Michelin Defender

I love mine. I did a lot of homework before choosing them. I don't do a lot of driving except for brief city stop n' go stuff, but my 1999 Saturn SC-1 rode smooth on 'em today to Cincinnati and back, which is about a 200 mile round trip.

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The mind is a weird and mysterious place

Michelin Defender

I love mine. I did a lot of homework before choosing them. I don't do a lot of driving except for brief city stop n' go stuff, but my 1999 Saturn SC-1 rode smooth on 'em today to Cincinnati and back, which is about a 200 mile round trip.

Mark, here is a possible use for some of the old tires you took off of your car...

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Now that's a kitty space!!

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Speaking of tires.
Here it's illegal to use spike tires in spring and summer.
When I was walking in a warm May day I heard the noise of those tires.
Looking back and it was a Police car!

Speaking of tires.
Here it's illegal to use spike tires in spring and summer.
When I was walking in a warm May day I heard the noise of those tires.
Looking back and it was a Police car!

Here in Wisconsin, they banned the use of studded snow tires completely some 40 years ago because of the wear and tear on the roadways.
Thankfully, today's all weather tires work pretty well all year round. Although there are also specialized winter tires that have even better traction in snow and ice. But you have to change them out come spring, because the rubber compound does not wear very well in the summer.

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"Time is simply the mechanism that keeps everything from happening all at once."

Mark, here is a possible use for some of the old tires you took off of your car...

LOL....
I'll bet the kitties get thousands of more miles out of those tires!

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"Time is simply the mechanism that keeps everything from happening all at once."

I am lucky that here in New Hampshire, studded tires are legal year round. I only use them in the winter, but they make a massive difference in safety.
I can drive in bad conditions with much more confidence. I still never go to fast or take chances, but I know I have a better grip with studded tires.
For my wife and I , maximum safety is the requirement.
I consider them essential winter equipment.

Steve

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Warning, addicted to SETI crunching!
Crunching as a member of GPU Users Group.
GPUUG Website

I am lucky that here in New Hampshire, studded tires are legal year round. I only use them in the winter, but they make a massive difference in safety.
I can drive in bad conditions with much more confidence. I still never go to fast or take chances, but I know I have a better grip with studded tires.
For my wife and I , maximum safety is the requirement.
I consider them essential winter equipment.

Steve

When they were still legal here, my father believed in them as well.
It was a fall ritual for him to change out the summer tires for the winter studs every year.
As a youngster, that was when my Dad taught me how to change a tire and how to properly tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern. And that back then, there were still a few older cars around that used left hand threaded nuts on the passenger side wheels.

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"Time is simply the mechanism that keeps everything from happening all at once."

I am lucky that here in New Hampshire, studded tires are legal year round. I only use them in the winter, but they make a massive difference in safety.
I can drive in bad conditions with much more confidence. I still never go to fast or take chances, but I know I have a better grip with studded tires.
For my wife and I , maximum safety is the requirement.
I consider them essential winter equipment.

Steve

Here those tires are banned not because of a drivers safety when it's not winter weather.
Why?
Those tires tear the tarmac and are spreading particles that could give you cancer.
Many people are dying because of that!

But Trump has already have a solution to that problem.

Well.........
Yesterday started off good, anyway. After 4 hours of sleep. The meds are really doing a number on my sleep habits. Have gone from sleeping 10 hours or more a day to anywhere from 4 to 6. I can't remember when I have ever had this much 'uptime'.

Got up early and proceeded to buy an assortment of hosta plants from HostasDirect. Turns out they are based a ways away from kittyland right here in Hudson, Wisconsin. Interesting site for plant lovers, even if you are not looking to buy anything. I never knew there were soooooooo many different varieties of the hosta plant!

Then it was time for my salon appointment for another cut and color. Still lovin' the light golden blond look. And besides that, I also luv the pampering for an hour or two. Worth the price alone. And I am going to let it grow out just a bit and go for a pixie look. Something like Alice in the Twilight series. But not quite as long as she wears it. Just letting my inner gurly side come out and play......LOL.

After that, I came home and decided get the lawn mowed before the heat wave coming in today. Upper 80s and low 90s with sticky humidity. That went alright until I was nearly done with it. Then things went south.
A low hanging pine tree branch managed to get tangled up in the side of the mower. It pulled the fuel line off of the carburetor and tore the petcock out of the bottom of the half gallon fuel tank. I did not immediately see this happen, and the fuel left in the float bowl kept the mower running. So, naturally, I pulled the mower back over the fuel line and petcock, chewing both of them to shreds. It wasn't until another 10 feet across the lawn that I noticed the fuel running all over the mower deck and had the WTF moment.........
About then, the float bowl ran dry, the mower died, and I turned it over on it's side to stop the fuel coming out of the bottom of the tank. Saw that the fuel line and petcock were 'missing', and started to look for them. Found the mangled remains of both. This then turned into a 2-1/2 hour road trip across several cities and two counties trying to find a replacement petcock and fuel line. No problem with the fuel line, but the petcock was the problem. I finally found one at the hardware store 3 blocks from my house, where I started out looking, after the shop 20 miles away was able to provide me with a part number for it. With the part number handy, I went back and shore 'nuff, they had one in stock.
I came home with the part in hand and assessed the rest of the situation. The primer button line was also pulled out of the carb, but not wrecked. But it is attached to the top of the carb in an obstructed location. This required about a half hour of jiggering with a long needle nose pliers to get back in place. It was either that or take the whole engine half apart to get to it.
Then I saw that the boss on the bottom of the fuel tank had been largely relieved of it's threads when the petcock got yanked out. So, a bit of JB Weld (great stuff, BTW) was mixed up and I carefully threaded the thing back into place. The JB Weld takes about 15 hours to fully cure, so that was the end of the day for that project.

