when is it too cold to work?

[Silvan]

The weather here was actually bad enough to make the national news. Second-hand account, since I don't watch TV, but Mom said the Today Show on NBC did a piece on how the nasty weather was causing a huge number of wrecks on the new bypass (the one outside my bedroom window) in Christiansburg, VA. I probably narrowly missed my big shot at the limelight. I could have been nationally recognized as "that guy in the orange hat who crashed into a wall in some town I never heard of in Virginia." :)

Whee ha. I'm glad that didn't end badly!

There are parts of it I like, and parts of it I hate. This time of year, I get gloomy. Winter *scares* me. I've been through enough adversity by now that I should be over that, but I'm not. Not by a long shot. I definitely miss the work-a-day world this time of year.

In spring, it will be different. I love how long my springs are as a truck driver. When things start to bloom down in Georgia, it makes it that much easier to bear winter here in Virginia, because I can see what's coming just around the corner.

In the end though, the reason I have to find a new job in the next few years is because it's just beating me up. My right knee is almost completely shot, and I want to get out while I can still qualify this with an "almost." Winter only happens once a year, but the knee pain is my constant companion.

Since retiring at 35 is probably not a real option, I'm going to have to come up with something else. :)

[Larry Jaques]

On Fri, 05 Dec 2003 14:39:35 GMT, Doug Winterburn brought forth from the murky depths:

When I was there in '74, I made 3 months' rent by helping the landlord remove the water-damaged carpeting from the lower level of the apartments I lived in. The powers that be in Phoenix decided that they wouldn't release any of their precious stored water and we got about 6" that week. Indian School Road was 3-4' deep on the south side and we got a foot of water in the lower apartment buildings. Lots of fun for a sailor...or a duck.

----------------------------------------------------------- --This post conscientiously crafted from 100% Recycled Pixels--

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[Doug Winterburn]

That's almost the average annual of 7"! The last (substantial) rain I saw here was in the winter of '92/'93 when the Salt and Gila not only had water in them, but were overflowing their banks. No water in either of them since :-(

-Doug

[Silvan]

Like I said to Dave a bit ago, "Whee ha." :)

That's one of the worst parts of it, isn't it? Trying your damndest not to kill someone who can't drive, and really needs to be parked somewhere. That's part of the day to day, but in winter it gets a lot harder. I much prefer bad weather when no one is out but cops, snow plows, and only the most determined of trucks.

I was the *victim* of a hit and run last winter. Damn fool had to get around me, and he wiped out beside my landing gear. Bounced off of me several times, and did a real number on my truck. Nobody ever hears

*those* stories. They think everything is always our fault; that even when it's not our fault, we're supposed to be able to avoid *everything*.

I sure can't wait for it to be spring. Sixteen days until the solstice, and then the day length will start moving in the right direction. That will cheer me up. I'll really get cheered up in about February, when the hepatica starts to bloom in the forest.

Think spring!

[Silvan]

Chalky... That describes the glue that "didn't look right" in a previous post.

Too cold then.

Well, those frames are nailed to the trays they surround, and the corners are secured with brads. They'll probably be fine.

I shellacked them, then waxed them before bringing them in, if that makes any difference.

It's been in the house for 48 hours now, and it still looks gorgeous. Do you think I should be worried about impending doom, or am I out of the woods?

It took me a month to make this thing, so if this explodes, Dad isn't getting his present. There just isn't enough time.

[Nova]

Thanks for reminding me. I always get it confused and think it's when you can't FIND the shop it's time to quit.

-- Jack Novak Buffalo, NY - USA (Remove "SPAM" from email address to reply)

[Sweet Sawdust]

[Silvan]

I'll bet. How many feet do you have on the ground now? Four? Five? :)

[Luigi Zanasi]

On Fri, 05 Dec 2003 01:56:46 -0500, Silvan complained:

Why not slap some fiberglass batts between the studs now and plan on reusing them when you build the palace? It'll prolly save you a bunch in electricity costs.

Luigi Replace "no" with "yk" for real email address

[Nova]

Actually none. We've only had a couple of dusting so far this year.

-- Jack Novak Buffalo, NY - USA (Remove "SPAM" from email address to reply)

[Edwin Pawlowski]

So far we have 6" with another 12 to come. I just shoveled a path to the shop and stated the heater. I'll go out there in a half hour or so and it will be comfy. Christmas gifts to work on today.

