A note for a wonderful lady, RunNRose....it's in da box

Hi folks. Even though I been down in the weather again, I ain't been sit'n on my ass do'n nuttin.

Speak'n of weather, I been check'n my heart rate bout a hunnert time a day. For the last 2 days, or is it 3, my heart has been beat'n just like it supposed to do. Ain't catched it skip'n a beat not once time. You ain't gonna believe how much that improves my outlook on life. But I'm still gonna keep my appointment with the heart doctor.

Also speak'n of the weather. Did you see that 15 minute storm what blowed through my yard yesterday night? Them winds was a blow'n close to a hunnert mile a hour. Rain was pour'n down by the bucket fulls from ever direction. Hail was a fall'n from the sky. Temps drop 10 degs in 10 minutes. And then all a sudden, it was all over. Sunshiny skys today....57 degs.

Did I mention I buyed me a brand spank'n new BBQ grill? As much as I hate retiring my Weber Q, I did.  Ya see, I was do'n me some research find'n a grill what would stand up to the torture an' abuse, the old Billy Bob gives to grills..... an' not blacken my chicken. I wanted a 2 burner so's I can do me some indirect grill'n. I fount what I was look'n for. It's not a travel grill, but it's also not a great big ol' YUGE grill. Home Depot had it in stock for a hunnert dollar.

I've already started modifications. See that temp thingy? That come out my Weber Q grill. And, since I like to sit in my chair while grill'n, it needs to be lowered bout 3 or 4 inches.
"Cut the frick'n legs off Billy Bob, modify it".
That WAS what I was gonna do, but shoot, why not just cut 3 or 4 inch off'n the wood platform legs? That what I gonna do.

Because of the damage the rains did to my Weber grill, this one will have a roof over it. I builded the roof yesterday afternoon. Yet to be installed....but it's sit'n out there on the da porch. It will be mounted to the sun shade and extend over the awning. Ain't no rain gonna eat up my new grill.

This is for RunNRose. I got your emails, so's don't be think'n I'm ignoring you. Today I been out in the shop modify'n a freak'n shipping box the log cabin won't fit in. That is done. I builded the mounting platform thingy....but YOU got to put it together. Will include instructions by email.
By the way Rose, you will have to find you someone to plant a 4 X 4 in your yard for the mounting of the Billy Bob log cabin birdhouse.

The log cabin birdhouse is sitting inside the modified box....minus puff balls/bubble wrap or something to protect it in shipping. I bet ya a dollar I gonna write FRAGILE all over the box. Shoot, I may even spell it wrong, just for fun ya know. How bout FRAILGE?

Once it is installed, I would love to see a couple photos by email. And with your permission, I will post them on my blog.

Ok, we done with that. Now what?

One more thing. I got me another project. Follower an' long time buddy Louie suggested I build a log cabin mailbox. Me an' Louie think along the same lines.

We builded another log cabin birdhouse....Yeee Haa!!!!

I searched every word of my last blog post and find nowhere had I mentioned politics or religion. I searched other blogs to make sure my post had actually updated. It did.
Did I offend someone?

I had me some cedar left over from building the sun shade thingy an' I got to think'n..."What would a cedar log cabin birdhouse look like"? So's I breaked out my timber saw mill (table saw) an' I start cut'n a pile of logs. I'm gonna build just one more log cabin birdhouse.

At this point, I have 4 log cabin designs to build from. Just in case I ever want to sell 'em. But the one I am building right now IS NOT FOR SALE. It's free....delivered to your door by UPS.
"Now Billy Bob, how you gonna fit a 17 inches wide birdhouse in a 16 inches square cardboard box"?

RunNRose's log cabin birdhouse is finished. Well, maybe not all the way finished. I still got to construct the base for mounting it on a 4 X 4 pole out in the yard. Ha Ha, 4 X 4 post is not included.

 Now all I need is an address to send it to. Here is my email address. billpiep@yahoo.com. I cain't guarantee when Rose will receive her Billy Bob birdhouse, but will send you tracking details as soon as it is dropped off at UPS. Enjoy. I enjoyed building it for you.

