Author Archives: Joel

Early on in each year’s building season I usually have a little encounter with dehydration, just to remind me that the issue doesn’t go away over the winter, it just sort of hibernates. Doesn’t usually happen as early as April, … Continue reading →

Seen this morning at a breakfast restaurant on the way to the big town about 50 miles away…

I’ve kept it in the Jeep’s gear bag, reasoning that if a need arose for a length of really kickass rope it would likely happen around the Jeep. But no need sufficiently urgent appeared, and I certainly wasn’t going to … Continue reading →

Sorry, I had this all ready to go first thing this morning but my connection went away. Then we’ve been busy till now. But yeah: The last windstorm (peak gusts 63 mph, which is a respectable gale) did the last … Continue reading →

For years I’ve been a little reluctant to post pics of the front of the Secret Lair, because of its rather comical shortcomings in the roof flashing department. Got tired of the “You’re supposed to have drip molding up there, … Continue reading →

I’ve carefully avoided wearing my new BDU trous during painting sessions, but forgot to switch to old boots before yesterday afternoon… Ah, well. It does no real harm. It’s the principle of the thing, I suppose…

Fortunately we were at a Tractor Supply yesterday, and I finally remembered to get a heavier-duty throwbolt latch for the chicken house door, one that can bolt right through the door instead of just adding new drywall screws for the … Continue reading →

Spent a very great deal of time in the car today. And coming home, BB’s car presented me with proof that I have indeed ended up in my perfect promised land.

So yesterday we got a lot done but couldn’t reach completion because neither of us knew how to miter an inside corner on crown molding. If I’d just bought a bunch of baseboard and used that at the ceiling we … Continue reading →

…a Dick’s Sporting Goods spokesperson announced that their entire remaining inventory of “assault weapons” had been lost in a tragic canoing accident. Yeah, that would be funny. Instead, Dick’s went full dick. After announcing policies that most gun owners saw … Continue reading →

Got an early start, finishing up yesterday’s work… A little figgerin’ out still required on the ceiling fan, but when we were done… …it works! It’s a little weird, but it works. Need to kind of reach through spinning blades … Continue reading →

It’s cold and blowy even by my standards, and Big Brother comes from a much more nearly tropical state than here. So the plan was to do indoor stuff as much as possible. I did set up the generator and … Continue reading →

Can’t get pictures to this computer (yet), but we did figure out how to get this old Compaq laptop BB sent me a few years ago to connect to the hotspot. Which makes it a viable Plan B at last. … Continue reading →

Safe and well, and presumably happy to be off the road for a bit. One of the things we needed to work out was his degree of actual desert mobility. He has a hybrid SUV, which – as we have … Continue reading →

You probably have just the weapon for it right in your toolbox. You terrorist, you. 😉

I’m afraid I pressure-tested my cerebral arteries first thing this morning. I’ve become somewhat addicted fond of this damned iPhone I previously spent so many years laughing at, to the point where I use it for entertainment/instruction during otherwise routine … Continue reading →