NotCigs refugee thread

[markfm]

Hi all! On my off Friday it's been a bit rainy (about an inch so far) but reached 65! Our official January thaw (prior couple of days in the 50s)

Things are due to change soon - a foot of snow tonight, high tomorrow 13 (11 Sunday)

Ahh, winter in CNY [emoji5]

 

[Bovinia]

Crazy weather!! Rain and 70 here...down in the 20's tomorrow night.

 

[FranC]

55 here and still raining

 

[markfm]

We've dropped to 30 so far, power flickering probably from ice on the wires (flash freeze).

13+ of heavy snow due as of now, on top of ice forming. We're stocked up, I'll do coffee roasting tomorrow morning, then we'll probably laze around with a fire in the wood stove all weekend [emoji5]

 

[El Dee]

Yeah it was past sweaty today....Had the monsoon after dark....Raining heavily atm.....

Trust I've been brainstorming how to get a 1/2 inch metal cable secured 40 feet up a tree that I've got to cut...The tree is in the septic drain field and about 20 feet from my shop and close enough to Mom's house to hit it when cut....Months ago I purchased a tree climbing deer stand but that crook 40 feet up where the cable needed to be gave me doubts....I sat and looked....I looked every time I walked past....Then it dawned on me.....Slingshot !! Purchased one last evening along with a couple of egg fishing weights....I got a huge spool of old fishing line....tied the egg sinker on and promptly got everything tangled to Hell on the next tree past....Then I lobbed it and PERFECT!!!! Went to the Lowes and scored a 100 foot rope and used the fishing line to drag it up and over.....then the rope to drag the cable....That cable equaled a couple of weeks in the gym....Tugged on the cable with the tractor to snug down the loop....3 come alongs will provide the pulling force as it's gonna fall where no truck can go....I'm dropping it in the creek bottom and there's trees aplenty and not much for traction....Now where's my saw??????? After all that debate as to how I believe a break is in store....

Supposed to be 60 and partly cloudy tomorrow. We're gonna have a Low Country Boil....Taters/corn/sausages/shrimp.....Cuzzo is having it in an attempt to get his kids to visit....

 

[FranC]

Good luck with that tree,Dee.

 

[Bovinia]

Can't say I miss the snow. Your plan sounds like a good one, Mark.

Dee, your ingenuity is a constant source of amazement and inspiration to me

 

[markfm]

I wish it was a lazy day [emoji5]

Took care of building a fire and a bunch of indoor cleaning, then went out to snowblow.


It looks like the drainage culvert under our driveway has at least partially collapsed. The black spot to the right of the driveway is what's visible - it actually extends 2' further to the left (part way under the pavement), is multiple feet deep, over a cubic yard.

State worker bee says it's homeowner's problem, but that I can ask his supervisor Tuesday if he's feeling generous (so they do the excavation and replace). Town highway department does replace these under-driveway culverts, though again it would only be if they're feeling generous (since we are on a state highway, not a town road).

No matter what I can't do anything until Tuesday, due to MLK holiday Monday and this job absolutely requiring permitting.

The old culvert pipe is about 8' below the driveway level, 30 - 40' total length. Real excavation type work, plus factor in that we are in a CNY winter.

I've got caution tape across it for now, so no truck tries to drive up it. Even for a car it's iffy - have to run on the left edge, hope there's no more collapse.

Fun times at the old homestead. [emoji5]

 

[Bovinia]

Wow, Mark! Sure am glad you didn't discover it by driving into it! Hope the state and/or town shows you some mercy. Mot the best way to start a 3 day weekend.

 

[markfm]

Got out today, picked up my work computer and some odds and ends.

It's definitely collapsed to the left of the light also, looking forward to chasing down the town highway department and state dot on Tuesday, start whatever it takes to getting things repaired.

The concrete blocks are so I can put a little support on the right edge, where the hole goes under the pavement a bit.

The 2x12s distribute the weight. The area I drive over appears solid, but it's a crap shoot how long it will stay okay. There's not quite enough room after the culvert to comfortably park my car at the end of the driveway (the joys of winter, with snow plows going by).

The cones should keep anyone from trying to enter.

 

[Bovinia]

Good luck with DOT, Mark.

