# Morning cup of coffee...



## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good morning Camper Family 

in another forum i am in, there is a sort of running "Good Morning" post, where people post their good mornings to the group, and maybe a bit of what you have planned for the day, did the previous day (try to keep it brief  ), any urgent news about yourself or family, that sort of thing. like a brief morning bulletin-board to greet the group in the morning, or whenever you get around to your morning. 

i for one am a carpenter/Construction worker, so i tend to wake early. i will try to remember to post my "good Morning's" every morning to help get this started. kind of a slow forum, but maybe we can revive this community. 

By the way, did you know this forum is on the smart phone app "Tapatalk"? a handy way to access the forum while out and about, assuming you have cellular data service, of course...  just do a search on Tapatalk for "campercommunity" and it should come right up.  i for one have Tapatalk Pro, but there is a free version.

So, lets gather around the morning campfire, enjoy some coffee, or whatever your preferred morning beverage, and start the day together!

~Travis


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good morning Camper Family 

slept terrible last night, and yet here i am, bright and early... well, it will be bright... kinda dark still, i guess. 

~Travis


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Camper Family 

Day off from work... just due to a lack of work. that will slim down the paycheck...

~Travis


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Camper Family 

you all can join in too, you know... 

got a bit of work today (real work, not on the camper, yet) 

~Travis


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Camper Family 
couldn't sleep for some reason... but it is 12:03AM, so it qualifies as morning. 

the weekend is upon us, anybody have camping plans?
I have plans for my camper, but they don't involve camping, yet... (if you have seen my latest video i posted in the RV forum, in my thread about my camper, this is kinda funny   )

~Travis


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning camper family 

~Travis


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Well now, how about that, i forgot to check in for... 3 days, and it is now a little after 2PM here, so well past my morning cup of coffee. well, here's to you all anyway,  

hope you all are getting in some really great camping!

~Travis


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good morning camper family 

Will be working on the camper renovation this weekend.
Hope you have a great day today!

-Travis

Sent from my SM-A115U using Tapatalk


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good morning camper family  
Have a great weekend  

-Travis 

Sent from my SM-A115U using Tapatalk


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Camper Family 

it is raining here, but that is OK, as it is much needed. the lawn was looking a little brown...
working on my camper renovation today. 

~Travis


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Camper Family 

~Travis


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Camper Family 

Spammers are getting thinned out... 

~Travis


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Camper Family 

today i tackle the non-functioning trailering lights on my 5th wheel camper 
suspecting a bad ground, or dirty plug connections...

~Travis


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good morning camper family  

Hope to get the generator door installed today. Family from Washington state up visiting, so i don't know how much time I have today.

-Travis

Sent from my SM-A115U using Tapatalk


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good morning camper family  

Overslept a bit, but it's FRIDAY! 

-Travis

Sent from my SM-A115U using Tapatalk


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Camper Family 

Been a while...
it is the start of the weekend, make it a great one! 

~Travis


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Camper Family 

~Travis


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Camper Family 

small rash of SPAM this morning... gone now. 

~Travis


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good morning Camper Family  

Big rainstorm is rolling through...

-Travis

Sent from my SM-A125U using Tapatalk


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Camper Family 

late morning... but i have a furnace to replace in my camper this weekend, so i will be busy. should be interesting... i will try and take some pictures, if i think of it, for my thread in the RV forum here. 

~Travis


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Camper Family 

sorry, i have not posted much lately. been going through a med change, and it is making me tired and uninterested in everything, so far. but i have been on tab with my duties, keeping the SPAM at bay (i hope).

i dug out my old hiking pack... now i just have to find where i misplaced my tent, and other stuff. may be easier on some stuff to just update to new, like my tent, maybe, that is over 15 years old, yet sadly unused... hey, i had full intentions to use it... now the desire is stronger.

~Travis


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Camper Family 

sorry i haven't posted much, as i have been going through some bad mental and physical challenges. i have an appointment to see what is going on on the physical front, today. i doubt it is the big C, but who really knows anymore.

~Travis


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Camper Family 

~Travis


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

for those who celebrate Christmas, i wish you a 🎄 Merry Christmas! 🎄
to all others i wish you a happy Friday! (i am not used to being politically correct, so forgive me if this is inappropriate  )


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

Happy New Year, and may this year be better than last year!








Took this picture at work a few days ago. shows the sun rising behind me, and adding color to the mountains. pretty good picture, i think, from a cell phone camera.


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

not really morning anymore... but Good Afternoon Campers! 

Took this sunrise while working at another job. I think this time the camera on my cell phone really grabbed the sunrise colors.








Not much going on this winter, other than work, and making plans for summer projects.


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Good morning all!
Sping's a coming and soon the coffee will be prepared thusly;










Enjoy!


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Good morning!
Breaklfast today; a fried egg (over hard/broken yoke) and cheese, on toast; sandwich with (naturally) drip coffee strait up - black (Maxwell house)
I looked at the grocery store, last trip/yesterday; but thin sliced, lean bacon was not to be had... Perhapse some Jimmy Dean sausage next trip...

Enjoy!


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Good morning,
breakfast today was another fried egg on toast with cheese and coffee sandwhich.
Today's project is to start design and fabrication on the next version of a solar panel stand.
the goal is to make one that keeps the panel generally pointed near at the sone and can be pushed into the ground so that it does not easily blow over.

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Camper Family 

haven't posted much, due to medications issues, and not having any energy... i will try to do better. 
Looking forward to spring, as my driveway is a big slab of ice right now (Maine, USA). so bad that my father slipped on it and got a concussion.  he is doing better now, though still gets dizzy and tired at work. (had all the scans the hospital had to offer, and all showed fine).
just goes to show, life has the potential to change in an instant, when you least expect it.


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

I awoke to 2 or 3 inches of fresh snow all over every thing... need to decide whether to get out the snow blower or try to sweep it.

Sorry to hear abut your father hopefully he will heal... appreciate your folks while you have them!
Tried one of those nutritional shakes for breakfast (trying to loose some weight)...
De-snowing the driveway and sidewalk will provide this morning's exercise.
then I can start cutting aluminum for the solar panel stands....(I like building stuff!)

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good morning camper family 

some may know, most don't, but i run my own website servers, right in my bedroom. if you have never seen pro-grade rack-mount servers (bought used off eBay), you may not realize how much heat they generate.
i awoke this morning, at 1:30AM to a very hot (for sleeping. i like to sleep cold) bedroom, at about 78F. and that's with a window open 6 inches, in winter! i keep toying with the idea of moving them to the basement, and ducting the heat up into the house. 

so long story short, i am up much earlier than intended, and on a weekend, no less.


