Above 1200 Sq/FT The Salvage Garage

[bulletpruf]

My air conditioning only seems to work when I am moving.

I see you have one of those newfangled trucks with a slushbox! When I joined the Army in 1985, I often drove a deuce and a half. Manual trans, of course. We still had the Jeeps (we called 'em "quarter tons" back then) too. Those were loads of fun to drive. Not sure if we have any more manual trans trucks in the inventory.

 

[kaymccampbell]

I see you have one of those newfangled trucks with a slushbox! When I joined the Army in 1985, I often drove a deuce and a half. Manual trans, of course. We still had the Jeeps (we called 'em "quarter tons" back then) too. Those were loads of fun to drive. Not sure if we have any more manual trans trucks in the inventory.

There's a word I haven't heard in a long time, slushbox.

 

[Strouty]

It is an updated version of the old ones, I think it is an M939 variant, the dump configuration has another number, not really up on that stuff. This one is a 5 Ton, but they aren’t that much different body wise. It is funny that the truck is air brake, but they didn’t want to confuse the soldiers, so they still have the lever type E-Brake, it just operates an air switch instead of the old cable. They also have the push button release as an option, that just seems to be confusing having two different ways to set and release the same parking brake.

Chuck ate at about 10 PM, I kind of left him a bit hungry today, he has started eating the dry gerbil food as well as other greens he would normally refuse. I have a feeling he is never going to stop drinking smoothies, but if I can limit them to morning and night, that would be fine.

UPS and USPS had an equal amount of deliveries, the new cages showed up, the new litter boxes showed up, and all the other Chuck related products arrived. The new litter and the new litter boxes seem to be about perfect, Chuck would have to double in size before they would be too small. Only trouble now is the wood based litter is tracking everywhere, so next item I need is some astroturf to lay down. I think we are 90% figured out, this week should be a much better week overall.

 

[Strouty]

Chuck got up at 2AM, but he just used the facilities, foraged the greens, then dragged the Chuck off apple tree (with apples) down into us nest on the first floor. Other than that, he settled back down and slept until about 5 AM, at that point he must have been having a bad dream, he was squeaking a high pitched noise every so often, I gently woke him up (he was in the hammock) and gave him a comforting rubbing on his head. He then slept until about 6:45 AM and then I fed him his smoothie. He is now back to sleep in his blanket fort.

While Chuck sleeps, I am going to try and get the cage at the Salvage Garage setup, also need to get some more red clover on my way home. Then once he is up, we will go to the Hill and setup the other cage, then I have things to do at the office.

 

[bulletpruf]

Chuck got up at 2AM, but he just used the facilities, foraged the greens, then dragged the Chuck off apple tree (with apples) down into us nest on the first floor. Other than that, he settled back down and slept until about 5 AM, at that point he must have been having a bad dream, he was squeaking a high pitched noise every so often, I gently woke him up (he was in the hammock) and gave him a comforting rubbing on his head. He then slept until about 6:45 AM and then I fed him his smoothie. He is now back to sleep in his blanket fort.

While Chuck sleeps, I am going to try and get the cage at the Salvage Garage setup, also need to get some more red clover on my way home. Then once he is up, we will go to the Hill and setup the other cage, then I have things to do at the office.

Chuck is living the life! Being orphaned is the best thing that ever happened to the little guy.

 

[Strouty]

I would say yes and no, he has lost some freedom, but I know that he is loving everything else, once we get the outdoor enclosure done, then he will be really enjoying things. Part of that was waiting for him to be big enough to use kitten flea and tick meds, those should be here Friday, so then I will feel better about him being outside longer.

 

[xtremek]

Sounds like things are starting to settle down with Chuck and your life.

 

[Strouty]

A little bit, I figure August is still going to be a tough transition month, but at least my infrastructure is getting sorted out so I should be in the best position I can be in.

 

[bulletpruf]

It is an updated version of the old ones, I think it is an M939 variant, the dump configuration has another number, not really up on that stuff. This one is a 5 Ton, but they aren’t that much different body wise. It is funny that the truck is air brake, but they didn’t want to confuse the soldiers, so they still have the lever type E-Brake, it just operates an air switch instead of the old cable. They also have the push button release as an option, that just seems to be confusing having two different ways to set and release the same parking brake.

