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Month: July 2025

Fri. July 11, 2025 – crazy that it’s already Friday

And still more of the same weather. We had a cell move through in the mid afternoon, and then we were back to sunny, but 10 degrees cooler. I’ll thinking more of that for today too.

I didn’t get stuff done. I took a pickup load to my new space (buddy’s old shop) but the power was out. All I could do was unload my truck, do some basic troubleshooting, and talk to the neighbor. I’ll have to do more poking around as no one has any idea why it might be out. It put a damper on my plan for the rest of the day.

Neighbor is an interesting guy. The company works as subcontractors for a couple of big internet infrastructure companies putting racks and power and connectivity in place, before the big bois fill their racks. You’d never know it in the little sh!tty commercial building we share, but their offices are very nice and their store room area is very well setup and organized. Very stealthy and much cheaper than the office/warehouse they were in before. Everyone needs to save a few bucks right now.

Today I’ve got some pickups I can’t put off any longer, taxi service for D2, and anything else that comes up. Some domestic bliss is sure to occur as well. Those clothes won’t fold themselves, ya know. A Costco run is in order too, if I can fit it in. Friday came very quickly this week.

I’ve got my non-prepping hobby meeting on Saturday which limits how much work I can do. I’ll be staying home and chipping at the list this weekend.

I’ll call it ‘working to improve my position’ and that’ll be the goal for the next couple of days.

There will be a bit of stacking too. Natch…

n

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Thur. July 10, 2025 – crazy people, crazy times

Another day of thunderstorm cells and rain keeping the temperature down, yesterday, today, and maybe even tomorrow too. It rained crazy hard in a lot of places around Houston yesterday, just like this whole week, and it will probably do the same today. It does make it harder to do pickups and move stuff with the pickup, if it can’t get wet.

So I did a couple of pickups with the expedition, then switched to the ranger for the bigger items. I got a nice short ladder, that I will be putting to good use. Some other stuff too.

Kid did another 1 1/2 hours of pressure washing. Still more to do, and she’s willing, as long as I’m paying, and it’s only an hour or two at a time. She managed to get herself covered in grime this time.

Today will be more of the same. Some auction, some fixing stuff, some cooking and cleaning, some pickup…

Some stacking too. Because it’s a good idea.

nick

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Wed. July 9, 2025 – pull the other one, it’s got bells on

Again with the hot and humid – tempered by rain storms. It’s getting to be a regular thing here. Yesterday was more of the same. At least the gully washers drop the temp for a while.

I took the kid to her orthodontist, did auction stuff, then a pickup while dodging T-storm cells, then home to get the kid on cleaning duty, then dinner, kid activity, kid retrieval, and all the other joys of domestic life.

Today will be similar. D1 to the airport, off to spend a week with grandma. Then some pickups while I’m in the area. Then home to get the other kid back in a cleaning mood…

And a trip to the store to get butter of all things. I’ve been pulling from stock to use some of the frozen butter, and not replacing it with regular Costco visits – since my visits to Costco are not regular anymore. Someone used the last of it and didn’t let me know, so when I went looking in the stacks for more, there was NONE. I can’t really believe it, but NONE. I will be rebuilding the butter stocks. Butter is like bacon, it is on the critical supplies list. I do have powdered butter as backup, but would prefer not to break the seal on the jar.

If you are like me and have been doing this a little while, maybe you are also like me and have gotten a bit complacent about preps. Twice now I got a little wakeup call. Only having 10 gallons of gas at the BOL was a surprise. Running out of butter at home was a shock.

Time to look at some stacks and be sure they are what I think they are.

nick

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Tues. July 8, 2025 – yeah, that seems legit…

Another hot and humid day? Probably. Although it might be a bit cooler if it rains. It certainly won’t be dryer. Yesterday got cooling rain in the afternoon, and the morning, and the evening. There were periods of sun in between, and I’m sure your experience of the weather depended greatly on where you were in town. Kinda makes it hard to figure out what the weather and temperature for “Houston” might be, you know, for purposes of historical record and comparison over the long term…

I did auction stuff in the morning, and popped out for a pickup in the afternoon. Stopped at the HEB grocery store on my way home. Filled a cart, but didn’t buy much meat. Only 3 pounds of bacon (still 32c/oz) and about 8 pounds of hamburger. The burger was 80/20 but it was just less than $3/pound. That’s pretty good vs almost $5 last month. Sadly the only steaks on sale were ‘select’ grade and I can get prime or choice for about the same cost if I wait. I’ve got a freezer full in the mean time.

