Hello 2011--I have every expectation that this will be a year of change! They don't call me a profit for nothing. The past is just a goodbye. It don't mean nothin we don't let it mean. 2011 and a small band of virtual relationships is saved from corporate downsizing by Patrick, the Doc, who built us a new home to explore our little experiment in new tech communication.
It was 21F last night, a record low for Dec. 31. I played the best two sets of tennis of my life at 8:30am this morning, 27F. About 38 when we finished at 10. No wind, light clouds so the sun was less of a factor. My buddy is 9 years younger than me and a very good athlete--we have been playing every Sat for seven years now, all year long. With all the great camera work and high speed cameras for supper slow motion, you can really learn a lot just by watching. Tennis Channel has lessons from lots of the best coaches for free (DirectTV). Tennis is a sport you can play your whole life if your parts hold together--and if you play your whole life your parts tend to stay functional. And it is, at least in this town with all the high school courts, you can play all year round and play for just the price of your gear. I burn up an $80 pair of shoes each year or so, buy a new racquet every 4 or 5 years @ $130, have it restrung and regripped every year @ 45 and balls are about $3 a can for good ones that last a session. No club fees, no time limits.
This morning a bunch of girls were practicing on a few of the other courts. They were killing every shot. We asked them if they were in a college tournament. They weren't in college, they were 12 years old. Three of them were 11,12 and 14 in the world in their age bracket. They weighed about 80lbs and hit the ball like bullets. Amazing.
When the jet stream loops all the way down here it invariably means any place north and east of us is in for a deep freeze week. It will climb back into the upper 60s here this week. Is it obvious that I love Tucson?
My transition from MMX to MMXI sucked majorly. I was showering Friday morning about 7:45 when suddenly the light went out. Crap, it had been storming, thunder and lightning, because Jays normal winter weather had made it's way here and Friday started at 51°. Anything that warm in winter is always accompanied with storms. I quickly rinsed off any soap on my person because I knew from experience the water pressure would drop since with no power the pump would not be pumping more water from the well. I dressed and called ComEd and reported a complete power loss, then left to go meet my brother, sister, her husband and daughter for breakfast at Huckleberry's. As I left my driveway, I saw the culprit, the neutral line had pulled the fuse out of the junction on the utility pole across the street. The power and neutral lines run along a series of poles along the property line between me and my neighbor to the west, then at the last pole lines go to her house and to mine. Also along the property line are a bunch of trees and during a good storm they sway back and forth and sometimes pull the fuse out. No biggie, I figured, someone would have to come out and climb the pole to stick the fuse back in.
After breakfast I went back home and arrived just as the ComEd dude was crossing back from the pole. I stopped and asked him if it was fixed and he said No, and it would not be fixed until a tree service came out because there was a downed tree laying on the neutral line. I told him my other neighbor has a bobcat and I'll get him to knock the tree down off the line. Asshole ComEd guy says he still wont connect it until ALL the tree's are trimmed away from the lines. Then he left. To make a long story short, the old lady next door called her son, who called a tree place, who came out and cut down the tree and trimmed the rest and by 3:30pm they were done. I called ComEd again and they said they already were told by the contractor and dispatch has been notified to send out a truck. 5:30, no truck, call ComEd, supervisor says problems all over sue to storm, it'll be a while. 7:30 called again, sorry big problems in Joliet... I guess a 92 year old lady and a handicapped semi old dude don't matter. I went to bed, with no power I have no water, no heat, no cooking, no power to sump pump, basement has 8" water already.. fugget. I got up at 11:30 and drank shots by candlelight until a bit after midnight when the expected calls from family and friends came in. happy friggin new year. I went back to bed and woke up on and off to look at alarm clock for flashing red LEDs... power came back on at 5:45.. 22 hours it was off. Rat bastard electrical monopoly. Luckily it was mild or I'da froze my ass off.
That would be great. I'm in a forest with 80 foot pine trees and the main thing I'm trying to remove is this bush locally called white thorn. It is quite hardy and it grows into a tree if it's not trimmed regularly. The deer will sometimes nip it while it's small. But, it will grow to 20 feet in a few years. The wood is actually pretty good for heat. I'd love to plant ice plant or some other kind of succulent that wouldn't get eaten by the gophers. I have a tractor that will pull out a bush using chain if I get it when it's muddy. But, the tractor loses traction easily in mud. I'm on a 15 degree slope. So, mostly it's cleared by hand.
