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What are you doing today, II
- Thread starter NorthernRedneck
- Start date
I had a brief but productive conversation with Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds today during one of her campaign stops in Storm Lake. We talked about some Veterans issues. Other than that, it was a pretty boring day. I can't wait for summer!
We are home. Got to the house in time for Corned Beef, Cabbage & Potatoes. She has NEVER seen corned beef. She was afraid of it. But once she tried it she loved it.
She is now doing some homework.
We plan to leave the house about 7:30am tomorrow, in time to fight the rush hour traffic into Chicago. Hope to arrive at the Ukrainian Consulate about 9am. It is about a block off of State Street, just a few blocks north of downtown. My daughter lives just off of State Street, but a few blocks south of downtown. So I'll drop Dasha at the Consulate, then go to Melen's and wait. We will pick Dasha up when she is done and all go out for a late breakfast or early lunch or whatever is appropriate depending on how long it takes at the Consulate. I suspect it should be fairly short? But they don't take appointments so if she is there 1st, they will probably see her right away, but if there is a line . . . guess we will find out tomorrow.
Friday at the Ukraine Consulate didn’t go as planned. Despite advanced phone calls and pre-arranging everything, once she flashed her Russian passport the official yelled for her to get out. Said she should come back when “her people stop killing his people…”
Yesterday he family left Bulgaria to start driving to Belgium. They may try to settle there.
I spent yesterday at Purdue University as their guest fencing coach again. It has become a semi regular occurrence for me to go down to help their team. I also took an Epee coach with me, plus 3 competitive high school fencers. After practice we joined some members of the team at their team dinner.
I flipped it for ya Bob. doc.
Yesterday he family left Bulgaria to start driving to Belgium. They may try to settle there.
I spent yesterday at Purdue University as their guest fencing coach again. It has become a semi regular occurrence for me to go down to help their team. I also took an Epee coach with me, plus 3 competitive high school fencers. After practice we joined some members of the team at their team dinner.
I flipped it for ya Bob. doc.
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FrancSevin
Proudly Deplorable
That discourteous and abrupt dismissal had to be a bad time for Dasha. Sorry to hearit.
Perhaps cooler heads will eventually prevail.
Great action shots from Purdue. Thanks
Perhaps cooler heads will eventually prevail.
Great action shots from Purdue. Thanks
Yard work. More yard work.
And picked up a load of mulch in the Honda Ridgeline late this afternoon. Shoveled it out of the bed early this evening.
I have to say that the trick tailgate on the Ridgeline is AWESOME. It drops down like a normal tailgate -or- it opens with a hinge on the driver's side, like a regular door. When you are shoveling out of a truck bed that side opening gate lets you reach all the way across the 5.4' bed up to the cab of the truck without leaning over 18+" of tailgate, which can make the reach very difficult. Side gate opening is much easier! The other big advantage is that loose material doesn't drop into the 'gap' between the bed and the tailgate. So many little things about this "not a real truck" that I am loving. Maybe its not a 'real truck' like Ranger or a Tacoma or a Frontier, but in dozens of ways it is better. In fact much better.
And picked up a load of mulch in the Honda Ridgeline late this afternoon. Shoveled it out of the bed early this evening.
I have to say that the trick tailgate on the Ridgeline is AWESOME. It drops down like a normal tailgate -or- it opens with a hinge on the driver's side, like a regular door. When you are shoveling out of a truck bed that side opening gate lets you reach all the way across the 5.4' bed up to the cab of the truck without leaning over 18+" of tailgate, which can make the reach very difficult. Side gate opening is much easier! The other big advantage is that loose material doesn't drop into the 'gap' between the bed and the tailgate. So many little things about this "not a real truck" that I am loving. Maybe its not a 'real truck' like Ranger or a Tacoma or a Frontier, but in dozens of ways it is better. In fact much better.
Congrats!Indeed.
The bump UP in pay isn't bad either.
FrancSevin
Proudly Deplorable
It sounds like you bought a great wheelbarrow
with a 1500+# payload capacityIt sounds like you bought a great wheelbarrow
FrancSevin
Proudly Deplorable
NOPE
I need to park inside indoor parking garages in Chicago. Go big and STAY HOME.
