Big bunch of drips

October 9, 2007 (4:48am)

45º F, Clear, S Wind, 7 mph.

Good morning,

Yesterday was another sweat drippy and rain drippy day. The temperature was a few degrees cooler than the day before, but it felt just as hot. We had off and on showers most of the day, with bright sun and no wind between. The no wind, with the hot sun beating down on the wet ground, really made it miserable to be outside working. Another high temperature, 84º F, was set too. I think that is 3 days in a row now. On storm came through something after 3:00 P.M., was really a down pour. Think we may have gotten at least an inch of rain and some high winds, gusting to nearly 40 mph, from it. This morning is a different story - it is cooler by about 20º F and there is a breeze. Talking of highs in the 50's today.

I didn’t get as much completed as I would have liked yesterday. Seemed I was forever closing up, then opening up as the showers went through. Did have things timed about right as nothing got wet that should not have. The wood splitter is in the position I want it for the duration, or until I get a different idea, and up on blocks. Putting it on blocks put the working table up a bit and that should make it easier to use. No bending over, just a little bit all of the time. The cylinder and business end of the splitter also tips up to split blocks too large to lift. Surprisingly, to me, the anvil sets right on the ground perfectly. I thought I would need to build up the soil or put some kind of a platform there, but everything worked out just right. Glad to have that task finished! Now I will have a chance to get the tires inflated again and the thing running. Will give the exterior of the engine a tear down to be sure it is clean and not hot spots from mud wasp nests will occur.

I did tear into the lift arm, taking off the cable and getting the winch ready to come off before the rains really came. The cable isn’t the best either and probably will discard it. In a few places where the layers on the spool overlapped, the cable actually crushed and unwound a bit. That destroys the strength of it and I don’t want to trust it, even though it is probably strong enough. Plan to put a grab hook and/or ring on the end of the arm to make it easier to attach a chain or the come-a-long in the future. Sure didn’t like how I had to use it this time. About the time I get it all figured out, it will be time to take it out of the truck so I can sell the truck again.

On the last trip down, I picked up a hunter’s orange vest and cap to hunt small game with. In Michigan it is required for hunters in the woods to have hunter’s orange as part of their clothing scheme. Never had to do that before, so had to buy some. Seems a bit strange, but understand the reasoning. In the past, we wore brown canvas coats and pants. I don’t think they are even made anymore, but sure were durable and kept the prickly ash and thorn apples at bay. I got the vest large enough to wear over a jacket when the weather gets a bit cooler. Looking forward for more of the leaves to drop from the trees and maybe I can go out and poke some holes in the air.

My old staple gun finally has been retired. I bought it when first married to put plastic over the windows in the old farm house outside of Loyal. The plastic really wasn’t that much value, as there were so many other places the winter air came in. But the staple gun has served me very well all of these years. It got to the point where I could only put in one staple then have to clear the next 2-3 out that would become jammed in it. Everything had worn too much and the close tolerances were lost. The new one probably cost 5 times what the old one did, but it also is about ¼ the weight and much easier to operate. I have a couple others, but they are very much lighter duty than this. I use the heavy duty one the most. Hope this will last as long as previous one did. I probably won’t though, come to think about it.

Saturday, Margriet roasted a whole chicken. We haven’t had that in a very long time and the new range did a good job. Margriet did too! Boy it is nice to have a real oven again. She even stuffed it and we dined like royalty! Had more of it last night and there still is more. Wonder how she will use it, but am sure it will be good.

Time to get the day a-going.

In Christ My Saviour,

Chris <><