Pellet heads!! What's up today?

Made it home safe loaded the stoves and the pellet bin now for the nightly ritual to get ready for work tomorrow or actually almost today as in 3 ours Ill be back up and doing it all over again !
House is toasty as I am burning MWP softies in the cellar stove and Matra's upstairs, I will venture to say that these are every bit as good as DF especially considering they are much cheaper give off about the same heat and ash content, what a great pellet. Spaced out calling to order some today as it was stupid busy as always but am going to try it again tomorrow.
Hope all are well, artc wish you a speedy recovery and am interested in your experience as my wife is going through a serious bout with carpal tunnel currently actually has been for at least 4 months.
Bogie once again Congrats Girl very happy for you and wish you the best.

 

Hope it all goes to plan for you B. Congrats!

The past 72 hours have been busy - got over a foot of sn@w Mon./Tuesday, lost power for 12 hours, and another 3 in. today. Sn@wblower has been working overtime, big time. Busted my 1st shear pin of the season. Then busted another one 20 mins. later. What's the definition of insanity: performing the same action repeatedly, expecting a different result? ... I should've raked further back to the wood line. I think I hit the same rock.

The Francesca stove here decided to revert back to her native 'Italian Princess' mode settings while the power was blinking Tuesday am, and reset the controller to (default) Italian mode / European settings, was running the motors @ 50 Hz., in a foreign language. I was outside scurrying around moving snow when it happened, came back in 45 mins. later to find a badly over-firing stove in front of me. Only took about a cup of water to put out the fire, but the carnage was done.. Never seen the burn pot glowing red before. I only learned a few swear words in Italian, but I was using every one of them. At myself, 'cause I'm the dumb azz who didn't put the UPS back on the stove b4 start of this season. Only took 4 hours to rip her apart, clean the trail of destruction & venting, and get 'er back together today. The UPS is back on the stove now.

Hope all are well / recovering well / doing well / misbehaving as usual. Will's pic a few pages back was right on, it's beginning to look a lot like .... a busy season here. I.need.Beer.

 

It was 55 miles each way when I worked at Devens. Not too bad - I could do it in about 75 minutes since I use all surface roads (no highways near me that go the right way). Only reason I'm still not there is because they closed there doors - I really liked that company, the people and the job.

This new gig will be 48-52 miles each way depending on how I chose to travel (compared to the 30 miles each way I currently travel). Part of that is highway regardless which way I go, which doesn't thrill me, but it's still in NH so at least I won't be paying 5% MA payroll taxes as I was when I was in Devens.

 

I haven't worked the second job since Thanksgiving of 2017. I had to quit because I strained both my shoulders and needed to give them time to heal up. One healed up, the other screams at me after things like mowing and snow shoveling/blowing (or even sleeping in the wrong position). Before I quit the cleaning job my whole arm was numb down to my fingertips most of the time. Well, not really numb - the tingly/hurt that one gets as a limb is "waking up" from falling asleep.

But, not interested in finding out exactly what the issue is or any possible surgeries, so live with it. I actually think it is more the bicep attachment to my shoulder is torn. That along with other existing physical anomalies of how God put my body together, allows the shoulder blade to winge out when I've stressed certain muscles. Chiro helps some, so does my TENS unit.

 

And that there shows the differenceof about what 15-20 miles? I didn't get nearly that much snow and doesn't look like I got much, if any yesterday (if so, it was s dusting).

Sorry about your stove issues - must be kind of scary to see the burn pot glowing like that. Then of course there is that 4 hours of time that you don't really have (as busy as you are anyway). At least you were able to fix it yourself, so that is something. I'll bet you remember the UPS from now on - I keep my UPS's plugged in all the time and just unplug stoves for the summer. Then when it is time to plug them in, the UPS's are right there.

 

Oh what a feeling that must of been
You got through your bad day, now on to the better days

 

My wife's family is from Benton, NH and sent pictures of the storm. They got hammered with over a foot of snow. Here they cancelled school for a few inches of snow, but not in New Hampshire.

(Our other house is in Lisbon, NH)

 

Yeah, I won't make that mistake ever again. It was concerning, that's for sure. I was actually more concerned for the ladies being on the road heading to Keene for work - more on that below.

Having burned a wood stove for years, I'd seen it before - same deal where a stove filled w/ wood is ran where the burn is choked down full, a 'run away' stove, filled w/ wood, getting insufficient air flow. In fact, what happened was the exact same reason the folks we purchased the stove off CL got rid of it ... It took me days to clean the first time, after purchase. But I was 'new and fresh' then, with enthusiasm .. definitely not the 'new kid on the block' anymore. I guess I'm getting 'old and crusty', in my old age.

