Yes, I sold a bike

This weekend was the annual "Spring Fling" on the Courthouse Square in Mason.  Spring Fling is one of those small town events with craft booths, food and musicians designed by the Chamber of Commerce to get people out of their houses and into downtown Mason after a long winter.  It is a great little event that draws people from all over the area.  And drawing visitors from outside Mason is a good thing, because to people who live in Mason the weekend of the Spring Fling is when all the neighborhoods hold their annual garage sales, cleaning out their garages, basements and attics of surplus "stuff."

We rarely have a garage sale, mostly because we don't have that much stuff that accumulated to make a sale worthwhile.  But this year, the young one decided it was time to part with some of her childhood toys, and we had some excess furniture and other things, so why not?

Among the items I brought out of the basement was a nice Italian-made Bianchi frame made from Dedacciai tubing.  The frame was originally to be for the young one, but it is a 55 centimeter frame, she really needed a 53, and I got a great deal on a 53 LeMond frame last year and built it up.  So this year, I thought I would sell the Bianchi, as it is a nice, solid frame that I would probably never have any use for again.

This was something Kath has rarely seen, me parting  with a bike.  She has only seen it one other time, when I sold Hubert an old Fuji that I turned into a fixed gear about ten years ago.  There are bikes she knows I will only part with upon death.  But the Bianchi, to me, was not one of those bikes.  She kept asking if I was sure I wanted to do this.  "Once sold at a yard sale, it is gone forever, you may never find another like it....."  I was sure, but I was also convinced that selling a bike frame at a yard sale would be a long shot anyway.

Throughout Friday, the first day of the sale, we kept hearing the same thing.  "Where are the wheels?"  "Fifty dollars for that?" "I can buy a whole bike at Walmart for $60. "   But to save the day from these same comments over and over(one of my friends refers to non-cyclists as "the great unwashed"), there were two people who knew what the bike was, and what a deal it represented.  Unfortunately, they both passed.

The joint between the seat tube and top tube on Kath's Farmer's
market bike.  The frame was done by Powdercoat Studio.

Saturday morning went much the same for the Bianchi,  more great unwashed scratching their heads in amazement since they could buy a whole bike at Meijer for $75 and wondering where the wheels went, there was one wise gentleman who gave the old frame a close inspection.  He picked it up and turned it over, noticing the missing part of a decal on one side, and a little surface rust at the lugs.  He asked if it was a 57.  No, a 55. "That might work."  He put it down, pondered a few seconds more, pulled out his phone and took a picture.  As he started to walk away, he said, "Interesting frame."

Who he called as he walked away is not certain.  But he wasn't but a few yards down the sidewalk when he did an about-face and returned, with two twenties and a ten in hand.  We talked briefly after I recommended Powdercoat Studio in Traverse City as a great place for putting a  quality new coat on the "vecci ragazzo" (old boy) and showed him Kath's Farmers Market Cruiser, with a Powdercoat Studio finish.  Then he left, with the frame in his hand and a bounce in his step.

He probably thought he got a steal.  He did.  But what I got out of the transaction is knowing the frame would be used much more than if it were hanging in my basement.  With a new finish and some spare parts, it would make a fine bike once again.  It would be ridden, which was what it was made for, no longer hanging on a hook in the far corner of the basement, but possibly being ridden as a commuter bike, on long rides on the weekend, pulling children in a trailer, on a great adventure around the state, across the country or around the world.

I really didn't sell the Bianchi.  Like a mustang set loose on the prairie,  I gave it an opportunity to be what it was meant to be.  Something it would never be if it were hanging from a hook in my basement.

Lessons learned from a storm

Each spring, severe weather in the form of thunderstorms, high winds and even tornadoes will roll across mid-Michigan.   In 2011, just before Memorial Day, we experienced a storm that featured high winds, driving rain and even some hail.  There was no apparent damage to the house or cars, but we were without power.

