I just now heard about another friend in S. Carolina who's fine. She only ended up with tree limbs in her yard and power has been restored. That was the last report from the friends and family in the storm affected area. Everyone I was worried about has reported in.
My heart goes out to the many who've received bad news.
-Sixbears
So far we’ve heard from most of the people who were in the path of the storm. Our Florida folks are safe. Some of the local snowbirds have lost property down south but that’s just stuff. They are physically fine.
One of my daughters used to live in Asheville North Carolina and has a lot of friends there. I’ve been there a number of times myself and know most of those folks. Some of those we’ve yet to hear from. I’m hoping it’s due to cell towers being down. The few remaining towers are overwhelmed.
All we can do for them right now is to send our prayers. Hopefully we’ll hear good news soon.
-Sixbears
Sometimes I’m just freaking stubborn. I’ve had issues with a second hand washing machine I purchased. No matter how perfectly balanced it was the darn thing shook and rattled like crazy.
Then I went down the Internet rabbit hole. Eventually I basically rebuilt the whole suspension system. It was better, but still not great.
Back down the Internet rabbit hole.
Eventually I discovered a video that showed how to get to a weird reverse thread nut located under the agitator. It was loose. Tightening that up appears to have done the job. Usually I’m pretty good at figuring out how to fix things -even without Internet access.
Without the video a certain part would have been destroyed. Most washers need that part part removed but my model did not. The guy who made the video did destroy that very same part before he figured out the right way. It’s nice to learn from other people’s mistakes.
Now I know a lot more about washing machine repair than I ever wanted to know. These days it’s not what you know but how well you can search through information.
-Sixbears
Hurricane Helene clobbered a large part of Florida. Damage appears to be extensive. However, the storm moved quickly and did the dirty to parts of the interior. Helene was still a hurricane when it hit Georgia. Flooding in the Carolinas and west Tennessee is extensive.
On the bright side it looks like this storm isn’t heading up to Vermont.
There are parts of Florida that have been hit by three hurricanes in a row. How many times can people rebuild? I’ve a friend who’s a big deal in the insurance industry. I’m hope to talk to her soon to see how this storm is going to affect rates.
Just to make things interesting there are potential storms still brewing. It’s entirely possible that a new hurricane could follow the same path as Helene. That would definitely add insult to injury. It makes me wonder how many people will give up on Florida.
There are people in my town who’ve moved here after losing their place in a previous hurricane. This seemed about as far away from the Gulf as they could get without going out west. One guy lost his house when the St. John River flooded.
I think I’d rather deal with a New Hampshire blizzard.
-Sixbears
The vast majority of off-grid house systems have a backup generator. If you’ve got solar eventually there will be a cloudy week. If you have wind power it could become becalmed. Even micro hydro has issues. Water sources go dry or maintenance needs to be done.
I really don’t like messing around with generators -noisy smelly things that they are. Then there’s the issues of fuel storage and replacement. If a generator is going to work in an emergency regular service must be done. You don’t just blow the cobwebs off and hope the gas hasn’t turned to varnish.
With that in mind, when I added solar electric, I decided to keep the grid. A number of electrical loads are normally run off the grid. It’s most important role is to top off the battery bank as needed. There’s a battery monitor wired to my kitchen. If the batteries are low a simple flick of a nearby switch turns the charger on.
There is a danger on relying on the grid for charging. The batteries have to be topped off before the grid goes down. Normally that’s not a big problem. Most of my grid threats I see coming. Winter storms cause the most outages so keeping a shape weather eye is necessary.
So all that background brings me up to today’s issue. For some reason I’d let my batteries get lower than normal. I got out of the habit of checking the battery meter. We’d had a good long sunny stretch and the solar panels had no difficulty keeping the batteries full.
Then we got hit with cloudy days. It happened to be at the same time I was running motors that are power hogs. Had the grid gone down I’d have started the outage with depleted batteries. Instead of mostly ignoring the outage strict conservation would have been necessary.
Most of the time the solar electric system requires little attention. My mistake was in forgetting it needed at least some attention.
Duh.
-Sixbears
Just a quick heads up: the government is giving out 4 free COVID tests per household again.
-Sixbears
The SKS isn’t really a bad gun. It’s pretty reliable. Millions were made both in Russia and under license in other countries. What it isn’t is a sniper rifle.
The press said that the Trump golf course assassination attempt was with a AK-47. As is often the case concerning firearms the press got it wrong. It was an SKS. Not just any SKS though. This one looks like it was modified. That’s pretty common as SKS rifles used to be really cheap so plenty of “improvements” were available.
