Switching at Night

I live about 6 miles from a construction material yard. In the yard are thousands of tons of different size stones, including the different gradient concrete aggregates and the crushed limestone for road base. Railroad tracks are in the yard, which allows storage as rail cars are unloaded. They're called unit trains and they're usually somewhere around 100 hopper cars filled with about 100 tons in each car. It's how railroad companies ship such things, and unless a supplier has the facility, the supplier is forced to buy the material from a supplier that does have the facilities to handle a unit train. Unless the supplier has equipment to dump the cars, a contractor with specialized equipment unloads the car by either a clam-shell bucket attached to an excavator, or the excavator travels up a ramp, straddles the sides of the car, and the operator moves down the cars while unloading to either trucks, or to where front end loaders can stack the material. 

Tonight, as I was sitting on the porch after midnight, I heard the low rumble of the train engines. If I had to guess, they were either delivering filled cars, or removing those already empty. The low rumble would fluctuate as the engines revved to handle the increased load on the friction motors. When the train was ready to leave, I heard the engineer sound the horn. One long blast, then another long blast, a short blast, and the final long blast. I was told this is a cadence for "The train is coming". The damp, cool night air allowed a clear sound. For someone not knowing what it was, the low sound would be missed in the other background noises of the night. 

The rumble of the cars slowly faded as the train moved away. I listened longer, and two owls called to each other. The male would call, and the female would answer. Their call disturbed a neighbor's dog, which barked a warning for good cause. 

The dew is light tonight. That's usually an indication of rain in the near future, which matches the forecast. We have a stationary front sitting on top of us, and the uplift between the two air masses will lead to showers. So far, heavy rain isn't forecast, but than can change. Stationary fronts have led to torrential downpours in the past, and the low pressure impulses along the front can lead to some areas getting rainfalls in double digits. 

So, Summer is starting to fade. How much time before we have the first strong cold front is unknown, but the event is inevitable. The night temperature will drop to well below seventy degrees, the air will become dry, and the promise of cold days will become reality. I'm ready for it. Yard work won't be necessary, the insects will disappear, and the cool, clear nights will offer stargazing.

Credit Where Credit is Due

My wife is a quilter. Quilters are a special bunch, enamored by good selections of fabric, and will roam long distances to visit one they like, or one they've never been to before. With my wife, going with her to a quilt store is like bringing a child to a candy store. It's a pleasant feeling to see her so happy, and her excitement is infectious. We've been to many in Texas, and will probably venture to see more.

One of her favorites, and one we've been to many times, closes its doors at 3:00 pm today. The owners are retiring, and it appears nobody wants to take on the store. After forty years in business, I'm thinking many, like my wife, will miss it. Multiple generations of quilters were steady customers. 

In a way, it was a landmark for quilters in the Houston area. The owners offered a huge selection of fabrics, and Charlie was an expert on the repair, and maintenance, of the Jenome sewing machines they sold. During the annual Quilt Festival, hoards of quilters would visit to  wander through another shop, and take advantage of sales. Before we met, my wife would drive about 100 miles to visit.

So good bye "Painted Pony". Quilters will miss the store, and my wife has some melancholy due to losing a store she loved to visit over the last three decades.

Stale Crackers

Cracker Barrel changed the logo, the CEO is a DEI nut, and 94 million went down the drain. The worst thing about it is how it's probably permanent. The chain, from what I've been told, doesn't have the food people remember, the menu is smaller, the complaints were ignored, and those (like me) that entertained the thought of going for a meal there, will not do so. I've eaten there in the past, but that's been decades ago. 

 My suggestion is the stockholders bail while they can. Too much has happened, the brand is forever tarnished, and the costs to stay open will not be sustainable with the reduced sales. Those future people sitting on the front porch might only be vagrants looking for a place to get out of the weather.

Maybe the First Big Fish

Years have passed, many in government created mayhem with their actions, and some managed to tightrope walk the line between the main political opinions. Bolton is one, and he managed to walk the tightrope for decades; but in the process, he became friends to nobody, couldn't be trusted, and now looks like a convenient sacrificial lamb to satisfy the lust of the masses. I'm thinking they'll insure his errors are sufficiently shown as egregious, he will be convicted, his sentence will be harsher than anticipated, and both political parties will be satisfied with the results. My hope is he will be the first in dealing with those that chose sedition, and the final number of convictions will be large. 

What it Is

No matter how it's sliced, diced, explained, or hidden, the United States government stole over 25% of my money over the last five years by borrowing unconscionable amounts of money on credit, and allowing inflation to hide the thievery. A less polite society would be stacking bodies.

Swimming in the Heat

I decided this morning was the time to clean the condenser coils on my outside unit. I try to do this once each season, and usually do the same for some in-laws. A/C's last much longer when the coils are kept clean, and operate more efficiently, which helps with the electricity usage. 

It's not a long project. It usually takes about an hour, and involves removing the side panels for access to the coils. Turning off the unit, and killing the power to the outside unit is first. Removing some sheet metals screw is next. Easing up the fan housing allows the side covers to be removed. Usually, a few will just fall out. After the coils are exposed, I spray on a commercial coil cleaner, allow it to work for a few minutes, and then flood the coils with water to remove the cleaner. I'll flush out around the compressor at the bottom, and rinse around the base. 

It took the amount of time I figured, and the project came out good, but that little time in the heat led to being soaked with sweat, which doesn't dry in the high humidity of morning. That, and without anything to evaporate the sweat, I felt like I had run a marathon. I might should have waited for evening, when the unit is in the shade.

