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| Sunrise. I'm trying to get Mrs J to paint this. |
Well...The days are getting shorter and cooler and the weather, in general, has been nicer. Had a couple of inches of rain over the last week, which has led Tony D. Hayguy to bring his equipment back in preparation for another bailing. This time he's going for square bales. Which is good for a couple of reasons.
One, square bales are easier to control the horse's eating. They'll go through a round bale between the two of them in a couple of days, which is way too much hay. (Is that a Beatles song "Way too much hay"?) With regular grazing in their corral, a square bale will last them two days. In the winter, it's a square bale a day. In the past few years since Tony D. Hayguy has been bailing for us, we've only got one cutting, and round bales sell better and don't need weather protected storing like squares, so we've only done that.
The second reason for square bales, is Tony seems to be having, well, "Anger Issues"
And
I hope I don't make him mad.
On a separate note, I saw this on Powerline Saturday. Steve Hayward's Week in Pictures always gives me a chuckle. This one took a few seconds to get, but my laughing brought Mrs J into the room. Not being a Trekkie, I had to explain it to her.
Loved it.
We're revisiting C-Stat tomorrow for an overnight. MBD is getting close to giving birth which means SIL is getting close to changing diapers and the Grandparents spoiling our granddaughter from day one. But, as important as those are, we're going first and foremost to retrieve my iPad that I left behind on the last visit.
Yes, Beans, the withdrawal symptoms are starting to wane...a bit, but I've forgotten the plot on several of the books I'm in the midst of reading.
We are also going to safety check the WiFi monitors we set up last visit, based on long time blog reader "BillB's" recommendation.
The last time we went, and were going through Austin, of all Places, we saw this.
"Let's Go, Brandon!"
As part of "Operation What are we doing today, juvat?", I've started going through the boxes of pictures I've accumulated or inherited over the years. In one box I ran across one taken by my Mother at Christmas 1990.
That would be Mrs J and our 6 month old daughter. You can bet your bottom dollar, there's going to be a very similar picture taken this Christmas, only with three generations of juvat women in it.
Speaking of generations, while we were in C-Stat on our last visit, I saw this picture on the wall in the house MBD and SIL are living in.
The house they're living in actually belongs to SIL's parents. The parents and extended family use it when they come to visit A&M, which is fairly frequently. (SIL's whole family are Aggie Alums. Slacker that I am, I've only got two in my family.) In ANY case, SIL's oldest brother is second from the right, SIL's nephew is the first on the right and SIL's Dad is third from the right, his Grandfather is in the middle, his Great Grandfather is second from the left and his Great-Great Grandfather is first on the left. I think this is cool because the youngest is the 6th person/generation with the same name. As a perspective, Little Juvat, Myself and My Dad all have the same name. We have high hopes of that continuing into the next generation. (The probability of that occurring improved, now that Little Juvat and DIL are in the same location and she is out of quarantine.)
So, what else are we doing today, juvat?
Well, one of my goals, is the 10,000 steps per day. I've been fairly regular at it since May, my minimum acceptable level is 7,000, goal is 10,000 and anything above 12,000 is cause for celebration. The methodology is Mrs J and I take the dogs for a 1 mile walk first thing in the morning. They like that...and it's cool.
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| Oskar Meyer is to the left, Little Orphan Annie to his right and Cooper is far right. |
Then in the evening, I go for a 2.5 2 (oops) Mile walk,. I've got that down to 30 minutes total out and back. Next level is to get to 3 miles, which would bring it to 4 miles a day. I've been adding .2 miles per week, so another couple of weeks. I've been pretty religious about it, but I do call it off when lightning....
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| Just a quarter mile to go! |
I feel better, I'm down >20 lbs and 4 pant sizes, so I think I'll keep it up.
On the home front, Mrs J has got me slaving in the garage refurbishing the table and chairs my sister and then DIL used in our, what will become, second guest house. The floor refinishers should be coming this week, after which we'll put in the final touches. We, being me, putting them where we, being Mrs J, says to. Then we'll add it to AirBnB and VRBO.
But, back to the Table and Chairs,
Caning chairs is easy. (Yes, Beans, the bottom cane popped out, It only took 6 clamps to fix.)
