# Like a bad rash, I'm back...



## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

One-hit wonder from the past, I hereby revive my presence upon this board, lol. I sold that primo bachelor pad in Benson and made good money doing it, but the real estate market went apesh!t crazy and I wound up being priced out of Arizona. Funny thing, I lived in a tent in Whetstone (Cochise County) with three cats for 109 days before loading a rental truck and driving to my new homestead a few miles south of Alamogordo, NM. During that extended camping venture, I searched listings in half a dozen states: AZ, NM, OK, MO, NC & SC, where fixer homes could still be found in my price range. On Day 88 of checking listings, I stumbled upon this Alamogordo property, and I immediately jumped on it by calling the realtor and making an offer. I gave her the spiel about being a homeless Army vet living in a tent with three cats (technically, I WAS homeless, though I had money in the bank---I just couldn't find a decent fixer home in Arizona). The realtor received a number of calls from people wanting to outbid me, but she told 'em all that the property was "already under contract." I owe her for that, she did NOT have to do it and it actually cost her, but she's a person of integrity... unlike so many realtors out there, lol.

Fast forward to the new digs: a 14' x 80' single-wide in fairly decent shape, with a metal roof, a "mud room" addition and a great front porch. 3 BR, 2 BA, interior not in bad shape, just needs the usual home rehab work... I already swapped out all six original rooftop vent covers (shot-out plastic) with aluminum, and elastomeric coating will soon be applied. But first, I repaint the interior (ceilings & walls where paneling does NOT exist) and roll out two thick coats of Kilz on the wooden floors... a friend & I have been pulling up the funky old carpet & pad to throw down the Kilz, which is essential in my book. My friend is an excellent carpenter, he has already rebuilt the steps & landing on the west side of the trailer, and will soon tackle the front porch on the east side... I'm a pretty good carpenter in my own right, but I'm always willing to farm out work when there's a sh!t ton of work to be done, lol. Reason I'm focused upon painting the interior and putting Kilz down on the floors is this: the carpet installation crew will be here before the month is out, and I have to get that work done prior to their arrival. All else can be done on my own schedule after the new carpet is installed, but I want the "wet work" of painting and applying Kilz to be done before the new carpet arrives. 

A little more info about the new homestead: I have a practically brand-new primo metal shop building on a smooth concrete slab, and an anchored metal dual carport built by the same folks who built the shop---those two structures are worth half of what I paid for the entire property. There's another shed (also on a slab) which is quite serviceable, I'll use it for garden tools & whatnot, but the primo metal shop building is the perfect home for the monster Enduro I bought after getting such a good deal on this Alamogordo spread. A modified KLR 650, more on that later, lol. My _new_ home lies on nearly half an acre of treed land, with 30 pine trees planted decades ago in a rectangular windbreak. Once the hard freezes are over for this winter, I intend to plant a number of fruit trees, a vegetable garden, etc., just to get that whole program started. Soil amendment will be necessary, I reckon, but the locals will help me out there with some advice. Frankly, I'm just happy to have pine trees on my property again, so I can sling my Pawleys Island Hammock between 'em and NOT have to use a ridiculous hammock stand, lol. Hammock time is very important to me, I like watching the birds in the trees while I'm swingin' in the breeze.

Now, I paid $40K cash for this place, and truth be told, it was the best overall value I found in 88 days of checking real estate listings in half a dozen states, 10-4? Property taxes are only around $100 per year---that's important to me, since I'm a cheap bastard and I don't like giving the bloated & fraudulent gubmint any more money than absolutely necessary. I say that as a former USA INF soldier, in case any leftist scum have a problem with it, lol. In a perfect world, all scumbag politicians would be lined up & shot, or hung with friggin' piano wire, but then again, we're not living in a perfect world, are we? So the scumbag politicians remain, kinda like those stubborn problems encountered down at the STD Clinic. Meh, this is why I no longer live in the Big City... I just couldn't take any more of it, even though I spent decades on the beach in Coronado. Born there, in fact, but military, not rich, more's the pity... no worries, the quality of life is actually BETTER in the boondocks, as I've learned during my time in Show Low & Benson, AZ, and now my time in Alamogordo. I'm not actually IN town, thank goodness, I'm off the beaten path and loving every minute of it.

Enough talk, time for photos of my new spread... most folks I talk to tell me I got a pretty good deal on it, and I'm certainly happy to be out of the field, lol. Hey, I love camping, but after 3-1/2 months it gets old, AYE? Sheeee-it, I spent $1000 on firewood alone, buying it by the truckload... propane, ice, and other necessities ratcheted up the cost by another grand, while the usual gourmet grinds and beer easily doubled THAT figure, and then some, lol. Meh, ya do whatcha gotta do to remain comfortable in the field... I was lucky to meet some really cool people during that whole adventure, including my friend Eric the ammo loader, he loaned me an Arctic squad tent 75 days into the whole deal, a burly 10-man U.S. Army tent with Arctic liner to offset the brutally-cold winter temps at elevation in Cochise County. Well, not THAT brutal, only the upper teens, but cold enough to freeze the f#%ing balls off a brass monkey, especially with the raw wind driving the temps even lower. That's when I bought one of those Mr. Heater units to top 5-gallon propane cylinders... that arrangement worked pretty well in the Arctic tent, but ya had to keep a spare cylinder handy or suffer the consequences, lol.

Oh, hell, there I went again... I promised pics of the new spread, but kept yakking about the camping venture, lol. Meh, I'm a long-winded bastard once I get started... the trick is to NOT get me started, AYE? But that camping venture WAS pretty cool, especially after it ENDED, lol. What the f#%, I got to burn steaks & roasts over beds of mesquite embers every night, THAT part of the whole deal was definitely a PLUS... and the night skies above SE AZ are always badass, with a million stars overhead. However, I did NOT sacrifice my Southwestern climate or stargazing by moving here to Alamogordo, the night skies here are also unreal, particularly up above nearby Cloudcroft which pushes 9000' in elevation. After weeks & months of uncertainty in the crazy real estate market, I scored a pretty cool property... let this be a lesson in perseverance to the youngsters out there, just keep trying till ya find the right place, and don't compromise by buying some piece-of-junk trailer some douchebag is trying to unload during the "real estate boom." F#% that, hang on till ya find the right property, otherwise you'll be singin' the blues harder than John Lee Hooker, B.B. King, Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, et al, lol. Trust me on this one. Without any further ado, here are pics of my new spread, y'all feel free to comment upon it, YEAH??? CHEERS!!!


















































































Hmm, only 10 pics per post... meh, y'all can see what overall shape the home is in here, and we've already made heller progress in rehabbing it. There's a primo stone fire ring out front now, we've used it to burn off unwanted lumber scraps, pulled stumps, pine needles & cones, etc. I'm gonna build a paver pad for that BBQ ya see in one photo, I like my BBQ to be on a pad. Most of that funky old carpet has already been ripped up, and good riddance... the carpet crew would've done that as part of the job, but then I wouldn't have had the time to apply two thick layers of Kilz to the wooden floors, something I'll be doing in short order. I like Kilz under the new pad & carpet, it makes a huge difference, even though this home has no funky odors emanating from the wooden floors, lol. Those pine boards ya see in the last pic will be used to construct window sills for the cats, the varnished pine and varnished pine brackets & dowels for curtain rods will look good against that "blonde paneling"---with the fresh paint & new carpet, the home theater room will look good, lol. Got a big ol' 65" curved screen going against that far wall, the leather motorized reclining sofa opposite the TV. It'll be a cool place to hang out once I'm done with it, all I'll need at that point is some country gal who wants to raise goats & chickens... that'll be HER job, lol. Mine will be to tend trees & legally grow some chronic, aye? For personal use only, of course.

Oh, yeah, I almost forgot to list the new items included in this purchase... starting with a brand-new septic system which was installed using money from escrow. All on the seller, even though my money actually paid for it, lol. A new water heater, a new A/C unit outside the home, the new shop building & dual carport I already mentioned. A new washer, a dryer & fridge that still work, a bulletproof U.S.-made Coleman gas furnace, a brand-new kitchen range (I paid for that one), and some classic furniture which conveyed with the home, since the seller couldn't be bothered to remove it. Seller was out of state in the Socialist Republik of Kalifornia, you understand. So I scored all of THAT on top of the generally-good deal on the home itself, go figure. I'll have to post some pics of the furniture and whatnot pronto, along with some shots of the mean ol' thumper I bought once the deal was struck. Funny, I only had $60K cash at the outset (after repaying some debts to family members), but I wound up with a cool home in a cool area, a big ol' thumper to ride to Cloudcroft & Ruidoso Downs, 30 pine trees and nearly half an acre of land, and a whole new lease on life after that insanely uncertain camping venture, lol. Like I said, let this be a lesson in perseverance... and let the good times roll as the spring planting season approaches. CHEERS!!!

'THE RAILSPLITTER' a.k.a. 'SIDEWINDER' in the dirt biking forums (when I'm not gettin' banned for life, LOL)


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Howzabout a pic or two of the mean ol' thumper? As a 'Crusty Demon of Dirt' I'm used to slinging 125s & 250s around like so much hash, but that cannot be done with this bike, due to its size & weight. However, one can still have a blast on this modified KLR 650, a real beast on the trail... just gotta twist the throttle at the appropriate time, and avoid deep sand, ruts traveling in the same direction, etc., etc. Here we go with a few shots, including my "Farewell To Arizona" ride at Cochise Stronghold prior to my departure from that state, lol. 










































Yeah, that'll work, lol... cut-down fairing, mods shedding 30 lbs. of weight, plenty of power, no worries. Here's some of that furniture I mentioned in my previous post, stuff left behind by the former owner: 










I already swapped out that cheesy rack for my own Denver Mattress, lol... it's a bit thicker and more comfortable. But the roll-top hutch and headboard are pretty cool (for free), they both light up too, lol. Here are some more shots of the home interior, starting with the mondo comfortable garden tub in the master bath:


































Damn, I'm already at the limit again... story of my life. Meh, time to log out and grab another cold beer, just know that the homestead will be comfortable when I'm done with it. That much is certain, despite another 6-8 weeks of home rehab ahead, not to mention some serious elbow grease, lol. I'll post pics as I go, unless I get banned first, aye? Ya never know in this modern world, with all the leftist libtards gettin' butthurt at every opportunity... lot of that going around. Just one more reason why I like livin' in the country, close to wilderness venues like the 'Rail Trails' near Cloudcroft, trails built by stripping the steel rails & wooden ties from old logging railroads and converting the rail beds themselves into hiking & riding trails. A damned good idea in my opinion, why NOT take those old logging railroads and make primo trails out of 'em? The Sacramento Mountains have some mighty pretty scenery too, I can't wait to visit Silver Lake in season, and ride the backdoor route to Ruidoso Downs on the mean ol' thumper... 40 miles of PARADISE from Cloudcroft to the racetrack, and I'll ride the easy way home on US70/54. I'm not a gambling man where money is concerned---I work too hard for the sh!t as it is---but I DO like watching the horses run, lol. Might throw down a small bet on a long shot, but that's about it. Alright, I'm done for the night, time to PAR-TAY... CHEERS!!!


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## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

It's good to see someone do good.

That KLR is a work horse.


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## whiterock (Mar 26, 2003)

I don't have any problems with it. I don't trust cats with Tequila though.


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## wdcutrsdaughter (Dec 9, 2012)

Congratulations! That kitty looks like it's about to get into mischeif. That Yucca plant looks really healthy and happy.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

I've been to Alamagordo, in August. It was nice but too dry and hot for my taste.

God bless your real estate agent. Far too many people would have tossed you out like a hot potato. You did real good. The place looks lovely. You'll like the scenery in the wet season.

Welcome back. Post as many pictures as you like. 

You aren't too far from White Sands. When I was in the area it was closed to non military personnel. We could see it from the road but that's all we could see. My mom's second husband's ashes were scattered there.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Yes, HDRider, the bike IS a workhorse... and I lucked out with the home purchase, thanks to the realtor excluding all other bidders. Some say a "real man" makes his own luck, but I don't subscribe to that theory... seen too much random bullsh!t in my life, lol. For instance, I had six months of my life ripped off when I was falsely charged in Kalifornia... sat in jail waiting on hearings for an "incident" which never even happened, go figure. All part of that jailhouse funding scam which costs taxpayers BILLIONS every year, and just one more reason why I left the crowded coast. Too much corruption in the Big City, I simply felt like getting away from it all and getting closer to nature, ya know? As a former USA INF soldier, technical rock climber, dirt biker, etc., I've spent much of my life in the field, usually in remote places where badges are few & far between... I might add that I had no record to speak of before running afoul of that corrupt p.o.s. D.A. out there in San Diego County, that evil piece o' trash. I actually shot down 2-1/2 rounds of fake charges while defending myself, go figure... the charges stemmed from trying to expose the corruption, criminal cockroaches don't like it when ya shine the light upon 'em, lol. Meh, I helped shoot down that scrub's bid to become mayor of [email protected], so I got some payback that way, but I was ready to leave the state anyway, since the quality of life out there has dropped like a rock.

On a happier note, it's a beautiful day here in Alamogordo, the sun is shining and it should be a good day for painting and carpentry, lol. Simple tasks, easy to comprehend, unlike the corruption which plagues this country. Here are a few shots of the weather, and there's my stone fire ring, lol... that green bench was my very first project here, I used some extra piers which were kicking around and cut a 2" x 12" down to 6' length for the seat. Painted everything forest green to match the trees in the yard... now I have a great place to sit and watch the sunset. Hey, sometimes ya gotta start small and work your way up to the larger and more daunting projects, lol. And there are enough daunting tasks to perform here, but all the work will pay off when I'm done... place will be worth two or three times what I paid for it, easy. Not that I want to flip it, I've been looking for a permanent home ever since I left the coast. I never intended to flip those two homes I bought in Arizona, but circumstances (and the phony socialist plandemic) forced my hand... at least I made good money, and Arizona is rapidly becoming like Kalifornia with all the "political refugees" pouring in from the coast. People are moving into NM as well, but at a slightly slower rate, I reckon, so maybe I can make my last stand here and "plane out" till I die, lol. My Alamo in 'Alamo'---as the locals call it. Suits me just fine. Anyway, here are the pics, time to drink my morning tea and think about home rehab work.


















































































I still have crap in the yard which needs to go: brush & debris, pulled stumps, junk lumber scraps waiting for room in the trash bin, etc. The funky old carpet is being rolled up and placed under that tarp in the carport, the carpet installation crew will haul that away once they put the new carpet in my home. That will be a happy day, lol... and how about that nice anchored carport? Shade is at a premium here in warmer months, same way it is in Cochise County, AZ, so I'm very happy to have that carport (even if I do own a 20-year-old Camry with 221K miles on it, lol). Meh, the car still works fine, it's very reliable, and I really only use it for shopping & resupply runs, the thumper is what I ride when I wanna cruise to the mountains. I'll use the car to take my friend to Carlsbad Caverns before he leaves the state on the 21st... he has never been there, so we're on a mission to get him on the cave tours, lol. Kind of cool, having Carlsbad Caverns & Guadalupe Mountains Nat'l Park within striking range of my new home... I've had great times in both venues, dating back to my "trucking daze." I was the quintessential paid tourist ("turista pagado") during those days, burning company fuel at every opportunity to check out such places, lol. Not the model employee, but a hard runner so they left me alone... more on all of that later, lol. Top of the morning to y'all, have a great day! I'm off to get cleaned up and tackle some home rehab... 

