Old Ironmaker

I had an old and expensive Penn Saltwater explode on me when I wanted to do some DIY on it. The inside was like a Swiss watch. All spare parts now.

Can't say I have ever done that. But I did make a breakfast in bed for my former wife for her 30th birthday, card, gift and all. Only to find out I had the right day but wrong month, at least early not late. These birthdays, anniversaries and the like are all very over rated anyway. Invented by women for women. Kind of like the DeBeers of diamond fame coming up with this diamond engagement ring deal to sell more diamonds, what a scam, and we buy into it.

The in-laws came out of the thing unscathed and with zero damage to their home. The birds are somewhat "stressed" by the winds. Now the problem 6 million of Florida's 20 million citizens is that they have no power and won't have any in the foreseeable future. Food will go bad without refrigeration. They are having a hurricane BBQ in the neighborhood. My cousin hasn't been able to contact the property manager for his place in Pt. Charlotte to get a damage report. We are planning to go down ASAP to help clean up if needed. Our nieces boyfriend is one of the 57 electricians that flew down to the Turks and Caicos on the Air Canada flight to aid in the recovery. The plane was supposed to return with 90 some odd Canucks stranded there. For some reason the authorities will not allow them to board the plane and were sent back to a hotel. That is a strange situation, even our PM is getting involved to get these folks home. Strange for sure.

That looks great, congrats I know you will love it, I would. I have a plan. We are going to go to a few RV shows this spring. My wife "hates" trailers, she thinks the old pop ups her family had when she was a kid and was shared with 2 adults and 3 kids are what a trailer is today. Not anymore my dear. I would love a nice one and I bet she changes her mind. We rented one last month with the boys for 3 nights fishing. It was total luxury including stackable washer dryer and dishwasher. Plus my boat was slipped not 20' away. You only stay in them to sleep or if there's a storm. An auto awning with screening and a big flat screen even when it was raining we stayed outside. Better one here than in FLA. I see a trailer like yours in my crystal ball. Plus no grass to cut!!!! Enjoy

I was down to our condo in the fall of 90' and a cane was coming that was downgraded to a tropical storm. I set the clock to get up during the peak. Neighbors warned us to put valuables and some furniture off the ground etc. they were basically freaking out. It was an abundance of rain and wind, nothing I haven't seen here. That's when I learned that our ground floor condo was 12" above sea level, an entire 12". I became light headed if I stood on a chair. What can you do is pray for them down there. I spoke to my cousin today that bought my place in Pt. Charlotte, all you can do is hope it doesn't get much damaged. Nothing one can do from Hamilton. I am going to go down with him and a few guys asap to help clean up. I just put up the weather map, that thing is bigger then NFLD, Nova Scotia. New Brunswick and PEI put together.

They may be delivering Horton's to our southern neighbors. Kidding, I love it. Being on the lakeshore we regularly get both Canuck and Yank military aircraft as they must use the shoreline as a land mark. I can hear the Lancaster from coming from Munroe miles away. Imagine a group of 50 or more flying overhead, I can't. That must have been terrifying for the Europeans. Heard and saw a Blackhawk last week. Free airshows are fantastic eh Lou?

Looks great Lucas. That is some good vittles. 80% of the Pics this year are small, less than 4 pounds. Only a hand full over 8 pounds. A great sign because I do not think all of these fish are part of the annual migration, I hope they are locals. This has been a fantastic year here on Erie. Limits are not a problem, even for me!! It usually is Bass time unless one ventures west of Long Point, not this year. We usually have to go as far west as Leamington in September. As long as they are here we will be trying to slam em'. Hope the winds co operate this week.

The engines are salvageable as long as vapor lock hasn't occurred. Some vehicle could use a good dip in the drink.

Exactly as Rick said. If the house is destroyed while the Parrots are there with you most likely you die along with the beloved birds. Throw them in a cage and bring them with you and get the Hell out. The birds are safer in the back seat than home. I need to know how many birds is worth a human life? Idiots, they are both idiots and if they live through it there will be another natural disaster coming their way, me. They are putting their birds ahead of family, idiots is all I can say.

You wouldn't expect for dem yungins' to listen to anyone that has grey hair would you? Even those our age don't listen sometimes. As I say amongst other things "Experience is a lifetime of mistakes, wisdom is knowing how not to make them again."

If I'm not mistaken the second number 55 or 65 is the thickness ratio of the width of the tire. Yep, just the height. The rim would be identical. A 255 tire will not fit a 215 rim for example.