Ok, I have a cardiologist doctor appointment in bout 2 more weeks. According to the nice lady at the doctor office, I don't have to worry myself to death at this time. So I rekon for the next 2 weeks I will monitor my heart rate an' if'n things get any worse, I can always call 911 an' go to the emergency room if needed. I'll keep you informed.

Ok, I'm in the market for a brand spank'n new BBQ grill. I like my Weber Q100, but it has issues. The temp can not be regulated below 320 degs....what burns the hell out what ever I put in it. Chicken, just chicken....an' I like the hell out of grilled chicken. It also burns the bottom of my pizza. The grate is in need of replacement. Rust has eat that sucker plumb up. Robert looked at grill at Academy an' fount me one I may like. So we gonna go look see.

Seen a follower lady up in Wisconsin made a enchilada dish out of taquitos an' enchilada sauce....cheese an' stuff. I says I gonna try this. I did. Won't be do'n that no more. Although Robert an' DIL Mandi said they was good. They have both been taught to lie when it comes to food.

There ain't nuttin new to write about other than it's get'n on the cool side again for a bit. Lower 30's at night. 54 degs today. More expected. Give me some more of that 50's at night an' mid 70's day time.....uh huh, I can take that kind of weather. Winter is over ya know.

Till next time....miss all my followers. Talk to me. 
 

I ain't got nop more projects...now what I gonna do?

I'm gonna start this post today, but ain't gonna guarantee I'll finish it today. I ain't in a writ'n mood this morn'n, but then I ain't got my first cup of coffee digested yet.

Ok, I got to slow down on these projects just a bit.

The shop doors are finished an' rehung. They are now solid like a rock. No more that rickity, crookit, don't close right, Billy Bob homemade shop doors. "You know some shit Billy Bob".

That pile of materials was just sit'n out there in the yard. I cain't have lumber lay'n in my yard like that....gotta do something with it.

 Robert digged me some holes in red Georgia clay. We planted two landscape timbers....and construction begun. I'm gonna build me a sun shade for the afternoon sun while sit'n out there on the porch deck....sip'n up a cup an' think'n ya know.

"What the hell Billy Bob, you forget to take pics during construction".
Ok, I got in a hurry....I am not a patient man. It's gotta be done right now, not tomorrow, right now.

I'm gonna stop this post right here an' finish it later.....hopefully today. AFTER I finish the sun shade thingy.

Well, here it is a few not wasted hours later....da Billy Bob done did it. The sun shade is done. Moved my Weber Q grill after put'n short legs on the platform...got it all level up. Hauled most of the building materials back to the shop.
"Now what ya gonna do Billy Bob, you is slap out of projects"?

Now there is a slight possibility I may do some modifications to the sun shade. I'm not totally satisfied.....drawing board. That would be another project wouldn't it? But I could always clean up the porch deck....put some of that stuff where it lives.....vacuum up all the leaves and stuff.
"My God Billy Bob, you wouldn't dare clean up da porch". Well I will if I take a hanker'n. 

Looks like I gonna have to make me a appointment with a heart doctor. My heart has been skip'n a beat like it ain't never done before. Then it will beat at half speed....41 beats a minute. I'm think'n this could possibly be something serious. Then all a sudden it goes back to normal....80 beats a minute. Will let ya know as soon as I know.

Ok, post time.....Oh wait!! One my favorite followers asked me a important question. That would be the wonderful RunNRose what I named the Chris Craft boat after. I tossed the thought around bout building log cabin birdhouses an' sell'n 'em. But that's bout as far as it got.

Ok let's try this again. Love ya all and miss the hell out of Texas.

Projects projects an' more projects.

Often times we just don't have the capacity to sit down and write a blog post. *I just made that up*.

Not a whole lot has been happening here in the peach state of Georgia. Weather has been almost perfect if there's such a thing. I ain't a believer in "climate change", but it sure has helped me make it through this winter. While some Yankee states have been freez'n their yangs off, dig'n their cars an' pick 'em up trucks out of snow banks, I been sit'n out there on my porch deck sip'n up a cup in upper 60's temps. Not every day mind you, but this winter has been [this] close to perfect.