P.S. Nice duct tape on that front window, it adds a classy touch, lol... windows & screens need work here, but they're lower priority than getting the interior painting & Kilz work done, aye?


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

I forgot how close Carlsbad is to there! Do they still have the seating area where you can watch the bats come out of the cave in the evening?


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Hmm, didn't see those other replies till now... yes, the 'Bat Flight' program is still in effect, but it's seasonal, since the bats migrate south for the winter. Brazilian Free-Tail Bats, I believe, but don't quote me... right now, they're probably hangin' on the beach in Rio with umbrella drinks in their hands, lol. You folks who noticed my cat Crackhead with the blue agave tequila bottle, that blue agave juice is never out of supply here, but we also drink rum and whiskey. Lifelong small craft sailor, you understand... that explains the rum. Here's a shot of the latest bottle of tequila, and a shot or two of the kittehs on a typical Friday night, lol. Crackhead, Tiger & Phoenix, she's the small cat off to one side... a real sweetheart, but I had to drive BACK to AZ to rescue her after she disappeared during the camping venture. 690 miles and roughly 10 hours to rescue a cat, but ya do what ya gotta do, lol.


















Final note: For those who've never seen it, I highly recommend viewing the 'Bat Flight' at Carlsbad Caverns once the bats return... a living river of nearly half a million bats pouring out of the 'Natural Entrance' to the Caverns, an impressive sight worth seeing, to be sure.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

I knew it was seasonal but thanks for pointing that out. Some people might not be aware of that. I assumed. I would love to go back to Carlsbad. It's my understanding that they have increased the tour area since I was there about 35 years ago. I read some time ago that there is a belief that Lechuguilla is connected to Carlsbad.


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## robin416 (Dec 29, 2019)

I don't know about anyone else but I've sure enjoyed reading your story and that it has come out the other side on such a positive note.


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

i enjoyed it also. 40k! the way things are around here you wouldn't get a outhouse for that. love the furniture. for some reason though i dont recall you . 2020 was a bad year anyway. glad to have you back. ~Georgia


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## GunMonkeyIntl (May 13, 2013)

Hard Aground said:


>


You should totally let Jose Cuervo know that photo exists, and that it is for sale.

You’ll never have to work another day in your life.


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## kinnb (Oct 23, 2011)

welcome back! 

Peace,
Kyrie, Tao Blue SD AKC CGC CGCA CGCU TKN PAT, Deja Blue SD AKC CGC CGCU TKN PAT


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

robin416 said:


> I don't know about anyone else but I've sure enjoyed reading your story and that it has come out the other side on such a positive note.


Lemme tell ya, there were many sleepless nights in that tent when I wondered where the cats & I were going to wind up, ya know? I didn't know if it would be the Southwest, the Carolinas, or somewhere in between... and juggling multiple cats during a relocation is never easy, I never expected that camping venture to last so long. Meh, I'm no fortune teller, and the insane real estate market was an unexpected sucker punch, lol. Just plumb crazy, that real estate market... I'm glad I'm out of that loop of friggin' insanity. 

Now the cats & I have landed in Alamogordo, and we'll be here for the foreseeable future... at least I didn't have to surrender my Southwestern climate, the climate here is really quite similar to Cochise County, the elevation difference between Whetstone & Alamogordo is less than 100'. Elevation is the key to comfortable living in the high desert, and I don't mind the heat when it's relatively dry... I remember walking around in triple digit heat thinking, "This isn't so bad!" The monsoon brings some humidity, but elevation lessens the effect. 

Anyway, I got some painting done today, and Friend Doug (NOT a Quaker, he cooks 'shine) rebuilt the front steps into something totally solid. We're not done yet with either project, but it's nice to know those steps are as solid as the Rock of Gibraltar, lol. I'll have to pick up some of the finish work on the porch later, I'll probably just add thinner sheets of ply to the mix and go from there. The interior painting and Kilz work is top priority for me right now, I HAVE to get that work done before the carpet crew arrives. 

Time to relax and have a few beers, BBQ some burgers and just chill out... tomorrow's another day with the home rehab, gotta pace myself since I have a long way to go. My friend flies back to the PNW on the 21st, and I'll carry on with the painting and Kilz work after he bails. No worries, I expected this home rehab effort to take at least two months, and it might last longer, lol. I'm in it for the long haul, that's for sure... nowhere else I need to be at present, so it's onward & upward with an occasional break day thrown in for good measure. 

HASTA LUEGO!!!


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Went to be early last night, now I can't sleep, so I'm having my usual remedy: a cold beer or two, then back to the rack. On occasion, I'll have hot cocoa instead, but right now it's a cold cerveza. Got a lot on my mind, with the clock ticking on various projects... my friend only has eight days left down here, and we still have to squeeze in the Carlsbad Caverns jaunt. I paid for his airfare from the PNW nearly a month ago, kind of like a working vacation, and I'm glad he has been here to help out, since he's a hard worker and he knows his carpentry. I also want to go to a nearby outdoor range and let him fire the Henry 'Golden Boy' .44 Magnum Rifle (lever-action carbine)... that's the OTHER toy I bought after getting such a good deal on the home, lol. Lemme post a pic or two of that bad boy:


































Those pics were taken in the field right after I bought the 'Golden Boy'---the rifle is now cleaner, and it has a primo tactical case, lol. Nothing wrong with a Henry rifle, the lever action is smooth and the rifle is accurate... the blued octagonal barrel and brass fittings add a nice touch. I figure every 'ranch' should have a rifle, at the very least... a good sidearm comes in handy too. Just my take on things, as a staunch 2A supporter. The 2nd Amendment: America's Original Homeland Security, not the bull$h!t you see now sponsored by dirty globalist swine & their political puppets (all on YOUR dime, of course). Meh, their day will come... all I do is keep spreading the word.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

While I was looking for the 'Golden Boy' pics, I ran across some classic shots taken during my camping adventure in the field:


















































































Just seeing that dusty field again makes me cringe, lol... 109 days in that place, 75 days in the large dome tent and an additional 34 days in the Arctic tent. It was a grind, but there were also good moments: awesome campfires, meals cooked over mesquite embers under a million stars, beautiful sunrises & sunsets, the whole nine yards. On the flip side, there were raw & howling winds, subfreezing temperatures, heller dust in EVERYTHING including meals (extra fiber), storms with lashing rain, etc. Note flip-flops & beach towel on ground in Arctic tent (no floor), those were for warm sunny days and working on my tan, lol.


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## gilberte (Sep 25, 2004)

Those cats look healthy and happy. Camping with cats, who'd a thunk?


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Lemme see, there must be more field shots...


















































































Those .44 JHP rounds were made by my friend Eric the ammo loader, he started that business and he makes fine cartridges... ships to many states as well, something to consider when the retail store shelves are empty. Eric was the one who lent me the Arctic tent, that's why you see it in place in the final photo, taken the morning of my departure for Alamogordo. Check that second pic: that pesky Crackhead left his gallon p!ss jug in front of the tent, lol. I like the shot of little Phoenix atop the tent, a safety measure in coyote country... place was THICK with the varmints, a constant worry for the cats. I had fires morning & night to offset or reduce the danger, but still, the place was dangerous for cats. Look at Tiger pulling his "Hands up, don't shoot!" number, lol... that knucklehaid. The classic billboard was seen en route to Sierra Vista to resupply, I made regular runs for that purpose, but if I only needed ice, I bought it in Whetstone or Huachuca City. Jeez, just looking at these pics reminds me of the long grind, but it was all part of my plan and it paid off in the end. Luckily, my storage unit was just down the road from my bivouac site, so that helped a bit when I needed to grab that mattress & furniture for field use. Meh, like The Bard said, "ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL!!!" But I probably won't be going camping for awhile... had enough of that recently, lol.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

gilberte said:


> Those cats look healthy and happy. Camping with cats, who'd a thunk?


I didn't wanna part with the cats, so they came with me and took their chances, same way I do in life... but I took steps to reduce the danger in coyote country, never leaving the cats alone after dark. Burning campfires and making occasional noise to frighten away predators... the bike was good for that purpose, lol. Phoenix disappeared after exactly 100 days... I thought she had been killed, and I was very sad to leave without her, but my friend Yvonne (whose property that was) told me later that she had spotted Phoenix, and I pulled a rescue mission to scoop her up and bring her to Alamogordo. Darned cat beat my personal camping record by surviving for an additional 26 days, for a grand total of 135 days in the field... in Coyote Central too, which is amazing. That cat is always showing me up, lol... but I still love the blasted little varmint! Small as she is, she's tougher than a dollar steak, and she can show the larger cats a thing or two about survival... 

Edit: Those cats made great bed warmers too... when the temp is in the upper teens, I'll take all the warmth I can get, lol.


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## robin416 (Dec 29, 2019)

What I'm most impressed with is how well your cats did camping out. I have no faith in my two staying close to "home" if they had the chance to escape. Heck, I don't trust my dog yet not to be on a leash.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

I hear ya... camping was a new experience for Phoenix & Tiger, but they've always been indoor/outdoor cats, so that helped a bit. Crackhead is an old campaigner in the field, he has camped with me several times for extended periods (weeks on end), so he knows the form. He's like Napoleon in the field, always surveying the ground and using every bit of cover to his advantage, lol. He also knew to stay in the tent at night, close to me, it's safer that way. Phoenix & Tiger would occasionally roam, but I tried to dissuade them whenever possible. Daytime roaming is okay, as long as they stay sharp, but nighttime roaming is inherently more dangerous. Thankfully, they all made it through the adventure, though we had a glitch when Phoenix went AWOL or MIA. I'm just glad she's here now in Alamogordo, aye? 

Time for me to don my painting clothes and get on with the rehab work... I have some old T-shirts & shorts which have seen their day, so I'm using those specifically for the house painting & Kilz application. Gettin' that last bit of usefulness out of 'em, lol... I'm like that, I use stuff into the dirt, then start working on the newer things. Same way with cars & trucks, I don't buy another vehicle until the one I'm driving is totally kaput... and I never buy new, always secondhand, with the exception of one dirt bike I bought, but that's a different story, ya want bulletproof equipment under ya when dirt biking, lol. As for cars & trucks, I buy secondhand rigs from folks who've taken care of 'em, the older generation is generally good about doing that... I would never buy a rig from a college student, if that tells ya anything, lol. Cheers!!!


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## robin416 (Dec 29, 2019)

Ha! I have my homeless clothes I wear at home for working. I buy them on the cheap at resale stores. I retire my mostly worn out running shoes to being my sh!t shoes for working outdoors. It takes me years to wear out my street clothes since I don't wear them often.

I bought my first new vehicle six years ago. Turned out to be cheaper than buying a used one. Like you, it won't be worth much before I have to replace it. Although at my age I figure it will be the last one.

My cats have an outdoor run. There are too many feral cats in the area to let them free range. Jake, the one I really wouldn't trust out got lost several years ago. I was frantic not knowing where he was. I kept calling, then way off in the woods I heard an answer. I swear, never again. He was in the deep scrub where no human should go but he wouldn't budge until he saw me.


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## Elevenpoint (Nov 17, 2009)

Quite an adventure and I didn't know cats were good campers. My cat would love living in a tent but he's all white and can't run loose.
I did a month with my 2 girl twin pups when they were 5 months old in a tent and there were some cold nights. Haven't camped since then, but my cabin is in the woods so no need to camp. Looks like a good buy for the money, good luck.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

That's why I built the stone campfire ring in my yard... I can enjoy all the benefits of camping, then crawl onto the Denver Mattress and enjoy a good night's sleep, lol. Like cheating at camping, but hey, I'm THAT close to the wilderness! Same way I was in Benson, I had Cochise Stronghold mere minutes away, not to mention all the other ranges besides the Dragoons... here in Alamogordo, I'm literally 35-40 minutes from Cloudcroft, a mountain paradise pushing 9000' in elevation, and there are lakes & swimming holes up in the Sacramento Mountains, so why would I camp when it's all that close?

Don't get me wrong, I love camping and have been doing it all my life, far more frequently than the average citizen, I reckon, but now that I'm older (60 this June) I simply prefer hanging out in my yard, with all the high desert & mountain scenery minutes away. White Sands is right down the road, 10 or 15 minutes away... if you've ever been out there under a full moon, you know it's AWESOME, but even still, I can drive back to my house after hiking around out there on a moonlit night. I know a spot near the boundary where I can park and work my way in, lol, and the dunes are unreal under a full moon!

Anyway, I'm knocking off for the day, I just about finished the middle room (smallest of the three bedrooms, it's more like an office or computer room, roughly 10' x 12') and I'm satisfied with my progress. Tomorrow, I'll branch into the hallway and head for the north bedroom, a fair-sized room at 12' x 14' or so. Gonna get Doug to start rolling the Kilz on the exposed floors, that'll help shorten my to-do list once he splits. Rolling Kilz is pretty easy work, the bucket & target areas are both low so gravity isn't a huge factor. I must say the room I painted today already looks much lighter, just the way I want it.

At my age, I'm all about streamlining life and making things really simple... I don't like clutter, I'm definitely NOT a hoarder despite living with one for a number of years. Me own beloved & dear departed mum, who like many in her generation was a serious hoarder... couldn't walk through her room without crap falling down behind ya. I vowed to never live that way in my own home, I like my 'feng shui' and plenty o' elbow room, so what 'clutter' I have goes up on the walls in the form of old travel posters, artwork, etc. I have some really nice European tile art from the '60s & '70s, that always makes a statement.

Meh, y'all will eventually see how my home is decorated, I really only have a few themes when it comes to decor: nautical art & memorabilia, Western art, and those classic old travel posters from Europe in the late '60s & early 70s'. We lived overseas near Athens from 1968-1973 (again, military & not rich, lol), and those were some of the happiest years of my young life. My family was still together then, prior to the bitter & ugly divorce which tore the family apart... but time marches on, and several of the original players are now deceased, while I like to live in the present with an eye toward the future.

