Ok, cat out of the bag time

THAT is what I bought early in this month that didn’t make it here first go’round.  Or the second for that matter,,,  (that one was just lost in paperwork or sumpin,,,)   At least this one arrived, FAST like at that (three days from order to delivery) ANdddddd,,,, the most important part: No light fingered delivery people intervened.

Above was my initial set-up introduction run.  Not to try it out, but to make sure all was well and all parts on hand, and to give me an idea of what was what, where and how it all ties together.

What the hell is it?

Its a flat lay hammock.   No more ‘Dio makes like Banana’ camping.  (actually, as Brudda B could attest, My hammock usually looked like a flying burrito, not a banana.  BuT, that meant I was sorta squeezed to death too.

By appearances, this has more interior room than my Lynx bivvy tent, which is an absolute plus. I didn’t take any pics with the rainfly on (will fix that error when I set this up ‘for reals’) but there are ZERO touch points between the fly and the netting: something I can’t say about my Lynx.   That contact sometimes makes for a damp interior.

In addition, this CAN be used as a ground tent.   The ‘tub’ in the main tent is quite deep, and very heavy waterproofed fabric (150D) so even if things get wet, it won’t get ‘in’ very easily.   Seeing how most times I go camping, there are plenty of trees, that’s not an issue, but there may be times kayakamping where trees are a hike away.  (say, beach camping,,,)  Versatile was the selling point that hooked me.

And yeah, so did the Camo thing.   I’m something of a stealth camper, especially when I go solo.   Don’t wanna attract any unwanted visitations by less than honorable individuals.    Getting older, it takes more to dig the hole to hide the body.

just kiddin’.   But serious about wanting to ‘dissappear’ when I am out camping.  

So, Feild Test today.  Not going for an overnight, not yet, but I am going to set it up in legit conditions, and probably take a nap, just to see.   I’m hoping because I much prefer hanging off the ground to snuggling with it.

and for the frugal minded, yup, this is rather pricey at two bills for the whole shebang.   (unlike some other brands that sell you the straps and ‘biners seperate, marked up 1000%)  I probably shouldn’t have spent the FRN’s, but, , ,    Hell, ya can’t take  it with you and I wanna enjoy living on THIS side of the dirt before I go occupying THAT side of the dirt.

IF it works out, I have two other tents that I can put up for sale (Lynx and a cheepy two man that works,)    IF it does not work for me, there is enough demand for this model, that I can Marketplace it and recoup most of the money I spent on it and not feel so bad about a failed experiment.  (and that demand is why I believe my first order was lightfingered,,,,A big thank you goes out to the ‘Zon for correcting the problem.)

but I have a good feeling for it after setting up on the porch.    I couldn’t lay in it as one side was attached to a workbench, nothing structural to support weight.   I didn’t want to take it out in the tree line since the briars are really taking off with it being spring and I didn’t want to risk holes in my brand new toy.   And they will punch holes in things: I’ve bled enough from them getting Voo untangled a few times.   (I leave them up because they are a great way of keeping sneaky types from coming in the backways away from eyeballs.)

I’ll post an update post later, with pics, and later, when I have more time, I will do a weekend or overnight and give a proper review.

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Went in, readied gear to go, two trucks left the shop toward site.

Oops,,, some’un dropped the ball, one truck (my truck) had to turn back to pick up the forgotten item (nailgun)

Get it, p get back on road.

TEMP GAGE goes all wonky and I hit the curb.   This particular truck recently had a BRAND NEW FACTORY CRATE engine installed (within last year,,,)   Not gonna blow it up.

Just a question,,,, WHY, for the love of God, does a company put QUICK CONNECT fittings on a high pressure high heat connection?

Simple fix, reattach the quick connect, fingers crossed that it was just a slip of the last mechanic’s work. (they go on, feel secure, but if you do not hear/feel that CLIK!, they ain’t secure. I had to wiggle it quite a bit to get the click.)

Anyyhooozzzz,,, While I am figuring out what the heck is goin’ on under the hood, Burnout is on my fone callin’ Son of Bossman to tell him whats up and request a delivery of new coolant.  (we lost every last drop with the upper hose blowin’ off.)

Bossman and Son of arrive, we refill the beasty and start it up to make sure alls good, and Son of Bossman says, “take it back to the shop, we’ll try again on Muhnday,,,,”

sigh,,,,, I get it.   Too many little snafu’s and you get the impression Universe is telln’ you to put a cork in it, call it a day, ease up a bit.

