June 2, 2016

Yesteryear
One year ago today: June 2, 2015, at the Last Chance.
Five years ago today: June 2, 2011, scooter haulage.
Nine years ago today: June 2, 2007, pinch flat defined.
Random years ago today: June 2, 2014, vitamin B3.

MORNING
          Up early to breath in the country air. Make coffee in a saucepan. Vacuum every cobweb in every corner. Unpack a ton of reading material. Take inventory of what needs immediate attention. And the first thing I found was the termite bridge. Termites cannot cross metal or wood, except for the species that can build their own tower. But I don’t live in Australia. Here is the culprit, around the northeast section of the property that has not been inspected in years.

          That single piece of wood touching the ground is probably responsible for all the damage. It is under the bathroom window, so the tiniest leak will provide the insects with their second necessity—a water supply. Now I’m afraid what I’ll find when I rip up the bathroom floor. And I will be ripping it up now.

          The local library is so far from town center that one is practically guaranteed a computer for at least three hours. Clean, quiet, except for this fat goof who “helps” people with an overly booming whisper. He’s about 35 and knows about a tenth of what I did at that age, but to some he can play the expert. The library opens early, but as usual, only during work hours on work days. So the people who pay the most for it get to use it the least.
          I connected a radio in the kitchen and scanned the airwaves for a classical station. No such luck, but I did find the five or six clearest FM stations are bible broadcasts. Just what we want to hear on a Thursday morning. And it Florida, AM is Mexican radio, with those blasting full-reverb advertisements. Next time, I bring my guitar. There was a huge TV left behind which I’ll connect to day to see if it works. Even I need the weather report. It’s a motorcycle thing.

Wiki picture of the day.
It’s his sister and his dentist.
NOON
           Right off, here is your better view of the tree with the tap. Yes, it works, but only water and I would prefer maple syrup. That’s a joke, Sparky. I quickly found the local thrift and stocked up on some necessaries. I didn’t bring much this time, as I was testing the towing with weight on the axle. They wanted to take the sidecar in trade. I didn’t mention I charge a modest fee to park it for advertising.

           The nearest Harbor Freight is in Auburndale, though I know where the one in Lakeland is. Do I go shopping, or spend the extra few bucks and head for Lowe’s? Why am I not surprised the medical examiner says this Prince entertainer died of an overdose. What? I dunno. An overdose is an overdose to me, intentional or otherwise. The generation that liked him needs some serious work on their heroes.

           Next, I stopped at the Magnolia for a milkshake and made a list of the tools I need right now. It’s a truckload and I was able to plan how to make two trips here in three days without straining ourselves. Just a lot of driving time, as in 16 hours but we can shift drive. There is no way to tackle that foundation without hard labor.
           At the library, I stayed until closing researching the methods of pouring concrete on the soft sand. I’m going to have to dig a hole in the back yard to see what is there, but the most promising is the post and pier arrangement. I won’t begin until I price out the most economical method and okay it with JZ.

+++ Ig Nobel Prize Winners +++           Buck Weimar: Biology, 2001. Inventor of the fart-sack. Approved by Dave Barry’s Gift Guide.
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NIGHT
           The evenings are a good 15°F cooler, making it possible to get work done once the trees are casting shadows. Here is a shot of the kitchen using the Cool iCan, where the “i” seriously stands for “idiot”. Who puts a fisheye on a one-button camera? Gimmie an “M”. I have 1,750 photos, but I’ll be feeding them into the blog in dribbles, or they would overwhelm all else.

           Reminder – this is a fixer-upper and one thing that needs complete re-doing is this kitchen. The house has settled on the foundation, or lack of foundation is you ask me, so the drawers stick and the cupboard doors are missing. Who knows, they may pop into place when things get back level.
           If I didn’t say, I got the tent arranged for half-price and I spent the day on research. It looks like the city has no objections to a porch, a new foundation, or a sun room. But you never know until you ask for a permit. Bonus, only three outlets are the old two-prong and the cables can be fished up through the floor joists. If I’m any judge, this place may be a great candidate for both solar power and solar water heater.

ADDENDUM
           Some sad news. I noticed two large tree stumps in the back yard, wondering why anyone would remove them. I found out. When mature trees get dry rot (or something I don’t recall), they are prone to lightning strikes. It happened. One tree damaged the neighbors workshed, the other fell across the old farm machinery shed on the other side.

           At first, I that machinery shed was the neighbor, but it is an old farm building. Hence, I have no neighbors at the back either. I’ll try to get pictures as we go along here. My plan is to hang out for the weekend and head back in the lighter Sunday traffic. This is a photo of a typical street near the new place.

           I told ya, it is a one-block street with stop signs at both ends. That's what I like. Ain't nobody "just drivin' past". As Trent puts it, this is a major, major upgrade from the old trailer. If I didn't say, the projection is that the population of this area will explode two and a half times in the next five years. I might see Texas again yet.


Last Laugh

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