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October 15, 2018 |
Digging the Money Pit - Consistent
with my MotoGP and MotoAmerica buddies, I spend much
of the prime motorcycle track season spending money
on scooter updates. These 2018 R6 Updates may
not make the scooter or me any faster, but it keeps me off the
streets and farther from retirement. |
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March 12, 2017 |
Safer Toes - Keeping
with the theme of self preservation, I installed a Toe
Guard on the R6 Track
Bike today. That should about do it for off season Off Season Updates. |
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February 5, 2017 |
A Rube that Lubes - That's
me! Nearly finished up the 2017 R6 Updates (Part 2)
today. In Part 2, I do lots of lubing, of cables, of
wheel bearings, and crankcases. I even spend some time
making sure that crankcase lube stays safe and in the
bike. |
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January 22, 2017 |
R6 Chain Reaction - As I
wait for replacement clip ons, I tackle some other 2017 R6 Updates (Part 1),
including some case sliders, key loss prevention, and
preparation of the second set of wheels. |
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January 16, 2017 |
Going to New Bars - A
story about a guy crashing his bike because his stock
clipons broke is a good sales technique for the handlebar
people. And since my toes have been touching down a bit
more, it's time for some R6 control modifications. See 2017
R6 Update (Part 1) for the whole scintillating story. |
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November 27, 2016 |
Track Summary - 2016 has
been a busy year at the closed circuits for the R6 Track Bike. See
some of the R6 Updates
made through the year, to the bike, to the Scooter Hauler and to me. You
can see some of the results at the 2016 Track Summary. And
remember to Donate
whether this page interests you or not. It is a good
exercise. |
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February 13, 2016 |
Investment in a Dirty Bike -
My bargain KTM 250 XC
dirt scooter is becoming less of a bargain as I clean,
rehab, and replace parts. Thus far I'm about a month and
1/2 into it. And I've salvaged two wood screws, a couple
1/2 inch SAE bolts (odd in a metric machine), some dry
wall screws, a bunch of cable ties. I've replaced all
that with OEM nuts and bolts and new plastics, which are
about 1/10 the price of Italian
or Japanese
equivalents. |
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January 23, 2016 |
Snow, Maintenance and Practice -
It snowed on January 23. So I had to get the machines
ready to clear out the driveway following the predicted
24" of snow. New battery for the Earthforce EF-3. Mount the
back blade on the International
574 Tractor. But the real maintenance was to finally Fix the Loose Joystick
on the EF-3. Because of
this snow, I put all the cars in the garage (imagine
that!!) which cramped my work area, limiting my ability
to continue work on the new (old) KTM 250 XC dirt scooter. |
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November 6, 2015 |
Track Bike - I had so
much fun at my first Track
Day at Summit Point, I decided I needed to do a few
more. But I wanted to make the modifications and
inevitable repairs a bit more affordable. So I decided I
needed to get a dedicated R6 Track Bike to do
nothing but go one way. That would save the of fun and
gave the Ducati 848 for
street posing. |
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April 27, 2015 |
Tracking - Been spending
a lot of time on the road this year. So I decided to
spend some time on a special one-way road. Went to a Track Day at Summit Point.
It was a lot of fun and gave the Little Duc some exercise.
But if you know these things, it was like taking an
Italian Olympic Sprinter to run in the local church fair. |
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October 11, 2014 |
Red Summer - Its been a
long time for an update - my apologies, gentle readers.
But its worth the wait. First, I added another reason for
the Ducatista to celebrate - a fourteen year old Ducati ST2 joins the garage
band to let me do some tourisimoing. Next, ride along on
its maiden Toursimo North
Carolinio for some damp, gear shredding adventures.
Then, witness resulting maintenance I do on various Ducati Hydraulic
parts to keep everything tight and clean. |
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January 1, 2014 |
Happy 2014 - Pretty
sedate Holidays at the
Acres. I was able to snap a few photos of the relaxed 2013 Holiday Event. Also,
you can review the timeline of Music for 2013,
a banner musical memories year. I also finished a few
utilities projects - replacement Water Softener and a
new radiant heat Recirculation
Pump Motor for my mom's house. |
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December 8, 2013 |
December Updates - Just
a few updates on a cold, Sunday afternoon. See a few more
dimensions of the Ducati
848, including its new Hugger! Also got PortaShed in
place for another year and packed with Firewood. I finalized
the Wall Lighting
for the Front Wall. |
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October 13, 2013 |
Four Years and Twenty Nine Days -
The Front Wall is
done (except for another layer on the original east side
to take out the elevation steps. Oh, and maybe capstones
on the entire wall). Speed walling paid off. See how five
more tons of 57's and 45 ton of dirt fill finish the west
side of the Front Wall. |
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August 18, 2013 |
Mid-Wall, Mid-Life Progress -
Adopted a new wall building technology called "Speed
Walling." May let me finish the front wall in under
five years. See the results in Front Wall, Part Four.