I did get a few things specifically to add to the stacks. I’ve got canned veg failing due to poor storage, so I’m starting to rotate some of that.

Oh, and as a data point, I had a plastic jug of whole milk in the fridge, sell by of May 16, unopened. It was fine. Tasted rich and creamy. It had been sealed and cold the whole time. Wife was not willing to drink it, pointed out it was less than $3, so I poured it out after my sample glass. We live surrounded by miracles and don’t ever notice.

Today I’ve got a couple of pickups, and the kid needs to see the orthodontist about breaking her retainer wire. It broke the day after they looked at it for the last time, and told us it would be her “permanent” wire. THE DAY AFTER. There will be an expensive scan and a custom build to replace it. That’s just thievery at this point. But the kids have beautiful straight teeth, which is sort of a base level expectation anymore. Least we could do to help them on their way…

Hurricane season is upon us. So is summer storm season. Time to check the stacks, do some small engine maintenance, increase on hand fuel supplies, and all the other things we do to prepare. I used 10 gallons of fuel at the BOL in the boat, so I’m out of generator fuel there. I’ll be re-supplying that on my next trip.

So much to do, and so many demands on my time. Stacking is the easiest part…

nick

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Mon. July 7, 2025 – high ho, high ho, it’s not to work I go…

Hot in Houston. Probably wet too. This year seems like it’s been really cool and really wet. The cool I’m ok with, the humidity, you just have to endure.

Started the day at the BOL. Did some messing around on the water with boats. Did some puttering and putting away. Poisoned ants. I don’t think the stuff I used works as well as the stuff I normally buy. We’ll see for sure when I get up there again, but I’m pretty sure the mounds I treated on Saturday were still alive on Sunday, and they should have been dead. I borrowed a different brand from my buddy, since I’d run out.

Made it home through a couple of storm cells. It’s been very localized storming in Houston. When a storm fills the whole watershed, it’s a much bigger problem.

Today I’ve got a couple of pickups. I might let D1 drive me around as more ‘check ride’ and time to teach. If she’s interested. If not, it’ll just be me.

I’ve got plenty of other things on my list too. I’ll get to that as I can.

And I need to go through my canned goods and find out what popped. Something stinks…

Stack more than you think you’ll need, and ‘breakage’ won’t be a big issue.

nick

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Sun. July 6, 2025 – about half way through another year

Cool to start, then hot. Humid is a given. Although yesterday’s weather was a mixed bag, it ended well. Clear, cool, and everything covered in dew. Perfect weather for a fireworks show.

It was a long day, and I got stuff done. Not everything, and not completely done, but tasks were attempted, and some were completed. The others will continue on the list until they get done.

We even got out on the boat, but it’s not a huge lake and there were a LOT of people up here. We were going to take the kids tubing, or kneeboarding, but there was too much traffic, too many wakes, and the wind was howling. I didn’t feel comfortable and we came back in. We’ll try again today, as there should be a lot less traffic.

The day ended with our rescheduled fireworks show. It was half what we had last year, and was still 35 minutes long. The only difference from a full professional show was that the fireworks don’t fly as high, but even that line was blurred by a few of the rockets. Did I mention the show is put on by two guys? This year one was out of town, so it’s basically one neighborhood guy… and it’s great. Lots of other people had fireworks too, some pretty good. Not many guns being shot into the air, that’s more of a city thing.

Today I’ll be unloading and putting stuff away, as well as putting stuff away that we brought up on previous trips. I might have to do some re-organization of the shed and garage first, so actual work might be limited. It was crazy hot for a while yesterday, and I won’t work as hard today if it’s that hot. I almost hurt myself, and I don’t want to risk it.

We’ll also take down all the bunting and flags we put up for the 4th, and get out on the water with the boat for a while. Unless it’s raining, we promised the kids.

Stacking up some good times, as well as supplies. Get you some of that!

nick

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Sat. July 5, 2025 – the day the hard work really started

Cool to start, but warming all the way to hot, if I am guessing right. I just hope for clear and dry. Well, as dry as this part of Texas can be. Last night’s fireworks got rained out but rescheduled for tonight if it’s not raining in the afternoon and evening. Fingers crossed.

Yesterday was a mixed bag. No big celebration, but I did get the lawn mostly mowed. Not completely mowed, and I didn’t get the fire ants poisoned, but it should only take a short while to finish today. Also got the boat ready for the water, but then the battery was dead. Replaced the battery and it started right up, so if the weather is nice, we’ll take the boat out and try out the towed inflatable and maybe the wakeboard.