Pretty sure I was driving an M939 around 1987 or so; it was a 5 ton dump and definitely had an automatic trans. We still had the older deuce and a halfs and 5 tons but they were gradually being phased out.

Went into the infantry afterwards and got to drive some really cool stuff there, too. Bradley Fighting Vehicles (BFV's) had lots of firepower, but the M113 armored personnel carrier was a blast to rip around the woods in.

 

[86turbodsl]

My brother was on Bradleys as i recall. I never saw it first hand, but that's what he told me if i remember right. Pretty cool stuff that high GVW military hardware. If it's big and tough, i like it.

 

[Strouty]

The trucks soak up the terrain even loaded, I was driving over a berm that would high center most trucks, but the suspension travel, ground clearance, and the wheel base make it pretty tough to high center one of these, I think the wheelbase of the troop carriers is a little bit longer and the tractor trailers may be a bit shorter or it could be my imagination and they are all the same wheelbase.....

 

[bulletpruf]

My brother was on Bradleys as i recall. I never saw it first hand, but that's what he told me if i remember right. Pretty cool stuff that high GVW military hardware. If it's big and tough, i like it.

Brads are pretty tough, but they're also quite expensive and complicated. We had some awesome mechanics, but they worked their butts off.

Live fire ranges were pretty intense (you had to shoot a certain score to qualify) but still a lot of fun. We shot at targets up to about 2,000 meters away - day and night (thermal sights) - with the main gun - a 25mm Bushmaster chain gun - but they can shoot up to 3,000 meters depending on the ammo used (armor piercing or high explosive were the only options I recall). Never did get to fire the TOW missile, but they were about $40,000 per missile, so shooting a live one didn't happen often during training.

 

[bulletpruf]

The trucks soak up the terrain even loaded, I was driving over a berm that would high center most trucks, but the suspension travel, ground clearance, and the wheel base make it pretty tough to high center one of these, I think the wheelbase of the troop carriers is a little bit longer and the tractor trailers may be a bit shorter or it could be my imagination and they are all the same wheelbase.....

I think you're right on the wheelbase.

I never got into any real rough terrain in a 5 ton dump, but did get stuck one time in a CUCV (Blazer with an anemic 6.2 diesel). I was somewhere I shouldn't have been, screwing off with a few buddies. We got lucky and an inmate/trustee from the local prison pulled us out with a deuce and a half fire truck...

 

[Strouty]

That sounds like the plot to a horror movie

I never got into any real rough terrain in a 5 ton dump, but did get stuck one time in a CUCV (Blazer with an anemic 6.2 diesel). I was somewhere I shouldn't have been, screwing off with a few buddies. We got lucky and an inmate/trustee from the local prison pulled us out with a deuce and a half fire truck...

 

[Strouty]

Chuck won’t wake up, I am sure I could manage to get him up, but there is a process and he has to go through the steps so I can feed him after his routine. Now I am going to try and sleep for a little while, until Chuck says it’s time to get up.

 

[Strouty]

He just finished eating, so now I can officially go to bed. I did modify the bottles a bit, had to enlarge the openings to get the pulp pieces to go through without clogging, seemed to work fine and should save me time in making the smoothie and feeding Chuck.

 

[Strouty]

Chuck slept all night, he just ate and is now creating a new blanket fort (I washed his old ones). Last night I got the cage setup at the Hill (finally), this morning I am going to go to the Salvage Garage and set that one up. Hopefully I can get a couple errands done and then after Chuck eats, we will head to the SG so I can really get a few things done.

 

[Strouty]

I uploaded probably one of the worst drone videos possible. I didn’t understand that the 400’ geofencing distance was based on where it took off and not where the controller was, it was frustrating and I have to do some more learning, I just wanted it to be able to follow me, but it wouldn’t go past the “fenced” area. I figure if I keep practicing, it is the only way I can learn how to use it. Also going to have to get a drone license, those FAA bastages are cracking down on these things ********.

 

[bulletpruf]

That sounds like the plot to a horror movie

It's a better story when told in person. I was in Officer's Candidate School at the time and there would have been grave repercussions if my co-conspirators and I had gotten busted.