With fuel prices staying the same and me getting older, I
needed a gas guzzling exotic to scratch my post-mid-life
crisis. But since I can't afford a Ferrari, I went with a
Two Wheel Equivalent. |
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April 20, 2013 |
Stop Gus - Gus is a wanderer (and a
chewer and a gravel eater and a jumper and a pee-er and a
licker and a stinker and the list goes on). So we need to
stop him from wandering. So I'm erecting a Gus Barrier (or fence
as many may call it). I also finished the Merge Lane and Mailbox Post
Modification. |
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April 20, 2013 |
Oh and Stop CISPA - Once
again, one of the three Internet Destructors (government,
marketers, or the Spirit of Security) is threatening the
value of the Internet. This time its the government.
Today a bill called CISPA (Cyber Intelligence Sharing and
Protection Act) passed in the house of representatives.
CISPA lets the federal government lean on private
companies to extract data from their data sources (i.e.,
user data that most of us believe is private) to
"fight hackers and cybercriminals in and outside of
the United States." No warrant is required. Seems to
me it violates the Fourth Ammendment. Sign
the Petition! |
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February 3, 2013 |
Mailbox On Ramp -
Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night,
stays those couriers from the swift completion of their
appointed rounds. Nothing there about speeding trucks
wiping out USPS approved roadside repositories. See how
we keep our Mailbox
Address from being wiped out as well. |
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January 9, 2013 |
Four Legged Holiday -
Christmas was pretty different this year. It snowed. I
moved my little computer table to a different corner. We
added a Puppy named Gus. |
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December 1, 2012 |
Making some BTUs - See
the new wall extension and footer I did on the West Wall a few weeks
ago, even though its too cold to put rocks in mortar. So
instead, I'm making Firewood.
The cut, split and dried sticks will reside in Porta-Shed now that it
has moved to its winter resting place. |
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September 30, 2012 |
Birthdays Trump Walls -
Celebrate Junior's 21st Birthday
Bootivaganza with nearly the whole family as we get
together on the Patio.
Meanwhile, see some recent progress on the poor West Wall, which seems
to have suffered summer neglect since June. It can't seem
to compete with all the other fun summer activities,
including cleaning up after a Derecho, the fun of
erecting Ancient Columns,
Changing Cars and the 21st Birthday, . But like the East Wall project in
2009, walls seem to be autumn projects. |
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July 25, 2012 |
MINImum Impacts to the Garage
- The garage floor is rated for 5000 lbs per sq ft. We
added about 300. That came from the addition of a MINI Cooper S. It replaces a
wiperless, airbagless, clearwindowless Miata. |
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July 4, 2012 |
Independence from Tree Services -
A Derecho is a storm that goes in a straight
line. At the end of June, we had a Derecho come by our
house which resulted in the Great Power Outage of 2012.
It's amazing how many things come to a halt when there's
no power and very, very hot. It also knocked down lots of
trees which had to be cleaned up. The Derecho also tested
the lateral stability of the Ancient Columns. |
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June 22, 2012 |
New Ancient Columns - What?
Why no Wall work?
Cause its a pain in the neck. I did get a Concrete Mixer to make it
easier. And another Rebit
Carbide-Tipped Rock Chisel.. But once I had the
mixer, I wanted to finish the Ancient Columns that go
on footers we put near the patio last year. |
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May 26, 2012 |
Back to the Wall - Once
again, my back is against the wall. Not due to the
difficult economy or trouble with the law. Nope, its that
my back is against the Wall,
again. Now in the fourth year of Front Wall building,
I'm starting a few months earlier than normal - May
instead of September and August. Maybe I'll get close to
finished, now that I have a replacement tool that will
save me plenty of maintenance time. Take a look at our
new weed eater on the Tools
page. Its wonderful! |
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April 15, 2012 |
Tax Day - Who cares? I
spent the weekend refurbing a Kemp K6CH Chipper
Shredder. No, not a skateboard. Its a machine that
grinds up organic matter. My pop lent it to me along with
some outside vacuum cleaner. Turns out it was all just a
test - the chipper was great, but had a busted motor. And
no one in their right mind vacuums outside. But, the
vacuum had nearly the same engine as the chipper. So all
I had to do was do a transplant and a few mods. |
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April 8, 2012 |
Spring So Soon? - It was
just just four updates ago that Porta-Shed left the
factory and found its way to its winter resting place. It
did a great job holding firewood. It even had a light
controlled by Home
Automation. But its time for Porta-Shed to Head
South (well, mostly east) for the summer. |
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April 3, 2012 |
Best Perfection - I left
work early (about 6:30pm) today so I could get home to do
things outside. I'm trying to cut and split the wood that
came from a few cherry trees that were voted off the
acres. So after hacking up some of the weekend logs with
the Rebuilt Husqvarna
and splitting and stacking a thread of firewood (a little
tiny part of a cord - get it??), I sat around on the G-Cart until it got
dark and reflected on the challenges of my professional
endeavors. That, along with some thoughts from a muse,
made me think about the Pursuit
of Perfection. After reflecting on perfection, it
seemed a near perfect reason to update the Best and Worst Autos of
the Year. I enjoyed my evening away from the office! |
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March 11, 2012 |
A Bump on the Head -
While changing Bushhog
Blades, I took a bump to the head which cost me a few
hours and some head staples. We also added a new, but
provisional, member to the auto team, a CRV. Its pretty Honda. For
all you Earthforce fans, we've added a full range line of
Earthforce Loader
Backhoe Brochures from the now defunct Earthforce
company who made our EF-3. |
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January 13, 2012 |
First Month Updates - As
the weather grows cold and the days short, I have less
outside project time and more time inside to blow. So as
I was working on adding more intelligence to Daisy, I ended updating
several other Home
Technology Configurations. Also, way overdue, is the
addition of the BMW 525i
page (which could of been added in 1995 but we didn't own
it then). Its the Daughter's
car who gets a few updates
of her own. |
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January 1, 2012 |
New Years Additions -
Well, its New Years Day and another December Holiday is
closing out. Relive our addition of memories, booty and a
few 10s of pounds during our Festive
2012 Holidays. While you're here, review the addition
and moving of Porta-Shed
from the front of the garage to its winter resting place.