It's kinda like an expression I overheard back in Coronado: "At my age, I attend more funerals than weddings." Whenever I lose a good friend or family member, I focus upon the good times we had and let all the other bullsh!t go... that system seems to work best for me. Zen Buddhist proverbs & principles have really helped me when it comes to grappling with life's problems and moving onward, or dealing with unexpected deaths in my own circle. What the hell, death is a part of life, and nobody here gets out alive... believe what you will, since religious freedom is a core principle of our Constitution.

Before I log out and perhaps take a shot of tequila (or two) with lime & salt, I'd like to share a Zen Buddhist proverb which I stumbled across in my late 20s... up until that point, I was lost at sea, so to speak, raised as a Roman Catholic but not really into organized religion. Supremely fit (from the Aaaarrrghmy) and full of energy, but unsure where or how to channel or direct that energy, aye? Later, I learned how to do that, and this proverb helped me immensely. I might add that the term "desire" does not necessarily refer to physical or romantic desire, it covers a broad spectrum of scenarios in life, lol. Here we go:

IF YOU ARE FILLED WITH DESIRE, YOUR SORROWS SWELL LIKE THE GRASS AFTER THE RAIN...

BUT IF YOU SUBDUE DESIRE, YOUR SORROWS FALL FROM YOU LIKE DROPS OF WATER FROM A LOTUS FLOWER.


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## Elevenpoint (Nov 17, 2009)

No desire to go camping at 60 either, that was a different lifetime to escape the metro area. 15 years ago was the last time and I also have a fire ring with a half cord of seasoned hickory nearby. Someone asked if I went camping and I said no, I'm living in the woods and don't need too. I have an old Coleman lantern on standby 24/7 outside for the fire at night and that's what you do before you hit the tent anyway. I like the ten steps or so to a king size bed where the cat and beagles are already crashed and jump in with them. I'm only about 20 minutes for a forest campground where I camped back in the 80s but the thought of packing everything up needed to go just doesn't make sense anymore.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

I still have the desire to go camping and be in the wilderness, but my new homestead is pretty cool too, so I'll be spending plenty o' time right here, and pulling recons into the high desert & mountains during nice weather windows, lol. Why ride the thumper in cold, wet & windy weather? Ain't gonna happen... been there & done that, and it totally sucked, lol. Cue the Monty Python line: "And now for something completely different!"  

I had a shot of blue agave juice as promised, there's another one waiting as I pound another cold cerveza... I believe it was Robin416 who liked my story-telling style, so I dug up two old links to the Reader blog site, where I parked numerous stories written back in the day. I also had work published in that rag, and I actually wrote a book which has yet to be published, as it is totally non-PC, lol. But here are two stories for Robin416, the island voyage is one of a trilogy and a personal favorite. 

Mohawk Mountain Madness 

Isla Norte


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Okay, I'm not sure if I ever posted this link to photos taken during some of my adventures, so I'm gonna post it for site members to see some pretty cool shots... photos taken during various adventures and my "trucking daze!" Here ya go, there are cool shots on both pages of this old thread, two sets of pics per page, you can simply scroll past the intervening text to see the pics pronto:

Random outdoor adventure shots...

Scroll down on the first page and you'll see the view from the summit spire of the Mohawk Mountains, you might as well be standing there and enjoying one of those tangelos, lol... those were damned tasty, lemme tell ya. Alright, I'm off to do that other tequila shot, lately I've been splitting limes and squeezing juice into the shots prior to additional lime & salt, lol. Works for me!!! 

P.S. Robin416, there are shots taken on Isla Norte during my first voyage there, ya just gotta scroll down and figure out which shots belong to that story, lol... Cheers!!!


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

So you have had the pleasure of traveling through White Sands. I wanted to visit it but our hosts in NM said the place was off limits.

Are those Edelbrock air filters with the sponge inserts sitting on top of the carb on the "bad boy"? I caught one on fire once. It was on a '76 Mustang.


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## gilberte (Sep 25, 2004)

We used to go camping quite a lot. Now we've spent the last forty years turning this place into the campground that we've always wanted, no need to leave.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Danaus29, your hosts in NM probably meant the White Sands Missile Range, which is definitely off limits... it would be foolhardy for any hiker to venture out there, as a missile test might go down at any moment. White Sands Nat'l Monument is open to the public during certain hours, and that is the location to which I refer. Not really sure, but the monument may have been elevated to national park status, affording some additional protection to the dune field. Great place, every visitor should drive to the 'Heart of the Sands' and check the 360* views, they are awesome... the dunes remind me of rollers in the ocean, stretching away as far as the eye can see. Distant ranges resemble land masses as seen from that ocean... 

Definitely worth visiting, and I hope to take my friend there as well before he leaves... he only has a week left in NM, so we'll probably back off the home rehab a bit and do some of these adventure tours, lol. As long as we pull up the funky old carpet & pad and make a start on the painting & Kilz application, I can finish the work later... that's the plan, anyway. Dunno details about the 'bad boy' equipment, but I DID watch the owner peel out from the factory or plant in Perrysburg, Ohio, burning rubber in two gears & scratching in the third, lol. Nice rig, that blemish was in the photo and not on the hood, lol. If I had that car, I'd probably get in trouble with Johnny Law... one reason why I prefer thrashing in the dirt. 

P.S. I reckon you saw the pics of 'Heart of the Sands' on Page 2 of that old thread? I had forgotten those were in there, lol... I don't frequent that site, got banned a long time ago, but the mods left my photos up, probably because they're not everyday run-of-the-mill shots, lol. I mean seriously, who else uses a 10-ton road tractor as a friggin' RV? Lol. Good times back in the day... my best friend Tommy whose family ran the first surf shop in Coronado for decades, he rode along on that very trip, and we had a blast! Actually, Tommy (or "T-Bone") rode along on three separate OTR jaunts, including a 6000-mile triangle from CA-PA-GA-CA... THAT was a party voyage, and Tommy STILL talks about it, lol.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

White Sands revisited... took my friend to White Sands today, oddly enough there was a huge line at the entrance (on a Monday, go figure), but that worked to our advantage, because with just one vehicle ahead of us as I fished the $25 fee out of my wallet, lo and behold! A ranger came out to wave a bunch of us on through the gate (no fee), as the backed-up line of vehicles now reached US70, lol. So we got in for free, totally worth the minor wait, and once we were in, we simply drove until we found a deserted spot near the 'Heart of the Sands'---took a few beers with us to the top of the highest dune, and kicked back while enjoying the views in every direction. I took some pics, so y'all can see the dune field, it's pretty impressive and it covers many square miles. I later learned that spring break (?) started this week for some kids, maybe that had something to do with the monster line, but no worries, once we were in we drove till there were few others around. Here are the pics, enjoy the Sands, my new beach outside Alamogordo, just no ocean, lol...


































































Those were the nearest people in that last photo, a ways off and looking pretty small, lol. The dunes are larger than they appear in these pics, one monster dune jutted up from the field a considerable distance away, dunno if I caught it in these pics... ah, you can see it in the sixth photo, it jutted up like one of the Egyptian pyramids, lol. That would've been a good dune for hanging out & partying, the view must be incredible! Meh, our dune was pretty high itself, so we did NOT lack for views and entertainment, lol. Cheers!!!


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## robin416 (Dec 29, 2019)

Now I need to look up White Sands. That is rather amazing to see. 

The long line of vehicles? Not so much.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Haha, but for once, the long line worked in our favor... free admission! I couldn't believe how much the entrance fee has risen over the years, I recall paying something like $7.50 two decades ago, and now they want $25 per vehicle... YIKES!!! 

Cool place though, its almost like you're surrounded by snow in some polar region, lol... and when there's no wind, it's a great place to catch some rays and chillax. I'm glad my friend got to see it, Carlsbad Caverns will be next!!!  

Well, we may cruise that backdoor route to Ruidoso from Cloudcroft on Thursday, Carlsbad will be on Sunday due to the cheesy reservation system... no worries, we're already booked, so my friend is looking forward to it.  

Thankfully the forecast is good all week, so we can pull those recons AND get some rehab work done on intervening days, yeah? Manana, we pull up the funky old carpet & pad in the living room, and good riddance...  

We rolled out some Kilz on various floors today, and I did a bit of touch-up painting in that middle room, so it's looking good... just a little more work and that room will be finished and we can use it for storage, aye? 

Until the carpet installation crew arrives, that is, but the spare room will come in handy for storing tools & materials while we hammer out more home rehab work... keep chipping away at the friggin' stone, lol.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

I don't know what part of White Sands they meant. I had seen the pictures and wanted to go but they said it was closed to the public. I would love to visit the park, monument, whatever they call it. It was in the early 80's when I was in Alamagordo. I don't remember much except not getting to see White Sands, going through Carlsbad, a quick trip to Juarez, seeing the snow in the mountains and getting in all kinds of trouble for bringing back a dead centipede when I went on a little exploration trip. I was a teenager when we were there.

Yes, I looked at your pictures in that thread you linked. They are amazing!


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Those were the good ol' days... I wouldn't want to drive OTR (or Over-The-Road) now, but back then it was all a grand adventure, and I don't regret a minute of it. Got to see the country like never before, and once I got a handle on the daily routine, I f#%d off like nobody's business and burned company fuel every chance I got, lol. Of course, in that industry one never stops learning---not a bad philosophy to have in life---but now there are too many ridiculous gubmint regulations, not to mention company tracking devices, and the sense of camaraderie no longer seems to exist. I remember running clear across country with other hands in fast trucks, hearing all about life in their 'Home 20' while they heard all about life in mine... shutting down and partying in classic venues, laughing our @$$es off the whole time. It was really cool, a separate reality... 

Things were different then, and now I know why oldsters talk about "the good ol' days"---there was more freedom to be had, you didn't have to search for it so hard, lol. Trucking in those days was a lifestyle, not a job, if ya catch my drift... and those of us who were committed to that lifestyle had great adventures, despite making sacrifices in other areas of life. Like I said, I don't regret a minute of it... I had a blast, and so did friends who rode with me, including former pro surfers who tripped on the whole scene, lol. To this day, I miss all the pretty chicken lights on trucks rolling off the fuel island... maybe I should rig some chicken lights on a separate circuit on the monster Enduro, lol. I know I'll be rigging Christmas LEDs on my front porch here in Alamogordo, to be displayed year-round in true redn#ck fashion, 10-4? Same goes for my bar, lol.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Stores here stock purple lights (orange too but I like the purple better) for Halloween. I use a string in my bathroom for a night light. I've seen quite a few places around that leave strings of lights on at night all year.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Might as well post links to a few more trucking stories, you'll get a laugh out of 'em... but oh, the freedom back in the day! I miss those classic adventures, but then again, my whole life has been about adventure, so I'm not really losing out, lol. I'll continue to seek adventure till the day I die... if I were rich, I'd be pulling 'close proximity wingsuit flights' every day, but my wallet isn't that fat, lol. Like I tell my friends, I'm wealthy in life experience... and in many ways, that's all that counts. Money is great, it pays the bills, but I've been having fun all my life on a budget... cheap [email protected] that I am, I can stretch a dollar clear to Bangor, Maine, lol. Having some company pay for fuel during crazy adventures on the road, well, that was just icing on the proverbial cake. Here's a glimpse or two into that separate reality known as OTR Truck Driving back in the day:

For The Birds

Triple Treat

Salt Lake Skeeter Saga

Hope ya enjoy the stories, you won't find any more realistic perspectives on trucking back in the day... in my book (Part I: Tales From The Road), I have 18 classic stories drawn from experiences behind the wheel, but four other parts have cool tales of adventure, and 'Part III: Laser Voyages---The Island Trilogy' is the centerpiece, all about sailing a 14' Laser to Los Coronados off the northern end of Baja. Other parts include rock climbing & skateboarding sagas, but extreme small craft sailing has always been what I do best. I sailed a 12' Minifish the length of the Salton Sea, and THAT was a classic adventure, I'll have to post the pics sometime so you can see the mountain & desert scenery. Awesome sailing venue, the Salton, most people are totally clueless about it, lol. Enough said, enjoy the stories, I'm off to have another beer... Cheers!!! 

Edit: BTW, that very first shot in the photo thread was taken under the Guadalupe Reef during the 'Triple Treat' adventure, and there might be a shot of the Guadalupe Peak Trail on the second page... in my book, I incorporate photos directly into the text, so that readers can see the very same views as I describe those views in words.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

You are a good writer. I enjoyed the stories.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Yeah, you won't find their like on the web, except where I've shotgunned mine out, lol. It's another beautiful morning here in Alamogordo, I'm sipping herbal tea and considering what has to be done today on the home rehab front. I've learned that it's more important to be steady in this line of work---as long as something gets done every day, you can cross it off the list. And break days are important too! We're gonna pull 2 days on and 1 day off till Sunday, that should knock out a good chunk of the rehab work and allow us to still have some fun pulling those recons I mentioned. Once my friend bails, then it's all on me for awhile, unless I can talk someone else into helping out, lol... meh, I don't mind painting, and rolling out Kilz on the floors is easy. 

Once the carpet is in, I can focus on window & screen repair, which will probably take several days. I reckon I'll be pulling home rehab for the next 6-8 weeks, as there are many minor tasks to be completed. I intend to pace myself during this effort, taking days off whenever I feel burned out, lol. Home rehab doesn't happen overnight, it's more like a long campaign... but the end results should be satisfactory, the cats & I will have a nice place to live once I'm done with the work. I'll be glad when the home rehab grind ends, life will be much more enjoyable at that point, lol. But that's the way it is with home rehab work: it doesn't do itself, more's the pity, and whoever invents the self-rehabbing home will be an overnight billionaire, lol.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Home rehab continues...


































Those funky old stains of unknown origin make me happy to be doing the tedious carpet-pulling & Kilz number... wouldn't want those stanky old stains under fresh pad & carpet, that's for GODDAM sure. 

P.S. The funky old carpet & pad were downright nasty, they stunk to high heaven when we pulled 'em up... now they're rolled up under the carport, the funk was enough to gag a maggot, lol.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

A shot of the funky old carpet... don't ever say I don't do y'all any favors, lol. 










Nice stains... and howzabout that lovely pad? Seen its day, I reckon...


