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good deals do come along once in a while!!

8/17/23 8:50 pm. Been a busy few days harvesting the garden stuff and trying to process and store some of it for us. The over run goes to the food bank in town. The old freeze dryer is running around the clock and I havent had time to work on projects in the yard!

8/20/2023 4:09PM EST
Just got back from the B+D mansion weekend..had a blast,great people

8/21/23 11:18 pm Just got dont with making 9 quarts of white grape juice. Mid winter it tastes good when you can enjoy it. Too busy now to turn around! ---I am gittin to old for this shit!! LOL!!!

been lazy this summer, but as the season ends, so does my slack time. Been stay at the campground since the 1st of July. back home after labor day weekend.

Gotta rebuild the trailer for the pontoon boat before it's time to leave.




New frame in process. Only a couple days into it and only a couple hours a day after work. hope to get it done today BUT we'll see.

9/25/23 --- still trying to get garden harvest taken care of and still gotta get the 560 back together to mow the farm down with,---all 137 acres of it. Did find a nice Woods 315 batwing mower at the last auction, so 15' at a time will cover the acres faster.
Trying to finish up freeze drying onions that I saved for us. -- took over 1,500 pounds to the food bank in August. Currently picking and hauling tomatoes to them every couple days.
Did manage to weld up a cart to set the big freeze dryer on this summer. Sold the Case 35 backhoe attachment to a guy in Michigan and got it gone. Had to go get the neighbors Payloader to load it,---too heavy for my skidloader. Still gotta get the injection pump off the Case 1835 skid and find someplace that will rebuild it.

did a complete going over of the T300 Bobcat loader I just bought, radiator hoses,hydraulics+several hoses,custom counterweights,new oil cooler,pump drive belt, a lot of work in time and labor but with a no-emissions Kubota turbo it oughta last a while..getting ready for colder weather here once things dry out after Ophilia tropical storm blew thru,everything is wet but no damage..so after a few days of drying out its back in the action
9/26/2023
4:30PM EST

9/37/23 Glad your o.k.! Was wondering how close these storms were to you guys!

the Weather Channel hypes up everything to make it a story to report..such showboating..the real storms are the pop-up windstorms they don't even report..those are the ones to watch out for. It's just starting to dry out after all that Ophilia water,now we have another storm brewing in the southern ocean

i am still alive

turning wrenches lately on the Bobcat trackloader, she was previously enjoyed and didnt get much love..lots of things to set straight on it. Today should finish it up.
also helping my brother move, and getting ready for winter season to set in. Staging shop jobs for the cold season, lathe needs service,probably a belt set install.
Retirement has been good, busy now more than ever
10/5/2023 0644AM EST

Still freeze drying onions and apples, pickin tomatoes, making the K stuff, diggin sweet potatoes, and makin apple cider. Put 8 one gallon jugs in the deep freezer so far.. have more apples to do and also want to freeze dry more of them.
Got the batwing mower hooked to the neighbors 656 to mow our farm off with.( still need to get my 560 back together), 126 acres crp PLUS 6.5 acres waterways then the roadsides on 2 sides of the farm.
They say frost Saturday night or at least down to 39* which would frost here. THEN I have to dig cannas, daihlas, and calla lilies and put them in the basement for winter storage.
Rain here today so nuttin outside can be done.
Did finally get brake line fixed on the red truck,---took the explorer up to the shop in town to have them fix the blown brake line on it, and still trying to get the yoke off the diesel truck so I can put new seal in it. Been a wicked summer here. 10/05/23 10am.

I've got too much going on here. it the Set back from living at the campground for two months.

put LED side clearance lights on a trailer,but crawling around under a trailer for two hours put a crink in my neck,
pinched nerve, disc degeneration a previous injury, now I aggravated it..I keep forgetting I'm not 25 anymore.
I did get the back half done, now for the front half tomorrow.
Good thing I can still get around and DON'T have to sit and watch daytime TV,especially the Drew Barrymore Show
10/10/2023 5:18PM EST

I know the feeling about the backs and necks! --- I forget too and suffer after I do it but push on and get shit done ! I thought you were 25! LOL!!
Still freeze drying apples and onions. Bout have the onions done I think. One or two more batches should get them. Apples are great but dont know how many we will get to do. Weather getting cold here now. Freeze is just around the corner.
10/10/23 8:22 pm.

77 yesterday 63 today. Cool enough to do some work outside again. guess I'll finish splitting the wood from the gum tree I had taken down in the spring.