Least interesting to many, but hours of fun for me is the
addition to our family of Daisy. |
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December 27, 2011 |
Merry Holidays - Its
Moving Day here during the Winter Solstace holidays.
Today, cause its raining, we move the finished Porta-Shed from the
front of the garage to its winter resting place (next to
the house to provide a dry place for firewood). Also, see
the winter state of the West
End of the Front Wall. |
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December 11, 2011 |
Portable Shed - With the
new Husqvarna 346XP and Rebuilt Husqvarna 51
chainsaws all working and needing to be used, I'm
replacing the five year old firewood sponges that don't
burn. Even with good, less porous wood, any rain seems to
soak in enough to keep the de-gassed fireplace from
stoking up well. So I am building a Portable Shed. It will
hold firewood in the fall and winter and gardening
paraphanalia during the spring and summer. I have the
time to fab up the shed since I have put the West End of the Front Wall
to bed for the winter. |
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November 26, 2011 |
Stupidity Insurance -
Unfortunately, such a thing doesn't exist. I've needed it
many times, most recently when I straight-gassed and then
had to Rebuild my
Husqvarna 51 chainsaw. But it works well now, giving
me an excuse to work on things other than the West End of the Front Wall.
For instance, I de-gassed the fireplace and returned it
to wood burning status. Course its about 70° outside so
I was asked not to test that. Portable Shed (12/11) |
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September 25, 2011 |
Slow Progress - I
haven't worked as much on the West End of the Front Wall,
though I'm about at the same progress point as I was on
the East End of the
Front Wall, since I started much earlier. I've had
several distractions, including my amazingly fullfilling
career duties, a Broken
Car to fix, and a couple of trips away. |
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August 14, 2011 |
Re-Excavation of the Wall
Trenches - Its pretty clear that after all the
wall work involved in the Patio
and the First Half of
the Front Wall, I am almost walled out. I've
expressed this procrastination by deciding to change the
location of the Second
Half of the Front Wall. First I had to take out a
tree to make conceptual room for the future driveway move
required by the move of the wall. Then I had to dig out
the footers and re-excavate them. That all being done,
I've actually started on Laying the Stones. |
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July 24, 2011 |
Starting on the Wall Again -
Its finally time to Finish
the Front Wall. I did the East Half of the Wall
in 2009, starting in September and thinking I'd be done
by late October, early November tops! Try May 2010! That
was working every weekend through December 20 and waiting
out the Arctic Snows of 2010
. So I've been procrastinating a few years. Plus, I
had to do the Patio (Part 1,
Part 2, and Part 3) which took me to
yesterday. So now, at the end of July, I'm getting a
month head start on Part 2. I'd really like to finish by
December. |
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July 15, 2011 |
Patio's First Birthday -
One year and 11 days after the Patio Groundbreaking, we
celebrate the 1.030137th anniversary of the Patio. Seemed
it it was barely one year ago that we started the
excavation. Time flies when the job seems infinite. So,
in honor of this most significant milestone, we present
the Patio Phase 3 -
Finishing Touches. Though much is done, there remains
much to do. Many of the accomplishments are hidden,
springing forth from the winter's Home Automation
efforts. Take a look for yourself. And if the
accomplishments here warm your heart and you feel the
need to unload some cash into pointless ventures, make
sure you you make a taxable Donation to Outcrop
Acres. |
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June 17, 2011 |
Updated Automation - It
turns out the month of Home
Automation turned into double-quarter of automation
for a couple of reasons: one, it took me longer to spend
the money since I didn't have it and two, I still wasn't
sure why I was doing it. But I've had a blast. I think
the house is pretty smart now. Lights go on and off by
themselves. I get messages when things happen. The house
takes pictures and videos of events. And, we can program
the whole house into different modes based on our moods
(like "Turn this crap off cause its pissing me
off" mode or "Why can't I just use the normal
switch" mode or "Fine - I'll just keep my car
outside" mode). |
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January 23, 2011 |
Year of Automation (or
maybe just the month of automation) - Home Automation that
is. I'd heard alot about Insteon
products from the Home Theater Guys over the last year.