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

A glorious good morning to all!...

Bright and sunny this morning (I slept in past dawn 'cause I was feeling lazy!
should get into the 50's F... so it will be really nice for this time of year....
Had a piece of nuked pizza for breakfast (yesterday was Friday/pizza night).

Yes, servers generate lots of heat because they use lots of energy... Not sure moving them to the basement would be a great idea in the summer but it would probably help in the winter.

This room (the den/library is normally warmer just from using this old desktop computer I also use it (with the 30" TV/monitor) for movies (slowly filling up a 6 Tb drive) and music.... the main entertainment computer is running 13-15 Tb.... thought about putting together a home server but the usage just doesn't justify it. 

... the reason for the off line storage is in case of power grid failure... The camping batteries, and generators will keep me going with lights music and movies; if/when power failure happens. Independence is good!

Enjoy!


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Good Morning all...
Its going to be another nice day (in the 60s according to the weatherperson)... did another egg and cheese on toast sand which (but managed to drop 2 eggs before they made it to the pan...) I should, probably, make the coffee first in the morning, as an eye opener! . ..trying to make breakfast with a case of sleepy eyes/fumble fingers is not conducive to keeping floors clean...

Hope all is well with everyone!

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good... well, afternoon, now  

i got to get back to regular posting again... i have been slacking.

anyway... didn't go into work today, as my father (also employer) woke up dizzy this morning. likely related to the concussion he got 3 or 4 weeks ago. has a visit with his doc tomorrow, so i hope they can figure out what is happening.

but i am glad to have another poster here, so i am not the only regular poster now!


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Good Morning!

Sorry to hear that your dad is having continuing problems... Healing slows as we get older, unfortunately; still hoping for the best.
Decided to start with a protein shake this morning (less messy)... I will pushthe morning cofee back to ... (NOW, ~10:00AM)...Trying to loose a bit of weight.
Its going to be a grey (possibly rainy) day here with highs in the upper fifties according to the picture radio...

...As long as I don't have to shovel it; I'm fine with most things...

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

here where i am, in Maine, USA, the snow is quickly melting away. so as is typical for Maine... the weather says more snow, changing to rain. so the snow likely won't stick, but just the same, i would rather just rain, over snow and rain.
the ground around my camper is quite soggy, and impassable without muck-boots, so very little progress with my renovation.


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

The last snow is virtually gone locally (looking out the window the mountains still have plenty).
The weeds are still brown; the forecast today is 66 and sunny... much too warm for this time of year...
Did eggs over easy for breakfast...

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

one of my many hobbies, that seems to be taking some priority over my camper renovation, is a large (48" X 48" working area) CNC router table i am putting together. it is my hope to be able to carve signs, and whatnot.

still working some on my camper, but due to snow melt, there is a small pond keeping me from getting into my camper.

also, building materials are getting expensive. a $1 - $2 stud (2" X 4" X 8' lumber) is currently about $8 - $9. and don't even get me started on plywood.


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Hmmm... no body here...(sounds of crickets)...

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Happy Joe said:


> Hmmm... no body here...(sounds of crickets)...
> 
> Enjoy!


yeah, it gets pretty quiet around here... but hey, some of my best thinking is done while it is quiet enough to hear the crickets. 

in my experience, new people find the forum, make a post or two, and then give up. somehow we have to draw in more people to post, and hang around a while.
i was posting in my camper renovation thread fairly regular. even if only to give people something to read. i do still post in it... though not much progress to post about lately.


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

...Well you can't say that I haven/t tried...
Across the web; there seems to be a loss of interest in camping and posting to camping forums...

With the arrival of warmer weather, I expect that I will spend even less time at the computer.

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

i think the biggest issue is that more people are migrating to big social-media, and away from forums. it is sad, as i always felt forums were like a community where people would hang out and share stories.
even my own personal forum, on my personal website (self-hosted) has a grand total of two members. myself and a guy that no longer visits.

i know from experience that running a forum is very expensive, and it is disappointing when people stop using it.

in any case, i will still be here, keeping the SPAM at bay, in case the forum comes back from the dead, or the parent company pulls the plug.


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Thank you!
I, personally detest big social media... I would much rather get first hand, in depth information (and pics).

Enjoy!


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Well; yesterday was Friday (pizza night)...
As it happened I also received a copy of the new "Resident Evil" DVD from netflix...
The pizza (pepperoni & sausage with extra cheese & a bit of onion and garlic, (I enhance my pizzas with extra stuff)) was great, unfortunately the movie was not; I can recommend the pizza; can't recommend the movie (it was dark, slow and basically just another, almost boring, zombie movie; fans of the game might like it but I used the skip forward button a lot...

For lunch today... I'm thinking: Chili dog with Sweet Baby Ray's Barbecue sauce, mustard, onion, relish and with fries on the side ...

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

last good movie i watched was Emperor, with Tommy Lee Jones. i had expected an action movie, but was met with a drama. but that it was based on truth, made it interesting.

i liked the earlier Resident Evil movies, but grew tired as they seemed to reuse the same plot for each movie. i like a movie with an evolving plot.

the chili dog sounds good, though i will likely be eating Mc Donalds, as the family seems to have made it a weekend tradition. nothing says a good meal like grease and oil running down your chin (read as sarcasm).

but with better, warmer, weather returning to Maine, i hope to at least get some work done on my camper renovation.


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Speaking of warmer weather... I just brought the trash can back from the curb and noticed that the weeds are starting to turn green and the trees are starting to bud...
I guess Spring is here!
..time to start shopping for an electric lawn mower...
... and an air conditioner...

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

i seem to have developed Bronchitis (tested negative for Covid, and i am fully vaxed). 

lawns are still mostly brown here, but the snow is mostly gone, except for deep woods patches. ground is still very soft though, so here in Maine, we are still in Mud season, not yet Spring.  but it is more pleasant outside, with the afternoon getting into the 50's.


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Good Morning!
...Its still cold in the morning (32 F this morning) should hit the 60s today; Niiice...
Still snow on the mountains....
Sliding window air conditioners seem to be pretty spendy...
...perhaps a mini-split.
... does anyone have a recommendation for a cordless lawnmower? Can't seem to find one, in the 21inch range, that has great ratings.

Its Friday (Pizza night; tonight) managed to find some of my favorite (Bridgeport) pepperoni...
This weeks Netflix DVD, Widow, (Russian) was a bust so perhaps I'll re-watch a classic; maybe 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954, multiple academy awards)... from the movie library/shelf.








20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) - IMDb


20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Directed by Richard Fleischer. With Kirk Douglas, James Mason, Paul Lukas, Peter Lorre. A ship sent to investigate a wave of mysterious sinkings encounters the advanced submarine, the Nautilus, commanded by Captain Nemo.




www.imdb.com





Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

had to take some fasting labs, so i am just now getting my first cup of coffee. 

