Oct 9 - whatever

I forgot to mention key activities from Thursday the 7th -- of course I went over to Arnstein Garage first thing and they installed my new tires.  They are so thorough; the owner (don't know his name) taking the car out for a short drive to road-test and then adjusting tire pressures.  I then reset the tire pressure monitor.


He noted a bearing sound; I hadn't been sure whether it was a bearing sound or simply tires worn down to harder rubber, but it's still there.  Once home, I jacked each wheel of the car but they all spin freely.  Once the bearing, whichever one it is, gets more worn then you can feel it with a hand spin.  I've been through this before.  One trip to Florida one of the bearings was annoyingly loud and you could feel it.  If I recall, that was the left front.  At the time the mechanic noted that the left rear was also going ... but I drove the car another 80,000 miles, I think, and traded it in without that bearing ever becoming an issue.  Bearing replacement isn't terrifically expensive and can be done by the tire places.  Tire Kingdom did the one on the old X5.

With that trip to the Arnstein I also got rid of the snow tires and rims from the old X5.  A trip later in the day to the dump cleared out the garbage cans from my workroom and the barn.  I sopped up the last bit of gas in the power washer gas tank and brought it inside.  Progress is being made !

I'd hoped to pick up mail as well but went back through Loring before the post office opens at 11am. I did stop at Home Hardware and picked up all the parts necessary to add the snifter valve to my well head but won't tackle that until Jason's here at the same time, next Spring.  I can't take a chance that I might run into some difficulty.

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Another job half-done -- I went into Loring for the mail and to drop off three large containers of used motor oil; the garage was closed; must have closed up early for Thanksgiving.  Clapperton's Garage has a special stove that burns used motor oil cleanly, so I take oil-change effluent to him.  When sitting and chatting with Art and Daryl at Arnstein Garage (Art was in there for car service as well), I also asked Daryl about cooking oil and the answer was yes; so I can also dispose of my turkey fryer oil -- sorry Bears, you don't get it !

Back home, the oil went into the garage awaiting another trip which probably won't be until Christmas.  I told the post office lady that she'll be holding mail until then.

David and I took the 3 and 4-wheeler over to check out the new driveway at the last cottage.  The 3-wheeler took a shot of Quick Start to get it going at first but then behaved itself.  None of these things like sitting around in the cold and damp but I don't have much choice.  I'd have to have a small section of the garage set aside for all these gas powered items that's kept warm, but then again, it would also have to be ventilated if there is the possibility of fuel evaporation -- it's not going to happen. 

We split and piled that maple; another cord away in the woodshed.  The new engine on the splitter that Jim Matthews gave me behaved itself.  The first time in use it would stop every five minutes and start again right away with a pull ... this time it didn't stop until we turned it off.  Clearly it simply needed some break in time.  It's now away in the barn, fuel stabilizer and all ... yet another gas engine that would appreciate occasional use. 

A couple of weeks ago I ran the snow blower and the gas generator for about 15 minutes each.  Speaking of fuel stabilizer, I added some to Sandy's car's tank as it will shortly be put away for the winter as well.  I'll drive it to Britt on Sunday for Mass to give it a good mixing and then pump up the tires and put it away in the garage, battery minder in place.  The Stihl chain saw weed whacker will be the last things to be dealt with and put away; they'll be in the basement.

The day was cloudy for the most part then clearing.  Right now the thermometer shows 33F and will likely drop lower than that, but it's still warm in the house from the fire being on all day yesterday.  On Thursday it hit 33F by dawn and when I was driving to Arnstein, there was frost on 522 with the temperature reading 29F.  We haven't had a frost here yet and this morning will be the coldest it's going to get before we leave Wednesday a.m.

We had lamb for dinner -- excellent -- chops and ribs.  David likes lamb in the marinade that Sandy prepares, then cooked on the barbie.  Tonight will be turkey, with Stef, Aaron, Kate, Lauren, Kylie and Chris added to the mix -- 9 of us.  If I remember, I'll take a Thanksgiving Day 2015 picture.  Stef hadn't decided yet, as of last night, whether they'll stay overnight tonight.  Kylie and Chris are planning on staying tonight and Sunday night. 

Tomorrow, Sunday, the weather is supposed to be beautiful, kayaking weather for sure.  Today is supposed to be partly cloudy and cool.  Monday will probably be the day that David and I do the gazebo and dock work; putting them away for the winter.

Someone has been in at the Carters; we saw Dennis's lights last night so he's in; a crowd is in at Simms; Kaleta was in past Simms but I don't know if they're still in; not sure about Sherar's ... didn't see any action at Brooks or Reddick.

Sheldon Stillar passed away a little while ago and my understanding from Art is that Bernice won't stay here by herself during the winter.  I think that we're down to Art and Ernie permanently resident on Osprey Road.  In the last year we've lost Stillar's and Matthews.  On the tax roll, we and Wayne Kostesky are the only other ones with Loring / Port Loring mailing addresses.  Wayne has a place in Southern Ontario where he alternates; I'm not sure which he has declared as his home address but he's not here all the time.

There was boat traffic in the dark on the lake last night as we were eating dinner; people heading to water access properties on Wolf River, likely. 

I checked out the work on Osprey Road -- I wish that they'd filled in the corners a little more but that can take place over time.  It's a heck of a lot better than it was.

That's about it.  Four busy days ahead and then we leave.

Onward !