Looks good bird!

I tried to do some digging for our bee garden. I just can't. My back hurts in minutes.

I have about another 5 sqft that needs sod removed and it hurts to dig.

I should pay some able bodied young man to do this lol.

Thanks, guys!


That's actually version 2.0 as I had to redo parts of it in order to get the tin roof in under the other one. Otherwise it would have gotten neck-and-neck which I didn't want.


@Saki - Yes! Pay Mikael to dig!

But he's not able bodied. Or young. Lol

It looks fantastic!

Thanks, mALX!

Project: Make car startable
Status: Complete....I hope

I noticed earlier yesterday morning, starting the car for my driving to the hospital for testing, that it struggled a bit before 'catching'. Odd that, considering the battery is hardly a month old, if that. Didn't think much of it as I had an important appointment to keep. Fast-forward to leaving the hospital following tests. The motor made a feeble attempt to turn, then went completely dead. Not even a clicking sound. Left the car. Popped open the hood. All looked well at the battery. Luckily, a fellow was sitting in a car near me. He offered to give my car a jump provided I had cables. I did. Cables connected, I retreated to the car and fired it up. Nothing. We're both at a loss. Maybe alternator? I try again. Nothing. Then, all of a sudden, the car starts, easy as can be. The fellow said all he did was jiggle the battery negative terminate clamp, which apparently wasn't making good contact with its post.

Car running, I drove straight home, changed into a mess-around shirt, grabbed tools, and attempted to tighten the clamp screw. The entire clamp assembly was in such bad shape I could do nothing with it. Gave up after about 15min of fruitless effort. Luckily, the car started again, though it struggled a bit before catching. Drove to my local mechanic, who took one look and pronounced that clamp beyond salvation. It was replaced, parts and labor around $15US. Haven't attempted to start the car since returning home, but hope for the best. I'll try and remember to give it a test start when I check mail later.

Looking back, I'm darn lucky the clamp waited until I was at the hospital before malfunctioning. I know of no way I could have made my appointment had the car not started that morning. Not on such short notice.

This post has been edited by Decrepit: Jun 10 2020, 02:24 PM

Wow; you are really lucky that is (hopefully) all it was! And yeah; that you were out somewhere when the issue was discovered.

Oops...sorry, posted in wrong thread.

This post has been edited by Decrepit: Jul 12 2020, 09:48 PM

Then let me pick up the slacks!


Currently in progress of installing a window on the side of the tractor garage. Gotta cut a hole in the wall and then put it up. Hopefully it will provide some good natural light into the darkest parts of the garage.

Project window in tractor garage complete!

Got an old window and put a frame around it and painted it. Pretty happy with the result!

Pic 1
Pic 2
Pic 3
Pic 4
Pic 5
Pic 6


I do think that little windows provides some much needed light back there.

Very nicely done and it looks like a most welcome improvement!

What a great example of the Reuse part of the Three R's of sustainability!

I love this window! How did you secure it in there? Wow, you are Awesome with these spur of the moment projects!!!! Really great light added to your workshop!

It's a nice little addition for sure


Yes, I do like putting old stuff like this to use instead of seeing it thrown away


I used the frame that I added to the window beforehand and just screwed and nailed it into place. Very simple


And I just now afterwards realize how the frame reminds me of the Doom logo - why does this game keep following me!??

Lol!

Project: Survive Brain Doctor visit
Status: Miracles 'do' happen, even to me

About a month ago the clinic informed me that the brain doc who has 'seen' me for decades no longer practices there. I was assigned a new brain doctor. (duh!) Today was my first visit with the new doc. It was a pleasant experience. (It helped that this new doc is a rather lovely female, as well as a (seemingly) nice person.)

Also, my visit occurred during a several-hour-long period in which the thick fog that normally envelops my brain partially dissipated. It's the first time that's happened in years! I'd forgotten what having a reasonably clear mind feels like. I found myself cheerfully gabbing with (and sometimes cracking jokes with) staff and fellow patients. Quite the opposite to my normal morose (but not unkind) self. What's more, I aced the memory test. I've been administered that test almost every visit forever and never done that before. I likely never will again.