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## kinderfeld (Jan 29, 2006)

I hate carpet.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Looks a lot like the carpet we pulled up in 2 of the bedrooms in this house. But the person/people who put my carpet down had glued it to the pressed particle board floor. We had to replace several pieces of that junk. Plywood wasn't the same thickness so we couldn't replace the particle board with plywood.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Yesterday's recon of the Sacramento Mountains & Ruidoso Downs racetrack:


















































































Last shot shows the fire we had last night upon returning to the homestead... great break day, we pulled the recon, shot some pool in the Alamo historic district (pool hall used to be a bank built around 1900), hung out with my neighbor and BBQd some big ol' bacon avocado cheeseburgers with smoked applewood cheddar, lol. Those burgers didn't suck either, and I was hungry by that time... after macking, I crashed right away, so I have a pile of dishes to do this morning, lol. Meh, this is St. Paddy's Day, so we'll be taking it a bit easier than usual, though I want that last piece of [email protected]$$ carpet outta my room, lol. And good riddance... the new carpet installation crew will haul away that funky old [email protected] at the end of the month, till then it can sit under a tarp in the carport. Probably have to trash the tarp afterward, lol... residual stank, ugh. Alright, I'm off to get started on those dishes, just as soon as I finish this beer I'm having for breakfast, lol. I had some juice earlier, but I'm in the mood for a cold one despite the relatively early hour... gotta fortify myself with 'Dutch Courage' before I tackle that last piece of funky old carpet.


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

i only have carpet now upstairs in the living room. burgundy which i really like. had off white when i bought the house. was so clean at that time. real estate person said it was the cleanest house she had ever seen. 

my husband was the messiest person. after he passed i had everything torn up. put down the burgundy in the lr and laminated flooring downstairs. so much easier to clean now. ~Georgia


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Well, we pulled up the last piece o' funky carpet yesterday, and managed to roll a couple coats o' Kilz on the floor of that room... or 2/3 of the floor, the other third will be done today. Slowly but surely, the tide turns and we start winning the war on home rehab, lol. It's not like I find this enjoyable either, but it has to be done... gotta keep the big picture in mind, and have the vision to see what the home will be like when this ugly rehab work is finished. Gotta pace yourself too, otherwise ya get burned out on the rehab. Today, we do a bit of cleaning and throw down more Kilz, finish up the edges of these rooms and treat trouble spots with extra coats. Already, the home smells so much better without that stanky old carpet... a big plus. Here are several shots of recent progress made:


























Anyway, the hardest effort at home rehab is just about done, soon the floors will all have at least two thick coats of Kilz on 'em, and I'll be painting various walls & ceilings before the carpet installation crew arrives at the end of the month. Friend Doug's time here is rapidly running out, he'll fly out of El Paso on Monday afternoon, headed back to the PNW. Tomorrow we're gonna shoot the Henry 'Golden Boy'---no way we miss out on that---and Sunday we're heading for Carlsbad Caverns, as Doug has never been there and I told him we're making the trip. Hey, he has worked hard and really helped to fix up this old home, so he has earned it... and it's only about a three-hour drive, with magnificent mountain scenery a good part of the way. Cheers!!!


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Nice work. It's amazing how much stink carpet holds. 

You'll love the Golden Boy.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Still gotta paint those ceilings, that'll lighten up the home even more... the dingy yellow [email protected] has to go, lol. One of my six surviving brothers has a nice lever-action Marlin .44 rifle, and I love that thing, it's a pleasure to fire in "plinking contests." I'm sure the 'Golden Boy' will perform as well, though I'll miss the side gate on the Marlin, the tubular Henry magazine will be new to me, lol. Friend Doug & I will literally have a blast during our casual competition... probably just take turns emptying the magazine. I have boxes & boxes of ammo courtesy of my friend Eric the ammo loader, the RNFP cartridges will be used for plinking, I might fire a few of the JHP cartridges to see how they do... hmm, now that I think of it, I should share Eric's contact info with you firearm enthusiasts out there, he makes fine cartridges out of fresh components, his prices are relatively low and he ships ammo to various states. CA & NY are off the list, lol... anyway, here are some shots of his flyer, the prices are still current on most rounds:


























I'm no shill and I don't receive a cut for sharing this info, lol... but Eric's a classic hand who makes excellent cartridges, and he's pretty funny too. We partied on several occasions while I was living in a tent with three cats for 109 days... in fact he loaned me the Arctic Tent 75 days into that venture. Tell him I'm the crazy fool who lived in that tent for awhile, maybe he'll cut ya some slack and offer a discount, lol. Maybe not, no tellin'... but the ammo is worth it even if you pay the listed prices, and when the retail store shelves are empty, Eric can still hook ya up with some ammo.  

Cue the Monty Python line: "And now for something completely different..."










A shot of Tiger & Crackhead on the bar a few minutes ago, lol.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Just finishing the Kilz application for the day, most of the exposed wooden floors are now coated... which means I'll be able to focus upon finishing the painting work before the carpet crew arrives. Having help for the past few weeks has really been a godsend, though I'll still have plenty of work to do once the new carpet is installed. Home rehab is always a grind, I try to work through it in a fairly steady & consistent manner... even if ya only knock out one or two tasks per day, those are tasks which can be crossed off the list. I keep telling myself, "The place will be awesome when you're done!" And it will, but some days I feel as if the home rehab will go on forever, lol. Just gotta keep chipping away at the stone...


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Beautiful evening here, I'm watching the sunset and having a cold beer, gonna light a fire once it chills down enough... I still have plenty o' wood to burn in the front yard, while those old cones & needles make great firestarter material, lol. Winding down for the weekend with the home rehab, time to have some fun... the paintbrushes & rollers aren't going anywhere, and I can pick up the painting once Friend Doug is on his way home. We're definitely on for Carlsbad Caverns on Sunday, that'll be cool despite the 6-hour drive to and from the park. Meh, Doug has never been there, and everyone should see the caverns at least once in his (or her) life. I guess they aren't doing guided tours anymore, maybe they post rangers in strategic locations to keep an eye on the public. I understand that the Big Room can still be seen, dunno about King's Palace... reckon we'll find out once we get there. Manana, an easy day and some good target shooting, I'm looking forward to that, lol. Y'all have a good night, I'm off to prep the campfire... but first, another cold beer! Cheers!!!


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Had a blast firing the Henry 'Golden Boy' yesterday, we each fired 75 rounds in a plinking competition with called shots... my best shot was probably hitting the remaining lens in a pair of old sunglasses at 40 yards or more, somebody left the glasses out there after blasting the other lens. Doug hit some small tile pieces at the same distance, and we both blasted plenty o' cans... no shortage of those. The hardest can shots were with the cans end on to us, those took some skill, lol. Anyway, we had fun after a month or more of serious home rehab, today we're going to Carlsbad Caverns, so that should also be fun. At least half the drive should be scenic, crossing the Sacramento Mountains and dropping into the High Plains on the eastern side... we're taking a cooler with lunch already made, more to save time than money, if ya catch my drift. Bring some sodas and milk and whatnot, that way we don't waste time looking to buy 'em... I'm off to get prepped, y'all have a good day!


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Whew... long day, but we toured Carlsbad Caverns, so mission accomplished. Boy, that's one big hole in the ground, lol... I've toured the Caverns before, but it's always a wonder to see 'em. I'm thinking you could fit an aircraft carrier in the Big Room, but how you'd get it down there would be another story, lol. Truly an amazing place, but there were times when I looked up and thought to myself, "If that huge wall or section of ceiling comes crashing down, I'll be toast... crushed like a bug."  

Meh, wasn't meant to happen today, and now I'm relaxing in my own home... manana, all I have to do is take my friend to the airport in El Paso, otherwise I take it easy and resume painting on Tuesday. Beer tonight, maybe even a shot o' tequila, aye? Cheers!!!


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

@Hard Aground, you would enjoy Mammoth Cave on Kentucky. It has a huge open space that might rival the Great Room in Carlsbad. I haven't verified the numbers but they are both really big. Mammoth is worth seeing if you ever get a chance to visit there. It's not as pretty as Carlsbad, but it is interesting.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Been there, done that during my "trucking daze"---I even took the boat ride aboard the M/V Miss Green River, lol. I have pics of that whole adventure somewhere in my scrap books, which are boxed up in the metal shop building at present. In those years of traveling around the country, I visited something like two dozen "show caves" (with walkways, lights, etc.) and had a blast doing it. I was big on geology & physical geography in school, being a technical rock climber and all, and I enjoyed all the cave tours. I'm not claustrophobic either, which helps, lol... some folks get nervous or scared in caves, but as long as you have decent headlamps, good footgear, and sturdy clothing, you're good to go. 

One of my six surviving brothers lives in the Ozarks, and one time while visiting him, we read an article in some local rag about some kids getting lost in a nearby cave. The location of the cave was mentioned in the article, so we geared up and went exploring... this was a natural cave (there are thousands in the Ozarks), so it had no walkways, lights, etc. Natural caves can be quite dirty, so our clothes were a mess before the adventure ended. We ran a line behind us as we explored, just to make sure we didn't get lost ourselves, lol. There was a stream running through this cave, and we saw freshwater razor clamshells and other interesting stuff down there. But boy, our clothes were filthy before we exited the cave, lol. 

Show caves make it easy for folks to explore underground caverns, I was really impressed (again) by the work done at Carlsbad, with all the walkways and handrails for safety. The lighting seemed dimmer than before, and some of the walkways were uneven, but I imagine they're mixing buckets of cement down there, no heavy equipment or cement trucks involved, so a few uneven sections are to be expected. That's why sturdy and comfortable boots are important on cave tours, and so is sturdy clothing (not torn easily if it catches or snags on rock). Gotta watch your overhead clearance too in some of those passages, or you'll encounter the "Headbanger" (cue the Cockney Rejects tune, lol).


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Ah, another spelunker! We have arranged vacations around "show caves". There's one in Pennsylvania that you have to ride on a boat to get through. I wanted to do the Jeep tour near Branson, Missouri but we ran out of vacation time.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

You mean Fantastic Caverns near Springfield? I took that tour, and we rode around the cave... if I remember correctly, that's the one where bands played underground during Prohibition. Folks wanted to cut loose, drink & dance, so they moved the party "indoors!" Probably some good acoustics in those caverns, maybe a bit of echo... a concert in Carlsbad Caverns would be awesome, but some of those huge blocks of stone on the ceiling of the Big Room might come crashing down and cut the party short, lol. Better stick with acoustic guitar and leave the amps at home...


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Yes, Fantastic Caverns. It looked so neat. But we had to keep within our time frame and budget. We visited Onondaga and a couple others that I don't remember offhand. 

I think it was Mammoth Cave where they used to make music by tapping on some of the formations. In the historic video I watched the person tapping them did it too hard and broke off a good size chunk of flowstone.

Somewhere around here I still have the post cards and embroidered patch I bought on my visit to Carlsbad. That was a fantastic trip.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Yeah, I like those cave tours, even the smaller ones are cool... Caverns of Sonora in Texas would be a good example, with very beautiful formations underground. When I visited, it was midweek in the off-season (kids back in school), so I was the only person on the tour, lol... once my guide learned I was a technical rock climber, he showed me some areas normally closed to the public. Like an added bonus, no additional charge, lol. I think anyone who's into exploring wilderness areas is also into exploring caves, even show caves where the wilderness is tamed down a bit. I never missed an opportunity to take a cave tour if I had the time and the cave was roughly en route on one of my trucking runs... sometimes folks would do a double-take upon seeing the 10-ton road tractor in the parking lot, but as long as you ask about clearance issues, it's really no different from an RV. 

Say, have you ever visited Chimney Rock in the Tar Heel? THAT is a really cool place to explore, it doesn't have caves but it does have some narrow winding passages through the rocks & crags, and the waterfall is gorgeous! Over 400' tall, in a primo setting with awesome views... same location where the final scenes were filmed for the remake of 'THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS' (the Michael Mann film with Daniel Day-Lewis, 1992). The 'Cliff Trail' was my favorite, that's where Magua meets his end in the movie, lol. Chimney Rock is actually a vacation destination in its own right, with Lake Lure right there below it... very pretty country in NC. Anyway, I'm back to my hot herbal tea, it's a rainy morning here so no painting today, instead I'll catch up on laundry & house-cleaning. We need the rain too, which is always welcome in the high desert... my 30 pine trees are loving life right now, lol. Cheers!!!


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

No, I missed Chimney Rock. We were on our way to the Outer Banks once when I got a call that one of my uncles had passed away. We visited a couple gem mining places in North Carolina and came back to Ohio for the funeral. We took that vacation the wrong time of year, autumn. Everything was priced higher because it was the height of tourist season.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

The Outer Banks are cool, but real estate is steep there... I looked into possibly living within striking distance of the Banks, but the fixers in my price range were all bombed-out and moldy, plus the actual relocation would've been more expensive, not to mention more difficult with three cats. As far as vacations go, I've always had good luck before or immediately after Memorial Day, and after Labor Day when the locals enjoy Indian Summer. Same went for living in Coronado, CA, the locals (and I was one of 'em, born there in the old hospital wing) reclaimed the beach as their own after the crowds of summer passed. Good sailing during that time of year too, excellent weather and no marine traffic...  

P.S. You ever find yourself in the vicinity of Chimney Rock, be sure to visit the privately-owned park, it's totally worth the detour, lol. Lake Lure is nice too, though it's not as large as some lakes. Ah, more rain is falling here in 'Alamo' (as the locals call it), my trees are loving this wet weather. Gotta go switch laundry loads and get the sleeping bag done, same one Friend Doug was using during his stay, that way it'll be ready for whoever visits next.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Primo weather here in Alamogordo, the trees look HAPPY after all that rain, lol... I'll be rolling out some walls & ceilings today as I carry on with the painting, but thankfully only a few walls have to be done, the others have wood paneling and need no paint. But before I get started, I need to run to town and resupply with beer... can't do this drudge work without a cold one waiting in the fridge or cooler. Looking outside, I see that some yard work is in my near future, but that can wait a day or two until things dry out, the needles & cones which still need to be raked up and burned look pretty damp at present. Meh, the yard will eventually be cleared of all debris and start looking good... I might take a look at seeds and fruit saplings today while I'm in town, as the hard freezes seem to be over for this past winter. Spring has arrived!!! Cheers!!!


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

This shot is worth posting here as well... 'The Three Amigos' hanging out at my bar, the blasted varmints!!!










[L-R: Phoenix, Crackhead & Tiger]

Okay, now I'm ready to grab that chronic & that tequila bottle, lol... 

As an unrepentant sinner, I'm ready for that promised "Attitude Adjustment" a la Hank Williams, Jr., lol. Good ol' Hank, Jr., maybe I'll fish out some of his music and get the party started, yeah? I'm thinking 'OD'd in Denver' for starters, lol...


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## nchobbyfarm (Apr 10, 2011)

Cheers!


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Here's the music list since playin' good ol' Hank Williams, Jr. I actually wrote it down since I had NOTHING better to DO while I sliced limes for the tequila shots, lol. Here's the numerical order:

1) Hank Williams, Jr.---OD'd in Denver

2) Black Flag---Bastard In Love

3) Sex Pistols---EMI

4) Sir MixaLot---I Checks My Bank

5) Merle Haggard---Sing Me Back Home

6) Pat Travers---Snortin' Whiskey

7) Van Halen---D.O.A.

