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Month: February 2023

Sat. Feb. 18, 2023 – pick any two…

Cold.  Damp.  Mainly cold.   It was 35F when I went to sleep last night.  The wind had stopped but dang, that’s cold.   It was pretty nice during the day, after a chilly start, but when the nuclear furnace passes out of the local sky, temperatures started to drop, da, drop, drop…

I ended up doing my pickups.   Concrete saw looks complete and came with several blades, including one that is brand new.   If the gas engine runs it will be a great help at the BOL.  I decided to leave it at the house for now, until I get the engine running.   That’s a lot easier where I have all my tools and the internet, and stores nearby.  But that is one more gas engine on the list of stuff to look at…

Hit up Lowes for plumbing stuff.   Hit the Costco for gas ($2.75/gal vs. the Shell station at $3.19) and some food.    There were some of my staples that weren’t there, but they’d gotten some stuff that was missing last visit back into stock.   Prices were mixed.   Lamb is the same, ham is up by 50%.   Chicken is back down to ~1USD /pound for legs.   Catfish is $9/pound.  Rice is up to 80c/pound, so about 50-80% increase.   Pancake mix is now $8 up from $6.      Beef was mixed, but mostly expensive.  Canned beef was $18 for four cans.  That seems crazy high.  They had a bigger variety of coffee than they used to have, and prices weren’t crazy.   Dairy and eggs were good prices, but very low stock.   There are clearly still issues in the supply chain.

Then I got home and got dinner ready.   Decided to head out this morning instead of driving in the dark, and I hadn’t loaded up the stuff from storage yet, and it was late.

Wife and kids have cookie booths all after noon and evening.   I’ll sleep for a bit, then head out.   Plumbing awaits!

Working on the BOL is time well spent.   Further equipping it is money and effort well spent.   There is just so much to do.  Questions like “how many different forms of backup heat do I need there?”, and “will one kero heater be enough? or should I have propane Mr Heaters as backup too?”   “How many fans and electric heaters in case there is power but no propane?”  “Do I split up existing stocks or buy more just for the BOL?”   Well, you get the drift.

I thought I had big stacks.   Now I have two, but they are half the size they were…

So stack some more.   Because two is one and one is none.

n

 

regarding the post title, Good, Fast, or Cheap, Pick any two…   in my personal life I lean toward good and cheap but too often find myself picking fast and cheap.   In my previous professional life I was one of the “pros from Dover” and we definitely ran to good and fast.

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Fri. Feb. 17, 2023 – standard policy of denial

Colder,  and still damp.  Not a pleasant combination when you are carrying around a bunch of damaged bits and pieces.  I’ve been moving away from cold climates since I was 20.   Yesterday was nice until about 8pm then the temp dropped.   47F when I went to bed.  Misty drizzle periodically throughout the day too.

Did three pickups, chatted with folks at two.  Both agreed that the weirdness seems to be increasing.  I think the distractions have a frantic sense to them, as they become less effective over time.  After all, we’ve gone from accepting gay marriage to cutting off kids’ genitalia and stopping them from having puberty in TEN years.  (H/T JW)  Distractions have to be pretty freaking big when the people have learned to ignore something like that.  Pretty soon a mushroom cloud over Ohio isn’t even enough.

Pay attention.   Improve your situation.  Have somewhere to go.  Avoid notice.  Pull your circle in tight.

Today I’ve got a couple of pickups to do.  I bought a concrete saw to use at the BOL.  I need something to help me up there and it was cheaper than a single blade.   I hope it runs without too much trouble.   I would like to pick it up on my way out of town, it’s in the right direction, but don’t know if I’ll get the rest of my stuff done.   Not even sure if I’m headed out today or tomorrow.   I will be ‘playing it by ear’.

The list at the BOL needs some attention, and it needs it with increasing urgency.  So I will head that way and do those things.   Maybe, I’ll get the crawdad traps in the water, and I’ll get some bugs.   That would be a nice surprise.

Then I just  need to stack the butter and seasoning for the boil!

Stack it up, for all values of ‘it’.

nick

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Thur. Feb. 16, 2023 – no matter where you go, there you are…

Warm and wet, mid 70s to start, and if we get any rain, it might cool down, but if we just get overcast and drizzle, it’s going to be pretty unpleasant.  It was misty drizzle for most of yesterday and warm besides.   Sweaty.

