots), broke off a rotted fence post, started to dig out around the "stump" only to hit water ~6" down. Removed ~50' of 4 strand barbed wire, cut it up (non rusted) and folded up (the rusted) and brought up to the garbage barrel at the head of the driveway. Figure I'm paying for weekly pickup and don't generate enough for but 1 pickup monthly... So I'll start eliminating some of the garbage around here that way.

Hope everyone had a happy "pie" day (3.14 - π) Anyone do anything mathematically special? Wasn't a good day for Stephen Hawking, the theoretical physicist... He passed earlier today. Then again, I don't know what kind of pain he dealt with, maybe it was good for him that he's finally released from his crippled body and at rest?

Guess tomorrow (today) I'll go get back to digging out the rotted post, replace, brace and cross wire, pound a few more T posts, and then get ready to start rolling out and stretching fence. Need to make a run to home depot and pick up a smallish bolt/lock cutter to cut the fencing with. Been using the cutter function on the fencing pliers and it works, but I've got about a dozen blood blisters on palms and fingers from pinching skin with the damned things. Since I'll be replacing a butt load of old wire, I need a better, faster way to cut it into manageable pieces.

Not going to be able to use the truck to drive around in the pasture either... It's so wet still that I'm leaving huge ruts any time I drive through any "low" spot. I'll try with the lawn tractor with tow behind cart and see if that does less damage. If that doesn't work, I'm gonna be on foot, which will not make me happy.

 

[Mike CHS]

I guess there are some good things about having so much stone in our soil. If I get two dry days in a row, it's good enough to drive on. At least you are making some steady progress.

 

[Baymule]

Joe your braces look good! I am proud for you that you are getting this done. There are lots of steps to do to get a fence built, it sure looks easy when someone else is doing it. But when it is you building fence, all the sore spots show up, everything takes way more time than you ever imagined and it seems like you'll never get done. That first morning that you see your goats grazing on their new pasture will make it all worth it.

You don't know how blessed you are to already have a well established pasture with lush grasses. We have worked so hard to get grass to grow on our beach sand and still have a long ways to go. You have to actually mow grass! Next time you are out there mowing, sweating, hot and dirty, just think about us and our dry sand and maybe you won't mind it so much. LOL

 

[Bruce]

Wasn't a good day for Stephen Hawking, the theoretical physicist... He passed earlier today. Then again, I don't know what kind of pain he dealt with, maybe it was good for him that he's finally released from his crippled body and at rest?

He had to be a special person to deal with his nerve disease for so many years. He was diagnosed when he was working on his PhD (earned at the age of 23!), they were not sure he would live long enough to finish his thesis. But he made another 53 years under very difficult circumstances. I'm sure I could not handle that.

Since I'll be replacing a butt load of old wire, I need a better, faster way to cut it into manageable pieces.

Good plan. Are you using field fence? I already had some bigger bolt cutters, can't imagine how much fun those 10g top and bottom wires would be with the fence pliers.

It's so wet still that I'm leaving huge ruts any time I drive through any "low" spot. I'll try with the lawn tractor with tow behind cart and see if that does less damage. If that doesn't work, I'm gonna be on foot, which will not make me happy.

Caution! I've bogged down my GT (with the mower deck on) in very wet clay. Probably would have gotten stuck even without the deck installed. I was lucky, I was inline with a tree and since the winch for the blower stays installed I was able to run a rope to the tree and winch out. Had to make several "passes" because I'd cut the winch wire to about 5'. The ferrule on the original 100' would jamb up in the winch when lifting the blower, the travel needed is only a few inches. And of course when the ferrule jammed the fuse blew. I did find a 30A circuit breaker fuse so at least I didn't have to carry a bunch of spare fuses and replace them constantly.