Regarding the reference to "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea", i loved that book and movie! 

I think i am finally getting over my bronchitis, so i will likely be going back to work tomorrow. no more sitting on my butt, coughing my life away.


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

travis.farmer said:


> Good Morning Campers
> 
> had to take some fasting labs, so i am just now getting my first cup of coffee.
> 
> Regarding the reference to "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea", i loved that book and movie!


I finished my first cup.. trying to limit caffeine...

I saw the movie in the theater... Mom took us kids to see it. I had been trying to get a copy on DVD for years and finally found it to complete my Jules Verne trifecta; 20,000 Leagues (1954), Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959, also with James Mason), and Mysterious Island (1961)... (I have other, newer, Verne movies but these were the best movies and versions, IMO).

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

"April showers, bring May flowers"...
if that is true, i expect a field of wildflowers on the lawn, as we have had quite a bit of rain.


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Good morning!!
Unfortunately we are still in a drought, here in Colorado.
Since its supposed to get to 70 deg. here today I expect to move the SUV into the front yard and wash it (using the water twice) in an effort to help the grass.

The mountains are in better shape water wise (I just looked and there is still snow on the taller ones).

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

i don't have a electric car, though i would like to be able to afford one...
found a tip online during random browsing, that stuck in my head. if you have a electric, or plug-in hybrid, and tent-camp, see if you can rent a RV campground space, and use the 50A RV power connection with a special charger, or adapter, to charge your car overnight.
i don't know the complete validity of that, but thought i would share the idea.

i suppose, if you had an RV with a 30A power connection, and if the power box has both 30A and 50A, you could in theory plug in both your RV and car, providing the RV A/C is not used...
just an idea, please do your own research before trying it...

so, my plans for today? at a minimum, i want to get dome detailed measurements of the camper interior space for drawing up in CAD. if i get to replacing the section of floor, great!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

I would like to wish a very happy Easter, to those celebrating!
to those not, Have a very happy Sunday!

I would also like to thank all the active users, that are helping to bring life back into this forum!


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

...And a happy Bunny day to all!...
It was a bit chilly this morning (near freezing).... even had a bit of frost on the windshield.
Take heart people Camping weather is coming!
Finely found Hershey's coco in the supermarket (a bit late, I know).
I've been doing malted milks (with ice cream, for a taste of yesteryear).

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

well, my father (employer) caught the bronchitis i had... so no work today.
perhaps i will get some work done on my camper. i don't take vacations at work, so i feel time off should be put to good use, when possible.  it is just unfortunate that my father had to get sick for me to get time off.


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

weather is a mixture of pouring rain, and snow. not a good day to work outside...
at least my internet is back, for now.


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Good Morning!
Local weather today is forecast to be sunny and 78 degrees...
Need to go get air and oil filters for the vehicle then change the oil... (and wash the Explorer. if I'm feeling good).
Maybe its time to water the pine tree...

Enjoy!


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Good Morning, Everyone!

Got my vehicle filters; for a change, wallymart had all of them so I didn't have to go to multiple stores.
around noon I will put on some grubby (clean but stained from past maintenance, crawl under the vehicle) clothing, jack up the vehicle and do the oil (Valvoline 10w-30). I will also check the auto transmission fluid level (spring and fall check) along with both differentials (spring and fall check and the transfer case (spring and fall check), and add fluids where needed (monthly check) finally I will go over the vehicle checking for potential problems, in the drive line, and suspension, and things that need to be addressed (like tire, air pressure and wear patterns). 

Tomorrow, I will make a trip to recycle the used oil. and look at installing the new bedroom window air conditioner.

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

Looking like a good weekend, weather-wise, for my spot in this world. maybe i can get done this weekend, what i was unable to do last weekend.


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Good Morning!
Forecast says low 80s today ('way too early for these temperature, IMO) no rain in sight.

I was told that there are fire bans for camping already; "no open flame", fire bans this early, do not bode well for the upcoming camping season... (camping without a fire is like smores without chocolate, IMO (OK but far from great).

I guess its time to reconsider microwave, solar and induction cooking for camping...
limited microwave use looks do-able, I have done very limited induction cooking using batteries, I was able to do solar cooking back in the '70's/'80's. ... time to evaluate new technologies and run some numbers, I guess...

...perhaps a larger propane genny, or fuel cell tech (just for cooking)...

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

Sadly the weekend is over, and it is back to work, for me.

high fire danger here, as well. but the leaves and grass have not yet fully woken up from winter yet, either.
but it is in times of fire danger, that i really like a camper/RV 

But i fully understand what you say:


Happy Joe said:


> camping without a fire is like smores without chocolate


i do like a good campfire.


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Good Morning all...

It was chilly last night (had to turn the furnace back on)... the drought is still here; the lawn has basically died (only showing green in spots and around some edges)...

Found some of the new cheez-it Puff'd snacks at the grocery yesterday... massively disappointed - they are (pretty generic flavored) just another shape of cheese puffs (cheez-its with extra cheese are still one of my favorite snack crackers though).

This week's project; determine and order (or make) some, 100 amp minimum, interconnection cables for the 100 AH battery and inverter.

Thinking about a bread machine (for the kitchen) ...nothing to do with camping. Fresh Bread is Great (and fattening)...

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

it is a terrible thing, being poor... all my major projects are funded by IRS tax returns. so any major purchase for a project has to wait for the tax return. 
this year's return has priority obligations to go toward a large shed i need to build. sadly, this will slow down my camper renovation, but it is not dead.

on the plus side, i have a roof over my head, my bills get paid, for the most-part, and i have a job. there are many people that can't say the same!


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Friends have put up steel buildings and also stick built sheds, using (mostly) their own labor, for a considerable savings.

I try to keep the projects relatively small, myself (confined to maintenance and a bit of remodeling).
I should budget a new driveway though... (perhaps next year).
Not completely sure what to do now that my main (cash) contractor has fled to the free state of Florida... probably I'll break the projects in to bite sized pieces so that I can handle them myself. (More secure front and back doors are high on the list).

I am currently installing a whole house security alarm system, a piece (window/door/room) at a time to keep the costs down.

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

warmer weather has finally started to hit Maine, USA! got up into the 70s yesterday!


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Good morning!
70s ... Sounds good!
Potentially; 60s today with a chance of rain showers...
Life has been getting in the way of my preferences... had to install a used door in an older trailer home for some friends (nothing square; not the door nor the doorway)...
...Having internet issues currently...
Th DD (daily driver is scheduled to get pre (camping) season service on the 13th (hope its not an omen).
Just realized that the information that I have been operating under in relation to fire bans may be erroneous (will try to get verbal conformation from the local forest service offices.. to clarify).