So, today I get to finish reassembling the mower. Might as well yank the blade and sharpen it as long as I am at it.
And then start the AC up for the first time this year to deal with the heat wave. Hope nothing blows up when I attempt THAT.....

Meow for now.........................

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"Time is simply the mechanism that keeps everything from happening all at once."

Good fun by all in kittyland then, not :-( Good luck with the A/c.

Thanks, Chris.
We shall endeavor to persevere.......LOL.

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"Time is simply the mechanism that keeps everything from happening all at once."

Dang Mark. Your luck sounds like what has been happening to me lately. Every project I attempt turns into a repair, sometimes caused by the work on a previous project. I wish you the best with getting through this time of Murphys Law.

Steve

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Warning, addicted to SETI crunching!
Crunching as a member of GPU Users Group.
GPUUG Website

Dang Mark. Your luck sounds like what has been happening to me lately. Every project I attempt turns into a repair, sometimes caused by the work on a previous project. I wish you the best with getting through this time of Murphys Law.

Steve

Yeah, Steve.
I did get the mower put back in order. It shall live to mow another day.

Besides the Law of Murphy, sometimes everything you attempt falls under the old adage...........
"No good deed goes unpunished...."

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"Time is simply the mechanism that keeps everything from happening all at once."

Mark,

In recognition of your sticking to your new medication regime and leaving the Whiskey behind for all these weeks, I am willing to make a donation to your preferred cat shelter if you give me a link. I think you, they, and the kitties deserve it.

Wow.....that would be just grand, Chris!

My local shelter, which Lori and myself have supported for many years, is the Fox Valley Human Association.
We try to visit the kitties several times a year, and take donations with us when we go.
They shall be where my next kitty companions are adopted from!
(They have LOTS of kitties, but they also care for many dogs and a few other assorted pets.)
Here is a link to their donation page.

And I thank you for the very kind gesture, Chris.

Meow indeed!

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"Time is simply the mechanism that keeps everything from happening all at once."

Done as we speak Mark for $75. Confirmation number: 10J88216YV1546413.

My pleasure to help in a small way.

That was most generous, Chris.
And I again express my thanks.

Meow!

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"Time is simply the mechanism that keeps everything from happening all at once."

Indeed, Mark, that was a very kind gesture by Chris. I think you both deserve a big hug......I used to know some rugby players in Honiton, if that helps with the big hug! My rather battered opinion of people has been uplifted a little. Thank you, both.

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Don't take life too seriously, as you'll never come out of it alive!

Oh, freaking meow..........................
NOT a good day for the kittyman.

About 5-1/2 hours ago a massive line of storms marched across the state.
It always makes me nervous when there is severe weather and I am at work so I cannot be at home with the kitties to keep an eye on things.
Saw it building up and approaching on the weather radar on the computer at work. It was looking nasty, so naturally I started to worry a bit.

Well, the storm hit Appleton where the fire truck factory is at about 3:28PM. At about 3:29PM all power to the factory went out. Emergency backup lighting only. So, the workforce sat around and waited for further instructions. At about 3:35PM we were directed to go to the emergency shelter areas. We were there for about 25 minutes, then were told we could go back out into the plant. Of course, with no proper lighting, we were told it was not safe to work and again wait for further instructions. When, by 5:45PM, there was still no power and WE Energies could not give an estimate for restoration, everybody was sent home for the night.

As I got close to home, I saw a lot of tree debris and branches blown all over.
And as I pulled into my driveway, I saw that the storm had taken direct aim over my house.
A 60' tall pine tree in my front yard was snapped off inches above ground level and is now laying in my neighbor's front yard. More carnage became apparent as I walked around to my back yard. I have many large branches, from a few inches to half a foot in diameter snapped off and laying all asunder. One large tree snapped off halfway up. Several very large maple tree branches on the back of my roof. At least 10 major trees on the 3 adjoining lots completely broken off or uprooted. A couple of them are resting on the power lines between the poles leading to my underground service drop, but have not torn it completely down. I still have power, although it had gone out at some time during the storm's attack.

I am just forlorn. You all know how much I love my trees.

My insurance agent has been called, although he was already out of the office for the day.
WE Energies has been called about the trees resting on the power lines.
I dunno yet how much damage the branches on the roof may or may not have caused. I'll have to climb up there tomorrow before I go to work to assess that bit (assuming that the factory has power back by then). And this weekend I'll have to figure out who to contract to deal with the fallen tree and tree limbs.

But, I guess I have to be somewhat thankful. No tree fell directly on the house, none of the back windows were blown in or taken out be a tree branch. And the kitties, although I suspect they hid under the waterbed when all heck was breaking loose, were safe and sound and snoozing on the waterbed when I came inside to check on them before I did my damage assessment.

I have most certainly seen better days than this one, but I guess I must convince myself that in any case, it certainly could have been even worse. Accepting adversity has never been my strong suit.

I am going to have dinner and try to get to bed early to try to get some sleep so I can get up early and deal with the insurance man and climb up on the roof to have a look at things up there. As wound up and upset as I am, sleep may be hard to come by.

Meowsigh. Just meowsigh.

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"Time is simply the mechanism that keeps everything from happening all at once."

I'm very sorry to hear about the storm damage. I hope the pines you planted are ok.

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The mind is a weird and mysterious place

Wishing you a quick clean-up, calm cats and calm weather for the rest of the summer.

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