Sorry guys but man this is sickness is getting me. I have not had the chance to get a real post in or even felt like it. I promise to catch up on all the blogs and comments when I get a little better.
I would like to say thank you and a give a give a big welcome to Wendy, flier389 and Laura for becoming new members of the Modern Day Redneck family.
If you take the time to read this than you are as good as family to me. Please feel free to leave comments.
Again, thank you and welcome.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Drawing The Line
I am still feeling very, very bad and the doctor said if I don't take it easy I will be in the hospital. So this morning I got up and went to work. The bills will not pay themselves if I am sick or not. So this post might be a little out of the normal.
While laying around yesterday in between my medicated slumbers, I had a chance to think. I thought about where in the sand my line is drawn between prepping for the coming "IT" and planning for the future.
I am sure to most of y'all that sounded like the same thing, but there is a difference.
Prepping for "IT" as you all know is preparing for the unseen problems or the coming SHTF. If you were to spend all your resources planning and preparing for that, then when do you plan for the future? I know what your thinking, "I thought prepping for "IT" is planning for the future". Well, in a way it is, but what I am asking is if "IT" did not happen, what plans would you have?
Let me put it another way, what is plan B? If I have spent all my time, money, energy and life preparing for something that might happen and then it doesn't, then what and where does that leave me? Where do we draw the line on it all? Do I not take the promotion at work because it will leave me less time to prep at home? Do I spend the money for my child's education on emergency food supplies because there will be no reason for an education later? Do I quit my job, cash in my retirement, buy survival gear and hunker down?
Do I tell my wife and kids that from now on there will be no more vacations because we have to buy gold and bury it in the back yard?
It is a known fact that you can never be prepared enough. You can never have enough water stored and if you have a years worth of food then you might as well go for two so you can feed your extended family and friends. What about the Bug Out Spot, now after all home preparations are well on the way, you have to find a bug out spot and bury some survival supplies and a months worth of goods just in case you have to leave your compound you worked so hard to prepare. It is never ending.
I laid there yesterday and thought my God, I could spend hundreds of thousands of dollars and the rest of my life and still not be 100% prepared for "IT" and what would I have to show for it?
There has to be a plan B. We still have to live, have goals and have happiness.
I know some of y'all and you would say the same as me, my happiness is knowing my family is taken care of and will not go hungry, but it all can't be about doomsday.
Maybe I am the only one that struggles with this. Maybe everyone knows how to balance life with preparing for the unseen. Every time I fill the truck up with seventy dollars in gas or make the house payment, all I think about how much food, ammo or lumber that could have bought.
Maybe it's just the medications making me think of stupid things, but there has to be a split of some kind between life and readiness. Like a 50/50, 60/40, 70/30
I'm not looking for answers to this because everyone is different and the bottom line for most of our life's goal is to survive. But I can't consume all my thoughts, energy and money to how many pounds of beans I have.
That is why I started changing what I mostly write about from prepping and surviving back to more of homesteading and self sustainable living like when I started this blog.
While laying around yesterday in between my medicated slumbers, I had a chance to think. I thought about where in the sand my line is drawn between prepping for the coming "IT" and planning for the future.
I am sure to most of y'all that sounded like the same thing, but there is a difference.
Prepping for "IT" as you all know is preparing for the unseen problems or the coming SHTF. If you were to spend all your resources planning and preparing for that, then when do you plan for the future? I know what your thinking, "I thought prepping for "IT" is planning for the future". Well, in a way it is, but what I am asking is if "IT" did not happen, what plans would you have?
Let me put it another way, what is plan B? If I have spent all my time, money, energy and life preparing for something that might happen and then it doesn't, then what and where does that leave me? Where do we draw the line on it all? Do I not take the promotion at work because it will leave me less time to prep at home? Do I spend the money for my child's education on emergency food supplies because there will be no reason for an education later? Do I quit my job, cash in my retirement, buy survival gear and hunker down?
Do I tell my wife and kids that from now on there will be no more vacations because we have to buy gold and bury it in the back yard?
It is a known fact that you can never be prepared enough. You can never have enough water stored and if you have a years worth of food then you might as well go for two so you can feed your extended family and friends. What about the Bug Out Spot, now after all home preparations are well on the way, you have to find a bug out spot and bury some survival supplies and a months worth of goods just in case you have to leave your compound you worked so hard to prepare. It is never ending.
I laid there yesterday and thought my God, I could spend hundreds of thousands of dollars and the rest of my life and still not be 100% prepared for "IT" and what would I have to show for it?
There has to be a plan B. We still have to live, have goals and have happiness.
I know some of y'all and you would say the same as me, my happiness is knowing my family is taken care of and will not go hungry, but it all can't be about doomsday.
Maybe I am the only one that struggles with this. Maybe everyone knows how to balance life with preparing for the unseen. Every time I fill the truck up with seventy dollars in gas or make the house payment, all I think about how much food, ammo or lumber that could have bought.
Maybe it's just the medications making me think of stupid things, but there has to be a split of some kind between life and readiness. Like a 50/50, 60/40, 70/30
I'm not looking for answers to this because everyone is different and the bottom line for most of our life's goal is to survive. But I can't consume all my thoughts, energy and money to how many pounds of beans I have.
That is why I started changing what I mostly write about from prepping and surviving back to more of homesteading and self sustainable living like when I started this blog.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Down And Out
It ends up I have pneumonia. The doc told me stay home and rest for a day or two but being the man I am I chose to go to work this morning. I should not have done that. I lasted only a hour before heading home.
I will get back to the blog this weekend. I have a 40 year old birthday post I need to do for the wife.
See y'all in a couple of days.
MDR
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Another "Howdy" Is Due
Welcome North, Scott and Shar. Y'all don't know what you just got yourselves into.
Please feel free to comment. Like I have said before, I will respond as soon I can to each one.
Thanks for hitting the little follow button and becoming a part of the MDR movement.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Ding Dong, Avon Calling
I was on a construction site about eleven or twelve years ago and walked right up to the biggest, meanest, baddest looking guy who was there and told him in my deep southern draw , "Hey buddy, I got something you need to try for them dry chapped hands of yours".
It was about a year before I went into the Army, I just turned 29 and man did I feel good. At 6' 4" 225lbs I was bullet proof. I wore ripped up pants with hole in the knees, a un-tucked button down shirt with the sleeve cut off, I razored my head bald and wore the rebel flag as a bandanna with a fu-man-chew mustache. My dad would say I looked like a Nazi and I looked as if I wanted to kill everyone I met, and I did.
At that time the wife was dabbling in Avon. She had a few customers here and there and I would laugh and make fun of delivery day when the boxes would arrive. She would always ask me to help her fill the orders and I would always say no and walk out the door. A real butt head right?
I don't hardly remember on how it all started but I think she was sick and could not make the deliveries that week and no matter how bad I didn't want too, I did it anyway. I kept thinking to myself, "I will kick the crap out of anyone who laughs at me for this".
So here I was, walking up to the doors of the women folks houses and ringing the bell. When they would open the door I remember the frightened looks on their faces as they would quickly try and shut it back. There were several times after the door was slammed in my face I just yelled, "I will just set your Avon order right here Ma'am"
During the winter months working out in the cold my hands would dry out and split causing real pain and discomfort. The wife ordered me some hand lotion that I started using and surprisingly it worked. She asked me if I knew of any guys that might want to try it for themselves. Of course I did, but I didn't want to ask any of them. So to stay on her good side I took some samples to work and passed them out saying the wife wanted me to give these out so don't blame me.
They all understood about the wife thing and didn't say much about it until a few days later.
"Hey bubba" one guy said in a low whisper.
"What's up" I said right back.
He looked at the ground for a second and kicked a rock or two then looked around to make sure nobody heard him and said "Hey man, you got any more of that stuff"
I knew what he was wanting, but I wanted to hear him say it. This was almost like a drug deal and it was really funny so I leaned in close and said, "What stuff is that"
He was uneasy at this point putting his hands in his pockets, dropping his head and saying "You know, that really good stuff you brought the other day"
I perked up and in a louder than normal voice said, "Oh yea, you mean that hand lotion I gave you"
"Now dawg gone it bubba, you don't have to announce it to whole world" he quickly shouted back looking around making sure nobody heard.
I just laughed and went to my truck and gave him a Avon book.