So I thought I would add some simple switches to handle
some mundane automation tasks. Buster
the Dog really enjoys the added automation as he
snoozes on the couch. |
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December 30, 2010 |
Old Year's Day - Well
its the last day (or two) of this old 2010. But, having a
busy schedule here at the 'Acres, we thought we'd get the
last of the 2010 activities into this year. Christmas 2010 is about
done, leaving 361 days to wait until the next one. This
one was pretty good. We got some new electronics, this
time for the Five-Series
Audio Uplift. And don't forget to make your last
minute, taxable Donations
to Outcrop Acres to help support us during the coming odd
year. |
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December 11, 2010 |
Last Month of the Year -
We've finished the Patio as you can see in Patio Part 1 and finalized
in Patio Part 2, which
includes a fascinating video slideshow uploaded at YouTube. While you're at it, you can
watch a Audio Inspired Presentation of the Front Wall. And if you
are truely inspired by these, you may feel that you need
to support these activities by donating to the Outcrop
Acres Center for
Inspirational Innovation. |
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November 21, 2010 |
Finished Patio - After
finishing the walls, I had only three jobs to complete
the patio - laying the slate walkways, dry stacking the
roman fountain pool and backfilling. I finished up the
slate walkways on November 13 and the pool on the 14th.
But I needed the Dump Truck
to do the fill. Alas, it wouldn't start. Turned over but
no start. So my friends at Goldwrench
fixed it and it was on to the last job of backfilling.
See all the details here on the Patio Part 2 page. If you
missed the beginning, review the early days here on the Patio Part 1 page. |
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October 4, 2010 |
Another Wall - Last
year, I started the Front
Wall project on September 1. I figured I'd have it
done in a month but worked on it through the onset of
18" snows in December. I finished it up in May 2010
after the snows melted. This year, I started early - June
26 on the Patio Project.
My daughter and I nearly finished the patio part by end
of September. But guess what? It has stone walls
surrounding it. The additional time and fact that my
editing software can't handle more than 34 sections leads
me to create a Patio Part 2
page. |
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August 13, 2010 |
Vacation - It's been
since 2008 that I took a few days to work on something at
home. This last week, my Daughter
and I worked on the Patio
Project. Its slow going, mostly cause I get to drive
the Dump Truck at about
50mph to get the materials (Crusher Run and Stone Dust).
Now that's a vacation! |
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July 18, 2010 |
Catching a Brake - For
the last six months, I couldn't stop the Earthforce EF-3 backhoe.
Seems the parking brake broke. Tune in to my static
reality event, EF-3
Parking Brake Fabrication. Its fascinating. Also, you
can see the beginnings of the new Outcrop Acres Patio Project. |
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May 2, 2010 |
Dumpasaurus' One Year Anniversary
- So the mulch business doesn't look promising.
I planned this weekend to go out and make some big
cheddar using the fresh investment in the Tire on the Dump Truck. But first, it
needed State Inspecting, since it was 1 year old. An hour
after dropping it off, I got the call - drag link, king
pins, floor board, exhaust leak, rear wheel seals. Seems
all my future profits are going into the truck. So
instead of earning big cheddar, I ate swiss and worked
around the house, nearly finishing the Front Wall. Now, with
the left side done, I only have the right side. Watch as
the Junior Girl helps
out with the wall and gets rid of some dirt. Buster got a hair cut - he
looks like a regular Golden. |
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April 18, 2010 |
Out of the Mulch Hole and into
the Mulch Business - Spring Time is mulch time.
But first, I have to get the Dump Truck out of the Mulch Hole and Unbend the Fuel Tank.
Once I've figured out how to navigate the mulch yard, I
can be the next Mulch Mogul, as long as I keep my Tire Costs under
control. |
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March 28, 2010 |
Cool Spring Activities-
After the Giant Snows of
2010, our driveway was in bad shape. It needed
gravel. Getting just some home convinced me it was time
to Patch the Dump Truck.
Its still a bit too cool to start the Front Wall work
again, but I was able to get some more fill into the
front courtyard. And while I don't discuss it much here,
I did some Tech Updates
around the house. |
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February 14, 2010 |
Snowbound - We thought
that the First Snow
of 2009 was big (see below). That eight inches has
been dwarfed by the combined 64" and two months of
continuous, project sufficating, never ending, Cold, Deep, Slippery Air
Excrement we have seen since then. We are bound up
not only by the snow, but by the continuous subfreezing
outside temperatures and the inside nearfreezing
temperatures (the gas powered secondary heat broke before
Christmas). During the first of these giant snow
smackdowns, I added some much needed Drawers and barely
needed Shelves to
the garage workbench area. |
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December 12, 2009 |
Cold December - After
the First Big Snow
of 2009 and the sub-32 temperatures, I took another
brake from the Front
Wall. I'm officially in 3 12/31 months on the wall.
But after getting the Dump
Truck back (after its hemorraging fluids and engine
fuel solenoid intermittent failure), I was finally able
to do some gravel and topsoil backfill. Enjoying my
summer project to no end!! |
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December 1, 2009 |
Odds and Ends - For
loyal Acreists who have poured over every page countless
times, I have a early holiday seasons surprise! Rather
than thrill you with all new content, we are updating a
few of the golden pages of the past. Junior's Graduation page (in an odd
year) gets some updates, showing the pomp and
circumstance and family antics. The Dump Truck and Earthforce EF-3 Backhoe
pages get some new additions. We finally do a Group Photo! Note the
current layout of the Garage
Media, with a new phone and additional exterior
amplifier. And while still not at the end, we are
rounding a corner with the Front Wall, now going
into its fourth month of weekends. |
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November 8, 2009 |
The Wall - Still working
on it (the Front Wall).
