SO, I cheated…

on testing out the dump truck/chain combination.

I’m lookin’ out @ 8" of wet schmutz this morning, & think- "Isn’t this what I have a snowblower for"? It is.

The blower is a 5-foot wide unit that fits to the back of my tractor on the 3-point hitch & is powered by the PTO (power take off). The heavy wet crap is where it has the advantage because that stuff is hard to plow without flinging the truck all over the place.

So- hitched up the blower & ran one pass up & one down to remove most of the snow. THEN used the dump & plow (NO traction problems!) to clean things up, & all was drivable again.

Now I get to do it all again tomorrow…

BTW, Happy New Year!

CHAINS Baby...

Yeah, that's what I'm talkin' about.

Got tire chains for the dump truck rear wheels (well, 2 of them anyway). Tried it out on the luge run I call a road & it was all good, even up the hill.

They're talking 5-10" overnight, but only have about 1" so far.

We'll see "How it goes" tomorry...

Fun With Motor Vehicles…

Inspired by Jay’s entry, I was going to comment, but, hey, this is enough material for MY blog. So-

Back in 1981 or so, I’m driving a 1971 Chevy pickup. Now I don’t know if you’re familiar with the fine products from GM in the early ‘70s, but mine certainly was a POS. The special feature on mine was that the door wouldn’t close, so I tied a rope onto the driver’s side arm rest, & sat on it to keep it closed. Tight right hand turns were a bitch. Nevertheless, it was cheap, & it fit my needs.

So ANYway, I went out for a couple beers after work one night when I was working the 3-11 shift, & started home about 1230 in the am. I was cruising down main street & pass a little car that was hugging the right hand side of the road.

Apparently, the driver of the little car took umbrage at my passing, & proceeded to follow at bumper length for about 3/4 mile over a couple streets.

I’m on my home street, & this bozo is still so close I can’t see his headlights over my tailgate, so I tap the brakes. Hard.

BAM.

Not surprisingly, the idiot rear ends me & smashes the shit out of his car. I get out, he & his friend get out, his friend takes off running, & this guy starts SWINGING at me. I’m laughing my ass off at this kid, & I hold him by his forehead before he can do anything that might result in my stomping his sorry butt into a curb.

"You did that on purpose you asshole"

"No, a cat ran out in front of me & I didn’t want to hit it" (heh)

"Where’s your buddy gone?"

"He might be holding so I told him to go".

"I’ll tell you what- you get your busted machine out of my sight & I won’t call the cops"

"’K"

Brand new, that day, Toyota Celica, gift from Daddy. Hood trashed, windshield cracked, headlights gone, barely driveable. It DID take a little paint off a bumper rivet on my truck.
Who says there is no social justice?

PS- the insurance check was just a bonus…

Merry Christmas...

to all.

Unclear on the Concept...

Go here & check out this guy- he apparently doesn't understand that the l-o-n-g handle on a roof rake is for standing on the ground whilst you remove snow from the roof.
This was in today's Union Leader. Really.

Maroon.

A Little More?

Tonight they're talkin' 2-4" around here.

After last week, that's just a plain good day.

'Nuff said...

GOOD Story & Unique Presentation...

Three excellent wordsmiths have collaborated to present a unique "3 site" story, "Perspectives".

It starts at Lawdog’s place.

Go.
Read.

How it goes…

The "new" dump truck worked ok on the last storm, but that snow was the first "real" one on the road, ergo traction was pretty good.

So this morning, w/7" on the ground, I tell the old woman I’m going out to get the paper, & make a pass on the road in the process.

"Old woman, I’m going to get the paper."
Check.

Plod down to the truck, start her up, & broom off the snow so’s I can see.
Check.

Start plowing down to the low point in the road, all’s good. BUT- starting up the hill I can feel she ain’t gonna make it. Sure enough, at the midpoint of the hill, she’s spinning all wheels.
Check.

Start backing down, using the mirrors because I can’t see out the dump box, I overcompensate for the direction (it’s all white on white out there) & go off the road into the stream ditch on the side of the road. Stuck. Stuck good.
Perfek.

Get the tractor, slide again into said ditch, get THAT stuck, get it unstuck, & pull the truck out of the ditch w/the old woman’s help as driver (about 1 hours’ time).
Check.

