Author Topic: Life in America - I made the move. (Read 1140561 times)

Mr Zog · « **Reply #7500 on:** July 07, 2019, 03:08:08 am »

I got home just after 6, and the clouds had built up, dropping the temps a whole lot.

So I made use of the cooler weather and planted another 4 posts for the little fence I am building.

Then I fed the squirrels, and packed up.

Ate supper, and while cleaning up afterwards Maggie saw her gap and jumped up on the chair, then onto the table, and finally all the way up onto the kitchen counter where the empty pan was lying waiting to be washed. She licked it so clean we didn't have to wash it, just put it back in the cupboard

And "after action, satisfaction, alive with flavour that's number one, Maggie relax with a ~~Lexington~~ sofa"

My back is really killing me this evening. I even had to get Mrs Zog to rub some "Icy-Hot" into it after my shower

Mrs. Zog · « **Reply #7501 on:** July 07, 2019, 03:25:19 am »

Meanwhile... my day went from bad to worse. I'm giving up now. Going to bed.

I haven't slept much/well in days, so was trying to maybe sleep in a bit this morning but I was rudely awakened at 6:30 by 45-kg Sammy enthusiastically bouncing up and down on top of me like "it's morning, good morning, yay it's morning where is my food because it's morning get up get up get up get up NOW". Dragged myself through the shower. Three cups of coffee.

Did some work, thoroughly unmotivated, but got it done. Then went to Target to buy some storage containers for some laundry stuff. Got pulled over by a cop for speeding. A whopping 26 miles per hour I did, in a 15 mile per hour zone. He must have been blindly picking me out because I wasn't going any faster than anyone else. He informed me that is was "reckless driving" but was feeling generous today so he only gave me a verbal warning and not the $300 ticket and suspended license. Yeah. Real speed freak, that's me.

Got home and realized I bought the wrong friggin' containers at Target. Can't be bothered to return them, I'll repurpose them and get some other ones later. Told Mr. Zog about the cop at dinner and while wildly gesturing, fork in hand, upset, managed to fling spaghetti and sauce clear across the room. Sent the cleanup squad after it.

As I said. Enough is enough, I'm going to bed. Today needs to end.

OomD · « **Reply #7502 on:** July 07, 2019, 08:40:39 am »

Wow nice job on that toolbox counter!

BMWPE · « **Reply #7503 on:** July 07, 2019, 09:15:08 am »

Quote from: Mrs. Zog on July 07, 2019, 03:25:19 am

Meanwhile... my day went from bad to worse. I'm giving up now. Going to bed.

I haven't slept much/well in days, so was trying to maybe sleep in a bit this morning but I was rudely awakened at 6:30 by 45-kg Sammy enthusiastically bouncing up and down on top of me like "it's morning, good morning, yay it's morning where is my food because it's morning get up get up get up get up NOW". Dragged myself through the shower. Three cups of coffee.

Did some work, thoroughly unmotivated, but got it done. Then went to Target to buy some storage containers for some laundry stuff. Got pulled over by a cop for speeding. A whopping 26 miles per hour I did, in a 15 mile per hour zone. He must have been blindly picking me out because I wasn't going any faster than anyone else. He informed me that is was "reckless driving" but was feeling generous today so he only gave me a verbal warning and not the and su$300 ticket spended license. Yeah. Real speed freak, that's me.

Got home and realized I bought the wrong friggin' containers at Target. Can't be bothered to return them, I'll repurpose them and get some other ones later. Told Mr. Zog about the cop at dinner and while wildly gesturing, fork in hand, upset, managed to fling spaghetti and sauce clear across the room. Sent the cleanup squad after it.

As I said. Enough is enough, I'm going to bed. Today needs to end.

That's crazy

Camino Cerdo · « **Reply #7504 on:** July 08, 2019, 12:44:37 am »

The traffic police at least are not corrupt but can be real jerks and have no seance of hummer. You must have been in a School Zone, they get real picky there. Once got a ticket for 24 in a 20 school zone. At least the corrupt cops I have ran into riding around the world normally have a seance of hummer and if you just wait them out telling them you don't pay police they will let you go. Just don't try bribing cops here, they will put you in jail.
Wishing you better days.

Mr Zog · « **Reply #7505 on:** July 08, 2019, 01:59:54 am »

Quote from: Camino Cerdo on July 08, 2019, 12:44:37 am

The traffic police at least are not corrupt but can be real jerks and have no seance of hummer. You must have been in a School Zone, they get real picky there. Once got a ticket for 24 in a 20 school zone. At least the corrupt cops I have ran into riding around the world normally have a seance of hummer and if you just wait them out telling them you don't pay police they will let you go. Just don't try bribing cops here, they will put you in jail.
Wishing you better days.

She wasn't in a school zone, she was in a road construction zone.

I keep telling her to slow down...

Mr Zog · « **Reply #7506 on:** July 08, 2019, 02:10:37 am »

I slept in this morning, only got up at 6:45.

Fed the dogs, made coffee, and got to work while it was still "cool". Planted the last two poles, and started fitting the 2x4 cross beams. By 8am I was already drenched in sweat. After the cross beams were done I got all the fencing planks that I still had left in my woodpile.

With some judicious planning, I was able to finish the fence with what I had left! And there are just enough planks left to finish the gate that I still have to make as well. Because of the sloping ground I had to trim virtually all of the planks so that the tops were level. That took the longest, measure, cut, screw in. Repeat.

