Thread: Checking in

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“……"Oh we are going to allow electric powered generators sale, which are clean air!" I started laughing at him……”

Yeah Steve it’s laugh, cry or just walk away shaking your head with some of these idiots.

I actually spent a very short period of time looking at Solar/battery/inverter just to see how it compared with a generator. Came out to about $1000 per KW for the system NOT COUNTING THE SOLAR PANNELS. Add to that that the batteries would be drained well before a long winter night was over. The company’s recommendation was to have a standby generator on hand to recharge the batteries.

In my mind a big part of the problem with the politicians pushing this stuff is they are either too rich to care about the cost or too stupid the realize the technology is not advanced enough to really make it a practical solution, let alone the infrastructure for it is just not there.

“…… Well I've ranted too much, point being preparing ahead to be self sustainable is a smart and responsible thing!......”

Yeah I’m about thru ranting too Steve. We do what we can and hopefully it will be enough.



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As has been said many times before, you can't fix stupid. I would love to take all the liberal idiots out in the woods, give them a good sharp knife and then turn around and walk away saying SURVIVE

Papa always said , you can't fix stupid . All you can do is duck tape it to a tree.

Yup I agree. Funny note same guy,(politician candidate) walked up to our Ham Radio both with his wife. I guess he thought everyone is on board with getting everything for free, and anything you want because your entitled movement. His Wife starts up about her husband running for a county supervisor or similar position. She goes on to say how great Petaluma is and how they want to get a home here to raise their children but can barely afford an apartment. Then says if her husband is elected he will assure that any person who want to live here can, by providing affordable housing and financial breaks so everyone can live here in this wonderful community, not just the wealthy. I stop her and say I'd like to live in Tiburon on the edge of the ocean because it's a safe wealthy community and have my own boat dock, but I just can't afford it, would you address that issue too? She doesn't get it and says your so right it's time to share the wealth in this country. So I say "you know it took me until I was 36, working 70 hours a week to afford my little run down first home. I learned carpentry, while working to pay for my college tuition. I worked side jobs once I was a teacher and saved up. I bought an old car and fixed it up, and yes, I coupon cut for food. Point is I worked hard and was rewarded by being able to purchase a home. I said it doesn't sound like you work, and your husband doesn't make enough to buy a house so my suggestion is get a job, don't buy everything you want, only what you need, and in 5-10 years you guys may find a fixer upper to build into your new home. But if you think all the people here will embrace a life time of hard work establishing a financial stability are going to support to pay for people who have never worked, to live along side them in this community, and embrace getting taxed more than they already are, to pay out money to people who aren't interested in democracy, but only socialism I think you'll find the only people who support your ideas are the ones who want something for free, and not the ones who will pay for your new home. Needless to say she didn't have a response!

Originally Posted by stovens

Yup I agree. Funny note same guy,(politician candidate) walked up to our Ham Radio both with his wife. I guess he thought everyone is on board with getting everything for free, and anything you want because your entitled movement. His Wife starts up about her husband running for a county supervisor or similar position. She goes on to say how great Petaluma is and how they want to get a home here to raise their children but can barely afford an apartment. Then says if her husband is elected he will assure that any person who want to live here can, by providing affordable housing and financial breaks so everyone can live here in this wonderful community, not just the wealthy.

Paddy stood as a candidate for the Mayoralty of his small village. He said that the rich people of the village must share their wealth with the poorer folk, and he, as Mayor, would enforce it. Murphy interrupted him.
"If you had two houses Paddy would you give me one?"
"For sure I would!" said Paddy.
"And if you had two horses would you give me one?"
"For sure I would!' said Paddy.
"If you had two cows would you give me one?"
"For sure I would!" said Paddy
''And if you had two pigs would you give me one?"

Deathly silence.

Then: "Begorah ye know I have two pigs!"

Bureaucrats/politicians are all hat and no cattle (pigs in this case,) when it comes to the crunch.

And anything that is 'free' or is an 'entitlement' is paid for by someone who works.

I know a house is never truly done (just ask my wife ) but I got the last big project I wanted to do on the house finished.

Watching mom lose her mobility the last few years she was alive was hard but I learned a lot from going thru it. One of the hardest things was getting her in/out of the house when she became wheelchair bound. Like most of the old farm houses hers’ was a couple of feet off the ground which necessitated a ramp (I tried to talk her into a chair lift but she wouldn’t have any part of it).

As our house is about 30” off the ground we would be in the same boat if Donna or I end up with mobility issues. New lifts are pretty pricey and the one I’ve been looking at went up $700 since spring plus the shipping costs going thru the roof. I’ve been keeping an eye out for a good used lift for the last couple of years and as luck would have it one finally turned up in Tucson.

These things are heavy and awkward but we managed to get it on the trailer and home.


WCL 2 by M Patterson, on Flickr


The real fun was redoing the stairs, adding a gate, and wiring to power it, but I finally got it in place and working. It works good and for what I paid for it I can live with a couple of scratches and dings.

WCL by M Patterson, on Flickr


Hopefully Donna and I will never need it (it sure would have been nice when we moved the furniture in though ). At least it’s there if we ever do.
All and all it’s been 3 years from start to “finish”. Donna and I have been living in the house for 2 years now and are happy in the new place. I’m finally comfortable that even if I’m gone Donna will be able to live comfortably there.

With the projects done I can get serious about finding a body to wrap the HEMI in



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Originally Posted by Mike P

I know a house is never truly done (just ask my wife ) but I got the last big project I wanted done.