Putting only 10K a year on your truck like you do now I would seriously consider a lease. Then get a brand spankin' new truck of your choice every 3 years. Oh that new truck smell, mmmmmmmm. When we move back to civilization and my wife isn't traveling over an hour to and from work I will then lease a very nice ride and keep my Chevy to pull the boat and take road trips. I'm the kind of guy that keeps a vehicle well cared for and drive it for 10 years, more if I can. My wife's 07' Nissan has 325,000 KM on it but doesn't look it. Look at a lease.

The home they are in now was 1 of their rental properties. They just moved back to FLA from Philly. The other place has the hurricane shutters. We had a place in Port Charlotte up to 11 years ago and sold it to my cousin in Hamilton. I had it ready if there was a hurricane. Better ready than we are here in the case of a Blizzard. Yep the roads are a mess now but no one is running out of gas on them. The Troopers will top up the tank just enough to get you off the highway. I would still leave. Yes it may move west, the problem is the thing is the size of Texas and is as vulnerable as Texas and Louisiana was 2 weeks ago with the flooding. Not many homes were ripped out with the wind but everyone was trapped because of the rain. Now I have friends and family in his path on the west side in Charlotte Harbor and Naples. I hope they stay safe my Buckeye friend. I had a place in Charlotte Harbor where I was going to retire to for the winters. Life changes plans change. We insist in putting ourselves in harms way for the sake of lifestyle. Man will never learn. Exactly, but once this storm has passed, and the next one and the one after that we will do a head count, spend billions to rebuild we will still insist on living in harm's way. What is the definition of insanity again? We once could until the insurance carrier wouldn't give me fire insurance until I removed the entire and not to code stack from this shack. The last long outage was 5 days during a March ice storm. The NG fireplace came on automatically and there was gas for the stove. Everyone told me don't use the stove as heat. Where does the CO go when we are cooking a big meal and all 5 burners are going and the oven is cooking the Turkey? As long as the NG stays on at least we won't freeze to death or die of starvation with the cistern full. If we lose NG we are in big trouble that is why I wanted to keep the stack up, I had the stove in the shed ready to connect the chimney. I can always go down to the lake and haul buckets of water too unless the place is buried like in 1977. I have an old faded photo of the place and only a bit of the roof is peeking up. It is about 18' high! I'm shopping for a small generator now. Any recommendations? I need it for a few lights, fridge and the gas forced air furnace.

I have had zero problems with my 1/2 ton Chevy. You are going to get all sorts of advice here as to which is best amongst all the brands and models available. I have a pal out here that does what you do, he uses his 3/4 ton truck as a truck, 2015 F-250, hunting and dragging Moose out of the woods, hauling the ATV's, sleds, towing boat, 5th wheel. Don't tell anyone but I like it, a lot. Don't get me wrong I love my Chevy. I think my head would explode if I was in the market for a new truck with all the opinions just here on OFC. I feel Rams are pretty but personally I wouldn't pay for the plastic dashboard imitating burled Walnut and for coolers under the floorboards in the back seats. Lots of show and no go in my most honest and humble opinion. When I shop for anything I buy what I feel is the best bang for my buck. In 011' I paid around 12K less for my Chevy than Jim next door paid for his F-150. If the Ford was priced like the Silverado I may have bought that instead. Good luck, I'm jealous too.

Believe me she is extremely intelligent but her instincts are dormant, he, well he is he, no saving that knucklehead, no lights on up in the Penthouse. He is a 58 year old Body Builder, seriously.

My wife talked to her sis this AM, Palm Beach county is not YET under mandatory evacuation. What are you waiting for? I was down in Port Charlotte 2 weeks after Andrew hit 25 years ago and this whine is 3 times larger. The destruction can not be overstated. Entire homes gone with only the bathtub standing. How anyone can survive that is mind boggling. Talking this morning I have to admit I am not properly prepared for a good old fashion Blizzard. The Blizzard of 77' snuck up on us and if you weren't ready for it then you were in trouble especially along Lake Erie. Then there was the fall/winter of 86' where the storm surge swept many cottages into the lake all along the coast. I had sheets of plywood cut to fit all the lake side windows and doors but have used them over the years. Same goes for my generator that crapped out a few years ago. Are you prepared for a winter weather event that will shut down services?

Kaytar, Welcome aboard. How about a little introduction. W5, who you? What do you fish for, land locked or a boater too? When is your favorite season to fish? Where do you fish? The why we are all trying to figure that out. Go ahead why? The how is good too. Send pic of boat if applicable. We all love pics.

