LONE STAR BUNKER

New Year for Texas and me

2012-03-04T09:12:00.002-08:00

Had to wait an extra day to celebrate my birthday because of leap year. Worse, the great state of Texas had to wait an extra day too. I always figure that Texas Independence day (2nd of March) is just a continuation of my party. I was born 1 day early an d 190 years too late. I like to think I would have been at the Alamo with all my heros like Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie. (John Wayne?) We may have lost anyway but what a way to go.
My older brother was born on the third of July and they had parades for him too.

Spring Break

2012-02-27T14:58:00.003-08:00

Made a quick trip to the bunker this weekend mostly to drop off a really big water tank that's been taking up room in the truck and to go to Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Alpine. What a neat thing for anyone to see. One of the best recitals was from a lady from Alberta who embodied the Texas spirit like a native. She closed her presentation
by saying that her next of kin card in her billfold lists the Lone Star.
So many new citizens have moved to Texas in the past four years that you can see the spirit draining away in a city like Austin. One of the things you hear from a newcomer is that everyone is so confident and open. Well that is true unless you are in a group of newcomers who start every sentence with "back in (wherever) we did it this way.
You don't have to be born in Texas to be a Texan, you are recognized as a Texan by your actions. You can tell if a man is a Texan by the way he walks and how he tips his hat and looks you in the eyes whether he speaks to you or not. How he pitches in to help without needing to be asked and then gets embarrassed when you try to thank him. The newcomer begins to feel these things and one day he knows he is home. He feels the pride swell in him when another Texan acknowledges him without a word being spoken. We have a lot to be proud of here in the Lone Star state and we are willing to share it with another Texan, no matter where they came from.

From the Fire

2012-02-13T06:10:00.001-08:00

I'm writing this from the keyboard of my Kindle Fire. The technology is way above my level. I have just now figured out the spell check scheme, maybe. These are cold days at the bunker so we are staying close to Austin. Cold here too but winter is almost over by my reckoning the first of March is the end around here 90% of the time. I had a chance to buy an old tractor to play with this spring and was saved at the last minute by someone getting there first. The seller called me to save me the trip. Oh, well. I could rent one twenty times for the same money and not have it sit there mocking me every day.
This is hard so I'll see you later.

Mom's Piece

2012-02-03T15:44:00.000-08:00

Buying a hand gun is a touch and go thing. We have been through no fewer than four, trying to find one that is just right. Well the one above may just be the one. The first thing you have to get used to is the price goes up with each new gun. Well that sure happened here. But if it fits the bill then it's OK.
Oh, it's a SIg Sauer P238 in .380 caliber called the Lady. It is red with silver engraving and has a gold rose on top of the slide. Like all gun buyers we ran right out to the range to see if it worked. I'm surprised how nice it feels for such a small gun. We had rented one last week and there is a big difference in new and broken in but we will break it in in no time. It is the same size as the KelTec and the Ruger and just a little heavier than the S&W Bodyguard. After a couple of boxes of shells we called it good and from now on it will be her carry piece.

New year

2012-02-02T17:04:00.000-08:00

Time has flown and here it is February. I know I should write something every day or so but without touching the taboos like politics and religion there's not much to write about. I do have definite opinions on both of those subjects but I'll keep them to myself. I am a rather square peg here in the round hole of Austin. This is the Mamby of Mamby Pamby cities and you have to have a certain outlook to over look a lot of what happens here. I am getting close to one of those taboos so I'll drop it.

As you can see from the picture things are returning to normal. The yuccas are surviving even though they were burned to the ground. Many plants have sprung up and there are even flowers blooming they are weeds but the flowers are pretty. We spent a few days last month finishing up a few little projects and getting ready to install a large patio cover on the West side. I repaired the railing along the back of the roof and just generally cleaned up around the place.

Another Home on Our Range

2011-11-15T18:12:00.001-08:00

The wildlife is slowly coming back and we thought we could help by providing a birdhouse
for a pair of wrens. No trees left on the bunker property so I put the BH on the address marker. We shall see.

November 12/2011

2011-11-15T14:12:00.000-08:00

Ran out to the bunker to finish up some things before winter comes. Monday night I set up the 90 inch TV to watch what turned out to be the worst football game of the year. Too bad that the first string Vikings didn't show up. I wish I could make that kind of money to lose almost every game I played. The 90 incher is set against a 144 inch wall so you can tell how big it is. Really pulls you into the game. By the way that's
not the game but a Dean Martin/Frank Sinatra movie from the dark ages.
Barb and I put the backing on the roof tile that we installed last trip and set about cleaning up a ton of broken glass from the glass block the didn't make it through the fire. The place looks much better. She also ran a magnet all over the parking area and picked up about five pounds of nails, screws and assorted scrap. The roof tile that was broken I broke into smaller pieces and filled some low spots in the drive way. Turned into an easy trip and we're back home getting ready for Thanksgiving.

Halloween '11

2011-10-31T15:52:00.000-07:00

Nothing about Halloween here but the time of the year means that the weather is great and the holidays are upon us. The bunker is looking good and the last piece of roof finishes it off nicely. The XO and I worked really well together to get it finished and even were able to take many breaks and had a leisurely drive home. We came back through Llano to stop at Coopers for the best BBQ in Texas. The tree in the picture above is perfect for the season. It is along the highway between Mason and Llano and may not be around next year. I found it three or four years ago then lost it because I thought it was closer to Mason. The line at Coopers was long and slow and I got into a conversation with the guy behind me. Turns out that he was coming home from Fort Davis too. He has a place in DMR which is on the loop South toward Valentine and much more rugged than our mountain. We looked up there when we we looking around in the area but the road in was bad and it got worse as you went up the mountain. He said he was spared from the fires back in April and that's good. He lived close to Llano so he bought his BBQ to go. Nice guy. We ate in and had another hour to travel.

