Back In Service

It was a bitch and fought me tooth and nail but got her fixed up.

back in service and no I'm not handicapped the garage at work isn't open to the public yet

All the bolts on the brake caliper frame were stripped from the previous knuckle head that changed the brakes. I after many attempts, ended up cutting them off drilling and re tapping the holes. So my weekend project didn't get done until Monday around midnight. Had to get it done with a weeks forecast of rain and now she is sporting a new wheel bearing and some rugged ridge manual hubs which fixes my 4x4 problems. I also got a new tail light while I was at it, broke the last one pushing the truck in the snow. Let hope the ole girl holds together for a while now because Id rather spend my time fishing.

     Saturday I left working on the truck to get my new kayak. Patuxent Adventure Center called earlier last week and let me know it was in. They are about an hour away so I loaded up the wife and the dog and we took a nice ride in the country.

the new yak loaded up

    Pooch not looking to happy in the back he was ready to get out a bit. Ill have to give some props to Malibu Kayaks when Pax adventure told them my last x-factor was stolen and I was buying another they threw in a x-wing console for the kayak for free, that was pretty cool of them. I went back to the x factor because in my opinion there is no better paddling sit on top kayak that holds a big boy like me than the x-factor and I have tried quite a few of them. It fast for a big barge, tracks well and is really stable. I'm looking forward to getting it wet this weekend chasing some tasty yellow perch. My only bitch is they don't make em in green anymore but ill make do with the sand. The pooch got a treat for being a good boy we stopped by Rusty's BBQ on the way home and he got some brisket and arolina pulled pork.

Neighbors pier about under water

after the storm

It stormed its ass off last night up and down the east coast and the storms dropped a ton of rain which led to flooding all over. In the midst of the storm there was a gas leak at one of my buildings which of course I had to head out in the height of the storm to go and check. BGE had a leak under ground that came in on a new comcast line that was put in this week. while I was there the basemant flooded and the roof started leaking so it turned into a long night. Woke this morning to a flooded beach and a really high tide. I like to walk the beach and see whats washed up after a storm like that.

Can we fix it...

      Its been and interesting week or so. Went to a local fishing show last week end and picked up some lures from my local guys. I got some nice articulating jigs from Joe Bruce which I cant wait to get after some early spring pickeral with. Also loaded up on paddle tails from Bust Em Baits and some G Eye  jig heads. Then I picked up a few items to make some umbrella type rigs that I have seen some guys trolling. I figure I will make my own and see how they do. On Monday we had a few inches of snow and on my way to work in the slush I see something bounce pass me out of the corner of my eye that look like a 4x4 wheel hub. I thought to my self that looks familiar as I left the ramp from 695 to 295 then the truck started shaking and the worst vibration I ever felt on a vehicle with the wheel still attached  hit*. Hmm guess that part  was mine. I'm guessing the wheel bearing let loose which pushed the plastic hub off and when I turn the corner the pressure on that wheel popped it the rest of the way. I limped on the shoulder into the city and on to work and at quitting time decided to go ahead and get it home where my tools are. The snow was a blessing it kept most people off the road and those that were out were going slow so they didn't much notice my turtles pace.
      When I got home that evening my wife gave me more bad news the furnace took a shit just before I got home. My oil had just been delivered so I thought maybe the gauge was bad and it had run out and needed to be bled. After 3 attempts I could get fire in the box but it would not stay lit. So I made a call to the land lord long story short they finally got it fixed today. I learned 3 things though, one is its a good thing to have multiple back up heating sources. We have 3 but only used 2 the electric ceramic heater and wood stove which kept it quite comfortable when we were awake.(more on this later). Number 2 is if I had to heat solely on wood I'm gonna need a lot more wood stock piled for this old stove. I have been in this house for 3 years and we only use wood to supplement our heat we will call it hobby burning. When having to heat with wood in the old stove here it has an insatiable appetite. And number 3 is that wood is romantic but god bless oil,gas and electric. Maybe I have gotten soft but ain't it nice to just flick the switch and get heat on demand. I also have a phobia about leaving electric heaters running all night so I wont do it while asleep and the wood stove would only keep it warm for about 5 hours without being fed so it got a bit chilly in the am. My skinny ass pooch with his thin as fur was not amused.
       In the midst of this the I took the dog out for a walk and let him run on the beach. When we came back in he heard the ups truck stop out front in which he see it as his duty to jump up and bark at the door. I didn't see what he did only heard him screech and when I made it to where he was he was lying on the floor and would not move. I though he might have hurt his leg but when I was checking him he hunched his back all up like it was hurt. He moped around the rest of the night so I new he was hurting I just didn't know where. It has improved as the weeks gone on but I still cant figure what he did. The big knuckle head.
       Back to the truck. I have it jacked, half tore apart and my new hub and bearing came in this morning so if I can get the last 4 bolts to break loose and get the axle out of the old one I can get it back on the road. I'm not to fond of public transportation and the light rail in particular but that is a subject for another post.

Beautiful sunrise 2-12-16

Ice break up after the snow

Baby's got a bad

* I had the joy of having a wheel come completely off and its a whole different pucker factor.
Just got a call my new kayak is in and ready so the truck will have to wait until I go pick it up:)

Duck Toast

I shall toast" To Freedom and Stupidity" The story at https://adaptivecurmudgeon.wordpress.com/2016/02/16/to-freedom-and-stupidity/

Blackberry Smoke - Bottom of This

Big #2A Win – 4th Circuit Applies Strict Scrutiny to Maryland Gun Control Law

Big #2A Win – 4th Circuit Applies Strict Scrutiny to Maryland Gun Control Law

Red Light Camera Justice

Took 3 different ways to work in the last week in a half with traffic all jacked from snow and the POTUS in town. And to my delight I noticed a  trend on all 3 routes, though I only got a picture of one. And its the one that has gotten me twice. I say thanks to the camera cruncher who ever they may be

Take that ya evil bastard

Backs back

     So my week got better and my back has come back around. Was blessed with a warm Sunday and pieced the truck back together, had to use some redneck engineering and fab some shift tube collars out of electric conduit straps. I epoxied the dash and heater vents and for now left the cover off the steering column so I can keep a eye on my fabrication. I imagine I will get an extra look if I get pulled over by the po po, the only cars in b-more with out column covers are usually stolen. In November my back was out and I went to physical therapy for the 1st time since my back surgery in 04'. I figured they would give me the same ole exercises, but what the hell it couldn't hurt to try. And what do ya know my PT guy gave me some different stretches  than  what I had been doing and it helped my back out tremendously. So when I threw my back out last week I figured I would be down for at least 5 days as usual. The 1st day I rested iced and did nothing then on day 2 I started walking and slowly doing the stretches and I was good to go by day 3. He also lead me away from any forward stretching every exercise arches the back backwards and the only hamstring stretches are done on the floor with a rope over mt foot pulling leg back towards the ceiling. I mean I'm not out of pain ever but I have learned to live with it. I tell my wife that my pain friend tucks me in at night and wakes me in the morning no need for an alarm clock. I hate to take pills and rarely even take a Tylenol except when my backs out. The first day I'll take a cyclobensaprine which will literally knock my big ass out. Then i'll use naproxen for a week but not much longer because that shit fucks with my stomach. I seem to have gotten used to the pain and don't pay attention to it unless I do something stupid and it reminds me its there. I used to wonder how my pops worked like he did, his knees were so bad you could hear him coming down the hall popping and cracking but I guess you get used to it and figure out how to get things done.