Yes, I was now carrying books. The wife wanted me to give them to the ladies in the office if I had the chance.
That lotion deal got me to thinking. On products like that, women buy from women, men will not buy from women but I might have something here where men could buy from a man and be semi-comfortable about it.
I took the ball and ran with it. In just a two or three months I had about fifty customers. Delivery day was like Christmas at our house.
I kept a current catalog rolled up in my back pocket at all times. Every guy I came across in the field I would approach and tell him I had something for his hands, feet or whatever else I could think of.
I also had many women buy from me. They would tell me the only reason they do is because I was man enough and had the cahonies to sell this stuff.
I was invited to talk at one of the monthly Avon meetings one time. I walked in and was the only guy in a room full of about 100 women. I want to tell you what, talk about being in a meat market. I heard cat calls, hisses, I was pinched, groped, fondled and I think molested once or twice. After the whole ordeal, I felt dirty. All I wanted to do was go home and take a shower. Every since that day, I have never hollered out the window at a woman again. Them old ladies were something else now.
Before I left for the Army I had around 120 regular customers. That is not including all the people my helpers had ordering through them. If you added them into it, it was around 300.
Now you guys out there reading this may be wanting to call me limp wristed and shaking your heads saying "There ain't no way", but let me tell y'all something, it was worth it. Many nights the wife and I would argue on the way home from some Avon thing with her saying, "Those women were flirting with you all night". I would always just smile, look aver at her and say "Yes they were, but I am coming home with you".
It was about a year before I went into the Army, I just turned 29 and man did I feel good. At 6' 4" 225lbs I was bullet proof. I wore ripped up pants with hole in the knees, a un-tucked button down shirt with the sleeve cut off, I razored my head bald and wore the rebel flag as a bandanna with a fu-man-chew mustache. My dad would say I looked like a Nazi and I looked as if I wanted to kill everyone I met, and I did.
At that time the wife was dabbling in Avon. She had a few customers here and there and I would laugh and make fun of delivery day when the boxes would arrive. She would always ask me to help her fill the orders and I would always say no and walk out the door. A real butt head right?
I don't hardly remember on how it all started but I think she was sick and could not make the deliveries that week and no matter how bad I didn't want too, I did it anyway. I kept thinking to myself, "I will kick the crap out of anyone who laughs at me for this".
So here I was, walking up to the doors of the women folks houses and ringing the bell. When they would open the door I remember the frightened looks on their faces as they would quickly try and shut it back. There were several times after the door was slammed in my face I just yelled, "I will just set your Avon order right here Ma'am"
During the winter months working out in the cold my hands would dry out and split causing real pain and discomfort. The wife ordered me some hand lotion that I started using and surprisingly it worked. She asked me if I knew of any guys that might want to try it for themselves. Of course I did, but I didn't want to ask any of them. So to stay on her good side I took some samples to work and passed them out saying the wife wanted me to give these out so don't blame me.
They all understood about the wife thing and didn't say much about it until a few days later.
"Hey bubba" one guy said in a low whisper.
"What's up" I said right back.
He looked at the ground for a second and kicked a rock or two then looked around to make sure nobody heard him and said "Hey man, you got any more of that stuff"
I knew what he was wanting, but I wanted to hear him say it. This was almost like a drug deal and it was really funny so I leaned in close and said, "What stuff is that"
He was uneasy at this point putting his hands in his pockets, dropping his head and saying "You know, that really good stuff you brought the other day"
I perked up and in a louder than normal voice said, "Oh yea, you mean that hand lotion I gave you"
"Now dawg gone it bubba, you don't have to announce it to whole world" he quickly shouted back looking around making sure nobody heard.
I just laughed and went to my truck and gave him a Avon book.
Yes, I was now carrying books. The wife wanted me to give them to the ladies in the office if I had the chance.
That lotion deal got me to thinking. On products like that, women buy from women, men will not buy from women but I might have something here where men could buy from a man and be semi-comfortable about it.
I took the ball and ran with it. In just a two or three months I had about fifty customers. Delivery day was like Christmas at our house.
I kept a current catalog rolled up in my back pocket at all times. Every guy I came across in the field I would approach and tell him I had something for his hands, feet or whatever else I could think of.
I also had many women buy from me. They would tell me the only reason they do is because I was man enough and had the cahonies to sell this stuff.
I was invited to talk at one of the monthly Avon meetings one time. I walked in and was the only guy in a room full of about 100 women. I want to tell you what, talk about being in a meat market. I heard cat calls, hisses, I was pinched, groped, fondled and I think molested once or twice. After the whole ordeal, I felt dirty. All I wanted to do was go home and take a shower. Every since that day, I have never hollered out the window at a woman again. Them old ladies were something else now.
Before I left for the Army I had around 120 regular customers. That is not including all the people my helpers had ordering through them. If you added them into it, it was around 300.
Now you guys out there reading this may be wanting to call me limp wristed and shaking your heads saying "There ain't no way", but let me tell y'all something, it was worth it. Many nights the wife and I would argue on the way home from some Avon thing with her saying, "Those women were flirting with you all night". I would always just smile, look aver at her and say "Yes they were, but I am coming home with you".
Mondays Mentions
This weekend was not so much a productive weekend by no means, but it was a good one. Time spent with the family is always good as long as the moods stay in the green.
There were only a couple times the mood meters went from fun loving and harmless to, I would rather rip you head off than look at you. We skirted around those as best we could.
The auction was a flop. The items up for auction should have just had a price tag on them and sold like in a garage sell setting. After scanning all the tables I looked at the wife, gave the sign and headed for the truck. There was no reason to waste our time with junk when we have mountains of the same at home. I guess I was just wanting to find that one unique thing I could not live without.
mmpaints emailed me the other day with a link to something I have done in the past but got away from when we moved out here. This rekindled my way of thinking and have now incorporated into my gardening technique.
This a short trailer to the movie at http://www.backtoedenfilm.com/
I highly recommend this video if you are a gardener and looking for a way to ease your work load and still have fresh organic foods.
Rhianna over at A Parenting Life is a new reader and member of the Modern Day Redneck family. I was surprised to see this morning she she did a blog post just for me and about me.
Her blog is mainly about moms doing things for and with her kids. Her following is well, moms. I think I am the only guy on the there, but I am proud of that. It's like when I used to sell Avon (ask me and I will tell ya the story about that, it's a funny one).
The passion she shows for her kids and life is a inspiration to me. I need her type of blog to balance out the negative we manly write about in all of ours. Oh don't start getting offended, you know what I mean.
Some of the pictures she puts up are cuter than a spotted puppy in a red wagon under a Christmas tree.
You know I don't do this very often but if you decide to drop her a visit, tell ole red sent ya.
(I like the way she writes. She says stuff like mummy, and mums)
That is all I got for now. Oh, have you ever heard of a woman getting her photo taken in a wedding dress that she spray painting and destroyed? It's a thing that is going around I guess.
(More to come on that topic)
I hope y'all have a great week.
There were only a couple times the mood meters went from fun loving and harmless to, I would rather rip you head off than look at you. We skirted around those as best we could.
The auction was a flop. The items up for auction should have just had a price tag on them and sold like in a garage sell setting. After scanning all the tables I looked at the wife, gave the sign and headed for the truck. There was no reason to waste our time with junk when we have mountains of the same at home. I guess I was just wanting to find that one unique thing I could not live without.
mmpaints emailed me the other day with a link to something I have done in the past but got away from when we moved out here. This rekindled my way of thinking and have now incorporated into my gardening technique.
This a short trailer to the movie at http://www.backtoedenfilm.com/
I highly recommend this video if you are a gardener and looking for a way to ease your work load and still have fresh organic foods.
Rhianna over at A Parenting Life is a new reader and member of the Modern Day Redneck family. I was surprised to see this morning she she did a blog post just for me and about me.
Her blog is mainly about moms doing things for and with her kids. Her following is well, moms. I think I am the only guy on the there, but I am proud of that. It's like when I used to sell Avon (ask me and I will tell ya the story about that, it's a funny one).
The passion she shows for her kids and life is a inspiration to me. I need her type of blog to balance out the negative we manly write about in all of ours. Oh don't start getting offended, you know what I mean.
Some of the pictures she puts up are cuter than a spotted puppy in a red wagon under a Christmas tree.
