Monthly Archives: April 2019

Every time I order something from Amazon I cringe when I am notified it’s shipping FedEx.  Their tracking is horrendous, and never makes sense or even go in order.  The packages seem to get misplaced for a few days.  To top it off, they use the USPS for final delivery which means the tracking ends when they turn it over to the Post Office.  But even then it’s not guaranteed it won’t suddenly be back at FedEx.  For example, here is an order.   Notice the last update has it in Clinton PA, which is about 100 miles away in the Pittsburgh area, on the 29th.  But it was already in Clinton on the 23rd, then in Zelionople, then Franklin (which is my normal local distribution location if FedEx was delivering), then Pleasantville (it actually says in transit to meaning the USPS never touched it yet) at my Post Office on the 26th.  But, back to Clinton on the 29th.  What?  Why did it go back to the beginning?  Now it’s another 4 days predicted to get back to Pleasantville.  Also, I never know for sure where it is.  It could arrive today even if tracking says it’s in Clinton.  And this type of thing happens all the time with FedEx.  I wish I could tell Amazon to use UPS.  Or even the Post Office.  They don’t do too bad when they aren’t working with FedEx.

• Monday , 4/29/2019

  8:43 pm

  FEDEX SMARTPOST CLINTON, PA

  Arrived at FedEx location

• Friday , 4/26/2019

  2:12 pm

  PLEASANTVILLE, PA

  In transit

  In transit to U.S. Postal Service

• 5:56 am

  FRANKLIN, PA

  Departed FedEx location

• 5:50 am

  FRANKLIN, PA

  Arrived at FedEx location

• Thursday , 4/25/2019

  11:27 pm

  ZELIENOPLE, PA

  Departed FedEx location

• 3:10 pm

  ZELIENOPLE, PA

  Arrived at FedEx location

• 12:29 am

  Shipment information sent to U.S. Postal Service

• 12:18 am

  FEDEX SMARTPOST CLINTON, PA

  Departed FedEx location

• Tuesday , 4/23/2019

  5:08 pm

  FEDEX SMARTPOST CLINTON, PA

  Arrived at FedEx location

• 2:07 am

  FEDEX SMARTPOST BREINIGSVILLE, PA

  Departed FedEx location

• Monday , 4/22/2019

  12:43 pm

  FEDEX SMARTPOST BREINIGSVILLE, PA

  Arrived at FedEx location

• Saturday , 4/13/2019

  2:23 am

  Shipment information sent to FedEx

Update May 1st:

I ordered two items on April 12th.  The one above, and one shipped from Thailand.  Guess what?   The one from Thailand got here before the one above.  Both were listed as shipped on April 13th.  The Thailand package arrived today.  The one originating 200 miles away in Breinigsville, PA still hasn’t arrived.…

For a few weeks every spring I can tell the borders of my property from any point.

The previous property owner planted daffodils just inside the property line grouped about every 30 feet.…

I was raking the leaves out of the beginnings of my pond so I could see better where to dig.  I noticed these clusters of round things in the water.  Then I saw the tadpoles.  Hundreds of them and lots more eggs.

…

I got some roof board for the workshop.  Instead of trying to tie them all on the Jeep roof I had them cut in half.  The 4′ by 4′ fit in the back.  Easier to wrestle up on the roof, too.  With the steep roof and low eaves I’m going for to he look of a gingerbread house in Southwest Germany.  Or since it’s a workshop, maybe Santa’s workshop.…

I know.  I’m supposed to be living cheap.  But my homemade chainsaw sawmill wasn’t sturdy enough.  And although I could weld steel the sawmill is aluminum.

And I found a new one on sale for a great price.  Nothing fancy, but neither is my little chainsaw.

Just as I finished putting it together a thunderstorm rolled through.  I’ll make a video when I try it out

Update:

I made a jig for holding the logs as I cut them.

The old sawmill will not be wasted.  I will use the parts to make a wood lathe.

 …

The tarp shed made from scraps didn’t last long.  So I decided to get all the lumber I need.  This doesn’t include the roof and siding.

Fitting it all in or on top of the Jeep to get it here was an adventure.

I plan on it being an 8 by 8 workshop, with a roof overhanging 3 feet on one side and 1 foot on the other.  Just big enough to work in but small enough to easily heat in the winter.  I actually plan on building another later just for storage.

Updated.  I finished the frame in 4 hours.

 …

Good news.  After all my work, repairs, bruises, cuts, aches and pains my Jeep has passed inspection for another year.  145,000 miles and 15 years old.  Hope it keeps going.…

My garden starters are doing okay.

Broccoli, brussel sprouts, celery and cabbage are doing the best.

 …

As I approached the gas well down the road I heard the peep frogs and decided to try and record them.  They usually stop as soon as someone gets nearby but this time they kept going for several minutes.

https://youtu.be/O5hMyy935h0…

While I had the Jeep up replacing the ball joints I noticed the rear differential leaking very fast.  The differential cover was rusted through.  So today I replaced it.  The new one is shiny but won’t stay that way long.

Here’s the old one.  The leak was on the top right of the picture.  The hardest part was removing the old rusted and crumbling bolts.

…