Making it through another year, '23-'24

[doc henderson]

How To Determine Wind Direction With One Finger - Old Indian Trick (youtube.com)

[WV Sawmiller]

OK - good video.

Reminds me of that the old Indian Word for Poor Hunter or Poor Fisherman is "VEGETARIAN".

[Old Greenhorn]

Doc I had no idea............... That anybody on the planet did not know that yet.  I think I learned that when I was 5 year old as one of my first lessons in physics. Interesting that the guy in the video managed to keep me watching for the whole 6 minutes or so, and one simple point. Something everybody should know.
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Howard I am not seeing how you were reminded of that joke, but OK.
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 SO today was one of those rare days when I felt like a regular working man. I was on the road by 8:30 and delivered a load of logs about an hour to the east. I also measured up for a bathroom counter top the client would like made. That will be long term and she is in no hurry. I have to find wood for it first.
 She also gave me a nice little ERC log, about 14" on the butt, 8' long, and 10" on the SED.  Amazingly it has zero butt rot hole!  So I am looking forward to getting this milled up and stickered soon. Not a lot of wood and it might have a lot of sapwood, but I think I can get some nice boards out of it and it was a nice gift. I had a nice drive both ways through horse farm country. Barely saw a car the whole way.

 SO Bill called when I was with the client to let me know they were working around the shop today and if I needed his help pushing some trees, he could do that.. So I headed back and went right to his place, after checking in with him, I dragged the log off the truck at the mill, then grabbed a saw and looked those trees over again. Two carbon copies of the one that gave me a hard time. The wind was still coming from the ENE, not great, but not a lot of wind. NAH! I don't need no stinkin' push!! I grabbed a small wedge and a whacker. I did the same cut I used on that white oak a week or so ago with the wedge through the middle and both trees went over like duck soup. No problem. I was down to a t-shirt when I finished up, sweating like mad.
 So I bucked those up and staged them for later pickup.  I think I am about at 90 logs against my next order of 150. I just gotta keep plugging along. I was shot, so I went up and lent a hand with the cleanup work they were doing, then headed home, unloaded the truck, stoked up the shop fire that dies out and got in the house around 5pm.  Tomorrow the plan is to grab another 3 or 4 trees. I have to see how the legs and back hold up, my back is still healing up.
 One things for sure, I should sleep OK tonight, I'm tired again.

 Tomorrow is another day, and the wind is not supposed to exceed 10mph.

[WV Sawmiller]

Tom,
   I am concerned that you are not listening but who am I to complain about what others do.

    As to why one thing reminds me of another - don't ask. It just happens. Normal is not in my vocabulary.

[doc henderson]

i also kept watchng thinking there might be a clever something   but no.  It was stating the obvious and thought to be funny.  i was looking for an animated Wylee coyote or something.  did not find it.

[doc henderson]

(525) Wile E Coyote And The Road Runner In "Goner With The Wind" - YouTube

[WV Sawmiller]

  That reminds me ... Oh, never mind.

[Old Greenhorn]

...........

    As to why one thing reminds me of another - don't ask. It just happens. Normal is not in my vocabulary.

Thanks Howard, that clears some stuff up for me. Actually you and Doc run in similar trenches sometimes.

[21incher]

Reminds me of that country song "I have friends in low places" 

[gspren]

Reminds me of that country song "I have friends in low places" 

I resemble that remark.

[Old Greenhorn]