Since September 1. Over two months. What a hoot. |
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September 26, 2009 |
Legality, at least Partially -
We've come a long way since 1991. Outcrop Acres, our move
from suburbia, grey hair, and a now (partially) legal age
daughter. Celebrate this momentus occasion on the 18th Birthday Page .
Afterwards, as you remember back to your own coming of
age (or look forward to it), catch up on Front Wall update and
get the latest look at the future Machine Shed Pad. You
can also view and post comments at the new Outcrop Acres Blog. |
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September 6, 2009 |
Dry Wall and the College Dorm-
Maybe not. Maybe half wet, half dry. Its the Front Wall, a rock wall
in front of the house that was planned to be dry laid.
But it takes too much precision to fit everything
together and takes too much rock. So, I spent Labor Day
weekend preping the footers and starting the wall on the
36" deep footers of gravel. This follows, by several
weeks, our delivery of our little Daughter to her first year
to her College Freshman
Dropoff at the dorm! But since the daughter is now in
school, the Projects Can Begin! See the painting stage of
Medium Picket Fence. |
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August 24, 2009 |
Draining Away the Courtyard-
We plan to expand our piddily floor space by building
some outside. But first, I have to Drain Away the torrential
rains that will inevitably deluge the Courtyard Area
since it is situated between the Garage and the House in a
low spot. In the past, water just pooled here, but when
it is landscaped, fountained, pathed, and patioed, there
will be little chance for natural drainage. |
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August 9, 2009 |
My New Pad - Finally
figured out where I will put the Machine Shed - on My New Pad! I had
originally planned a Barn
in the general location. But with the Garage and the shed, I
think I only need a shed. No interest in a Machine Shed?
Then check out the G-Cart
Refurb. |
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June 6, 2009 |
Graduating Class of 2009 -
Junior is a graduated senior. Celebrate (acknowledging
successful accomplishments) her Graduation from High School
(which comes right on the tail of the High School Senior Prom)
with her Family and Friends. |
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May 31, 2009 |
Promenade du Seniors de Schoole
Highe - Junior is nearing graduation from High
School. Join us in reveling with her as she takes that
last dance at the High School
Senior Prom. While you're here, have a Look Around
outside. And if you missed it, check out the Dump Truck. Its pretty
cool too! |
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May 16, 2009 |
Picket Lines and Gates -
Watch the progress of the new Medium Picket Fence as it
replaces the e-Fence. It is supposed to keep the Buster
in. As a Medium Fence, it has two gates - one wide and
another narrow. Make sure you check out the other gate on
the tail of the Dump Truck. |
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May 2, 2009 |
Dumpasaurus - I finally
found a (pretty distant from perfect) Dump Truck. Its actually a
dump flat bed on which I put some sides. It will vastly
improve my dirt moving cycle times. The Dump Truck goes 53, the Earthforce EF3 Backhoe goes
four. I've also listed all the Other Dump Trucks
that I passed. |
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March 24, 2009 |
Tagged Out - Spring is
the time for Softball. The daughter plays some fine ball
on the local high school varsity team. Catch some of the
action of this Senior
Shortstop's action along with that of her team! |
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March 22, 2009 |
Outcrop Acres is Shelved -
No, dedicated community of Outcrop Acres, not the site.
The Garage! Now that we have the very tall white garage with cool electronics racks and media.stuff and a great
workbench, I decided I needed some place to put real
garage stuff. Otherwise I was going to have to move a bed
and refridgerator out there. Too cold. So tune into the
Phase 1 Installment of Garage
Shelves. |
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March 17, 2009 |
The Luck of the Irate -
Most of my efforts have gone into fitting out the Garage. This therapy helps
heal the financial wounds of the Global Economic Slowdown
and the time and money I put into wiring the Garage to
the Main House last summer. Now, I have to use all that
wire. So to fully guild the lilly a couple of times, I
spent more time on the Cabling
and Alectronics Rack (CAR). As a result, I can put in
the Garage Media capabilities. This gives me Internet
Radio, PC capabilities, email, Internet browsability,
distributed PC based DVR, and regular and satellite TV +
intercom and telephony. That's what I call Garage Media. |
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February 8, 2009 |
A Great Rack - So there
you are in the Garage
wondering what kind of spark plugs go into the 1964
Ferrari 250 GTO (or in my case the 1997 Mazda Miata).
Given my life savings is already tied up in the Miata and
the Garage, there's no money for manuals. So, I go to the
telephone on the wall and call my loving family in the
house 100 feet away and ask them. They say, "Why the
%&$*#&% are you bothering me - Do like George
$&*%$ W. Bush and use The Google." Why didn't I think
of that! Luckily, I have a computer playing Radio
Paradise so I don't have to listen to staticky,
commercial laden FM radio. I simply go to "The
Google," but quickly forget what I'm there for and
start checking out Ferrari flags for sale on eBay.