All and all it’s been 3 years from start to “finish”.

With the projects done I can get serious about finding a body to wrap the HEMI in .

FINALLY!

It's been about 15 years since our last dog passed away. A while back I decided I wanted another large outside dog. I've had good luck with Rottweiler mixes in the past so that was pretty much what I wanted this time. I narrowed it down to a rot/boxer mix if I could find one.

I spent the last year or so waiting for the right one to come along and about 6 weeks ago I found this one. Her dad was a Boxer and mom was a Rottweiler.




Zuul 1 by M Patterson, on Flickr


I'm a Ghost Busters fan so she got tagged with the name Zuul.

She's 4 months old now, about 50 pounds and still has a lot of feet to grow into LOL. I'd almost forgotten how rewarding doing the training is.


zuul 2 by M Patterson, on Flickr

Anyway I figure she’ll worm her way into a few pictures down the road (She loves to “help” in the shop) so I’d introduce her now.



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Nothing like a good companion than a dog!

Hmmm. Makes me wish I had time to raise one.

Now I'll have to google Zuul! She looks so calm in the pics.. I'll bet she "grows into" that name. HA HA HA. 8-)

Good on ya Mike.
I've had dogs all my life, mainly working dogs, eye dogs, but mainly huntaways. (Huntaways will bring cattle in from a long distance, a good huntaway is said to have a 'bark at every bounce'.)
The best dog I ever had was Ivan, a purebred mongrel, a mixture of almost every working-breed dog out there. But he could muster a mob of cattle through a 100 acre block of standing bush (forest,) and not leave one behind. He'd bring them to me so long as he knew where I was. All I had to do was to keep calling.
I must admit there were tears when we buried him.
And I miss not having a dog.
But we've retired, moved off the farm, and a dog where we are now would get bored with nothing to do; and that's when they get into mischief.
I couldn't take him for walks, there's a State Highway 45 right outside our gate, with trucks and cars shooting past at 100 kph. It's too dangerous to even ride a pushbike on these roads, let alone to walk.
So while I'm envious, I completely understand why you're getting a dog.
Good on ya.
Enjoy.

Yeah we’re pretty happy with her.


“……Hmmm. Makes me wish I had time to raise one……”

Yeah that was one of my considerations on getting her. I have the time now which helps give me the patience needed when working with a 4 month old pup. I’m pretty much just keeping to the basics; Come, Sit, Down, Stay, Quiet and walking on a leash. Then there are a few rules like no digging, or barking at the horses just to bark at the horses.


(from the Halloween thread) “…..Nice! My buddy loves going for rides with me..although the T Bucket seat is a little small for him. He has to be careful not to fall off, lol…..”


We’re going to be working on that in next few weeks. So far her experience with riding in the truck is coming home with me and 3 trips to the Vet that ended with a shot……needless to say she’s not real wild about getting into a vehicle right now.


“……Now I'll have to google Zuul! She looks so calm in the pics.. I'll bet she "grows into" that name……”


Yeah Mike once she gets older I’m hoping this is the image anybody who considers jumping the fence comes away with.


terror dog by M Patterson, on Flickr



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Zuul will be a year old in a couple of weeks. Her training went/is going well but she’s still a puppy at heart.

She got spayed a week ago so one more week for the cone (she’s on her second one). She’s not real happy right now, her world has become being shup up on the deck with me or out in the shop with me. Funny thing about the cone ……she seems to be able to maneuver around everything with no problem, but seems to keep accidentally bumping into me with it.

Zuul 83 by M Patterson, on Flickr


She’s up to 83 pounds now and will probably put on just a little more height and fill out over the next year. All in all though she’s pretty good company.



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I’ve been debating for the last few months whether to post this or not….. I finally decided to. I’ve been coming here for close to 21 years now and during that time feel I’ve made several virtual friends that probably should know what’s going on.

Last fall I was diagnosed with bladder cancer. It’s stage 4 (spread to other places in my body) and will be terminal. I told the Doctor when I was diagnosed that the most important part for me for the time I’ve got left is quality of life not quantity of life.

I was referred to a cancer center locally and convinced by the Dr to undergo Immunotherapy and Chemotherapy. I was told that it should not only increase my life by a couple of years but also improve the quality of life I had left. The Dr and I had a difference if opinion as to what quality of life meant. After 6 treatment I stopped the therapy. Frankly I’m not sure if I was a patient or jut a paycheck.

Anyway I’m in at home Hospice now. Not a big deal, at this point a nurse visits once a week to take my vitals and see if I’m getting any worse……. knock on wood so far I’m not noticing any symptoms from the cancer.

The biggest problem I’m having is with the degenerative arthritis in my lower back. It is really the biggest limiting factor I currently have and the reason I’m hoping to be able to get the current project done.

I have a wonderful family surrounding me and all have accepted my decision. As I told them “I’ve had a longer life than I ever expected and a better one than I probably deserved”.

Now that I’ve stopped the therapy no one can tell me how long I have left but for as long as I do have I’m going through it at least feeling normal and able to do and enjoy things again.

There were naturally some things that needed to be taken care of prior to my passing and as far as I know those have all been handled now.

On the car front nothing has really changed. The Valiant project was purchased and the 37 Dodge sold prior to my diagnosis. The 57 Plymouth is currently up for sale, but that would happen anyway due to my back issues. Whether I get the Valiant finished or not, It’s nice to be working on a project again.

I’m not writing this for any sympathy, I and the family are good. I just thought some of you would like to know what’s been going on with me.



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