I was going to kick off the new month with more spraying, but it was pretty windy all day so I decided to wait. I pulled the rear wheels off the runabout and cleaned up the brake parts, then measured the linings. On both sides, the linings are worn enough that I'll order new ones. The worn linings may not be the only reason the rear brakes are weak, but they're part of it. I took a walk down through the wood lot and noted that a lot of the honeysuckle I sprayed is dead, but there's more that needs killing. Back in my office I paid bills, worked on the write-up of my trip for the Vintage Ford, and looked up places to eat when I go to Hershey. I started the day with a three-mile walk because I need the exercise to be ready for Hershey. Last year the three days of walking made me sore, so this time I want to be in shape for it before I get there.
Tuesday, October 2, 2018
I got started working on my magazine story this morning and just kept at it until it was done. It was about 2 PM when I finally emailed it to the editor. After that I went to town for groceries and some bill paying. When I got home I took a picture of lilacs blooming in the fall. Is that unusual, or have they been doing it all along and I just didn't notice?
Wednesday, October 3, 2018
One of the blades on my mowing tractor wouldn't turn. I thought it was because of a bad bearing I'd have to replace. Today I went to work on it and found that it was just a chunk of wood jammed in the blade. But I also found that the starter spins without engaging the Bendix. That's a problem. The poor old thing often doesn't want to start with the hand crank. Meanwhile, in the house I've started renovation of the east wall in the kitchen. It will need new sheetrock and woodwork. I'll install an electric outlet too.
 Cutting off old nails that were
in my way.
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Thursday,
October 4, 2018
One thing used up most of my day. The east wall of the kitchen reached the point where its bad condition set me to work. Today I removed the old sheet rock that was falling apart. Some of the studs were rotten or termite-eaten or both, and I'll need to replace those. While I'm rebuilding this wall I intend to install a light switch on the living room side of it and add a couple of light fixtures on either side of the fireplace. There's a router in the attic that sends a wi-fi signal out to the computer in my office above the shop. Part of today's work on this project was to run the cable for the router up through the wall and into the attic. That required removing some sheet rock from the east wall of the bedroom above the kitchen. The hardest part of this project may be finding a pair of suitably old fashioned light fixtures for the living room. There's a second hand store in town where I might find them, but the owner is in poor health and the place is seldom open. It's also crammed with stuff from floor to ceiling so she has trouble finding things. |
 I found this emvelope inside the
wall. Mary ordered some seeds during the war.
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Friday, October 5, 2018
The first job of the day was taking my laptop computer to a repair shop in Winfield to see if they could get it to start. Recently it got slower and slower starting, and finally wouldn't start at all. I'm hoping they can have it done tomorrow so I can take it with me when I leave for Hershey Monday morning. My other job of the day was removing more of the east kitchen wall. The more I did, the more I found that needed to be replaced. It turns out that when I'm done most of the wall will be new.
 Most of it had to go, including
behind the firepace.
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 Damage from termites and
moisture said it was time for these boards to retire.
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Saturday, October 6, 2018
My only work today was sitting around waiting. I went to the Defore auction in Winfield. As usual, a few items I wanted went to other people who were willing to pay more. But I did come away with a few things: a good extension cord for $3, a tripod for $1, two web chairs for $1 each, and half a box of welding rod for $1. The breaker bar I wanted sold for way too much. That's OK. There will be others at other auctions, and I'll buy one at a price I like.
Sunday, October 7, 2018
On a rainy day with showers off and on all day, I started preparing for my annual pilgrimage to Hershey. I always plan to take everything I might need, and it seems I always forget something. I suppose I should make a checklist, but I haven't got around to it yet.
Monday, October 8, 2018
My getaway was a bit later than I wanted because of my laptop being at the computer shop in Winfield. I got there at 8 AM when they opened and found that it wasn't done becuase they thought it was working OK. Then the guy tried to start it up and found the same slow starting problem I've been having. So I decided to bring it with me and hope that it will keep starting, even if slowly. I made good time without any major construction delays. I arrived in Lafayette IN with no trouble then wandered around for half an hour trying to find my way through a strange town with unmarked streets after dark. It's almost midnight Eastern time as I post this using McDonald's free wi-fi. I'm over half way to Hershey and should be there late tomorrow afternoon.
Tuesday, October 9, 2018
It was a longer day than I expected. I came by way of northern Indiana this time because I wanted to get some summer hats at Yoder Department Store in Shipshewana. This saved a few dollars on shipping, but was mainly so I could try them on for fit. This route included no interstates, and following US and state highways through downtowns was slow going. I started at 6:00 AM and arrived in Harrisburg at 8:30 PM, about four hours later than usual. That's OK. I got my three hats. Those should last a few years.
Wednesday, October 10, 2018
It was a good day of shopping, and a gathering of the Model T forum was fun. Pictures are here.
Thursday, October 11, 2018
An occasional Hershey tradition is the rainout. This is one of those years. With shopping rained out today, I went to the Antique Automobile Club of America Museum. Along with an assortment of various makes, there's currently a very interesting display of Tucker automobiles. Pictures are here.
Friday, October 12, 2018
With the rain over it was another successful day of shopping and seeing the sights. I need to get going, so I'll post more about today later.
Saturday, October 13, 2018
Saturday is car show day. As usual, I spent the morning looking at the cars and visiting with the folks until noon and then hit the road for home. I stopped for a swell dinner at El Azteca in Akron then went on to a rest area between Columbus and Dayton to snooze.
Sunday, October, 14, 2018
This was my longest drive, starting at 5:45 AM EDT and ending at 7:55 PM CDT. The 794 miles in thirteen hours were uneventful in light Sunday traffic, but toward the end I was sure tired of sitting. Much of the Kansas part was in rain. I hate driving at night in rain, so I'm glad it was just for the last couple of hours.