The SKS in question had one of those crappy plastic stocks and a questionable 30 round mag conversion. It appears the scope was, honest to god, attached with electrical tape. This guy would have been unable to hit the side of a barn -from inside the barn.
At the distances involved, the ballistics of the bullet, and the condition of the rifle, hitting anything would be terribly unlikely.
I think the shooter has a pretty solid insanity defense.
Anyway, it’s a small item in the great scheme of things. However, it just annoys me how the press gets gun coverage wrong all the time. It makes it hard to have a serious gun discussion.
-Sixbears
I’m a big fat guy. There is no denying it. Weight is something I struggled with most of my life. The thing that really pushed me over the edge is when I was prescribed high doses prednisone. In three months I gained about 80 pounds.
My most recent weight gain was during the pandemic. Then I was troubled with repeated leg infections that limited the amount of exercise I could get. Lack of exercise combined with eating out of boredom is not a good combination.
In spite of my size my blood pressure and sugar levels are good. That’s probably mostly good genetics but I’m getting older so the weight is harder to handle.
With that in mind I decided to do something about my weight. The local weight loss clinic had a pile of paperwork to fill out before they’d even consider you as a patient. They accepted me but never got around to scheduling appointments. In the mean time I decided I didn’t want what they were offering.
Their big go to solution is bariatric surgery. I don’t want to go that route as it’s a pretty invasion procedure.
The next big tool in the weight clinic tool box are the new weight loss drugs. They can help people lose a lot of weight. Three things have steered me away from that approach. The first is cost: those drugs aren’t cheap. The second is potential side effects. The third is that necessity of being on the drugs for the rest of one’s life. Those who get off the drugs generally gain all the weight back.
One guy I know who’s on the medication said he lost 27 pounds so far. He also has constant diarrhea and vomiting. That doesn’t sound like any fun at all.
The weight loss clinic appears to be a poor choice for me. However, I still have to lose weight. With that in mind I’ve set up my own weight loss program. A lot of is is understanding the psychology of why I over eat. That’s been a journey. The second bit is eating less and getting more exercise: boring, I know. Every week only a little weight comes off, but so far it’s added up to 39 pounds, so it’s working.
-Sixbears
We just had some friends over for another campfire. It’s a rare week that we don’t have a least one fire. It sure beats screen time. There’s something very basic and primeval to a simple campfire.
Humans have had fire for a very long time. It must be in our very DNA by now.
Fire provides heat and cooking. In fact, cooking unlocked nutrition that was unavailable previously. Fire is the very basis of our technological advancements.
For me the big draw of a good campfire is the coming together of community. We share food, sure, but we also share stories. Perhaps we developed language just to have something to do around the campfire.
The summer’s come to an end, but that doesn’t mean the campfires will.
-Sixbears
It was a long day. I finally got to do a 400 mile road test on the scooter. The Scooter Cannonball route averages about 400 miles a day -all on back roads. I wanted to know what those 400 mile days would feel like.
With that in mind I programmed a round trip in the Garmin that simulated probable Cannonball conditions. The route had dirt roads, rural back roads, city and town navigation, and large elevation changes. A lot of the roads were ones I’d never traveled before. Since they didn’t directly go anywhere I had few reasons to drive them before.
I hit the road at 8 a. m.. The temperature started out at 50 degrees and it was extremely foggy. Before long my helmet shields and goggles were too fogged and I had to do without. I started out on rough dirt roads so I wasn’t going very fast. For long sections my speed was mostly 5 – 10 mph. Baseball sized rocks and massive washouts slowed me right down.
By the time the tires hit pavement once more the fog had lifted. Eventually temperatures rose into the low 80s.
It was 7 in the evening when I finally pulled into the driveway. The scooter ran well, even loaded up. The memory foam seat cover really really helped. By the end of the day I was still enjoying myself. Sure, I was a bit sore, but not crippled up and suffering.
All in all it was a good test and loads of fun.
-Sixbears
Wow! Hezbollah had a few thousand pagers explode, killing some and injuring many. The next day their hand held radios also exploded. That was different. It’s not too often that one sees a new military tactic come into play.
I’m not going to comment on the rightness or wrongness of the operation. However, I will note that children were among the victims. It’s always the innocents who suffer.
The question that came to mind was: how? For the pagers there was some initial speculation that the communication system was hacked causing the lithium batteries to explode. That’s disturbing as all our cell phones run on lithium batteries. As is usually the case initial speculation was wrong. It turns out that somewhere along the supply chain explosives were inserted into the pagers. Then the radios blew up the next day. While fewer people were using the devices the explosive load in the radios was larger causing more damage.