Good news though, My package arrived today, FINALLY after three weeks of fun and games and long distance calls, complaints and more than a little slandering of litefingered delivery peeps.   And now, FEILD TEST,,,,   Maybe not today, but then again, why not today,,,, Dunno,   My gumption is sorta shot after the ups and downs of how this day started and maybe, MAYBE, I should take the same hint that Son of took,,,,,

More laters: I got ALLLLLLLLL weekend to get my shit sorted out,,,,,

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Gonna take a break from writin’ anything today (other than to tell you such)  

Y’all take care and I catch up tomorrow.

L

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yin-yang thingy

I started writing a post in the zero dark this AM and wasn’t quite finished with it by the time I was forced to stop (had to make the FRN’s yaknow,,,)

And upon on return to home, re-read what I had written,,,

That saddle didn’t sit on that steer too well: All I am gonna say about that,,,,

Shit happens, sometimes what seems like the best of the best is curdled cream when the light of the day shines on it.   That was that post and it now resides in the round file of electrons.

Feelin’ a bit out of sorts today as well.   Probably need an hour or two cruisin’ the MSM’s to see whats being said, to at least get an idea as to where and what I need to be looking at/for.    Not that they are the most reputable sources, but they DO give me enough to work with, most of the time.    Right now, I feel quite ‘under the rock of solitude’ and while I quite like it here, it doesn’t keep me in the loop of ‘that real world’ (that ain’t.)

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As for lost packages and fun with UPS drivers that risk losing jobs.    We had a gap in our delivery service with them this week.   That was made up for (not stuff for me, but son of bossman) with a vengeance.   Dunno all the details, but seems the old driver is not driving anymore.   Hmmm,,,,    Maybe my extrapolation about ‘liking my item more than me’ had some validity to it?    (me thinks, YES.)   AND, the replacement package was listed as shipped this afternoon (out of LittleRock) so I should see it by the expected date of muhnday.   Fingers crossed: its been delayed 3 weeks now.    Good thing it wasn’t something Essential, like meds or sumsuch. 

Long drive day (again, different location) and strain on the brain thinking for the others.  (seriously, you have been on the job for THREE YEARS and still need coached on BASICS???? GMAB!!!)  

sigh

it’s all good: as the Hoolis said “job security”,,,,   And the client got a good laugh as I mimed throttling one of the dolts, while walking up to Hoolis, saying,” Your monkeys!!! they are your monkeys.”  (The client is a good guy, retired and bored silly.  Even helped us unload the trucks, while all of us insisted he didn’t need to help.  yeah, there is some risk of liability stuff, but this is rural KY,,, things are a bit more relaxed,,,,  In another state, I would have put my foot down.)

Tomorrow is Turdsday, Burnout will be back on board, so things should run a bit smoother with the competent workers outnumbering the dolts.  Let the dolts mix concrete, they seem ok with that (not consistent mixes, but its mud to hold poles,,,,)   Should be smoother running day with the exception of “Dio must figure some details out” about some super shady transitions on the fenceline.      Son of and I were walking through and he pretty much left the details in my lap on those areas.   Sign of trust in me to make it right?   I’m gonna go with that as it is a compliment to me.   We all like a pat on the back everyonce in a while, even if it means ‘more Responsibility’.

kinda tired, been a day.

more laters when I get some catchin’ up done.

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Not that I drivel (much, LOL)   but that is how this day seemed to carry forward,,, Not much of anything to talk about.  

Well,  I DID need to reconnect with the ‘Zon and get that mess straightened out, yet again.  At least this time, I have an order showing with expected delivery date, whereas my last call, I was in the dark with promises ‘we’ll make this right’.    (that faith in other hoomans thing,,, I haven’t much unless you’ve been in my circle for some time and have earned it.)

Francis posted up something I found intriguing.   Never been much of the ‘bar’ attending type.   Most of my time in bars was spent as contractor or employee in some nature (Audio stuff) and rarely was it as a patron.   BUT, I do know of what he speaks, since I was a Coffee house afficianado once upon a time.    When I was in the Corps, stationed on Camp Pendleton, there were several Coffee houses out in town, and ONE in particular that I was a regular patron of.   It wasn’t your typical leftist hive mind place, though it did have it’s share of such.  Mostly it was tattooists, musicians and strap hangers to the forementioned; along with a few caffiene junkies such as myself.   It was how I managed to start getting into mixing sound. (and learned far more than a four year stint at FullSail can teach you.   In addition, do four years at FullSail and chances are you will get picked up by DizzKnee and have to slave away for minimum wage doing the same thing I was getting paid $3500/wk for (plus per diem @ NY rates.)   Good luck with paying off that student debt that way.   Bust your chops in the bars, be nice but firm, and ‘pay your dues’,,, You’ll get the break you dream of.)  