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

some may or may not know, but i am high-functioning autistic. i know that is no longer the proper term for it, as "high-functioning" is no longer used. basically, i am simply autistic, with a IQ of 111.
the reason i mention this, is i was called to Jury Duty selection last friday. it was very overwhelming, and loud... so i haven't posted much since as it took me that long to settle back into my groove again.

today, as it is Mothers Day (here is the states), and i will be going out to eat with my mother and 92 year old grandmother. should be good food, where we are going, but usually a LOT of noise (earplugs help). i will likely be dining on buffalo seasoned chicken tenders, with garlic mashed potato, and a bowl of chilli.  (one of my autistic stims is spicy food, though it usually doesn't agree with me  )


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

Weather is really getting warmer now.


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Good Morning!

It been very warm and dry here in central Colorado; 
...just looked out the window and there is still snow on Pike's Peak but the lower mountains appear to be largely snow free (at least as far as I can see from here)..

Probably still winter camping conditions at night in the mountains...

Forecasts say highs in the upper 70's and 80's; dry and windy for the next week or so.
There is a red flag fire warning in place for at least the next couple of days for most of the state south of Denver.

...Looks like its about time to get out the portable propane fire pit...

I really need to get serious about a replacement lawnmower...

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

I haven't been hugely active here as i have had a lot on my mind.

weather today looks good, and where i am out of work until my employer is finished helping the "evil" contractor i won't work for... i may be able to work on my camper a bit, if only to get a few things i have already purchased (a while ago), and have not gotten around to installing yet.


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

things are looking pretty green, here in Maine USA. trees are almost completely leafed out.


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Good Morning!...

Weather is supposed to be cooler with a chance of rain (or snow depending on altitude) ... Hope we get enough to green up the weeds...

I need to start making calls in an attempt to gather a bunch of friends for camping over memorial day weekend...

Had a pretty nasty bug for a couple of days (fever, sore throat etc...). Ivermectin and its associated pills (vit. C, D & zinc) seem to have stopped it cold. (its now my primarary antiviral series).

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

The weekend is upon us, once we get through today!


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Good morning!
Today's forecast says lows in the 30s with 3 to 5 inches of snow tonight...
I doubt that I will venture out; too many people can't seem to remember how to drive, and stop, in the slop!

... awaiting delivery of two new 30 pound propane tanks!...

Enjoy!


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Apparently the power failed sometime last night..
It was still off this morning;
So... in order to prevent an imminent disaster (morning without coffee) out came the camping gear/stove and the ol' percolator...
...Also fired up the inverter and the 700 watt mini microwave...
Breakfast was coffee and battery powered, re heated Pizza (yesterday was pizza night).

...eaten while looking out at the snow coming down and the 6" or so on the ground!

Life is good! (and warm since I, also, fired up a small, blue flame, propane heater temporarily...
The power came on after a couple of hours and every thing is once again operational.

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Happy Joe said:


> Apparently the power failed sometime last night..
> It was still off this morning;
> So... in order to prevent an imminent disaster (morning without coffee) out came the camping gear/stove and the ol' percolator...
> ...Also fired up the inverter and the 700 watt mini microwave...
> ...


always nice, when you realize that in the event of an issue, that you are already prepared.
i have a standby generator i bought used off Craigslist, and got running good. it is hooked up to the furnaces, and a few outlets, though i have yet to add more circuits. i wish the kitchen stove was tied in, but not yet. though with these new electronic stoves, if the power blips, the oven turns off, and loses the timer, regardless of the generator.

now, what's this about snow?? 6" you say?? i could say i have sympathy for your situation... but i just had to kick on the A/C as it is approaching 80F


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

The streets are basically clear, now, I don't see any real issues with the snow, but then its supposed to get cooler tonight and snow some more... the weeds really need the moisture!
This weather might reach you in a week or so!

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Happy Joe said:


> This weather might reach you in a week or so!


i will send it back, "Return to sender"


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

... Sorry!
...No Deposit, No Return...

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

had some thunder storms last night, and now the internet seems to have dropped out for me... i am connected to the internet by using my 4G cellphone as a WiFi hotspot for my laptop computer...

in other news, i washed the solar panel for my camper, and for some mysterious reason, it is now keeping the battery charged. funny how little of a dirty-film over the panel can hinder it so much.
makes me think of the big solar-farm in my town. many many Many solar panels... and i wonder if they ever wash them.


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

it is a terrible thing, being unemployed, and apparently unemployable. (so far, nobody want's to employ a 42 year old autistic man...)


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

I have always viewed unemployment as a good time to go Camping!

...Focusing on shortcomings and "What if's" never helped anyone and never got any thing accomplished..

Self motivation and an "I'll do whatever it takes" attitude has pulled me through, so far.

Enjoy!


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Good Morning!...

The weather in the mountains is too cold for me right now so I'll spend the weekend at home...

I have been looking at cordless lawn mowers recently... can't decide on whether to replace the carburetor on an old gasoline mower or get a cordless machine;
I like the pollution elsewhere aspects of battery power but the highly rated cordless mowers seem to be a bit on the spendy side...

Enjoy!


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Good Morning All!
It should be a great day today sunny and clear with highs in the lower 70's locally.

I'm thinking to call a few friends, get a few brews and fire up the propane firepit...
Maybe grill a few dogs and burgers...

Happy memorial day weekend!

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 



Happy Joe said:


> I have always viewed unemployment as a good time to go Camping!
> 
> ...Focusing on shortcomings and "What if's" never helped anyone and never got any thing accomplished..
> 
> ...


i mean no disrespect... i have Major Depressive Disorder. when i get depressed, there is no "i'll do whatever it takes" attitude possible. that is a complete polar opposite from how my brain is wired. depression is how the brain is wired, not simply an attitude. but not just that, depression at these levels are often a fatal mental illness, if not treated.
Motivation is like a gas tank, and mine has a hole in it right now. Motivation falls out as fast as i try to pour it in, and i am trying.
i have a ton of things i want to do, yet here i sit on my computer, talking to the few friends i have, just so i can stay afloat.


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Good Morning!
...(greating the day is important).

I, too, am well acquainted with depression...
IMO everyone needs to find their own way to deal with it, as a last resort prescription chemicals are available.
I found early in life that doing something, accomplishing pretty much any thing, helps, especially if I can feel good or better about the result. By taking small steps I gradually got to the point where I can realize "I'm getting depressed"... then ask myself "What can I do?". At first it was what absolutely has to get done?... then tackling it in spite of not wanting to.

