Horses and More Pieces of the "Doin's" Around Winter Camp

 Miss Cora is mostly standing in the Round Pen getting fat and wanting attention... which she gets about four times a day...

*Miss Cora*

Talked to the guy yesterday that I'm gonna have top her off for me (so she and I get off on the right foot this time around). He just got back from their holiday trip, so outside of the weather I think all the blocking there is done with.

It's coming up on a year since I busted my shoulder up. I'd guess it's maybe 75% now... Gotten to where I don't pay it a lot of attention, just work with what I've got.

 I'm looking forward to this fella getting her moving again in a way that'll give me greater confidence... and then she and I can get to work on building a partnership.

The new Solar System had a glitch. The controller wouldn't recognize the remote monitor... and since I don't have an address... getting the replacement shipped to the post office was a mite dicey... but got that done.

The new controller sees the monitor and it's now hummin' away with no generator grind - and I can see what's goin' on with my power plant, without having to step outside and uncover the controller!

One down and several more projects to go...

It's been a little problematical since we've been getting rather a bit more 'weather' than is terrible usual for Arizona.

But... between the Christmas snow and the rain showers... been gettin' about gettin' it done.

I picked up a new box a couple of weeks back to better organize things on the truck.

The only problem was, it didn't match the old one and I couldn't find another of those to save my liver...

 Every time I walked out and saw that mismatch it kinda poked at me...

So I hunted around and waited and Eventually Tractor supply got another in...

Those Tractor supply boxes aren't up to the quality of the Delta units... but for what I'm needing and planning, it'll do...

Yeah... That looks a lot better :)

Also added the convex mirrors I got when I took off the plastic factory junk and put actual, old fashioned, functional mirrors in place.

Had to wait nearly two months for the back ordered mounts to come in... but now I have mirrors that I can actually see something in without a bunch of gymnastics.


Just before I locked down those boxes I went to work on a quick "Dog Deck" in the cab. I won't say its quality measures up to the ones I built in my other old trucks, but with no shop with all the tools I had and dodging rainstorms along the way I'll take it.

*Arlo's Dog Deck in the Truck*

To deal with Arlo's "episodes" I still want to add one of those metal grilles they have for SUV's and such that keeps a dog restrained in the back.

I have a cable I've been using that keeps him back there - mostly - but it's not so great.

The space underneath gives a place I can stuff a coat and such away from his teeth... but to tell the truth it's already mostly filled up with boxes of leather tools and such.

If I ever do finally choose to set up in one place, it'll sure empty a lot of stuff off the rig!

With the boxes locked down on the back I'm getting to work now on relocating the spare off the truck and the spare from the trailer to the truck bed.

The idea is to open up the spaces where they were mounted for more efficient use.

Opening up the front of the trailer gives me the spot to build and mount a battery box to double the size of my battery bank...

Which will be a welcome addition. It will allow the use of all the power available in my solar charging system.

Then under the tail... where you can still see that mickey mouse factory tire lift system hangin' there... I'd been thinking of adding a water tank under there... but once I got to fiddling with things I realized that my 35 gallon tank I've been using will squeeze in between the spared just behind the boxes if I bump the spares back a few inches.

That will allow me to, some day, mount an auxiliary fuel tank in frame. Transfer flow used to build one, though it was horrible over priced... I remember adding a tank to a Ford Pickup in the mid '70's...  think it came off a Pontiac ;-)

So... I believe it's time for a lil' more cowboy ingenuity!

Also started digging and prepping for the foundation of a Stone "Water Tower". I'll be building a "Platform" about four feet high or so.

*550 gal cistern on the ground*

 My 550 gallon cistern will sit up on that. Then, to make sure it stays around when I'm off making a circle, I'll continue laying stone up and over the cistern.

Having it up on a pedestal like that will eliminate the need to hook up a pump (like I have to do now) to fill my rig tank. Just run the hose, open the valve and let gravity do the job.

Other little bits and pieces happening, but nothin' to talk about yet.

The book is calling for some attention so it's back to work for Me!

-Brian

Chop, Grub and Keep Moving

Been working inside and out. A few hours at the desk and a hunger for some strong hours outside.

A couple rainy days and one with snow stored up some impatience to get on with it.

Have done a lot of rethinking of things since I've been back. The last few days I've spent laying out the locations of a lot of the material parts of that thinking.

The first thing I did was move the entry drive location. I'd given it no good thought before. Just used the same spur-of-the-moment tracks and went with it. That would actually have some issues, so now it's in a spot that makes a little sense - at least to me.

