As a General Rule. . .

. . .the thing I dislike about February the most is people who say “Feb-YOU-ary.”

#gagamaggot

I am of two minds about the January weather we’re having in the middle of FebRuary, though. On the one hand, bitter cold with freezing rain, followed by snow does tend to keep me housebound, for the most part. On the other hand, bitter cold with freezing rain, followed by snow does tend to keep me housebound, for the most part. *heh*

A Few of the Lessons Learned. . .

From a year of dealing with tree waste.

  • Use an arborist, not a “tree trimmer.” An arborist knows what it means to “poll” a tree. Apparently, at least some “tree trimmers” think it means to turn a tree into a pole. *sigh*
  • Know your limits and how to compensate for them.
  • While I can turn some into lumber and some into mulch, much of it just has to be burned.
  • Keep at it. Pay attention and keep learning.

Yeh, the five sycamores still standing are going to HAVE to come down this year, but I need to clear out the rest of the wood waste, first. Luckily, just about all of what is left standing will cycle through a chainsaw lumbermill setup pretty nicely, I think, if I can get an arborist to cut them down in about 10′ chunks. (that size is about the maximum I can move around, even with block and tackle, and rolling–with a peavey/timberjack– even that size up onto a modified sawbuck for milling will be. . . fun).

Learned some new limits, mostly age related, I suppose. One: do NOT tire out my “bad” knee. It is too susceptible to reinjury (ACL). Wear appropriate knee braces, too (yeh, yeh, and back support, and “arborist’s safety equipment,” and gloves, and. . . *heh*).

OK. Have what I need for lumber milling and have milled some out of this mess, but getting better equipment will speed that up. Check. Making mulch? Check. Burning other? Check. Learned a few things there, remembered others.

    1. Put largest pieces to be burned (too small or crooked to mill, too large to chip) in the BOTTOM of the burn bin and kindling on top. Yeh, I know it is counter to what your granddad taught you (mine too), but I have found the larger pieces burn more thoroughly, and longer. Longer is good because. . .
    2. I have other “waste” wood that is not really waste, just some walnut trimmings, some elm, and some maple that I can turn into charcoal. Cur up decent hardwood scraps into nice 3”x3” or so chunks, pack into a clean paint can, drill hole in lid and seal the paint can. place it in the middle of the fire you build, then burn your firewood. When the fire burns longer, more wood gas outgasses, and better charcoal results.
    3. Also: I’ve learned to cut down on paper trash taken to the curb for disposal. Paper trash can make excellent fire starting material.
    4. A wee bit of diesel is a great fire starting aid.

    So, I just need to keep at it and pay attention to processes, both great and small. There’s always room for improvement.

Got It Covered–Top & Bottom

So yeh, I have a pair of nice Lucchese “cowboy” boots (thanks Daddy, RIP), but I’m having difficulty finding a place to resole them ( first world problem *sigh*). Fortunately, Ariat makes some nice ropers–and not those nasty looking ones with the square toes. *heh* Inexpensive (for boots) and not too “dressy” (the Lucchese’s one real fault; I have little use for playing dressup nowadays 😉 ) Oh, small thing: I definitely give “Lucchese” a proper Italian pronunciation, but a very plain proper pronunciation. I ain’t gonna try picking one of the regional accents. *heh*

Bug plus: My Banjo Paterson does well for work, casual, and moderately dressy, not that I’d wear it for such (cos I don’t “do” dressy now).


Oh, breaking in new boots? Yeh, saddle soap and “glove” (neatsfoot) oil. Sure they darken the leather a bit, but for these boots, that’s kinda a plus. Works a charm though.

January 20, 2021: A Day That Will Live in Infamy

Recessional

~ Rudyard Kipling, 1897 (though could as easily be 2021 and re: The Fall of the Republic as concerning Britain at the end of the 19th Century)

God of our fathers, known of old,
Lord of our far-flung battle-line,
Beneath whose awful Hand we hold
Dominion over palm and pine—
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!

The tumult and the shouting dies;
The Captains and the Kings depart:
Still stands Thine ancient sacrifice,
An humble and a contrite heart.
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!

Far-called, our navies melt away;
On dune and headland sinks the fire:
Lo, all our pomp of yesterday
Is one with Nineveh and Tyre!
Judge of the Nations, spare us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!

If, drunk with sight of power, we loose
Wild tongues that have not Thee in awe,
Such boastings as the Gentiles use,
Or lesser breeds without the Law—
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget—lest we forget!

For heathen heart that puts her trust
In reeking tube and iron shard,
All valiant dust that builds on dust,
And guarding, calls not Thee to guard,
For frantic boast and foolish word—
Thy mercy on Thy People, Lord!

Be of Good Cheer

Take heart! Rome wasn’t destroyed in a day.

(Oh, and Condition Yellow, head on a swivel, watch your six, and all that jazz, too.)

Little Pleasures

Someone who loves me more than she ought to gave me this hat:

I love this hat. In fact, that may not be a strong enough statement. Let’s try this: this hat has resulted in my new favorite fantasy: that when I wear it, I am taller, smarter, and much less ugly. *heh* The only drawback to this hat is that I want another one, now. Yes, already. (I only have the one in one color, you see. 🙂 ) But I can live with one. After all, it’s a very nice one.


Still lovin’ it.

Not a Good Thing

But at least it didn’t stem from from riots or some such, not that one would ever expect such here in America’s Third World County. The “African Grocery” with apartments above and mosque next door: complete loss. Two injured–one a firefighter. No, no riot, but still not a Good Thing. The Somalis in that town will miss their specialty grocery and mosque. Not a lot of crossover with the Pacific Islanders’ grocery here in town, either.

How Much Wood Can a Wood Chuck(er) Chuck?

Not all THAT much, but after this AM’s “wood chucking exercises,” I slowed down with a cuppa coffee enhanced with a weed tad of cayenne pepper and baking cocoa. Enjoyed the cat-in-the-lap, too. Had to. He said so. After release from “lap duty,” some stretches, etc. Better. Pulse high of only 114 BPM, cool down and recovery to lowest of day: 51 BPM. Getting a wee bit better. Maybe I can eventually make the doc less of a liar the next time he tells me I’m in “pretty good shape for someone [my] age.” *heh* Maybe.

Rainy Days and. . . Tuesdays?

Nah, don’t always get me down.

Lil P0106 error code on Son&Heir’s 2010 Jetta (pretty nice car, that) that cleared when new PCV valve installed recurred with a P2178 (idle rich) added. MAF sensor/throttle body problem? MAF sensor connector was cracked. Cleaned out oil after removing, cleaning, checking throttle body, sealed MAF sensor connection after Deoxit cleaning of connectors. So far, no errors, but we’ll see. May need to replace a bit of electrical harness/connectors and MAF sensor, if it recurs. *shrugs* And then, of course, there’s always *tum-dum-tum-DUM!* taking it to the mechanic. *heh*

Methinks I’ll check things under the hood on my Wonder Woman’s 2010 Jetta, too, when I change the oil. *shrugs* Who knows? Maybe at least Deoxit* a few electrical connections there, too.


*I love the various Caig Deoxit products. Solved quite a few problems over the years using them. Their dielectric grease is apparently head and shoulders above similar products, going by the results I have had eliminating household electrical problems using it (solutions implemented a decade ago have held up). Computer and electronic woes dealt with, sound quality improvement from sound equipment. Vehicle woes wiped out. Improved network connections. Nice products, IMO.