No water delivery service would come out this far off the beaten path. We do get UPS. But. even they have trouble crossing my flooded cement bridge after a heavy rain. I've got a Blazer, raised 4", for crossing when regular cars are feeling the swaying water pressure. The 20" culvert has a lot of tree roots running thru it. It will be an expensive repair to break the cement and install bigger culverts. That's what's necessary to keep the water off the bridge. I might buy a pre-made steel railroad bridge. But, that would require a lot of cement to anchor it in. The steel would eventually rust. I can't ignore it - I wish I could.
I wonder if I could drill out those roots. It would require some kind of cutting tool that I haven't discovered yet.
I could get in there with a Sawsall. It's less than 20" in diameter. I can wait until the water stops in August. It doesn't sound like a lot of fun.
The trip down to southern IL for the wake and funeral was interesting. The wake was in St Joseph, IL.. a town where I guess no atheists live since no one has sued yet for having a town named after a Saint. Wake was supposed to be 5 to 7 pm, we got there around 4:30, but being "family" we were allowed in early. I met up with my sister, her husband and his Mother at the "receiving line" by the casket. Paid my condolences and then sat in one of the many chairs along the wall. By 5pm the receiving line was snaked through several rooms and out the door. An hour later it was still out the door, and I went outside to see that the St Joseph police were directing traffic because of the line of cars waiting to get into the parking lot as others left. My best quesstimate was there were about 800 visitors. Les said it was prolly everyone from four surrounding towns. As a life long farmer, seed salesman, and tool and die shop owner, his Father had prolly done business with everyone in the area at one time or another. When the congregation moved their church from Flatville to Royal back in the 40's (literally took the building apart and moved it to a new town and rebuilt it) his Father built them a new steeple in his shop in Royal and had it and the new bell mounted on the church. I also found out the guy had like 40 patents for farming equipment which he invented and sold to John Deere. Interesting feller.
The funeral the next morning was more subdued and far less crowded. Only about 100 or so people at that, the Mass, and then a gravesite service followed by a luncheon in the church basement. The good ladies of the congregation each bring a dish, and it being corn country, you can bet that every casserole had corn it in. Afterwards we hung out at the farm until about 2pm just talking and such, then we hit the road north to be home before the sun set.
Thanks, Knuckle, for the horizontal cutter/auger. This is definitely an option. I wonder if such a tool could be rented. It would cost somewhere like $500 to buy. My culvert is 20 feet long. I'd have to get/make the extensions and store it all somewhere. If it worked well, I'd consider having one and using it for others that have similar problems. I'll call up our local tool rental place and see if they might want to make the investment. I'd guess that it would come back bent up and dull.
Geno, are you serious about the yoghurt? That would sure be an easier way if it just shredded the roots.
Sorry, guys, about stealing the thread. I'll start a new one if there's any more to discuss about the roots in my culvert.
Comments
2011 and a small band of virtual relationships is saved from corporate downsizing by Patrick, the Doc, who built us a new home to explore our little experiment in new tech communication.
It was 21F last night, a record low for Dec. 31. I played the best two sets of tennis of my life at 8:30am this morning, 27F. About 38 when we finished at 10. No wind, light clouds so the sun was less of a factor.
My buddy is 9 years younger than me and a very good athlete--we have been playing every Sat for seven years now, all year long. With all the great camera work and high speed cameras for supper slow motion, you can really learn a lot just by watching. Tennis Channel has lessons from lots of the best coaches for free (DirectTV). Tennis is a sport you can play your whole life if your parts hold together--and if you play your whole life your parts tend to stay functional. And it is, at least in this town with all the high school courts, you can play all year round and play for just the price of your gear. I burn up an $80 pair of shoes each year or so, buy a new racquet every 4 or 5 years @ $130, have it restrung and regripped every year @ 45 and balls are about $3 a can for good ones that last a session. No club fees, no time limits.
This morning a bunch of girls were practicing on a few of the other courts. They were killing every shot. We asked them if they were in a college tournament. They weren't in college, they were 12 years old.
