And another small step towards Fall. It was hot yesterday, but not Summer hot. 102F in the sun, with the sun broiling my brains, and the humidity high enough my clothes were soaked through in just a few minutes outside. 81F when I went to bed, but very comfortable with a gentle breeze. As long as you weren’t working hard.
I slept in a bit, then did auction stuff in the late morning. Decided to poke at the body work on the Ranger a bit more. I saw stuff I didn’t see the first time, and was able to move some of it around. The end result so far is “tolerable.” I wouldn’t accept it from a body shop, but if I’d done it just after the accident, I’d have been happy with the result. I think I’ll do the bed swap anyway, despite my truck being dark blue and the donor truck being white. The donor bed is just in that much better condition.
Then I mostly read, while keeping an eye on auctions. One of my regular sellers has a trove of Reliance Aquatainers and I’m still bidding on them despite already having won several in previous auctions. At ~$4-6 each, I can’t really say no. They are expendable after all, as they get brittle in even indirect sunlight, and the spouts always fail. Plus, water is your first need and the Aquatainers are a good way to store it.
I also added some stuff to the scrap pile. One of the metal cabinets I bought some time ago rusted badly. 4 inches of the bottom just disintegrated as well as half the bottom shelf. I kept the other shelves but will scrap the cabinet. It makes some room in the stacks.
I didn’t get to my PC repairs or getting the printer out of my office. I’m committing to doing that today. Yeah, plans. We’ll see. I also might do one pickup. I won some metro rack shelves that I need to get today or tomorrow. I might be able to combine the trip, so it won’t feel like a waste of gas. Better to get it out of the way.
There’s always more to be done, but that’s my life.
Keep stacking. Keep improving.
nick
Monday. Good morning!
Short shrift this morning. I am in the coffee break of an online training course session, and I am under the gun to get back.
Just wanted to be first (before chicken boy, woohoo!), wish Mr Lynn a continued good convalescence, tell Mr Paul his alternative planning sounds reasonable, thank Mr Nick for keeping the doors open, and wish you all a good week!
Will get easier and easier. With the days getting shorter, I’ve already pushed my morning alarm to 0540. Probably 0600 by the time we go off Daylight “Saving” Time and mess everything up. Of course, I’m usually awake before the alarm (0330 today, and I’m moving slow because I didn’t go to sleep until after 0030) but I at least have the opportunity to sleep later.
Poor SteveF, that is not much sleep at all. I hope you can get some more later…
Not having enogh sleep is like having sand in the gears and water in the fuel.
Up and moving to get the kids out the door.
78F
humid.
n
… causes tyops.
“Starship is orbital”
The spousal unit and I are getting close to making the same sort of decision. We have lived in this house for 38 years. We are used to the house, know all the issues, and have got most of the place the way we want the place.
The problem is the stairs. The driveway is at basement level so getting to the living level involves stairs. I manage OK, but it is getting more difficult for the wife. While mowing and weed whacking on Saturday it got me to thinking that maybe I should consider paying someone to mow. I did OK on Saturday, but when it is hot in the middle of summer it is becoming an arduous process.
We have 3,500 SQFT on two levels. Two kitchens, three bathrooms, four bedrooms, two car garage. My office is in the basement and uses ¼ of that space. One half of the space is the apartment, the quest quarters, full bedroom, bathroom (with shower only) and the second kitchen. A MIL cave, I guess. The remaining ¼ of that space is just nothing, not being used.
We have a large yard and a 38’x18′ in-ground pool with a large concrete patio area. The pool area and the yard area are fenced in (insurance you know).
It is too much space for just two people. The house was paid off a long time ago. Property tax is $1,500 a year for the county, $500.00 for the city. We live in the city limits and have city water and sewer, such sewer quite expensive.
At some point we are going to have to relocate. But where? We like the location with the exception of the traffic noise on another highway. We are close many things, grocery, doctors, Walmart, etc. TN has no state income tax, and I want to keep it that way. That limits state choices. We could move closer to the son near Nashville but he wife and son’s wife don’t really get along.
I like Crossville TN. Higher altitude and in central time. I am really not a fan of the eastern time zone.
At some point a decision is going to have to be made. It will not be easy, nor will it be pleasant.
I always wanted a place with land. I just couldn’t find a place NOT out in the boondocks. MrsAtoz and I decided we want a place that is within 10 minutes of everything we need, including medical/dental. We are in our 70’s, I only feel 69, though. LOL.
Like Mr. Ray, we wanted a place with NO steps (usual one step down into the garage). We like the Vegas area and purchased here. The news says Vegas is running out of water. I believe I’ll be dead before it really affects us.
LOL MrsAtoz is always on the lookout for a new place. Can’t take the military out of her. “It’s been two years, time to move.” The new area is the Gulf of America somewhere.
Mr Ray, could you stay put, but modify the house to make it more suitable for senior living? Build on a lift/elevator, for example? A lot of extra space gives you room to take on live-in help, should that become necessary.