Miata's never need spark plugs anyway. This is all made
possible by the Cabling and
Alectronics Rack (CAR) in the Garage. |
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January 12, 2009 |
Bench Work over the Holidays -
A Garage is useless
unless you want to stay dry getting in and out of your
car. But since our garage is detached and we will get wet
going to the house, I need something in the garage to do
until the rain stops. Can't do anything without a Workbench. So, over the
Christmas Holiday, I
started work on a workbench. I have big plans and a small
budget, so stay tuned for updates as I make some spending
money here and there. During the holiday, I was able to
add another chapter to my annual Beard project. And a last
point of interst, note the customization of the Landscape Rake
to enable even greater slothiness. |
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December 20, 2008 |
Holiday Preparations -
Well, its Christmas at Home
this year. To do so, there are lots of preparations.
First, we have to clean the house and changes things
around. Next, we have to finish the Driveway Relocation,
started in January of 2008. Then, we have to cook and
stuff. Then I guess, we'll take it easy for a few winter
weeks, while El Nino pelts of with more mud and rain. If
it weren't for the miracle of the Internet, this Global
Warming thing would be a bust. |
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November 30, 2008 |
Thanksgiving in NYC -
Once again, we gave thanks in New
York City this year. Our Thanksgiving Tradition
includes spending the day at a sister-in-law's house.
Sometimes in NYC, sometimes in the valley of Virginia.
Either way, we get to eat unique foods and see unusual
people. And most years, we see some amazing shows. This
year, share in my blackberry musings as we spend three
days in New York City. |
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November 15, 2008 |
Walkways to the Garage -
The Garage is finally
done. Now we need to build all the garage accessories.
These are like all the things you need after a major
purchase that the seller never includes. For instance,
you don't get all the cables and tables with a new TV.
Same for a garage. So, now I've had to put in Walkways around the
house. Likewise, I have to Relocate the Driveway.
None of these tasks would be feasible without the trusty
assistance of the Earthforce
EF-3 Backhoe, which was orginally bought to excavate
under the Pergola. |
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May 18, 2008 |
Progress on the Garage -
Slow going on the construction of the Garage. The builder is
doing a fantastic job - no complaints. Except he seems to
value headroom more than most. The garage and mudroom are
a whopping 10ft tall. Guess this minimizes the potential
for cabon monoxide poisoning by creating more air volume
in the closed space. |
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April 11, 2008 |
The Chicks Dig It -
After looking from April 2007 to November 2007, we
finally got in the game. That's right - the Game of
Excavation. No boy who has played in the dirt from sun-up
to sun-up doesn't want to do it with real hydraulics.
While not a full size, the Earthforce
EF-3 Backhoe gets in close to the delicates (house
walls, cars, animals) but still rips up the ground faster
and more destructively than a Terramite or a Tonka. And
where might something like this live? Well certainly not
in the nice new and clean Garage.
No, the garage is reserved for cars and sports equipment
and other junk usually found in trunks and back seats. |
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November 11, 2007 |
Static Popularity - The
continued global popularity of Outcrop Acres reamins
strong even after nearly two years of predictable (i.e.,
unchanged) content. We finally need to update a few
things. December 2006 brought another feeble attempt to
have a Beard. Also,
reflect in the ages of the updated the annual Family Picture for 2006.
While discussing family, note the updates on the Daughter page. She is
nearly 16, so she wants a car - I tell her to consult the
2006 update for Best and
Worst Cars. |
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December 25, 2006 |
Holiday 2006 - An
amazing time with a local jaunt involving one state (and
one territory) tells the Holiday
2006 story this year. This follows the amazing repeat
visit to the Big Apple for
Thanksgiving 2006, knocking down visits to yet more
few states. |
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April 22, 2006 |
First Updates of
2006 - Lots going on. First of all, put on your
seat belts and check out the 2005 update for Best and Worst Cars. Next,
hang with us for an intense 2006 Spring Break in the Big Apple. Then torpidize (I
got that word from a dictionary I was reading in the
bathroom during my intense big apple powerfun) yourself
with my sedentary Wood
Working activties. Finally, you can see a couple of Buddies hanging out in
the Spring sunshine. And while you are here, check out
the long awaited Holiday 2005
page, recounting the antics and unexpected joys of
Christmas 2005. |
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December 10, 2005 |
Giving Thanks in New York -
Normally, Thanksgiving happens locally, which it does
anyway since that's where most of the things for which
I'm thankful are. But this Thanksgiving, we were busy
thanking remotely from New
York City. We had some Thanks for the locals there as
well. |
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November 5, 2005 |
Almost Falling -
Join us this Autumn season to relive the perilous
escapades of afixing Shutters
to the House. Get a fresh view of the Miata Commuter Pod. See how the G-Cart is used most
productively. Look in on an exclusive,
never-been-seen-before view of Buster the Dog being
groomed. |
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September 17, 2005 |
Birthday Celebration
- Has it been a while since an update? Have you
nearly given up hope? No worries! Sometimes you have to
be patient. And hear at the 'acres, your patience will be
rewarded. We have lots of updates coming in the next few
weeks. So lets start with the most recent first - Junior's 14th Birthday. This
year its gronk with about three dozen. |
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January 22, 2005 |
Freeze of 2005 - With
Winter's first snowstorm, I had some time to contemplate
another model years's worth of Best and Worst cars. We
add new manufacturer's to both categories this year. We
also get an addition to the stable of Outcrop Acres
family members with Blue.