Yes 21, I have that song on regular rotation in my truck play list. I was singing along with it on my way home yesterday as a matter of fact. Garth has always been a favorite and a fella I know, Pat Alger who is originally from up here in Woodstock had written a number of sings for Garth that he made into hits.
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Well today was another one, last night I was in bed an hour early, couldn't keep my eyes open anymore. Tonight might be the same, or earlier. I started out by sanding and putting another coat on that table top, maybe the last? Then I pulled out all the polishing junk and started buffing up another cookie mirror. I had sanded the epoxy and wanted to see if I could just sand with 600 then go the the buffer and work my way up in shine with the 3 pad system. Works pretty good. I think I'll set the mirror and put in in stock for sale. Not perfect, but pretty good.
Then I went out and split some wood and stacked same. Took a short break, then headed to Bill's. Found out he would really like me to clear my staged wood from the new cut-through he put in so he could unload the log truck there. I thought he put that in for me so I could get in there with a small machine to take out the logs I still had to cut in the back. He did, but thought I would have those logs out sooner (like... the next day?).
So that meant I had a lot of work to do today. Getting the staged logs was easy, but I still had 5 more trees in there I will lose access to when he fills that hole up with logs. He offered to delay or find another way, but I don't want to interfere with what he needs to get done, he already does a lot for me I can't reciprocate. So I had at it. One tree had a oddball log leaning on it, so I had to throw a chain on it and pull it off 'my tree', cut it, buck the logs, and then let the log go back. I had to drop the tree onto the log pile then climb up and do my bucking and limbing. Tight work in a hole and I had to throw my logs out over the log pile. The joys of taking damaged trees in bad places. So that consumed a lot more time than it should for just 4 logs.
The I moved to the next 3 trees in a clump, 2 went down no problem, had to wedge both (back leaners) and I laid them right next to each other for easy limbing, marking and bucking. I will say, this hickory seems to have some really hard spots. 
By the third tree I was breathing heavy and pretty tired. I got sloppy. It had a lot of back weight, I made my notch way too deep. There was no hazard involved and I was sloppy. Got my notch in and just as I was swinging around to start the bore cut for the wedge, that tree just rolled over backwards. Oh well. no big deal, just a bit more work (OK, ore than 'a bit", it was a PITA, but I did it to myself) and back up on the log pile I go. I got 3/4 of that one bucked up, bucked the other 2 trees, and left the remainder of the wildcat tree up on the log pile I have to climb up from the other side to get it off any way and there is all the brush to deal with, my legs were getting like jello. I had to get all these logs out.  SO I started bucking and as nearly done when I heard something funny from my saw like a BRAT BRAT type noise. I thought the muffler fell off (again), I had the 350, but it (the muffler) was just dead loose, leaking and floating back on forth on the bots, so I shut it down and walked to the truck, found tools and fixed it. no sense burning up a saw, and I like that little thing. Then I took the shortcut hike climbing up the hill to get the buggy. Except.. the buggy ( a bobcat SxS) is full of OWB wood and backed up to the OWB. So what's a decrepit and tired old man to do? I grabbed the Toolcat with the forks. Actually a better choice but a tad big and heavy to get into the area I needed to work. But the forks allow me to dump the logs into my truck bed, so there is that. But I MAY have been a little rough on it going over those rocks to get through the hole in the wall. I managed to get all the logs on in one shot, so only once in and out. Got those loaded in the truck and went back and picked up the logs I had previously cut and staged by the road, and loaded them up. The I drove the Toolcat back up and put it back, and took the shortcut back down, loaded my tools and headed home with 44 logs. So that is, in fact, a good day by itself. Anything around 10 logs per hour is good for an old guy, I was in there about 5 hours today.
I got home and unloaded them onto the stack. I just need 30 more logs to finish the current order (#3). I will get the last tree in the same area from the far side access tomorrow (body function permitting) and cleanup that top I left on the log pile (maybe 2 logs max). Probably go back in and dice up the brush a bit more to make it flat and leave it all clean, then move back up the hill into the woods to take a much larger hickory. I don't expect to hit the 30 logs tomorrow (based on the trees), but will get closer. I am again running out of flagged trees. (A couple of days ago I told the client I didn't see anyway I would have them until Monday if things went well, so I guess I am staying a little ahead. Friday looks to be a rainout.) I really did a lot of climbing around today ad my legs starting cramping really bad when I was halfway through this post. worst I've had in a long time and it didn't clear when I got up and walked around. 6 Tums later and I am feeling much better, cramps all gone, even the ones in my hands. This harvest is really wearing me out more than usual. Tired as I am this dermatitis is really raging along. Today it was warm and I worked in a t-shirt with no gloves and my arms look like they are on fire. Now it's full length from my finger tips to nearly my armpits. So after unloading I took a shower and then wiped down once again in hydrocortisone cream (gotta make another run for that stuff, just got 2 tubes last week and one is already about gone). That seemed to help a bit. I can't wait for this agony to go away, the itching, bad sleep, and  raw skin is starting to get a little old. After I finish this order I have 275 logs to go. So at this point, I am more than halfway through, but the logs are starting to show sap movement (contributing to my skin issues I think) and I don't like that. Can't change it though. I don't see any cold coming in the forecast that would make a difference. I think spring is fully hear. (It hit 69.7° today) Now I have to beat the buds beginning to swell. That is the death knoll for the 'winter harvest' season.
As rough as it sometimes may be for me (and it never gets really bad, just unpleasant sometimes) my days are much harder work but it still beats all heck out of sitting at a CAD station making designs and sitting in conference rooms debating which colors should be used on a chart explaining things that don't matter to any human being that will ever see them. Life is better now. Hard work is good for the soul, even if it doesn't do much for the bank account, although that is nice too.
I'm tired, tomorrow is another day.

[doc henderson]

there are otc barrier lotions that block allergens.  do not know the names.

[Larry]

I thought the muffler fell off (again), I had the 350, but it (the muffler) was just dead loose, leaking and floating back on forth on the bots, so I shut it down and walked to the truck, found tools and fixed it. no sense burning up a saw, and I like that little thing.