8) Dead Kennedys---Police Truck

9) Kingston Trio---The Tijuana Jail

10) Marty Robbins---Cowboy in a Continental Suit

Alright, just wanted y'all to see what goes on in the demented mind of a former vertical skateboarder, LOL... if you can handle THAT lineup without gettin' gripped, well, SHEEEEEE-IT, we should be PALS, BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! 😆


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Never heard those songs, I know only half of the artists. I can tolerate most any music except rap, which isn't music, and that head banging crap, also not music.

Merle Haggard and Marty Robbins had wonderful voices.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Funny thing, I never even made it to The Mighty Zep, Pink Floyd, Johnny Cash, The Ventures, et al... those tequila shots and that single hit o' chronic eventually put me to sleep, lol. Meh, I had a good night's rest and I'm rarin' to go with the friggin' painting... well, maybe not RARIN' to go, but I'm ready to tackle it, lol. Gotta do dishes first, then get cleaned up in the shower... beautiful day here, wish I didn't have to paint, but it needs to be done, if I take a day off to ride the monster Enduro down at Red Sands OHV Area, then I stack more pressure upon myself to get the painting done before the carpet installation crew arrives. So I'm gonna be a good boy and tackle the Great Room with a roller, just need to do the ceiling and cut in the corners, including the north wall (which has paint but no cutting in done yet). Do ya reckon famous artists from the past EVER enjoyed house painting? The Dutch Masters, the Impressionists, and all those heroes? Different kinda stroke, BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! They probably didn't even HAVE rollers in those days, it was ALL done by hand with a brush... the successful artists probably farmed out the work, thinking, "F#% this sh!t, there's NO money in it!!!" LOL. Alright, I'm off to do dishes and get crackin' on the painting, WOOHOO!!! 

P.S. That last exclamation is a sad reflection upon my social life... I need that gal from the hair ad to wake me up every morning, but then again, I'd probably never get any work done, lol.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Forgot to post these pics of Crackhead looking out the small window in the master bathroom on the south end of my home:


















Every morning, when it warms up enough, I open certain windows to refresh the air in my home... Crackhead likes this little window, which is positioned 5' or 6' off the ground. He'd better enjoy it while he can, as I'll be installing screens on all the windows when I get around to it. Bug season has already begun, I don't want 50 million of the blasted varmints in my home once the temps hit the 80s & 90s.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

He'll be happy as long as you put a cat size shelf there for him.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

He has the counter right there, but I'll be installing custom varnished pine window sills on every other window in the house, just so the cats have places to sit and watch the world go by, especially the wild birds, lol. Whoever built this home skimped on interior sills, that's the way it is with manufactured homes... but if you're willing to do the work, you can make things right and it'll look even better once you're done. I like woodworking, it's good for the soul, lol... and the varnished pine will look great against the "blonde" paneling. I'm sure the cats will approve once I'm done, those knucklehaids! Anyway, I'm having a hard time getting motivated to paint, it's such a beautiful day outside that I'm powerfully tempted to blow off the painting and go ride the monster Enduro, lol... but the painting will never get done that way, and I gotta stay on schedule for the carpet installation. That's the problem with painting, it doesn't do itself, lol... "Must resist the urge to ride, must pick up roller and paint bucket!!! Aaaaarrrrgh!!!" 

P.S. Perhaps a cold beer will put me in the right frame of mind... as long as I get that Great Room ceiling done today, I'll still be on schedule. Once that blasted carpet is installed, I'm gonna ride for three days straight, lol.  

Edit: Guess I'll post another shot (or three) of the bike, that'll hafta do for today, lol...


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

they skimped on interior sills in this house also so when i changed the windows i had the new sills much wider. ~Georgia


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Yes, that is exactly what I'm doing... I always widen the sills in manufactured homes, but this one didn't even have any interior sills. Meh, I already bought the lumber, brackets, etc., for the job, it's just a matter of time and getting around to it. I have a priority list, especially with this damned carpet coming in at the end of the month... once that happens, I'll have a little more leeway and I can choose which tasks to complete from the LONNNNNG list of tasks, lol. 

Now, I'd better get off the goldurned computer, otherwise I'll NEVER get any painting done today... gotta grab a cold one too, I never got one earlier. If I were a wizard or a magician, I'd wave my magic wand and the painting would be done... whoever masters THAT trick will be an overnight billionaire, lol. The only 'magic wand' I see here in my home is this Wooster 'Sherlock' extension handle for the roller, but it doesn't work for sh!t when I wave it, lol... story of my life.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Aah... done for the day, and I did indeed manage to paint the ceiling of the Great Room. Better yet, it looks as if I _might_ get away with only one thick coat on these ceiling panels... I'll know tomorrow once the paint is fully cured. Anyway, I took some pics while halfway and 3/4 of the way through the job, whaddy'all think of the difference between the original dingy yellow and the new white ceiling?


















Here are some bonus shots of my lizard decor, lol... I have a bunch of animal decor going up in the home and on the porch, once I'm finished with the home rehab. Usually, you'll see nautical decor, Western art, and Mediterranean travel posters from the late '60s & early '70s, but animals also figure into the mix, lol.


























Hmm, these are shiny mirrored pieces but for some reason the shiny parts came out gray... huh? Some weird trick of the light pulling a fast one on the cheesed!ck Canon cam, lol. I only bought this small Canon cam for dirt biking, as it'll easily fit into a pocket while I ride, but it has its limitations. Flashback to Clint Eastwood in the 'DIRTY HARRY' film series: "A good man always knows his limitations!" Lol, evidently it's different for cameras...


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

My expensive camera would make the refective places look grey, if the lighting isn't just right. I like the lizards. Butterflies are my thing. I have a wooden cut-out of a butterfly hanging on my truck rear view.

The ceilings look wonderful! The house is really coming together. 

I am a fan of wide windowsills too. My house used to have nice marble sills which had to be removed when we replaced the windows. 20 years later I still haven't got around to framing them in. When I do, the sills will be 6 inches wide so I can put plants on them.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

I usually go with 6" sills for the cats, that gives 'em enough room to lounge... Tiger & Crackhead are both large cats, so they need the room. The painting is coming along, though I'm growing weary of it... today, I'm just gonna cut in some corners, the taping will take awhile but it needs to be done. Every morning, I look at the calendar and count down the days till the carpet arrives; counting today, that leaves six days to get the job done, and I haven't even started on the master bedroom yet, which is fairly large. Nor does this program include painting the bathrooms & kitchen, which will NOT be carpeted; those will be painted later, one at a time, then I'll put down adhesive vinyl tile in the bathrooms. The kitchen floor is suitable at present, I'm just gonna wax it and carry on, maybe throw down a small area rug or two and get a rubber mat for standing in front of the sink... I may still have a nice rubber mat, I can't remember if I sold it with the last home. 

I have a master plan, a vision for this home... since the long 14' x 80' structure reminds me of a boat hull, and since I have some primo nautical decor to put on the walls (bulkheads, lol), I reckon visitors will probably pick up that vibe. I have some nice Western art too, along with some framed 'climbing art' and a framed Napoleonic Era litho that always elicits positive comments. 'LA BATAILLE D'EYLAU' shows cavalry forming up after a charge, during Napoleon's decisive victory over the Russians... I think this may have been on Prussian soil, back when France was a major military power and a force to be reckoned with under Bonaparte. It's a great litho, even if the animals were exposed to great danger during a time of war... horse folks who visit always comment upon the artwork. Some war horses were [email protected]$$ too, a good mount could mean the difference between life & death on the battlefield. 

Anyway, there's no need to dwell on the historical use of animals in war... it still goes on today, particularly with war dogs, and the debate continues. Is it worth using animals in combat if human lives are saved? Most folks would probably agree, but it's kinda hard on the animals, though a well-trained animal certainly has a better chance of survival. I know those dog handlers work closely with those war dogs, and in certain situations the dogs are a great help... their sense of smell is so far superior to ours that it's like night & day, and if they can detect explosives before a blast takes human lives, well, maybe it's worth the risk. Back in Coronado, the SEALs trained dolphins for wartime use, as dolphins are highly intelligent and seem to perform well in their assigned tasks. They're probably wondering WHY they have to do these things, lol... stoopid human tricks related to war. The planet would probably be better off without the rotten human race, lol... but so it goes.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Just 6 more days. You'll make it. One hour, one day at a time. Give yourself some time off each day and remember to work on parts of the job, not the whole job. You'll get it done, then you can enjoy a few rides.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Well, it was a monumental PITA taping off all the trim in the Great Room, took several hours but I finally started cutting in the corners. Dunno if you can see in the afternoon light, but the trim is just about done... there might be a spot or two where minor touch-up painting is required, but otherwise it's DONE, lol. I was gonna start in the north bedroom this morning, but I decided to tackle the Great Room and get it finished, tomorrow I'll tackle the north room, all I have to do there is tape trim and cut in corners. That'll leave the master bedroom, and roughly four days in which to do it, which should be enough time. I'll be glad when this forced painting gig comes to an end, but for now, it has to be done... time to grab a beer and relax, all I have to do for the remainder of the day is pull tape. Here are the latest Great Room photos:


















Damn, the tape looks uneven with paint on it, lol... but my taping is usually pretty reliable, I tend to press hard enough for the tape to stick where it should. We'll see in a few moments when I peel the tape, there must be half a mile of it back behind the camera, lol. Now, where's that cold beer?!?


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Okay, I pulled the tape and things look pretty good overall, just a few minor holidays here & there. However, I'm willing to swear upon a stack of old SkateBoarder Magazines that this blue 3M painter's masking tape has declined in quality since I used it last... I'm meticulous when it comes to masking trim, and I press hard enough for the tape to stick, just seems like there's more "bleed" to it nowadays. With the quality of every other product dropping like a f#%ng rock, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that the 3M Blue has gone the same route, pffffffft. I used to swear by their products when doing glasswork and painting boats, but now I'm not so sure... damn, I'm startin' to feel like an old friggin' geezer as I recall "the good ol' days!!!"


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## mreynolds (Jan 1, 2015)

Hard Aground said:


> I usually go with 6" sills for the cats, that gives 'em enough room to lounge... Tiger & Crackhead are both large cats, so they need the room. The painting is coming along, though I'm growing weary of it... today, I'm just gonna cut in some corners, the taping will take awhile but it needs to be done. Every morning, I look at the calendar and count down the days till the carpet arrives; counting today, that leaves six days to get the job done, and I haven't even started on the master bedroom yet, which is fairly large. Nor does this program include painting the bathrooms & kitchen, which will NOT be carpeted; those will be painted later, one at a time, then I'll put down adhesive vinyl tile in the bathrooms. The kitchen floor is suitable at present, I'm just gonna wax it and carry on, maybe throw down a small area rug or two and get a rubber mat for standing in front of the sink... I may still have a nice rubber mat, I can't remember if I sold it with the last home.
> 
> I have a master plan, a vision for this home... since the long 14' x 80' structure reminds me of a boat hull, and since I have some primo nautical decor to put on the walls (bulkheads, lol), I reckon visitors will probably pick up that vibe. I have some nice Western art too, along with some framed 'climbing art' and a framed Napoleonic Era litho that always elicits positive comments. 'LA BATAILLE D'EYLAU' shows cavalry forming up after a charge, during Napoleon's decisive victory over the Russians... I think this may have been on Prussian soil, back when France was a major military power and a force to be reckoned with under Bonaparte. It's a great litho, even if the animals were exposed to great danger during a time of war... horse folks who visit always comment upon the artwork. Some war horses were [email protected]$$ too, a good mount could mean the difference between life & death on the battlefield.
> 
> Anyway, there's no need to dwell on the historical use of animals in war... it still goes on today, particularly with war dogs, and the debate continues. Is it worth using animals in combat if human lives are saved? Most folks would probably agree, but it's kinda hard on the animals, though a well-trained animal certainly has a better chance of survival. I know those dog handlers work closely with those war dogs, and in certain situations the dogs are a great help... their sense of smell is so far superior to ours that it's like night & day, and if they can detect explosives before a blast takes human lives, well, maybe it's worth the risk. Back in Coronado, the SEALs trained dolphins for wartime use, as dolphins are highly intelligent and seem to perform well in their assigned tasks. They're probably wondering WHY they have to do these things, lol... stoopid human tricks related to war. The planet would probably be better off without the rotten human race, lol... but so it goes.


Allow yourself a shot a tequila for each room painted that night. 

Maybe 3 for that living room. 

Then work your day like that.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Haha, no tequila tonight, I'm gonna get a good night's rest and tackle that north room tomorrow... I'd rather be on or slightly ahead of schedule with the new carpet due at the end of the month. Today was a grind, with all the tedious taping & masking, but the big room is pretty much done, and the rest should go a bit easier. I BBQd some burgers for dinner, and also for easy leftovers in days ahead... I was tempted to have a bonfire tonight, but didn't want to invest the time, I'm gonna hit the rack early and stay on schedule with this miserable painting. Soon it'll be over and I can take a day off, and the carpet installation will go smoothly with the "wet work" already done. Besides, it's a balmy night, I heard temps are gonna hit the 80s this weekend, so a fire would probably be a waste of wood. I do have stumps and other stuff to burn out there, but I'd rather save the fuel for a chilly night... it'll be better appreciated, lol. Cheers!!!


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## mreynolds (Jan 1, 2015)

Hard Aground said:


> Haha, no tequila tonight, I'm gonna get a good night's rest and tackle that north room tomorrow... I'd rather be on or slightly ahead of schedule with the new carpet due at the end of the month. Today was a grind, with all the tedious taping & masking, but the big room is pretty much done, and the rest should go a bit easier. I BBQd some burgers for dinner, and also for easy leftovers in days ahead... I was tempted to have a bonfire tonight, but didn't want to invest the time, I'm gonna hit the rack early and stay on schedule with this miserable painting. Soon it'll be over and I can take a day off, and the carpet installation will go smoothly with the "wet work" already done. Besides, it's a balmy night, I heard temps are gonna hit the 80s this weekend, so a fire would probably be a waste of wood. I do have stumps and other stuff to burn out there, but I'd rather save the fuel for a chilly night... it'll be better appreciated, lol. Cheers!!!


I'm gonna do a bon fire tomorrow after the rodeo. Been here all week and tomorrow they will announce the winners.