I did get a few things done.   Mainly small but important things on my Ranger.  At 20 years old, the biggest problem is with the plastics.   Whether for cost savings or weight, the plastic parts are really aging out.   First to go was a cable end for the latch release on the suicide doors.  Fortunately there is an aftermarket billet aluminum replacement available.   It’s a niche product made by some guy, and sold world wide through ebay.   Peak civilization?  The next thing was the soft plastic over the cruise control buttons on the steering wheel.   I replaced them once with NOS, but they crumbled again.  This time I replaced them with OOS, or scavenged parts from my ‘parts truck’.   I did soak them in silicone, which seems to reverse and delay the crumbling, if you get it in time.  The latest thing, which had to be addressed, was the driver’s door handle.   The whole thing is molded from some sort of polymer, looks like glass reinforced.   The lever actuator that moves the rod to open the latch broke at it’s root, where it joins the handle.  I stole a very similar handle off my parts truck, replaced the one time fasteners with some bolts, and got it working again.

What does this all have to do with anything?  Well generally I see a lot of failures in soft plastic overlays.  They will suddenly get sticky or crumble.  Usually I can remove a thin layer of ‘soft’ sticky and continue to use the device.  Sometimes I re-coat it with clear FlexSeal spray.  The thicker items that crumble could be made on a 3D printer, or re-created in some other way.   The door bhandle definitely could have been printed.   There are a couple of take aways for me.  If you want something that will last, avoid overmolded soft plastic.   Avoid plastic in structurally important parts.   If you can’t avoid it, be prepared to replace or re-make critical parts in the future.

I believe that the best economic choice (most of the time) and the best ecological choice, is to repair an item that breaks, especially if the repair is straightforward.   There might be items that don’t have parts available, or the parts are expensive, or they are not available in a timely fashion, and then you need to be creative, and prepared to do some work yourself.  To that end it’s been one of my goals to have the tools and materials on hand to re-create most industrial processes, or to replace the process with something equivalent.

If the door handle was critical, I could 3D print it (or have a friend do so).  I could fab one out of metal.   I could design something to do the same job that I could make more easily than duplicating the Ford design.  Or I could bypass the handle entirely.     I took the easy route yesterday, because my time and money are limited, and I already had a part that was a 98% solution.  I got to practice repairing my truck.   I used stuff I’d put aside against future need.

That’s the essence of prepping, and disaster response.   Very small disaster in this case, but still a good chance to test my skills, knowing I can get a real repair shop to buy the real piece and replace it if needed.

Test your self, your skills, and your stores, while there is still backup in the world.

And stack some stuff.

 

nick

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Wed. Feb. 15, 2023 – sometimes things go as planned, and sometimes they don’t…

Warmish, and dampish, with chance of some real rain.   Although the national forecast has us right on the edge of the ‘possible storm’ zone, and that usually means we won’t get rain, it’s still possible.  ‘course pretty much anything is possible but very little of it is likely.

Did some chores yesterday.  Will do some more today.   One of the things I picked up, because it was $3, and ya never know… was a fuel tank.   It’s an OEM or replacement tank for a vehicle of some kind, nicely made from steel.   And the reason I even bid was that I could see that it had a fill hole with a push and twist locking ring for a cap, and it was mostly rectangular.   Most vehicle tanks are very odd shapes, have a big hole for a sending unit, and no way to close up the tank.   I would like to have more bulk fuel storage at the BOL, and it seemed like this might be a cheap way to get some.   I don’t need more projects, so I’ll just put it to the side up there, and when there is opportunity or need, it will be ready.

A lot of my preps are like that.

Putting something aside against a future need, especially if it’s very cheap or easy now, but might be very dear indeed later, seems like a no-brainer to me.   I understand that there are costs associated with doing that.   Opportunity costs with the resources diverted, burdens from storage, etc… but there are benefits too if and when the item or skill is needed.  Fuel is something I’ll need no matter what happens globally.   Water, food, meds, tools, materials- those are also things I know I’ll need to some degree.   Am I prepped past that point?   Or am I short of what my eventual need will be?   Since we can’t predict the future with any certainty, we have to choose what level WE find appropriate.

Some of you think I’m  a nut for having the stuff I have.   Some of you think I’m falling short of where I should be.   I agree with both!   I’m both those things at the same time, for different things, and at different times for the same things.   It’s a continuum.  A journey.  It is fractal and ever changing.   And most of all, for me it’s a way of life now.

I look around and I can’t imagine living any other way.   I can imagine other people living other ways… but I also am imagining those people joining me in getting prepped, to whatever level they think meets their need.   Do it.  Start today.