You know I don't do this very often but if you decide to drop her a visit, tell ole red sent ya.
(I like the way she writes. She says stuff like mummy, and mums)
That is all I got for now. Oh, have you ever heard of a woman getting her photo taken in a wedding dress that she spray painting and destroyed? It's a thing that is going around I guess.
(More to come on that topic)
I hope y'all have a great week.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Friday, September 23, 2011
Almost Done
Tomorrow I am running down to a huge auction they are having in the town just to South of us. They are advertising farm and garden equipment, fishing and hunting supplies, tools and many more things. I hate going without hardly any money in my pocket but I just need to see what is there and what things are being sold for.I told a buddy of mine, going to a farm auction without money is like going to a "house of ill repute" with a Chucky Cheese token. You might see a lot of things you want, but you ain't gunna get much.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Thanks And Giving
I had to do some business tonight so this will be a quick post.
Meet Thanks and you can just see the head of Giving.
We picked these up a few months ago as day old chicks. The tom is a Blue Slate and we call him Thanks. He has two Bourbon Red hens and I don't know which is which but one is call Giving.
He is still young and just started to puff up for us. It might be hard to eat him because he is really pretty. I can't wait till all his feathers come in.
This holiday season might just be a Giving without the Thanks.
We picked these up a few months ago as day old chicks. The tom is a Blue Slate and we call him Thanks. He has two Bourbon Red hens and I don't know which is which but one is call Giving.
He is still young and just started to puff up for us. It might be hard to eat him because he is really pretty. I can't wait till all his feathers come in.
This holiday season might just be a Giving without the Thanks.
 |
| What a Ham, oh, I mean Turkey for the camera. |
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
It's Up, It's Up!!!!!!
The fall gardens are coming up.
Even though I am very late on some of the planting, I was very happy to see the fall gardens are growing like gang busters.
Just like most, my summer gardens were burnt to a crisp. I gave up on them only half way through the growing season. Nothing but a few jars of okra were put by this year and I had to get them from my mom's garden.
We broadcast all the salad seeds for a great mixture of several different kinds of greens and lettuces.
I am guessing the cooler weather with the added new sprinkler system is the only reason I have growth.
Not pictures are the carrots, other kinds of beans and many more. This is the first time I have had something green in the gardens in months.
Even though I am very late on some of the planting, I was very happy to see the fall gardens are growing like gang busters.
 |
| I know it's late but the corn is up. I doubt it will make but it's still up. |
Just like most, my summer gardens were burnt to a crisp. I gave up on them only half way through the growing season. Nothing but a few jars of okra were put by this year and I had to get them from my mom's garden.
 |
| Big beautiful starting winter and summer squash plants. |
 |
| Salad beds are sprouting. I love me some fresh salad. |
We broadcast all the salad seeds for a great mixture of several different kinds of greens and lettuces.
I am guessing the cooler weather with the added new sprinkler system is the only reason I have growth.
Not pictures are the carrots, other kinds of beans and many more. This is the first time I have had something green in the gardens in months.
 |
| Bush Beans coming in about a month late. I will have to wait and see what they do. |
Another "Howdy" Is Due
Again thank you,
MDR
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
There Was A Time When........
I am sitting here at work and my mind has drifted off to another place and I started to think of stupid things that are actually true and before long it has turned into this.
I know this is corny, but in my mind it is a master piece.
Enjoy it if you can and leave me a comment telling me how corny it really was and what you came up with when there was a time when........
There was a time when I could work all day and party all night.
There was a time when I would go to town looking for a fight.
There was a time when I needed only a couple hours of sleep a day.
There was a time when I had no filter on the things I say.
There was a time when I thought 40 was old.
There was a time when on my back I could carry a pickup load.
There was a time when I said I will never tell my kids, "Because I said so".
There was a time when I would have looked good in a speedo. (that ones funny)
There was a time when I thought everyone I loved would always be with me.
There was a time when I did not have to get up every few hours at night to pee.
There was a time when I thought dominoes was a old persons game.
There was a time when I searched for fortune and fame.
There was a time when I had no fear.
There was a time when I could really put away some beer.
There was a time when I could write and rhyme with a relaxing flow.
There was a time when I never thought, where did all that time go.
I know this is corny, but in my mind it is a master piece.
Enjoy it if you can and leave me a comment telling me how corny it really was and what you came up with when there was a time when........
There was a time when I could work all day and party all night.
There was a time when I would go to town looking for a fight.
There was a time when I needed only a couple hours of sleep a day.
There was a time when I had no filter on the things I say.
There was a time when I thought 40 was old.
There was a time when on my back I could carry a pickup load.
There was a time when I said I will never tell my kids, "Because I said so".
There was a time when I would have looked good in a speedo. (that ones funny)
There was a time when I thought everyone I loved would always be with me.
There was a time when I did not have to get up every few hours at night to pee.
There was a time when I thought dominoes was a old persons game.
There was a time when I searched for fortune and fame.
There was a time when I had no fear.
There was a time when I could really put away some beer.
There was a time when I could write and rhyme with a relaxing flow.
There was a time when I never thought, where did all that time go.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Nesting Box Giveaway
Over at http://georgiafarmwoman.blogspot.com/ they are giving away this nice little 3 hole nesting box.
These little metal nesting boxes are a must for any chicken farmer or hobbyist. Plus they are cute as a mouses ear.
If you are in the need for one then here is your chance to get it.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
How Ya'll Doing
I Did not get it done because I am in no hurry, but I did make some progress on the wood shed this weekend.
We had some crazy and wild times last night at the outdoor church concert.
All it needs now is a top. When finished it should hold about a cord of 15" cut and split fire wood. We usually go through about a cord and a half every year to heat the house and yes I should have made it big enough to hold that about, but it was either going to be made at eight feet or sixteen feet long so I chose the shortest because of the quality of lumber I had. I can store wood down behind the big barn and bring it up when this little shed is running low.
Don't worry, it will look good when all painted up and completed.
We had some crazy and wild times last night at the outdoor church concert.I took my grill up there a couple of nights ago to cook all the hot dogs and last night I got several ohhs and ahhhs pertaining to the grill.
All I said was, "Have y'all never seen a reals mans grill before?"
I like those small town church functions though. Everyone is down home and country. I am talking about the kind of country that when they say "How y'all doing" their mouths never close and their lips never move.
These are the kinds of people you can't help but to like and talk to all night long.
I can never see myself going to mega church where you are just a warm body sitting in a chair. I want that good ole fashioned fire and brimstone kind of preaching. The kind where you need to wear a poncho if you sit in the front row because the preacher is so fired up he is baptizing you with his spit and sweet if you like it or not. The kind of preaching where if you don't get a fire lit in your soul then your wood it wet. Now that's preaching right there.
I tell ya whats funny, I bet over half of y'all tried to be all country and say "How y'all doing" in that way, didn't ya?
For all y'all North of the Red River I will tell you how. Tilt your head back a little, open your mouth, pull your lips back over your teeth and say "Howya'lldoing" all in one saying without pausing, moving your mouth or your lips.
Go ahead, your turn.
Yea! That's it, there you go. Now you are boneified.
I sure hop all y'all had a great weekend and I hope you have a wonderful week.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Sleeping Giant
I have been too busy to post the last couple of days because as soon as I get home all I want to do is get out back and take care of the little things that has taken a back seat throughout the summer.
Example, I spent till dark last night cleaning my grill. It is amazing the crap build up those things can when you don't take the time to clean after every session and the yard, oh wow the yard, so many things were out of place and piled over the past few months just to get out of the heat as quick as possible. I bet we have 50 feed sacks that has accumulated.
I do not have any grass to mow but the weeds sure can thrive with no water so I plan to get those taken care of this weekend as well.
Tonight I have to help the church set up for their big fall event set for Saturday night, but tomorrow morning I plan to have some progress made on the 100% recycled wood shed.
Then tomorrow night it's off to the church thing where the Mini Farm donated a pair of live chickens for a door prize. That will be the first and I can hear them now, "Leave it to the rednecks".
I have decided to put the outdoor kitchen project on hold for the time being mainly due to not being able to build it with all the junk material I have. That project will take some money so I decided not to just sit on my hands and wine about it. I have moved on to start the planning stages of my outdoor bathroom consisting of a solar shower, wood heated bath and composting station. I scanned the piles of old barn wood and determined I have most if not all of the material it will take to complete that little project. I first need to finish the wood shed though.