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## whiterock (Mar 26, 2003)

Far too dry and windy for a bonfire. That one out around Eastland was partially started by a grill if I'm not mistaken. I believe some were arson. Seven fires came together. EX has family out there, they were OK but lots of folks they know lost a good bit,
We are in extreme drought here with high fire risk.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Progress!!! I actually finished _early_ today, it's only 1715... got the hall done, then knocked out the north bedroom. Thankfully, the taping & masking was easier today, so I made better time. Had a few minor holidays here & there, nothing I can't fix later, so overall I'm happy with my progress. One room left! But it's a fairly large one, plus it has a huge closet, and I'm running low on the Behr paint... I think I might use Kilz first in my room (already did all floors twice, and there's still a 5-gallon bucket of Kilz left), then throw down the Behr topcoat, that might save me from having to buy more Behr at a time when my wallet is looking slim. The Kilz is the all-purpose variety, not just for floors, so I'm leaning toward using it since I have plenty of it, lol. Anyway, here are shots of the hall and the north bedroom (second-largest bedroom in the home), they don't look too bad. I was gonna paint that paneled wall with the bay window, but I left it for now because of the paint situation, and it doesn't look too bad despite the difference in color compared to the other paneling.


















































It was a PITA to cut in the corners of that closet... two down, one to go, but the last one is larger... that might actually work in my favor, as the larger surfaces can be rolled out more easily. We'll see how it goes once I get started on that room, right now I am DONE for the day, enjoying a cold beer and giving my feet a rest. Looking at the calendar, I have four full days before the 31st, but one of those days (most likely the last) will be devoted to cleaning up holidays and getting some polish on that wood paneling (so I don't slop the sh!t on my new carpet, lol). But these days of hammering out the painting are paying off, my home should be ready for the new pad & carpet installation at the end of the month. Damn, this cold beer tastes good! I didn't have any on the job today, I got into a groove with the taping going smoothly, and as soon as that task was completed, I grabbed the cut-in brush and Wooster 'Pelican' to keep the ball rolling. In the past, I always used Purdy brushes, but these Wooster brushes aren't so bad... I use chip (or throwaway) brushes for certain tasks.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Okay, I'm taking a "beer break" from painting... truth be told, I've been drinking beer all along, but since I'm a steady worker (or roller, in this case), I've only had 3 or 4 beers, lol. At least the painting is going well, I'm knocking out more area as I roll, and I started that infernal closet which is such a PITA due to its dimensions. Thing is only 20"-22" deep (haven't bothered putting a tape measure to it, who has the friggin' time?), but it's WIDE and there is more surface area in there than ya might think, lol. Anyway, I took some shots of recent progress, I'll do the ceiling again here in a bit, and that wall with the windows will get a third coat this afternoon or tomorrow morning, but I'm happy with the overall progress, and I believe I'll be able to meet the carpet deadline on April Fools' Day. Still got some tedious cutting in to do, but that won't happen till tomorrow, I ain't f#%ng with it today, lol.  


























































Gonna hafta nail down some of those cheesed!ck trim strips tomorrow morning as well, the white paint really helps bring my attention to those problem areas, lol. And the lighting isn't so hot in some pics, as the sky is overcast despite the howling winds. Meh, y'all get the drift... won't be long before this forced painting is done. Y'all have heard of the 'Bataan Death March?' Well, THIS is the lesser-known 'Bataan Paint March'---and even though I served in the USA INF, I'll be glad when the MFer is over and done, lol. Okay, time to post one more thread elsewhere, I was thinking of y'all while rolling out the room & closet, and there's something I wanna tell ya...


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Done for the day, only two more days of forced painting, WOOHOO!!! Here's the ceiling in my room, looking a bit better after another coat.










Manana, I finish rolling and start cutting in corners... "Oh, boy!!!" Hey, I see my reflection... makes my nearly 6' tall, 195-lb. frame seem kinda small, lol. Meh, ya can't win 'em all... I'm off to relax and do laundry, going to bed early again, I'll tackle this room again tomorrow. No tequila shots tonight, lol.


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## Robotron (Mar 25, 2012)

Nice work! 
That bike looks huge and heavy for the dirt. Makes my Bultaco alpina look spindly at 200#.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Oh, man, I love those old Bultacos & Husqvarnas, those things were bulletproof, lol. Maicos too, a guy in high school who was a really good rider had a Maico bike, and there was nothin' wrong with it, he used to race and did pretty well on it. My best friend Tommy (or "T-Bone") has a wall full of BMX & MX trophies from his youth, he was also a very good rider. Still is, really, but I'm no slouch when it comes to riding, I'm not into racing but I LOVE haulin' @$$ down trails, lol... the freedom, ya know? I also like trials riding, not full-on trials riding like the pros do, but what I call "[email protected]$$ trials riding"---going up sloping boulders and whatnot. That's heaps o' fun, and the balancing act can be a real challenge. 

The 'Monster Enduro' is a real BEAST on the trail, but ya can't ride it the same way ya ride the smaller bikes, it just weighs too much and it's too large to sling around like so much hash. You can do that on a 125cc or a 250cc bike, no problem, but this bike is too unwieldy... however, there are times when you can get on it and twist the throttle coming out of a turn or whatever, and the bike has mondo power, the big bad Dunlop knobby on the rear wheel grips pretty well but the whole rear end of the bike will fishtail a little bit due to the raw power, aye? It's the largest offroad bike I've ever ridden, though I've ridden larger modified street sleds in the dirt with mixed results, lol. 

Anyway, I'm down to two days of forced painting before the new carpet arrives, but I think I have it in hand. Gotta resupply with beer before I get started today, and I might have to throw some lidocaine lotion on my shoulder after I get cleaned up, all that overhead rolling work with the telescopic extension handle has riled my shoulder, which isn't exactly 100% due to past injury, lol. Beer will help later... good news is that I'm almost done with the rolling (for now, still gotta do the bathrooms and kitchen later, after a break). The cutting in of corners will be tedious as always, but there's only so much of it to do in this room, and I'll be using blue 3M masking tape for that purpose. Another day, another nickel (Biden economics)...


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## Robotron (Mar 25, 2012)

So long as you enjoy it run it hard. 
my favorite dirt enduro machine was a 5 speed Ossa Pioneer. Still looking for one in decent condition.
Current inventory consists of bultaco 175 Alina and the 250, both of the 1973 vintage. Also have the husqvarna 1974 250wr. That one is a handful.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Knocked out all the rolling and started cutting in the corners of my room & closet... I went ahead and hit those corners which did NOT require taping first. Corners where painted ceiling meets painted wall, or painted closet wall meets painted closet wall. Got a fair amount done, I'm looking good for my last day of forced painting manana, lol. I've rounded the final turn and I'm on the home stretch, so to speak, and it looks as if I'll be able to coast to the finish before the carpet installation crew arrives on Friday... but just to make sure, I'm gonna get an early start on the taping tomorrow, lol. For now, it's a cold beer and some relaxation time... might even go for a tequila shot. ***, I earned it...


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

I've been taping and cutting in corners since this morning, I'm taking a beer break while some paint dries... things look good, I'm gonna pull tape here in a bit and finish my work. Should be done within a couple of hours, then I can start consolidating things and moving furniture out of the way for the inbound carpet crew. I will be SO GLAD when that carpet installation is done, that means I can start setting up my home theater... get a little entertainment between home rehab tasks, lol. First DVD I'm gonna watch is 'JAWS'---I miss the ocean, lol. Might watch 'THE EXPENDABLES' trilogy too, those movies are always good for a laugh. I also have a Roku Streaming Stick, so I'll get that back online and see what's available on the free channels. I like the old Westerns, but sometimes one can find other decent films on the RSS. Ah, this beer tastes good, first one of the day, I've been going at this final painting since this morning, and it's almost 1400 hours. Meh, it'll be done soon enough, and on schedule too, lol... but I still felt pressured to get it done, felt like I was racing the clock and the calendar, and I was, but everything will be alright once the carpet is installed. Cheers!!!


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Okay, long day once again, but the new carpet is installed, WOOHOO!!! Here are pics:


















































































Oh, hell, I forgot the 10-pic limit... well, I'll post up the other 2 shots here pronto. You can see some paint damage in the closets, I'm gonna take care of that soon enough, but overall, I'm VERY HAPPY with the results, the [email protected]$$ pad and nice carpet feel REALLY GOOD under sock feet, lol. What the f#%, I paid $3600 for the pad & carpet, it damn well BETTER feel good underfoot, AYE? Anyway, my cats are TRIPPIN' but they're also pleasantly surprised, this carpet will give 'em some serious traction (with the claws) as they chase each other up & down the length of my home at 0500 every morning. Meh, nothing but the best for the blasted varmints... or the best I can afford, lol.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Okey-dokey, here are the last 2 pics, not sure they're worth adding but I already resized 'em, so f#% it:


















That damned Crackhead is in the way on the bar, as usual... I'm about to take a big ol' triple shot o' tequila after waiting this long for the carpet crew to get the job done, lol. They've actually been gone for a couple hours, at least, and they helped me move the heavy furniture back into the various rooms, but I moved everything else back in myself, took a shower and grabbed a beer, now I'm ready for some blue agave juice, STRAIGHT THE F#% UP, LOL. 

Well, there will be lime & salt involved, but OTHERWISE, straight the f#% up, AYE???


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

It looks great!


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

yes indeed! what a difference from when you started off not that long ago really. looks like an entirely different place. lots of work went into it. ~Georgia


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Yes, indeed, and heaps of work will go into it yet, but getting new carpet is a motivator... now the place is starting to resemble a home, and I'll be inspired to get more done in the weeks ahead. 

But today, I'm simply going to chill out, ride my bike, maybe plant some runners or cuttings my neighbor brought over from his yard... a box full of agave plants, one quite large which will go out by the fence, maybe in the corner. 

Putter around the yard and not do a damned thing with the house... I need that break, ya know? I was hammering out that painting & Kilz application... if I see another paintbrush or roller today, I'm gonna shoot it, lol.  

Tiger & Crackhead sure like the new carpet, they're running around at a million miles per hour from one end of our home to the other... crazy fools!!! Oh, well, they may have company soon... 

Little Phoenix has NOT reappeared, I'm beginning to think she got killed, so I'm leaning toward rescuing a couple of kittens to liven up this joint... rescue 'em from the nearest shelter, that way they're already fixed & have their initial shots.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Jeez, I'm moving slowly today... some sort of reaction to the recent spate of work, and the fact that I no longer have the carpet deadline hanging over me, lol. I'm still gonna putter around the yard and go for a ride on the bike, but it'll happen a bit LATER than planned, aye? Just made a [email protected]$$ breakfast of ham & eggs on French bread toasted with cheddar cheese, the ham was the thick kind for sandwiches, the half-dozen eggs fried over easy... damned delicious! I don't eat such a "cholesterol feast" very often, so when I do, I enjoy the hell out of it, lol. I already did the dishes, now it's quality time with the cats before I get cleaned up & head outdoors... sure is a beautiful day outside, this spring weather in Alamogordo is nice! A little planting will go well in such weather, and I gotta water the pear sapling & blackberry bushes while I'm at it, I want those to keep growing and get established in the yard. 

Edit: Tiger & Crackhead worn out after chasing each other round the home all morning... the new carpet is plush, must require more exertion than usual, lol.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Well, hell, before I even took the Monster Enduro for a ride, I realized how badly I've been neglecting it... thing is still dirty from the Stronghold ride, and I've been so busy with the home rehab that I haven't spared a single day for the bike. That's gonna change here pronto... I also noticed that the cheesy aluminum studs that hold the peg mounts to the frame are stripped out on the left side. This is probably due to the fact that with a bike this large & heavy, ya leave the kickstand down and mount the bike by standing on the left peg, then ya throw your right leg over the saddle. Once astride, the kickstand goes up and you're ready to roll... I gotta swap out those cheesed!ck aluminum studs for some stainless steel bolts, and damn the small amount of weight that might add. When I'm in the dirt, I often stand on my pegs to negotiate tricky sections, better overall balance that way, and pegs that move or give way are not an option. The right side is okay for now, it's just the left side that sees so much additional stress load in mounting or dismounting the bike. If you try to throw your right leg over the saddle without using the peg, the bike is so tall that your riding boots hang up on the saddle... I'm not short either, but it's a big bike. Meh, I'll ask my neighbor the Harley mechanic what he thinks, maybe he has a better option for this particular bugbear... I don't like pegs that shift around and feel as if they're gonna give way. As far as I'm concerned, he can weld the peg mounts to the frame, lol. But I reckon S/S bolts will figure into my near future...


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Enjoy the ride. You deserve a break.

Sorry to hear that Phoenix is missing.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Well, I rode up and down US54 to knock out an errand and check the cluster mailbox in front of my subdivision, but the peg issue needs to be addressed pronto, and the bike needs to be thoroughly cleaned. Still, I got to ride for 10 miles and made sure the battery was charged, lol... but sometime this week, I will set aside a day to clean the bike and fix that peg issue. It's annoying, having a peg that shifts around in a way it's not supposed to move, aye? Meh, no worries, I got it covered, and the bike ride was still fun, lol... I've just been spending too much time on the home rehab lately, that's all. As an aside, I was just out watering my trees before it got dark, and that crescent moon is awesome!!!  

P.S. Phoenix may be dead, she may be roaming the 'hood, only time will tell... I've done everything I can to try to locate her, let folks know & give 'em a description. The shelter knows she has a chip with my number on it. Hopefully she makes it back... if not, well, so it goes.


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## mreynolds (Jan 1, 2015)

Hard Aground said:


> Yes, indeed, and heaps of work will go into it yet, but getting new carpet is a motivator... now the place is starting to resemble a home, and I'll be inspired to get more done in the weeks ahead.
> 
> But today, I'm simply going to chill out, ride my bike, maybe plant some runners or cuttings my neighbor brought over from his yard... a box full of agave plants, one quite large which will go out by the fence, maybe in the corner.
> 
> ...


I got my rescue dog a rabies shot today. Just in case because I have kids often here. In another week, he will be mine and I'll get him the rest. 

I don't want to spend too much and have someone claim him.


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## gilberte (Sep 25, 2004)

Most of the time them darn cats don't seem to care about our feelings at all, just do whatever suits them. Sure, go ahead and leave for a few days, I'll just sit here and worry. And I bet they didn't help with the painting at all, other than just provide supervision and a smug look. I hope Phoenix returns, but it doesn't look good.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

No, it doesn't, and she was a real sweetheart too, but she went outside at night, and that's dangerous for cats in the high desert. I usually lock 'em down at night, securing & blocking the cat doors, but I fell asleep one night from sheer exhaustion and forgot to secure the cat doors... that was the night she disappeared. These cats are like my kids too, so every time I lose one, I don't like it... but there IS that slight possibility that she's still alive, she has gone MIA before and then reappeared as if nothing happened, but I don't like this continued absence. I don't wanna dwell on it today, I'm just gonna relax and take it easy... worst-case scenario, she's gone and I think about rescuing some kittens.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Spent another day relaxing after a long haul... the ongoing home rehab gets to be a grind, so I spent part of my day at a motorcycle website, addressing the issue & underlying causes of a loose peg mount on the left side of my Monster Enduro. That's a repair job I'll be tackling here shortly... gotta balance out the home rehab tasks, and go for an occasional ride to keep my sanity in this long rehab grind, lol. Otherwise, life is peaceful and good here in Alamogordo... 