Some friends though had to go the chemical route...
Getting to the point where I can work through nearly paralyzing depression has been one of the great victories in my life, 'though I will almost certainly never be depression free.

Once I realized that I can control/influence my depression through action/activity, I started doing whatever it takes to accomplish ... whatever (often by ignoring/repressing the not wanting to/not feeling motivated feeling).
I still have a million things that should get done but most of the time, I just don't wanna... I try to do the easiest that will give me some positive results; this makes me feel better (at least temporarily) and moves something off the list..

(Right now its finding an acceptable, cordless lawn mower)... need to get.
While awaiting assorted parts from amazon to get the battery powered cooking thing fully operational (want to get)

Today is movie day (DVD from netflix) (hopefully, its a good one, and arrives today).
I need to call a few friends and set up something for next week (beginning of the month is beer, Pizza and friends ..(feel better) Friday/Saturday (& maybe plan some camping, or at least a trip to scope out potential sites...)

Enjjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

expecting rain, with possible thunder storms today. be a good day to not mow the lawn


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Good Morning!

DVD Thursday was a bust; I figure that it was delayed due to memorial day (like the trash pick up)...
Hopefully it will come today...a Liam Neeson movie is scheduled but the viewer reviews are iffy.
About the best movie, out on DVD, so far this year; Uncharted...

A long time friend called and we scheduled a small O-beer-:30 (beer & B.S.) get together for late this afternoon.

I found and ordered 2 different types of battery terminal posts; one insulated but fragile, another stainless (with some danger of shorts), to couple the batteries together, as a part of my flameless camp cooking project..

Received a second pair of 100 watt solar panels (400 wats total, now); pressure is rising to get them hinged together and some integrated stands built...

Managed to eliminate one brand from the cordless lawn mower list... Its getting slim; I may yet be forced to stay with gasoline...
Lawn mowing like painting is something I tend to avoid as long as possible... I see there are lawn mowing robots available, now, but they are really spendy so far... hope springs eternal, though!

Enjoy!


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Good Morning!
The DVD came: Blacklight with Liam Neeson; a bout a corrupt head of the FBI... It was only fair; good enough to watch but I'm not about to run out and buy it.

The grass is getting longer (today's project is to make up my mind about the new lawnmower)...
and either get it on order or get a new carburetor for an old mower on order.

Enjoy!


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Good Morning!...
I received my cordless lawn mower yesterday...
Charged the batteries (two 24 volt lithium) last night and mowed the lawn this morning; it needed it... It went great, I am sold on cordless lawnmowers. Lighter weight and much easier to push and use, as well as being much quieter....
MUCH less hassle/work & pollution (no need to maintain flammible gasoline supplies at home)..

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Happy Noon, campers!
even though it is just after lunch time, i thought i would check-in.
Put applications in to a few places, but still no job offers. but my spirits have been good, despite constant rejection. i guess being 42 precludes me from entry-level jobs, somehow.
I have however gotten a LOT done around the house, with my free time. half the lawn is finally done raking and mowing. now just the other half, when the weather is less rainy. only an acre of land, but with a bad back, and a heal bone-spur, i am not pushing myself too hard.


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Quiet around the old campfire...

i have been doing a few odd-jobs around, for work. nothing huge, though. installed a outside light, mowed a lawn, and all told, earned $20. not much, but it helps.

i keep looking at my camper, wondering if i would be better to sell it as-is, just for the money. but i haven't the heart to part with it.


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

noticed my camper is developing a lean to one side... like, one side is sinking...
i will have to hitch up and change out the now rotten pieces of plywood under the landing gear, for some cement pads that can take the weight a bit better, may also check the tires while i am at it, make sure they aren't losing air.


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Good morning!
... It has been very warm (almost hot here, averaging high 90s hasn't hit 100 F yet, I don't think).
This morning I did a temporary install on a window air conditioner in the bedroom, hopefully it will help tonight...
I will need to make a run to Lowe's and get some aluminum extrusion to make it fit correctly (really hate having to re-engineer things that should work straight from the factory)...

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

i woke up this morning with energy and motivation!  not sure what goodness i will use it for, yet, but it is a nice feeling for a change. 

as far as the whole earning money thing... i have started putting a few things on FB Marketplace, though without any inquiries yet. i have a HFT 10KW generator head that i may put on too, though i am reluctant as i only need an engine to make that project work... but i have a E-drum kit and a 32 channel Mackie sound mixer on so far. both from projects that went nowhere.
i do have a Onan Microquiet 4000 RV generator i need to put back together and sell though. needs a control board i think. but really i don't know why it won't run (hence the sale  ). i may even put it in the market place here, once together (non-ship, local pickup), just to get the marketplace started. and if in the process of putting it back together, if it starts and runs, just makes it worth more.


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

Going to try my hand at wood turning, on my Fathers lathe... if i get good at it, i can sell some of the stuff i make.  if not, we will have some neat looking kindling for this winter...


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Good morning!
For a while I was looking to turn some alabaster on the machine lathe; untill the motor went up in smoke (while turning some PVC plastic parts)... Gotta love chinese quality...
I figure; if the ancient Egyptians could do it why not me?

I have always found turning to be fascinating... wood bowls are often beautiful.

Good luck!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

the weekend is almost upon us, as is the holiday! make it a great one!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

raining today... but maybe this weekend will still be worthwhile, as my level of motivation is slowly coming back up.


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Good morning!
...It has been somewhat rainy here too (not complaining since it reduces the wildfire danger).
One of my good friends has just retired and is now making camping noises (yay!) hopefully in the next week or two...

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

for those in the USA, how was your 4th of July?
i enjoyed it with family, burgers on the grill, and sleeping through the fireworks 

weather looks good for working outside, possibly in my camper today. i may not get much done, but i have a plan anyway.


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Good Morning!
The fourth, for me, was a day of burgers, brats and dogs; assisted by potato salad, chips, and other picnic food. (I pigged out !)
The neighborhood Pyros stared the fire works, intermittently a bit after noon and continued until 11:45 pm; increasing exponentially after dark. (I wonder how (many tons of illegal fireworks were shot off locally).
Amazingly, I didn't hear any fire engine sirens or even ambulances.
I expect, today will be a lazy day of kicking back, and trying not to attack the left overs... ...

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

Looks like it is going to be a cool morning until noon, here. be a good day to work on my camper


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Good morning!
...Its been HOT around here (in the 90s, cooling into the upper 70s at night (some times); but so far less than 100 deg F. during the day.
I have been getting by with an undersized (barely works) window air conditioner and a couple of window fans (to exchange the hot day air for cooler night air; (blow the hot air out and suck nicer cooler air in).
...Finally, got tired of uncomfortable attempts at sleeping; and ordered a bigger, 8000 BTU, better brand of air conditioner for the bed room...