I think I mentioned in my last blog post that there was a possibility I would build a bluebird log cabin bird house for my daughter Doris. Some hows she got wind of it and she catched me in the construction of it. Tell'n me she didn't want a BIG ol' birdhouse...a small one would do. I don't do small!!!
As of today (what ever day it is today)....well a few days ago, it was completed an' ready for pick up.

I breaks out my Walmart special notebook an' do me some drawings. Yeah, this will do just fine.

This is the choice I decided to build.

It all started with a bunch of boards off'n some kind of shipping crate. A short time on the table saw, I got me a pile of logs for a log cabin.

Construction begins after each log has been stained and notched on each end to lock the logs together.

Have ya ever made board an' batten gable ends on a table saw. I knows some shit.

 Door and winders constructed......like doors and winders is a hard job.....HA!

Roofs installed. Now that was a chore get'n them suckers to fit right.

Billy Bob design homemade rock chimney is installed.

And we have a completed bluebird log cabin birdhouse.

But I ain't done yet. Other projects are in the makings.

One was to throws the bird feeder in the dumpster and build another one just like it. An' that's exactly what I did.

The next project is to rebuild the warped an' crookit doors on the shop. One is completed an' rehung. The other is sit'n on the roller table wait'n for the old Billy Bob to show up and fix that sucker. Photos there are none....yet.

Then I have another project to build before "sit'n on the porch time" rolls around in warmer weather. A sun blocker to keep afternoon sun off'n me while I'm sit'n out there sip'n up a cup think'n of new projects. Robert done picked up the materials needed.

"Shit Billy Bob, you been one busy man".

Well shoot, this post ain't what I had in mind

Ok, now where were we. Oh yeah, we was posting project pictures. But before we get into that....

It's hell get'n old and stuff wears out and breaks down. I been hav'n me a hell of a time for the last 2 or 4 years. Had it not be'n for my son Robert com'n to south Texas an' rescuing me a couple year ago, I might not be here today. I'm talk'n bad shape when he come get me.

But, in the last 2 years, more stuff broke down an' it ain't fixed yet. One of those break downs the doctor, he done prescribe me some medicines what is supposed to fix it. The side effects are terrible an' I cain't take the meds. It's hard to have to live with a break down what ya cain't fix. Not life threatening, but it do get quite painful bout 2 time a month.

I'm a retiree from the University of Texas an' they pay part of my secondary insurance what includes prescription DRUGS. Everbody likes drugs. Anyhows, they change my DRUG provider to the United States drug program. Medicare part D....or something like that. Ok, I'm not in Texas at the time and Georgia is "out of circuit". But guess what, I just called them while I was typing this....and my prescriptions are covered in Georgia. I wrote all the shit for nothing....LOLOLOL.

Ok....projects. But before I get into old projects, guess what happened to my latest. The log cabin birdhouse. Ya see, when I was building the chimney I had to make my own rocks....out of spackling. As a experiment, I placed a piece of the sampe rock thingy in a bowl of water. It turned to mush. The chimney will do the same thing in a rain. The chimney was removed and sealed with 2 heavy heavy, very heavy, coats of polyurethane. That should seal that sucker from drowning an' turn'n to mush in a downpour. First good rain, what could possibly be today, I'll let ya know how it worked out.

My daughter Doris say to me...."I want one....please daddy, I want one". Do I see another log cabin birdhouse in the immediate future? I need pallets, a bunch of pallets.

We been hav'n some pretty dad gum good weather here in Georgia. Upper 50's, 60's and a couple days in the lower 70's. For winter, ya cain't beat that with a stick. But, there is some colder temps headed this way. But still in the lower to mid 50's during the working hours.

Since "yo mama" an' HIL Harry are in Texas, Robert has been serv'n me up some pretty dad gum suppers for me. I ain't cooked since they left. If they stay in Texas long enough, I may gain some my lost weight back. Can anybody spell 1 inch thick Porterhouse steak med. rare, baked tater an' a pile of green beans [] this tall? Shit, now I'm hungry.

Ok, I'm gonna have to postpone my project pictures for today. But I ain't gonna forget to get back on 'em in a few days. Until then.....have yourself a great day. See ya laters.

 

Retired life in projests and photos

Well let's start with a few project from the last 8 or 10 years.
I been want'n to do this for quite some time, but thanks to Louie, I'm gonna give it a try.
My God I done a lot of projects in such a short time I don't know where to start.