 

[bulletpruf]

I uploaded probably one of the worst drone videos possible. I didn’t understand that the 400’ geofencing distance was based on where it took off and not where the controller was, it was frustrating and I have to do some more learning, I just wanted it to be able to follow me, but it wouldn’t go past the “fenced” area. I figure if I keep practicing, it is the only way I can learn how to use it. Also going to have to get a drone license, those FAA bastages are cracking down on these things ********.

I need to start using my drone for my YouTube videos at some point, too. I got one of the DJI Mavics; not cheap, so shouldn't be sitting on the shelf gathering dust.

Are you sure you need a license if you're just tooling around in the woods of Maine?

 

[Strouty]

The second that you use it for youtube, they assume you are commercial and that is what gets you. If I never share the videos, then it isn't as big of a deal. Also there are many rules that make a commercial license necessary due to airspace, heights, people in the vicinity, on and on......

 

[Strouty]

Apparently I can't trust Chuck's sleep schedule, he is now up and about and I just got to the SG, so now I have to worry about him, usually he is asleep until almost 10.

At least after today, I will have all the cages at each location setup and ready, next step is going to be getting him to deal with a pet carrier without attacking me when I need him to get out. The only good thing is that right now I am watching him eat the dry food, the more he eats, the better I feel.

 

[xtremek]

Sounds like you got a decent night's sleep, as far as Chuck is concerned.

 

[Strouty]

About 5 hours, I really need 7 these days.

Chuck is snacking now, I am about to take him outside so I can grill things.

 

[xtremek]

I wear a fitbit, and if I get close to 7 hours and an 80+ sleep score, I'm usually good for the day. If I'm not really close to at least 7 hours, or my sleep score is a 79 or lower, I'm hurting that day. I got 6 3/4 hours of sleep and a 79. My **** is dragging. It doesn't help I gave up caffeine this week.

 

[Chrisb62]

It doesn't help I gave up caffeine this week.

What were you thinking !!!!!!! I only drink one coffee a day (20 ounce) and one soda (12 ounce) .


Hope mybigwarwagon is not reading this.......

 

[xtremek]

Hope mybigwarwagon is not reading this.......

We'll know when he does, we'll hear the thud from our houses.

 

[Strouty]

I was thinking that the last couple weeks, I must be feeling like Uncle Willie does without any coffee. I have had to partake in the energy drink or three.

 

[Chrisb62]

Whats up Chuck...............................




Waking dad up at all hours....................



This is the way it is for every person who has a baby in the house as well....

 

[Strouty]

I think the new smoothie formula is not working, he hasn't had more than one bottle at a time, usually he has two. He has been eating more of the dry food, but he was absolutely crazy today, he had spread his litter all over the place, then later he decided since it was outside the litter box, it was still OK to use it, that lead to a full on bath. A wet woodchuck is pretty tough to handle, he basically flails like a turtle would, but his body can twist and contort into a pretzel while he flips his rugged clawed paws around. After that we went outside for a bit, now we are inside staring each other down, he is almost sleeping, but not quite, I have to swap out the litter in one of the boxes, then remake the smoothies so that it is like the old stuff to see if the new stuff is the issue. Luckily it isn't as hot as it was yesterday, but it still is plenty warm and humid for me.

 

[86turbodsl]

I think Chuck is getting to be your primary employment. Hope it gets better soon.

 

[walrus]

I'm impressed with your care of Chuck. I would have dropped him off to a wildlife rehabilitator a long time ago 2 dogs isn't that much work even when they are puppies

 

[Strouty]

I didn’t think it would be quite this tough, but I think things will get better, trying to get him to eat certain foods is the tough part, he is being way too picky right now. On top of that, I have switched things up too often and too fast, so he hasn’t even had time to adjust, I bet it is stressful for him as well. I am contemplating going to the Salvage Garage for a bit, based on his waking time last night it wasn’t until 11, so I could get something done, I should have left at 6:30 when he went to bed, but my GF and I decided to clean the grill so it won’t have any grease fires this year.

 

[reader2580]

I've never seen a single person go in for a sleep study that wasn't prescribed one of those things. It's a money racket that goes on for the rest of your life. My wife has one, and they charge us nearly 200 every couple months for "supplies". It's just a replacement mask and hose and filter.

Think about it. If you didn't have sleep issues you wouldn't be going for a sleep study. Is it any surprise that a majority of people who go for a sleep study have sleep apnea? My mother did a sleep study and did not have sleep apnea. I know quite a few people who have wonderful sleep ever since getting a CPAP. They won't even take a nap without it. I am still tired even with my CPAP.