I'll try moving the undersized air conditioner in to this room (den/library) as it is a smaller room and the air conditioner should have an easier work load...

Some friends stopped by last Friday; for beer & B.S. and made camping noises; but I
don't think they were serious...

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

today will be a workshop day, as it will be cooler outside. so i can work on my CNC Router table this morning. 
gotta get it production ready, so i can make some money with it.


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 









thought the above was a bit funny.


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Here is another...









...From pinterest...

Enjoy!


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

These describe some of my friends;










Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

well, i got my state portion of my tax return in, and still waiting on my federal. so i am starting to build my shed for my CNC router table.  though today is raining...
and what money is left over from my return, goes into my camper renovation.  though with the price of materials so far, i don't know how much that will cost to finish the shed. just the floor materials (pressure-treated) ran around $1,600


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Good Morning!
I lay the reason for increased prices on Brandon and his co workers (although "workers" is likely a poor choice of wording)...

How big of a table are you going for? 
...I very briefly considered making one for a a plasma cutter, when I was building & modifying 4 wheel drive vehicles... in another life I was associated with a number of CNC (Computer Numerical Controlled) drilling machines.

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Happy Joe said:


> How big of a table are you going for?


the table i have is about 4 feet, square for working area.


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

i managed to plant one 18 inch cement pad in the ground yesterday, on my shed project. those pads, i thought were 60 - 70 pounds... turns out they are 130 pounds, and that was all my back wanted.

it is a terrible thing when the body fails you, in doing things that seemed easy, just a few years ago.

if i had local friends, this would be easier if i had a helping hand...

i think today, i will dig all the holes first, then set the pads in them. maybe it will be a little easier that way.
the old saying, lift with your legs, not your back, is probably true, but last i checked, my arms attach to my back, not my legs. 

i truly hope i can get this done before winter...


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Good Morning...
There is an old saying...
"You know that you are getting old when your mind makes commitments that your body can no longer fulfill..."

Happens to us all...
Time was; I would just form and pour a foundation & pad... any more I, temporarily, use the garage...
Be careful, back injuries take for ever, and some never completely, heal.

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Happy Joe said:


> Good Morning...
> There is an old saying...
> "You know that you are getting old when your mind makes commitments that your body can no longer fulfill..."
> 
> ...


i think that statement rings very true... i get ambition to do stuff, but my body fails me far quicker than it used to.

i was able to survey out the support post heights, based off the tallest pad. the shortest post is 6 inches off the ground, so i expect a fair amount of ventilation underneath to keep things from rotting out quickly.
the posts are cut, and in place, with the sill ledger screwed on top. so now it is a matter of building the two beams, and setting the joists, followed by a vapor-barrier, and the flooring (Advantek, 3/4" tongue and groove edge).
i will then use a sacrificial tarp to protect the flooring while i set the metal tent-roof frame, and build the end-walls. once it is water-tight, i can cut the tarp at the wall edges, and paint it with 1-part epoxy paint to water-proof it.


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

rain today and yesterday, so no progress on the shed build...


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

i built up the beam for one side of my CNC shed platform, and added the two end joists... and then ran out of steam when my back started to bother. tomorrow looks like a good day to continue progress, and i will try to get a picture of the progress so far.

the cement pads ended up in the wrong spots. the centers were measured for the outside dimensions of the platform, without taking into account the posts would be inside of this measurement... but fortunately, this shed will not be super heavy, so i don't think it will be too big an issue. too late to move them now, and i haven't the energy to re-plant them anyway.


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Afternoon Campers 

quick update on my shed build... i have all the lumber parts cut to proper length, and i have only to wait for the next good weather day to screw it all together.


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

found this interesting idea on FaceBook:








looks easy enough to build, if you have a welder...


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

travis.farmer said:


> Good Morning Campers
> 
> found this interesting idea on FaceBook:
> View attachment 3203
> ...


Its an old idea I first saw it in writings by Nessmuk (George w. Sears) and Kephart (from the early 1900s). The only "new" part is to make it out of steel.



Internet Archive Search: creator:"Kephart, Horace, 1862-1931"




Internet Archive Search: woodcraft and camping


Much that they wrote about is still largely applicable today and I find the history of camping to be interesting.

If a person needs to weld something it is possible to use 2 or 3 (2 should be adequate) lead-acid automotive starting batteries in series, that are in good shape, along with heavy duty jumper cables, a welding rod holder (stinger) and at least #10 welding lens to protect your eyes from the harmful U-V and ultra bright light generated by the electrical arc.cutting goggles are not enough ... along with welding rod, of course.

I don't really recommend doing it; but if you do USE EXTREME CAUTION , IT CAN BE HAZARDOUS.

I favor (6010) 1/8" rod for random (dirty) off road and/or agricultural applications. but pretty much any rod in the 1/8 to 5/32 inch range can be used to weld with batteries
Be aware that there is a potential for battery explosion and fire along with eye damage, including blindness, if you don't use proper welding eye and personal protection.
Also chipping the slag from the welds makes it go every where; use eye goggles, (its as sharp as broken glass).

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

late cup of coffee... but i just finished the framing for my CNC machine shed platform. this weekend, i hope to get it squared up, and install the flooring.


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

for those in the US, today is Labor Day, a holiday where we celebrate all those who worked before us, and put in place all the worker's rights we have today! just imagine what life would be like today without those rights.


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

the floor platform of my CNC router table machine shed is done. now i must wait for the Federal IRS to release my tax return, as i have run out of money for more material. for some reason they have it delayed, even though it was sent in electronically.


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

the temps are getting cooler, as today has a high of 62F, here. i like fall, but not so much winter.


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Good Morning!
Yep!, fall is just around the corner: I might still be able to get a quick weekend in the mountains, though. (I would expect lows in the 40s at night).
It should be in the 70s and 80s today, locally (with a chance of rain this afternoon). Expected lows in the 50s at night.
Today's project; find the leak in my windshield washer....reservoir or hoses

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

Mild rant: so, the IRS has had my tax refund documents (via E-File) for several months now. they were prepared by an accountant, so i have faith they are correct. yet i have not received my refund yet... the IRS website status checker only says the processing is delayed, but without any more information as to why.
Just aggravating, as i really need the money...

anyway, i have been puttering on a few things... just to keep busy.


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

outside temps are dropping, currently 46F here where i am, in Maine, USA.


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

now that the acorns are dropping from the oak trees on my lawn, i have been seeing a rise in white-tailed deer on the lawn to feed. always enjoyable to watch them.


