Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Cleaning up the log deck...

Should be getting a new load of logs this week, so time to clean up the deck.

Maybe next year I can get some gravel down with rock on top to make a really clean area to stack 'em. Of course since a load of logs will now last me 3-4 years I'd have to start selling firewood to justify a load a year for exercise...





And the next day, Wednesday, the wood arrived :) Came from a guy I went to Brooklyn School with, who gave up autobody work to do forestry trucking a few years ago:

















Friday, April 24, 2015

A good way to go...

Read this on the Dalmatian Owners of America group on Facebook tonight:

I'm very sad to say that a week ago today my Bowie doggy passed away on his afternoon walk. As usual we were taking some time for Bowie in a small park in the middle of Sisters. We had only walked about twenty feet to the nearest tree, where he did the proper sniffing of approval, along with the appropriate honoring of such a nice big old tree. Afterwards he had taken about four steps back towards me when he just completely collapsed. I'm pretty sure he had left to join his spotted brothers before I could even reached him. At the time of his departing we were only three blocks away from his vets office, where upon our arrival the vet confirmed he had passed on. I'm heart broken to have to say goodbye, but Bowie couldn't of found a better way to leave this life than enjoying a nice walk in the park on a bright sunny spring day. R.I.P. My sweet little Bowie doggy.


Gotta say, taking a nice satisfying piss outside then dropping dead wouldn't be a bad way to go.

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Windows 2000, 2003, 2008, 2012

When you realize you've worked on the last four versions of Windows Server in the same day...and you have four monitors...photo op!!!

It's Here!

That was a hell of an expensive shot of whiskey I had on a Tuesday evening, since I woke up Saturday and decided it was time to bite the bullet:

2014 Mahindra 3016, 28HP, Front end loader, backhoe w/thumb, and forks. Delivered with 8.2 hours on it.







I figured digging the potato bed would be great first practice with the backhoe:








That thing has been in my yard for at least three years, probably four:








Nice contrast between the driveway where I've put down gravel and as it was. It'll still take a fair bit of rake work to smooth out the repaired sections, but that was a lot of progress in just an hour or two.


Pneumatic grease guns are awesome (and a fraction of the price of a cordless one):


Monday, April 13, 2015

Quick Garden Update...

Peepers were heard (for sure) on Friday, 4/10.

Started turning over the garden with a shovel on Saturday, bit slow going as my back was tight from my injury back in January...did a lot better on Sunday but should be 100% soon.

Friday, April 10, 2015

The old insurance argument....

(Another post for my own reference...)
For years I've seen, and sometimes been in, arguments over insurance and what it does or does not cover when -- basically whether "insurance is for your own stupidity" v. "you're not insured for stupidity."

I think I found the key answer finally -- do you have HO-2 or HO-3 Insurance?

HO2 – Broad Form
A more advanced form that provides coverage on a home against 16 listed perils (including all 11 on the HO1). The coverage is usually a "named perils" policy, which lists the events that would be covered.
HO3 – Special Form
The typical, most comprehensive form used for single-family homes. The policy provides "all risk" coverage on the home with some perils excluded, such as earthquake and flood. Contents are covered on a named peril basis. (Note: "all risk" is poorly termed as it is essentially named exclusions (i.e., if it is not specifically excluded, it is covered).)


http://www.insure.com/home-insurance/exclusions.html
Things covered by home insurance policies

There are a variety of standard homeowners insurance policies. The most basic policy, HO-1, covers only a few perils and insurance companies have stopped selling it in most states. The HO-2, generally called the "broad form," covers 16 perils. They are:
Fire or lightning.
Windstorm or hail.
Explosion.
Riot or civil commotion.
Damage caused by aircraft.
Damage caused by vehicles.
Smoke.
Vandalism or malicious mischief.
Theft.
Volcanic eruption.
Falling objects.
Weight of ice, snow or sleet which causes damage to a building.
Accidental discharge or overflow of water or steam from within a plumbing, heating, air conditioning or automatic fire-protective sprinkler system or from a household appliance.
Sudden and accidental tearing apart, cracking, burning or bulging of a steam or hot water heating system or an air conditioning or automatic fire-protective system.
Freezing of a plumbing, heating, air conditioning or automatic, fire-protective sprinkler system or of a household appliance.
Sudden and accidental damage from artificially generated electrical current (does not include loss to a tube, transistor or similar electronic component).

An HO-3 policy is often called a "special form" because it covers everything except certain perils outlined in the policy. It is the most popular type of policy. The standard HO-3 policy contains these exclusions:

Ordinance or law, such as demolition or construction required to bring your house up to code.
Earth movement, such as earthquakes, shockwaves, sinkholes, landslides and mudflows.
Water damage, such as floods, sewer back-ups and water that seeps through the foundation.
Power failure.
Neglect, meaning you failed to take reasonable means to save your property during or after a loss.
War, including undeclared war and civil war.
Nuclear hazard.
Intentional loss, meaning something you did on purpose with the intent to cause a loss.
Governmental action, such as the destruction, confiscation or seizure of covered property by any governmental or public authority.
Loss to property, resulting from faulty zoning, bad repair or workmanship, faulty construction materials and defective maintenance.


I believe the translation is (and ask your agent if you're really wanting to know the real answer):
HO-2, your home burns down because of an improperly installed, un-permitted stove but you didn't lie to the insurance company about having that wood stove: They pay. It's Named Peril, fire is a peril even if it's caused by your stupidity.
HO-3, your home burns down because of an improperly installed, un-permitted stove...sorry that's bad workmanship, defective maintenance, failure to follow code, and probably other stuff named as excluded. You're stupid and and we keep our money.

In general, this should mean HO-2 is Named Perils unless you intentionally destroy your own property. HO-3 is All Perils not excluded...and the exclude your own stupidity if it destroys your property.

Sunday, April 5, 2015

Giant February & March Photo Dump on Easter

Seems I haven't been keeping up with the blog the last month or so...

February 24th it was a bit nippy.


Almost made me re-think my normal ice coffee on the way to work.








Nice this 'n that salad for dinner.


I've seen some bad accidents myself. I've seen pictures of bad ones too, but damn this one from the T&G was worthy of saving -- car jumped the snow-covered guardrail dividing the Mass Pike and got split in half on impact with a tractor trailer.


Not a great picture in the early morning light (which the iPhone doesn't handle well) of a giant metal grasshopper modern art statute in the back of a pickup o_O




This was an accidental selfie I texted a friend when I hit the wrong button on my iPhone...didn't realize that's what the "camera" icon next to the text field would do! Thankfully other than needing to finish painting the ceiling there wasn't anything embarrassing in the background!


Aunt Gert's 80th Birthday.


With Uncle Ed, oblivious I'm sure to the selfie.


Plan: Buy supermarket tulips to cheer up the house as severe cabin fever sets in. Plant the bulbs later (hope they survive!)


When you have to get in this position to remove two bolts to replace a wheel bearing...it's worth paying for the work!




April 4th...snow is slowly retreating from the Garden...


But Sandy at Pakulis' had lettuce in her greenhouse!


Those Daylillies sure want the winter to be over!!!!

Easter at Pat's.








Wednesday, April 1, 2015