Stocking the woodshed every year is very time-consuming but seems less so because I do it a little at a time and it’s kind of a constructive process. Emptying it didn’t actually take as long as two hours but it seemed to go on forever.
And all the time I was doing it this morning, I was thinking about improvements I could make. The hoopshed is an unexpectedly successful makeshift, but I think that since I’m in construction mode this summer anyway I’m going to retire it. For one thing I’m thoroughly sick of building condos for rats*.
I recently acquired a whole bunch of hardware cloth. Of course I could never keep a woodshed entirely rat-free, but at least I could build one where it wasn’t convenient for generations of them to build all the way at the back, essentially ruining a bunch of wood. Also the tarpaulin roof and pallet floor are never good for more than a couple of seasons, and flexible walls are not good for keeping neat piles neat. I’ve settled on what will probably be the new permanent location, so maybe I should plan on a pole barn with stockade walls, lined with hardware cloth, rather than a rebuilt hoopshed.
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* Sidebar: I met what was until this morning the current occupant. He (we stood so close for so long, I know it was definitely a he) acted as though he couldn’t believe what was happening, like a welfare queen finally facing the eviction crew after months of threatening letters. He seemed more outraged and unbelieving than frightened. Should have brained him with a piece of firewood while we were there.
Yes. Oh yes. Yes. Yes. Yes you should have brained him with a piece of firewood. And you didn’t because….?????? a. he stood and faced you like a man and deserves respect; b. he wasn’t doing you any harm except exposing you to multiple viral diseases and disgusting blood sucking vermin; c. he was furry and cute; d. you have all the meat you need right now.
Because he’s Uncle Joel and a belly laugh is better than a bullet(or piece of firewood) when encountering the king of the realm. Or not….
Hey. I’m the king of this bitsy realm. The rat is just one of those revolting peasants you hear about.
So it wasn’t Pajama Boy, then? In that case, it wasn’t worth the potential injury from chucking a chunka wood at him. On the other hand, if it had been PB or NP or LD or a whole buncha other possibilities, then it would have been totally worth the risk.
hey joel, thanks for the tip on the batteries the other day. even though the terminals looked okay, there was corrosion under the connections blocking the flow. as soon as i cleaned them the batteries began to equalize. weird hard film of corrosion, not the flaky, crusty stuff i’m used to.
River there’s a terminal protection spray that is purple. Sprays on like spray paint. It works great to seal and protect terminals. For inside the connection use dielectric grease. Corrosion will be a thing of the past
goober, thanks. that’s what i did, this time around.