I LOVE to hear about sweetgum trees being taken down LOL dont get me started again Jim


0910Am EST Sun 10/22/2023
and not a gum tree in sight

No time to do any loggin here yet, still freeze drying apples right now. Have carrots, beets, and potatoes to do a few of. Slow process. The little dryer burned up a switch after 8 years of running so was down for 4 days til I finally found one to replace it with. Dont know why it even has a switch since its never used OR needed! This is on the vac pump and the unit turns it on when its time so the switch is never used and just something else to go bad! I cant find a wiring diagram for the pump to see if I can wire direct to the motor or not and get rid of the switches or not.
Anyway the temps here are now 50 for highs and 38 - 40 for lows and frosty in the morninigs. When it gets below 35* we cant run the big unit on the porch so will be down to the little guy again. They say not to run them below 35* so we wont. Guess it messes up the computer board when it gets cold,----dunno.
Never did get the pinion seal put in the diesel truck so I can use it.
Gotta renew my drivers license this month and will drop the cdl shit and go with just something non cdl that will cover my 1 ton trucks. Not gonna go thru all that pre trip inspection shit again. the driving test would not be a big deal,--- the auction company said I could take their kw and imp trailer to do the drive, BUT I would have to go 75 miles to the place that gives driving tests. Cant go just up the road to the local place anymore since they stopped the cdl part there.
Damn illegals just walk in and get a cdl handed to them without knowing how to back a truck or speak english, but they put me thru the mill so f*%k the bastards! I am quittin!
10/22/23 9:43 am

yup Sonny just get a non-commercial Class A..the govt makes us (CDL drivers) go thru so much s$%^ now just to keep the license its unbeliveable..its even worse if you own a CDL truck just to keep it on the road you need a full-time person just to manage the DOT and fuel taxes, mileage factoring and all that stuff that goes with it..thinking about trading mine in myself for a noncomm Class A

Well guys this summer/fall has been a rough one. The legal issues that my granddaughter had gotten me into has come to a conclusion. Not the conclusion I would have liked but its over after 5 years and 30k in lawyers. That put my finances into a spin that ended up my having to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Then to cap it all off my wife of 43 years passed away September 13th. The cherry on the top.....I need to have gallbladder surgery.
I have not set foot in my shop in over a year. I feel like I'm walking up a down escalator.
Some day soon I hope to get back doing something other than sit on my ass.
The summer before last I had to have a new roof put on my house. I stepped on a roofing nail. Being a diabetic I have no feeling in my feet. I had no idea it was in my foot. It got infected. Sat on my ass.
Before that had completely healed I got an infection in a scrape on my shin. Sat on my ass.
My numb foot found another nail that the magnet nor the new tires on my new mower discovered. Sat on my ass some more.
By the time all that got healed up it was hot enough to make the devil sigh. Waiting for the cooler weather a month or so away, you guessed it. Sat on my ass.
The week before Thanksgiving my wife almost died from an infection caused by 35 year old hernia mesh. That infection killed her liver. Shortly after last Christmas the ammonia in her system got so high she should have been in a coma.
It rendered her to the mentality of a 4 year old.
I didnt sit on my ass but it wasnt the kind of exercise I wanted.
Then she passed.
Now I'm sick.
At least I stayed together to see her through.
Maybe after I get healed up from the surgery I can clean up my shop. I have some neat things planned if I can just catch a break.
Terry

Good to hear from you Terry, sad to hear you had to go thru all that..sometimes the best medicine is to get out into the shop and get going on a small project,something you know you can complete,to give you the satisfaction and reassurance you still have it..then move on to something bigger..doesn't have to cost a lot or be spectacular..just cleaning out, moving a cabinet or building some shelves out of scrap pallet wood might do it..to get your mojo back..sometimes just sitting and (optionally enjoying an adult beverage and/or cigar) and looking at a shop job does it for me..I can usually come up with a problem fix or solution with slow analysis..then get another beverage and further investigate. Then turn out the lights and come back the next day and you might see it totally different..sometimes a good night sleep and look at it tomorrow approach is the best..FWIW

God Terry! That was a hell of a blow to have to go thru! Sorry for your losses! Pickin up the pieces is hard to do but try real hard to do it! I know its easy to tell somebody but know ya got friends here to talk to! IF We lived closer to you, we would be there in person!
Try doing as Bunk suggests, little by little it will come together for you and no things will never be the same without your wife but try real hard! O.K.???? Remember we are here to talk anytime you feel up to it!

Damn.... I know that there are no words good enough.. Just know, Just like Sonny said we are here to listen and you are in our Prayers.

wet and muddy here, 2days rain on and off,chilly and miserable outside
clean the shop day today
11/11/2023 0700AM EST

Cold here. 29*. Sat. Nov. 11, 6 am, auction starts at 8:30, gotta drive 30 miles to get there. Gonna be a long day!
Weather temps have been up and down and looks like a few more dry days then possible snow for us. Did I ever mention that I HATE winter???? lol!

LOL! Years ago when I was diagnosed with diabetes I had a discussion with the doctor.
I told him that I had given up alcohol, fast cars, easy women, and cigars. I was going to have sugar in my coffee!
"Well, that little bit shouldn't hurt." He says.
I don't drink, I don't smoke and I don't do drugs.
I'm a boring guy.