The cause of the power outage was immediately apparent.  The high voltage “Y” shaped aluminum power towers, and the high voltage lines that run between them to feed the transfer station about a mile west of our house were badly damaged.  While not called a tornado, the winds had been powerful enough to twist many of the towers like a pretzel, and rip others completely out of the ground.   High-tension power lines were snapped like cheap string.

We live in a society that is dependent on electricity.  Stop for a moment to think about how much of our day is tied to electricity.  Every morning the alarm wakes us and the toaster helps with breakfast.  Traffic lights make getting to work faster and safer.  Computers and cell phones need power.  Getting money from the ATM, nighttime school events, reading a book late at night, the midnight snack from the refrigerator and much more are only possible because of the electricity fed to our homes and communities by power lines. 

The most we had ever been without power had been about two days.  This repair promised to take much longer.   In the end, it would be six days before power returned.  We were prepared for a two, or even a three-day power outage, but had not been ready for anything longer.   We have a number of flashlights and lanterns on hand, but most of our batteries are rechargeable and most of them were in a drawer, completely dead.  We had a refrigerator/freezer and a standup freezer that were filled with frozen vegetables from the garden, a couple of frozen pizzas, a turkey and a few pounds of meat.   Being on city water, and with a self-igniting water heater, we had a steady flow of water and did not have to worry about a pump, taking away one concern.

Looking back on the six days, we were prepared for a short power outage, but not a longer one.  Our two biggest inconveniences were defrosting food and no lights.   We had a crank powered radio to keep us connected with the world and listen to baseball games.  We cooked the pizzas on our backpack oven.  We cooked meat on the grill.  Everything else was packed in coolers and the coolers covered with sleeping bags to insulate them more.  The turkey would help keep the rest of the food cold enough to save to be cooked when the power came back and then refrozen, while the vegetables would be dehydrated.

The easy solution for the next major power outage would have been to purchase a portable generator, or have a natural gas generator connected to our home.  Or, would a better solution be to re-think how, and how much power we use.  The Amish live complete lives without power.  We should be able to last a few days.

We took steps to be better prepared.  Now, there is always a fresh 24-pack of AA batteries in the house to provide enough light to last for two weeks.  We have emptied the freezer, instead choosing to dehydrate or can the vegetables we normally would have placed there.  We keep a lot less frozen meat on hand.   By not having a freezer in the basement, we save about $10 a month in electricity.  There are now prepared  “ready kits,” with clothes, a first-aid kit and food for three days for the family, the dog and the cat ready to go.

The greatest lesson learned is how much power we have reduced how much electricity we use, and our bill, by about 20 per cent.  Since the storm, we have been more aware of when a light or bathroom fan is left on.  We turn off computers when finished.  We have identified the appliances in the house that use standby power, and have specialized power strips that will only power up a connected device when the main device is turned on.  The best example is the DVD player receives power only when the television is on.   

It is just a matter of time before we lose power again.  But the lessons that have been learned, and the changes that have been made in our lifestyle, will hopefully make that time less stressful.

Happy Birthday to the Boy!

Today is Moose's first birthday.  In a little over a year, he has progressed from an unwanted, about to be "disposed of" puppy, to an over-indulged member of the family.  From unwanted to loved.  From unimportant to part of the family.

I had no idea what I was getting into when I told "the girl" she could have a puppy.  But he was so cute, cuddly and playful that he won me over right away.  I may have jumped into this a little quickly,  My only previous experience with a dog was my childhood dog, that I got for a birthday present when I was six, so I had forgotten that dogs need to be trained and exercised, and that they cannot be left on their own for a few days, like cats.

And I had no idea what would be involved with raising a Border Collie before I agreed to let one occupy my house.  I knew he was playful, energetic and loved to be rubbed and scratched.  I found out on the ten-hour drive bringing him home from Kansas City that he did not mind riding in the car.  But what I read later from a borrowed a book on Border Collies from the library, and heard from a couple of friends who know a lot about dogs, I was wondering what I got myself into.  What I read was scarier than a Stephen King novel.