So much to do and so little time....
Oh how I love the cooler weather.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
One For The History Books
Today will mark a new page in the record books as being the hottest summer in history for these parts.
1980 made history when it had sixty nine days over 100 degrees. Yesterday we tied the thirty one year old record and today we will surpass it topping out at 105.
Though the cool fronts are coming more frequently, the temperatures climb right back up only after a couple of days giving you a false hope of cooler weather. It is nice to at least have a day or two during the week to get out and get some chores done.
I watched the news last night and they were talking about a freeze warning already in some of the mid Northern states. I am not ready for weather like that yet. I need a fall that lasts for at least three months so the late gardens I planted can have a chance to grow and produce. I also have a million things that were put off during the summer due to the heat that need to be done before winter.
Changing subjects,
The wife turns 40 at the end of the month and she is not looking forward to it. I had planned to throw her this huge event, but being an event of any size would cost a considerable amount of money that we don't have, I am at a loss. Normally a birthday would not be a big deal, but being 40 is an achievement and a mile stone going from young to old, life to death, over the hill, from girl to granny...., you get the hint. (I bet that made some of y'all mad). Anyway, if you have an idea that will work on a chepo budget, please let me know.
Have a great day.
1980 made history when it had sixty nine days over 100 degrees. Yesterday we tied the thirty one year old record and today we will surpass it topping out at 105.
Though the cool fronts are coming more frequently, the temperatures climb right back up only after a couple of days giving you a false hope of cooler weather. It is nice to at least have a day or two during the week to get out and get some chores done.
I watched the news last night and they were talking about a freeze warning already in some of the mid Northern states. I am not ready for weather like that yet. I need a fall that lasts for at least three months so the late gardens I planted can have a chance to grow and produce. I also have a million things that were put off during the summer due to the heat that need to be done before winter.
Changing subjects,
The wife turns 40 at the end of the month and she is not looking forward to it. I had planned to throw her this huge event, but being an event of any size would cost a considerable amount of money that we don't have, I am at a loss. Normally a birthday would not be a big deal, but being 40 is an achievement and a mile stone going from young to old, life to death, over the hill, from girl to granny...., you get the hint. (I bet that made some of y'all mad). Anyway, if you have an idea that will work on a chepo budget, please let me know.
Have a great day.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Survival Nut
This story happen this weekend and is only fitting because I am a little over half way through the book Patriots by James Wesley Rawles.
I have known Bill for three years now and we have only spoken a hand full of times. His wife and my wife are friends as well as his daughter and my middle daughter are good friends. The only times I have been to his house is to either pick my up daughter or drop her off.
Bill and his family live in what I would call, seclusion. Owning about seventy five acres on a peninsula that darts out into the lake, the property is heavily wooded in most spots and surrounded by water on three sides. The one mile long drive winds it's way thought trees and pastures with a quarter mile straightaway at the lowest point of the property. The white gravel road finally comes to rest at a beautiful house high on a hill overlooking the property and the lake.
Bill has always been reserved and quiet. The few times I picked the girl up, little things around his place would catch my eye and I wondered about them but respecting his privacy I would not ask. I picked out camoed structures up on the hill in the woods along with different types of motion sensing devices strapped to a few trees along the drive. I knew I would do the same if I had his place so really didn't think much about it.
He has been to my house a few times as well buying chickens.
The last time he was over about two weeks ago and after the chicken deal was done, we were walking back to the truck and he pointed and asked "Is that a rain water harvesting system you got there?"
"Yes it is" I replied back.
"Hmm" is the only sound he made in response as he scratched his chin.
We continued our walk through the back yard towards the gate when he paused and pointed, "Is that a solar oven?"
Again all I replied was, "Yes it is."
Another "Hmm" came from his closed lips and he continued on and got in his pickup and left.
Early Saturday morning I took the wife over to his house for a girls play date his and my wife had planned. The girls were going to spend the day window shopping in town. I gladly passed on the invitation to go.
I drove slowly up Bill's driveway and talking with the wife on how I would love to own this property. I went on to tell her where I would put the surveillance cameras, the LP/OP, spider holes and many other things to secure us and the land. I told the wife the 1/4 mile straightaway of his drive was a perfect spot for an ambush if someone breached the first line of defense at the gates. Yup, that one got a weird look from her.
After dropping the wife off I started back down the long drive. Off to my right I saw his truck racing out from the woods, bouncing from side to side to get to me before I got to far away. I thought, oh man he must not recognize the truck and thinks I am a looter or something. I thought about racing off for the fun of it and to just to see what would happen but then thought maybe I should just stay put and let him come to me because there was no way I could outrun a bullet.
He drove up next to the truck and with a weird kinda look said, "MDR, your one of those survival nuts aren't ya?"
I fired back not knowing the outcome, "Well, if you must put a label on me then yes, I guess I kinda am."
He then got the biggest grin and said, "Follow me, I want to show you something"
I usually try not to go back into the woods with a guy I hardly know, and being on his property made the whole situation a little worse. I was armed and I was sure he was as well. The movie Deliverance came to mind and as I gripped the .357 revolver I had under the seat. I said to myself, "I was not going to squeal like a pig today".
We wound around through the trees with me tight on his bumper for fear getting lost for at least a half mile and then came upon a clearing. What I saw made me envious even before I left the truck. Bill jumped out and with a wave of his hand and a half bow gesturing a sound of "waalaw".
Like a kid eager to show how much candy he got on Halloween, Bill slaps me on the back and said, "MDR, welcome to my retreat, you are now one of only six that has ever seen it".
I went from nervous to honored in less than a heart beat. A two story stone building stood before me. He told me it had stone walls 6" thick for protection against raiders. The windows were placed so he could look out and see from all directions. Bill even went as far as to trim the trees so to have "lines of sight" as he called it. Floodlighst filled the tree tops pointing away from the house to blind anyone approaching. He called it the "deer in the head lights" look. He was set up.
Then with a half crooked grin he said "I knew you were here before you even pulled into the driveway".
I knew I saw some of that stuff on the trees. He then showed me a monitoring system that only a high security prison would have.
Without going into a lot of detail, he showed me his food storage, water system, electrical system, observation post and some of his surveillance system. When I asked about his weaponry he quickly changed the subject so I am sure he was not ready for that just yet so I let it go.
Bill even has a fortified chicken coop. When he was showing it to me my mouth just hung open. Electric fence and razor wire is all I am going to say about it. With pride he said "There ain't nobody getting my eggs but me".
Bill and his wife gave my family an invitation to seek refuge at their compound if we needed it when it all goes to hell. He told me with another slap on the back, "I can't defend all this by myself".
He then asked what kind of firearms I had. With a grin I told him "I will show you mine if you show me yours first".
Knowing Bill might come in handy one day. I just think it was funny he called "me" the survival nut.
I have known Bill for three years now and we have only spoken a hand full of times. His wife and my wife are friends as well as his daughter and my middle daughter are good friends. The only times I have been to his house is to either pick my up daughter or drop her off.
Bill and his family live in what I would call, seclusion. Owning about seventy five acres on a peninsula that darts out into the lake, the property is heavily wooded in most spots and surrounded by water on three sides. The one mile long drive winds it's way thought trees and pastures with a quarter mile straightaway at the lowest point of the property. The white gravel road finally comes to rest at a beautiful house high on a hill overlooking the property and the lake.
Bill has always been reserved and quiet. The few times I picked the girl up, little things around his place would catch my eye and I wondered about them but respecting his privacy I would not ask. I picked out camoed structures up on the hill in the woods along with different types of motion sensing devices strapped to a few trees along the drive. I knew I would do the same if I had his place so really didn't think much about it.
He has been to my house a few times as well buying chickens.
The last time he was over about two weeks ago and after the chicken deal was done, we were walking back to the truck and he pointed and asked "Is that a rain water harvesting system you got there?"
"Yes it is" I replied back.
"Hmm" is the only sound he made in response as he scratched his chin.
We continued our walk through the back yard towards the gate when he paused and pointed, "Is that a solar oven?"
Again all I replied was, "Yes it is."
Another "Hmm" came from his closed lips and he continued on and got in his pickup and left.
