Yes there is supposed to be a system that I have developed for these pages, Green for Summer, Blue for Winter, or something like that. A special look is developed over time and, I'm told, I can come up with a Style sheet that will make all my pages simpler. But I'm not that motivated to do that much work right now, even though I'm told it would make my job so much easier, when have I ever chosen the easy way? And about those other seasons? I have never seen much delineation that is clear to me, either it's summer, or winter, to me. Oh and by the way...

Thanks for the help with the water system Mugsy!

So I have ordered the drive shafts for the front of the Ford truck from the last page. I know, I know, I whined about the cost being against my basic tenants. Cheap, cheap, cheap, and that's not the sound of the little chicks at Easter. Though I do wonder where the eggs and bunnies cross the DNA matrix? Anyway, I went to a site called Junk Yard Dog and listed my need, I got 5 instant emails, wanting more intimate information about my problem. But only one said, "I have these parts cheap, cal me", So I did, I mean CHEAP is a keyword for me, I'm not sure everybody would grasp that fact. The fact that he didn't spell 'call' correctly didn't discourage me, I figured the guy was busy removing the parts, to clean them and send them to me. I miss a key now and then, no harm. particularly when typing in the garage with gloves on....At least that was my justification, I still don't know if it was a good move as it has been 4 days, and I have heard nothing more about it, it did take two days for the bill to show up on my credit card, two days later I sent an email asking about the status of the order, requesting a tracking number, you know all those things you take for granted with anything else you order on line. We'll see...

Meanwhile, back at the ranch. Black Bart having tied Sweet Sue to the cradle of the saw mill, pleasantly requested the location of the strong box that she had removed from the wrecked stagecoach on the back forty... Then he started the blade, as the clutch began to groan under the strain of spinning the heavy steel blade, the cradle started to move slowly toward the blade. And Sweet Sue started to scream!

So there I was waiting for a response from an unknown guy in north eastern PA about a part for my truck and I began to think maybe I should have gotten a couple quotes. Which might have included a shipping estimate or a time frame or something else, and I decided to check the guy out on the net. I love the internet. I particularly love Google, it knows everybody, and 'squeals like a stuck pig' if somebody is shady. What I found sounded like a pretty regular guy. OK, there was a woman who was pissed at him for some parts that she ordered and took a long time to receive, but she got them, and they were specialty parts for a restoration, and she didn't get back on and gripe about the parts after she got them! So I don't feel too bad about my hasty decision, yet.

Thanks for the help with the water system Mugsy!

UPdate: The parts arrived Monday, a package just showed up on my back porch, it was wrapped pretty weird but the item inside was unusual anyway, I think the only thing that could harm it is letting me install it in my truck and ignore it, other than that, it was pretty much indestructable, two-inch and a quarter shafts- with a universal joint. It was perfect, fit right in. I started at 17:00 and was driving around at 22:30, with a break for Pizza and coffee in the middle. And that included replacing the universal, which didn't really need it, but I didn't want to have to take it (the front suspension of the truck) apart at any point this winter. It was a beautiful day again, and I needed some garage time anyway. And the correct tool for the job, the ball joint press for 4 WD I bought two months ago, worked magnificently, right after I found it. I know it seems things are always getting lost, and I'm sure the Garage Gnomes have something to do with it, But this time I put it in the go-kart roll around, thinking the rest of the parts would be sold by now.

 

It was fun Karting, but that isn't an option for this area, too hilly, or financial climate, too broke, boo hoo. And just in case anyone is interested in purchasing a "total gokart racing team" I happen to have one, that will be sold for a total of $6000.00 That includes three karts one for 5 hp briggs, one for 9 hp animal engine, both running alcohol and extra engines built and untouched, spare tires, spare parts, a full spare frame, and even a hydraulic dynamo - crude but functional. Suits, seats, and a variety of bodies made of fiberglass and plastic. Really, way too much to list here, and the original cost was in excess of $12000.00, but I dare not explain too much more here, Chris reads this ocassionally you know. I am going to start listing the parts on "Craigslist" this week, so this is a limited time offer. After all this is a .com account so I must occassionaly attempt to do something commercial. Should I have put Advertisement in tiny letters some where? Oh well.

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There how's that?

Thanks for the help with the water system Mugsy!

I spent a lovely afternoon dismantling a partial lawn tractor Russ brought down. It has a few parts that are good for other mechanical projects, and a lot of screws and bolts that are good for anything, and some sheet metal that will make weird lawn ornaments for a while. Which is what I really wanted to avoid, so I have to get them disassembled and put away for the winter. The first one went pretty well. They had been cannibalized by someone who wanted starter motors, but didn't realize the value of wiring harnesses, electrical parts, or ball end joints. I hit the mother load on these babies. hairpin clips and C clips and small bearing rollers and a really nice steering wheel, and a universal style sector gear steering setup, which I was told, was why the neighbor had wanted them in the first place. More demolition tomorrow if the weather holds.

