Haven't posted in a week, so here's a wrap-up....
We had the Little guy over for a Friday night sleepover, then SLW took him to a Halloween party. Sunday we had a full-house, with my son, The Kids, and both grandsons. SLW made a killer pot roast with all the fixin's, using meat from a local butcher shop she found. Beautiful piece of meat, and cooked up to where it fell apart with your fork.
I'd planned to put her snow tires on last weekend, but BOTH batteries for my impact wrench went TU, and I didn't feel like fighting with a breaker bar and "helper" pipe. New batteries should be here this week, along with this guy:
It's the Ariens Deluxe 24, and probably what I should have bought in the first place, instead of that wimpy, woke, "green" electric Snow Joe POS I had. Filled up my 5 gallon gas jug, and my 2 gallon jug, with a shot of Sta-Bil Marine Grade gas stabilizer in each. I have no idea how much fuel these burn in ~45 minutes of use, but I guess I'll find out soon enough. It's getting here before the first snow, so I'll have time to learn how to run it. I'm a little cheesed at Lowe's, as they showed them in stock locally, but mine's taking NINE days to get here from when I ordered it. No idea where or what warehouse it's coming from, but it sure ain't local!
And I'm still fighting with the KLH stereo that's on the bench. I spent a couple of hours on the turntable/record changer getting it to work and track properly. It was another case of petrified lubricant that had to be flushed out and replaced, and getting some stuck parts loose on the tone arm/pick-up so I could adjust the tracking force for this specialized use of 78RPM records only. I now have it to the point where "it works", but it still has issues. One of the channels keeps dropping out, and I'm tracking down what's causing it. This unit was made in early 1972, cost about $200, and was never designed to last 50 years, so I'm dealing with a very elderly patient here......
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Good you are getting prepared. Some forecasts I've seen are for a wet winter. Hope so, we need the water for next summer.
ReplyDeleteAt least trying to do some of the things I've learned to do. Going to pull all the hoses and watering stuff in the next few days and put the little "hats" on the outside faucets.
DeleteI don't mind using a machine to clear the snow, but no-way, no-how, am I going to shovel it. The small area by the front door and the walkway is bad enough!
Whoooo-hooooo!!!!
ReplyDeleteCan you video unboxing it? Can you, would you?
Or not. Glad you're getting a real blower. That will assure that there is plenty of moisture but no piling of snow this winter.
It arrived, on a pallet, no less, about 20 minutes ago.
DeleteI'll take pix and post later today.
We spray all the snow contact areas with a silicone spray that will dry.
ReplyDeleteThe plug-in electric starter beats the snot out of pulling the rope on an ice cold engine.
I wish we'd bought that one instead of the Husky.
I used silicone on the electric blower I had, and my friends back in Illinois swear by WD-40. Got a can of the Arien's "Sno Jet" or whatever it's called, and I'll try that.
DeleteBe aware that after the engine breaks in, the fuel consumption will noticeable improve. Be sure to check the belt tensions before use. Learned that one the hard way.
ReplyDeleteAfter I get it unboxed and set up, I'll run it for a while to see how it starts and moves.
DeleteI'll read the manual about break-in. I bought a quart of their recommended oil for it. I usually change the oil on stuff like this right after the break-in.
Damsel and I just finished cutting down the three "Pride of Barbados" shrubs in the courtyard since their season is over. It took two loads in our trash bin to get the job done. They will come back next spring as they always do.
ReplyDeleteNow to drain the spa and we'll be done with winterization here.
You have to cut them down after the season? They come back from a stump? I don't know much about desert flora, so I'll have to look those up.
DeleteGot the hoses in, and the hats on the faucets, then went running around getting some other stuff. The unboxing of the Snow Monster will begin shortly....
Cutting the shrubs down is optional and some leave them intact, but it works better in our courtyard if we clear them out. Sometimes called "Red Bird of Paradise," these shrubs are nearly ubiquitous in the lower deserts. And the flowers - OMG! Only during the warmer months, though.
DeleteOK, I've seen Red Bird of Paradise plants before. VERY pretty when blooming.
DeleteWe had some of these in Long Beach: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strelitzia_reginae
SLW said her Mother always called them "Painted Ladies".
That sucker 'should' take care of your snow issues...
ReplyDeleteSLW looked at it after I rolled it out of the box, and said (apologizes to Dirty Harry), "My...That's A BIG One!".
DeleteShe also said she was very happy we bought a gas-powered unit. I'll have a post on it tonight after I get it put together, move the TWO pallets it was on, and get the other boxing materials out of the garage.
Haha. Slow Joe. (I know, Slow Joe) No wonder it didn't work. ;-)
ReplyDeleteGreat news about the Little Guy and all the family! And SLW is obviously doing well, so praise God for that. :)
You all be safe and God bless.
She's doing great, Linda. Very little pain, except when she over does it, and her exercises are helping her get the flexibility back.
DeleteThanks you, and others, for the prayers.
About those tires. Hook the socket and bar to the nut to the bar is about horizontal, brace both hands against the car, and step on the bar. Works for tightening too. A ratcheting torque wrench is great for this, just turn the setting way up. Also, I got a 12V plug in impact wrench from Horrid Fright. Pull the trigger, it winds up and goes "clunk" once, then winds up again. Very nice for impromptu cold weather work.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I've done things like that with a cheater bar before. Just didn't feel like doing it then.
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