Finally, our visitors need to know that I am trying to
improve my right hand touch typing by using all five
fingers like Mr. Qwerty originally intended. |
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December 25, 2004 |
Holiday 2004 - Another
powerhouse celebration at Outcrop Acres again for 2004.
This year, we focus on the Christmas
Decorations and then cover the Family Christmas Events.
Also mark the second anniversary of a long standing
Outcrop Acres tradition with us as Frosty comes out for
another Holiday Season! |
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September 20, 2004 |
Out with the Black Claw - In with
the Goat House - Its the end of an era as the Black Claw finds a new
home. But that's OK, because the goats get a new home
too! Check out the new Goat House on
the Livestock Page. |
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August 30, 2004 |
DMZ Construction
Nearing Completion - Get an inside view on the
makings of a Board
Fence to establish the Outcrop Acres DeMilitarized
Zone, separating view loving separatists from street
light desiring vinyl siders. |
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August 19, 2004 |
Roller Coaster Mania -
As Hurricane Charlie was just about to blow through
Williamsburg, Virginia, I thought it appropriate to kick
off an abbreviated summer vacation in the targeted
Hurricane area. With reckless abandon, my kid and I
headed into the eye of the storm armed with two three-day
passes to Busch Gardens
Williamsburg. Afterwards, we head to another NSA Softball
Tournament in Salem. |
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April 15, 2004 |
Tax Day -
Pretty much spent the last four months figuring out the
taxes (actually I didn't do anything except sign the
return). I built a few computers to replace the old P75's
that were running the OAITI (Outcrop Acres Information
Technology Infrastructure). The big news is the addition
of a new Commuter Pod. |
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January 6, 2004 |
Holiday Event Wrap Up -
Settle in and rejoice throughout the winter! For while
its cold and forbidding outside, know that you'll have
hours of productive time perusing the most recent Outcrop
Acres holiday activities. Start it off by visiting the Holiday 2003 page, where you
can see Frosty's Birth
and post-season Hybernation.
Next, wyle away some cold dark evenings with us in the Walled Off Mancave (word
concept credit to DJH). Catch up on eerie 2003 Halloween Party
activities finally released to the public. And to cap it
off, check out the Mack
Daddy of them all! |
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December 15, 2003 |
Early Holiday Start -
Its not often, but this year, we actually have gotten
ahead of the holiday rush and have our decorations up
before New Years Day. Join us as we compile the record of
Holiday 2003. Also, revel
in the continued eclectity of Junior the Daughter.
Finally, pick your sport with the Head Ball. |
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September 21, 2003 |
When it Rains, It Pours -
Boy, and I thought I wouldn't have enough fodder to keep
the countless Outcrop Acres visitors continuously
entertained! Hurricane
Isabel blew in from the east to soak the east coast.
This gives you a chance to join me for a tour of Tree Gutting here at the
'Acres. And stay tuned for continuous updates to the
continuously updated Week
in Canada page. |
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September 12, 2003 |
Late Summer Labors -
We've blasted out of the doldrums of the dog days and
into a late summer whirlwind blitz! A whole Week in Canada, ey!
Then, into the dynamic frenzy of Softball Tourney
planning. These crazy times can only be offset by some
time working on the Brother's
POJ. Last and anything but least is Junior's 12th! |
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July 14, 2003 |
Snoozer Updates -
The Dog Days of Summer have begun. In keeping with
the lethargicism that accompanies the Dog Days, I'm
making this update with such lethargicism in mind.
First, we have a really intense project addition - the Post Light. Next,
we showcase the beautiful Flowers
of Summer. Keep tabs on the early harvest of
the Winter Grains.
And check the updates of the G-Cart, seeing some real
world applications of the Flatbed
G-Cart. |
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July 1, 2003 |
Wettest Pre-Summer
Season Yet - Between March and July, there was
only one weekend where both days were dry. We
picked one of these wet weekends to conduct one of the
worlds greatest Yard
Sales! The rain helped the grass grow and
replenished the 25 year drought. Buster used the
wet weather and loose ground to Roust some Prey.
Meanwhile, I decided it time to publish our Movie
Scoresheet, that rates all the movies I've taken the
time to rate. |
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April 14, 2003 |
Spring Creeps In -
So its taken some time, but Spring is here. Per the
definition provided last year, Spring is when the grass
is green but the bones of the trees are still
visible. Time for some home improvements. The
first is done yearly, that of fixing the grass.
This year I punched holes in the ground with the Core Aerator.