Early Saturday morning I took the wife over to his house for a girls play date his and my wife had planned. The girls were going to spend the day window shopping in town. I gladly passed on the invitation to go.
I drove slowly up Bill's driveway and talking with the wife on how I would love to own this property. I went on to tell her where I would put the surveillance cameras, the LP/OP, spider holes and many other things to secure us and the land. I told the wife the 1/4 mile straightaway of his drive was a perfect spot for an ambush if someone breached the first line of defense at the gates. Yup, that one got a weird look from her.
After dropping the wife off I started back down the long drive. Off to my right I saw his truck racing out from the woods, bouncing from side to side to get to me before I got to far away. I thought, oh man he must not recognize the truck and thinks I am a looter or something. I thought about racing off for the fun of it and to just to see what would happen but then thought maybe I should just stay put and let him come to me because there was no way I could outrun a bullet.
He drove up next to the truck and with a weird kinda look said, "MDR, your one of those survival nuts aren't ya?"
I fired back not knowing the outcome, "Well, if you must put a label on me then yes, I guess I kinda am."
He then got the biggest grin and said, "Follow me, I want to show you something"
I usually try not to go back into the woods with a guy I hardly know, and being on his property made the whole situation a little worse. I was armed and I was sure he was as well. The movie Deliverance came to mind and as I gripped the .357 revolver I had under the seat. I said to myself, "I was not going to squeal like a pig today".
We wound around through the trees with me tight on his bumper for fear getting lost for at least a half mile and then came upon a clearing. What I saw made me envious even before I left the truck. Bill jumped out and with a wave of his hand and a half bow gesturing a sound of "waalaw".
Like a kid eager to show how much candy he got on Halloween, Bill slaps me on the back and said, "MDR, welcome to my retreat, you are now one of only six that has ever seen it".
I went from nervous to honored in less than a heart beat. A two story stone building stood before me. He told me it had stone walls 6" thick for protection against raiders. The windows were placed so he could look out and see from all directions. Bill even went as far as to trim the trees so to have "lines of sight" as he called it. Floodlighst filled the tree tops pointing away from the house to blind anyone approaching. He called it the "deer in the head lights" look. He was set up.
Then with a half crooked grin he said "I knew you were here before you even pulled into the driveway".
I knew I saw some of that stuff on the trees. He then showed me a monitoring system that only a high security prison would have.
Without going into a lot of detail, he showed me his food storage, water system, electrical system, observation post and some of his surveillance system. When I asked about his weaponry he quickly changed the subject so I am sure he was not ready for that just yet so I let it go.
Bill even has a fortified chicken coop. When he was showing it to me my mouth just hung open. Electric fence and razor wire is all I am going to say about it. With pride he said "There ain't nobody getting my eggs but me".
Bill and his wife gave my family an invitation to seek refuge at their compound if we needed it when it all goes to hell. He told me with another slap on the back, "I can't defend all this by myself".
He then asked what kind of firearms I had. With a grin I told him "I will show you mine if you show me yours first".
Knowing Bill might come in handy one day. I just think it was funny he called "me" the survival nut.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Wood Shed
The weather people crushed my hopes and dreams earlier when they said the 100 degree days are coming back next week. I was fooled into believing it was over.
I was even lulled into dusting off my tools and planning a list of projects to enjoy before winter.
First on the (make believe fall) project list is a small wood shed. For the past two winters we have had to tarp all the wood to keep it out of the weather. Plus, the place we had to store it made it where we had to slop through ankle deep mud and carry it back a few sticks at a time. The whole ordeal was exhausting and messy.
This little wood shed will be right off the end of the house butting up the the patio and no mud will have to be dealt with.
Being I have had some bad luck with house maintenance issues this summer, all of the project funds are gone. I am thankful I have a storage of old wood behind the barn I got back when the spring storms came through and ripped apart some old barns in the area. Farmers were going to just pile all the wood up and set fire to it so I was able to first go in and grab what I could and salvage whatever pieces were still usable.
I have gone all summer without building anything so I am a little rusty in the imagination department. Imagination is the key element when working with old, brittle, twisted wood of various lengths and sizes. Anyone can build something out of nice, straight, new wood from the store, but it takes an artist to make something out of crap. I'm just saying.
This morning I loaded up the truck with 2x4 boards full of nails and some old rotted fence panels I thought I might could use to start off with. Like I said, I am a little rusty so I spent a long time sitting there looking at the wood then back to where I want to build trying to visualize the finished product, then breaking it down backwards going over every detail. When I finally had all in my head I got started.
I am in no hurry on this little project or it would have been finished today. As long as I get it done before the fist wood cutting takes place a month from now I will be good.
This project will use 100% recycled wood, screws and nails. The only cost will be the electricity to run the saws.
I was even lulled into dusting off my tools and planning a list of projects to enjoy before winter.
First on the (make believe fall) project list is a small wood shed. For the past two winters we have had to tarp all the wood to keep it out of the weather. Plus, the place we had to store it made it where we had to slop through ankle deep mud and carry it back a few sticks at a time. The whole ordeal was exhausting and messy.
This little wood shed will be right off the end of the house butting up the the patio and no mud will have to be dealt with.
Being I have had some bad luck with house maintenance issues this summer, all of the project funds are gone. I am thankful I have a storage of old wood behind the barn I got back when the spring storms came through and ripped apart some old barns in the area. Farmers were going to just pile all the wood up and set fire to it so I was able to first go in and grab what I could and salvage whatever pieces were still usable.
I have gone all summer without building anything so I am a little rusty in the imagination department. Imagination is the key element when working with old, brittle, twisted wood of various lengths and sizes. Anyone can build something out of nice, straight, new wood from the store, but it takes an artist to make something out of crap. I'm just saying.
I am in no hurry on this little project or it would have been finished today. As long as I get it done before the fist wood cutting takes place a month from now I will be good.
This project will use 100% recycled wood, screws and nails. The only cost will be the electricity to run the saws.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Back On Line
The sewer is back on line and everything is flowing again operating as normal. Even the sprinkler heads the Llama ate have been replaced. Everything is new now and should last a couple of more years, I hope. I tried all week to find the best deal on the parts but these specialty items never go on sale. I hate paying full cost on anything.
Speaking of which,
I mentioned earlier this week about building a sprinkler system for the raised beds. Let me just say there is a benefit to being a hoarder. I was able to scrounge around and find almost everything I need to build the complete system, I don't know why I didn't do it before.
We planted the fall gardens a couple of weeks ago and just as the tinder little sprouts came up, the sun and heat zapped them dead.
To at least have something for the winter, we had to come up with this sprinkler system and replant the gardens.
I am two weeks to a month behind on things like corn, green beans and squash but if we have a late winter it should be ok, if not then we will do without.
I had everything on hand except the sprinkler heads and the little risers which I got on sale. Each bed is 16'X4' and has two full circle shrub heads for full coverage. There are valves at the front of each bed making it possible to irrigate one at a time. Total project cost, $8.00 to irrigate five raised beds. The cost if I was not a Hoarder, $80.00 .
Speaking of which,
I mentioned earlier this week about building a sprinkler system for the raised beds. Let me just say there is a benefit to being a hoarder. I was able to scrounge around and find almost everything I need to build the complete system, I don't know why I didn't do it before.
We planted the fall gardens a couple of weeks ago and just as the tinder little sprouts came up, the sun and heat zapped them dead.To at least have something for the winter, we had to come up with this sprinkler system and replant the gardens.
I am two weeks to a month behind on things like corn, green beans and squash but if we have a late winter it should be ok, if not then we will do without.
I had everything on hand except the sprinkler heads and the little risers which I got on sale. Each bed is 16'X4' and has two full circle shrub heads for full coverage. There are valves at the front of each bed making it possible to irrigate one at a time. Total project cost, $8.00 to irrigate five raised beds. The cost if I was not a Hoarder, $80.00 .
Friday, September 9, 2011
Quick Question
Instead of a "real" post today I just have a simple question.
I read books and blogs about the "Crunch", "It", "Collapse", "SHTF" or what ever you want to call it when it does happen and I have not seen anyone touch on this area.
If the food supply is gone leaving empty shelves across the nation from the last minute shoppers and looters, plus the dollar being worthless making the fuel to expensive to buy and ship any commodities and fuel itself also not being shipped causing a shortage making it impossible for people to commute to and from work (assuming people would actually still go to work in fear of their stuff being looted or being killed for their cars), what is going to happen to all the criminals that are locked up in prisons and jails?