So how can a group guarantee safe communications? Will they be back to runners carrying messages?
How do you plan on keeping in touch with people?
-Sixbears
My lovely wife and I went camping for a few days at the coast of Maine. The campground was like many many others located on the coast from Maine to Florida. There was a sizable area of full time RV campers. Many of them had porches and sun rooms added on. It had a short term RV area with very tight sites. The tenting area was small and cramped.
We brought our L. L. Bean Alpine 6 tent. It’s larger enough for me to stand up and has a small attached screen room. While it’s a sizable tent it’s not a monster. Fortunately the park manager let me park my car on a nearby site that wasn’t booked.
It was near Route 1 and the railroad tracks. Good thing we didn’t go camping for the open spaces, peace and quiet. We get that at home.
What we did get was close access to the ocean, lots of antique stores and restaurants. Also, we have friend who live about 35 minutes away and they joined us for a campfire. Another night my oldest daughter and her family drove up from Massachusets for a day trip. After we checked out our Maine friends treated us to lunch at a restaurant they are fond of.
It was a pretty good trip and not terribly expensive. However, it was nice to go home and get away from the crowds and noise.
-Sixbears
The scooter was prepped. Most of the gear loaded and the route planned.
Then I woke up with some intestinal distress. There was no going anywhere.
One thing I learned though, packing some Pepto for the Cannonball is probably a good idea. With all the travel and road food it might be essential.
-Sixbears
I’m doing a test run on the scooter today. Yesterday evening I mounted and installed a new rear tire. The oil’s been changed. It’s good to go.
The Scooter Cannonball will have a number of 400+ mile days. This a long distance test to make sure everything works as it should. Just like the Cannonball my long ride will involve a lot of twisty back roads and elevation changes.
My load out will be similar to my load for the event. Tools, spare parts, changes of clothes, lots of water and gasoline. A route for the GPS has been programmed for navigation practice. I’m not even stopping for a real meal along the way. The plan is scarf down an energy bar during quick fuel stops.
This summer I’ve gone on a lot of 100 – 200 mile trips but no 400 mile ones. Something always comes up. With summer quickly coming to an end I figured I’d better get this ride in before it freaking snows.
-Sixbears
Today is primary voting day in New Hampshire.
Remember, if voting didn’t work they wouldn’t work so hard doing voter suppression.
-Sixbears
There’s a lot of be said for living out in the country. There are also some downsides. One big downside is being at the end of the supply chain. If there are going to be shortages they will show up in the hinterlands first.
Next day Amazon delivery here is a joke -more like next week, if you are lucky.
During the pandemic we were often out of a lot of items, but there was always something in stock somewhere. It took some flexibility. I also learned that fresh foods and frozen foods had totally different supply chains. When there was no fresh chicken available frozen was.
Irving is the big gas station chain in this area. A couple weeks ago all the Irving stations were out of gas and I have no idea why. The whole chain for a good 50 mile area had empty pumps. Fortunately there were other brands that still had gas. It happened before in the winter when snow prevented resupply but I never saw them go dry in the summer before.
Currently I’m waiting for a new scooter tire to be delivered to the closest Honda dealer. Their closest warehouses are out so it’s coming from some distance away. Stocking up on spare parts for vehicles might be the thing to do.
Of course, there’s only so much stuff one person can buy and store. With that in mind, make sure essentials like food are made a priority.
-Sixbears
Our niece has made a pretty heroic attempt to seriously cut down on her Internet time. Of course, she doesn’t want to live like Colonial Williamsburg either. She still wants to write books and listen to music.
She purchased a manual typewriter. I learned on a manual machine and owned several over the years. Back in the 70s I was in a typing class of 40 students. 38 were girls and only there were only 2 boys in the class. Typing was an unusual skill for men back then but I found it handy -especially since my handwriting wasn’t all that great.
It wasn’t just learning how to type. A fair bit of the class concerned the mechanical ins and outs of the typewriter. Helping my niece sort out her typewriter has brought it all back to me. Good fun.
She’s also playing CDs and cassette tapes. Anyone else remember mixed tapes? Remember what a breakthrough it was to have a machine that could record directly from vinyl to cassette? There’s also DVDs instead of streaming services. Actually, considering the price increases for streaming services those old DVDs make more and more sense.
-Sixbears
My uncle passed away and the funeral was on Friday. He was an uncomplicated man but a good and kind man. The old guy played hockey at 80 years old against opponents many years his junior. Unfortunately the last couple of years were rough ones. He died at 85 -not a bad run for anyone.
