Happy Labor Day

..to all in the U.S. anyway, the last holiday of summer. 

I've been using the time this weekend to cut and paint plywood to replace the lower shelves in the basement.  We sometimes get water on the floor when it rains a whole lot over a short (or long) period - not inches deep, just enough to make it wet and create a couple puddles as it runs toward the drain.

We have several of the same type of shelving in the basement, and although most are up on pieces of 2x4, the lower shelves have started to grow mold.  So in addition to the 1.5" the 2x4 gives me, I will raise the bottom shelves a couple notches for better air flow and replace the molding chipboard with 1/2" plywood that I am painting with mold and mildew proof paint.  We do have a dehumidifier and squeegee for those times, which is usually enough, but it was wet for a few weeks down there this past spring and the moisture that was there has become evident of late.  Next time I'm thinking a fan would help, as well.

I'm trying to get all the painting done this weekend, 2 coats per side with at least 2 hours between coats.  I have a vacation coming up when I plan to do the work in the basement.  I believe I already mentioned the 'cat bathroom' I was planning on making over vacation.  That will still be done although it is not a necessary item.  Mostly it was just to give me a project to do during my time off.  I already have all the wood I should need, I just have to get some hardware.

Temperatures fell off a cliff from what it has been like recently, hot and humid.  I sweated through a few sets of clothes the last couple days but today the humidity is gone and we have temps in the seventies.  Very comfortable, yet I fear the inevitable autumn is right around the corner.

Branching Out

Early in the week we noticed that a branch had broken off one of neighbor Dave's black walnut trees and had gotten hung up on the telephone wire that runs along the property line in the back yards.  We minded our own, and I hadn't seen Dave out to talk to him, but last night he came over to tell us of his futility in trying to get a hold of someone from the phone company and asked for my help.  So, of course, I helped him out.

This morning before the Badger game we got out there and got it down safely.  He had a long pruning saw which I used to cut off the branch a few inches to the right of the wire, as seen in the picture.  After that, all it took was a little twisting and I got it to come down without damaging anything.

I wasn't sure exactly how it would turn out, but it couldn't have gone better.  And now I have some more cheap firewood for next year!

Hump Day

Just found this and either I share it now, this late in the day, or wait a whole week.  --When I think about it like that, it means I'm over the hump!

This And Thats Again

Maybe I'll make 'This and Thats' a regular thing.  It sounds better than the brain spillage stuff I usually say on posts like this.  So here's some of this and some of that!:


Weather-wise it has been pretty moderate the last few weeks.  We have been able to keep the windows open day and night comfortably, yet there has been very little rain.  Not as bad as last year's drought, but I may have to break down and use the sprinkler I bought this past Spring. And starting today the heat rolls back in, so we got that going for us.  Yeah.

My upcoming project for my upcoming vacation:  A cat bathroom.  Our two cats, Hamish and Basil, have no fear of the basement like our late cat, Puddy, so they have no problem with their cat box being downstairs.  The problem is that even though we have a tray outside the covered litter box, litter still gets on the floor in the area.  Daily cleanings and sweeping generally keep the mess in control, but when we get a good rain spell for more than a few days water sometimes seeps into the basement and makes the floor wet, resulting in a messy floor in that area and dirty cat paw prints that amazingly can show up all throughout the house.  It is my big vacation project this year, along with some other basement maintenance to be mentioned later.  Yes, there should be no shortage of posts in early to mid September!


The Packers play their last preseason game on Thursday, at the Kansas City Chiefs.  The Badgers start their season on Saturday against UMass.
 Football is back! 
Yee-haw!
 Football is back!
Whoop-whoop-whoop!!!
Ready for a knock-down-drag-out?!?!

Everyone Is An A**hole

I came across this the other day and thought it was cute enough to share.  NSFW, of course.

I will have a new post here and over at the garden site this weekend.  I've been busy at work and tired at home recently.  The Packers play tonight and I have things I want to do before the game, mostly reading and unwinding, so this is just a quick 'I'm still alive' post.  'Cause, you know, I'm just that kind of a**hole.  Among other kinds -- watch the video!

Braining The Training

Happy Friday, everyone!  I haven't been around here much lately because I have been tired, in the brain.  I am in training at work, the most intensive training I have had in a long time, but I am hoping this will greatly help me in the future.  It is almost all on computer and I do not have any access yet so I have been mostly sitting with my supervisor getting everything but the kitchen sink thrown at me.  Actually, though she is trying to teach me a lot all at once, she is very nice, patient and I am learning a lot from her.  I'm not overwhelmed with the work she wants me to be able to do - I know I'll get it down eventually - but I am concerned about just how high her hopes are for me.  The higher the hopes the more pressure I'll feel.  After all, I'm a former construction and lumberyard guy and she's teaching me  the 'brainiac' stuff, her term not mine.

It has been quite a change but, like I said, I hope this can really help me in the future.  I keep mentioning that because this promotion is possibly temporary before I will be promoted again to go to a less desirable position.  At least I have a good job now, but who knows?  There has been much change at work recently so anything can happen, and I hope it does.


That is more writing about work than I have ever done or should ever do, so on a different note:

                   Is this not the saddest kitty pic ever?

 

Undercover Pizza Cop

So this "undercover" cop car has been parked out front for a couple hours now.  It was here for a bit when my wife noticed it, then it left for a bit,  and shortly came back and parked in the same spot except now there appeared to be a pizza box in the front seat.  I finally dared to take a picture, making absolutely sure that the flash was off, but the pizza box is no longer visible.



As I write this, the car is still there.  This appears a lot like a staked-out cop to me - and I haven't watched any of those fancy cop drama shows on TV for eons.  The best thing about it is at least they're not watching me (it appears they may be watching someplace across the creek, thankfully), so best of luck to 'em!

1912 Eighth Grade Exam

Well, this is different than what I usually do, but I was moved to post it anyway.

Just imagine what this world would be if everyone, especially here in the U.S., still had to pass a test like this.  I might have failed even as a senior in high school.  What does this say about the direction of our schools and educational standards?  Well, it's actually embarrassing to me and should be to us all - and I think I had a pretty good education, at least through grade school.  Granted, this was over one hundred years ago, but so what?

Kind of underscores the meaning of all those little things back then that you thought you'd never use again.  You may not use those exact equations again, but it trains your growing brain, the one and only one you will ever have.

Stay in school, kids.  Parents, how would your kids do?

Full article here.  Thanks Jonco!