A lot of CPAP supplies are replaced too often simply because that is how often insurance will pay for new supplies. My father said he replaces his nasal cushions multiple times per month because that is how many they supply. There is no way any nasal cushion needs to be replaced that often. I can't believe his Medicare Advantage is paying for that many. It can at times be just as cheap to buy some CPAP supplies online instead of through insurance. I buy some of my CPAP stuff online because it is no more expensive than my 20% co-pay and no hassles dealing with my DME.

 

[Strouty]

I ended up at the Hill, it was about half the driving, so I figured I could be more productive. I have a couple more things to try and do, then I am going home.

 

[86turbodsl]

Think about it. If you didn't have sleep issues you wouldn't be going for a sleep study. Is it any surprise that a majority of people who go for a sleep study have sleep apnea? My mother did a sleep study and did not have sleep apnea. I know quite a few people who have wonderful sleep ever since getting a CPAP. They won't even take a nap without it. I am still tired even with my CPAP.

A lot of CPAP supplies are replaced too often simply because that is how often insurance will pay for new supplies. My father said he replaces his nasal cushions multiple times per month because that is how many they supply. There is no way any nasal cushion needs to be replaced that often. I can't believe his Medicare Advantage is paying for that many. It can at times be just as cheap to buy some CPAP supplies online instead of through insurance. I buy some of my CPAP stuff online because it is no more expensive than my 20% co-pay and no hassles dealing with my DME.

Well, i have insomnia, i could see a sleep study in my future. And i am 100% sure i don't have sleep apnea. From what i've seen, its usually heavier people or those with genetic features that occlude the airway. I had a boss that wasn't heavy, but had shape of the passages such that a cpap barely did anything.. He ended up having reconstructive surgery that fixed it, but changed his face shape so much he looked like a different guy.

 

[Strouty]

I am heavier, but I had issues even when I was at 3% body fat, I just have a terrible airway. They took my tonsils out and trimmed the uvula, it helped but not enough. From what I have found, the only way to fix my issue would be to rebuild my jaw. The dental implant essentially mimics this, but it puts so much strain on my teeth that they have permanently moved, I now have gaps in my molars that weren’t there before, it changed my bite too, the dentist didn’t like what was happening, so I stopped using it.

 

[Strouty]

Chuck ate at 11:30 last night, went to sleep by about midnight. He was up at 6:30 this morning, now he is resting again, hopefully for a few hours, but this week hasn’t been as long as last week. He has been taking more smoothie, so I am hopeful that will make him sleep longer. He keeps digging specific things out of his dry food bowl, I need to figure out what it is so I can get more of it.

I want to get the dump trailer emptied, it is essentially full of trash, it has been that may for more than a month and I think it is time to do it. So that is my one goal for this morning, I am setting a high bar for sure.

 

[Strouty]

Glad I went to the Hill last night, I had put out all the recycling (there was a lot) on my way out, they showed up really early this morning and I would have missed it.

I got the dump trailer filled and emptied, now I am at the house filling it with brush and tree trimmings. Technically right now I am watching Chuck run around like a lunatic, but he didn’t get up until after 10, so I had time to start trimming and then loading the trailer, just a little more to load, then I have to take another trip to the dump.

 

[impala4speed]

Strouty, don't know if this would help you or anyone else here but I've had two sleep studies done at two different facilities and both times the results were negative for sleep apnea. I've had issues with horrible snoring for many years not only causing me to have terrible sleep but also greatly bothering my wife. I bought a slightly used cpap machine online (somewhat illegal I suppose but I was desperate) but I always hated wearing the mask. I bought several different adjustable mouthpieces that move the jaw forward but they were too uncomfortable to wear. Finally I came across this:

https://goodmorningsnoresolution.com/

It took a few nights to get use to but it has really worked very well for me and is comfortable to wear. No more snoring! I can't say for certain if this would work for you if you definitely have sleep apnea but it might be worth it to at least look at the info on the website. Right now it sells for around a $100 but every so often they offer sales. Plus a guarantee of trying it for 30 nights, if you don't like it return it. No, I don't have anything to do with this company but after years of suffering from terrible sleep this is the only thing that has worked for me. That's why I always tell folks about this who also have sleep problems.