 

[El Dee]

Hard to tell what's going on with the culvert when it's covered in snow....I hate snow and we're scheduled for more Wednesday....Under the old arctic blast atm so not happy about that either.....I can see that black hole and assume that's where the issue lies....Looks like quiet a bit of fill over the pipe...None of that is good...Hoping the DOT treats you right....Not much confidence in that though....

My old Dodge I purchased in 2004....Cuzzo's Son now 19 had asked about buying it for years....Finally he got the ability and with reservation I sold it....Sunday at 2am he left the highway and hit a culvert with 4 foot of fill above the pipe and retained by a brick wall....It didn't give and the truck is destroyed....Young Josh is a little worse for the wear and tear but not dead so good....Managed to avoid jail and in this police state I'm not really sure how he managed that.....I knew it was a mistake selling him my truck....

Got the tree ready to cut but sitting on the edge of a sinus headache and 34* outside with wind....Laying low is what I plan on....

 

[markfm]

We're at 15 now, 5 with the wind.

I nudged back a little snow with a shovel to the right of the hole, it looks like the hole extends further since the dirt is concave (has dropped where the conduit should be running).

Dropped into the hole to look under the driveway - it would make a nice animal den [emoji5]

(Yeah, it opens up again)

Ah, well, tomorrow I'll be on the phone with the powers that be [emoji5] After that I'll check with my neighbor across the street, see if I can stash one car there. That will be the last trip across that stretch of driveway before it gets repaired.

 

[Bovinia]

Wow Dee! Sure glad Young Josh is ok!! Shame about the truck.

Good idea parking at your neighbor's, Mark. I'd not be trusting that culvert either.

Got a call at 1:15am...guess who's back in jail?! Read him the riot act and told him not to call me again, then turned off my phone. Got a call from the county jail this eve...I blocked the number.

DONE!!

 

[markfm]

Just for tonight I'm at the outside edge of our driveway. Not much snow due overnight, so my car shouldn't get hammered by fast moving plows.

Town passed on helping me, said the county should do it. Called county DOT a bit after 9am, said they'd have someone come out. I'll give them another call early tomorrow.

If county covers it, stellar. If they push it off to state I'm more likely toast. With all the $ we pay in NY state taxes, state DOT declares that maintaining culverts are the homeowner's problem. The culvert is an inherent part of keeping the roads drivable, installed on the state right of way at the edge of the property.

 

[El Dee]

Ya'll know what kind of bird can't fly????? A jailbird!!!!! Baaaaaahhh!!!!!!!!!

Dang old culvert isn't looking good....Hoping the county does the right thing....Already been in one cat fight with the city down at the beach house....Took out a drive on my own and my little Kubota wouldn't lift out the concrete pipes....City had recently annexed some county land nearby to suck up a huge campground and a small section of the Intercoastal Waterway...They were looking for concrete fill and I donated the pipe...Before that they said they would only service one drive per address....yada....yada...Lucky dang thing I saw the sign saying they would come and pick up the concrete....Trust they wanna get out of doing anything if at all possible....Dang old city manager was also the Chief of Police....I first met him when he pulled up in the yard to check out my motorcycle....Said he saw me ride through and wanted to look at it....It was surely bad ... but the popo ain't exactly welcome at Casa El Dee....weren't then....aren't now....

We're under a state of emergency due to a winter storm arriving at 5am.....I got about three sammiches and half a pizza.....Down with the sinuses today....If we get socked in by the snow I'll 4X4 outta here somehow...

 

[Bovinia]

Looks like the ice is going to miss us this time.

Good luck, Mark.

 

[Bovinia]

Looks like someone is probably headed back to prison...

Program:
Arrest Date: 1/15/2018
Court: Manchester GA 12 Bond Amount: $10,000 (This case only)


Bond Type: Set
Miscellaneous:

(Not Released From Custody)
Activity: Awaiting Plea Next Court Date: 2/9/2018 10:00 AM



Current Charges
Statute Description Class Type Occ Offense Date Plea Verdict Finding

53a-114 RECKLESS BURNING D Felony 1 1/15/2018

53a-181 BREACH OF PEACE 2ND DEG B Misdemeanor 1 1/15/2018

 

[FranC]

No surprise there,Bov.

Hubs stomach pain ain't letting up.Glad that Cat scan is for tomorrow. Hope they can find the cause soon.

 

[Bovinia]

I hope so too, Fran. I hate that Hubs had to wait this long to get the scan.