Friday again folks, we survived another week. 

 

Here "Two Weeks From Anywhere" I'm sitting here listening to it rain.

Of course it would, I all but finished the mowing yesterday. 

 

Talked it over with the Wife, and we're seriously considering turning a good portion of the yard into a Cottage Style Wildflower Garden with wandering paths mowed between the beds. I left the areas where the Wood Violets and a few other Native Wildflowers have taken over. Mentioned this to our neighbor Bruce last night, and he gave me a big bag of Wildflower seeds he found "Curb Shopping".  I'm sure this will lead to a visit from the "Mowing Police" but I don't think they'll have much to say about it once I show them the Wildlife Sanctuary Permit we got from the D.N.R. 

 

 That's about all that's going on here, What's on Your weekend Agenda? 

Shop work TBD....maybe. Been attempting to get familiar with scroll sawing. Yesterday, cut some really simple patterns that I drew directly on the wood. Probably continue that process today until I gain more confidence. The multi thickness piece completed yesterday will get hung on the wall of infamy to remind me of how unskilled I am presently. 

Got a phone appt. with the VA today at 09:00. We're still trying to get my blood pressure meds matched to what's needed. In previous consultations I was advised to fiddle around with the dosages of their meds. There's a .25 mg pill and a .50 mg one. The .25 mg dose had little or no effect. The ,50 mg dose produced marginally better readings. Still way high. So I added the .25mg to the .50mg with not much effect. Yesterday, I doubled the .50 mg. That worked...somewhat. Still a bit high but, I have no idea what is normal for me. According to Google, it should be 120/80. My best...yesterday... was 149/84 after doubling the .50mg pills. 

Hopefully, they'll have some better regimes to try.

Some rain is due so planning a shop weekend.  I'll see what happens in real time.

Whew, what a week. Everything this past week took 2-3x longer than it should have to accomplish.  Besides the rain/drizzle or rizzle 1st half, decided to get a couple of my fleet of string trimmers running again. My favorite, an old Weedeater, Featherlite 20 I bought new several years ago. Didn't see much action 2 years ago after back surgery. Last year, worked OK 1st few times, but by fall, couldn't keep it running. A quick replacement of fuel lines didn't help. Dug out my much heavier Snapper (Troybilt). It ran for about 5 minutes then the primer bulb failed. Progressed through the fleet...all fails

 

Anyways, replaced primer bulb and fuel lines on the Weedeater again, primed with some Stabil Fogging Oil, a few cranks, runs and idles great. A win. Replaced primer assembly on Snapper; fail. Near new Craftsman 32cc I bought at auction for $5, but had fuel lines totally disintegrated, replaced lines/filter/primer; fail.

 

Finished the mowing from last week, 15-30 minutes at a time with the JD F725 in between trying some temporary fixes; fail. Changed oil/filter on the Buick; win. Draining used oil from catch container to empty jugs; fail; it slipped out of my hand, dumping oil on the garage floor and my pants. In an attempt to catch the container, my phone popped out of my shirt pocket...you guessed correctly, right into the 1/2 full oil container. Quickly retrieved, wiped off, a diligent and patient wife with lots of external cleaning, then a final blast of CRC Sensitive Electronics Spray in charge, headphone and speaker ports it lives another day; win.

 

Revived my old JD F510. Got about 1/2 yard mowed yesterday. Only put about 20 hours on it the last couple years; win. Reminded me why I wanted the F725...510 beat me to death. Pretty sure I knocked that kidney stone from 2 weeks ago around; not sure yet, but it may have passed; win/fail TBD. Plan to try to finish yard before rains hit this PM.

 

Tomorrow, out early down state about 1-1/2 hours for oldest grand-daughters college graduation; win! Four years flew by. Sunday, AM, church responsibilities; PM, pitch in dinner at pastor's house.

Larry, I love the wild flower look! Southern CA if full of subdivisions with perfectly manicured front lawns, it's boring, the wildflower scene is a most welcome sight around here. I bet your neighbors will love it.

Tell the mowing police to take a hike!

2 hours ago, Gene Howe said:

Shop work TBD....maybe. Been attempting to get familiar with scroll sawing. Yesterday, cut some really simple patterns that I drew directly on the wood. Probably continue that process today until I gain more confidence. The multi thickness piece completed yesterday will get hung on the wall of infamy to remind me of how unskilled I am presently. 

Got a phone appt. with the VA today at 09:00. We're still trying to get my blood pressure meds matched to what's needed. In previous consultations I was advised to fiddle around with the dosages of their meds. There's a .25 mg pill and a .50 mg one. The .25 mg dose had little or no effect. The ,50 mg dose produced marginally better readings. Still way high. So I added the .25mg to the .50mg with not much effect. Yesterday, I doubled the .50 mg. That worked...somewhat. Still a bit high but, I have no idea what is normal for me. According to Google, it should be 120/80. My best...yesterday... was 149/84 after doubling the .50mg pills. 