Being there will be no food to feed them,will the authorities just open the doors to thousands of murders, thieves and rapist and say good luck?
In a crisis of that magnitude instead of being at home protecting their families and investments, would the jailers just stay at the jail, but even if they did that, where would they get the food to feed everyone?
This question may have been cover somewhere, but I have not seen it.
It's just a thought.
I read books and blogs about the "Crunch", "It", "Collapse", "SHTF" or what ever you want to call it when it does happen and I have not seen anyone touch on this area.
If the food supply is gone leaving empty shelves across the nation from the last minute shoppers and looters, plus the dollar being worthless making the fuel to expensive to buy and ship any commodities and fuel itself also not being shipped causing a shortage making it impossible for people to commute to and from work (assuming people would actually still go to work in fear of their stuff being looted or being killed for their cars), what is going to happen to all the criminals that are locked up in prisons and jails?
Being there will be no food to feed them,will the authorities just open the doors to thousands of murders, thieves and rapist and say good luck?
In a crisis of that magnitude instead of being at home protecting their families and investments, would the jailers just stay at the jail, but even if they did that, where would they get the food to feed everyone?
This question may have been cover somewhere, but I have not seen it.
It's just a thought.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
FYI
For the past month I have been doing my own kinda study and keeping track of certain key words typed into the Google search area. I was wanting to to keep track of how fast some of these words grew by popularity over the last few weeks.
With all the Economic down turn in the news and the fear of a total national failure, I figured words like prepper, prepping and survivalist would sky rocket in new websites and hits generated by the search engine. Sure enough they did just that.
Here are the results I came up with:
Survivalist - In one month about 900,000 new hits were added when searching this word. A growth of about 30,000 a day. Totaling 3,650,000 all together when you search it.
Prepper - 210,000 new places to click were added in a month. A growth of 7,000 hits a day. The sites to click for this word is about 1,030,000.
Prepping - 10,400,000 places to check out when you put this word in the search box. Believe it or not, this word had little growth over the month by adding just 100,000 places to go. That is a little over 3,000 sites a day.
To me it looks like the trend has gone from prepping to surviving. I am not sure if this is what they call a "Band Wagon" and a lot of people are just jumping aboard because they have figured out what they are doing is not going to work. I would like to have seen the numbers at two years ago before the election.
I just found it interesting, that's all.
Oh, one more thing,
Redneck - 39,400,000 places to click and holding steady. Kinda makes you think who has it all figured out, hu?
With all the Economic down turn in the news and the fear of a total national failure, I figured words like prepper, prepping and survivalist would sky rocket in new websites and hits generated by the search engine. Sure enough they did just that.
Here are the results I came up with:
Survivalist - In one month about 900,000 new hits were added when searching this word. A growth of about 30,000 a day. Totaling 3,650,000 all together when you search it.
Prepper - 210,000 new places to click were added in a month. A growth of 7,000 hits a day. The sites to click for this word is about 1,030,000.
Prepping - 10,400,000 places to check out when you put this word in the search box. Believe it or not, this word had little growth over the month by adding just 100,000 places to go. That is a little over 3,000 sites a day.
To me it looks like the trend has gone from prepping to surviving. I am not sure if this is what they call a "Band Wagon" and a lot of people are just jumping aboard because they have figured out what they are doing is not going to work. I would like to have seen the numbers at two years ago before the election.
I just found it interesting, that's all.
Oh, one more thing,
Redneck - 39,400,000 places to click and holding steady. Kinda makes you think who has it all figured out, hu?
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Redneck Emergency Preparedness Kit
I found this at
A Countdown of the Ten Items In Your Redneck Emergency Preparedness Kit
10. Smokes and Chew: Marlboro Lights for a category one hurricane or tornado, Marlboro Mediums for a category two or three, Marlboro Reds for a category four. You need a serious smoke for a serious hurricane. Chew is important because it counts towards your daily supply of vegetables.
9. Booze: Hide the Budweiser and have a couple cans of Milwaukee’s Best incase strangers stop by or you need to barter with neighbors. Follow this safety rule for consuming alcohol in emergency situations: beer for morning and Jack Daniels for afternoon and evenings. If you are too drunk to walk then use your ATV otherwise it will take you forever to get anywhere.
8. Food: Slim Jims and if you want to live large get some mustard for dipping, beef jerky, pork rinds and anything that was on the table that the dogs didn’t eat or wasn’t sprayed with Raid when you were clearing cockroaches during dinner.
7. A Boat: A true redneck has a boat in his yard for years at a time without ever using it once. That’s because it’s for emergency purposes. I highly recommend a two-stroke motor that will always start after it’s kicked a few times. Preferably that motor will be a Johnson, because jokes about your Johnson never get old.
6. Pickup Truck: A redneck is a man that has less than 50% of his vehicles running at any given time. It’s easy to tell the vehicle that is driven the most by counting the 7-11 hotdog containers on the floor. But, when a hurricane hits, it’s certain that a redneck in a Ford F-150 that is held together with bondo will be pulling your Lexus out of a ditch. And remember, that’s not just a redneck’s truck; it’s where his kids were conceived so understand that bench seat is sacred ground.
5. A Dog: A dog will tell you if something is edible or not.
4. A Flashlight: You need one in addition to the light the family uses at night to go out to the bathroom.
3. A Radio with a Powerful Speaker: That way you have something to drown out the wife, kids, mother-in-law, your sister-in-law Crystal, your sister Crystal, cousin Crystal, and your neighbor Crystal and her daughter little Crystal.
2. Home Security System: 1. Buy a pair of size 14-16 work boots. 2. Put them on the front porch with a copy of your most recent assault charge. 3. Put some giant dog dishes next to the boots and court papers. 4. Leave this note on your door: "Jake and Buster: I went for more ammo & beer. Back soon. Don't mess with the pit bulls; they messed the mailman up bad this morning. I don't think Satan took part; hard to tell from all the blood. I locked all four of 'em in the house. Better wait outside. Be right back. The cops will be back too.”
1. Guns and Ammo: I’m not talking about the magazine. Looters will be shot on sight and their loved ones can buy their watches and rings back from the pawn shop. And personally, I’d like to say that if you have a gun then squirrel is always on the menu if a disaster causes the traffic to be bad.
Get yourself prepared in case you have a shortage of rednecks in your area. Don’t expect the government to be able to get to you or provide for you. And of course, stay loaded my friends.
A Countdown of the Ten Items In Your Redneck Emergency Preparedness Kit
10. Smokes and Chew: Marlboro Lights for a category one hurricane or tornado, Marlboro Mediums for a category two or three, Marlboro Reds for a category four. You need a serious smoke for a serious hurricane. Chew is important because it counts towards your daily supply of vegetables.
9. Booze: Hide the Budweiser and have a couple cans of Milwaukee’s Best incase strangers stop by or you need to barter with neighbors. Follow this safety rule for consuming alcohol in emergency situations: beer for morning and Jack Daniels for afternoon and evenings. If you are too drunk to walk then use your ATV otherwise it will take you forever to get anywhere.
8. Food: Slim Jims and if you want to live large get some mustard for dipping, beef jerky, pork rinds and anything that was on the table that the dogs didn’t eat or wasn’t sprayed with Raid when you were clearing cockroaches during dinner.
7. A Boat: A true redneck has a boat in his yard for years at a time without ever using it once. That’s because it’s for emergency purposes. I highly recommend a two-stroke motor that will always start after it’s kicked a few times. Preferably that motor will be a Johnson, because jokes about your Johnson never get old.
6. Pickup Truck: A redneck is a man that has less than 50% of his vehicles running at any given time. It’s easy to tell the vehicle that is driven the most by counting the 7-11 hotdog containers on the floor. But, when a hurricane hits, it’s certain that a redneck in a Ford F-150 that is held together with bondo will be pulling your Lexus out of a ditch. And remember, that’s not just a redneck’s truck; it’s where his kids were conceived so understand that bench seat is sacred ground.
5. A Dog: A dog will tell you if something is edible or not.
4. A Flashlight: You need one in addition to the light the family uses at night to go out to the bathroom.
3. A Radio with a Powerful Speaker: That way you have something to drown out the wife, kids, mother-in-law, your sister-in-law Crystal, your sister Crystal, cousin Crystal, and your neighbor Crystal and her daughter little Crystal.