The warnings were clear.  This is a highly intelligent, easily bored animal that will tear up your house if you don't keep him occupied all the time.  He will take a great deal of work, he will push boundaries, he will try your patience.  He will try to herd and dominate everything because that's what Border Collies were bred to do.  He will be a challenge.  Cujo seemed like an upgrade.

The reality of raising this particular Border Collie has been something much different different from the dire warnings about the evil that this dog would bring.  He is a very intelligent dog, and does he like to herd everything.  Some people use "herding cats" to describe the impossible.  Moose herds the cat.  All the time.  Not that the cat cooperates, but it is herded nonetheless.  I would love to see him with some sheep.  He responds well to basic commands like sit and stay, goes out for "necessary breaks" on his own and stays in the perimeter of the yard without fence or chain, and is getting better about being walked on the leash.  If we would walk him more instead of playing frisbee with him all the time, he would be much better on the leash.  Frisbee is just more fun.

There have been reports of Border Collies knowing over 1,000 words.  I don't think Moose is that smart, but he responds on command to finding his red ball, Kong and frisbee.  He knows where to find his "house," which is his crate, knows it is time to go to sleep for the night when he hears "bedtime,"   He, much to my disgust, has not learned that rabbit poop is not food, but knows when to "leave it."  He also has trained us to respond to his needs by doing his "tippy head" thing, where he tips his head from side to side, and whines when he has to go out.

He is also very sensitive to tone of voice and certain noises.  Loud laughing or disagreements among members of the family result in Moose taking to his crate.  When the neighbor next door cranks up his Harley, or when a helicopter goes overhead, he goes from room-to-room looking for the source of the noise.  He responds enthusiastically to praise for catching his frisbee in the air, or when he gets a belly rub.  He wears his mood on his little doggie face.

But, after we got through the puppy stage where he wanted to chew everything, he has not been destructive.  He learned quickly what he could have and what he could not.  And when scolded with a "bad dog" it is a more powerful punishment that I could imagine.  As for needing to dominate, he is more of an overgrown lap dog, wanting more to just be a part of what is going on.

In many ways raising a dog is like raising a child.  They require a ton of patience and understanding when they are young, they respond well to expectations and rules, and they learn at an amazing pace.  They do things that make you crazy, but love unconditionally, if you love them in return.

There have been times, especially during the puppy period, that I wondered if I had what it takes to raise a dog.  If I had the patience to teach him to be a member of the family.  I have been frustrated, angry and impatient at times with Moose.  But I have also been frustrated, angry and impatient with myself at times.  I have learned to be patient with him, he with me.  It has been a learning experience for us both.  I have learned a great deal about his behavior and his needs and how they are connected.  He has learned a great deal about my behavior and needs, and has adjusted as well.

But I still do not understand why he likes to eat rabbit poop.  That is just...wrong.

Poop and the Aftermath

My grandfather always said that if you don't learn something every day, you have wasted your day. Since the day he first said that to me, I have tried to learn something new. Some have turned out to be little things, some that I thought were little things have actually been life lessons, some "big things" have proven not to be, and I will never make macaroni and cheese with a tablespoon of dry mustard even if a world-renowned chef says it is delicious.

Until now, I knew that septic tanks were where waste went when living in areas without large sewer systems.  Until I went off to college I lived in a house with a septic tank.  I knew they had to be pumped from time to time, and smelled real bad when opened for pumping, but I never thought that disposing of poop would be an interesting subject. Sure the whole idea of eat-process-dispose-flush-septic/sewer/hole-in-the-ground can be a lesson in creative engineering, and require more physics than I can wrap my head around, but I never thought it would be the subject of a book that I could not put down.

"The Septic System Owner's Manual" is a book about dealing with what you ate yesterday today.  A combination of technical-but- interesting text and illustrations make it a book that has been hard for me to put down.  The book has everything from design to maintenance to information on the new composting toilets.  I have learned how soil types and bacteria play a prominent role in waste disposal.  I have learned about the good and bad, the right and wrong, the icky and not so icky about septic systems.