I got rid of a larger truck to get a truck that better suits my needs. Never needed to carry even a ton. While I used to tow close to 7000# I don't even own a trailer anymore.
You can go big. I choose to get something that suits my needs.
FrancSevin
Proudly Deplorable
Just a ribbing. I actually like your choice of the Honda.
But you are right. Between loads of gravel, the JD310 Backhoe, and a12,000 Lb RV,,,; it doesn't work for me.
On another note, I tried to get pictures up on the former deck now room addition project today.
They didn't come through to my E-mail so perhaps Tuesday.
I did finish the wiring today and screwed the 3/4 "plywood to the joists.
Tuesday we use the house wrap to protect the insulation under the floor,, and add the Indoor-Outdoor carpeting.
But you are right. Between loads of gravel, the JD310 Backhoe, and a12,000 Lb RV,,,; it doesn't work for me.
On another note, I tried to get pictures up on the former deck now room addition project today.
They didn't come through to my E-mail so perhaps Tuesday.
I did finish the wiring today and screwed the 3/4 "plywood to the joists.
Tuesday we use the house wrap to protect the insulation under the floor,, and add the Indoor-Outdoor carpeting.
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FrancSevin
Proudly Deplorable
Iam using an old deck to expand the kitchen space. Converting half of it to "inside" the house.
The jack joists, which create the squares, are where the outside wall will meet the composite decking. This will allow the rainwater to drain without sitting and rotting the lumber. The deck section extends beyond the foundation with hardware cloth to keep out critters but allow free air circulation. Moisture is the enemy of wood framing under decks.
All joists and framing will be with treated lumber.
Nothing is nailed. All fasteners are plated screws.
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FrancSevin
Proudly Deplorable
The concrete board (Tile backer) is demising the foundation space between inside the house and under the deck outside.
I am filling the voids with insulation under the section that will become "inside" the house.
Everything sits on a 36" foundation wall of 11" wide concrete. The floor is of 4" concrete over 4" compacted gravel with two drains piped to the surge pond in the back yard.
I did the wiring ast night and screwed 3/4" treated plywood decking down. Tonight, I will cover the wood with building wrap and then with Indoor/Outdoor carpet.
Roof and walls come later this summer. the 16-foot north wall will have 10 feet of a glass window wall I bought at a yard sale some 10 years ago. It has a 36" door in the middle. The east wall will be 10 feet of which 5 will be a double slab glass door I bought almost 20 years ago.
Both will facilitate a nice view of the pond and gardens.
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Going to clean up the old dodge for the mountain trip tomorrow, finally got the time to go. It got postponed so many times that the cabin neighbor says I can get in with the 4X4 and no need for the track van. The Dodge will burn about the same as the Nissan pulling a trailer with the van but I don't have to deal with the pulling , loading and unloading. Haven't been there since October last year and been missing it. My son is going with me, we plan to do some shooting and scouting around to find a place for him to build his cabin site out there. The place should turn a corner this year, getting a new roof and interior flooring and walls. Barring any more fires. Full report on my return.
NorthernRedneck
Well-known member
Running my a$$ off today in the middle of what's projected to be a normal months worth of snow falling in the next 24hrs. Two dentist appointments this morning meant shuttling kids from home to the dentist (a 20 minute drive there) then 25 minutes to school, and another 30 to get home. I did a run to the dump in a blizzard then came home for a half hour before doing the afternoon drive to pick up kids and more dental appointments. I also brought the expedition in for an oil change.
FrancSevin
Proudly Deplorable
I was just informed that I have to stay late today because of a freight pickup. After which we will go to Lowes and buy carpet and a furniture set Crumpy wants to get now whilst it is still in stock. I won't get home until after it is dark so the house wrap and carpeting waits another day.
NorthernRedneck
Well-known member
Snow day! All buses are canceled. It's still coming down. It started around lunchtime yesterday and hasn't let up. We live in a small village about 15 minutes from a city of 115000 people. So usually when there's a storm like this, they stop plowing the roads around 6pm and don't start again until the storm stops.
I had to drive to the next village 10 minutes down the road last night to pick up our son from work. I had to use 4x4 the whole way and couldn't go more than 50km an hr. Looks like I'll be plowing snow today. And with the temperatures being around freezing, it'll be over a foot of heavy wet snow. The roof on the hot tub gazebo was clear yesterday. It's still coming down.