The next is the Conversion Cart project, which heightens
the efficiency of the Outcrop Acres G-Cart. |
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February 10, 2003 |
State of the Acres -
I expect you, Dear Audience, have long anticipated this
mid winter State of the Acres Update as much as I have
awaited its publishment. See the Bungelator participate
in the popular winter, indoor, Ball and Hoop
activities. Experience the thrill of my Daily Commute. And don't
miss the worlds most authoritative assessment of the Best and Worst Cars of the
Year. |
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January 5, 2003 |
End-of-Year Holiday
Festivities - The 2002 Holidays were reason for
celebration on several fronts. First, we joined our
family from the Northeast in a fantastic Celebration of the Yule.
Experience the Christmas
Journey to, during, and from their home, as it was
sprinkled with unique happenings. Finally, peek into the
paper ripping frenzy which accompanies my kids Gift Opening ventures. |
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November 10, 2002 |
Harvest Activities -
Take a deep breath, the events report is awesome. The
2002 Peanut and Sunflower
crop is in and the winter rye is planted. Celebration of
the thinning of the veil between dead and alive,
otherwise known as Halloween
is complete. And a brisk vertical ascent to the Talus Rocks is completely
underfoot. |
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October 10, 2002 |
Antique's Make the Page -
After 35 years, a small selection of my Pop's Antique Cars and Equipment
equipment finally make their way on to the Outcrop Acres
page. This is quite an honor for Outcrop Acres as this is
the first time that any of these original classics have
ever seen the routers and switches of the Internet. |
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September 9, 2002 |
Cooling Off -
The "Little Picket
Fence" is complete! Thanks to all who persevered
in their encouragement. The cannonball has landed. Note
we finally put the Black Claw
to pasture and are transitioning in a new Transport to help me
compensate. |
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July 27, 2002 |
Dog Days -
The Dog Days of Summer slow the pace of excitement
everywhere but here at the 'Acres. Boy, it has been
jammed with events. See the dogs dance on a big Oak Tree that fell down,
reducing the zap of the e-fence. Relive the excitement of
the Yankees vs. Orioles
during this recount of that sultry June night. The "Little Picket Fence"
is painted and landscaping positioned (though we still
await the Cannonball). Experience the same exhilaration I
have each day as I walk into my Office. |
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July 5, 2002 |
Independence Day Activities -
Join in the explosive fireworks that happened at the
family's "Independence
Day" events. The whole family came together for
ribs, fireworks, horseshoes, and carting. Even went down
to the local fireworks celebration for some amazing
rockets red glare. Not an idle second of time was wasted,
as we all sought out our own independent paths for fun
and excitement! |
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June 3, 2002 |
Softball and Picket Fences -
Check out the new "Mighty
Flames" dedicated page. See all your favorite
players, the schedule they play and the fun they have.
Afterwards, feast your senses on the nearly complete
"Little Picket Fence"
on the Projects
Page. This fence has two weekends of work and thinking
invested. |
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May 14, 2002 |
Spring Activities - Boy
are you in for a treat - this update is just like a
Microsoft Service Pack - jammed with all the unrelated
changes and additions that you never knew you didn't need
or want. A bit of reorganization meets the seasoned user
- seasonal pictures of the place are moved to the Acres Section.
Activities of the Spring Season are brought to you in the
Project and Pasttimes Sections
including the start of this years farming and softball
activities. Get ready for changes to your way of life of
a magnitude equaled only by gratuitous changes in
operating systems. |
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April 22, 2002 |
True Facts -
Lots of sources claim they provide the truth. Truth be
known, there are few if any sources of the truth.
Therefore, I've taken the liberty to locate and list some
of the undisputable facts of the universe. Fear not the
validity of these facts - they have each been tested on
"they," - you know, the group who even you
attribute authoritative information. Consult the list of
truisms in the Facts
Section. |
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January 21, 2002 |
New Additions over the Last Three
Months - Great News! Lots of updates are
available. Pictures of the festive 2001 Holiday Season
are but a click away under the Photos Section. Additions to the Acres Section
include seasonal views of the home. And don't miss the
extreme excitement of the new Project Section, where our recent
Painting and Beard projects are detailed. |
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November 27, 2001 |
Counters Replaced by Only
Reasonable Estimate Available - As Amazon, CNN, and
most porn sites know, its impossible to get a server that
has enough floating point register size to adequately
handle the limitless numbers that a site like Outcrop
Acres can produce. This is the only reason I can fathom
that the server that hosted our counter has discontinued
the service. As a result, we've had to drop the counters
and go to the McDonalds style counter. While it was fun
to see the server processors smoke when asked to handle
the load of this site, its not something we can do in
such dire economic times and expect the service providers
to continue to make money. I'm sure you will all
understand and empathize. While you are here, check out
the updates to the More
of the Family and Livestock
pages.
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October 28, 2001 |
Outcrop Acres Web Site
Overhaul - For the first time in six years, the
Outcrop Acres web site has been overhauled. Knowing how
difficult it is to get used to a new "look and
feel," I apologize to the millions and millions of
satisfied users who have frequented this site over the
years. We trust that with a little use and practice, our
old users will find themselves right back in the comfort
that they've enjoyed and relied on for years. For new
users, we trust you too will find value in the Mother
Lode of Valuable, Mission Critical Data from which your
colleagues have benefited for so long. Welcome.
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