Saturday, August 30, 2008
Are you ready for some FOOTBALL!
I am! I again have a reason to be awake on Sat mornings! College football is starting up again this weekend, and a couple of games have already been played. I'm especially looking forward to the Michigan game..... you all should remember last year when they lost their home opener to Appalachian State.... HAHAHAHAHA! No PURDUE this weekend though, they start next weekend. Unfortunately Comcast does not supply us with the Big Ten Network. So we may have to switch to Direct TV and get it in HD. It's very tempting! I am also excited about the NFL, but I do love college football more! You know where I'll be every Saturday morning!
Thursday, August 28, 2008
FGI addition
Not sure if you all remember the FGI (Fearnow Green Initiative) but we're still at it. I've finished my Compost Bin. Now I just have to get it to make some compost so we 
can use it. Here is a brief description on the build. It's nothing too special. First step was to dig up some stuff in the garage that was begging to be re-purposed. Here is what I found that would work. The two big white parts are 3/4" particle board that was used to turn the coat closet into a smaller cupboard. Yeah, I turned that back into a coat closet, thanks Dad! The long thing on the left is 2x4's and some other parts used to make a shelf I took down in the garage. I think Emily and I are the only people taking down storage space in our house the longer we live here. The next step was to cut the 2x4's down to a bit smaller than the height of the particle boar
d. Then I mounted the 2x4's to the particle board. This gave me a purchase to mount the 3 pieces together. Making the U shape. Looks pretty good here with 2 sides on it. I thought so to, but when I picked it up it was pretty heavy. Also it's about 30" in all directions. So I knew 3 sides weren't going out the door to the backyard. When I picked the assembly shown to the left up to carry it out, it totally fell apart. So I went outside and built a pad from some
pavers that we didn't use. Then I took all the parts out to the back yard and assembled the structure there. I used some 2x4 scraps and some 1x2 scraps that came off the shelf during dis-assembly to create a guide for the front of the bin. The 2x4's are on the right side and the 1x2's are on the left up on the pavers. So there was a guide to slide the door straight down to close the whole thing up. I have considered the issues with this closing method when the thing is full, but you tell me the easier way to make it so the front comes off of the thing. So here is the final product in all it's glory.
I shored it up a bit on the sides with the extra pavers. It is, after all, only secured together on 3 sides. I'm hoping to avoid a blowout! But it's done. The only new stuff put into it was a bunch of 1.25" screws. After it fell apart the first time I used more screws. Now I need to get some good worms, I've got a buddy that has a standard compost bin and an experimental one he practices with. I'm pretty sure he can hook me up with some worms to really get things working well. The plan right now, is to use the space to the left of the bin for a garden. We'll need the compost this fall to get it started. The space to the left we'll leave the shingles on and I'll park the jeep there when I get the gate fixed. Just for clarification because most people don't have a gated off area that they could, or would, park a jeep on. The genius that had the place before us shingled the ground! I'm a bit nervous to see what's underneath. So that's all there is for now about the FGI, we'll keep working if you keep reading!
Coming up I'll show you how I got my knees to quit hurting while I'm riding my bike, and no it doesn't have a motor on it!
can use it. Here is a brief description on the build. It's nothing too special. First step was to dig up some stuff in the garage that was begging to be re-purposed. Here is what I found that would work. The two big white parts are 3/4" particle board that was used to turn the coat closet into a smaller cupboard. Yeah, I turned that back into a coat closet, thanks Dad! The long thing on the left is 2x4's and some other parts used to make a shelf I took down in the garage. I think Emily and I are the only people taking down storage space in our house the longer we live here. The next step was to cut the 2x4's down to a bit smaller than the height of the particle board. Then I mounted the 2x4's to the particle board. This gave me a purchase to mount the 3 pieces together. Making the U shape. Looks pretty good here with 2 sides on it. I thought so to, but when I picked it up it was pretty heavy. Also it's about 30" in all directions. So I knew 3 sides weren't going out the door to the backyard. When I picked the assembly shown to the left up to carry it out, it totally fell apart. So I went outside and built a pad from some
pavers that we didn't use. Then I took all the parts out to the back yard and assembled the structure there. I used some 2x4 scraps and some 1x2 scraps that came off the shelf during dis-assembly to create a guide for the front of the bin. The 2x4's are on the right side and the 1x2's are on the left up on the pavers. So there was a guide to slide the door straight down to close the whole thing up. I have considered the issues with this closing method when the thing is full, but you tell me the easier way to make it so the front comes off of the thing. So here is the final product in all it's glory.