The evening had me making and eating dinner.

A pretty good family day, all considered, especially when other families are not whole and never will be again. Disasters happen. Some you can prep for, some you can’t.

Most of them, stacks will help. All of them, having people who love you and who you love will help.

nick

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Fri. July 4, 2025 – Independence Day

Today we celebrate not the day, but the anniversary of our Independence from an oppressive and distant monarchy. The irony of our current government’s policies on taxation and control isn’t lost on me. Celebrate what we had, and could have again.

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Supposed to be partly sunny and hot today at the BOL. The local radio station said so. High of 94F and low of 74F. It was cooler than that when I went to bed. Several storm cells moved through the area while I was driving up and cooled everything down. The day that started hot and humid in Houston, ended up cool and wet at the BOL.

I did finally make it to the BOL yesterday. I got a bit of a slow start, but did get loaded up and on my way. Then it took 5 hours to do the ~2 hour trip. Traffic was nuts. At one point I moved 6 miles in one hour. And it was raining the whole time. The audiobook I picked up to pass the time turned out to be a woke piece of crep, unbelievable in its banality. It wasn’t the witchcraft fantasy the title suggested, but only a NYFC woke liberal recounting his life, and read by the author in the most ponderous way possible. He read every sentence as a series of phrases with a pause in between each one. Picture a cut rate, knock off David Sedaris and you will be close. I listened for over an hour because I couldn’t really believe it could be that bad. It was.

Today, I’ll mow when it dries out a bit. And we’ll put up the bunting and flags, if it isn’t raining. I may even put up some colored lights around the dock if I have time and the inclination. I’ll probably unload the truck too, although that can wait if I have Holiday stuff to do. Later we’ll eat, maybe be part of the boat parade, then in the evening we’ll have a front row seat to a really good fireworks show. Some people were testing stuff last night. The semi-pro stuff is really good.

We’re gonna turn money into noise and smoke!

It’s all part of being in the community. Stack up some community, you’ll need it.

nick

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Thur. July 3, 2025 – headed to the BOL to celebrate… and work

Hot and clear, it’s what I’m hoping for anyway. Well, not as hot, but definitely clear. The national forecast still shows the Houston area and north as possible thunderstorms. I’m counting on the very local nature of our weather to rain on someone else’s parade.

Yesterday I did some auction stuff, then went out to get my pickups done. Took a few hours and a lot of driving but I filled the bed of the pickup truck. Most of the stuff was for the BOL, with the rest split between household and kids. I unloaded the stuff staying in Houston, but just tarped the truck and went to bed rather than finish loading up and driving late at night. W and the kids did head up.

Today I’ll do a last couple of things here, then finish loading up, and head out. I’ve got patriotic decorations to put up, and a lawn to mow. The 4th is a big holiday on the lake, with a boat parade and a really good fireworks show. Lots of people come up for the long weekend. And a lot of them end up on the water near my dock because it’s a good place to watch the fireworks from. That’s a bit of extra motivation for me to decorate, not that I need much motivation.

It’s all part of fitting into the community and becoming a welcome and valued member. And I enjoy the unabashed patriotism.

Stack up some freedom. And improve your relationships.

nick

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Wed. July 2, 2025 – No ma’am, everybody knows pie are round…

Well, maybe we’ll have a clear day again, because the weather liars said it would be raining. Yesterday was clear from edge to edge, and it got hot. Cooled right off after sunset though, and I didn’t even sweat cutting the grass. I waited, because it was 101F in the afternoon…

Did auction stuff in the morning, then pickups in the afternoon. Did some office stuff too. Got a pile of stuff for the BOL and some hobby stuff, with a few other things mixed in, mainly gifts for the kids. Gotta refill the present closet after the birthdays. After I got home I spent some time working on a piece of gear I’ll sell on ebay. I’ve ordered new parts, so that will push to next week. I’ll have to find some other stuff to list in the mean time. That WON’T be a problem as there are stacks and stacks.

Today I’ve got a couple more pickups. More BOL stuff and some household stuff mainly. I don’t really buy much outside of food at regular stores anymore. Specialty items I can’t wait for are the main thing. Everything else eventually comes through the auctions.

Then it goes into the stacks. Eventually it gets used. Or ages out…

Stack-a while you can, monkey boy.

nick

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