I bought a 350 25 years ago. After 22 years the muffler decided to get loose and after I tightened it the thing would get loose in just a short time. Don't know what caused it but it was really irritating. Last attempt, I put some Loktite on the threads but it's not resistant to heat so I also added lock washers. No problems for two years now.....maybe it knows if it does it one more time it will go on Marketplace.

[Old Greenhorn]

Don't put it on marketplace Larry, that is SUCH a hassle with all the bozos there. JUst send it to me. I'll give you 20 bucks for it. 

[Old Greenhorn]

there are otc barrier lotions that block allergens.  do not know the names.

Well DUH! Forgot about that. I have a couple of tubes around that I bought when you first recommended it back in '20/21. Guess i should try that today.

[doc henderson]

remember they are topical...  not per rectum!  

[Old Greenhorn]

Thanks for the tip.

[doc henderson]

no, it does not come with a tip, it goes directly on your skin!!!!  
you are welcome, good luck.

[WV Sawmiller]

remember they are topical...  not per rectum! 

Thanks for the tip.

  Now you tell me!

Can you spell Supoertory Supozitory Soupozitory Supository suppository ? 

[doc henderson]

a lotion would have to be frozen to be a suppository.  good luck.

[Old Greenhorn]

Only if you take it out of the tube.  Either way sounds unpleasant.

[WV Sawmiller]

  Maybe its a cultural thing but when working overseas the American and British doctors on our projects gave shots and pills while the French doctor prescribed suppositories. 

[Hilltop366]

Maybe that's why my ancestors left France in the 1600's.  

[Old Greenhorn]

Maybe that's why my ancestors (Vikings) never visited France, even though they took in a lot of other points in Europe. 
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Doc, You're a fart smeller smart feller! I used that barrier cream today before heading out and it sure did help. No it didn't keep me 'clean' and the work still had an adverse affect, but nothing like yesterday when all I could think of was getting done and getting in the shower. Today was bearable. I also kept my sleeves rolled down and buttoned and wore my gloves. None of that has really helped much in the past, but today was bearable. And it was hard to keep that long sleeve shirt on given that I was sweating like mad and got pretty wet, but I wanted to see if it would work, and it helped a lot. Temp hit 69.6° here today. I still have nearly 300 logs to go and just want to hang in there until it's done. I guess I should have thought of it, but I didn't, so thanks for the kick in the head.
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I started the day needing 25 logs, plus extras, so 30 logs, to finish the current order of 150. I didn't think I'd make it because I don't have many flagged trees left and the first two I had to do I knew would burn up a bunch more time than average, being in rough locations. The first was that top laying up on the log pile. Well Bill had unloaded the log truck in my access hole that I cleared out yesterday and while he was unloading, he saw that top and it was within reach, so he picked it and laid it right where it was VERY easy for me to work on it. Took minutes to limb it and get 4 decent logs off of it. It took a half hour to drag all the branches to a spot about a half mile away where I could dice them up and dump them in a no impact area where they can rot or grow babies.
 The second tree was back in that hole where my frontal access is now blocked off. But I could get in a back way, just not with my truck. So I felled the tree and hit my (small) target hole right on the money and just missed 2 keeper trees, then I limbed it all up, but didn't buck it. I drove up and swapped my truck for the Toolcat which JUST made it between the log stacks, after I moved some 'stuff'. I threw a chain over the top of the stem, lifted and dragged it out to an easy work spot. I bucked it all up and loaded on the forks, as I was swinging around to get out I landed my eyes on a perfect little staged pile of logs I had cut a week ago, but had no access to get out, so I stacked them on bunks and left them. I forgot all about them. So I put two very full fork loads in my truck and it was overfull. A tad over 40 logs, but mostly above average in size, so the truck was sagging.  Glad it's only 2 miles home at no more than 25mph. I unloaded and guess what? I was tired.  I needed about 155 logs for the order (I always give extras) and I have about 165-170 in 3 stacks. So I am good. Only about 300 logs to go and I can close the book on this season. Yeah, that's still a lot of logs I have to find trees for. I've cut 400 so far.
 I needed to do a beer run trip to home depot for screws, caulking, and other stuff for the trailer. The fenders showed up today and tomorrow could be a rain out of sorts, so I might as well work on that. I did some piddling on that when I got home. I think I may have ordered fenders that are a bit too narrow, so not happy about that at all. but lets see what I find when I get the old ones off. (Let's not be hasty, I did measure, maybe they sent the wrong ones. I have to check it all out. Maybe it's all good, I just did a quick check and it seemed narrow.)
 Tomorrow's another day, maybe I can get some rest while I am working.

[doc henderson]

fart smeller.  "you funny" as the Asian kid short round on Indiana Jones would say.  I actually laughed out loud, not just the saying!