America's #1 Online Cigar Auction
first, best, biggest!

Zoo was good but this damn Canadian smog is still hurting the breathing parts.

I'm starting to rethink the squirrel feeder. This morning I looked out and there was a sizeable rat at the base of the tree eating peanuts. An hour ago my neighbor called to inform me that a fat raccoon was on the feeder trying to reach inside it. It's empty... and I am not so sure I'd like to fill it up again.

Here I was thinking squirrels and blue jays... and I'm getting a menagerie.

Think I has a burgeoning carpenter ant 🐜 issue on my deck. Seeing some half-dime size holes.

When I was back home visiting/babysitting the folks in WI early last month it was starting to appear. There was a haze. I was on the phone earlier tonight with the folks and they said that it has stepped up and has been pretty strong the past few days. This is in the Green Bay area where 8track is.

My cousin who is an active outdoors person (biking, hiking, gardening, etc..) said she could do her daily bike rides this week and had to come inside because it was bothering her too (she's in the Appleton, WI area).

Here in northern MA, we've had air quality warnings. Never really occurred to me but I did notice a slight smoke fog this past weekend. Where I live it's been raining quite a bit so that may have helped. Topographically it's pretty hilly around here so what we see locally isn't the same as they see in NH, VT, or other parts of MA.

Maybe we haven't seen the worst of it yet. Weather folks are calling for clear weather tomorrow so maybe we'll see it. Sat and Sun they are calling for more on and off storms so that may help wash it away.

Four Oh NINE!

Morning folks. Happy Friday and last day of June and a bunch of 7s in my future. 77/107 today and turning the dial up to simmer over the weekend. Expected to be around 117 by Sunday.

Dudes...

Happy Friday! Might end up working the weekend for the nascar race as standby. One of my coworkers might not be able to make it. If I do it's 8am-10pm Saturday and Sunday.

The Northeastern brothers are going to get it for the next few days.

When you were here, the counts were between 60 and 90, which is the moderate zone. Sunday, 100-150 range labeled Unhealthy for Some Groups. Worked Monday, it hit 190 which is Unhealthly, with Tuesday topping out at 211 Severe (I think). Felt unwell much of Wednesday after those 20+ hours of exposure. Still a bit off yesterday.

This morning was nice. The sky had a blue gray hue. Felt cleanish. The weather said it was 140.

Weird appreciating Unhealthy for Some Groups air. Guy at work from California said every day in the Imperial Valley was in the 150 range. It is their normal.

I've literally gotten out of a shower and toweled off and by the time I went to the mirror it was like I never did.

You get used to the humidity over time but for now I highly recommend having plain potato chips around and let them melt in your mouth to intake the salt. Hydrate with lots of water and the old standby in a pinch pour cold water on your wrists to cool off quick.

Welcome to Florida!

Wow! Congrats, Rammie and Mrs Rammie...

Congratulations Ram

Afternoon gents

Thanks everyone.

Mowed the woods, trimmed some trees, picked up sticks, lit the burn pit, sprayed another 5 gallons of roundup where it was needed, and washed my truck.

Hired out driveway sealcoating for $400 vs about $250 to do it myself. Hopefully lasts longer than DIY material too.

Ran some errands/grocery shopped before the sealcoat guys came and blocked me in for two days.

Got the final of 5 quotes in the mail for getting my gravel driveway paved. 2 of the 5 said they don't want the job. One said he'd measure but wouldn't send out a quote until next spring at the earliest because they're booked until then. One guy said $5k and I said "That sounds like a fvck you price" he said yeah kinda, I don't want the job but I'll do it for 5k. Last guy is one I've worked with before, they're more expensive than the others I've used in the past but do good work. $2100. Gonna give him a call back next week.

Deer have been awful this year. Ate all the flower buds off every plant in the garden, every hosta around the house, and hundreds of sunflowers. Sprayed a third brand of deer repellant today. Have never needed to deal with deer before, but these aren't even scared of the dogs. We were outside by the fire last week and the dogs chased one out into the woods, then dogs came running back and the deer was behind chasing them... If only it was deer season I'd just camp outside in the shed for the night and take one.

It's 90° and humid, heat index of 104 so I was sweaty. Came in to shower/change wife had turned the AC on and was taking a nap under a heated blanket on the couch...

You need new dogs, Danm... Tank chased deer in NY and they did NOT chase him back.

Congratulations, Ram! What kind of flowers did you get? Who from?

Fo' tree tree

The deer have been eating my apple trees. They especially like red delicious tree leaves more than honey crisp or some other apple tree. I had to make wire mesh fencing to keep the little bastards out.

Mother Nature is turning up the dial a bit each day. 79/108 today and I feel for the folks in the south having the same high temps but with humidity that makes the heat index feel much worse.

Up at 4:20 and out soon for a 5 miler.

Last day of vacation today on the left coast. The kids have been a real pisser this time. As much as I love the beach, I am looking forward to getting back...

Having been here through all four seasons will have allowed your body to progressively adapt for summer and you now have a year's experience on how to stay cool and dry.

Robert, look into "Road Hazzard Tire Coverage".

Dog walked and fed. Went to the gym and did another 30 minutes of jogging. Need to wash the stank off me and get some food in the belly.

Our consecutive streak of 100 degree days is broken!

Hoping it all works out 8. Dealing with family can be a tough one. Luckily me and my family, kids, parents, nieces, nephews, cousins and stuff don't have major issues. We mostly get along together on the same page. Recent issues with my parents health problems have brought us together for a common cause in a good way. I hope yours are the same.

On another note: another crock pot recipe is cooking. I love me some easy slow cooker recipes. This time decided on doing a baked ham but in the slow cooker rather than the oven.

Hunk on the bone ham. Pat it down with with some brown sugar, dried mustard, a touch of paprika, salt and pepper. Toss some of the brown sugar mix in the bottom of the crock pot with some crushed pineapple to hold the ham off the bottom and have a place for the juices to settle. Then top the hunk of ham with whatever is leftover with the pineapple/brown sugar/mustard stuff and let it cook low and slow.

Prolly do some baked taters and some steamed vegies to go with it.

Bought some steak tips at a reasonable price too (lately beef prices have been oddly high out here). Maybe I'll do the tips tomorrow and/or some chicken thing.

I like to cook on the weekends when I have time to do so. One "problem" is that I cook too much. I can't cook for one, two or three people. My recipes don't allow it. Cooking a 7 lb ham is the same as cooking a 3 lb ham. Cook enough for all to eat plus add a bit for a couple lunch meals for the week. I also touch base with a couple elderly neighbors to see if they would like to have a meal delivered. Sometimes they say yes, sometimes no

It's pretty simple and it doesn't cost me anything to do so either way.

Double 4's and a NINE!