Three of them were 11,12 and 14 in the world in their age bracket. They weighed about 80lbs and hit the ball like bullets. Amazing.
When the jet stream loops all the way down here it invariably means any place north and east of us is in for a deep freeze week. It will climb back into the upper 60s here this week. Is it obvious that I love Tucson?
My transition from MMX to MMXI sucked majorly. I was showering Friday morning about 7:45 when suddenly the light went out. Crap, it had been storming, thunder and lightning, because Jays normal winter weather had made it's way here and Friday started at 51°. Anything that warm in winter is always accompanied with storms. I quickly rinsed off any soap on my person because I knew from experience the water pressure would drop since with no power the pump would not be pumping more water from the well. I dressed and called ComEd and reported a complete power loss, then left to go meet my brother, sister, her husband and daughter for breakfast at Huckleberry's. As I left my driveway, I saw the culprit, the neutral line had pulled the fuse out of the junction on the utility pole across the street. The power and neutral lines run along a series of poles along the property line between me and my neighbor to the west, then at the last pole lines go to her house and to mine. Also along the property line are a bunch of trees and during a good storm they sway back and forth and sometimes pull the fuse out. No biggie, I figured, someone would have to come out and climb the pole to stick the fuse back in.
After breakfast I went back home and arrived just as the ComEd dude was crossing back from the pole. I stopped and asked him if it was fixed and he said No, and it would not be fixed until a tree service came out because there was a downed tree laying on the neutral line. I told him my other neighbor has a bobcat and I'll get him to knock the tree down off the line. Asshole ComEd guy says he still wont connect it until ALL the tree's are trimmed away from the lines. Then he left. To make a long story short, the old lady next door called her son, who called a tree place, who came out and cut down the tree and trimmed the rest and by 3:30pm they were done. I called ComEd again and they said they already were told by the contractor and dispatch has been notified to send out a truck. 5:30, no truck, call ComEd, supervisor says problems all over sue to storm, it'll be a while. 7:30 called again, sorry big problems in Joliet... I guess a 92 year old lady and a handicapped semi old dude don't matter. I went to bed, with no power I have no water, no heat, no cooking, no power to sump pump, basement has 8" water already.. fugget. I got up at 11:30 and drank shots by candlelight until a bit after midnight when the expected calls from family and friends came in. happy friggin new year. I went back to bed and woke up on and off to look at alarm clock for flashing red LEDs... power came back on at 5:45.. 22 hours it was off. Rat bastard electrical monopoly. Luckily it was mild or I'da froze my ass off.
It is quite hardy and it grows into a tree if it's not trimmed regularly. The deer will sometimes nip it while it's small. But, it will grow to 20 feet in a few years. The wood is actually pretty good for heat.
I'd love to plant ice plant or some other kind of succulent that wouldn't get eaten by the gophers. I have a tractor that will pull out a bush using chain if I get it when it's muddy. But, the tractor loses traction easily in mud. I'm on a 15 degree slope. So, mostly it's cleared by hand.
That's what's necessary to keep the water off the bridge. I might buy a pre-made steel railroad bridge. But, that would require a lot of cement to anchor it in. The steel would eventually rust.
I can't ignore it - I wish I could.
I wonder if I could drill out those roots. It would require some kind of cutting tool that I haven't discovered yet.
I could get in there with a Sawsall. It's less than 20" in diameter. I can wait until the water stops in August. It doesn't sound like a lot of fun.
The funeral the next morning was more subdued and far less crowded. Only about 100 or so people at that, the Mass, and then a gravesite service followed by a luncheon in the church basement. The good ladies of the congregation each bring a dish, and it being corn country, you can bet that every casserole had corn it in. Afterwards we hung out at the farm until about 2pm just talking and such, then we hit the road north to be home before the sun set.
You were down in the land of the "ol punkin vine"!
It would cost somewhere like $500 to buy. My culvert is 20 feet long. I'd have to get/make the extensions and store it all
somewhere. If it worked well, I'd consider having one and using it for others that have similar problems. I'll call up our local
tool rental place and see if they might want to make the investment. I'd guess that it would come back bent up and dull.
Geno, are you serious about the yoghurt? That would sure be an easier way if it just shredded the roots.
Sorry, guys, about stealing the thread. I'll start a new one if there's any more to discuss about the roots in my culvert.