Where'd everybody go?

After the move things were hopping with everyone checking in, then suddenly the sound of silence.

Winter weather got everyone off-line? Too busy shoveling the driveway to check in? The upgrade to KDE 4.3.5 sucking up all the bandwidth? Lightning strikes letting out all the magic smoke from your components? Cooking and eating spaghetti noodles forcing you to spend time on the couch napping? Aliens abduct everyone but me? Is there a new book out that got everyone's attention but mine? Studying for mid-terms? Setting seeds out for early planting?

Well the IRC room is hopping tonight.

Mixing and pouring concrete for me. First time the Weather got above freezing with sunshine last week allowing outdoor pursuits. After mixing 71 bags of 80# Redi-mix over three days of time, I was pretty well plumb wore out.

Now, you know there is nothing more relaxing and rejuvenating than a couple of hours hanging on the forum. Excuse denied.

When you get done, bring your mixer and come visit. I think I can find something for you to do.

We've had a bit of a heatwave, and it's been too uncomfortable sitting at the PC.
Welan - where are you when we need you !!

Sorry for my absence...been working everyday and then some. Seems evertime we end up short handed I'm expected to take up the slack single handedly. Been working 5:30 am to as late as 10 pm. Pretty much stopped eating (no time) and I only day dream about sleep.

MattB4 wrote:

Mixing and pouring concrete for me. First time the Weather got above freezing with sunshine last week allowing outdoor pursuits. After mixing 71 bags of 80# Redi-mix over three days of time, I was pretty well plumb wore out.

Hope you're building something interesting.

MattB4 wrote:

Mixing and pouring concrete for me.

You getting rid of some folks again Matt?
Time I did a roll call I think ...

BD Quick...

Present ...

Bozo ....

Here! .....

Broch ....

....

...

Broch?

...

Broch? .....



A-ha - it all makes sense now.

The Forum has been a little slow. So I took the opportunity of good weather and free time to poor a slab for a addition to my tar-paper shack. I am adding a wood stove this year. Since with the rise in electrical costs it is getting expensive to heat the place in Winter. After growing up and having to cut firewood all the time, I had deliberately not installed a wood heating source when I built my place here. Plus the economics of using firewood can be more expensive than other sources. As it is I figure it will take 3 years to offset the cost of adding the stove.

Just picked the stove up from the shipper yesterday. I had to drive down to get it since the freight company truck would not come up the County road. Since it is at the end of Winter now I was able to get a real good deal on the stove. It is a Drolet Savannah model made in Quebec Canada so it should be good quality. Heavy little beast.

I would be happy to lend you the cement mixer bozo. It is a heirloom Montgomery Wards (Old enough to remember Monkey Wards?) model that my Father bought back in 1960. Still works on its original electrical motor after all the years of use and abuse. I would have preferred to have the concrete delivered, but when I called this year about prices it turns out to be rather high. They have a 5 cu yard minimum price vs the 3 from years ago using them. With only needing a yard and a half it made more sense to mix my own. Though my back disagrees with the economics of the approach. Oh well, I should straighten out in a couple of weeks.

Looks like a nice stove. Sounds very much like my Quadra-Fire, just a little bigger and turned sideways. I've been happy with mine for the last twenty years; hope your as happy with yours for as long. The 19" log is nice. Mine takes a 17" log (and not 17 1/8"!). The ash drawer sounds nice, too. Must mean there's a grate of some sort. Hope that works out OK. The reviews were very complementary.

I remember Monkey Wards very well. Have had several MW appliances. Sorry that so many of the old department store have either folded or devolved into clothing stores. Oh, well, now we have Lowe's and Home Depot instead.

You should take advantage of the next few weeks to do whatever needs to be done in the crawl space or attic or under the truck. After you straighten up it will be harder to get into those spaces. Isn't it nice to be able to change your oil by just walking instead of having to get on your back and wiggle around under there?

I'll gladly take you up on the offer of the mixer. You'll have to come along to show me how it works, though. I've always had trouble with off/on switches.

Monkey Wards Catalog was a big part of the shopping experience for me growing up. Growing up in a Rural setting meant that in order to obtain things like tools, appliances, clothes for school and all the other nifty things, meant ordering from the Catalog. (Not to mention the Women's Lingerie section that could cause blindness for a young lad ). Then waiting for the Mailman to deliver, or picking up in town the bigger items.

Nowadays the Internet is a better replacement. Not only can you search out things, you can read all the reviews that friendly folks post about them. Sure you need to practice a grain of salt (Now being Banned in New York as a Dangerous Substance) when doing so. But I have had excellent results with comparing and contrasting negative and positive comments before making my decision. I have started to write a few reviews myself when I buy something to give my fair assessment so others might benefit. Sorta the open Source ideal.

As for the my back, I think my days of being a Champion Limbo contestant are over.

As one guys sig in another forum says, "This getting old stuff is not for sissies!"