Project: Grocery Run
Status: Complete
This was your normal run-of-the-mill, only with my mind still reasonably clear and me disgustingly cheerful. I suppose it's worth mentioning that this is the first day Walmart required all customers to wear masks. I'm happy to report everyone did so. Not a single 'Karen' in sight. I, of course, wore gloves in addition to a mask. I'm the only one who does so. Makes no sense to me, but the world is what it is. (The gloves I wear make it super easy to open produce-section plastic bags. I might continue to wear them if and when the pandemic subsides.)

For good or ill, brain fog moved back in right after lunch, which I ate immediately after putting away groceries.

This post has been edited by Decrepit: Jul 20 2020, 10:45 PM

Well, from the sound of it maybe now you can look forward to your brain doctor appointments, Decrepit!

Awesome job! I love the added light inside your workshop; too! That has to help!

Project: 'emergency' Walmart run
Status: complete

I used the last of a jar of Sugar-Free Blueberry Jam during breakfast this morning. Fast-forward to lunch. I opened my kitchen pantry to grab another jar, the one bought this Monday. It wasn't there. In its place stood an unopened jar of WowButter, which I didn't need to buy this week. An obvious brain-fart mistake during this Monday's grocery run. My first thought was to do without until next week's run. I then recalled that, due to a Tuesday morning medical appointment, that run is postponed a day. Additionally, a kitchen overhead-light bulb went kaput yesterday. To my dismay, I was out of spare bulbs of the required wattage. Off to Walmart I went, for those two items plus a large 'paper clamp' to better secure one end of my computer desk LED lighting strip.

It's been a very long time since I last replaced a light-bulb. The world of lighting has changed since then. Mini florescents have disappeared from shelves, replaced by LED bulbs! Whether this is a good or bad thing I know not.

Bulb replacement was fraught with peril. A combination of owning only a tiny (maybe 2ft) step ladder, a life-long morbid fear of heights, and unsteady balance due to the ravages of age, led to it taking three attempts to complete the process. Attempt one, I successfully unscrewed the old bulb, but got to shaking so severely from being an additional two-feet off the ground atop a wobbly ladder that I couldn't properly thread the new bulb into its socket. I was too unnerved to navigate the ladder steps, so resorted to simply ignoring them, dropping to the floor, and hoping for the best. Scary, but it worked. Attempt two was aborted part way up the ladder due to nerves. Attempt three, I made it up the ladder, successfully screwed in the new bulb, and descended the ladder via its steps. Last time I replaced a bulb it wasn't anywhere near as big a deal. I was just as afraid of heights back then, and the step ladder was no taller or more sturdy. The difference is that I was some years younger and more hardy, better able to cope with and overcome my limitations. One thing for sure, I need a full-size, sturdy ladder before tackling anything like this again!

Adding the clamp to my computer-desk keyboard tray was no picnic either, the clamping being a bit to tall while attaching. Luckily, I could see that it would fit properly once attached and locked in place. Took a lot of fancy footwork and elbow grease to move it into position, but I managed it.

I'm going to need to get off my duff and finish researching currently available ergonomic keyboards. Typing this has caused the top of my right hand to ache.

Project: Prepare state/county/local internet due taxes-due payment for internet purchases
Statue: Ready for posting
Did so first thing this morning, soon as the computer was up and running. As with several previous internet purchase tax-due payments, this one covers multiple months, Jun - Aug 2020 to be exact. Heck, I could have held out longer. But it gets harder to keep track of with every added month. As before, I owe only the county/local portion, state tax being applied at time of purchase.

Project: Apply for Jury Excusal for my mom
Status: Will Apply for Excusal this morning
My brother called yesterday, informing me that our mom has been selected for Jury Duty during Oct 2020. I'll call the number given on the summons soon as that department opens and apply for excusal on her behalf. Seeing as she's been dead these sixteen years I have hopes that my request will be granted. If not, I'll point out that, prior to her demise, she suffered seizures, wasn't allowed to drive a vehicle, and had hearing worse than mine. Death might have ended her seizures, but I can guaranty it hasn't done squat for her hearing.

(Why in the world is a 93 yr old women, which mom would be were she still with us, still on the summons list?)