Well Terry, ---- I decided that its my life and IF I enjoy eating something within reason, --- I'm gonna do it! LOL! Made it to 77 living out of the garden and processing our own stuff so cant be all bad! IF I cut out all the stuff I not s'posed to eat,-- I would starve!
Eat/drink within reason and live long life!
Hop in here every chance you get! looks like Bunk and me are the lone wolves here now days! Dont know what happened to everybody else.
Lots of lookers but no posters.
11/21/23 1:50 pm

alcohol within reason-very powerful stuff-('brand new cars-oak tree you're in my way-too much smoke, too much coke, look whats goin on inside you'-LOL) borderline diabetic high blood sugar and pressure,Ive made it this far..easy women never refused,but respectfully cautioned..good $10 cigars like a Drew Estates always smoked here, no time for cheap cigars,just a waste of time, they are nice for a slow analysis session like when looking for a solution to a problem..-never been a fan of drugs, let me take you one trans-con freight train ride thru the night at 70mph you'll see drugs are'nt necessary; nonetheless a 250cc 2-stroke dirtbike is just the same rush..
keep the faith Terry you'll get thru this low spot..stop in now and then say Hi

I'm here, I'm just not up to much. Too tired. Probably time to get my meds adjusted.

Glad to hear from you! ---- everybody tryin to get ready for winter around here! Its comin fast!!!

11/23/23 8:15 am

0624 AM EST
12/11/2023 totally soggy here in MD some snow dusting but nothing to worry about

Dow to 25* here overnight,--got part of the garden plowed yesterday and froze my ass off doing it! 6 hours on the cub nonstop! Diaper and pants were soaked and cold when I finally had to quit, hands legs numb along with it. Today I gotta clean another batch of parsnips to put in the freeze dryer. Might be 1 more batch after this, IF i can get them dug,---might be froze too hard.
Wed. and Thu. 2 more big internet auctions coming up. One has 5,000 cinder blocks and a bunch of wood/wire table tops from greenhouse "out of business" auction plus some other stuff I was interested in. Probably wont get any of it. Regular Martin auction is Wed. also my Dr. appt. is Wed., need more shit to stick in this week! LOL!
12/11/23 9:27AM

just bid on about 3,000 concrete blocks and tops made of 2" x 6"s 4 ' x 10 feet long. gonna tear them apart for the lumber. LOTTA work, AND short time to get this stuff moved home!
12/14/23 9:48pm

5:47Am EST
12/15/2023 35degF in MD
had a weak auction moment and bought a skid steer backhoe attachment,I can
see all kinds of MBN projects in the works to go on the bucket end of it

guess there is about 8,000 blocks and 300 or more wood racks with them. want to tear the racks apart for the lumber.
Wanted to make stuff for my mini too! ripper tooth, grapple, wider bucket, etc. Flow control down the line.

12/15/23 9:58 am

Sonny you're gonna need some pallets and a helper or two to get all that straightened out

got some shop jobs lined up for today and next week,if Amazon delivery has parts for me
12/16/2023 0634AM EST

Back in VA. time to catch up a bit.

Well, I hope you had a wonderful Christmas. Mine was very different. I was alone the day before, the day of and the day after Christmas. My so and his fiancé were busy ferrying kids between ex-husbands and wives. So, it was just me and the cat. She is a feral that I had fixed and feeding for about 3 years now. I could prop open the door on the back porch getting my wife or groceries in the house and she would never make an attempt to even peek in the house. The front steps are awkward at best, so we never use the front door. A couple of days after the funeral I was having a bad night. I heard a cat at the front door. I wiped the tears and snot off my face and drug open the door. There sat that little cat, Misty! I asked what she was doing out there as she never had come to that door and opened the storm door. She just strolled in like she had been for years and hopped up on the arm of my chair and just stared at me. She has slept on my chest in that recliner ever since.
So, it's me and the cat, Misty.
I couldn't stand to be at home on what would have been our 44th anniversary so I escaped. I had promised my wife we would go to the beach so that is what i did. I was gone a week as i wandered over there, to North Myrtle Beach, stayed a couple days and wandered back.
I got home and that little cat came running out to greet me!
I thought money was going to be tight, but things worked out and other than some asshole hacking my debit card and it gets locked the day before Christmas things were fine.
So, all eyes are on the new year.
Also, good or better weather. There isn't anything so important that I get pneumonia over. Other than the gall bladder issue I have stayed well.
So, with that I wish you all a Happy New Year!
Terry

Hang in there Terry! Just do what you can without overdoing it. Gotta watch out for you now AND the little kitty! Have cats here too and cats can tell when something is different, well dogs also can. Animals have a way of telling when we are down.
Holidays here are just another day for us,---work if the weather decent! Usually cook something extra to eat. This Christmas we were moving concrete blocks out of a greenhouse so worked all weekend straight thru without stopping. Finished the job at 2:30 12/28/23 ---- started on the 17'th.

stop in every chance you get and let us know you are o.k.!