Hopefully, they'll have some better regimes to try.

Yeah, my blood pressure just jumped a bit higher, saw the doc Tuesday and he moved me from 25 mg to 50 mg.  Initial tests seem to be working as I was back to normal this morning.

 

 

As far as weekend, senior piano and voice recital tonight for granddaughter.  Wrapping up a couple of bandsaw boxes as soon as glue dries, will get the finish on.

57 minutes ago, John Morris said:

Larry, I love the wild flower look! Southern CA if full of subdivisions with perfectly manicured front lawns, it's boring, the wildflower scene is a most welcome sight around here. I bet your neighbors will love it.

Tell the mowing police to take a hike!

Here, in the desert, yellow seems to dominate. Mostly desert daisies for the wild flowers. The Palo Verde trees are a glorious yellow, too. This time of the year the cacti blooms and, those colors vary. The Saguaro is crowned with white blooms. Prickly Pear can be pink, red, purple, or bluish. Their fruits are generally bright red. A drive through the country side is visually rewarding. 

 

@Grandpadave52

Couldn't be yhpruM, I know where he's been.  

He followed me around all week. 

59 minutes ago, John Morris said:

Larry, I love the wild flower look! Southern CA if full of subdivisions with perfectly manicured front lawns, it's boring, the wildflower scene is a most welcome sight around here. I bet your neighbors will love it.

Tell the mowing police to take a hike!

Basically doing so to maybe have about 1 Acre less to mow. 

I know the neighbors won't like it. 

It's a Golf Course Subdivision with an H.O.A. . 

13 minutes ago, Larry Buskirk said:

It's a Golf Course Subdivision with an H.O.A

I thought you lived in the sticks?

19 minutes ago, Gene Howe said:

Here, in the desert, yellow seems to dominate. Mostly desert daisies for the wild flowers. The Palo Verde trees are a glorious yellow, too. This time of the year the cacti blooms and, those colors vary. The Saguaro is crowned with white blooms. Prickly Pear can be pink, red, purple, or bluish. Their fruits are generally bright red. A drive through the country side is visually rewarding. 

 

Absolutely beautiful visuals you laid out Gene! 

Here is a part of my work commute I just put my cell phone out the window and hit the button, and this is what I got. This valley lights up every Spring with this same yellow color.

Watching the news there was a story about a super bloom in Kali this year thanks to the rains. The pics of this that I saw could only be described as stunning.

18 minutes ago, Fred W. Hargis Jr said:

Watching the news there was a story about a super bloom in Kali this year thanks to the rains. The pics of this that I saw could only be described as stunning.

We did Fred, this valley however always blooms for some reason, unless it doesn't rain at all. But normally we get a good show from this area.

The good news is, the meteorologists claim our drought may be over, and we can expect normal rain and snowfall levels again next year.

But at the same time, they said this season was going to be completely dry again, drought conditions, and it rained and snowed like a mother! So, needless to say, their credibility is nill in my book. They can't get our year to year forecast right, but apparently they can tell us our world has a fever and we are headed for a melt down?

1 hour ago, John Morris said:

I thought you lived in the sticks?

We have city on two sides of us, and neither the village nor city can override the D.N.R. permit. 

 

On the road with my son, moving our loot to SC.  Penske truck and car hauler for the MG.  Flying back north next week for the closing.  Bittersweet.

10 minutes ago, JimM said:

On the road with my son, moving our loot to SC.  Penske truck and car hauler for the MG.  Flying back north next week for the closing.  Bittersweet.

 

Safe travels Jim and best wishes as you resettle. At least your winters will be warmer plus more sunshine time to drive the MG with the top down.

Keep us posted when you can.

 That's enough mowing for today, me and all of the mowers are out of gas. 

9 minutes ago, Larry Buskirk said:

 That's enough mowing for today, me and all of the mowers are out of gas. 

I started that way so waited on the rain to force me out. Rain should finally be here in about 36 minutes

Edited May 19, 20233 yr by Grandpadave52

1 hour ago, JimM said:

moving our loot to SC.

Hey Jim, next Thursday we'll be flying to GA to visit our Army girl stationed at Ft Stewart, from there the three of us ill drive to Aiken SC to visit a friend of ours and stay the long weekend there, and see the sites in Aiken and surrounding areas. My wife has been to Aiken and loved it, now it's my turn to see the area, we are considering SC a place to retire.

Didn't get anything done today as not sleeping well last night. Tomorrow have a woodturners meeting

On 5/19/2023 at 7:48 AM, Larry Buskirk said:

I'm sure this will lead to a visit from the "Mowing Police" but I don't think they'll have much to say about it once I show them the Wildlife Sanctuary Permit we got from the D.N.R. 

 Remind them this is "No Mow May" and you are trying to help support the bee pollination & population.