What's everybody doing?

Next week will be a very busy week...

I've had a lot of plans in my head for this year on top of all the Wheel Horse and shop plans of which there are many. Sell some more cars, sell some projects I'll never have time to do and really don't need, doing some overdue repairs and maintenance around the property, getting my teeth fixed (eek), taking a little time for myself, etc, etc, etc...

Yesterday was 65 and sunny so I thought I would clean out the other 2 ponds after running an errand or two. I bought a 2010 Cobalt Oct 23, 2013 with 60k miles on it from an Insurance co (it's in a lot of the background pics over the years) that had some minor damage. I got it fixed right away back then, but I never applied for the title from out of state or transferred it (yes it's been over 8 years). I sent in the paperwork about a month ago, a few forms had to be updated, and it was approved so I thought I would do the transfer yesterday. All went well with the transfer, but when I got in the CTS to run to town to do the transfer I had a low coolant light, I thought oh well, I need more to do,,, not...

Next I thought, no ponds today until I find out what the leak was because I need the CTS for everyday driving and to get to the dentist appts (eek again lol). I finally found the major leak and another small one. Major leak is an aux water pump leaking at a seal where it's put together, and the main water pump has a little seep. I got the aux pump off the car last night and apart, but I don't know if I can find another o-ring like it that I need or not, I have quite a selection here but nothing thin enough. If I can't find one I guess the aux pump will just get replaced. I thought to myself, I will dive into the rest of it tomorrow and oh well, I need more to do, again,,, not.

After that, I went on and ordered a new main water pump for the CTS yesterday, (no they don't stock them for the Luxury Sport models because they are so rare), but it would be here today. The intake, PS pump, tensioner, etc, and a lot of other things have to come off to do the job, and the timing belt may be contaminated making it an even more fun job but it is what it is. I thought to myself again, I will dive into the rest of it tomorrow and oh well, I need more to do, again,,, not.

It was 65 yesterday but a big cold front came in. It was 18 last night with a lot of snow and ice that came in fast and hard. It looks like it melted on all the black warm surfaces like the drive and lot, black roofs, cars, etc, but then it froze right away from all the cold winds blowing in. When I got up this morning I noticed a few awning lights on the shop pointed at the building... I guess the awning couldn't handle all of the weight of the ice and heavy wet snow that came in so fast. I thought to myself, I hope it doesn't come down on the dually and Escalade before I get done with my morning routine and oh well, I need more to do anyway,,, not.

I got done with my morning routine about 7AM as usual, then got the Escalade out from under the awning without it falling on me or the truck, ran it for awhile to heat it up and break the ice loose and it doesn't look like there is any damage from what I see. I thought to myself, I'll get a better look at it and the dually when all the snow is gone on Monday and it's 60+ degrees again, and oh well, I need more to do anyway,,, not.

I noticed some branches down and who knows what else happened from the snow and ice, but thought to myself, it's too cold out there and the wind chill is dangerous as it is so I'll get a better look at it all when the snow is gone on Monday and it's 60+ degrees again, and oh well, I need more to do anyway,,, not.

I came in and started the morning fire in the wood stove, made a batch of green tea like I do out here every 4 work days, fired up the computer and did all the morning stuff, then Dad calls and said the diesel furnace in the new barn and keeps setting itself up to 68 degrees in the night and it's eating too much fuel. I told him I couldn't get out of the drive and even if I did I prob couldn't get back up it right now, what went on around here over the past 12 hours or so, and he had plenty of money and not to worry about it, and oh well, I don't need more to do anyway...

Then someone just now called like a lot of peeps do and started asking about stuff in my CL ad in the background of the pics, (like everyone seems to do without reading the ad) wanting to know what all was for sale. I asked politely if he had read the ad and what was still available, or had been sold, it was all in the ad. He kept on about some tractor in the background and I told him I was sorry but I had a lot going on this morning from some damage from the ice, snow, and other things and repeated again it was all in the ad if he would like to read it. Then he said thanks and hung up on me. I thought to myself, oh well, I don't need more to do anyway...