Ya see, I set up camp in Deming New Mexico back in 2005 I'm think'n it was. So let's start there.

But before we go that far into the future, lookie here what I builded an' modified.

This was when I made a trip to Ridgecrest Ca. to take care of my aunt for a few months when she broke her hip. I was bored an' needed me something to do.

 Today this airplane is stowed in a compartment under "da house".

I had a old 1984 Ford Bronco II what needed a paint job.

This is the one I called the "little red broncoII" All ya had to do was look at the key and the engine was run'n. Loved this old "jeep".

Have ya ever builded a sail cart? Take a gander at this one. I actually builded this while I still worked at The University of Texas. Finished it after my first year of travels 2002 an' 03. Crashed it into a tree and bended the long frame tube beyond repair. Dumpstered it.

 Somewhere's along the way I got into gold prospecting. I needed me a gold machine, so's I builded one.

This is called a drywasher 'cause ya don't use water to warsh the gold with. Ya use air instead.

 Here we are wash'n gold with air. My God, I ain't never dig so much dirt in all my life.




While camped at a RV park downtown Deming, I met Louie and "old pesky neighbor" Wayne. Me an' pesky mover out of town to another cheaper RV park an' I set up camp for a few short years. I was stuck in Deming.
Since I had me 2 dogs, Sadie Mae and Lug Nut, I needed a fence. And the old Billy Bob don't build fences without a porch. The "da porch" was born.

So what do you do if you got a porch an' 2 dogs. Ya build a dog house, that what ya do.

Ok, I been at this for a couple three hours look'n up pictures an' stuff. My fingers are tired. My eyes are tired. My feet are tired. I'm freak'n hungry.
Will continue this at another time.

Trump Tower (???) is complete an' sit'n on a pole

Ok, here it is another day and I have very little news to talk about. But I'll give it a try anyhows.

Health issues are bout the same they was a month or so ago. Ain't no worse and ain't no better. I rekon I can live with that. Take all my meds ever day.....that's all I can do.

Well no, that ain't all I can do. I could go outside an' walk around the yard a few times for some exercise....but I probly ain't gonna do that neither. Walking causes me breath'n issues what I don't like at all. So NO, I ain't gonna walk around the yard. But I do get me some walk'n exercise walk'n from "da house" out to the shop an' back again bout a hunnert time a day. So all ain't lost.

For a short while I was hav'n to take aspirin for my lower back an' hip, but it's been over a week since I had to take any. I'm completely satisfied with the last ablations I had done. Bout 80% of the pains is gone.

There's a possibility I may have to have something done with this damn hernia. It done got bigger. But there ain't no pain of discomfort. We'll see what the next month has to say bout that.

The bluebird log cabin birdhouse is sit'n out there on the pole.
Guess what, you gonna see lots of pictures.....

Remember them rocks I was look'n for? Well I didn't find the kind I was look'n for. So I had to make my own....out of interior/exterior spackling compound. Spread that putty stuff on to the 2 X chimney frame an' with a tooth pick, I builded rocks.

This is a sample piece before I began on the chimney. Worked out pretty slick.

Smear'n on the spackling compound in sections.

More smear'n and tooth pick'n an' I got the front of the chimney completed.

Finished product. I did have to do a color wash on it to get the rock color I wanted. Look like sandstone to me.

 But, before I can install the chimney, there is lots of work to be done to complete the cabin.

Bedroom dividers were installed so's the birds would have some privacy. But you already knowed that. Make the door look like a real log cabin door. Stained the winders an' trimmed 'em out.....(not finished in this photo). Put a front porch on so's the birds could sit outside in the shade. Made roof removable for upstairs clean outs. Hinges add to the back of the cabin so the cabin can be tilted back for downstairs clean outs. Put it all together and added the finished and dry chimney. Mounted it on the pole and platform.

We in the stages of find'n a campground for a family Memorial day weekend. Here in the east ya got to reserve months ahead or you don't go camp'n. More on this later.

Oh, before I forget, "yo mama" an' HIL Harry went to south Texas. Robert has a new job location in downtown Atlanta, so he is home ever day