I had to drive to the next village 10 minutes down the road last night to pick up our son from work. I had to use 4x4 the whole way and couldn't go more than 50km an hr. Looks like I'll be plowing snow today. And with the temperatures being around freezing, it'll be over a foot of heavy wet snow. The roof on the hot tub gazebo was clear yesterday. It's still coming down.
Got word tonight that one of my fencers earned the Most Valuable Player award for her fencing team.
That means of the 2 teams where I coach/coached, the 2 top female athletes were started in Saber fencing by me, and continued to be coached by me (even if 1 of them formally had a different coach, both she and her parents considered me to be her actual coach) and both were the top fencers for their team. One of them was also ranked the top fencer in our 3 state fencing conference, the other was regularly a Top 16 ranked fencers in the conference. Both attended USA Fencing sanctioned events outside of the high school conference. Both qualified for the Junior Olympics.
Amazingly proud of both.
That means of the 2 teams where I coach/coached, the 2 top female athletes were started in Saber fencing by me, and continued to be coached by me (even if 1 of them formally had a different coach, both she and her parents considered me to be her actual coach) and both were the top fencers for their team. One of them was also ranked the top fencer in our 3 state fencing conference, the other was regularly a Top 16 ranked fencers in the conference. Both attended USA Fencing sanctioned events outside of the high school conference. Both qualified for the Junior Olympics.
Amazingly proud of both.
NorthernRedneck
Well-known member
Day 3 of digging out from the storm. My plow truck has pretty much been rendered useless with this snow due to solid ice underneath the snow and it being heavy wet stuff. We have a path out to the main road and the parking area near the house somewhat cleared and the rest can just melt.
The school buses are all canceled for a second time this week. This time mainly due to the amount of snow still on the side roads and slush everywhere. One of our kids buses got stuck 4 times yesterday.
The school buses are all canceled for a second time this week. This time mainly due to the amount of snow still on the side roads and slush everywhere. One of our kids buses got stuck 4 times yesterday.
NorthernRedneck
Well-known member
I normally keep this whole area plowed but with the heavy wet snow, I couldn't even attempt it.
I barely made one pass down to the shop on Wednesday and got stuck. The loader that came to my rescue plowed a path there and pulled me out.
FrancSevin
Proudly Deplorable
WOW!
And here I am complaining about having to bring a few palm trees back into the house 'cause it's cold.
Going to the Springfield bungalow this weekend so I will be off line until Sunday night. No real work planned unless a trip to the sailboat exposes a problem. The poor thing has spent two years in the slip. Between COVID and other passions, we have been unable to sail.
NorthernRedneck
Well-known member
Success! I decided to head out and try clearing up the snow as I looked at the forecast and we're getting another 10-15cm. With no place to put it, I started chiseling away at the snow with the plow before it warmed up and turned to slop this afternoon. I could only push 1/4 blade at a time for a few feet. But after 2hrs and 3 different occasions of getting stuck, I managed to get it all plowed. I feel much better now. 
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FrancSevin
Proudly Deplorable
LOL Brian welcome to the country side of life....Best bet is dump the plow truck and pick up a tractor with a blower. Plow trucks are good for small storms of 2 ft of dry snow but when the wet stuff rolls in they dont have the weight to move it far. This past storm was a bit of a challenge.Success! I decided to head out and try clearing up the snow as I looked at the forecast and we're getting another 10-15cm. With no place to put it, I started chiseling away at the snow with the plow before it warmed up and turned to slop this afternoon. I could only push 1/4 blade at a time for a few feet. But after 2hrs and 3 different occasions of getting stuck, I managed to get it all plowed. I feel much better now.
NorthernRedneck
Well-known member
I've been toying with a replacement for a while. Not sure what direction I want to go. A sidewalk plow with snowblower attachment or something similar. Generally, the plow has been fine all winter. I can usually do the whole drive in an hour and a half. This storm is the first time this winter I've been stuck. I'm also thinking a set of chains would have helped with traction.
Lol
I bet I'm the only forum member now who goes to bed early, and gets up way early.
Even on the weekends.
