Jul 14 - a productive day ?

Time will tell ...

I had a variety of projects on tap yesterday.

First off, I de-installed the screen on the basement door; removed the basement sliding door (just the slider side); removed the old fridge door; moved the old fridge outside; replaced the sliding door; packed the fridge on the 4-wheeler trailer; took said fridge to the dump.

At the dump I untied the rope, bungees and tie-downs (ok, I probably overdid it) with one eye on the two bears sitting at the top of the dump about 30 feet away. I watched them while they watched me. I unloaded the fridge, manhandling it into the "fridges here" place. I then drove the 4-wheeler (I had left the motor running the entire time) towards said bears and they moved out of the way and I looked down the slope ... to see five more bears. Yikes. Perhaps I should get a bear license this fall instead of deer ! It would be like my ice fishing -- sit in house and shoot, with garbage as bait !

Ok, that was my first project. Next I prepped the box trailer for transporting the fridge and for Jason's use carrying furniture. I installed two plywood strips 12" wide by 7' long with recessed tie-down rings. I also put a couple of rings at the front of the trailer. It's a project that I've been planning ever since I bought the thing and the tie-down rings (like trap-door pulls) have been sitting on my workbench since April 2008.

One of the worst parts of doing a project like this is dealing with the tools -- circular saw, drill, jig saw, square, screws, tie-downs etc. etc. all up to the barn and then back down stairs. Everything is so much closer and easier in FL. While I was at it I swept the barn. It had collected a lot of leaves and dirt from parking vehicles in there.

I put varathane on some IKEA shelf parts and later in the evening assembled those, finding that I forgot the shelf support pins in FL so I cannot install all of the shelves. I'll pick up some more at IKEA.

I put screen around all of the bat-holes, or at least all of the bat-holes that I think are useable by bats, and cotton batten in the holes. The cotton will show me whether bats went out the holes last night. I'll replace cotton in the holes today to see if any are going back in. It's time to get rid of the bats ... I'd say once and for all, but nothing in life is that permanent !

... and after dinner (stuffed rainbow trout, broccoli from the garden & lettuce from the garden) I went fishing and caught another mess of crappie. Yes, they're still biting down by Smith's Bay Landing. For the first time, however, it was only crappie -- no catfish, no rock bass, no pickerel. The new fish basket worked out well.

I think that I did another couple of small things but I forget.

The sun is out but I have not checked the forecast. Originally there were supposed to be showers today, but perhaps later. Yesterday was sunny and warm, no flies during the day (yay !).

The grass is getting long again. I have to go into town and re-fill my jerry cans and mail off my brevet card from the LOL 1000.

Oh yes, that reminds me, I sorted out all my stuff from the ride, repacked my packs etc. that had been open on the floor with stuff strewn around to ensure that everything dried out.

If it doesn't rain today I really should go for a bike ride. My legs don't hurt this morning; time to ride again !

That's it ...