Cool and sunny, clear and nice. I hope. Yesterday was exactly what you want from a lakehouse wrt weather. And it wasn’t bad at home in Houston either. Spring is great here for the couple of days it lasts.
It doesn’t feel like prepping when I’m not in the store buying rice and canned goods. Getting the BOL ready to occupy is a major prep, but it doesn’t feel like it. The 5 hour round trip is a time killer too.
But, after picking up stuff today, I’ll probably head up there to drop it all off. I can’t leave it here, and it can’t stay in the back of my truck. It’s almost all destined for the BOL anyway. There is a natural duplication of stuff when you have more than one location to stock. I don’t want to be bringing brooms and mops back and forth, nor yard and garden tools. Some specialized stuff will go back and forth for the nonce. Stuff like power tools, tree trimming stuff, and construction tools are too expensive at the moment to just duplicate. EVENTUALLY I’ll have a full set of tools up there, but not just yet.
I may even buy a new gasoline chainsaw for up there. A gas blower and string trimmer would be useful too.
I spent the night up there spinning the dial on my shortwave radio and there were soooo many signals. I can’t wait to get a proper radio and antenna set up. I was surprised to see that there were 5 local repeaters too. 1 for digital voice and 4 traditional ham repeaters. I didn’t hear any traffic on them, but I’ll dedicate an analog scanner to those freqs and keep an ear open. It would be nice to have some ham community up there. It would help give me an ‘in’ with the locals. I swear it’s like Peyton Place. Everyone knows everyone, and everyone knows everyone’s business. It’s a bit more intense meatspace than I’m used too…
But, most of your help, and most of your trouble is going to come from close to home. It’s worth it to find our place in the community to get that support and avoid what trouble we can. Everyone has been very nice so far, but it could just be ‘southern’ nice. We’re definitely in our trial period. Hope we have long enough to get to the “us” instead of “them.”
So, stack some cans, but stack some community too. It takes time, and like a garden, you need to get started early.
n
What do the deed restrictions look like?
No matter how much figurative dust has accumulated on the document, you want to know every line and understand the implications.
All it takes is one Colonel Bat Guano type moving into the neighborhood looking to add to 30 years of equity built from off base housing allowances. Or a Californian wanting to repeat a tenbagger score with their grandmother's 2/1 stucco shack on the West Coast with a 3/2 stucco shack on the Gulf Coast.
They will understand the rules and amendment process much better than you do. I speak from experience.
For starters, if you are under restrictions, what is the majority required to amend and/or renew?
Good Lord, you're not in Cut-n-Shoot are you?
The idiot Prog husband of my wife's associate in Vantucky came from that part of the Houston exurbs. Apparently the liberal politics weren't uncommon thanks to NASA being a more reasonable commute from Conroe until the late 70s.
61F and sunny, with clear blue skies. Basically a gorgeous day.
@greg, no, I'm another hour north of cut-n-shoot.
There are no deed restrictions. The HOA, isn't really-there is some other structure that lets them arrange for a trash service and fix the dirt roads but it is $75/year and voluntary. I was encouraged by passersby to 'just burn em" with the pile of leaves I raked out of the garden…
Dare I be as bold as a suburban dad of 1972? My dad used to burn all our leaves in the fall. I love the smell.
It's a different world up there. We are outside of town, only need approval for septic (and that's county based). They are building huge houses on the lake, but it's just getting started, and it's across from me.
We're going to have local "mansion" money in the house when it's fixed, but it won't look like or be a mansion… and we'll have to wait a while before values catch up to us, but that isn't a concern or goal. Prices for existing homes quadrupled in the last 2 years and someone in the community has to give you the heads up, because the stuff that you'd want isn't hitting the market.
n
Casting my proxy vote for my BRK-B shares this morning, I noted that the board recommends voting AGAINST the various shareholder proposals for annual reports on the corporation's progress on combating climate risks, reducing greenhouse gases, and improving diversity.
The Gecko is a firm believer in "Good for thee, but not for me."
I received an interesting letter/survey today from the VA, in conjunction with, The Million Veteran Program. The instructions:
A blood sample? Uh, no thank you.
I received the same letter a month ago. my response was the same. I have an appointment with the VA on Monday to have blood drawn for my annual physical. I wonder if the VA will use that blood without my consent.
I wonder if the VA will use that blood without my consent.
Easier than asking for your consent. Trust no one.
This is probably the future (present?) of healthcare. You want care, you will have to allow them to do what they want. No consent necessary. There will just be some overall fine print that governs all. Don’t like it? Find another country.
Watching the NASCAR truck race from Austin.
At the VA? Asking them to do much more than coordinate the movement of the blood for the standard tests associated with a physical is a tall order.
You're also assuming that they are actually doing the genetic sequencing for the MVP deal. That sounds like a boondoggle to give some outside contractor group a check.
from https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/washington-state-plans-ban-non-electric-vehicles-2030-rcna21683
If you are going to the VA, take a look at the blood draw order, before they try tapping you for a few extra vials.