But I digress,,,,,

Local bar, NEIGHBORHOOD BAR (sorta like the bar in Cheers, but better, friendlier.)

Not in my neck of the woods,,,,, Hell, this area was still a dry county until 3 years back.  One local bar that opened up with the relaxation of modern day prohibition,,,   And from what I have seen of it, NOT A NICE PLACE TO BE if you don’t speak with the local dialect.   I don’t, I can’t even fake it.  I can’t understand most people here’bouts if they get on a roll: its like some form of Gaelic crossed with Chinese to my ears.   I understand drunken Scottish brogue easier.

And I have investigated my ‘old stomping grounds’ of a coffee house.   Sadly, its on the edge of the local college campus and COMPLETELY INDOCTRINATED in Lefty thinks…  I may as well have walked in there with a Trump2024 shirt and a full auto 12ga on my hip for all the love I felt when I showed my face.  (granted, I was wearing a ‘conservative’ T-shirt: The one that looks like a coca-cola emblem but says  “enjoy Capitalism”.   I guess I shot myself in the foot on that, but hey, if they wouldn’t welcome me for ME, then Fuggem!.)

Fact is, I fit in around here like a square log in a round hole,,,  Lots of hammering needed and little to no gaurantee that even that will do.   I only fit in at work because I have made myself essential to the business and built my reputation quite high.   Outside of that, I’m just another face in the crowd and ‘no one of consequence’.   (admittedly, I like a certain amount of anonymity.  Never have been one for the limelights.)

But it do get a might lonely at times,,,,

is what it is.   I have friends, just not close to home currently.  They understand why I am ‘stuck’ in the armpit of SEKY and that eventually, that will be rectified.  No rush (Believe me, NO rush, PLEASE,,,,,)

Drivel,,,, thats my post today.  ROFL

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Stopped at Da’s on way home (with dedkow for mama, so couldn’t stay long).   Had a little convo with him and

lets just say, I am glad as heck its getting warm out again.  His bees and fishing are gonna alleviate the issue I ‘heard’.   It wasn’t just the things he was saying, it was the fear underlying his voice.   The things going on in the world, and he is finally woke to them, and: he’s scared.    He feels that someone/group is pushing HARD for the next World War (and I can’t refute that) and that old “Cold War” angst is coming back on him.   He’s in his twilight years, afeared of what shouldn’t even be a thing anymore.

And I get it.   Hell, I’m scared of what moves and tantrums are taking place in the Eurasian theater.   Not as much whats going on the ME, but even that has potential to overboil its pot and make things world wide go sideways.

And ain’t a damned thing people like us can do to change shit.   The people of Europe need to start doing some housekeeping, but from all I can see, they are just as much a part of the problem as the powergrubbing Poly-tickians doing the boat rockin’.   I know there were signs in France that the people were uprising, a couple years back, but we don’t hear too much about that these days.  I know that Germany has been getting uppity in the political arena, and there are signs of grassroots movements in the UK. 

The People of Europe SHOULD be pissed off in a rightous anger, but we don’t hear about it.   All eyes are on the turmoils of our country (as it should be, honestly) but we don’t get enough information about the world stage to elicit any hope that maybe, just maybe, all this saber-rattling will get tamped down and Saner heads prevail.   So far the only reason we haven’t tipped over into Canned Sunshine Exchanges is, IMO, Putin is the saner head so far.    Thats a scary thought, No?

(NOTE; there may be that whole unknown unknown factor involved.   Fact is, We don’t really know if our Nukes are operational, let alone those of Russia.    We may get ‘thumbs ups’ from DOD that ours are good to go, but, Are they?   And until that day when they may need used, we can’t know.   We have to take it on faith that those in charge of that shit are on the up and up.   I have lots of faith, but not when it comes to human honesty.  That one needs EARNED, and current events are not helping that faith any.)

My personal observations, and I am repeating myself here: They, the powers current in the world scheme, are going to implode the world finance market, or they are going to explode world wide war,

and as Da stated, ‘only because they want to reduce the population to near zero’

Some people just want to see the world burn.

And that scares the ever lovin’ shit out of me.

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Muhnday wrap up.   Slow day, shop day (for the most part) and a full day at that (for me.  Crews only got 6.5)    Wanna keep that trend online and on the up and up for the next couple months.   Gotz some catchin’ up to do.    Maybe things will hold together a bit longer.    Fingers crossed.  (and if they don’t, Heinlein rules apply: When the ship lifts, all bills are settled.)