But I am very happy with how it turned out. For now the "pee coral" is closed with a piece of plastic grid that I had behind my shed. Help up with the wheelbarrow

After finishing the fence I called my mom on WhatsApp, and tried my son but his phone was off. So I headed out and did the weed eating and mowing as the weather forecast was predicting heavy rains within the next hour or two. I had just finished the mowing when the heavens opened up. We had over two inches of rain this afternoon

The ditch in front of the house was full of water.

Mr Zog · « **Reply #7507 on:** July 08, 2019, 02:15:35 am »

Sometimes when I do a job I get a tip.

Not every job I do gets me a tip, maybe one in twenty or so. Then it is usually $5, or maybe even $10.

Saturday I went out to fix a guy's water while I was doing the new counter at the shop. He was really happy with the work that I did, and gave me a tip.

Not cash.

Pickles.

11 jars of pickles.

The small little pickles, snack pickles, the lekker little ones.

And Mrs Zog likes pickles even more than I do...

What a lekker tip!

Sardine · « **Reply #7508 on:** July 08, 2019, 06:51:21 am »

The "pee coral" looks really good!

And awesome on the pickles!

mox · « **Reply #7509 on:** July 08, 2019, 07:06:36 am »

Your home is looking awesome Zogs, testament to all your hard work!
Question, you are adding so much value to it, are you having your insurance amended ?

Tom van Brits · « **Reply #7510 on:** July 08, 2019, 09:47:14 am »

Gary that Counter you have built is pro stuff manz that's proper Zogging!!

Like the little court yard as well, good idea!

Mrs Z, you need a break

Hope you have a better week!

My son told me the very first nigh he arrived in the States there was a heavy rain storm and he had to wait 3 hours at the airport for the pick up. Finally when they got going they were pulled over for speeding, his word; ' Dad, they are just like in the movies and they dont take nonsense" So the poor oke that picked him up got a speeding fine. No corrupt cops and people actually follow traffic rules. It will be an adaption of sort coming from SA with our rolling stops because you simply afraid someone will rear you, or mug you if you do stop.

Mr. Python · « **Reply #7511 on:** July 09, 2019, 11:53:34 pm »

Did i have more whiskey than i thought or do those posts need alignment

Mr Zog · « **Reply #7512 on:** July 10, 2019, 02:52:48 am »

Quote from: Mr. Python on July 09, 2019, 11:53:34 pm

Did i have more whiskey than i thought or do those posts need alignment

I saw that on the pic as well

Must be a pic issue, that fence is straight.

This afternoon after work I finished off the gate. Yesterday afternoon I cut the 5 2x4's and lapped the ends for a better joint. Used the 5th 2x4 as a cross brace to prevent sagging.

Today I cut the planks from the last of my scrap, cut the dog-ears, and screwed them to the frame. Then I used some carriage bolts to attach the hinges and hung the gate. Finally I fitted a latch to keep it closed.

I'm happy with the gate, and the fence. All I still want to do is add a couple of planks along the tops of the posts and 2x4's so Mrs Zog can put a few pot plants up there.

Blou Zebu · « **Reply #7513 on:** July 10, 2019, 07:15:21 am »

At last a post!
One day without MR Zog is hard.
Two, unbearable!
Three would have been beyond my bearing!

I am always so impressed by how handy you are! The fence looks nice! Just dont, for whatever reason, run out of the house at night and forget about the fence. A piece of bloudraad tackled me once.

OomD · « **Reply #7514 on:** July 10, 2019, 07:23:03 am »

Nice job, Mr. Zog! Does your ride-on mower fit through the gate?

Mr Zog · « **Reply #7515 on:** July 11, 2019, 02:44:47 am »

Quote from: Mr. Python on July 09, 2019, 11:53:34 pm

Did i have more whiskey than i thought or do those posts need alignment

Eish

Ok, I did have another look at the posts this evening. They ARE NOT perfectly aligned.

Problem is that the post that is not right is the post I sank extra-deep (almost 5 feet deep) to support the weight of the gate. Imma not gonna change it. It's gonna fuck with my OCD, but digging it up and re-planting it will fuck with my body more.

I guess I can live with it

Mr Zog · « **Reply #7516 on:** July 11, 2019, 02:49:32 am »

Quote from: OomD on July 10, 2019, 07:23:03 am

Nice job, Mr. Zog! Does your ride-on mower fit through the gate?

No. I decided that the grass area was small enough that I could just hit it with the weed eater. The mower is 42 inches wide, the gate is only 34 inches. A wider gate would be a whole lot more stress on the post, I chose to keep the gate lighter

Fudmucker · « **Reply #7517 on:** July 11, 2019, 06:18:49 am »

Quote from: Mr Zog on July 11, 2019, 02:44:47 am

Ok, I did have another look at the posts this evening. They ARE NOT perfectly aligned.

Problem is that the post that is not right is the post I sank extra-deep (almost 5 feet deep) to support the weight of the gate. Imma not gonna change it. It's gonna fuck with my OCD, but digging it up and re-planting it will fuck with my body more.

I guess I can live with it

So... move the other shorter one to line up with the long one.

Alignment doesn't always mean vertical, horizontal and straight.
It means matching.

(PS - I've been scarce here lately. Just packed off my BIL,SIL and nephews back to Charlotte, NC)

OomD · « **Reply #7518 on:** July 11, 2019, 07:38:03 am »

I look at that fence of yours Mr. Zog and in my mind's eye I see me taking lots of vultarens if I had to build it.

That's quite labour intensive, very well done.

africanSky · « **Reply #7519 on:** July 11, 2019, 10:15:05 am »

I'm always amazed at the pace at which you manage to get things done, your boss must love you.