There's a hell of a lot to do...and as always... very little treasure to do it with 😉

I've a plan for a pair of cisterns...and...shhhh...dont tell no-one... an...outhouse 🙈🙉🙊

And then a spot is set out for a decent "barn".

Today I drug a 300' tape, some t-posts and a driver through the mesquite and cactus to lay out the rough lines of a decent arena space.

There's quite a little bit of mesquite, catclaw and a few prickly pear to grub out of that area... The arrows point out a few. 😩

No idea when these tasks and ambitions will get made available for a portrait by Google Earth... but each day will see at least some small step in that direction.

Work on the first cistern tower should commence this next week maybe... Haven't totally decided what I want for that barn... pipe or stone - so that'll have to wait on that decision (and a hell of a lot of rock poaching if I go that way!!)

Gotta get back at it.

-Brian

Wrong Again Snowflake. There is No Plan! - Your Failures Belong to YOU!

I've seen it over and over. Eventually I can't keep quiet in the face of the nonsense. This seems like a good and proper time of year to expose that wrong way of thinking with another episode of Cowboy Sermonizin' ...

*In The Early Morning Light*

God does NOT have a "Plan" for you. He never did. He never will. So STOP! blaming him__for all of YOUR bad choices. Stop it! I am weary of weak people trying to shove the fault off on the Boss for the mess their lives are in, using that passive-aggressive lie; "It's in God's Hands" or some other version of; "It's Not MY fault".

The Boss put on this earth every single thing we could need to have and live a good life. Then he built us. Included in our makeup is - Free choice and Free Will.

~ The RIGHT ... and the RESPONSIBILITY to choose our own destinies ~

When bad things happen HE didn't do it and HE didn't "Allow" it__ WE did it to ourselves.

We live in the world he created for us. But, what occurs in that world is of our own choosing. It is not some arbitrary and unknowable "Plan" that floats around out of our control. It is not the Boss's plan, direction or timing.

It. Is. Yours. It is our OWN choices.

So STOP! with the "It's GOD's plan" __ "Its in GOD's hands now", abusive, cowardly, nonsense. That's BS.

Grow up and take responsibility. Accept that the Bad things that happen to you are largely the consequences of your OWN bad choices or the result of foolishly allowing others to take control and power over your life.

Quit blaming the Boss! You did it!

He was there before and he shall be waiting after. He will grant the courage, if asked, to persevere. But THAT is the ONLY action of intervention he takes in THIS world. It is up to you to learn from the mistakes and do better with what you were given.

He does not intervene to push his "agenda". His only "agenda" was to create a world ripe with the opportunity for you to take what he built - and do something wonderful that fills you up - that Sparks your own individual imagination. 

The Responsibility for your life, Snowflake, sits squarely on Your shoulders, and no-one Else's. Do with it what you will.

- Brian

Every Day a Little Progress

Was walking through the "local" Family Dollar the other day picking up a few cheap odds 'n ends, razors, paper plates, yadda yadda...

Been wanting for a bit, a few of those clip bars that hold papers on the wall at a desk or work bench etc. I had 'em in my old leather shop. Handy as hell for keeping all sorts of things organized.

Trouble is they're pricey. $12 or $14 a piece and you have to order 'em... pita.

 So anyway, I'm stumbling around the Dollar store for my few little things and Blink! That lil' light came on when a package of old fashioned clothes pins crossed my vision. $1.75 too. Not a dozen bucks for each!

Well I grabbed that lil package and started working on the deal. Got four siliconed up on the side wall... was sittin' and gazin' at my cleverness and another light blinked on; "Another pair could fit on the window valance. 😆 ... and then a third...

I get a lot of disjointed notes when I'm working on a book. Scrambled Ideas and unexpected conversations with my characters happen all the time. I scribble down those things before the idea escapes me. Might be 2 in the a.m. Then I have to find some way to organize 'em in a workable way...

I've gone through several evolutions of "story boards" for my writing shed... I believe this evolution of that writing shed is developing real well.

Another day or two and I'll tool up lil' leather overlays to dress up those clothes pins! Yep. Kuh-lassy! 😎

 - Brian

The First Post of a Fresh Blog...

Since pretty much ever'thing I've done the past couple of years has carved out such a huge change to the life I'm living I thought it proper to create a Fresh Blog that is more fitting to the road that's leading me on.

And so I've created THIS blog; A Fine Horse in New Country.

... and here is where my life on the web will get displayed.

Considering how many more difficulties the eggheads create__Ever'time they tinker with and "Simplify" the "internet" and all the software that runs it__getting all the kinks worked out of this is gonna take some little while. (I don't do it near often enough to have it be a learned skill - and so I've got to relearn the "Improved" and more Difficult!!! malarky to git 'er done every time!)

- Brian