I shored it up a bit on the sides with the extra pavers. It is, after all, only secured together on 3 sides. I'm hoping to avoid a blowout! But it's done. The only new stuff put into it was a bunch of 1.25" screws. After it fell apart the first time I used more screws. Now I need to get some good worms, I've got a buddy that has a standard compost bin and an experimental one he practices with. I'm pretty sure he can hook me up with some worms to really get things working well. The plan right now, is to use the space to the left of the bin for a garden. We'll need the compost this fall to get it started. The space to the left we'll leave the shingles on and I'll park the jeep there when I get the gate fixed. Just for clarification because most people don't have a gated off area that they could, or would, park a jeep on. The genius that had the place before us shingled the ground! I'm a bit nervous to see what's underneath. So that's all there is for now about the FGI, we'll keep working if you keep reading!
Coming up I'll show you how I got my knees to quit hurting while I'm riding my bike, and no it doesn't have a motor on it!
Quick Update
Both Emily and the Dog are fine. No worries there. The dog's teeth look great. He was kinda running into walls and had some trouble getting to the water dish at first but he was fine the next day, once the anesthesia wore off. Emily got her shoulder surgery scheduled for September 16th. Should be an exciting anniversary for us. At least Emily will be drugged up. It's a Tuesday so we were already planning on celebrating the weekend prior, no harm no foul. Got some good stuff to add tonight, even pictures. Might read up on the FGI in preparation.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Apprehension
***Update - Brewski is fine I'm picking him up at 4:30 MST - Update***
Hey All,
I joined LFD to push my comfort zone. Which it did, I can actually watch the surgery shows on TV and be interested. But I was starting to get comfortable there. Seems (Emily and James) like a good thing but not really sure it is. Hence the Officer in Training stuff. So, yesterday I picked up a Sunday Day crew, 7am to 3 pm. We ran scenarios all morning and I was in command. I had to organize all 7 of us in 3 apparati (spelling? I mean to say there was more than one vehicle, sounds more like a secret cult though.), oh and imagine a fire of some kind in my head explain it to everyone then tell them what to do. Also, one of the guys I'm instructing has 10+ years of fire experience, I have 3. So it's stressful for me, good stress though. But today at work I'm exhausted. I didn't realize that the day crews had to talk to so many people. We gave directions, listened to offers for terrorism training (Yes, of course Louisville is a Terrorism hot bed), we even had to convince some idiot that he could not climb up on top of the Engine so he could jump up on the roof of the gas station to retrieve his cell phone. I know what you're thinking and his idiot friend threw it up there. Not everyone is the stellar decision maker that I am. (I hope that's as funny for you all as it is for me) But, it was good day.
The next thing that makes me jealous of most of my patients blood pressure is the dog. Yes, our dog. He is 5 and he needs his teeth cleaned. So they have to put him under sedation to do it. Pretty much the most dangerous part of any procedure is the anesthesia. So here in a couple of hours I'll know if we still have a dog.
Lastly, Emily is going in for her appointment about her shoulder so there will be surgery for her scheduled today. Again, not a big deal but anytime you get knocked out and they stick stuff in you, there is cause for apprehension.
But, I have a sweet rocket of a bike in the garage that uses apprehension and blood pressure for fuel and more mountains out my back door than I could ever climb in a life time. Life is like a bike chain, there at parts that are under tension and parts that are relaxed but it just keeps going on around. It's the parts under tension that get you down the road.
Anyone up for a ride?
Hey All,
I joined LFD to push my comfort zone. Which it did, I can actually watch the surgery shows on TV and be interested. But I was starting to get comfortable there. Seems (Emily and James) like a good thing but not really sure it is. Hence the Officer in Training stuff. So, yesterday I picked up a Sunday Day crew, 7am to 3 pm. We ran scenarios all morning and I was in command. I had to organize all 7 of us in 3 apparati (spelling? I mean to say there was more than one vehicle, sounds more like a secret cult though.), oh and imagine a fire of some kind in my head explain it to everyone then tell them what to do. Also, one of the guys I'm instructing has 10+ years of fire experience, I have 3. So it's stressful for me, good stress though. But today at work I'm exhausted. I didn't realize that the day crews had to talk to so many people. We gave directions, listened to offers for terrorism training (Yes, of course Louisville is a Terrorism hot bed), we even had to convince some idiot that he could not climb up on top of the Engine so he could jump up on the roof of the gas station to retrieve his cell phone. I know what you're thinking and his idiot friend threw it up there. Not everyone is the stellar decision maker that I am. (I hope that's as funny for you all as it is for me) But, it was good day.
The next thing that makes me jealous of most of my patients blood pressure is the dog. Yes, our dog. He is 5 and he needs his teeth cleaned. So they have to put him under sedation to do it. Pretty much the most dangerous part of any procedure is the anesthesia. So here in a couple of hours I'll know if we still have a dog.
Lastly, Emily is going in for her appointment about her shoulder so there will be surgery for her scheduled today. Again, not a big deal but anytime you get knocked out and they stick stuff in you, there is cause for apprehension.
But, I have a sweet rocket of a bike in the garage that uses apprehension and blood pressure for fuel and more mountains out my back door than I could ever climb in a life time. Life is like a bike chain, there at parts that are under tension and parts that are relaxed but it just keeps going on around. It's the parts under tension that get you down the road.
