Work Projects

I rested Monday as planned and went back to work Tuesday after lunch at Acapulco. I had several things that needed attention on the tent trailer, the bus and the Lazy OD Ranch. I have made a little progress on all of them.

Tent Trailer

When Dad was helping me move the tent trailer after taking the tent down Saturday I noticed a little problem with the tongue jack. It is hydraulic and it sounded like it had air in the line or something. I checked the reservoir and it was low but not extremely low. I went to the auto parts store to buy some hydraulic fluid and left empty handed.

Who knew they make different viscosity hydraulic fluids? Let me see your hands? Well, I sure did not. For normal hydraulic operations there are two, AW 32 (10W) and AW 46 (15W). They can pretty much be used interchangeably but you can not mix them. My 1997 Featherlite trailer had no sticker or label to let me know which was in it.

I researched on line and asked every one I could think of with no answers. Then I called a Featherlite dealer and he gave me the number to THE Featherlite guy the "knows everything about Featherlites." You know what? He really does.

He told me Featherlite uses neither AW 32 or AW 46 in their lifts. They use ATF or automatic transmission fluid. Mystery solved. I topped off the tank like he told me and hopefully that takes care of it.

Barn

I have several electrical things I want to do in the barn and I have tackled four of them this week. 

There were two GFI receptacles on the outside of the barn in an inside type box. It was so un-weather proof that whoever put them in screwed an ugly vinyl flap over it to keep the rain out. The wiring was also run in PVC on the outside of the barn. I removed the PVC, routed the wire on the inside of the barn and put the GFI outside in a nice weather proof box and cover.

I have two strips of 8' florescent lights that light up the whole barn. There is no reason to turn all of those on when I enter the barn. So I put the two 4' florescent lights that I mounted over the work bench in December on a switch by the door. 

I also mounted a 4' LED inside the front of the barn and switched it at the door.

There is also a platform on the other side of the barn where we stored a bunch of stuff up top and I created a tool crib underneath. I mounted another 4' LED in the tool crib and put it on a switch. That  is all the electrical I plan to do while home this time.

I really like these 4' LED lights.

Bro. Trenton Metheny from Riverdale California showed me these. They hung them on the center poles of their new tent and I may try the same later this year. They are very bright and light and are supposed to last a long time.

I also changed the lock on the man door on the barn with new keys for all.

Bus

My bus project for the week has been a long time in the making. I have been wanting to change the coolant in the generator which ended up being much easier than anticipated. Since I was going to have the coolant out I wanted to change the hoses and that ended up being much more difficult than anticipated.

The old hoses.

The hose at the top in the picture ABOVE goes through the wall of the quiet box to the top of the radiator. It was a specialty hose that cost me 10+ trips into three different auto parts stores. Yes, I am on a first name basis with several new friends.

The hose in the bottom of the picture ABOVE goes through the wall of the quiet box to the bottom of the radiator. It is actually three different shaped hoses glommed together to get the job done. 3 or 4 of those previously mentioned trips into the parts stores involved finding the correct hoses to recreate that.

I would have missed this hose below completely if it had not been for the good folks at Martin generator that asked me if I had ever changed it. It is behind the guard that also covers a belt that I knew nothing about until last year. I special ordered the hose in the spring and changed it and the belt this week.

This really became a three day project completed between trips to town and other work. I finally got it all put back together yesterday evening, added coolant, cranked it up and let it run about an hour and 40 minutes. The coolant circulates correctly and no leaks. I am calling it good.

The Ranch

I mowed the grass, lots of grass, last week during tent revival with a great push mower that my brother Steve found in the trash. It was a lot of exercise to say the least. My Dad and my cousin Gerald Livingston have been working on a mowing solution for quite a while and it all came together yesterday.

Cousin Gerald sold his place about the time we bought the Ranch in December. He brought his tractor over here to help Dad remove the fence posts and then stored it in the barn. They picked up a finish mower that needed a little TLC and Thursday it was ready to go.

I took a few minutes to mow in the afternoon and it does a fantastic job.

All work and no play makes Davy a very dull boy. 

All work and no eat makes Davy a very sad boy. 

I have been eating a little Acapulco for lunch and Kelly Jo has been fixing a tremendous meal for a late supper. This is chicken, mushrooms, squash, onion and parmesan cheese!  Wow!

I may have missed a thing or two but that is pretty much it. Have a great weekend.

Davy

Ethanol or Not?

Can you read the screen?

Be nice to your lawn mover. Non Ethanol gas available here.

Really? Non Ethanol is available here? Not at this pump or any other pump I could find at this station.

Every pump had the sticker that said Contains up to 10% Ethanol.

I think some one was a little mixed up, don't you?

That gas pump started my mind whirling. 

Does my signage conflict with everything else I am advertising? 

Does my screen say Christian? Preacher? Clergy? Church Member? Bible Reader?

Do my actions say something much less?

What if some one I come in contact today with needs a Christian? They got up this morning with problems too heavy to bear and they are looking for nudge from God. Right on cue, I walk in. They think, "Hey, there is a Christian. His sign says so."

Then they see a sticker on me that declares something besides Christian. I dare say they will not trust my Christian badge and they will likely walk away without their spiritual needs met and even a little worse off for knowing me.

I know that if I pulled into the gas station needing, wanting and expecting Non Ethanol gas and I saw the sticker that says Contains up to 10% Ethanol, I would probably go some where else.

Wouldn't you?

God help us to advertise you and live up to the talk with our walk.

Davy

Taking Down The Tent

I promised I would post the pictures from the tent take down and today is the day to do it. We had a very brief window of dry weather and everyone jumped in and the tent came down and was packed away in a jiffy. I appreciate all of the hard work.

Services were so good that I was really tempted to leave the tent up and go on a few more nights in revival. I ultimately decided against it and I am so glad I did. The weather has been cold and rainy and it would have been plum miserable under the tent in the evenings.

I did almost absolutely nothing but spend time with Kelly Jo on Monday. It was a great day. I intended to keep it up all day on Tuesday but after lunch I fell off the wagon and jumped into a few tent trailer and barn projects. I am right in the middle of several things and I will detail it all later.

We have been on the fence as to whether we should go on toward Oklahoma and Kansas but we have decided to stick around a few more days. I will let you know our plans when I know them.

I hope you enjoy the pictures.

Davy

Here is one before picture and a few after pictures.