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November 29, 2022
5th Snow of the Season
Looks like we got about 5" of snow last night 11/28-11/29. Too cold today for any of it to melt, and I measured 5" this afternoon.
Posted by Rob Kiser on November 29, 2022 at 4:56 PM : Comments (0) | Permalink
November 28, 2022
Mississippi 2022
Jennifer and I just got back from Thanksgiving 2022 in Mississippi, and I thought I'd document where we went while it's still somewhat fresh in my mind.
Travel dates:
11/22/22 Tuesday 9:35 a.m. Southwest Flight 291 Nonstop Denver International Airport to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.
11/27/22 Sunday 8:40 p.m. Southwest Flight 3343 Nonstop Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport to Denver International Airport.
Shuttle to rental car agency where we rented a silver KIA. Then we then drove down Carrolton Ave to St Charles to Jackson Square for coffee and beignets at Cafe Du Monde.
Then, we left New Orleans and stopped at Middendorf's, but they were closed. So, we went north to Ponchatoula where we stopped at Millside for some of the best catfish I've ever had. Then drove to Monticello.
On Wednesday 11/23/22, Jen and I went to Hall's Creek in the morning and then drove to Red Bluff in the afternoon with SL.Our route looked like this.
On Thursday 11/24/22, I think this was the day we drove to Brookhaven and found the Chicken Coop.
On Friday 11/25/22, we celebrated Thanksgiving and everyone showed up at the house in Monticello.
On Saturday 11/26/22, I think we drove up around Wanilla some.
On Sunday 11/27/22, we drove back to New Orleans and flew out. We stopped at the roadside memorial to Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Posted by Rob Kiser on November 28, 2022 at 1:46 PM : Comments (0) | Permalink
November 18, 2022
2001 Jeep Wrangler TJ Windshield Wipers
So today, I figured I'd replace the windshield wipers on the 2001 Jeep Wrangler TJ, as it's covered in snow and not really driveable until I get the snow off of it.
Two 13" on the front.
One 18" on the back.
Looks like the front ones are both 13".
The rear wiper blade is an 18" wiper. Conventional C-18-2 Rainx Expert Fit. Probably came from Walmart.
Now I need to get some 13" for the front.
Also need to tape my new ins/registration to the console.
Found my new registration in the console. Need to tape it to console along with proof of insurance.
Walmart doesn't carry the 13" windshield wipers, but I found them at Napa on Kipling and Bowles.
Posted by Rob Kiser on November 18, 2022 at 1:50 PM : Comments (0) | Permalink
4th Snow
Today is Friday Nov 18th, 2022. We got snow yesterday Thursday Nov 17th. Right now, it looks like we got about 4" on the ground. I doubt that much of it will melt today, as the forecasted high is 22° and there's no snow in the forecast. Not that that matters much, as Monday's snow wasn't in the forecast either and we very nearly lost kitty over that one.
Today is the first time I let the cats out since we found Pearl hiding in Mark's garage around noon on Wednesday. That was roughly 48 hours ago. For two days, I've had their cat door blocked with stacked firewood so neither cat could escape.
My thought is I'll bring them in before dark so I don't have to go through that trauma again.
Posted by Rob Kiser on November 18, 2022 at 10:21 AM : Comments (0) | Permalink
November 16, 2022
Pearl
So, today is Wednesday 11/16/22. As of 12:00 noon today, Pearl has been missing for approximately 48 hours. This is very difficult for me because I only have two pets in this world...Prince Tubby and Pearl. Pearl was a gift to me (as a kitten) from Jennifer on my birthday last year (5/22/2021).
The last time I saw her(Pearl) was 2 days ago on Monday afternoon when we were walking the goats. Monday night, I couldn't find her, and I walked the property with my spotlight, but don't see her anywhere. And then, Monday night, we got 2" of snow.
I've walked the property at night before, searching for her, but never with success. And this time is no different. It's cold and snowing, and I can't find her anywhere.
It's frustrating to me that she's gone for a variety of reasons.
1) There was no snow in the forecast, and we got about 2" Monday night (11/14/22).
2) Pearl did not come in Monday night. (Monday night, I went and walked through the 4 acres out back, covered in snow, with a spotlight, to no avail.)
3) She does not have a high-tech collar that would allow me to track her location because I've tried these collars before, with marginal results.
So, I'm frustrated because there's unforecasted snow on the ground (I usually lock them in when there is snow in the forecast), and my cat is missing.
And I have seen what she does when it snows. She runs around the yard chasing snowflakes, which is just ridiculous. Like, it seems like a good way to get lost...chasing snowflakes by the light of the moon....how could she help but get lost and not know how to find her way home?
I look at her cat tree that I assembled in the master bedroom and I think...what a waste. How sad that I've lost my kitten. I've seen her chasing snow before, and she does kind of tend to lose focus as she's chasing falling snowflakes across the property.
On some level, I think, why should it matter? Cats come into our lives. And they depart from our lives. And that's just the way the world works, sadly enough.
So today, two days later (Wednesday 11/16/22), I've basically resigned myself to the fact that Pearl is gone, and I need to just move on with my life. I still have Prince Tubby, and that's how it will be from now on. Tubby has long, thick fur, more suited to the mountain winters.
I think about how I'll tell my daughter that we've lost her, as we are traveling for Thanksgiving in about a week or so. This is not a story anyone wants to hear.
So today, my neighbor Mark and I are walking the goats as we do pretty much every day, and I tell him that Pearl is missing. But then, his response is unexpected.