Stack something.

n

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Tues. Feb. 14, 2023 – it’s like deja vu all over again…

Cool and damp.  Wet and muggy.  Pretty close to the same thing right now.   Wasn’t bad yesterday, with clear skies until later in the day, and then it was just a few clouds.   The temperature did come up in the evening, which was a bit weird.  64F when I went to bed.

Did my big drive down to Dickenson to pick up and drop off.  Sold one freezer.   Picked up two more.  Took them back to my storage unit.   I’ve got more organizing and sorting to do there, but it’s supposed to rain today.  Can’t pull half the stuff out into the rain in order to sort the other half.

If it does rain, I’ll find something to do.   There’s a list you know…

Birthday is approaching and everything is coming due.   Renewed my driver’s license online.  Filed the renewal for my LTC online too.   Will have to file my ham license renewal today.  There are a couple of extra steps to go through this time, due to changes at the FCC.  Renewed my membership in my hobby org a couple of months ago to get an early bird special.   Several trade magazines wanted to be renewed this month too.    Spring is all about renewal I guess.   I just hope not in the Logan’s Run sense…

Had a big outage here last night.  Longest one we’ve ever had.   If the host company shares anything with us, I’m sure Rick will share what he can.   If it happens again, you can check for a status update at flandrey.com.   If I’ve had time to do one…

Hopefully the hamsters will get back on their wheels and keep running into the future.  Lazy little furballs.

Today will depend on the weather.   I’ve got a couple of minor things to pick up, and lots of options for other work here, so I’m sure I’ll be able to keep busy.

It’s all about keeping busy, as long as progress is made.

Too many weird things happening in the world, time to be conservative in the classical sense.  If you saw all of what’s going on today, looking back from ten years in the future, would the steps to world changing conflict look so obvious you can’t believe that people didn’t see them?  Consider that.   And consider that people do and did see them but it happened anyway.   Then consider your plan for the next few years.

 

Stack it up while the stacking is good.

nick

 

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Mon. Feb. 13, 2023 – let’s do the time warp again… it’s just a jump to the left

Cool and damp, although maybe less so than yesterday, which was generally nice.  A bit on the cool side but drier than normal too.   It would be nice to have one more clear day before the forecast rain gets here.

I did mostly home stuff yesterday.   So yeah, I’m behind in pretty much everything.  That’s the new normal though, and I’m beginning to just accept that.

Today though, I’ve got a couple of pickups, including the two remaining freezers.   I also sold one freezer and I’ll deliver it on my way to pick up the other two.   Works out ok for both of us, as I’m going that way anyway.  Doing it that way because he wants a white one, and the two down his way are black.   I think I’ve got someone on the line for one of the remaining freezers too.   If not, craigslist or the neighborhood FB page should move them in a  hurry.

Normally the title of the daily post is just whatever was rattling around in my brain when I sat down, and today is no different.  It did occur to me that it would be fairly easy to do a big thoughts post based on it though.   The whole country, or at least the ‘public’ parts has taken a “jump to the left”.   A pretty big one, if you take a step back and consider the changes just in the last few years.   Compare to the turn of the century, and it’s like living on another planet.  Unfortunately the next line in the song is “then a step to the right”.   We’ll need far more than a “step” to get anywhere back to a centrist position or even to a balance between extremes.

I don’t even think a “step” is possible.   The pendulum seems to be swinging farther and faster with every tick and tock.  I’m pretty sure that if we get a real  movement to the right it will be sudden and overwhelmingly violent, and it’ll probably be followed by an even  bigger swing back to the left.  If anyone has any energy or will to do so, that is.   Could be that a violent paroxysm like that sets us all back for decades, and when we do regain our strength, we’ll wake up and realize our time has passed.  Poland or Austro-hungary might be a possible model…

It’s easier to invent the future than predict it, which is one reason that the WEF and the rest of their fellow travelers should be concerning.   They are working to invent the future they want.   Are we?

 

Stacks will help.  Flexibility will help.  Being surrounded by like minded folks will certainly help.   Work toward those things.

 

nick

 

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Sun. Feb. 12, 2023 – sleeping in, then doing stuff

Cold and damp, changing to cool and damp.  Hopefully without any ‘moisture from the sky’.   It was cool and clear most of Saturday, so I’m hopeful for more of the same.

Had my non-prepping hobby meeting in the morning, with mini-swapmeet/sale.   Sold a bunch of stuff, but not either of the two big items I brought with me.    I might have sold a couple of the excess freezers I won this month.   Every new person with a few more preps is a good thing.  One of the guys doesn’t have ANY freezers other than the one in his kitchen fridge.  At this stage in my journey that seems crazily unwise.