I'll say this: I don't much like leftist libtards trying to tell me how I should think, aye? Leftist libtards, the least tolerant scumbags on the planet, lol... one look at those useful idiots in the fascist BLM/Antifa organizations is clear proof. One day, those traitorous Jew-slurpin' sh!theels will be stacked like cordwood, and I reckon that day ain't long in coming, lol. I'll be doing my part in that whole deal, putting that ol' USA INF training & experience to good use, lol.  

I was also looking at real estate listings today, and even the home prices here in Alamo have gone through the roof, I am fortunate to have scored this fine property at the price I paid. Some of the homes in current listings look like [email protected], with NO trees or landscaping whatsoever, and the sellers want TEN TIMES as much for 'em, lol. Oh, the homes might be in better shape, but the overall properties suck, and my rehab efforts will pay off down the line anyway... 

So those Fed ZOG Jews can go ahead and burst the housing bubble, they're the ones who created it in the first place, but their Jew bankster cronies will never foreclose on THIS home, since I'm free & clear, lol... the greedy swine. Piss on 'em, and let the latest round of foreclosures spur a revolution... there are enough homeless folks out there already, time to shut down these dirty criminal swine who freely manipulate the housing market with absolute impunity.  

Meh, I reckon I'll be spending more time on the home rehab in days & weeks to come, and what computer time I have will probably be spent in the bike forums, where there are less idiot leftist libtards, lol. Any bikes they have will have to come out of looted showrooms, lol. Stoopid Jew-slurpin' traitor trash, dumber than boxes of f#%ng rocks, lol. As the one hand said, "I'M OUT!!!" Don't need any leftist libtard tools of the globalist Jew to aggravate me as I finish the rehab work on my home.  

ALLA YOUSE HEROES & HEROINES WHO BACKED ME HERE, GOOD LUCK!!! I AIN'T BIG ON CENSORSHIP, IT SMACKS OF SOCIALISM & COMMUNISM, AYE??? I'LL LIVE FREE OR DIE, THAT'S ALL THERE IS TO IT... CHEERS!!!


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Most forums have rules and terms of use. Call it censoring if you like. The rules are there, and enforced, for the protection of all readers and posters. You haven't seen how quickly threads degrade into mud-slinging, name calling, threatening posts if the rules are not enforced. 

All laws and rules are a form of censoring.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

@Hard Aground, did you leave us again or just taking a break?


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

maybe he was reported. things like that aren't allowed here. not to mention that some of our members are jewish. jmo ~Georgia


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

I know he was reported. One of his posts was deleted. But his profile doesn't say he was banned.


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## gilberte (Sep 25, 2004)

Maybe he's out looking for that darn cat.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

I hope she comes home. I know what it's like to have a cat just go AWOL and never return.


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## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

i checked for that also. maybe he just got a warning and didn't like it. could be one post was deleted but the one that should have been deleted was post no 103. what's a jew slurpin ****head anyway? jew bankster cronies? stupid jew-slurpin traitor? trash leftist tools of the globalist jew? 

to my mind that's hate speech . people have been arrested these days for that. and as for his heroines and heroes most of us i think were just following along with his renovations of his home and likeing that part. i know i have no interest in the other stuff. some of us know what happened when hate speech was just tolerated and let fester. besides some of my best friends are jewish . 2 are bankers. best people i've ever had the priviledge of meeting. Jmo ,Moo. ~Georgia


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Yes, that one in this thread was worse than the other. 

I've been here a long time and the basic rules haven't changed that much. No bad language and no personal attacks. Basically play nice and you can talk about just about anything that is suitable for general audiences. Except politics because people can't play nice when it comes to politics.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

First "cat sill" up in the living room, WOOHOO!!! Ya probably can't tell from these pics, but the varnished pine looks great against the wooden paneling, lol. These 6"-wide sills in the living room are being installed solely so the cats can sit and watch the birds at the feeders & birdbaths outside, I'm sure the cats will give their "seal of approval" once they test-ride the sills, lol. Okay, time to install the second sill, I have four going up here in the living room, others going up elsewhere at a later date. Gotta make a beer run soon, I just realized I'm almost out, and I don't feel like doing tequila shots... tequila and carpentry don't mix, not when power tools are involved, lol.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Now if you put an overstuffed chair in front of the window, you will never get the cats out of that room.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Wait till I set up the [email protected]$$ home theater in that living room... goldurned cats will be hoggin' the friggin' remote!!! 

All the components are in the metal shop building: 65" Samsung curved screen, burly bookshelf upon which it rests (so it's like you're at the movies with the screen elevated), soundbar & subwoofer, leather motorized reclining sofa with center console & cup holders, etc., etc. Those fool cats will be swilling beer outta my fridge and watching movies like the original 'JAWS'---since they have NO clue how large that fish actually IS, lol. All they'll be seeing is a fish fry feast, aye? The blasted varmints!!! I can just hear Crackhead now:

"WE'RE GONNA NEED A BIGGER FOOD DISH!!!"


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

We have a wonderful lingering breeze this evening, I have my windows partially open to cool down the home, and the cats are trying out the new sills, lol. I'm glad I pulled those two small stumps on such a naturally-refreshing evening, one thing I've learned about this home rehab grind is this: if you find yourself "in the black" where energy is concerned, even after you've called it a day on the home rehab tasks, well, go ahead and expend that energy and knock out another task or two. In this way, you slowly cross tasks off the to-do list, and one fine day you realize that you're almost done, lol. For me, that day is months ahead yet, but I feel a small sense of victory in pulling those two unsightly stumps out of the ground... one day, this yard o' mine will look like a well-maintained park or orchard, exactly how I want it to look. 

Granted, there are some run-down & abandoned homes in this subdivision, but those aren't my problem... I know that they will eventually be demo'd or rehabbed, as the market is still good here for finding deals if ya have the cash. But no worries, I'm simply gonna "lead by example" and make my property look good, maybe that will inspire someone to clean up his or her property. Thankfully, my two closest neighbors take pretty good care of their property, and this SW corner of the whole subdivision has some very nice homes. I'm very glad to be here, it's so peaceful & quiet compared to the Big City... folks out walking their dogs in the evening say hello and chat for a moment, it's almost like going back in time to a better era when there wasn't so much rancor in the world, and life wasn't as complex as it is now. Ah, the good ol' days!!! 

WELL, I'M OFF TO RELAX, I GOT THINGS DONE TODAY SO I'M HAPPY, AND TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY. STORE RUN MANANA, I NEVER DID GO TODAY, COULDN'T BE BOTHERED WITH DRIVING, LOL.


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## mreynolds (Jan 1, 2015)

Hard Aground said:


> We have a wonderful lingering breeze this evening, I have my windows partially open to cool down the home, and the cats are trying out the new sills, lol. I'm glad I pulled those two small stumps on such a naturally-refreshing evening, one thing I've learned about this home rehab grind is this: if you find yourself "in the black" where energy is concerned, even after you've called it a day on the home rehab tasks, well, go ahead and expend that energy and knock out another task or two. In this way, you slowly cross tasks off the to-do list, and one fine day you realize that you're almost done, lol. For me, that day is months ahead yet, but I feel a small sense of victory in pulling those two unsightly stumps out of the ground... one day, this yard o' mine will look like a well-maintained park or orchard, exactly how I want it to look.
> 
> Granted, there are some run-down & abandoned homes in this subdivision, but those aren't my problem... I know that they will eventually be demo'd or rehabbed, as the market is still good here for finding deals if ya have the cash. But no worries, I'm simply gonna "lead by example" and make my property look good, maybe that will inspire someone to clean up his or her property. Thankfully, my two closest neighbors take pretty good care of their property, and this SW corner of the whole subdivision has some very nice homes. I'm very glad to be here, it's so peaceful & quiet compared to the Big City... folks out walking their dogs in the evening say hello and chat for a moment, it's almost like going back in time to a better era when there wasn't so much rancor in the world, and life wasn't as complex as it is now. Ah, the good ol' days!!!
> 
> WELL, I'M OFF TO RELAX, I GOT THINGS DONE TODAY SO I'M HAPPY, AND TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY. STORE RUN MANANA, I NEVER DID GO TODAY, COULDN'T BE BOTHERED WITH DRIVING, LOL.


Raining here. Storming actually by no tornados.


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## RJ2019 (Aug 27, 2019)

Your new home seems so pleasant to work on. You are doing a wonderful job on your projects.


Hard Aground said:


> We have a wonderful lingering breeze this evening, I have my windows partially open to cool down the home, and the cats are trying out the new sills, lol. I'm glad I pulled those two small stumps on such a naturally-refreshing evening, one thing I've learned about this home rehab grind is this: if you find yourself "in the black" where energy is concerned, even after you've called it a day on the home rehab tasks, well, go ahead and expend that energy and knock out another task or two. In this way, you slowly cross tasks off the to-do list, and one fine day you realize that you're almost done, lol. For me, that day is months ahead yet, but I feel a small sense of victory in pulling those two unsightly stumps out of the ground... one day, this yard o' mine will look like a well-maintained park or orchard, exactly how I want it to look.
> 
> Granted, there are some run-down & abandoned homes in this subdivision, but those aren't my problem... I know that they will eventually be demo'd or rehabbed, as the market is still good here for finding deals if ya have the cash. But no worries, I'm simply gonna "lead by example" and make my property look good, maybe that will inspire someone to clean up his or her property. Thankfully, my two closest neighbors take pretty good care of their property, and this SW corner of the whole subdivision has some very nice homes. I'm very glad to be here, it's so peaceful & quiet compared to the Big City... folks out walking their dogs in the evening say hello and chat for a moment, it's almost like going back in time to a better era when there wasn't so much rancor in the world, and life wasn't as complex as it is now. Ah, the good ol' days!!!
> 
> WELL, I'M OFF TO RELAX, I GOT THINGS DONE TODAY SO I'M HAPPY, AND TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY. STORE RUN MANANA, I NEVER DID GO TODAY, COULDN'T BE BOTHERED WITH DRIVING, LOL.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

I lost a week a little while ago, partly due to rehab burnout and partly due to a pinched nerve in my lower back which gave me grief for a few days... but now I feel good, and there are things I want to do to bring this home up to speed. As far as burnout goes, the secret is to switch things around and do some other task, aye? I was SO burned out on painting after that rush job to finish the rooms which are now carpeted, I HAD to take a few days off... and I decided to mix things up a bit, working in the yard and whatnot to keep things interesting. My "to-do list" is still quite long, so ANY task I knock off that list is STILL a task completed, ya know? Little by little, I'll keep chipping away at the stone, and one day I hope to see a nice comfortable home surrounded by a variety of trees. Well, it's ALREADY comfortable, but there are still tasks to complete which will make the whole place neat & orderly, an asset to the neighborhood and not an eyesore, lol. 

My surviving cats Tiger & Crackhead love this place, every morning when it first gets light they gallop back & forth the length of the 14' x 80' manufactured home, chasing each other and playing around, lol. I leave all doors open between rooms for this purpose, you understand. Once I'm up and moving, I open the cat doors leading outside so they can go out to the yard and explore, or check out the wild birds at the feeders & birdbaths. It's a pretty nice setup for the cats, but I have to bring 'em in at night due to the owls & coyotes. I'm afraid little Phoenix got picked off a while ago, poor girl wasn't that large so she would've made an easy target. I'm still kicking myself for falling asleep and failing to secure the cat doors, that was the night Phoenix disappeared. But I was exhausted at the time, and there's nothing I can do about it now. In the future, once I'm further along with the home rehab, I may adopt a pair of kittens to make up for her loss.  

Anyway, it's a beautiful day here, I believe I'll get cleaned up and water the trees, then head to town to resupply before I tackle another home rehab task. I have my eye on the front porch steps, they need a little more work and I also need to paint them for protection, since that wood is not treated. Even if I prime them for now, using some of the Kilz left over from the floor job, that will be better than nothing. Eventually, I plan on painting the exterior of my home white, with forest green trim on the windows & skirting. That includes the skirting on the porch, and the steps as well. I'm not talking glaring white, just some off-white color that'll look good with the forest green. With all these trees in my yard, I think the green will look good. Green & white are Coronado colors too, from my days in Kalifornia, lol. I don't have to admit that to anybody here, lol, but visiting friends will ping on it. Technically, the green on the City of Coronado flag is lighter in color, but who cares?


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Poor little Phoenix. 😢

But like you said, stuff happens. She had a good life and you gave her the best you could, which was more than most people would have given her.

Don't make that chore list too detailed. Otherwise it just keeps growing.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Knowing her, she may just turn up one day... it has happened before. Meh, I can't dwell on it now, I have things to do... as in more home rehab, but I'm picking fun tasks today. I was gonna work on the front steps, but there's just enough breeze to make painting a hassle... so I put up my flags, and now I'm gonna install the foot rail at my bar. Not a brass rail, that would've been too expensive, so I'm using a copper pipe, lol... I reckon it'll look good against the wood paneling, and I already painted the end mounts brown. Gotta have a foot rail at the bar, no spittoon necessary, lol... anybody who spits on my carpet will receive a thrashing, I guaran-f#%n'-tee that, especially after I spent $3600 on the damned carpet.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

There's nothing wrong with a copper foot rail.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

"And on the 73rd day, Hard Aground made a foot rail for his bar..." 

Here it is in all its glory, my new copper (pipe) foot rail, lol... it actually looks pretty cool, but of course it's NOT the same diameter as a regular brass saloon rail, aye? However, it's pretty sturdy, though I'd prefer metal end mounts and I will keep a weather eye open for 'em... but as long as you're not kicking hard or attempting backward somersaults off the rail (and over your bar stool), then it's perfectly functional. Hey, it's a small bar, so I have a small rail, lol. 

Now, I WAS gonna drill through the plastic end mounts & copper pipe and run a S/S bolt through each end, but further consideration led me to leave the plastic end mounts alone... they're fairly sturdy, but drilling would surely weaken 'em, so I wrapped the ends of the pipe with electrical tape instead, making for a snug fit where the rail doesn't roll or rattle around. Feels pretty good, actually, as long as you're just resting your feet on the rail and not kicking the crap out of it, lol. 


















































So, another _small_ victory on the home rehab front, lol... I actually had a pretty fun day today, knocking out tasks which did NOT involve sanding, scraping, painting, pulling stumps or [email protected]$$ carpet, etc. Not only that, I'm about to test the comfort factor of my new foot rail by taking a big ol' shot or two of that blue agave juice, WOOHOO!!! I placed the rail high enough, I reckon, it's at least 9" off the carpet, and it felt pretty good when I checked it as I installed it...  