2. Home Security System: 1. Buy a pair of size 14-16 work boots. 2. Put them on the front porch with a copy of your most recent assault charge. 3. Put some giant dog dishes next to the boots and court papers. 4. Leave this note on your door: "Jake and Buster: I went for more ammo & beer. Back soon. Don't mess with the pit bulls; they messed the mailman up bad this morning. I don't think Satan took part; hard to tell from all the blood. I locked all four of 'em in the house. Better wait outside. Be right back. The cops will be back too.”
1. Guns and Ammo: I’m not talking about the magazine. Looters will be shot on sight and their loved ones can buy their watches and rings back from the pawn shop. And personally, I’d like to say that if you have a gun then squirrel is always on the menu if a disaster causes the traffic to be bad.
Get yourself prepared in case you have a shortage of rednecks in your area. Don’t expect the government to be able to get to you or provide for you. And of course, stay loaded my friends.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Updates and Rambles
The work week started off great. This morning the wife called at 7:30 AM and told me the well was out. Being the positive thinker that I am, I thought maybe it is something small and can be fixed when I get home tonight without to much trouble. As luck would have it, my buddy Dave took off today and ran over to confirm it was a simple fix. The main issue is that even though he got it up and running again, the pressure switch needs to be replaced. That is not a hard fix in it's self, but being it is all plumbed out of iron pipe, you can see some major corrosion on the treads where all the connections are made. I am positive it will all have to be re plumbed up to the well head when the switch is replaced.
As far as the little sewer problem I have, I am thankful the house sits higher than the tanks so it does not back up into the house, plus the new addition to the back pasture, AKA the LLama, loved eating the sprinkler heads so now I need to replace those as well and fence off the heads.
The fall gardens need to be replanted. Everything came up great but the sun just burnt it all back down. Now with some cooler weather, maybe the evaporation level will be lower and the dirt will retain some moisture.
I have some odds and ends sprinkler parts and pipe down in the barn. I think I will try and Southern Engineer some kind of watering system so we can keep the beds watered better.
Soaker hoses are not the answer for broadcast seed application. They only wet the area around where it is laying at the time. I need a system to cover a larger area with less effort. I might just have something I can work with.
The sell this weekend was one of those I hated to have. I only had a hand full of chickens and a goat I needed to sell but ended up having to sell three goats we wanted to keep and some chickens we were hoping to use as breeders for next season.
We are almost back to square one on the animals now.
I am proud of the oldest girl BlueEyedBaby at A&M. With all the fires down that way, the wife and I were getting worried for her safety (I also think we are looking for any reason to go get her). She has kept us informed of the situation and has assured us she has a plan A, B and C in case of evacuation.
I am also worried about our friends HossBoss and YeOldFurt. They are really close to all that so best wishes to them. They have devised a plan that includes getting my daughter out when they go if need be. Let me tell ya this, that is the kind of stuff right there you can never repay.
We are staying on high fire alert up here as well. I caught myself yesterday scanning the horizon for smoke every few minutes. The wife has restocked our BOB and she says we are ready to go.
Y'all have a good day.
As far as the little sewer problem I have, I am thankful the house sits higher than the tanks so it does not back up into the house, plus the new addition to the back pasture, AKA the LLama, loved eating the sprinkler heads so now I need to replace those as well and fence off the heads.
The fall gardens need to be replanted. Everything came up great but the sun just burnt it all back down. Now with some cooler weather, maybe the evaporation level will be lower and the dirt will retain some moisture.
I have some odds and ends sprinkler parts and pipe down in the barn. I think I will try and Southern Engineer some kind of watering system so we can keep the beds watered better.
Soaker hoses are not the answer for broadcast seed application. They only wet the area around where it is laying at the time. I need a system to cover a larger area with less effort. I might just have something I can work with.
The sell this weekend was one of those I hated to have. I only had a hand full of chickens and a goat I needed to sell but ended up having to sell three goats we wanted to keep and some chickens we were hoping to use as breeders for next season.
We are almost back to square one on the animals now.
I am proud of the oldest girl BlueEyedBaby at A&M. With all the fires down that way, the wife and I were getting worried for her safety (I also think we are looking for any reason to go get her). She has kept us informed of the situation and has assured us she has a plan A, B and C in case of evacuation.
I am also worried about our friends HossBoss and YeOldFurt. They are really close to all that so best wishes to them. They have devised a plan that includes getting my daughter out when they go if need be. Let me tell ya this, that is the kind of stuff right there you can never repay.
We are staying on high fire alert up here as well. I caught myself yesterday scanning the horizon for smoke every few minutes. The wife has restocked our BOB and she says we are ready to go.
Y'all have a good day.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Labor Day Stress Reliever
With all that has happen in the past couple of months, I figured me and the family should just go out and shoot something. I guess you could say it is Redneck therapy.
The Northern blew through yesterday afternoon and dropped the temp down into the high 50's this morning. Plus I had some old ammo I needed to burn through so I thought it would be fitting for all of us to go out and relieve some stress.
The middle girl thinks she is just all that.
The youngest enjoyed the little .22 Ruger for a few clips.
The wife even had to take out some frustrations with the .22
She chose to use the banana clip because she had a lot of spent up stress.
Yours truly trying to just hit the board with a SKS.
My Dad jumping in and wanting a piece of the action with his .270
I don't know why.
The Northern blew through yesterday afternoon and dropped the temp down into the high 50's this morning. Plus I had some old ammo I needed to burn through so I thought it would be fitting for all of us to go out and relieve some stress.
The middle girl thinks she is just all that.
The youngest enjoyed the little .22 Ruger for a few clips.
The wife even had to take out some frustrations with the .22
She chose to use the banana clip because she had a lot of spent up stress.
Yours truly trying to just hit the board with a SKS.
My Dad jumping in and wanting a piece of the action with his .270
I don't know why.
 |
| No problems for just a couple of hours makes a world of difference. |
I hope everyone had a great Labor Day. Just those few minutes made mine.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
How Can You Not Laugh At It All
Sometimes we just find ourselves in a dark place and just need to let it out somehow.
For the ones that have the can on their head, it is hard to see any way out. The ones looking at it from another point of view might not think it is all that bad.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Too Close For Comfort
Right after I hit the Publish button for the FireFlies For the Soul post earlier today, my phone rang and I noticed it was the wife calling. I answered the phone the same way I always do, "Hey babe, whats up?"
What came next through the ear piece was mixture of tears, panic and total chaos. The first few sentences there was no way I could make out what she was saying, but I knew from the sound of her voice it was not good. I told her to calm down and start again.
This is what I got, "Fire! (huff, huff) House! (holy crap, holy crap) Neighbors house is burning! (come here puppy) I'm out of here! (sounds of running) Ours is next! (truck door slamming) I will call you back!"
This of course got my curiosity up a little and I decided to go ahead and leave work early and I defiantly did not break any speeding laws on the way home.
Upon arrival forty five minutes later (I work an hour and a half away) I saw the street was lined with fire trucks and clouded with smoke.
As I drove up near the end of our road, through the smoke and the haze I saw the wife with several people around her. She was digging through the BOB handing out water bottles to other evacuees.
My first thought was "I hope they are not eating all my MREs".
A fire is one of those occurrences that I would define as "IT". We have drilled on this and our evacuation plan many times. The wife executed the plan with perfection and I got to see the Bug Out Bag at work.
I overheard many of the neighbors telling their spouses that they were going to make up a bag just like mine. My unemotional response was, "You should already have one".
I am telling you right now friends, you can do all the planning and drills you want, but when "IT" happens, you have to be able to control your adrenaline so you can make the decisions that have to be made. If not, all that prepping you have done is for not. I am proud of the wife for keeping her head and taking charge of the situation.
Through the help of neighbors and the Fire department, they were able to stop the spread before it got to my house. Not much damage on this end but that is not the case for my neighbors.
Vinyl siding and high heat do not match.
A Round Baler was the cause of the fire. A stuck baring caused sparks to fly and with this drought we are in, it was not good.
This picture was taking from my property line.
I will say, that was a close one.