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| The table is next and will be especially fun! |
Sanding however. And Sanding, and sanding and........
By the end of the day, I feel like this.
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| Yeah, I know...They're horses, but they're still dragging. |
But, also at the end of the day, there's a bit of satisfaction involved.
And maybe a medicinal glass of wine or two.
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| Looks like the Lord is fixin' to play Tic-Tac-Toe! |
Peace out, y'all. We're winning.
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| Schmedley taking a nap! |
* I got nothing... so pictures
To go 2.5 miles in 30 minutes you would have to be running, not walking.
ReplyDeleteOops, fixed.
DeleteBack in the day, I could walk 2.5 miles in 30 minutes. Hardest thing I ever learned was to shorten my stride to 30 inches for JROTC. I actually, on a good day, can run as fast as I walk. And it's been proven scientifically, over many years. Oh, sure, the first burst of speed that lasts 10 steps or so is faster than I walk, but after that, nope, it all slows down. Frustrated my PE coaches to no end.
DeleteBeans, I got ahead of myself. The last time I timed it, I was doing the 2 mile distance. I'm now at 2.5 and haven't timed that. The time isn't all that important to me. Just that I do it and do it very regularly. How fast depends on a lot of factors, most of which are out of my control. Although I'll admit, I can walk faster in October than I could in July, for a couple of reasons.
DeleteJuvat, 10,000 steps is a worthy goal as is your increase in mileage. It is funny (at least to me) how much the simple act of walking is overlooked as a method of exercise (as your results show). It is not nearly as "cool" as running or biking or anything else that involves fancier equipment or nifty shoes, but gets the job done.
ReplyDeleteGood luck on the chairs.
In terms of the bumper sticker - I think "The Resistance" is popping up in all sorts of places where it would not typically be expected. Not big, extraordinary sorts of things but in quiet sorts of ways. It is a fragile thing now, and I worry that harsh sorts of demands (the "You Must Believe Like Us" crowd that is on our side that is just as dogmatic as those on the other side) will crush out these fragile seedlings. Let them continue to bloom in the cracks crevasses; before long we will have a meadow.
TB. I agree. I've tried running, biking, treadmills, stationary bikes etc.etc.etc. Running ruined my Knees and all the rest bored me so I lost interest. My, corrected, pace gets my heart rate up, while still allowing me to see things I didn't know were around. So...hopefully, I'll keep this up.
DeleteAs to the chairs, I'm down to the last one and thankfully sanding is almost done, but thanks.
I think the Southwest walkout was a big surprise to the bigwigs, hopefully they're smart enough to step back and ponder. If they don't, they're stupid and/or evil. We'll see.
Juvat, for me moving out in the real world makes all the difference. I have a difficulty with anything like a treadmill, stationary bike, etc. because you effectively go nowhere. Even being out in the suburban scenery makes it more interesting.
DeleteYep, me too.
DeleteWhen calories burned > calories consumed then there's less of you, course that mean some new clothes eh? Walking is a LOT easier on the ankle, knee and hip joints not to mention that it's easier to smile at others when you pass them. Runners seem to have snarls fixed on their mugs, almost as if they're not enjoying their exercise(heh heh). Pictures are fine juvat, perhaps your Muse was on "holiday" as they say across the pond.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Nylon. As I mentioned above, the "easier on the joints" is exactly why I'm doing it. The seeing/smiling thing is just the encouragement to keep on keeping on. The new clothes is the reward (as is being a bit more healthy, of course.)
DeleteThe normal size square bales, or the ginormous one, the size of a Chevy van? I want to see one of those balers, with a kicker!
ReplyDeleteSchmedly seems content!
Tony told me that "normal" sized square bales are called 2 string and the "Ginormous" ones are called 3 string. (Just to increase Sarge's Ranching Vernacular if he writes a western novel next.) We try to get 2 string coastal hay bales, those weigh about 50 lbs, which is manageable. Sometimes, they're not available (they're a crop after all), so we get 3 strings. Those weigh 90-100 lbs each. Those I either recruit my wife to help or drag them into position by myself. Surprisingly, they last about twice as long though ;-)
DeleteTony, has one of the baler and kicker rigs, (Pictures to follow), but is working towards an "accumulator" which evidently puts the bales into a 6 x 6 bale square, then picks them all up at once and loads them. The place that I've been buying square bales from has one. It's pretty cool, or at least seems so in this phase of my life.