However, the TRUE TEST of comfort will occur as I knock back a shot or two of that blue agave juice, complete with salt & lime, lol. Cue the country song: "JOSE CUERVO... IS A FRIEND OF MINE!!!" Lol, let those who label me as a "racist" stick THAT in their pipes and smoke it, lol. Which reminds me, there might even be some chronic left in that sack I brought from my camping venture in Arizona... yesiree, there's just enough for one big glass bong load, lol. PAR-TAY TIME!!! 

Note to self: Do NOT attempt any backward somersaults off the new copper foot rail at the bar!!! Somersaults off the bar itself are perfectly acceptable, lol... better do 'em off the western end of the bar, the ceiling is higher there. Meh, I've had a good day today, think I'll quit while I'm ahead, though I still plan to water the trees later this afternoon (or early evening). I'm gonna cook some chicken too, got my heart set upon the 'Shake & Bake Extra Crispy" coating mix in my pantry, lol. 

P.S. Looks like the carpet crew banged up the wood paneling during installation, so I'll probably add some sort of floor molding or baseboard later just to hide that abuse, it's a low priority right now... Senor Cuervo has already earned the top priority spot, lol. Bust out the salt & lime, baby!!! Time to fill my classic 'Juarez' shot glass to the brim, maybe more than once... I bought that glass back when Juarez was STILL the murder capital of the entire North American continent, lol.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

It looks good. Nice job.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Well, it's a little scrawny compared to the brass foot rail in Big-Nose Kate's Saloon in Tombstone, but it'll work, lol...


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## mreynolds (Jan 1, 2015)

Hard Aground said:


> "And on the 73rd day, Hard Aground made a foot rail for his bar..."
> 
> Here it is in all its glory, my new copper (pipe) foot rail, lol... it actually looks pretty cool, but of course it's NOT the same diameter as a regular brass saloon rail, aye? However, it's pretty sturdy, though I'd prefer metal end mounts and I will keep a weather eye open for 'em... but as long as you're not kicking hard or attempting backward somersaults off the rail (and over your bar stool), then it's perfectly functional. Hey, it's a small bar, so I have a small rail, lol.
> 
> ...


That's gotta be the most expensive foot rail in Arizona.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

mreynolds said:


> That's gotta be the most expensive foot rail in Arizona.


Haha, it's actually in Alamogordo, New Mexico, or just outside that burg by a few miles... and the copper pipe only cost me what, $12 at the time? BAR-GOON!!! As you should ALREADY know, I'm a CHEAP [email protected], lol...


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## HDRider (Jul 21, 2011)

kinderfeld said:


> I hate carpet.


Me too. We have pulled carpet out of almost every house we ever had.

In one house we were doing hardwood and slate as we could afford it. We got over exuberant and took out a room before we could redo it. The floor was chip board, you know that ugly stuff. My wife sanded it, filled it, painted it, textured it and put marine poly on it. Looked fantabulo

The woman has skills


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Now THAT is f#%ng FUNNY, since I've considered multiple ghetto options for the floor in the bathrooms... but I'll probably "stick" with my plan to use adhesive vinyl tiles, lol.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Another day down, worked in the yard today and I'm not done yet, more on that later... right now, I'm enjoying a cold one and watching skateboarding videos. Red Bull skate videos, to be precise, though I've never even tasted that crap, lol... caffeinated sugar water, who needs it? But the skate videos are cool, those youngsters sure rip nowadays, yet they still pay the price when they eat sh!t, same way my friends & I did back in the day. Some of the wipeouts are comical, and they remind me of all the times we ate sh!t trying something new and spectacular, lol. Just watching some of these new videos makes my old bones ache, lol... that concrete hasn't gotten any SOFTER over the years, I know that much. 

Dunno why, but I've always been drawn to extreme sports where the risk of injury or death is greater than in other sports. BMX, MX & freestyle MX, vertical skateboarding, rock climbing, activities like these where gravity comes into play and the penalties can be severe, lol. And in my time, we didn't use safety gear on bikes or boards, unless we HAD to wear it at some park, otherwise it was all-out riding and when ya ate sh!t, ya paid the price, lol. Gnarly hippers, lacerations & contusions, heller road rash, the occasional concussion from slamming your head at the bottom of the pool, lol. Ah, yes, the good ol' days!!! Now I've wised up: I watch somebody ELSE take the abuse, lol. And it's FUN too!!! 

But I have a lot of RESPECT for these youngsters, they're committed to the sport and they're willing to take the risks, ya know? That's one thing about extreme sports, they require commitment if a rider wants to pull off the radical tricks and maneuvers... he who hesitates is lost. She too, there are plenty of good female riders out there, same way there are plenty of good female climbers... gender is no barrier in these extreme sports, unless a gal lets it be a barrier. I've seen gals who skate or climb better than I ever did, and I'm all for it... more power to 'em if they're willing to take the risks. My only hole card is this: I was skating vertical before many of these youngsters were BORN, lol. And lovin' it too... 

My friends and I were also heavily into BMX, we once built this launch ramp against a horizontal utility pole at the edge of a dirt parking lot, to soar over a 12' berm we had already dug out of the dirt bank below... a cutback berm, meaning it pulled a 180* turn as ya dropped 12' in elevation. NOBODY wanted to attempt the 'canyon jump' once the launch ramp was ready, we had to psych ourselves up for it. I finally committed to the jump, pedaling for all I was worth across the dirt lot above, hitting the launch ramp, and soaring across the canyon, only to eat sh!t as I _endo'd_ (or went end over end) on the far downslope... heard the near crank and pedal whip past my ear as I demonstrated a John Wayne combat roll, lol. 

Did that stop me from trying again? F#% no, they didn't call me the 'Bulldog' for nothing in my BMX and skating days, lol. Eating sh!t just p!ssed me off, so I grabbed my bike, went up to the dirt lot above and tried it again... this time, I SOARED across that gaping canyon in style, landing perfectly on the far downsloping surface and riding off in glory, lol. Afterward, once friends realized that it could be done, the jump was made by a few other riders, but it was a gnarly testpiece, that's for sure. Funny how good riders like Little Jon & Geno were balky at first, same way I was... that was one helluva jump across that canyon, lol. Now, don't get me started on the first double-grind ever ripped in the VertiBowl... 8' deep, 4' of vertical. 

Y'ALL BE GOOD, I'M GONNA WATCH ANOTHER SKATE VIDEO... VICARIOUSLY RELIVIN' MY YOUTH, LOL.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Okey-dokey, on top of yesterday's yard cleanup and grading prep work, I built the BBQ paver pad out front, so I can wheel the BBQ down off the porch if I have company. I also redid the red pavers at the foot of the front steps, AFTER hitting those same steps with some Kilz 2 primer. Had to use SOMETHING, since some of that wood was untreated, and I have plenty of Kilz 2 left over from the interior floor project. The pavers at the base of the steps will be redone (i.e. regraded) one more time when the steps are painted forest green (along with all the skirting & the exterior window trim). I'm just "dialing in" the grade right now, and NOBODY will ever notice anyway once the steps are painted forest green. Meh, little by little, I address these minor concerns and level things out to the point where nobody will ever notice or care, lol. I mean seriously, this IS a 1983 manufactured home, so not everything will be square or level, lol. Anyway, here are today's photos:


















































Last two pics show my supervisor Tiger, he was on... er... lunch break in the house, lol. 

Meh, I'm back to my cold beer, had enough of that hot sun for one day... though I might tackle an indoor project this afternoon. We'll see how I feel about doing that later... 

Beer and leftover chicken & Baby Swiss in a big ol' sandwich might win out, lol...


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Are you going to mix some sand with the paint to do the stepping part of the steps? Painted steps are quite slick when wet from rain.


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## kinderfeld (Jan 29, 2006)

HDRider said:


> Me too. We have pulled carpet out of almost every house we ever had.
> 
> In one house we were doing hardwood and slate as we could afford it. We got over exuberant and took out a room before we could redo it. The floor was chip board, you know that ugly stuff. My wife sanded it, filled it, painted it, textured it and put marine poly on it. Looked fantabulo
> 
> The woman has skills





Hard Aground said:


> Now THAT is f#%ng FUNNY, since I've considered multiple ghetto options for the floor in the bathrooms... but I'll probably "stick" with my plan to use adhesive vinyl tiles, lol.


OSB doesn't look bad sanded and stained.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Yeah, Danaus29, that or nonskid tape... we'll see when the time comes. I just wanted to get SOME sort of protection on those untreated wooden steps, the ones I bought to replace the two which were shot. Figured I might as well coat ALL the steps, since I have plenty of Kilz 2 left over in a 5-gallon bucket. Gonna do the back steps too, those will get done in the next few days... I want all steps & skirting to be forest green once I'm through painting. Window trim too, as long as the main body of the home is white or slightly off-white the home should remain relatively cool in the summer. The roof will be white too from the elastomeric coating, something I have NOT done yet, it's a high priority.


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

@kinderfeld, I wish the subfloors in my house were osb. The cheap builders used pressed particle board. Osb and plywood are not the same thickness as pressed.


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## gilberte (Sep 25, 2004)

You're making yourself quite a home there Hard! What the heck are you gonna do with all that energy when you're "done"? Done in quotations because we all know the work on the homestead is never really done.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Haha, what energy? I'm just chipping away at the stone... a bit here, a bit there, until the place is brought up to speed. I wish I had more money, I'd hire some help, but I'm basically on my own in this venture... just the way it is, and no worries, it's not my first rodeo with home rehab. Most important thing is to keep the big picture in mind, and have the vision to see how the place will look once I'm done with it. I'll be GLAD to reach that stage where only routine home maintenance is required, lol. I'm enjoying a slow morning here (laundry day), later I might try to Kilz that one bathroom floor I never did, I need to get some protection down on that wood. Might Kilz the back steps too, they're gonna need it. What's that old Chinese proverb? "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step..." (or something like that). Sometimes, this home rehab feels like a thousand-mile journey, lol. On foot, no vehicle involved...


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

When I joined this forum, it was with the intent of learning more about homesteading in general, and NOT to deal with scumbags pushing their political agendas, and by that I mean not only the narcissistic douchebags going for Olympic gold in posting, but also the leftist libtard trash who OBVIOUSLY have never even owned a homestead of any sort. Time to bow out, I don't have time for these LEFTIST F#%NG SCUM who have NOTHING BETTER TO DO than rile folks at what I would normally consider a fairly conservative website. These LEFTIST SCUM are clearly living in Mom's basement (but with access to her computer), have NEVER held an ACTUAL F#%NG JOB, and see things as they've been programmed & INDOCTRINATED to see 'em in LEFTIST ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS, as well as by the stinking GLOBALIST-JEW-OWNED F#%NG MEDIA, AYE??? And that includes those [email protected] JEW PEDOPHILES in Hollywood, that F#%NG $H!THOLE. 

Meh, time to get on with the home rehab work, I'm wasting too much time on the Internet as it is, time to get back to work and finish this rehab effort. You moderators & administrators who have given me grief in the past for calling out these LEFTIST TRASH, I don't really give a FLYIN' F#CK if I'm banned, in fact, you'll be DOING ME A FAVOR, AYE??? But ya might wanna reconsider your posting guidelines to BAN ALL POLITICAL POSTS of any sort... that includes the fake-ass German Alphabet Soup Queer and his associates who have recently invaded the website like the PARASITIC SCUM that they are, 10-4??? Just givin' ya a "heads up" in that direction, because the sh!t gets OLD fast, and others who are looking to join an ACTUAL HOMESTEADING WEBSITE might get turned off by the POLITICAL BULLSH!T, especially that political bullsh!t spewed & sprayed by LEFTIST F#%NG SCUM WHO NEVER SERVED IN THE ARMED FORCES. Just sayin' there, dickweeds... might wanna pull yer heads outta yer asses, lol. CHEERS!!! 

THE REST OF YOU WHO WERE COOL, PEACE BE WITH YOU... I'M OUT, GOT ACTUAL WORK TO DO, AYE?


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Apparently I missed something.


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## gilberte (Sep 25, 2004)

Hard, for some reason you've set yourself to auto-destruct. I, for one, will miss at least some of your posts. Good luck. I wish you well.


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## Twelvepoint (9 mo ago)

Hard Aground said:


> When I joined this forum, it was with the intent of learning more about homesteading in general, and NOT to deal with scumbags pushing their political agendas, and by that I mean not only the narcissistic douchebags going for Olympic gold in posting, but also the leftist libtard trash who OBVIOUSLY have never even owned a homestead of any sort. Time to bow out, I don't have time for these LEFTIST F#%NG SCUM who have NOTHING BETTER TO DO than rile folks at what I would normally consider a fairly conservative website. These LEFTIST SCUM are clearly living in Mom's basement (but with access to her computer), have NEVER held an ACTUAL F#%NG JOB, and see things as they've been programmed & INDOCTRINATED to see 'em in LEFTIST ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS, as well as by the stinking GLOBALIST-JEW-OWNED F#%NG MEDIA, AYE??? And that includes those [email protected] JEW PEDOPHILES in Hollywood, that F#%NG $H!THOLE.
> 
> Meh, time to get on with the home rehab work, I'm wasting too much time on the Internet as it is, time to get back to work and finish this rehab effort. You moderators & administrators who have given me grief in the past for calling out these LEFTIST TRASH, I don't really give a FLYIN' F#CK if I'm banned, in fact, you'll be DOING ME A FAVOR, AYE??? But ya might wanna reconsider your posting guidelines to BAN ALL POLITICAL POSTS of any sort... that includes the fake-ass German Alphabet Soup Queer and his associates who have recently invaded the website like the PARASITIC SCUM that they are, 10-4??? Just givin' ya a "heads up" in that direction, because the sh!t gets OLD fast, and others who are looking to join an ACTUAL HOMESTEADING WEBSITE might get turned off by the POLITICAL BULLSH!T, especially that political bullsh!t spewed & sprayed by LEFTIST F#%NG SCUM WHO NEVER SERVED IN THE ARMED FORCES. Just sayin' there, dickweeds... might wanna pull yer heads outta yer asses, lol. CHEERS!!!
> 
> THE REST OF YOU WHO WERE COOL, PEACE BE WITH YOU... I'M OUT, GOT ACTUAL WORK TO DO, AYE?


That was a dandy unglued sort of thing.
Good luck.


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## Hard Aground (Oct 4, 2020)

Twelvepoint got banned and I didn't?  

Say it ain't so...


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Welcome back


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## rbelfield (Mar 30, 2015)

im glad youre back! i love your updates on your place!


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## no really (Aug 7, 2013)

Glad you're back, was missing the reports/pictures of your kingdom and the cats ( the true rulers of any kingdom 😂 ).


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## RJ2019 (Aug 27, 2019)

How's the home and property coming along?


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