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

A friend dropped off an old Alienware (Dell) desktop computer (Aurora R3);









So I will have a new hobby project for a week or two;
Need to hack into it (the previous owner passed away without telling anyone his password), or reinstall the operating system then update it & add anti-virus etc, etc...
Its got Windows 7 home premium (not sure if its worth upgrading it to a better version), a decent, older, video card (Radeon 6800 family), a 1TB hard drive and provision for 3 more hard drives. Its a possible replacement for the entertainment center computer; since it supports media center...
The biggest downside, other than its huge heavy case, is that it only has a, relatively slow (2.8 ghz), 4 core processor... should still be adequate for moderate gaming, internet and movies, though.

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

i wish my cell phone would take pictures through a window and screen... there are 6+ White-Tailed Deer on my lawn (in-town), feeding on the acorn drops under the large oak trees.


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers

i have to prep today for a colonoscopy tomorrow... so, not going to be a fun pair of days...


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Better you than I; methinks...
For me the worst part was the clean out the day before...


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Happy Joe said:


> Better you than I; methinks...
> For me the worst part was the clean out the day before...


yeah, that is what i am about to start in a few.


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Good Morning!
The first cup of coffee is gone,
Its supposed to be warm and sunny here, today,
There is no visible snow on the mountain yet,
Have a great Friday!

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

still on my first cup. haven't been sleeping well. keep waking up every so often, completely drenched in sweat. this recovery process isn't as great as was promised. i was told of drugged up, pain-free days...  they didn't tell me the drugs would cause painful constipation. bad enough i have stopped the pain meds completely. 
but i am pushing through it, and am able to sit down for short periods now.  be quite a while before i can sit on rock and stumps again, or do much hiking. not even sure if i will be able to handle this years hunting season (Whitetailed Deer, Crossbow). maybe with 2 or 3 seat pads, plus a donut-ring pillow. 

I am glad my 5th wheel camper doesn't currently have any leaks. it should survive another winter, and maybe i can take up the renovation again next summer.


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Good morning every one.
Just finishing my first cup of coffee; looks like another great day (high 60s to low 70s are forecast)
Nights are getting colder its 41 deg F right now (predawn).

Got the new-old computer cleaned of dust bunnies and webs, swept of viruses & old user info and updated to Windows 7 (64) ultimate (very little different from home premium, mostly better networking), looking good but it keeps turning itself on during the night even though auto update is turned off and its disconnected from the internet. I figure its something sneaky to do with windows, if all else fails a hard off switch will solve the problem permanently.
Installing some old games (plays Crysis and the Crysis demo just fine and let me rediscover Sacred Gold/Underworld).
I need to sort through the parts pile for more memory and see if I can get a slightly better processor...

Enjoy!


----------



## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

i had to kind of laugh at myself this morning. last night, my bedroom was hot, as i have several servers running that host my personal website. so i put the fan in the window and put it on low to cool the room down. then, i quite unfortunately fell asleep. when i woke up shivering at 1:30AM, my room was down to 33F! it took quite some time to build courage enough to throw back the blankets to get dressed.  so here it is, 3:25AM, and i am finally up, dressed, and in a warmer part of the house.
So, note to self: don't fall asleep with fan going in window, this time of year.


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Sounds BBBbbbrrrrisk!!!

Time for a hot up of coffee!

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

it most certainly was quite brisk. 
i am on my second cup of coffee, and still feel cold. 🥶


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

November has arrived! my birthday is in a week or so.


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

...well Happy Birthday!

I hope the up coming year is better for you than the last.

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

for those that camp with power, this tip came across my FB


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Good Morning!

RE: theft prevention..

I typically chain high dollar items (coolers/refrigerators, generators etc.) to trees and use armor (ammo cans) to guard food against four legged varmints.
My longest camping extension cord is an inexpensive wallymart item. When the genny is nearly silent and it is only used during meal times or for charging the batteries, during the day; there is little need for a long extension cord.

When using relatively expensive solar to recharge the batteries; I stay in sight of the system (It will, probably, need some amount of baby sitting to keep the panels in direct sunlight, in any case) and rely on the desolation/isolation of the area to minimize the population. When the batteries are charged I fold and store the system, out of sight.

By camping in areas that require four wheel drive along with lockers in the axles and large diameter, high traction tires; just to run the Jeep trail into the area you avoid most people problems.
When you might see another person every other day or so; movement within the area becomes obvious & attracts attention.
IMO, folks that camp in areas with close neighbors of unknown honesty/quality have little basis for complaint when things disappear... or when the neighbors make excessive noise, etc..

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

kind of hard to get real secluded with a 5th wheel camper.  but with a camper, comes higher-priced theft-able items. like my power cord, is a 50A cord (6AWG wire) so the copper robbers would see great value in it.

but yeah, ideally, i would dry-camp (no power or water hookups. just run with what you bring.) in as hidden a location as i can. but you can only get so remote with a 25' trailer. if on a road trip, sometimes you just have to settle for a campground.
if i succeed in my plans of buying my own land to camp on, security can be made better.
but if i get so i can hike a few miles with a pack again, then it opens up a whole world of campsites! 

i have been mostly working on my CNC router table machine in an effort to get it ready to do money making work. the sooner i can make money, the sooner i can make my goals available again. STILL waiting on my IRS tax return that has been in delayed status for months. very aggravating when they leave me with nothing to do about it. it would give me a substantial boost toward getting my machine and the new shed for it, finished.


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Good morning!... 'er, afternoon...
...Your extension cord sounds like my welder extension cord, which is made from a quite long, 50 A, mobile home cord; and I agree that copper thieves could jump at such an item.
The terrain issues with remote use/positioning of of a camper have been what has kept me in a tent, but you need to do you own thing, without interference/attempts at influence, IMO. ...its (or should be) a different strokes for difference folks world, out there...
Again; Good luck on your machine & shed (& trailer)... and the IRS...

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Good Morning!
... been wrestling with the computer, before coffee, this morning; 
Yesterday, evening, the screen turned green then black, then stayed black. 

Had to fire up the old/used alienware computer to watch a movie last night...(worked OK but the sound needs optimizing. TV speakers, my monitor is a 31 inch flat screen TV, are less than optimal).

Apparently it was a video card failure. So, this morning, I dropped in a, well used, older gigabyte (4660 or 4650, probably) PCIE card from the excess parts pile, to get it going while I search for and order a replacement card.
Time for an expedition into web jungle of Tom's Hardware (for ratings & comparisons) and Amazon, new egg, tiger direct, etc. for purchase.
While there I'll likely look at better processors for both this machine and the somewhat slower alienware.