Monday, October 15, 2018
Decompression day. I went to the post office to get the mail, paid some bills, did some unpacking, and partially caught up on posting some pictures on Facebook and on the Model T forum.
Tuesday, October 16, 2018
It took me all morning and part of the afternoon to post the Hershey Day Three photos on Facebook and the Model T forum. Tomorrow I should finish Day Four and be all caught up in that department.
Wednesday, October 17, 2018
I left the state again today. It was just a half hour drive down to Ponca City for some shopping, but it used up half the day. I prowled the antique stores looking for light fixtures, and found a pair. They aren't real antiques but have the look and will be fine for the living room. At home I cleaned up broken sheet rock debris in the kitchen. Maybe tomorrow I can get started rebuilding that wall.
Thursday, October 18, 2018
As Gabe Heatter used to say, "There's good news tonight!" After a layoff of several months, this morning I went out for a three mile jog/walk and did NOT have any hip pain. I was afraid that the pain in my left hip meant that my running days were over, but it seems to have healed up at last. Maybe I can get back in shape to run the whole three miles and not have to walk any of it. My work of the day was on rebuilding that east wall of the kitchen. I remounted the switch for the light fixture on the kitchen side of the wall and installed the switch box for the new light fixtures on the living room side. The rule that everything takes longer than you think it will was in full effect.
Friday, October 19, 2018
All morning and into the afternoon I posted the last of the Hershey pictures online. They are here. My work on the house today was rerouting the cable that runs from the modem in the living room to the router in the attic. That sounds like it shouldn't take long, but it used up most of the afternoon. I had to drill some holes to run it into the cellar, up through a wall for two stories, and across the attic. The cable I had was barely long enough, and it would have been better to have it a foot or two longer, but it will have to do for now. I may add an extension if I find one that isn't ungodly expensive.
Saturday, October 20, 2018
Today's first order of business was a drive to Winfield to check out the Defore auction. Usually there's at least an item or two to tempt me to stay, even if I don't. Not so today. I didn't see one item of the slightest interest. So I came home and worked on the wall project some more. I drilled holes for the two new living room light fixtures, and got part of the wiring installed in one of them. If I can finish the north one tomorrow and get the switch installed, then I can move on to rebuilding the wall.
Sunday, October 21, 2018
At last I finished installing the switch and new wiring for wall fixtures in the living room and installed the north one of the two fixtures. With that done I can go ahead with rebuilding the wall. A future job will be new paint in both living room and kitchen, but there's a lot of rebuilding to do before I get to that.
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Today I actually accomplished something visible, replacing the old boards. Next will be installing the "new" old light fixture in the kitchen. Then I'll be about ready for new insulation and sheet rock.
Tuesday, October 23, 2018
A dwindling supply of clean sox determined that this would be laundry day. After a couple of hours out for that chore I got back to work on the house. I was sidelined for an hour or so fixing an intermittent switch for another light, then made a metal plate to anchor the electic line for the light fixture that will be on the new wall. I have to sandblast and paint the fixture, so it may not be ready to install tomrrow.
Wednesdsay, October 24, 2018
Done with that part. I blasted and painted the light fixture for the kitchen wall. It will dry overnight and I should have it assembled and hooked up tomorrow. I'll need to get insulators for the sockets. They used to be made of cardboard, but I guess they're probably plastic these days. The question is whether I'll be able to buy them locally.
Thursday, October 25, 2018
Today I reassembled and installed the new old light fixture in the kitchen. One bulb didn't light at first, but I fixed a broken contact and now it works like new. That was about all I got done on the house, as I had to leave a little after three for a Model T club meeting. I don't get to many meetings, as it's about a hundred miles one way. Coming home it was raining for about the first ten miles, then quit and made me happy. I don't mind a little night driving, but I hate driving at night in the rain.
Friday, October 26, 2018
Today's wall reconstruction adventure was putting in new sheet rock on the living room side of the wall. All that remains to do on this is a small piece above the door. All the finish work will wait for later.
Saturday, October 27, 2018
Taking advantage of pleasant weather and soft ground from recent rain, I took a day off from working on the house and pulled weeds behind the shop. I got a lot done, but there's more to do. I need to clear the area for cutting and splitting firewood.
Sunday, October 28, 2018
It was another pleasant day and I finished my weed pulling behind the shop, then went around with the clippers and bottle of Tordon getting rid of little trees I found among the weeds. Next will be a session with the chain saw, cutting firewood. I haven't needed a fire for the last couple of days, but it will soon be chilly enough to start burning wood again.
Monday, October 29, 2018
A job I hate, despise, and detest is bleeding brakes. In theory it's very simple, and in the real world it's a colossal pain in the patoot. In trying to fix the brakes on my truck this afternoon I encountered the complicating detail of a bleeder valve that was too big for a 3/8" wrench to fit it and too small for a 7/16". By the time I extracted the thing with Vise Grips it was so boogered up that I have to replace it. Of course the local O'Reilly had nothing the right size, and I'll have to wait a couple of days for a replacement to be imported from Missouri. Oh well, I don't lack other things to keep me busy. Meanwhile, fall is definitely here and the golden rain treees are looking particularly golden.
Tuesday, October 30, 2018
With time out for a dental appointment I spent the day building a camera stand for taking close-ups of small objects.
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Wednesday, October 31, 2018
All morning and part of the afternoon I worked on a new web page. There are some questions that recur from time to time, so to save having to repeat an answer over and over I make up a page like this so I can just post a link to it.
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