Volunteering with Alaska Science Fair today. I volunteered a couple weeks ago in response to a plea on their site. Our daughter has entered several years running, time to help.
The tech side has been rough. Not for lack of effort on the main organizers part. A third of the entries are participating virtually and there are too many moving parts.
Hope to make next year less angsty.
From what I’m observing, I speculate there is a common need for more solid techs to volunteer in other communities. I should have volunteered sooner however I genuinely didn’t understand how tiny their volunteer base was. Pondering.
>> There's not much they can do, except take whatever supplies they can find from those who have them, under cover of a proclamation of a state of emergency.
Thought about this the other day. What do we do? Build false walls, hidden rooms, stuff cans under the floorboards? Those with a BOL i a secluded area may have an advantage
If a sizeable group of the "authorities" comes to 'inspect' your premises, do you try to defend your castle (which the growing mob takes as a sign that you have things to hide)?
It would be hard, I think, to join forces with some neighbors absent an underground tunnel to consolidate goods into a more defensible location.
Don't yet have any good answers…what do others think?
@alan, I think a good hedge would be an offsite storage rental unit. Or a commercial space that wouldn't be associated with you prepping (your business office, janitorial closet.)
In the books it's always a hidden cache on property, but I'd expect that like burglars they would become adept at finding that stuff.
One of the problems that my former USMC son ran into in both his extended trips to Iraq were Safe Rooms. A lot of the people in Iraq were using the transition to clear out old tribal issues. So they would gather up their friends and go over to their enemies house and shoot up the place. If they had a Safe Room, they would throw old tires around the house, fill them full of gasoline, and set the entire place on fire. The Safe Room was not so safe at 600 F.
1000 year grudges are common in most parts of the world where the US has fought "wars" in the last 30 years, including the upcoming involvement in Ukraine — if what Biden said to the troops of the 82nd Airborne yesterday was accurate.
"And you’re going to see when you’re there, and you — some — some of you have been there."
Maybe Costco is planning to sell the cheap Chinese vehicles most people will end up driving in the all EV future.
With Inslee, whatever is good for Costco is good for him.
I saw more than a few WA plates running around Frisco and The Colony last week. It is a given that they show up around here, but Dallas is more conservative than Austin.
I know Microsoft is doing mass hiring for new development shops in Austin and Dallas. I’ve been contacted by them, but it never seems serious beyond the company notching their “old guy” interview requirement with the Feds.
A visual reference to the disaster that Ukraine has become.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/522955998390729/permalink/951122185574106/
More spin control needed today.
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/26/biden-says-putin-cannot-remain-in-power-in-sweeping-speech-on-russian-invasion-of-ukraine.html
I spent some time in the grocery store looking at prices and packaging.
Shrinkflation is rampant. National brand of rope sausage is down to 13 ounces from 14 (having crept down from a full pound over some time) with the shelf tag still showing the 14. They have just increased the unit packaging costs by 7.7% (1/13). And without seeing the old and new boxes, I'm guessing same size case, so same increase for case packaging. And likely transportation cost as well.
I remember Cheerios as one product for decades, then two as they sugared it up to Honey Nut Cheerios. Today I counted no less than 13 kinds on the shelf, with 4 only available in "Large" size.
"Sale" price on bread is up 35% vs. two months ago. Same thing at Sam's in two-loaf package is up less than 10%–so far. Past time to pivot to weekly bread in the bread machine.
I'm buying Mason jars and rings when I find them at a reasonable price. For those that don't use them, they make a good part payment to people that do.
I hit the local Goodwill once a week minimum. Prices up about 50% compared to pre-pandemic. Bought a pair of Duluth Trading work pants for 1/10th original price. Waist is accurate -1/2", actual inseam is -1". Duluth is notorious for bad size labeling. They've also discontinued/fatally cheapened everything that I personally liked.
I also picked up a NWT Lands End flannel pants for 1/10th list. Kind of like these:
https://pagesix.com/2018/02/12/nick-nolte-looks-like-a-mess/
except the pattern is 90-degrees. Yes, I am old enough to mis-match plaid:
https://www.dailypress.com/news/dp-xpm-20040523-2004-05-23-0405210303-story.html
and i want the neighbors to see me going to the mailbox dressed thusly.
Not much you can do about gas prices, but three things will work to cut costs:
1) fewer miles–reduce discretionary driving
2) check tires and inflate to 105%
3) get the unneccesary shiite out of your trunk (yes I will, tomorrow)
Nick likes funny numbers:
Up here in Brown County, it was 39F when we got up this morning, and it is 93F now.
In March! Hello, Springtime! LOL!
Nickel says the flockers will put in an exception for goobermint vehicles.
I just noticed a couple days ago that Scott toilet paper rolls are 3/8"shorter (narrower? As measured by the length of the roller core) than they used to be. I don't know when they shrank, because we already had 60 rolls on hand when the first shut-down happened two years ago, but the shorter ones are some that I had bought in the past year.