Start up the road w/the truck after preparing the road a bit with the tractor, & I hit a bump while making speed & a roof-load of snow falls on the windshield. Can’t stop.
Start the wipers, one blade falls off, & they stop, dead. Blind.
Check.

I’m gonna get me a good shovel & call it a day. Hell, it’s only 1800 feet…

Mr./Ms. 1000... Come on Down!

Someone from Auburndale MA is the lucky ONE THOUSANDTH visitor!

You Sir and/or Madam have WON the LUCKY PRIZE for this distinction!

Unfortunately for THIS particular winner, the BIG PRIZE was a

DAY TRIP to AUBURNDALE MA!!!!

Gee... I was hoping someone from England would win, or something...

Somethin’ from Nothin’…

or, the scraps are free.

The woman of the house takes pride in making good stuff to eat from practically nothing. Tonight, gray squirrel kabobs over rock lichen, stuffed w/mushrooms she found growing on the manure pile.

Well no, not really.

What she DID do, was to take some leftover chicken (on the bone), & stewed it into, well, stew, & formed that into a chicken pie. Homemade crust, top & bottom, & baked in the oven.
Beans from the garden on the side.

Oh yeah…

Gotta love that girl…

"A date which will live in infamy."

On this date 66 years ago, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto of the Imperial Japanese Navy led a carrier fleet that attacked our forces at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

The assault began at 0755 local time, & killed more than 2,350 of our citizens, many of which were servicemen aboard the USS Arizona.

Lest we forget…

Aggravation…

I’m sorry, I just can’t get into the holiday/Christmas spirit anymore. When I was young, of course, it was a magical time. As my son grew up, Christmas remained something to look forward to, as I could behold the holiday through the eyes of my child. Now it has become just another thing to make my Decembers less than jolly.

Vehicle inspections are due on the main ride truck & the old dump truck.

The user truck is not so bad, as it’s fairly newish, but this year in my pre-inspection inspection, I noticed that I’ve got a stuck (rusted) brake drum lever for the E-brake, so that’s got to get fixed before inspection (I never use it so I hadn’t noticed before). I need new tires (they’ll probably pass), & I have a plan there, but time’s sneakin’ away for that to happen before inspection. BTW- here in NH we have to make an appointment for inspection- can’t just drive up when you’re ready!

Most of my auxiliary equipment has been readied for wintah, but there’s a couple still needing attention; the standby generator is high on that list.

We’ve already had plowable snow, & the temp hasn’t reached freezing in over a week, so dealing with the resultant mess has slowed down necessary outdoor activities, like, maybe, fixing trucks & equipment.

My birthday is this month, & while it’s no big deal to me at this stage of the game, I still have to participate in the attendant ceremonial observation of the date.

Christmas shopping is still on the agenda, trying to buy stuff for folks who I love dearly but don’t need anything, & in some cases don’t WANT anything!
AND, if they do need/want something, they just go & buy it.

Humbug.

And yes, I would like some cheese with that whine…

A Couple Things.

#1.
I had no idea how important the stupid computer is in my life. The beast went Tango Uniform on me, & I couldn’t DO anything. Pay bills, transfer money, monitor my checkbook & finances, & of course, email & blog… nope. Not gonna happen.

Thankfully, I have a friend who’s a severe geek, & he likes messing with the things. He came up Saturday, flooged around with it, put in a new power supply, did the magical incantations, & here I am again!

Thanks Steve.

#2.
One of my two readers made a comment:

"I've read your post several times now. I'm always tempted to comment.I don't believe you approve of vulgar language on your site, so I won't."

I guess hadn’t noticed it, but I don’t use my normal "speaking" voice when I write. Those that know me can attest that the "wordz what are comin’ out of my mouf" are often less than acceptable at a Sunday service. I suppose that the written word, being etched in cyberspace as it were, can be perceived as reflective of the writer’s education, background, & upbringing. That ‘taint necessarily so, but with the vast alternatives available in our language, there are usually better ways of expressing oneself than resorting to vulgarities.

I still remember the time I asked, at the supper table, what "fuck" meant.
That went over well.

SO, if you feel like using language that you are comfortable with, or desire to make a point, feel free to use whatever vernacular you see fit.

See if I give a fuckin’ rat’s ass.