There are tanker loads of fuel with State and military escorts going up and down 75 and 95. This isn't going to be repeat of Katrina. The sad thing Rick is that our other sister is in St. Louis and they would have been there days ago plus I have family in Atlanta too who said for them to get there, Parrots may cost them their lives, I'm pissed off, selfish is what I think they are being, Parrots!!! I would have let them go but Tich said their wings are clipped. Taking flight from a bird and stick them in a cage isn't something that should be allowed. It's what they do, they fly. I don't get some people.

Short rant. My wife's sister and brother in law moved to Palm Beach 25 years ago after hospital cut backs in Hamilton put her out of a job. The Governor of Florida today ordered a mandatory evacuation of Florida residents in their county. The governor said leave now and don't expect I put our rescue workers in harms way to save you after the storm, you were told. They have decided to weather the storm because she has 3 Parrots, no kids. Plus the storm behind Irma, her little brother Jose is going to put them in harms way for weeks. I told her 3 days ago to get out before you can't get out, fell on deaf ears. They are sure the Lord will not forsake them, seriously. I don't think that's how He does business. He gives us the intelligence to make our own path in life. Just today he is running around looking for plywood and a generator, today? They have been there for 25 freaking years and needs plywood today. They found 3 sheets on Craig's List, $600.00 for 1 sheet of 4X8X5/8's. He calls me to ask "How do you fasten plywood to stucco and concrete?" Take the big blue Tapcon lag screw you don't have and drive into the front of your brain with a drill. What's a drill? My sis-in-law isn't a stupid woman she has her PHD. in Nursing and has a big corporate position, bless her but they both have ZERO street sence. The first week they got down there they went into Overton in Miami to pass on their blessings and the word of the Lord got robbed including their car with Ont. plates, lucky that was all they lost, and I warned them 25 years ago. Stupidity isn't anyone but their ancestors fault, it's passed on through DNA, anyone with a semblance of intelligence and does stupid things is just plain ignorant. It is going to be a long few days, weeks or more seeing my Lady worry herself sick. Some of the in-laws are devout Christians maybe the Lord will send them a log floating by, a boat and a rescue team a then a chopper to get them off the top of their house. Then ask Him why didn't He save them? I am going to stop there. A short rant, yea right, sorry I can't say what I wrote here to my wife, she doesn't need to hear it from me right now. I just need to say it to someone this late and I pick you guys. Hopefully they will jump on the log. Johnny D

Golfed this week at Arrowhead in your neck of the woods with a few of your neighbours, even at US prices you can't beat that track. A comparable course in Niagara such as Legends is double the price. After getting beat up by the course and my cousins I should have gone fishin'.

http://www.ontariogasprices.com/GasPriceSearch.aspx

The question I have is how much will we be paying per 100 kms of range? Does anyone know what the real cost is to charge the things? I recently saw a Tesla parked in a lot. Before I read the badge I was totally impressed with the looks of it. I thought it might be a new Jag or Bentley sedan. It reeked of class. I am very impressed with the styling and fit and finish. I really haven't researched as of late the systems or pricing for charging. I know Uncle Katty was installing and investing millions of our bucks into charging stations on our dime. I pictured 220V plug ins at our homes. Is this something that may happen sooner than latter? There was a thread on iboats where a guy slapped an electric motor in a 18' foot glass boat, it did 60 MPH or some crazy speed but a very limited range at that speed. I need to find the link. How many of these all electric vehicles are on our roads today. A neighbour has one of the 1st Toyota hybrids, it is at least 10 years old now, he has zero complaints. I don't know where he tops the batteries up. I have yet to see a charging station in my travels. Now may be the time to install a residential wind turbine. I can see neighbours splitting on the cost if electric is the way of future. 15 years ago I got a quote for a wind turbine at 60K, ROI was 30 years at 10 cents per KWH not including maintenance. The Coopers put one in at their property down the road where they build steel boats, it paid for itself in 5 years he says. With a dozen welding machines running all day I can see it but not to run a freezer in a home. $125.9 today for reg. at Pioneer Cayuga, $1.10 at Rez. Gas was $1.09 before it went up, when things get back to "normal" they will set it at $1.15 and we will all be cheering like the good red and white once a year in July flag waving Sheep we are.

Nice fishes. I can't say the same thing about the music though. Makes me want to dig out my waders and dust them off.

Please no more mature women jokes. Those cats are just beautiful animals.

And we couldn't get a franchise in Hamilton when they built Copp's. Arguably the best arena in Canada at the time. Now absolutely everything in Ottawa is a joke.