This latest round of sn!w started for us last Friday: all the ladies are working in Keene, Nat & Betsy for the school District, Em @ the college for Barnes & Noble at the KSC bookstore. So the (*not) genius Superintendent waits until 6am to issue a 2 hr. delay, but that doesn't matter if you're an employee - you're expected to show up regular time. So we hustle and get on the road, only to find that school gets cancelled, as we get into town. I ended up driving that one, Natalie wanted more 'Sheila' drive time w/ the new tires, b4 solo'ing it alone. Fri/Sat. was moving copious amounts of white chit preparing for the inch of rain all the forecasts called for that (Thankfully) didn't happen here. Just more white chit. Yay.

Fast forward to this Mon./Tuesday, at least Superintendent guy calls a 2 hr. delay, before 6am this time, same deal: up early, moving lots 'o sn@w, Natalie drove in this time. Everyone gets to work, and school is called again. At least the ladies weren't home when the stove chit happened. But if they were, they know what to do.. unplug the stove and yell, or call the FD.

I haven't been to a school board meeting in I can't tell you how many years, but I'm real tempted to show up @ the next Keene board meeting and give them a piece of my mind. I really don't care if Superintendent guy has only been there a few years, and don't care that they don't want to cancel school, so the kids don't have to make up the time at the end of school year. This guy has put staff and students at risk twice now - in the span of a week. Dunno if it's indecision, indifference, incompetence, or a combination of all of the above. He's making enough money, where he can make a phone call or three to the NH DOT, or get his azz up early and actually take a drive to see what's going w/ the roads in his District. And 'grow a pair' / make the call, before putting folks at risk. I may need to pickup some new Italian swear words, b4 the next school board meeting. Just typing this nonsense w/ school not being called in a timely manner 2x within a week is getting my blood pressure up again.

It has been a busy week here. Thankful that the generator started right up Tuesday am, the Stabil fuel additive I put in the tank a few months back is the real deal / works great - that in the grand scheme of things, everyone and everything is still standing here.

Stove has been running all night: have been keeping a close eye on it, only casualty was the back FireEx panel, it got so hot, that some of the material degraded off it immediately above the Burn Pot. It's a 10 year old panel, I'm not surprised, I'm just thankful it did it's job and contained the fire -> heat inside the stove chamber. Ordering a new set of FireEx panels today. Other than that, all's good.

Picking up a new battery for Natalie's Subaru, starter was turning slow when the car started this morning. .. It's supposed to start getting 'winter cold' in the next week. I love winter, LOL.

Have a good day all.

 

That sort of default mechanism is sketchy as hell.

 

Lots of school boards got roasted a few years back during the last la Nina cycle because of all the school cancellations / that the kids had to go until late June to makeup the extra snow days .. They're all gun-shy about cxl'ing school. I get it: dammed if they do, dammed if they don't.

But, different vs. then - NH DOT is working on a lower budget, experienced folks have retired, and it's not like any new-hires are 'magically equipped' with a CDL license for plow work, it's the exception rather than the norm. There is less staff, doing more work. NH DOT does a great job, I've been a long fan of the great job they do here. It just takes them a bit longer now, with less personnel.

I just hope these school board folks figure it out sooner, vs. later into this winter season.

Pretty country up there in Libson, LodgedTree ! Wife and I took our 2nd honeymoon up in Lincoln years ago, exploring the Notch, the 'Old man in the mountain', Mt. Washington & the Presidential range / the surrounding area. I remember passing through Libson & Bath during our travels / stay up there. Have many fond memories of that trip.

 

Which is why it needs a UPS on it, always.

 

Here, school has been cancelled 4 times this year, BUT last year they had a really good Senior get killed in an auto accident on his way to school so they kind of went in the opposite direction. Kind of...

In the last two days we had 3 people killed at the same spot in the roadway, so the State Police are investigating as to why. Yes roads get nasty, but that is a lot of deaths in 24 hours in the same spot. I live a mile from the spot my 19 yr old sister got killed, so trust me I know what it is like to answer the door for the State Police. I'll start crying if I think about it enough. It was her own fault, but still hurts...texting on the phone.

You are not kidding about the DOT though...Maine or New Hampshire. I never worked FOR them, but worked a year WITH them, enough so my bucket loader had a spot in their garage. That was nice in the winter...nice and warm...always started right up.

Here the DOT is so hard up they have signs out when they patch, not jut "Patching ahead", but "DOT is Hiring"...that is how bad it is. A lot of it is pay, at least here. Years without raises. But I had to laugh when I was offered a job by the DOT Supervisor, a friend for sure. A few months back he had jumped up on my running board and told me there was a new rule, everyone had to wear seatbelts in the trucks, even contractors. So I started wearing it as I hauled gravel around with the wheeler. A couple of months later he said he could hire me on if I wanted, but I said I couldn't because I did not have my CDL...the silly people were concerned about the seatbelt, but never once thought to ask me if I even had a license to drive the truck. I did not, and never did. I am a farmer so we never needed one under Agriculture laws!