Everyone has their own risk levels, but not everyone KNOWS they are at risk.  Hopefully two more people will be better off soon.

Spread the love people.   Find a way to help someone or nudge them in the right direction.   The life you save might be your own.

And of course, take some time to stack some things.

 

nick

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Sat. Feb. 11, 2023 – Non-prepping hobby day

Cool and damp, some chance of clear later.   Yesterday was nice but stayed on the chilly side.

Got some stuff done.   Spent some time on storage.

Not the most productive day, but one that did alright.

Today I’ll head to my meeting, spend some time with fellow enthusiasts, then do some more of the usual stuff.

Oh, in the middle there, I’ll help D2 get some cookies sold.    Help out your local GS troop, it’s cookie season…

So I’m off like a prom dress…  enjoy the day.

Stack something, even if it’s just memories.

n

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Fri. Feb. 10, 2023 – I’ve got 70s rock songs stuck in my head…

Cool and damp.   It was nice and clear all day Thursday, and even warmed up a bit in the afternoon, but was cool again by evening.  49F when I went to bed.

Bus was on time and kids were there just before it arrived.  I really hope we can reset the bedtime, wake time routine so it’s not such a battle getting them out the door.

Did a couple of things around the house yesterday.   Got an NVR set up for the BOL.   Initialized and hard drive installed.   Stole the drive out of a thrift store NVR that I couldn’t get the admin password reset.  I wanted to use it as it has a built in 4 port PoE switch, but now I will just use the drive.   At 2TB it’s a bit small for 4K cams, but I don’t actually have the cams yet.  Supposedly this other NVR has the bandwidth to support 8 streams of 4k.  Tiny little board inside the thing and no memory sticks or big FPGA chips.  No idea how it will actually work with the streams.  I suppose that as long as it doesn’t have to transcode, it doesn’t take much grunt…  Needs an external PoE switch, but I’ve got plenty of those.   About half a pallet load actually.   I have a couple of decent cams somewhere, just need to find them.  And I can order some, during the next budget cycle anyway.

Today should be clear too, and I’ll be headed to my storage unit.  My non-prepping hobby mini-swapmeet is tomorrow and I need to get a few things out and ready to sell.   Interestingly, PPEs are my most steady seller, particularly “reader” safety glasses.   I’ve been trying to refresh my stock, but missed out on a box just yesterday.   Gloves and finger protection do pretty well too.  Not a bunch of money, but pays for my table.   The same things sold well for me at Hamfests.

While I’m there, digging out the correct bins, I’ll do some organizing too.

Checked through a couple of food bins on the shelves here and I’m a bit short on ground coffee, smoked almonds, and M&Ms.   I’m a bit overstocked with maple syrup, pancake mix, and oatmeal.  Our family eating habits have changed.   Something to  watch out for when stacking.

I haven’t seen or heard a possum in a while.   Maybe the giant rats have finally gotten the message and skedaddled.   Time to start cleaning up the mess left behind.   There is definitely food that has been (de)spoiled, and there is debris all through the garage.  Just more things on the list.

I’ll keep plugging away and keep stacking.   Don’t wanna be lackin’.

n

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Thur. Feb. 9, 2023 – well, there you have it, too many notes…

Cold this morning.  Supposed to be clear and warming later.   We got some rain yesterday after noon.   Depended mostly on what part of town you were in, but with the front came strong winds and a drop in temps. It was 69F when I woke up, and 45F when I went to bed.

Did some errands.   Picked up some auction stuff.   Filled the Ranger with gas at $2.79/gal.   Costco gas was empty.  It was a bit eerie to not have to wait in line.

Was going to shop Costco, but D1 and her friends missed their bus, so she called for a ride home.   It wasn’t their fault, one of the other kids was disruptive while they were doing “rainy day dismissal” and calling each bus number in each classroom.   Got permission to bring her friend and another classmate home too.   Both kids live only a couple of blocks away from us.

But that did eat up an hour of my time.   Plans.  Yeah.  Even when I only kinda sorta make them, the universe laughs at me…

Today, I might try for a pickup.  Or I might do other things.  NOT GONNA SAY.  Maybe I won’t get thwarted.  😉

I’m trying to stack some money by getting some stuff sold, but it’s a slow process for some reason.    I’ll have to stack some stuff instead.

Better get to it.

n

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