Milestones and Grindstones

Before I begin I’d like to give a shout out to Eddie who used the “Shop Amazon” link on the left to “Shop Amazon.” This was a huge milestone for me since anything purchased on Amazon via a link on this site will now earn me a small (4%) commission and an initial sale was required to qualify me as a sales associate.

According to Eddie it was a quick and painless experience. “I clicked the “Shop Amazon” link and was instantly transported to Amazon. For a split second I had the eerie sensation of being in two places at once. However it was a quick and painless experience.” There you have it. Quick and painless. OK, he didn’t really say that but hey, if you’re going to “Shop Amazon” why not take two seconds and launch from here? It will not only help keep this site up and running but I will also make up a name for you and fabricate some outlandish story to go with it. But you will have to tell me you did since Amazon won’t.

A byproduct of launching from here is that I now have a “click through” which search engines use to rank sites. I’ve begun to list with different engines in the hopes of generating more traffic and activity. Another biggie for engines is back links. If you have a site or a blog and would like to exchange links just drop me an email at ishimo@ishimo.com.

OK, back in town for a couple of days, got a big vodka mixed, some Enigma playing and the AC blasting at the top of its lungs. Life is good.

I’ve had a pretty good last few days. The shed is coming along nicely and is ready for sides to be installed. My hillbilly pressure treatmentIMG_20160703_171646819 looks like it is going to work well enough for a shed only intended to last a few years plus I kind of like the look it gives the wood. It does smell like burnt oil though the smell only seems to last forever. Hopefully over time it won’t be so noticeable.

I got the shed framed and ready for the roof. Since I don’t expect to park on top of it I went with ½ inch plywood. Though not heavy, the sheet is awkward to handle and I couldn’t get it to cooperate. After four tries the wood had hit the ground four times and myself once. IMG_20160703_174734856At that point I gave up and called in Amos. The next morning we spent about 97 seconds putting the wood in place thus passing yet another major IMG_20160704_111602454milestone. From the pics you can see that the roof line is strange. It slopes to the back and left. This was an entirely unintentional but most welcome result of measuring from two different anchor points. After I get shingles on I’ll put in some angle on the sides and direct rainwater runoff to a rain barrel to supplement my other barrels. We’ve had a lot of rain lately so I’m beginning to have a decent amount of water stored. My bamboo is loving it.

My generator is still acting freaky deaky and I might end up having to take it back and stink up the place until they replace it. It’s still drinking oil. I guess I could chalk it up to added lubrication but it’s using about a quart per tank of gas which is unacceptable. A quart every four or five tanks and I wouldn’t worry but this is to much. Naturally, this is going to present its own set of problems. The generator weighs in at 218 pounds dry. The bed of my truck is over 3 feet off the ground. I asked the Zigster about it and all he said was “You de Daddy. Handle it bro.” I’ll be glad when he’s over this phase.

Tomorrow I have 300 watts of solar panels coming in. Yay. This will allow me to run fans in the shack, charge devices and charge my battery during the day without using that oil guzzling noisy azzed generator. I hate generators. Maybe that’s why it’s messing up constantly. It know it. Maybe it’s just acting up to get my attention. Maybe I should put an umbrella over it, bring it flowers, maybe sing it a song? Nah. Not going to happen.

Every time I run the generator I break out a few dozen rechargeable devices and hook them up. I’m in the process of moving theIMG_20160629_090804395_HDR desk/dresser out so I can set up a battery bank and all the solar components in a somewhat orderly manner. In the meantime it is utter chaos keeping track of what is hooked to where. Yes, that is a bright purple fan.

I have my own version of a no fly zone. Next to a fly swatter fly paper IMG_20160608_071935383_HDRseems to be the most effective method for exterminating yellow flies. After a couple of weeks the paper loses its sticky but by then is has captured dozens of flies, mosquitoes and gnats. If PETA ever gets wind of this I’ll have mass demonstrations in the road out front while I sneak through the brush to siphon all of the fuel from their vehicles.

Want to know what it’s like to drive in and out during logging season? Here’s a view from the drivers seat following a logging truck. I’m about 100 yards behind a logging truck in this pic doing IMG_20160531_092721124about 15 miles per hour. You can’t pass them because visibility goes to zero as you get close. Best thing to do is hang back, put on some Abba and find a happy place in your head.

IMG_20160630_100309184_HDRSpeaking of logging. This is what a logged out area looks like when they finish. I’m always struck by the gadozens of logs that are cut then just left to rot or be burned. The land might be replanted or just left like this which will take yearsIMG_20160630_100305404_HDR to recover or some fool such as myself buys it. I’m not a tree hugger by any means but I don’t understand why a bit more time can’t be taken and some of IMG_20160630_100301542_HDRthe trees left to start things over. This area and the same size on the other side of the road was done in two days. I drove through a tree lined road one day, three days later I drove out and found this. In this case they left the road littered withIMG_20160630_100257009_HDR branches and logs to the point that I had to get out and move debris to get through.

Other times they simply block the road IMG_20160608_082237799_HDRand expect you to patiently wait until they decide to unblock it. This fellow was on lunch/smoke break. I was willing to wait a few minutes until I noticed him and others looking over at my truck and laughing. After a short and unpleasant conversation they moved enough to let me through.

Been thinking about my last post and Ziggy getting cute. What if dogs really think that licking their butt is cute? I mean, we have no idea really what they think. Imagine Fred and Ethel Dog on their way to market when they look over and see another dog having at it. Maybe Ethel looks over at Fred and says, “Oh look dear! Isn’t that just precious?” Or maybe it’s a sign of virility. Ginger is on her way to a high end dog groomer when she glances over and thinks “Oh wow! That’s HOT!”

That’s it for now. Gotta get ready to head out tomorrow and put in panels, work on shed, kill brush, conquer the world. Have I mentioned that you can “Shop Amazon” from here?

 

3 thoughts on “Milestones and Grindstones”

  1. We’ll use your “Amazon Link” from now on to order things. Glad that you are getting some of your projects completed. It’ll be like a different place next time I’m up that way.
    Just take a break now & then to enjoy your fiefdom!

  2. Okay first I would like to thank you for the Amazon link. I had forgotten about that, luckily I have not made an order since. Just to make you aware, at least for me, the first four links did not work for me, just the last one. It not just be me, Murphy has a way of always putting me at the end of the line.
    Second, it’s a small thing, might be the photo, camera might be tilted, could be a rare alignment of planets, yellow flies & tear gas. But the roof of that new shed looks like something out of a Dr. Suess book. Would you like me to order you a level from that new Amazon.com link?
    Bully to you for being able to navigate those fly strips. I can already see myself not paying attention while doing something bent over. Getting up and tangled in one strip, freaking and flailing about and ending in blubbering heap of insect and human carcass on the floor.
    Man, when they clear, they clear. What a mess. Again, you’re a better man than me Ish. I think if I was waiting to pass on a road that should not be blocked and they were laughing at me. I would be laughing back while lodging grenades at them. I make the best public relations official, don’t you think?
    Keep up the great work.

    1. Fixed the links. I appreciate the idiot check. I get carried away at times and don’t proof my posts all that well.

      Yeah, the shed roof is something to behold ain’t it? I wish I could say I planned it that way but I guess sometimes you just get lucky huh?

      Have to be kind of careful how confrontational you get out there. Everyone is packing and there are lot of swampy areas complete with gators around lol.

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