Anyone up for a ride?
Friday, August 22, 2008
Plans
OK, so we kinda are lame at the blog thing. For me there are two reasons. One is that mostly I don't really think that people really care what I'm doing. (This is also why I am bad a small talk, "Huh it's raining on your cousin's sisters batmitvah, that's really too bad.") The second thing is that I'm pretty much lazy. It annoys me that I have to brush my teeth every day, c'mon I just did it yesterday. But, I digress. These are things you probably already know about me so I'll get to the new stuff.
A lot of our time lately has been taken up by tracking the production and care of babies. Several of our friends and family members are pregnant or have a bouncing new baby (I don't understand this phrase, seams like they just lay there and squirm a bit but don't bounce. They do like to be bounced though). By several I guess I really mean all but several. We're going to Parker CO tomorrow to meet Baby (should this be capitalized? She is important, and I think they call her Baby, but I'm not sure) Haley Cantwell, mutual friends of ours that have recently bred. Should be fun, they are fun folks and kids are great when they belong to some one else, kinda like powerboats.
My time over at the LFD is slowing down a bit, by my choice. I'm in the Officer Validation Program (or some fancy title like that). Basically it means that I ride Shotgun, no I don't have to call it every time I get on the rig, and am in charge. I set the duties for the rest of the crew, interesting when one of the crew is the Assistant Division Chief, his actual fancy title, he is the highest ranking volunteer. Co-ordinating the ambulance crew, most of which have more experience than I do, organizing the trainings and basically being in charge of the group of 6-8 of us during scenarios. It's pretty stressful and I don't really look forward to it but it's good for me and I'm learning a lot. Hopefully at the end of the quarter I'll have most of the junk done for it so I can go back to sitting in the back and just being a FF.
Emily is getting geared up to have her arm cut off, or just have her torn labrum in her left shoulder fixed, I think it's the latter. Her shoulder just sort of pops out of socket at random times, like sleeping. It's a pretty good heart check when some one wakes up screaming next to you while you're sound asleep. She has been to several specialists and has ended up with probably the best shoulder guy in the state, we live in the part of the state with the upper end of the doctors. She seams happy with him and is gearing up for surgery, over Chinese food she started eating with her right hand. It will be an adventure but shouldn't be too bad.
OK, well, that seams like enough for now. If something exciting happens I'll let you know. Watch out for October, it could be a good one, got the Great American Beer Fest (1800 beers to taste) there is the Weezer concert that Dave is coming to, and maybe a trip to Mexico for, what else, a wedding. So stay tuned listeners for another exciting adventure!
P.S. Mom, Don't get too worried about the distant and negative attitude towards babies. You didn't have one at my age yet either!
A lot of our time lately has been taken up by tracking the production and care of babies. Several of our friends and family members are pregnant or have a bouncing new baby (I don't understand this phrase, seams like they just lay there and squirm a bit but don't bounce. They do like to be bounced though). By several I guess I really mean all but several. We're going to Parker CO tomorrow to meet Baby (should this be capitalized? She is important, and I think they call her Baby, but I'm not sure) Haley Cantwell, mutual friends of ours that have recently bred. Should be fun, they are fun folks and kids are great when they belong to some one else, kinda like powerboats.
My time over at the LFD is slowing down a bit, by my choice. I'm in the Officer Validation Program (or some fancy title like that). Basically it means that I ride Shotgun, no I don't have to call it every time I get on the rig, and am in charge. I set the duties for the rest of the crew, interesting when one of the crew is the Assistant Division Chief, his actual fancy title, he is the highest ranking volunteer. Co-ordinating the ambulance crew, most of which have more experience than I do, organizing the trainings and basically being in charge of the group of 6-8 of us during scenarios. It's pretty stressful and I don't really look forward to it but it's good for me and I'm learning a lot. Hopefully at the end of the quarter I'll have most of the junk done for it so I can go back to sitting in the back and just being a FF.
Emily is getting geared up to have her arm cut off, or just have her torn labrum in her left shoulder fixed, I think it's the latter. Her shoulder just sort of pops out of socket at random times, like sleeping. It's a pretty good heart check when some one wakes up screaming next to you while you're sound asleep. She has been to several specialists and has ended up with probably the best shoulder guy in the state, we live in the part of the state with the upper end of the doctors. She seams happy with him and is gearing up for surgery, over Chinese food she started eating with her right hand. It will be an adventure but shouldn't be too bad.
OK, well, that seams like enough for now. If something exciting happens I'll let you know. Watch out for October, it could be a good one, got the Great American Beer Fest (1800 beers to taste) there is the Weezer concert that Dave is coming to, and maybe a trip to Mexico for, what else, a wedding. So stay tuned listeners for another exciting adventure!
P.S. Mom, Don't get too worried about the distant and negative attitude towards babies. You didn't have one at my age yet either!
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