My Sky Color

A forty something Dad, Husband, Engineer guy living in Western Oregon. Reflections on all things in life. A few technical things and whatever else comes along.

Thursday, July 28, 2005

The Roof

I just wrote this and lost it trying to use the spell checker. I'm new at this.

So I like to have everything thought out, planned and ready when I embark on a large project. This is especially true when other people are involved or are helping me. The 4th, 5th and 6th of August are the re-roofing days. We live in Corbett and you need good roofs and good tires for winters there.

This AM my Uncle Greg came with his Cummins Dodge and flatbed trailer to help haul the roofing. I found a place, Shur-Way builders, that seels Owens Corning seconds for 1/2 the cost of regular. The problem with the shingles is the color is out of tolerance. Big Deal! The shingles are all the same color, it just doesn't match the brochure.

So starting Thursday next week in comes the 30 yard dumpster and off comes the roof. My plan is to have the prep work done Friday evening so when people show up Saturday everything will be ready to go. Wish me luck and pray for sunshine. DMP

Friday, July 22, 2005

10 pounds in a 5 pound can

Nearly every weekend the plans far exceed the number of hours the weekend contains. This weekend:

Friday - last day of Cub Scout Day Camp
Friday night - beginning of church campout
Saturday morning - want to take little rowboat down Sandy River from campout because it is new water we haven't explored.
The rest of the time - build bumper for little brother's CJ7, work on SBC for Landcruiser, get anything done for re-roofing project, wash cars, finish tree fort...

As you can see my plans are bigger than my time. Have a great weekend!

Tuesday, July 19, 2005

Vacation Day Value

My philosophy in the has been that vacation days are for vacations. You don't use these precious days for working on stuff or doing things that are within 30 miles of the house.

So I have to put a new roof on the house this summer. It kinda looks like I might have to take a couple days off to get the roof done. My plan was to work through the roof a section at a time in the evenings and weekends. Then get the crew to come on a weekend to do the big and easy side. Well the disposal people are screwing up that plan. You get the dumpster for 3 days then it costs after that. I am too cheap to pay for any extra days. I might have to pay for a couple!

What is this world coming to? I am using vacation days to work on the house... Maybe I should move into a condo with no yard. I need to have a shop and no yard... It need to have a place for the goats but wuth no yard. Looks like I need a place in the country. Oh that's right I have one.

Just get over it. I hape the 30 year roof will last 15 in the Corbett wind and ice. I'll let you know when the big day is so you can share the expereience with me.

Friday, July 15, 2005

Weed Pulling

So where I live I have neighbors on three sides. Everyone has land and two neighbors have animals (cows, goats, or horses). The the neighbors to the east are the best. The people to the north just border our place with pasture and their house is a ways away. The northerns have the nicest Nubian goats that say hi through the fence. Anyway, their pasture has about 200 tall ready to bloom tansy plants. The wind blow around Corbett so what anyone has everyone gets. I so wanted to somehow get this neighbor to take care of their tansy.

By the way, tanzy is a noxious weed. If livestock eat it they die. So is isn't real desireable to have around.

When I was a kid private people and big land owners spent lots of time and money controlling tansy. I once had a summer job pulling the stuff on the property of the coal mine my Dad worked at. It was a lousy job. I digress... So one evening I climbed over the fence and pulled the neighbors tansy for anout 15 minutes and cleaned up an area about the size of the dinner table. I don't have time to fix the neighbor's weed problems I have two acres of my own weeds to control. So for the last week it has been giving me stress as to how to get rid of the neighbor's tansy. Do I talk to them? Do I call the county to get the weed police involved? Do I take my Stihl brushcutter over there and lay waste to it all? My wife just called and the neighbors have been pulling tansy for the last couple hours. Whuppeeee!

So did my little pulling session send the message? Did they get up the guption on their own? Who knows but I am happy.

Thursday, July 14, 2005

I just created the blog. I will add something of interest when I have a minute.