Smells like coffee's ready... So I'll be away for a while...

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

normally, here in Maine USA, i have had at least a lite snow by now... yet today is 60F and raining...
i am not real crazy about winter, but it does seem unnatural to go outside without a coat or sweater this time of year.


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Good Morning!
Its been a bit chilly here; Colorado U.S.A., low 20's F at night and 40s during the day. Should get into the 50's F today.
Some what worried, this winter, about the vehicle battery, its getting about time for a replacement; started OK this morning though.
We had a light dusting of snow yesterday morning, this morning; just frosted windshields.
Need to put some gloves in the jacket pockets.

Started the holiday weight gain by picking up a pumpkin pie at wallymart this morning.

I intend to basically hibernate this winter, like most winters since covid.

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

snow has just hit my part of Maine (USA)!


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Good Morning!

Here in central Colorado we might get an inch today... 
Probably not enough to get out the snow thrower, thank goodness.... 
Need to get another snow shovel, wore the last one out last year...

Enjoy!


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Good Morning!

Brrr... 18 Deg F and snowing with about 3" on the ground, so far...
Might have to get the snow thrower out, as its getting too deep to sweep.

Might be a good day to watch a warm climate movie (perhaps a vintage, 1930s, Tarzan flick or maybe Sahara (1943) w/ H. Bogart)... Got to break in that new video card...
... I think that I will avoid Nanook of the north (1922).

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Good Morning!
Slept in this morning (until 5:00)..
Looked at the thermometer, showed 12 deg F (internet said 7deg at the local airport).
Yesterday, I watched a couple of Tarzan flicks looking for Hollywood's idea of camping/expedition gear; wall tents, mostly, the standard oil lanterns and a cot or two; the heroine, of course, needed a make up table, with folding chair and supplies.

A folding wind up record player was also shown and was pretty neat.

... lots of guns and a relatively large number of Asian elephants (they have smaller ears).

Enjoy!


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Good Morning!
Should be a warm day (mid 50s) here.
Yesterday, the battery failed in the explorer; so I pulled one off the shelf and installed it (not sure if the old one is recoverable, I didn't see a date code on it, but its likely long past the best by date...). I'll try recovering it then probably take it to the recycler.
Made a quick trip to wallymart (superstore) for last minute thanksgiving supplies...

Right now the thanksgiving day menu looks like;
Roasted chicken ('cause they don't produce single person sized turkeys)...
Stove top stuffing with gravy.
Candied yams
Sweet corn
String beans,
and roast 'tater

followed by pumpkin pie... (... and likely a loong nap...)

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

so, in the US, today is Thanksgiving day. though some of the indigenous people view this as a traumatic point in history.
me personally? i see it as a day to enjoy family, good food, and to reflect on what you have to be thankful for. 🦃


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!
And good morning too! Today is a good day to feel good and appreciate every thing that is right with the world!

Personally I don't think that either the history books or the most recent rewrites of history are all that close to reality.
...And certainly not a reason to not appreciate the Good things, and Good people, in the world.

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Good Morning!
Looks like its going to be a fairly nice day here...
To day should see about the end of the leftovers from thanksgiving...
Perhaps; pizza tonight.

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

cold and snowy today, but supposed to transition to freezing rain, then just rain. not a great combination...


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Good Morning!
Cold with a couple of inches of snow on the ground here; should get above freezing today, though.
Tomorrow and Friday should be quite nice, sunny, at least...

Need to get to the home center; the flush lever on the john broke... I'm temporarily stuck with pulling the chain to flush (shades of the early 20th century!)... some things should not be made of plastic...

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

had a night of high winds (~50 Mph), and just as i was laying down, i remembered my solar panel was still loosely laying on top of my camper... i will have to check that today... 

Update(edit): the panel seems to be embedded in ice, so the wind failed to lift it.


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

travis.farmer said:


> the panel seems to be embedded in ice, so the wind failed to lift it.


...Cool!

Should get into the 50s here today. Although, with a high wind warning...

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

well, my solar panel thawed out, so rather than tempt fate, i disconnected it, and put it inside my camper for the winter. i still have to pull the battery before it freezes. it isn't a big battery, just a lawn tractor battery to supply the LED lighting when i was working on the camper in low light situations. but i still would rather it didn't freeze and explode.

STILL waiting on my IRS tax return... i can't imagine what could be taking so long to process.


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

supposed to get a two-day snow storm, starting today (here in Maine, USA). maybe it will be a white X-Mas after all.  
Still have to finish mounting the snowblower and cab on the tractor though... nothing like waiting for the last minute.


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Good morning!
locally not much snow expected just sub freezing cold...
Hopefully the sub zero stays away!

Enjoy!


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Merry Christmas!

To all!...

Enjoy!


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## Happy Joe (10 mo ago)

Sorry I haven't been around much; been fighting with the computers...
..also trying to upgrade the home entertainment center (another GPU/video card died) & I am upgrading the amplifiers to HDMI based (and switched) 5.2 audio. Also, going to try adding a NAS (Network Assisted Storage) unit to the home network..
Summer is for camping winter is for TOYS!...

Enjoy!


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Happy Holidays, for whatever holiday you may celebrate 😃

i for one, celebrate Christmas. 🎅🎄🦌⛄ more the spirit of the holiday, than the religious portion of it. it is a good time for family and friends to gather and be merry. the exchanging of gifts is a nice touch as well ;-)

this year, i got some much needed new L.L.Bean slippers, and an Amazon gift card, as well as a new-to-me laptop (my old one was failing fast). it is a Dell, Intel I7 vPro, with 32GB of RAM, and NVIDIA Quadro M1200 graphics.
I do CAD work on my laptop, so i like a moderately fast computer, with reasonable graphics. i actually got it early, as like i said, the other was failing fast. but i have had time to load it with most of my software, and i like it very much!

what with the storm that blew through here, i am blessed that we did not lose power. just internet for a few hours on friday.


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

Happy New Year! 🥳

it is so far an odd winter here in Maine 🇺🇸, 35F, and raining.


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## travis.farmer (Jun 26, 2021)

Good Morning Campers 

i have been pretty quiet lately, but i am still around.
i have been doing a lot of work on my CNC router table, and the research i have been doing on it has caused me to keep forgetting to post here.

don't remember if i have posted much here about my CNC router table. it is about 4 foot by 4 foot of working area, runs LinuxCNC, and i have just added an automatic tool changer spindle motor to it, and have been working on getting that connected up. when done enough to work with it, it is my plan to make employment out of it. i plan on carving signs and making furniture carvings (like on a coffee table, with a colored epoxy inlay). at the moment, i have several carvings i have made with it, and all of them say "test" in various fonts.


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