Then when finishing this little book up just now, I heard a noise outside. Looks like the awning is continuing to drop and pull itself off of the building, but oh well, I'm not getting out there on the ice and in the dangerous wind chills and if it falls it falls, but at least it won't fall on me, I need more to do anyway...

So, how have things been with you guys in the past 12 hours or so lol.

At least the CTS is all apart and underway, the water pump also had a small leak from the weep hole but it's off. The awning has dropped even more but it still on the building, for now... One thing and one day at a time lol.

The awning has dropped even more but it still on the building, for now... One thing and one day at a time lol.

O the gravity of this situation !

I've said it before and I think I'll be saying it forever, where on Earth do you come up with this stuff lol.

BTW, it's still on the building so if it will hang on another day or so I may be able to take the forklift to lift it and refasten it, we'll see...

The CTS is all back together minus the aux water pump that they will be delivering in the morning when it comes in. It goes down in the hole on the right side that's still all apart (left side looking at the last 2 pics).

There was something else annoying that I thought the high end peeps wouldn't do but that's what I get for thinking... Look at the 3rd pic zoomed in on the belt, this is the first Gates belt I've seen made in China...

The phone rang a lot and by the time I got done after lunch it was a pretty day so I spent most of the day outside cleaning up a lot of the branches from the last storm and started a burning pile. I'll finish the CTS in the morning if it's quiet. Then it will be time to fix the awning, it looks like one of the 2 deep 2x10's in the header (maybe both) wasn't treated the way they should have been, there's no rot in the awning, just the header....

Also wanted to let everyone know I found out carb and brake cleaners went up almost $2 a can for walk in and almost $1 per can for commercial accounts by the case yesterday. They did this last week but the manager said he would take care of me on it this time if I wanted several cases at the old price so I ordered 8 more cases. They came in this morning and they brought them out along with the CTS aux water pump. If anyone uses this stuff and you have a good manager they may do the same but now would be the time to stock up. Actually this is a good time to stock up on a lot of things if you haven't been already lol.

Thank the Lord for another nice day and being able to enjoy it some.

The CTS is all done and has no AF leaks. It does have a small leak from the steering rack that will be next on the list sometime soon, but it's been there for years. I should do it soon before the rack price goes up like everything else... Now it's ready to take me to the dentist for awhile,,, oh kill me lol.

The wood garage had a stripped out gear in the opener since late last year so I got into it, got it apart, and ordered parts for it today. It's been in there for over 22 years with no problem and the parts were amazingly cheap. This little $18 kit fixes the 1/2 hp and below Chamberlain, Lift Master Pro, Craftsman, and prob others from way back in the 80's and up and it's a nice kit for cheap, has everything you need with it. I figured I would put it in here because there are so many of these out there, dad even has an old one like it in the Craftsman version on one of his garage doors.

Garage Door Opener Repair Kit

Yesterday was awning day. The worst of it was getting the old board out in a tight space, the rotten parts came out easy but a lot more of it was good than I thought. The good part combined with 4" pole barn nails in some places made it a bit of a pain getting it outta there. The awning boards were perfect but the header must have had some places that weren't treated correctly, those were put up in 1997 when I built the building so I guess 25 years is pretty good, especially compared to how long things last that you buy today... The entire awning is 32' long and the back half is back like new now, the front half has a small bad spot about 1/3 of the way down but I can deal with it later.

I got started on it yesterday morning and by 3 or so yesterday it was all out and cleaned up and the back half was ready for a new board and to be put back up. I thought it was pretty good considering none of my help showed up and I had to do it all myself without damaging the building or J channel around the board. That's when dad showed up and I told him I think you're a little late lol. Right after that a friend of mine that does construction work showed up that had just finished up on his work for the day and we got it all back up and straight again. I was surprised that it survived with not even a single crease or wrinkle in the gutter or metal once it was back where it belonged, I guess it does pay to use the best materials you can get.

The forklift was the real time saver in this job using it for a platform to work off of, a lift to get everything set back in place, picked back up, and leveled back like it was. Once everyone else left I got the mess cleaned up and it was late by then so I ran for a bite to eat then it was bedtime. Good news is it's back up to where it won't fall and I can cross one more emergency type thing off of the list.

The joy of living in the projects :dalek