[Silvan]

Thinking about it. It would help if I didn't have so many things between the studs. I'm not sure I could get enough insulation in there to do any good without ripping my shop apart and putting it back together.

Is anything better than nothing, or is it pretty pointless to do any of it if I'm not going to do all of it?

[Silvan]

In *Buffalo*? You mean I have more snow on the ground in Virginia than you do in Buffalo?

Sumpin' ain't right.

[Mike in Mystic]

Hi Ed,

Isn't the snow great? Here in Mystic we're up to about 8" I think, but it's snowing again, so who knows where it will end up. I had some glue-ups to do so I fired up that propane 80,000 BTU heater I got last year. I have a digital thermometer on the an outside wall kitty-corner from where the heater is. When I went out there it was reading 37.5 degrees F and after letting the heater run full blast it was up to 72.4 after about 25 minutes. Not bad, not bad at all :)

Mike

[Bay Area Dave]

Mike does the heater raise the humidity in your shop?

dave

Mike > Hi Ed,

[Ehvee8or]

Yes.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

After your shop cleanup you inspired me to insulate my shop. It is over half done and makes a difference. It got comfy and I had to turn the heat off before I came in for lunch.

I shoveled a path to the side door. My neighbor across the street bought a new snowblower. He was just out playing with his toy and did my driveway also. He missed a spot so I may have to call and complain; unless he finishes the job tomorrow.

I found a couple more square feet of space on my workbench by cleaning it up, planed some boards and cut out some parts for a couple of projects I'm working on for Christmas gift. One is a maple tray, the other a high chair for granddaughter's doll.

Back out to get a couple of more steps done. Ed

[Mark & Juanita]

... snip

Silvan,

Just out of curiosity, what is a reasonable distance to pull in front of a truck when in traffic that is more or less stop and go (never exceeding 20 MPH)? I always try to allow at least a couple of (your- size) truck lengths. This occurs mostly when pulling in from an on-ramp and trying to get out of a right turn only lane into the continuous lane in above mentioned backup conditions.

[Norman D. Crow]

Mark, Not Silvan, but for my part . . . in almost all traffic, *most* truckers will give you an even break, provided you use a little common sense, like "use your friggin turn signal!!", and try and pick an opening, not really necessary to have a 2 truck length hole(like you're gonna find one in traffic like that). You ever notice that with normal hgihway traffic, most trucks, if they are able, will move over into middle or left lane to give you a clear shot entering from a ramp. If they don't, it usually means there is someone alongside them so they can't move over, in which case, either get on it enough to get out well ahead of them and @ speed, or lay back and let them go by before entering. One of the most *endearing* 4 wheeler tricks is when they are behind an

18 wheeler going @ or above the limit, they see the sign "1 mile to exit ***", where they are going to get off. They suddenly decide they can't POSSIBLY wait that 30-40 seconds to get to the exit ramp, they MUST get around that @#$^&()_*( truck first, and usually succeed in scaring the living bejeezis out of the driver when they cut right under his front bumper while standing on the brakes and trying to make the exit ramp before they are past it.

OK, rant mode off. Nahmie

[Mark & Juanita]

OK, I do that.

That hole is usually left by the truckers in the stop & go, as long as they aren't getting cut off

Yes, I've noticed that; my issue is related to a particular ramp, that upon entry to the freeway, one must immediately get into the (at the moment) center lane, because the right lane that I just merged on becomes a required exit lane in about 1/4 mile after the on-ramp ends. The middle and left lanes at that time of day are pure stop and go, with of course the usual idiots in the right (soon to be non-existent) lane who didn't realize two miles ago that the lane was going to end, despite the bazillion warnings along that lane! (/end rant) also trying to get into the middle and left lanes.

Those idjuts do it to regular vehicle drivers also -- something about that all-important one car length I guess. Although there have been a few times when I think I'm too close to the exit to pass the slow car in front of me, only to have it exit also and have to follow it at even slower speed on the next road for the next umpty-ump miles.

Don't blame you, I appreciate courteous truck drivers, 4 wheel drivers should show the same respect. I don't appreciate the discourteous drivers of either stripe, but the 18 wheel maniacs scare the crap out of me, wife almost got run off the road by a truck that insisted it needed the left lane despite the fact she was in that lane alongside the truck trying to pass.

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