I might venture this afternoon, when shade allows, and take care of the in-laws units....or not. I will clean them over the next few days, but maybe only one a day.

Crime and Obfuscation

Since the police in D.C. now have new bosses, the current administration is touting how many are being arrested. That's a good thing, but what about the Clintons, Clapper, Comey, Schiff, Pelosi, and all the others that were so blatant in their crimes? What about those that frequented Epstein's island? I get the feeling the effort is just hiding the fact some of the most dangerous of criminals are still free, drawing a salary, and laughing about their actions in the past. 

**spit** 

They Should Stay Gone Longer

Regardless of their theatrics, the Texas Senate passed the redistricting map, which was the impetus for Democrat Congress members to run away. It was a grand performance, but now they have to come home to face the consequences. Their money provider had his funds cut off, they are being fined $500 each day they don't return, and in my opinion, they need to stay away for a long time. The fines will add to the public funds, although I doubt many have the funds to pay their fine. 

Cause and Effect

A local city is kicking around a method to improve their water, and sewer, infrastructure. They raised their rates last year, and according to citizens, it didn't do anything. Some want the rates to be raised, and some want to borrow the money. Both options mean the money collected was either never enough, or was used for another purpose. My opinion is it was wasted on administrative costs not associated with anything other than shuffling paper, employee perks, underfunded pensions, and the general complete lack of fiscal responsibility by those in government. The decision, regardless of what it is, will lead to more people leaving, less tax money due to devaluation of real estate, more bureaucracy, and another nail in the coffin of fiscal health. It's the city way. I'm glad I don't live there, and glad I never had the loss of clarity and wanting to move there.

Early to Bed Early to Rise

I went to sleep early last night. I was tired, and followed my brains demand to get some sleep. The reward was to wake before 5:00 am, and have the opportunity to enjoy the quiet of the early morning. 

With the Perseids in full swing, I saw two meteors by accident. If I had been out earlier, watched more closely, I probably would have seen more. Still, I did observe Venus, and Jupiter, which were close the morning. That, and noticed Orion fully above the horizon. That's the harbinger of the approaching colder days. Summer is starting to fade, and the morning temperatures reflect the change. 

My little dog decided to join me on the porch for awhile. He had to have a short bark at something only he was aware of. Whatever it was, the bark must have chased it off. Then again, since I'm not completely aware of dog society, it might have been a morning shout-out at the dogs in the neighborhood. If so, they didn't respond. He wanted back in, so I honored his request.

Texas Democrats fled to other states to avoid their responsibility. It's a figurative holding of breath to show their childish displeasure of not getting their way. I have a feeling they'll get a spanking, and since Beto's funds for helping are cut off, and he's being investigated, the tantrum might yield more grief than anticipated. The new threat of punishment is having them removed from office due to abandonment. If that sticks, the Democrats in Texas might find their mouths wrote a check their asses can't cover.

Local news brings reports of shootings, traffic mayhem, displeasure of highway construction, and the mishmash of reports that fill the spaces. Some actually have follow-up, but many don't. 

I'm getting tired of the refuge ducks that appeared a few months ago. They're nasty, loud, and why relatives keep feeding them is beyond my comprehension. Without food, they could just wander off, or return to the derelict neighbor that allowed them to escape from their pen. In the past, when confronted by escaped animals, he denied ownership. This time has been no different, but with 21 possible pots of duck gumbo wandering around, the colder weather might bring some good meals. I need to learn the easiest way to dress out a duck. Domestic duck has a wonderful flavor, which is much better than wild duck.

...and I have to add: If you don't pay your traffic tickets, you go to jail. If you attempt a coup, nothing happens, and you get a book deal from publishers that would sell their mother's wheelchair for improved sales.

Playing the Game

I was in charge of a paving widening project in a local city. It was a Summer project, right in front of an elementary school, and was anticipated to be complete before school started. Everything was going along as planned, and even though the inspector had a tendency to be a problem on some details that were ridiculous, I felt we would be complete as anticipated. 

We were placing cement stabilized base for under the proposed new concrete paving. Even with an unmarked, and repaired, water line leak that flooded the base, I felt the base was processed as needed, graded, and after the curing time, wanted my inspector to run a density to continue. 

He arrived, ran his density, and proceeded to tell me the density was just shy of the 95 proctor. Knowing the game, and my specifications, I asked if he had placed his gauge probe into the subgrade. He had, and I explained to him the project didn't have a bid item for working the subgrade, but would be glad to stop, request a change order, and when approved, remove the base, process the subgrade, run density on the subgrade, replace the base, and get paid for the entire process. He paused a minute, thought about what I just said, and ran another density in just the base. It passed, and we started setting paving forms. 

I'd been burned in the past by similar things due to my ignorance of specifications. I learned the hard way, and refused to be rolled over by inspectors that didn't have a complete grasp of the entire picture. If I had to go to the engineer, I wouldn't hesitate. While they could beat me up with the spec book, I had the same book, and could swing with the best of them. 

We completed the project in time, it was bought within a short period of time, and after decades, the paving is holding up. 

Never Say "Yes"

I get robo-calls from different supposed local numbers. The newest scam I find is on my voice mails. The recording asks if it is me and continues with "Just say yes". In a perfect world, these scammers would be caned 20 lashes and forbidden any electronic communications under penalty of death.