What came next through the ear piece was mixture of tears, panic and total chaos. The first few sentences there was no way I could make out what she was saying, but I knew from the sound of her voice it was not good. I told her to calm down and start again.
This is what I got, "Fire! (huff, huff) House! (holy crap, holy crap) Neighbors house is burning! (come here puppy) I'm out of here! (sounds of running) Ours is next! (truck door slamming) I will call you back!"
This of course got my curiosity up a little and I decided to go ahead and leave work early and I defiantly did not break any speeding laws on the way home.
Upon arrival forty five minutes later (I work an hour and a half away) I saw the street was lined with fire trucks and clouded with smoke.
As I drove up near the end of our road, through the smoke and the haze I saw the wife with several people around her. She was digging through the BOB handing out water bottles to other evacuees.
My first thought was "I hope they are not eating all my MREs".
A fire is one of those occurrences that I would define as "IT". We have drilled on this and our evacuation plan many times. The wife executed the plan with perfection and I got to see the Bug Out Bag at work.
I overheard many of the neighbors telling their spouses that they were going to make up a bag just like mine. My unemotional response was, "You should already have one".
I am telling you right now friends, you can do all the planning and drills you want, but when "IT" happens, you have to be able to control your adrenaline so you can make the decisions that have to be made. If not, all that prepping you have done is for not. I am proud of the wife for keeping her head and taking charge of the situation.
Through the help of neighbors and the Fire department, they were able to stop the spread before it got to my house. Not much damage on this end but that is not the case for my neighbors.
This picture was taking from my property line.
I will say, that was a close one.
FireFlies For The Soul
Back when the wife and I were younger and the kids were not so busy starting their own lives, we were a family of campers. On most weekends it was hard to find us anywhere but out in the woods with the perfect little camp set up, living off of what fish we caught or what little food we stuffed in the cooler. Camping was a way of life for us and it is where many memories were made and the time spent being together as a family was priceless.
At that time we lived on the old farm and every day was just like camping to us anyway. Our house was nestled back in the woods hidden from the road, we cooked outside over an open fire for our meals and a few times a year had to live off the glowing light of lanterns until we came up with the money for the electricity bill. Even still, at every opportunity we would pack up the old short bed Ford and head to the lake.
It is funny to say, but our camp site was always set up better than the way we actually lived. A large tent for me and the wife and a little smaller one for the girls were the first items assembled to mark our small claim of land for the weekend. Next on the list was a cooking area. A few stacked sandstone rocks to make a circled pit and done, presto, instant kitchen.
Being the basic shelter and food needs met, I would venture off to gather wood while the wife and girls teamed up and made our little spot more like a home. They would set up the eating area with tables and chairs, hang a clothes line to dry our clothes after swimming and furnish the tents with whatever was packed in the truck.
I could never help but smile when I heard the sounds of laughter coming from the campsite echoing through the dense trees. My heart would warm and I felt just maybe, everything will be ok. At that moment, nothing else in life mattered but those little girls playing tag around a makeshift rock fire pit.
The one activity we loved doing while camping was watching the sunset. We would all sit in the grass by the water and watch the sun slowly sink it's way into the horizon. The girls would always try and time it by counting backwards "10... 9... 8..." until the sun showed no longer and had finally gone to bed.
We would continue to sit and marvel at the lasting effects the sun had left on the sky.
The girls would pick out colors and point upward with such intensity, "Look! I see purple, and pink over there". Another would say, "I see blue and yellow and....."
The wife and I would hold hands and smile at one another knowing without words, that this will be tucked away in the memories of the girls forever.
At dusk you could find us still sitting in the same spot waiting for the next one of Gods marvels to come out and play.
Then there it is! One of the girls would always be the first to spot it. "Look Daddy, a firefly". They would all take off running to try and catch it.
One would look back at me and mommy and say "Look, look another one, and another, there everywhere Mommy".
Flashes of light were darting the now darkened landscape and the girls quickly remembered to stand still and they might just get lucky and one would land on them. A truly marvelous sight, all three girls standing as still as their excitement would let them, grass up to their waste with fireflies dancing around their heads. A picture I will hold onto forever.
When the oldest could not contain herself a moment longer she ran over to me.
"Daddy, can you please catch me a firefly"
Me, "I can try baby"
I stood up and walked over to the grass, stuck out my hand and stood still. Luckily after a minute a lone firefly came by and landed in my open hand. I slowly and carefully cupped my hands together and brought them down to where the girls were standing.
Me, "Come here and look, I caught you a firefly" I whispered to them.
I slowly bent down on one knee as the three girls huddled in close around. They softly whispering "let me see, let me see daddy".
Their excitement was unbelievable, eyes opened wide and sparkling like new silver dollars in the moon light.
I slowly opened my hands just a little and as if the firefly new, right on cue it started lighting up and dancing for his young audience.
The girls all together at once whispered a long drawled out "Wow".
The oldest girl looked up at me with a tear in her eye and said "You are the best daddy in the world".
A lump the size of Texas formed in my throat as I stood up and turned around. I brought my cupped hands up close to my mouth and as I opened them to let the firefly go I softly whispered, "Thank you Mr. Firefly" and watched him fly away.
At that time we lived on the old farm and every day was just like camping to us anyway. Our house was nestled back in the woods hidden from the road, we cooked outside over an open fire for our meals and a few times a year had to live off the glowing light of lanterns until we came up with the money for the electricity bill. Even still, at every opportunity we would pack up the old short bed Ford and head to the lake.
It is funny to say, but our camp site was always set up better than the way we actually lived. A large tent for me and the wife and a little smaller one for the girls were the first items assembled to mark our small claim of land for the weekend. Next on the list was a cooking area. A few stacked sandstone rocks to make a circled pit and done, presto, instant kitchen.
Being the basic shelter and food needs met, I would venture off to gather wood while the wife and girls teamed up and made our little spot more like a home. They would set up the eating area with tables and chairs, hang a clothes line to dry our clothes after swimming and furnish the tents with whatever was packed in the truck.
I could never help but smile when I heard the sounds of laughter coming from the campsite echoing through the dense trees. My heart would warm and I felt just maybe, everything will be ok. At that moment, nothing else in life mattered but those little girls playing tag around a makeshift rock fire pit.
The one activity we loved doing while camping was watching the sunset. We would all sit in the grass by the water and watch the sun slowly sink it's way into the horizon. The girls would always try and time it by counting backwards "10... 9... 8..." until the sun showed no longer and had finally gone to bed.
We would continue to sit and marvel at the lasting effects the sun had left on the sky.
The girls would pick out colors and point upward with such intensity, "Look! I see purple, and pink over there". Another would say, "I see blue and yellow and....."
The wife and I would hold hands and smile at one another knowing without words, that this will be tucked away in the memories of the girls forever.
At dusk you could find us still sitting in the same spot waiting for the next one of Gods marvels to come out and play.
Then there it is! One of the girls would always be the first to spot it. "Look Daddy, a firefly". They would all take off running to try and catch it.
One would look back at me and mommy and say "Look, look another one, and another, there everywhere Mommy".
Flashes of light were darting the now darkened landscape and the girls quickly remembered to stand still and they might just get lucky and one would land on them. A truly marvelous sight, all three girls standing as still as their excitement would let them, grass up to their waste with fireflies dancing around their heads. A picture I will hold onto forever.
When the oldest could not contain herself a moment longer she ran over to me.
"Daddy, can you please catch me a firefly"
Me, "I can try baby"
I stood up and walked over to the grass, stuck out my hand and stood still. Luckily after a minute a lone firefly came by and landed in my open hand. I slowly and carefully cupped my hands together and brought them down to where the girls were standing.
Me, "Come here and look, I caught you a firefly" I whispered to them.
I slowly bent down on one knee as the three girls huddled in close around. They softly whispering "let me see, let me see daddy".
Their excitement was unbelievable, eyes opened wide and sparkling like new silver dollars in the moon light.
I slowly opened my hands just a little and as if the firefly new, right on cue it started lighting up and dancing for his young audience.
The girls all together at once whispered a long drawled out "Wow".
The oldest girl looked up at me with a tear in her eye and said "You are the best daddy in the world".
A lump the size of Texas formed in my throat as I stood up and turned around. I brought my cupped hands up close to my mouth and as I opened them to let the firefly go I softly whispered, "Thank you Mr. Firefly" and watched him fly away.
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