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Went for a small paddle sesh yesterday, no milage worth noting, more floatin’, getting the feel of the water/weather/WORLD around me.    Still not much in the way of bloomin’ plant-life to brighen things up, SO FAR.  That won’t take long now as I am seeing some here, there, everywhere: its just patchy, currently.  

Water was damned cold too!   Brudda B will tell you; if’n I think the water is cold, its KOLD.    Didn’t really feel up to getting too far out as the wind was up, the water was murky (lots of rain recently and it hasn’t settled down yet) and that chill factor,,,, Yah,,, I kept it close to the put in, preferably leeward sides to keep windburn down (still picked up a set of chapped lips ) and just enjoyed floatin’,,,,

and thinkin’.

Semi-retired.   That has been my stance ever since I quit doing the audio stuff.   Bounce around J.O.B.s as I see fit,    Never gonna see the SSI thing: you know damned well that I am right on that.  If you are on it, SOAK IT FOR ALL YOU CAN GET WHILE YOU CAN GET IT.   Its gonna go’way soon enough, and that has nothing to do with Trumped and DOGE.  It was never meant to be what it has become and CAN NOT be maintained.    I fully expect that years before I am eligible, its gonna fade into history or the ‘goal line’ will be moved even further out.   Much like when I was growing up and the drinking age kept getting moved down the road just about the time I was there.   My understanding now, is that the retirement age (full bennies) is now 67; was 65.    thats still 10ish years down the road for this curmudgeon.   Wanna bet it goes to 70 or 75 before then (and fails completely shortly thereafter.)?

Don’t care.    Never wanted a dime from the gooberment anyways.   Don’t like the idea of ‘Take the kings shilling, you must do the kings bidding.”

I’m way more cat than Dawg in my spiritual inclinations.    I LIKE being independent and dangerous.   Not that anyone who knows me will tell you I am a danger: just don’t piss me off to the point where I smile,,,,   Or as I explained to a friend, about my family and our ‘short fuses’: our fuses are very short, but very difficult to get lit.   Once lit though, you can’t put them out.  Shit has to run its course.

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Lunch (I WISH! LOL)

and Mama-kat thoroughly distracted me, and the thought process went ‘poof!‘

please stand by as signal is regained

I’m probably gonna be one of those ‘retirees’ that wanders the world.  I could easily see me backpacking the AT or PT and working my way along.   Need food? trap rabbits or squirrel along the way, offer to help for a day for some cash or supplies. etc etc.    Wanderlust is strong in my family, and especially in me and Sis.  We’ve lived the gypsy life a time or three. (and what made my Audio days so much fun.  travel AND pay!!!)

Or (because the knees ain’t what they were) do the kayaky thing (more comforts as well) with fishing and trapping to supplement the food stocks, working at places as needed for the extras.  Marinas tend to be cash pools for extra hands,,,

Doesn’t sound like much of a plan, does it?

But it would work for me until I hit the ‘too damned old’ stage, at which point, ‘paddling into the sunset’ wouldn’t seem so final, but a doorway to the next adventure.

Dark thoughts?   Not at all, not to me anyways,,,  We all see things from different perspectives: what one person calls trash may be ‘gold’ to another.    We are NOT the same, no matter how much alike we think about most stuff.

We Are Not The Same.     That is the lesson that cannot be taught to those brainwashed in Equity and Inclusion.   They got that ‘diversity’ down pat, but can’t get it in their heads that the other two are mere pipe dreams from an Opium den 160 years ago.

No love of state, no love of theocracy, no love of monarchy, Democracy be hanged (it usually accomplishes this fact by itself)

Three simple rules, taught to yung’uns in most western cultures before they ever hit ‘education’ levels.    Don’t hurt people.  Don’t take their stuff.   Help others where and how you can.

ALL STATE IS BASED ON VIOLENCE.   “At the bottom of every stack of Government paperwork, is a loaded .45- Billy Beck”   The only difference between a mugger and government is, The mugger doesn’t think he has the RIGHT to steal your shit, he just does it.  Those in power either were never taught the ‘three rules’ or are loose enough in their own ethics to ignore them.

or both

Yet more reason why I would take the hike/float route when things go too far; not just the age thing.

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It’s back to the grindstones tomorrow.   Feeling good about things, even if this post seems ‘off’.   Soon enough, my paddle days will get longer, closer together and with the occasional overnight on some remote beach/shore to further clear the mind and soul of the clutter of a modern world gone haywire.

Y’all take care.

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