I see there is a job for them though now though as a Deck Hand on a Ferry. I always liked sailing, but being out to sea was hard on family life. Back then it was on tugs, I was not a Deck Hand, but rather an Engineer (engine room), but that DOT Ferry is 30 minutes from me, and having cancer, and easy job (despite the low pay) does not sound too bad. I could definitely joke with the out-of-staters. And keeping an eye on the beach next door so the woman in bikinis do not get in harms way, sounds nice too.

But I am married...Katie and I got married in North Haverill, New Hampshire which is close to Woodsville, NH. This always makes the VT people mad, but the joke goes, "Woodsville is the Donut, Wells River is the Hole!"

 

Where my wife works as a teacher the school buses cancel and the parents line up at school just like a airport to drop off the kids for the provinces best paid daycare(School). The teachers are forced in no matter what despite the accumulating personnel deaths on roadways, very sad I drive her on the bad days as it doesn't bother me but you have to keep watch for the other guy's errors

 

Vacation day today so I could drop the kittens off at the vet to have them spayed. Then came home and fed Rita (took up food and water at 8 last night), then went to Concord to take a drug test for my new employer (future). Then did some shopping, but didn't buy anything. Then stopped to get my oil changed at a quick place since my light will probably go on next week and I wouldn't be able to take care of it. It's been nearly 7k miles since I bought it in April, so I'm good with doing it ahead of when the computer tells me to (I drive "easy" miles, so never have to do the 3k or 5k changes).

Stopped at Aubuchon's on the way home and picked up 10 more bags of Oakie Plats. at 10% off for buying at least 10 bags, plus the $10 reward I got from the last time I spend over $50, I spend $5.50/bag. Plus got another $10 reward to buy more stuff within the next 14 days. Unloaded the pellets, grabbed some lunch and now have to go out and shovel the front steps. That is roof dumpage, so it will be nice and hard - I'll get plenty of exercise anyway.

 

Did you give notice? How’d they take it?

 

Days almost over I can't wait to hit the hay ! Do my chores and get ready for the big crash as I am toast after a day of hell at work after 3 hours of sleep last night to the extent I almost walked today and told them to shove it but heh its over.
Had a great PT session today and makes me wonder how twisted I am as the PT pain is so fricking awesome but think its because I get that 1/4" more of range of motion and hope it also means one day the annoyance will be over .

Cleanfire I do not want to see you go through the trials and tribulations as of your recent events man but I don't know maybe it's my mental sickness as it runs through the family as you had me in stitches reading your endeavor, don't get me wrong please as I do not want to see any one suffer but reminds me of my own trials and tribulations and the only way for me to deal with it is to laugh at it and move on. In addition you are one funny man and I would really like to sit down and have a few cold ones with you some day .

When i say it runs in my family the last instance was when I went riding with my brother after not being on a dirt bike in 25 years as I raced Motocross as a youth. We hit the trails if you want to call them that and I was having flashbacks of the seventies and eighties being captain moto x getting into the groove on a KX 250 and after five minutes we hit the whoopteedoo's which were 2-3' winding out 2nd gear hit 3rd and all of a sudden the 2'-3' became 4'-6' well I was not ready for that or had expected that. Next thing you know I hit one hard and the quarter throttle went full with me hanging on and before you know it I went airborne with the bike landing on top of me. Here is the sickness part, my brother came over and said are you alright? I said yes get this fricking thing off me and he burst into laughter so hard that he laid down to laugh at me laying there in pain with the bike on top of me. Bent the handlebars 25% at least but jumped back on it and rode for three hours but man I was hurting and somehow this was funny as heck to me and my brother for the next few weeks as we were working together and we laughed for a long time about it. Never went to the Doctors just dealt with it but cannot straighten my arm to this day as its at least 15% bent and when I asked the Surgeon what do you think I did that I can't straighten my arm he replied you broke your arm ( I could feel but he did not say it YOU IDIOT ).
My brother said laughing his arse off you know everybody I have brought here to ride has wiped out right there on those Whoops, I said you friking arsehole why did you not tell me he just laughed more.

Pain equals laughter with my family of course if it is not too bad but anyone else have this with their family members ? Just curious
All right time for the chores and bed.
Hope all are well and Happy Friday for tomorrow !

 

Not yet because it isn't a done deal. I still have to pass drug test (I took it today), background check etc. At this point my projected start date isn't until 1/7/19, and I don't want to give too much of a notice.

 

Pain is good during PT, agony is not. As long as you know you are in that first camp, all is good. Means you are learning how to make progress, but in a safe manner.

Laughter, the best medicine. Sometimes the mental picture we get is just so funny. We know it wasn't at the time, but still it is. I'm sure CL understands.

 

Just so you have more info IF you go to the meeting (and IF NH is anything like NY), any day the kids aren't in class to at least 11 am, school district loses a days state aid. They'll say they don't care about that, but they do.