My MiL will soon face the same dilemma in her mid-80s. The family house, in which she lives alone, is more than she needs, but she doesn’t want to be parted from her garden, a source of great joy to her (and of much work to the rest of the family). The gardening is getting too much for her though…
Yes, a stairlift is an option. We had handholds installed when the bathroom tub was replaced. We could also have the driveway extended to the back of the house, then no steps. That could run as much as $25K.
That’s boring. You should put in a slide where the stairs were. Ideally a water slide. Something like a grain elevator or maybe a pneumatic tube for going upstairs.
They promised us flying cars by now.
We don’t even have flying beanies.
One thing about the house you’ve been in so long is that even with mild to moderate dementia or just a slower brain, you will know where everything is, and you can function. Often you can function well enough to fool people into believing your mental state is better than it is.
Unfamiliar surroundings when your mind is better with the past than the present, are a real problem.
————-
google says there are a lot of different people running drones in Houston. The delivery drone is configured in a way that mostly matches with the light pattern I saw last night.
n
@Ray, @Paul
I too am on the cusp of moving. Current detached two story house with garden, likely to a ‘Retirement Apartment’. On one level with lift to garage and entrance floors. I have identified a likely property, an irritation is that it is all electric and UK electricity is expensive. It is however close to nice restaurants, church, drinking establishments and transport options.
We will see …
I had not thought of this. Maybe in a couple more years I won’t have the urge to move.
Thank you.
Headlines I’d like to see:
People Magazine Publishes False Story About Trump’s Visit to TX-TN Football Game, Has Building Burned to Ground by Mostly Peaceful Protesters
“27 Subarus overturned in parking lot as onlookers hold impromptu tailgate, grill cow and pork meats.”
I’ve been wandering around all day with my right eye blurry. Felt like I had something in my eye after walking into a spiderweb. I just looked in the mirror and I had an eyebrow hair pointing straight down. Pulled it out. Over half an inch long.
Crazy.
Muslim Satrapy Releases Five Fairford Terror Suspects on Bail
https://redstate.com/wardclark/2026/09/28/outrageous-five-fairford-terror-suspects-walk-free-on-bail-n2207469
The sun has set on the British empire and it is owned by the invvaders and quislings. The only thing left is to let the invaders kill the natives, then pound what is left below the waves with 20MT flashlights.
@paul
Time to start trimming your eyebrows, kid.
Or maybe braiding them.
Which is why I suggested that the British Isles need a Lord Protector to arise and sweep out the traitors and the invaders.
@paul, I guess it’s safe to say you’re not overly vain.
Perhaps a little more mirror-gazing might be a good thing.
=================
So, I quit getting my hair cut and I haven’t trimmed my beard in a couple weeks.
I’ve got quite the Santa Clause appearance developing.
Maybe a new profession? Have Santa suit, will do parties!
Except I don’t have the suit. Just the white beard and the
girthnatural padding.I upvoted, but the results were mixed last time.
That’s boring. You should put in a slide where the stairs were. Ideally a water slide. Something like a grain elevator or maybe a pneumatic tube for going upstairs.
Zip line.
The Celts may yet remember. The Irish oppose current immigration and have been protesting lately. The Northern Irish have reminded TPTB that they still have guns from the Troubles. And the Scots are starting to remember that they used to consider breaking their foot kicking a flaming terrorist to be a worthy act. Not that long ago, actually. All that’s needed is the spark.
Nope. Not vain. I’m just me.
I cut my own hair and don’t care what anyone thinks. Get it out of my ears and out of my eyes. Cutting the back is a chore because it’s all by feel. But running fingers through and using the beard trimmer to clip what sticks above my fingers works well enough. Might not be “layered”. Shrug.
Girls smile at me. Some are very pretty. Other folks are friendly. I mean, how often does someone say “howdy” to you as you pass 20 feet away in the HEB parking lot? But I’m just going shopping and folks start a conversation with me. I’m looking at Hungry Man frozen TV dinners and some lady starts talking about “this thing over there” is really good. So, maybe I’m not looking like a white trash hippie caveman.
Maybe they just need to talk to someone. I listen. Why would I not?
I’ve worked retail at most of my jobs. Folks generally just want to talk. That someone is listening. I guess I’m good at it. While a checker at HEB there would be three other check stands open. I would have like ten folks in line. The other checkers just a couple. I didn’t play the “need a bag of ice or a book of stamps” bullshit. The stamp thing was just stupid, the Post Office is RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET and we sold the stamps at face value.
I’d just ask how’s your morning going…. Not “did you find everything” because that’s just a stupid thing to ask. “Well I wanted this I can’t find it!” Ok, We have that, aisle 4, 20 feet down on the right and right about waist high. How many do you want? I’d lock the register and hobble off. I can’t run, broken leg and all. Mind, I have eight folks in line. But I can hobble pretty fast.
I got chewed out a few times for doing so. And yet, when they tried to move folks to the shorter lines no one moved.