It’s been a while since I went a full Catholic funeral. There were calling hours at the funeral home in the morning, a full mass during the early afternoon, followed by a graveside service. Afterwards the friends and relatives gathered at a local restaurant. It was a long and emotional day.
Between the funeral home expenses, church fees, and the dinner my cousins took a big financial hit. The funeral industry is a monster. They hit you at your most vulnerable. A traditional funeral is stupid expensive.
I thought my dad’s funeral expenses were bad enough but nothing like what my cousins had to pay. My dad had a falling out with his church before he passed so they were cut out of the mix. Dad was cremated and buried next to my mom’s ashes. We had a celebration in the hall at the Florida park he lived in. That was pretty good as he made a lot of friends down there. Back home in New Hampshire we had a celebration of life ceremony and a nice dinner at a local restaurant. All in all it probably cost about as 10th of what my cousins had to pay and it was a good send off.
As for myself, when I done with the mortal shell . . . well, trash pick up is on Tuesdays.
-Sixbears
I wear out at least one a rear tire on my scooter every season. Another one is currently on order and should be in tomorrow. It would be possible to get through the rest of the season on the current tire but I have trip plans.
The scooter event will have 400+ mile days. That’s a lot of miles on a 150 cc scooter. 100 – 150 mile rides are pretty normal for me but I haven’t done more than 300 miles in a day. That wasn’t too bad as I broke up the trip with a lot of stops and had a leisurely lunch.
The Cannonball won’t be so relaxed. I’m planning out a 400+ mile trip and will emulate rally conditions as much as possible. It will all be on back roads and may even contain some dirt sections. The day will start early with a quick breakfast. Lunch will be grab and go food like power bars -maybe supplemented with an unhealthy gas station snack. Dinner won’t happen until the day’s trip is over. Staying hydrated will be essential.
The scooter gets a new tire, an oil change and will loaded up with tools and the gear needed for the event. If all goes well that should happen sometime next week.
-Sixbears
Like many of other New Englanders I have an oil furnace -and a woodstove, of course. Nights have been cool so we decided to get the oil tank filled. That’s always a good chunk of change. I shamelessly switched oil companies for one that gives a senior discount. Just call me an entitled Baby Boomer.
The furnace had run empty so it had to be primed again. I keep the correct sized wrench right on the side of the furnace. There’s also a container with a tight cover for catching the primed fuel oil. If the furnace has to be bled during the deep cold of winter I don’t want to be hunting for the right tools.
We’ve some fuel for the woodstove but we’ll probably burn more oil this coming winter. My niece will have the house to herself a lot this coming winter and we don’t want her worrying about the woodstove. Now I don’t have to worry about her being worried.
There’s not a lot of winter prep left to do and the essentials are ready.
-Sixbears
Why is it that smoke/CO detectors always fail in the middle of the night?
A weird loud beeping noise woke me up. It was one of my older detectors. Neither the carbon monoxide nor the smoke LED was on. Taking it outside into fresh air did nothing. After pulling the battery I found some tiny print explaining the different beeping patterns. The patten it was beeping out signified a total detector malfunction. In the trash it went.
The new detector mounted about eight feet away never made a beep. I guess that’s now the old detector as I’m getting a new one the next time I’m in town.
Having numerous detectors comforts me. When I was a firefighter I had to deal with dead people who’d probably still be alive had they detectors. Body recovery was never one of my favorite things to do.
-Sixbears
I’m somewhat of a pack rat. Throwing stuff out is hard for me. So much junk has potential to be rebuilt into something useful. In spite of my desire to hold onto stuff I’ve been filling up heavy duty trash bags.
Half my mud room is full of tools and materials. It’s been long overdue for a complete overhaul. I’ve been stuck at home recently and tackling the mud room has been a good way to pass the time. On the bright side I’ve found some tools I thought were lost and gone forever.
There’s also a lot of just plain garbage. There are tubes of glues and gasket cement that probably solidified years ago. Why did I keep so many empty bags and packaging? Maybe I just need to keep a trash container in the mud room so useless stuff can be easily thrown away?
Then there is the weird stuff that isn’t exactly junk, but it’s stuff I’ll never use. Things like 1980s Mercedes Benz alternator brushes, ambulance light bar motors and reflectors, and the center console insert for a 1994 Ford pickup truck. Why did I save a bunch of office chair wheels that were replaced with better ones? Who knows?
There’s also a small fortune of nuts, bolts, electrical fixtures, plumbing connectors, and whatnot in serious need of organization. Have you priced that stuff lately? I’m pretty glad I didn’t throw that stuff away. Good thing I saved up a lot of containers.
-Sixbears