Oh and there's another fire, this time a couple miles to the north of us. They said the fire from last weekend, the Ramsey fire, has rekindled.
Lots and lots of traffic whizzing past our house. I had just commented to Paul on the traffic when a friend called to ask about the fire. Then I walked outside and could see & smell the columns of smoke.
Asking about the MVP program at the VA got a blank stare out of my wife.
She doesn't know what that is about.
Oh, sure. I imagine that Inslee has a big Suburban as his official vehicle.
@Jenny, you're a good soul. If it is like it has always been down here, the volunteers in general are spread awful thin. Those like you, and our host, and Mr Ray, who have specialized skills to offer and are willing to lend a hand dependably, are rare.
Our local ISD just reinstated the Superintendent who made national headlines having parents arrested at the school board meetings. That is going to zap a lot of enthusiasm for volunteering around here.
https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/round-rock-isd-school-board-reinstates-superintendent/269-194e96d0-53ff-415d-a9e3-6e8539f0acce
Yes, indeed, Inslee does have a big Suburban as his official vehicle!
http://archive.kuow.org/post/why-washingtons-green-governor-chauffeured-suburban
Probably the biggest engine possible with a six speed Allison transmission.
"Saudi Aramco petroleum storage site hit by Houthi attack, fire erupts"
https://www.hydrocarbonprocessing.com/news/2022/03/saudi-aramco-petroleum-storage-site-hit-by-houthi-attack-fire-erupts
And in the Middle East, things progress as normal.
And from SRW in the Fort Bend Journal:
"I've always believed that fruit cocktails were the most disappointing of all the cocktails. Don't ask me what I think about beer nuts !".
I always eat the cherries first and then the rest of the fruit cocktail.
>> And shooting the bastards in the face right in the beginning might not be persuasive, but shooting them in the face every time should eventually be effective.
@nick, thanks for the feedback. Going to check out storage unit prices this week. Thinking about a 'false front' of large cartons filled with some dumpster finds with the good stuff behind. Hoping first look, a-la Storage Wars, will be uninspiring. (By the way, did you resolve the 'different lock' issue with your new unit?)
And re the quoted text, need to stack more *food* for toys I've lost in the river.
"“Its a Disaster”: Aussie Noise Nuisance Court Defeat Panicking Renewable Energy Investors"
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2022/03/26/its-a-disaster-aussie-noise-nuisance-court-defeat-panicking-renewable-energy-investors/
"h/t CTM, Mr.; According to the ABC, the recent court ruling that upheld a complaint by residents that wind turbines are a noise nuisance has sent “ripples of uncertainty” throughout the entire Renewable Energy industry."
I have been wondering about this for quite a while now. Those big wind turbines create a very low frequency noise that is annoying to humans and animals.
Storage units have too many problems.
The first being that security is almost non-existent. The thieves can hit them at will, and will hit them harder in the wrong situation. Once breached by the first wave, they will be wide open and will get picked by the second or third arrivals that find the best stuff gone. After that some firebug is going to visit.
The second thing is that management is not your friend. It's not much of a stretch to suspect that those fine "security" cams are also "inventory" cams. That first wave may have intel about what to hit first, if management hasn't already cleaned you out.
But if the goobermint stooges do come looking for moi, they're going to find a strong trail of breadcrumbs leading to storage. Not making any false claims about what is there, mind you, just convincing that if there is something, that's where it is.
Crowdsourcing at it's finest.
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2022/03/26/rescued-victorian-rainfall-data-smashes-former-records/
The truly wonderful thing here is that by extending the record back to early in the LIA it makes it more difficult for the GW zealots.
@Alan, the original burgled unit, no info was ever forthcoming from management, so I cleaned the unit up. The new unit weird lock was operator error on My part. Dark and in a hurry, I was at the wrong building. In my defence, they all look alike and the individual doors are all numbered the same. All bldgs are 1-36, with your 'hundreds' place being the bldg number. So I was at 0326 when I should have been at 0226. Both doors are marked simply 26.
@drwillams, all storage has issues. The rental unit solves the "they came to your house because your neighbor turned you in" issue. It also solves the "your house burned down/blew away/was ransacked" issue.
Don't keep your eggs in one basket is all.
N
And don't use Life Storage.
Besides their earlier documented issues around concealed carry and mask idiocy, they have a policy of no food in their units.
I suspect vermin as the problem.
If you choose to violate their terms, I recommend sealed packages that won't attract by smell, and metal outer containers. If you attract rats, the management will find out. And probably trace it to your unit.
I like this:
https://hotair.com/jazz-shaw/2022/03/26/seizing-the-yachts-and-property-of-russias-oligarchs-is-probably-illegal-n458118
What say we make a ranked list of illegal shiite by our government in the order we should worry about them.
Gov has gone grab happy.
N