Schmedly is usually pretty content, she does have that "dead cat" act down pat though.
Been 50+ years now but there were wire tied bales and string tied bales. On my parents small acreage the baler was set up for two strings. Those bales weighed around 50 lbs. Every summer I worked for a great uncle with a lot of acres. His two string wired tied bailer put out 120 lb bales and on an average day put out 2,200 bales. These were hand stacked eight per on a "slip" and left for other equipment to pick up and take to the stack. Starting age 12 I was on the slip. Upside was I didn't worry about getting in shape for high school football.
DeleteWSF,
DeleteThere were several guys in my AFROTC Detachment at Texas Tech, that had similar upbringings. They weren't all that fast on the runs, but sit ups, pull ups and push ups were "not a problem" for them. Oh, and yes, all had played HS football.
(Don McCollor)...The best part of the big bales (round or square) is that they are to heavy to possibly move by hand. I handled plenty of the other kind in my younger days. The best exercise was picking up singly dropped bales alone. Stop the tractor, climb off, load bale on wagon, climb on wagon to stack it, get off wagon, get on tractor and move ahead. Reverse procedure at hay stack. Throw bale on stack, get on stack and carry bale up and stack it (usually one leg going between two stacked bales), return to the wagon and repeat. Note that as the stack gets higher, the load on the wagon gets lower. Keep the stack stepped. Move the wagon ahead to throw bales on next lower tier. Repeat. Retribution always comes at the end when the stack is almost finished...
DeleteI suspect I'll get to experience that shortly. Tony hasn't specifically mentioned help, but he has hinted a bit. Another evening with my good friend Ben
Delete(Gay)
Pictures are good! 😁
ReplyDeleteDid the Missus or Google translate for you? I ran it back and forth several times just to make sure. ;-)
DeleteI haven't run it by The Missus Herself but I think it's close enough for government work. 😉
DeleteGood enough for me!
DeleteGood to see things going well. Hope the new arrival is healthy with all ten toes and fingers and connections in between. Was down near Savanah this weekend, and there was a bale painted similarly to the one you show but with an orange background which made it even more like a jack-o-lantern. Good that you are going through pictures - I have quite a few old ones that were never adequately documented, so not sure which relatives from the past they are, with no one left to help me figure it out. And thanks for the inspiration - I'm going out for a 2 mile walk now! Have a great week, everyone!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Tom. Tony, being a business man, didn't want to waste any more of the hay than needed. I have seen a few painted orange around here and they do look cool.
DeleteI've got similar problems with the inherited photos, some are annotated others not, fortunately some I at least recognize where, when and who, so I can make some progress. Others???
Glad to be of help, enjoy!
You can get food-safe paints. Not that I'm suggesting anything, but it is a possibility.
DeleteThere is that!
DeleteYou know, Juvat, horseback riding burns Calories, too!
ReplyDeletehttps://captaincalculator.com/health/calorie/calories-burned-horseback-riding-calculator/
With flying related neck issues, I've been informed that I've got one fall remaining before, well, bad consequences. The horse's are tame, in that they recognize me as their food provider, groomer and poop shoveler, but they are not saddle broken. So...They're nice to have around but not exercise equipment under my circumstances.
DeleteInteresting coincidence given your comment Rib. Just saw this on a link from Maggie's farm "Serious injury risk higher for horse riding than for football, motor racing, or skiing"
DeleteLess dangerous than motorcycles though, at least according to some data. Or, as Daniel Daly (double MOH recipient) once yelled at Belleau Woods on June 6, 1918, "Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?"
DeleteMy answer would be "No, but seeing my soon to be born Granddaughter get married and meeting my Great-Granddaughter would be a decent goal"
Delete(Don McCollor)...[probably just a story]...a private asked Daly "Would living to 18 be asking too much"?...
DeleteMore likely "Would living until tomorrow be....?"
DeleteThe mechanics behind hay balers and hay rollers and hay stackers are fascinating. I can watch them all day long, as long as I'm upwind or watching a video. Something satisfyingly calming about watching that.