"Hmmm. Let's go look in my garage," he offers. And we walk over to his house. Apparently, he's noticed some unusual activity from his cat Timmy, so we walk over and he opens the garage, and we walk in. He starts calling for the missing kitty. Then I start calling for her: 'Here, kitty kitty kitty".
And, lo and behold, Pearl answers me. She is sitting on top of this hanging florescent lights in his unheated garage, 8 feet off the ground. I'm so shocked it's all I can do to not burst into tears. I get her down from her position on the garage lights where she's no doubt sheltered for 48 hours in the freezing cold. I take her down, take her into my house, and give her scads of soft cat food (her favorite), and then she comes out to join us for the goat walk. 100% fine.
She walks the goats with us for an hour outdoors, not a cloud in the sky. But still freezing cold. After we walk the goats, we put them up, and now she's now inside, warm, laying in bed with me. She shows no signs of trauma or angst. And I'm so happy to have her back in my life. I lock in Pearl and Prince Tubby for the night so that we can all regroup from the trauma. She jumps into bed with me to watch television, warm and content.
Posted by Rob Kiser on November 16, 2022 at 3:30 PM : Comments (2) | Permalink
November 15, 2022
3rd Snow
Today is Tuesday Nov 15th, 2022.
Last night, we got the 3rd snow of the season. It wasn't in the forecast, but we got 1" - 2" of snow. And Pearl didn't come inside. I went out and made a pass through the back yard looking for her, but was unsuccessful. Yesterday (Monday Nov 14th), she was playing with the goats at goat happy hour and was fine. I usually lock them in if there is snow in the forecast, but there was no snow in the forecast yesterday.
Posted by Rob Kiser on November 15, 2022 at 2:12 PM : Comments (0) | Permalink
November 4, 2022
2nd Snow
Yesterday (11/3), it snowed, our 2nd snow for the season. I'd say we got about 1"- 2" of snow. Not a lot. The snow in the sun is all melted already, and It will all be melted by the end of the day, I think. Gutters are all working like champs. Last night I locked the cats in. But they're free-range again now. No snow in the forecast, really. They show snow a week from now, but that's just a guess, obviously.
10/27/22 - 1st snow. 5".
11/3/22 - 2nd snow. 1" - 2". Gone by 11/4/22.
Posted by Rob Kiser on November 4, 2022 at 2:01 PM : Comments (0) | Permalink
November 2, 2022
Today's Accomplishments
Today, I borrowed Mark's ladder and climbed out my bedroom window to work on the gutters on the back of the house at the highest level. The problem with the gutters there is that I've seen water pouring out of the gutter, from the 2nd story, on the back of the house. And I wanted to sort out what was causing the issue and resolve it. So, I'd already cleaned out the gutters a few days back, but still having issue with this one gutter because it wasn't fastened to the house properly. So today, I went up there and put in several new long wood screws to make sure that the gutter was attached to the eave of the house properly. So, I got that taken care of and returned the ladder to Mark.
Then, I figured I'd try to organize my tools a little better, by putting up some white peg-board in my garage like JJ did. So today, I went to the Evergreen Home Depot (after I sorted out my gutters) and I bought some white peg-board, plus some trim to help to mount it on my inside-garage walls, plus some of the little accessories that hang on the peg-board once it's installed. So, that should be a good project for me tomorrow while it's snowing. Right now, I have a lot of tools that are just in buckets and scattered hither and yon. So hopefully this will help me so I can find things more easily, plus it gives me something to do while it's snowing tomorrow. :P
Posted by Rob Kiser on November 2, 2022 at 6:50 PM : Comments (0) | Permalink
November 1, 2022
Vehicle Status Update
Vehicle Status:
Chevy Tahoe - Running, Registered / Plated, Insured.
2001 Jeep Wrangler TJ - Running, Registered / Plated, Insured.
BMW X3 - Running, but runs hot. Plates are expired. Needs emission test.
US Army trailer - Working. Registered / Plated.
Honda 1000cc Africa Twin - Running, Registered / Plated, Insured.
KTM 990 - Running, Registered / Plated, Insured.
1st Honda XR650L - Running, Registered / Plated, Insured.
2nd Honda XR650L - Not running.
Green Honda Rancher ATV - Running. Waiting on new OHV stickers in the mail.
Red Honda Rancher ATV - Not Running. Need to get running and renew OHV sticker.
1945 M29C Weasel. Not running.
Posted by Rob Kiser on November 1, 2022 at 8:01 PM : Comments (0) | Permalink
KTM 990 is Up and Running :)
So today, I figured I'd see what I could do with the KTM. I had already gotten the insurance and the plates current, so then I put the battery charger on the KTM battery. I was able to charge the battery, and then checked the oil and got it to start, no problem. But then it had a little hazard light switch, and I decided to push that, which broke the little push button so it was stuck with the hazards on, and I couldn't figure out what to do to turn off the hazard lights. So, I rode it into B & B Cycles in Evergreen with my hazards flashing. Adam was able to turn the hazard lights off, and ordered me a new switch for it. And I rode the KTM home, no problem, with the hazards turned off this time.
Then, I figured I'd try to organize my tools similar to how JJ organized his. What he did was put some sort of fiber board with pre-drilled holes up on the wall of the garage, and then put little hooks in it on which to hang all of his tools. I decided to try something similar because all of my tools are just disorganized in buckets and various places in the garage. So I figure hanging them on the wall will make them more visible and logically organized. So, I did find the fiberboard with holes as I'd hoped, but then decided to take the trailer down there to pick up the fiber boards, so I'll try to pick some up tomorrow
Posted by Rob Kiser on November 1, 2022 at 7:39 PM : Comments (0) | Permalink