Friday, July 26, 2019

Planes, Trains and... Cicadas?

Earlier tonight I had a fire for the first time in a month, since June 29.  It was around 80ºF, which was the lowest temperature and/or driest opportunity on a weekend night since then.  We've been mostly very warm and humid this month, but for the last several days which we enjoyed open windows again.  And the next couple days will be very warm and humid with scattered storms again.  I won't complain, I hear the UK just had record-setting temps around 100ºF yesterday.  Anyway, though I was tired I built a fire and sat by it watching the Brewers game on my phone for a couple hours tonight.  Always enjoyable, but I did have to shower off the lovely combination of sweat, bug spray and smoke when I came in for the night.

While I was out there the opportunity arose for a short video featuring a plane and train, and the automobiles are in the background din even if you can't tell with the other two - circling back to a prior post. There's also a fourth noise here as the cicadas have been out in force lately.  The train tracks are a few blocks south and east.  We don't seem to get lots of trains, but I may just be used to them now.   And freight, not passenger, usually with lumber or coal or box cars with who knows what else.  Short video below.



An then there's the back fence.  Tell me, does it look terrible?


I've been trying to get some estimates lately on replacing it.  I researched online and found 4 places I wanted to get an estimate from.  I have two similar estimates in hand, one supposed to be emailed soon, and one place that I left a message and they never called back.  So far the two estimates are very similar at over $2000 to replace what we have with the same but new.  It's only 40 feet of fence, that's over 50 bucks a foot, is it worth it to replace it yet?  Affording it isn't the issue, I just thought that seemed a lot for only 40 feet, even for cedar.  Yes, right now the tops are dry rotting and it being a squirrel highway erodes them more and more every year now, but can we get a couple more years out of it or does it look that bad now?  Replacement would have to be in early spring or late fall as to not destroy the hostas, so I guess it comes down to how long do we want to wait to replace it.

A few more after the break.  And this weekend is Atwoodfest!




5 comments:

Blue Witch said...

If you're anything like me, once you have spotted something that you think needs replacing, you won't be happy until it's done... irrespective of what others might think!

Thank you for your ongoing attempts to convince me that there is noise everywhere, to greater or lesser extents. It was working, until yesterday when friends told me they had found a place that meets all of my no-noise criteria. Only trouble is, it's the only house in the middle of nowhere, and a friend of theirs lives there and isn't planning on moving any time soon.

It was over 100 here for 2 days - back to grey mid-60s and rain today. The panic that a bit of hot (or cold for that matter) weather causes in this country amuses and baffles me every time.

Enjoy Atwoodfest and I look forward to seeing your pics.

Blue Witch said...

Oh - and - fences - much as I dislike plastic, there is a fence product available in the UK that is made of recycled plastics and is guaranteed for 30 years.

About double the price of a normal softwood fence (so presumably around the same price as a cedar/hardwood). It comes in colours or a natural-look product. I saw one up close a few weeks ago and it looked really good.

I wonder if something similar is available where you are?

I know nothing about the price of fences in the US, but $2K sounds and awful lot. Perhaps fencing people don't want small jobs and are trying to price themselves out so you don't pick them?

delcatto said...

That does sound a lot for the fencing but I think you could get another year out of it. I have a small amount of wall to rebuild and a new back gate is urgently needed. I set aside today to measure it and guess what? After the last few hot days it is currently tipping it down here.
I like the sound of the cicadas and that train sound is lovely.

Scoakat said...

BW, sorry, not trying to convince you, just an ongoing thought. If I remember right, it pretty much started with you noticing a plane in a picture and it just grew. Also, there's only so many times you can blog about having a fire.

Thanks for your fence thoughts, guys. I'm not sure what to think yet - and I still haven't gotten that estimate from Tuesday. I have a feeling we'll stay put for now and revisit next year, but I've not discussed with my wife yet. And I think I have more online research to do and eventually more quotes. And we do want wood, BW, we've not even considered anything else. Delcatto, good luck with your fence. I'm sure you can do the brickwork, I don't remember seeing the gate. YouTube how-to video research is my advice, I do it all the time!

100's to 60's, that's a high temperature swing rarely seen around here. Glad you guys didn't melt, it was forecast to be near that here this weekend but thankfully the forecast changed - also removing the rain. Today was still a hot day at Atwoodfest, but partly cloudy and manageable. More on that later.

Scoakat said...

Oh- I fixed the video, too. I made it unlisted but didn't mean to disable embedding!