Finished up the fenceposts for D&L’s riding arena this morning. All treated 4X6s, most of them planted 3 feet down. I assumed they were planning a fence to protect any horses who happened to be training in there from the admittedly remote danger of an elephant or rhino stampede until D told me the fencing material will consist of 2″ and 4″ nylon strapping. To which I may have responded something to the effect of “WTF, over?” Turns out they traded the fenceposts for a never-used Jeep soft top kit, and 10′ 4X6 posts is just what they were. So that’s what we planted. Thursday we’re going to the big town about 50 miles away and will return with a 10′ gate, among other things like glaucoma meds.
Ghost gets his very own bed. Regular readers will recall that Ghost, who isn’t as young as he used to be, has gradually decided he wants his very own napping space that he shares with nobody. The space he chose was my reading chair, a claim I disputed. I bought him a cheap Wal-mart bed and that was marginally acceptable except that Little Bear liked to lay across it just to be a jerk, so it caused more trouble than it solved. This weekend Landlady brought him the miniature couch above, which he has immediately taken to. It’s high enough and small enough not to attract LB.
Also delivered this weekend was an elaborate care package from a reader who shall remain nameless, mostly because I couldn’t read the name on the return address even though from the packaging I think he’s sent me a few before. Thanks very much for the goodies, and a funny story which resulted…
Among the goodies and useful stuff was a strangely-constructed double plastic bag, the point of which escaped me completely. Inside the inner bag was some sort of white granular material. “Weaponized anthrax?” I guessed. Landlady, similarly perplexed, scooped up a handful of the material just as I reached the bottom of the care package and found a piece of cardboard the contributor had helpfully included, which explained that the bag was a ‘double doodie’ for use in waterless toilets. The white stuff was a ‘biochemical something-something’ which does you can guess what. To which Landlady responded something to the effect of “Ew! I’ve got ‘doodie’ stuff on my hands!” and hand-washing ensued.
Today I’m eating care-package bacon, most appreciatively.
I have also used 10′ 4 by 6s for fence posts, but mostly just for corners. I never buy those things that they sell at Home Depot and call fence posts. Too short! If you go to the trouble to dig a post hole, you may as well put a good post in the ground.
I see you paint the part that goes in the ground. Is that some sort of anti-termite treatment?
Yeah.
Old timers who did fence work would ‘blow torch’ the post surface that was just above and below ground level. This charring was supposed to slow down wood rot (ever notice how long charcoal will last when left exposed to elements ?). That was the theory – I don’t know for sure that it was proven or not.