Ah the weather, I bought a weather station system the second year we lived here, the winds on this hill are scary sounding and I wanted to know what was happening outside, and the temperature is nice to know as well, particularly when the plants and animals have to be considered. So I was disappointed when the system died this fall, I think the 100+degree days when I was digging the ditches around here was too tough on the sensors. Anyway, the transmitter that communicated with the inside reader, and relayed what was happening outside quit. I tried replacing the batteries, and then took it apart and tried to remove all the spider webs, cocoons, and other crud that had accumulated in it for the last three years, but alas, it was unsuccessful. There is a wind vane and anemometer and a rain gage that plug into the temperature and hygrometer unit that houses the transmitter and they are weird about how you have to plug everything in and power it up in sequence or it won't communicate. Well, I tried a dozen times, even after checking the operators manual, ( a particularly loathsome task ) and still no luck. Well after I had purchased the first system, ( see that, a hint that more is to come!) I went online and checked about upgrades, (to try to find a way to attach it to a computer for data logging) and found a site with 'discounted, discontinued and scratch and dent models' I had paid too much! But, I book marked the site and have regularly visited it for the last two years and they had a unit that did everything I wanted. So though I hate to spend the money and I am not glad the other unit failed so soon, (I think they ought to be good for at least 5 years, it cost a hundred bucks after all). I have the new unit in the dining area and I'm checking it out, complete with the computer requirements. I hope to be able to create a more reasonable data set to dispute the viability of wind power in SE Ohio. I really think I'm going to enjoy this tool. ( I'd call it a toy, but I might have to go commercial this year, so a tool will be deductible, whereas, a toy? That gets sticky...) Supposedly I can even run a constant feed to the internet with the "Nada Farm Weather Data Project" but people already think we spend too much time tying up the phone line with the computers, and they are certainly right, but if we could support a connection via satellite uplink with a "legitimate scientific project" why then the whole operation would be self sustaining.

All I need is about a million readers, and of course I'd have to put a lot more ads on the pages not just the web hosting link (which has yet to get me a discount on anything, by the way!) but I have found there are a few folks checking up on me that I was not aware of, but am very happy about. So I will let you know how that little project proceeds.

Thanks for the help with the water system Mugsy!

I have thought about a web cam of the general scenery, to of course include the marvelous sunsets, but the uplink issues prevent it at this point. $$$$$ is what I really mean. I have the cameras the computers and the technology issues pretty well in hand, of course I'd have to make sure Oscar didn't start a "goat sex site" when I wasn't watching, he is such a rascal. But then I can't do anything about the cows that might be visible in the fields next door, and then there's the wildlife, you know as I think about it, I might just be able to pay for it with pervy nature videos... or at least the promise of the possibilities. I've visited web sites that promised vaporware.....same thing right?

"See raw nature in it's most primeval form!" As the morning fog lifts, the wild creatures find each other and express their most animalistic desires! Witness the lust in the natural world!

P. T. Barnum made a living off such hype, what do you think? Pay a nickel for a nature peep show? Chris is gonna kill me for this one.

And how did I get here from a weather station? Man, I gotta get back out to the garage and build something, I'm gettin' weird on these pills.

Okay, back to a semblance of reality, at least the version of reality that is NadaFarm. I wonder if the extraterrestrials that monitor me are influencing my actions when I get this way? Know what I mean? CLICK CLICK CLICK, I got an invite for Friday November 19th, to go to a Haz Mat extravaganza at the Summit County Fairgrounds, Though I'm sure they are now the Fairgrounds of the County of Summit, blah blah blah. I saw some guys there, that really did create the team that now exists. We laughed about the beginnings, (Because of Farm Issues I was late and didn't see the powerpoint they had to show) so I don't know what they said about the teams start, but some of the people that were there at the beginning of the process came to see what was up, and they were not yelling about the party, so I have to guess it wasn't too bad a representation. And, as I said, some of the original members are still functioning, sort of, at least they are there to see the progression. One of the small regrets I have about my retirement, is it forbids me to be part of anything "fire". I understand the concept, I am totally disabled, and unable to physically perform the job of Firefighter, and I'm getting a little better payout because of my condition, but I really do miss some of the activities, and most of the people. But the reality is, that I'm rather far removed to be of much use anyway. Some of the technology they had out was only about twenty years out of date, but at least they are finally getting it. The Fire Service, it seems that it will always be the poor stepchild of the safety services, but I hate to get started down that road at this point. Maybe that's the story I should finish, what the Fire Service really should look like. I have about a half dozen stories started, but this one is fun to play at, so it actually gets some keyboard time. Honestly, the others always end up so dark and depressing. I'm Steven King without monsters.....