The author is one of those people who would make a great dinner guest, or be someone to sit next to on a transcontinental flight.   Lloyd Kahn is the Editor-In-Chief of Shelter Publications, writes a very interesting blog, and from his blog and books I have read, knows a lot about a lot of things,  had a great deal of experience in doing many, and is not afraid to try something new. He has written books on building, architecture, health and fitness and many other subjects.  He is a great storyteller, which is essential when writing a book about septic tanks.

And the way the chapters are written, in short, concise chapters, it could rival People Magazine for what to read when.....

The First Day of Spring

It is hard to believe that tomorrow is the first day of spring. Usually, in our humble little part of the Mitten State, the first day of spring is marked by either snow or freezing rain. Tomorrow, however, is forecast to be much like today, near or a little above 80 degrees.

Which means it is time to put away the snowblower stuff, and haul out the stuff needed for the summer. The lawn mower is out and running, snow shovels put away, but close by because I still don't trust Michigan weather, and the first of the rain barrels has been put out.

This year, the plan is to water the gardens using only accumulated rain water. So the number of barrels will increase from one to four. Possibly five or six, but I am content to see how we do with one.

Rain Reserve 

When I went to re-attach the barrel to the Rain Reserve diverter, it was cracked along the bottom edge, where the light orange stain is located on the bottom right-hand corner of the unit. The repair was easy, with a little pvc cement.  I thought this thing was bomb-proof, as it has seen many winters in sub-zero temperatures.  This year, it looks like it got clogged with the little asphalt particles from the roof, which then froze along with the left over water, and the thing cracked.  Here is information on how the Rain Reserve system works.

Even though the thing cracked, I am still a happy customer.

We bought ours, and the barrel, from Sustain Dane in Madison, WI.  Sustain Dane is a pretty amazing organization, and one of the early leaders in using rain barrels to water urban gardens.  If I remember right, one of the members of Sustain Dane developed the Rain Reserve idea.  The barrel is a recycled Mountain Dew syrup container.  If in Madison, check out Sustain Dane.  But if you plan to buy a barrel from them and take one home in your car, make sure you have a way to get it home.  They take up a lot of space in a car.

More on the barrel system as it progresses.

We have plants!

It looks like this year's crop is off to a successful start. We have four varieties of tomato, three onion (including those from our own seed!), cilantro, basil and even "mystery beans."  The mystery beans may not be a mystery to those who truly know beans, but they were rolling around in the bottom of the seed box, and I have no idea what they are.

Plants as of March 12, 2012

Last year we did not have nearly as many plants sprout as have so far this year.  The only difference between the years is this year I used melted snow to start the seeds rather than tap water.  Our city water here has such a high concentration of chlorine that it often smells like a swimming pool.  My plan is to water only with rain water from here on, and see what that difference brings in plant health and yield.

Better late....

All warm and nestled in their beds.....

The garden planting did not start until today. My best intentions were to have it started two weeks ago, but life happens, and projects jump up. So today it was started. Basil, dill, cilantro, onions, peppers and tomatoes were all started and put on "the rack" in the basement with heating pads under their little feet and grow lights shining down upon them. And to the local enforcers, I AM PLANTING VEGETABLES!!!!!

"The Rack"

"The Rack" is my somewhat custom planting stand built with plant heating pads and two florescent light fixtures that I bought for about $5 each, on an "indoor greenhouse" that we picked up a couple of years ago at Family Farm and Home for under $30. Along with my homemade starter mix, peat moss, vermiculite and a little compost and a bucket of melted snow, we hope to get a good rate of sprouting. I used melted snow because the water here in Mason is very loaded with chlorine, and I think that may have been the reason nothing wanted to sprout last year.

In a week we should have a good indication on how this growing season is progressing.