ReplyDeleteThen there are videos of moving bales from the ground to a hayloft using hay tongs and a hay lift through that little door up top. A good hay lift operator (it's just a rope and block and tackle) can yank a bale and have it launch up and through the door. A bad operator, not so much. Again, fun to watch, from a distance.
As to walking, bleh. I need to do more, but walking, bleh. Sunshine, bleh. Mosquitoes, bleh. Fresh air, bleh.
Nice photos.
I've seen LGB stuff around my socialist city. When you've lost the college crowd...
If the he's/she's/whatever's that be aren't getting concerned about overstepping their bounds, they're stupid as well as evil. But...you're right about the college crowd. I think they're starting to speak up as they realize that being the silent, and polite, majority isn't cutting the mustard anymore. One hopes/prays.
DeleteRegarding one of your captions - "Fixin' to" is a common Texas phrase, and such characteristics of local dialect help define where people are from. Another that drives my yankee wife crazy is "puttin' up", as in, "Honey, put up those casserole dishes, please," when those dishes are stored in a floor level cabinet. You might then get a reply of, "Sure - I was fixin' to do that anyway."
ReplyDeleteI wasn't born Texan, but got here (and back here) as fast as I could. But, my San Francisco born and raised, Mother would roll her eyes when I used the word. Dad would just laugh. He was born and raised in Nebraska.
DeleteHey Tom, the correct answer to "fixin to do that anyway" is "bout time".
DeleteYep, Mom, in later years, learned that response. Occasionally with a word that sounds like a water blocking structure, in between those two words.
DeleteAgree on the correct response!
DeleteThank you for the bookends. Beautiful. I used to take pictures with my 120 film instamatic when I was a kid. You could buy one for a dollar at the junk store. That larger format than the 110 gave some pretty pictures. Earth turns were the bookends of the day living up in LBB.
ReplyDeleteYup, those horses are just big dogs if you don't have them saddle broke. I wound up riding a jughead that my brother in law owned. She was a huge palomino, but onery and spooky. She'd have a covey of quail blow out right next to her and she'd not miss a beat. Leaf fall off a tree, and she'd booger into next week. Next time we went out, it would be the other way round. She'd stomp and start this sideways pompus gait, that would rattle my teeth. Then, when she was done, I'd hold her in it until she lathered. She hated me. (negative attitude check), I positively hated her (positive attitude check).
We were trotting around, and she cold mouthed the bit and tore off into the six acres next to our 5. I cussed her good and finally got the bit out of her teeth. She slid to a stop so fast, I left the saddle, slid down her neck and wound up balled up under her jaw. I never fell off a horse, but that was as close as I ever got. Technicality I guess. Good friend that lived up past Bulverde broke her neck when she was thrown. That was a tough one. She did get better. But lost her job during the off time.
In your defense, I wouldn't go tempting fate by riding the critter. Risk vs Reward isn't good enough ratio.
Not a problem, STxAR. When I got back on flight status after my neck incident, the Flight Surgeon was very graphic on what I could expect if a similar problem arose. Apparently, the best thing that could happen would be I'd find myself explaining the failings in my life to the Big Guy. The other possibility was that that would be delayed by a stint as a quadriplegic. Which would explain the flight debriefings for the remainder of my flying career stating that my initiation of my break turn should be a bit more abrupt. My counter was. Yep, you're right, and if I'd have seen a missile coming off your jet it would be, but....
DeleteHope everything continues to go well! And the drive back and forth is safe and 'careful'!!! :-)
ReplyDeleteWe will endeavor to comply!
DeleteBetween your opening photo and that contrail shot, you've got the makings of a Jets and Sunsets post! Which is my "I got nothing, so pictures" go-to by the way.
ReplyDeleteTuna,
DeleteYour Jets and Sunsets were my inspiration in this post!
@juvat/ Burn calories? Lose weight? Better health? Just remember: "An Apple a Day Will Keep the Doctor Away!" (Unless the Doctor's name is Dr. Apple that is.. :) )
ReplyDeleteGood one, VX
DeletePS: Yeah, cheesy I know, but my wife actually likes cheesy jokes/ bon motes ..
ReplyDeleteThe expression "Cheesy jokes" when translated properly is "Dad Jokes". I'm pretty good with eliciting a healthy groan from my audience when telling one.
Delete