Hey. Maybe it’s like walking through a restaurant to your table and little kids, toddlers, in highchairs seem to light up when they see me. I mean twist around in their chair to look and me and stick their arms up like “pick me up”. Other folks noticed the effect.
The eyebrow thing is odd. It seems to be like finger nails…. trim them all and suddenly one nail is long enough use to snort coke. Just one nail.
“President Trump Announces Largest Steel Plant in U.S. History Being Built in Iowa”
https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2026/09/28/president-trump-announces-largest-steel-plant-in-u-s-history-being-built-in-iowa/
“Today, President Donald J. Trump announced one of the largest steel plants in American history: a $15 billion Mesabi Metallics mill in Iowa. The project will create 1,750 permanent Iowa jobs, support up to 6,000 construction jobs, and is projected to add $95 billion to the U.S. economy over the next decade.”
“The mill will produce 7.5 million tons of steel per year in its first phase, rising to about ten million tons, using iron ore from Mesabi Metallics’ newly opened Minnesota mine — the first new iron ore mine in the United States in 50 years. {MORE}”
I love living in an expanding economy that the President leads the way into. Having Biden and Obama trying to shut down the USA was so disappointing.
Hat tip to:
https://thelibertydaily.com/
Tonight’s movie was The Shadow Riders”. Tom Selleck and Sam Elliott. Nice movie.
It’s set at the end of the Civil War. So… let’s go home to Texas. And then (lots of the movie) they are on the beach. But Mexico is just a few hours away…. on horseback.
Yeah. No. Sure. Some of the terrain is possible near San Antonio. But a couple of hours riding to Mexico? From the coast? No way. The trees and grasses are ALL wrong. Ain’t no pine trees growing down there south of the King Ranch. And hell, even from Raymondville to Mexico is longer than a couple of hours on a horse.
Well. Good movie anyway. Onto the keep pile.
These days, the former Tx 77 turned I69 from King Ranch to Raymondville is all wind turbines and a giant Border Patrol checkpoint right in the middle.
Not exactly post-Civil War Texas. OTOH “The Shadow Riders” is an old flick.
Another year and you’ll be able to have AI correct all those mistakes on the fly, or turn it into “let’s go home to Maryland”.
-eyes rolling- Next thing we know, you’ll be counting the number of times a cowboy can shoot a six-shooter.
Tiny little fire. Couple of very distant gunshots clusters. Some minor aviation. HFD responding somewhere close enough that the air horns were very clear.
Down to 80F from mid 80sF when I went out. It was noticeably hot when I sat down, much less so when I came in.
Sold my truck load of scrap this afternoon for $136. The weight was half steel, half aluminum with some old UPS batteries added to the pile. The three roll around laptop stand/cart/COW things are still bringing ~$40 scrap each. If I wanted to grind, I could make $40/hr just buying and breaking those down, and I keep the batteries and chargers. There are other parts I’ll look at selling too.
Got the big printer out of my office and into the foyer. That’s an improvement. Tomorrow I’ll take it to the shop.
Time for a snack, then attempting an early bedtime.
Third shower today. One before the haircut, one after, one to get the smoke and sweat off me before bed.
I like civilization.
n
Whooo, maybe a bowl of medium spicy shrimp vindaloo was a poor choice before bed. I guess I’ll know in the next hour.
n
At some point we are going to have to relocate. But where? We like the location with the exception of the traffic noise on another highway. We are close many things, grocery, doctors, Walmart, etc. TN has no state income tax, and I want to keep it that way. That limits state choices. We could move closer to the son near Nashville but he wife and son’s wife don’t really get along.
Closer to your son might be nice.
Stay away from big blue cities though.
“Starship is orbital”
https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/spacex-starship-megarocket-flight-14-orbital-launch-success
“Starship lifted off from SpaceX’s Starbase site in South Texas today at 8:48 a.m. EDT (1248 GMT; 7:48 a.m. local Texas time), kicking off its 14th test flight to date.”
“Flight 14 is the third Starship launch to feature Version 3 of the vehicle, a relatively mature iteration that’s capable of deploying satellites and reaching the moon and Mars, among other tasks.”
“Everything went according to plan initially. Super Heavy did what it was supposed to do, coming back down to Earth for a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico about seven minutes after liftoff. It appeared to experience several engine shutdowns during flight, but nothing serious enough to affect the landing. Meanwhile, Ship continued on its upward ascent, inserting into low Earth orbit (LEO) about a half-hour into the flight.”
“But SpaceX wasn’t content with just getting to LEO. Ship carried 26 of the company’s next-gen Starlink V3 broadband satellites, which it successfully deployed over a 30-minute stretch starting at about T+34 minutes. These are the first members of a megaconstellation that will eventually consist of about 100,000 satellites, according to Musk. (Ship deployed V3 Starlinks on Flight 13 in July, but they were on a suborbital trajectory and soon fell back to Earth.)”
Excellent, just excellent. It is so nice to see USA Engineers and Scientists succeed after some extremely hard work.