The new weather system has all new sensors and can be wired rather than having to rely on it's tiny transmitter and weird security issues. But that means it needs to be mounted in a reasonable proximity of the house. A small problem, but one that has slowed me down for a couple days. I would like to do this once, and have it work. Also there is an issue with the software, Of course! It came with a disc of software which loaded fine and doesn't work. So I'm slowly downloading the upgrades. And I have little hope they will work anyway. I may try another computer, as the laptop I had hoped to run it on is pretty maxed out. It seems the only things that work are a couple alarms that aren't supported by monitor information, I'll get it working, I'm pretty sure it's a commo issue. as it always is, a problem with communication, "What we have here... is a failure to communicate!" That's probably the most appropriate line from a movie I ever heard and remembered, at least in relation to my life experience. I don't want to return to a Fire Department " rant I went west on" last page, but "a failure to communicate" yep, it fits me very well.

After the second download I finally got it all to work, and do you know how? What is the first thing I tell everyone who has a problem with software? RESTART! After trying for an hour (conservatively) it was 2 am. I was waiting for Chris to select music for Church, that always takes hours and hours. I finally got disgusted and decided to turn it off. Then I had a thought, what if, it just needed to be restarted, most software that resets major system tags and " I, O" features automatically restarts the machine. These programs are written in a familiarly crude "MIcrosoft Visual Basic" format and identified as Beta versions, the controls are just simple boxes and check buttons from a version of Microsoft Visual Basic from the mid nineties, I bet somebody created this little program, as part of a class in basic programming, probably in High School. But it does what I need it to do, and offers the features I need, and didn't cost extra. So I can't complain, much, but it should be stated that the machine should be restarted after installation. So I figured out the obvious, and it now works, and I don't have to change machines, the old laptop is handling it quite well. In fact I think I may set up a car battery to run it so it will continue working when the power is out, which is when I'll be most interested in the weather situation... I am reminded of my years playing with HAM RADIO, Chris always laughed about our talking about the weather. Her point being, we were in basements and attics, only blocks apart in many cases, talking about the weather which was at most one degree or one MPH of difference, and of no real consequence in any event. Of course we did have a "skywarn net" and actual plans to provide back up communication systems in the event that the weather caused a catastrophe, but as I was in the city, and it was pretty heavily populated with helpful people, ( in reality, due to the density of willing people available), we probably could have simply passed notes with our important information.

But, now that I'm out here in the boonies, I probably should get the radios out and get things set up for emergency communications, we sure can't depend on the phone system, and our cell phones hardly work in good weather, the dependability of the electric co-operative is about a joke, they are quick to respond, but they are always responding, and don't seem to be able to handle a simple wind storm. Too many un cleared areas around the wires. SO, we really can only count on the roads being plowed, and that suffers if the schools close. With the threats I'm hearing about this winters weather, oooohhhhh big bad winter, lotsa nuts in the woods and all the wooly bears are solid black or solid brown, not many stripes. Nature is warning us it is going to be a tough one. All the old wives tales I've heard about, have been about equal to crap so far, so we will see yet again. Still I'm planning a snow blower somehow, the one I had last year didn't work so good, but then it wasn't for the tractors I have, and I couldn't lift it high enough to control it. Fortunately my neighbor sent a plow over and scraped a few tons of snow out of the way. And got us through the toughest part of the winter.

Speaking of which, the next page will obviously be blue, so enjoy the happy green of this one for as long as you can.

Thanks for the help with the water system Mugsy!

Meanwhile back at the ranch, as the saw blade and Sweet Sue screamed, Black Bart started to get a migraine. It was then that he decided it wasn't worth it, all this noise and drama, just to get a shot at a strong box, that may or may not, contain gold? He shut down the saw, turned and stuffed a sock in Sweet Sue's big mouth and rode off into the sunset. Well, west anyway, where men are men and women keep their mouths shut, except when ordering whiskey.

The weather station, and it's program, are working on the first actual laptop I ever bought, a 166mhz Compaq Presario running Windows 98 SE. And it works better than the 500 mhz Sony Vaio running XP Professional. So, I guess I was right about the older versions of Microsoft Visual Basic being the program used to write the interface program. Because it happens there is a version 5.0 of that program on this old machine. So I guess the point, much to the dismay of the screaming women around me, is that it is sometimes useful to keep the old toys running, because they still do what they always did, even though the new ones, often do so much more. And as they are basically cast offs at this point, they can be relegated to a single task situation, and not missed or considered wasted, because they still serve a function and free up a more modern, more useful, machine in the process. So much for being resourceful for now.

And crap, it snowed before I got this done. So I'm out of season on my background I'm sure I will suffer in the reviews in the Wall Street Journal.... There goes my writing career.... But just as a point of order, there were 2.5 inches of rain and only a dusting of snow resulting, which means I know a great deal about nothing now, thanks to the great new weather station. And according to the information I can find it should have been about 18 to 25 inches. So I'm unsure of what I will know by the end of this winter, except that the weather experts are guessing, as much as knowing, what they pontificate about.

 

 

The Chores, Fresh Air, Green Acres is for ME.