Back to work

2011-10-22T18:38:00.001-07:00

Came back out this weekend to finish the West roof that we started last trip. The wing walls were standing when we got here as were the trusses. I painted the walls first thing Saturday morning and then we began to set the tile. The first picture shows how the finished product turned out. I still need to clean up the junk pile in back.

Turning the corner

2011-10-18T18:36:00.000-07:00

I touched the wrong button on the blog today and changed everything. I'll reserve my opinion until I have worked with it a while. For now I just have an empty keyboard.
Writers block! Well you have to be a writer to have it so I guess I'm safe. The XO and I drove out last Thursday to work on the roof and managed to lay 27 blocks to make wings and put up some trusses to hang the tile. No pictures this trip but this finishes the roof off on all sides so it will look like the front. We were really beat by the time 5:00 rolled around and I was ready for a shower and a glass of wine. Not to happen. The XO called home to check on G"maw, we have to be careful she's 94, and she had taken a turn for the worse and needed us home ASAP. Well ASAP is 6.5 hours minimum. We loaded up really fast and headed home leaving tools on the roof and five gallons of paint on the patio. It took longer to get home because the 80MPH speed limit becomes 65MPH when the sun goes down. Pulled into the driveway at midnight ready to bundle G"maw up for a trip to the emergency room. No.. She had a complete recovery about 10:00 PM. We are going back this weekend, depending on her health, to finish the tiles and put a coat of paint on the new blocks. Wish us luck.
The picture above is for comparison only. More timely pictures to come.

Location, location, location

2011-10-17T06:14:00.000-07:00

Many people have asked where the bunker is located. Some people, even Texans, don't know that there are mountains in Texas. Here is a map showing Fort Davis and some of the surrounding area. Further South is the Big Bend and North is New Mexico so if you jump on interstate 10 and drive like heck (80 MPH limit) 9 hours from Houston or 3 hours from El Paso you'll be in the neighborhood. The bunker is on a mountain just South of Fort Davis called Dolores Mountain and this link has the story of how it got it's name. Because of the altitude and the other mountains in the area the weather is moderate and it gets more rain than the desert floor such as Terlingua or Presidio or even Fort Stocton just 85 miles Northeast. All things considered it is a perfect spot in a big state like Texas.

Still looking at transportation

2011-09-08T16:44:00.001-07:00

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I have been looking for a new vehicle to replace both the Van and the Buick. Just one to be a road car and to haul that 18 ft trailer. I think I have found it. The pictures show a 2011 Prius with a 2 inch hitch receiver. Perfect. Good MPG and at low speeds it's battery powered. I can cruise along with the trailer behind and look down (up) on other drivers. I just wish it were a plug in electric that way I could drive it really slow from Austin to the bunker and plug it in at each motel and use their electricity. Hauling the trailer it would only take five weeks to get to Ozona (half way) and 55 miles of extension cord.

Welome to the roadhouse

2011-08-23T12:40:00.001-07:00

The birds had damaged the neon on the front porch so I repaired it and this trip hooked it up and lit it off. Looks great. Still freaks out the neighbors but they freak easily. Especially the one down the hill that has been hunting the mountain lion up here on the mountain for several years. The latest news is that she has been seen with kittens this year.

Hole in the roof

2011-08-23T12:40:00.000-07:00

Ten years ago this place was just a structure in the Davis mountains. The original builder had safety high in his priorities so the only way in was a steel shaft from the roof through the floor and into a horizontal shaft that terminated 30 feet away on a cliff. Well my son and I cut the lower part of the shaft out years ago. I installed a sky light at the top of the shaft. Over the years we found that all that steel acted like a big radiator cooling the bunker in the winter and heating it in the summer...Wait, that's backwards.
SO, this trip I cut out the upper part of the shaft and filled it with insulation. The roof in the photo is temporary but you get the idea. The only other work this trip is to take 30 solar panels back to Austin and see if I can sell them through Craigs List. The grid tie inverter was fried in the spring fires and instead of buying a new one I figured I would get out of the business. Anyone want them, Cheap. I will deliver too (reasonable distance). Update....Craigs List came through again. Two days after posting I sold all of the panels, grid tie equipment and wind gen. Hope they have found a good home.

Texas and Employment

2011-07-13T16:28:00.000-07:00

I have wondered for the past couple of years why the Texas unemployment rate has hovered around the national average while Texas has created more jobs than any other state. The guys at WILLisms have explained it. It seems like a LOT of people are voting with their feet and coming to a state that has jobs, Texas. A few have jobs before they move but most come and register with the TWC while waiting to be hired. They are counted as unemployed for that short time before they start working. Thus the count goes up and the rate stays high. Some of these people were off the lists in the states they left because they had given up and some bring wives and friends with them and this keeps the rate higer than it should be. The Texanomics blog shows that the actual rate should be 5.5% or even a little less. The only problem I can see is that all those people from the blue states are bringing those old lefty attitudes with them and you can tell when they say things like "back home we..." or "they should pass a law to...". Welcome to Texas but try to become a Texan it's so much better.

Trailer-hauler

2011-06-20T17:33:00.000-07:00

I have been wanting to replace the van for a long time but I haven't found the right replacement. Til now. Just down the street was this set-up. I'm not sure what the weight limits may be be but I can adjust. The only problem I see is that the highway patrol may get to know me on sight out on interstate 10 and give me an escort or two. Heck officer Thurman already knows my van and waves when he goes by.

Back to work

2011-06-15T14:06:00.000-07:00

Got the new floor on the trailer and re-welded some spots bent or broke by the scrap yard. Put new tires on and packed the bearings. So now it's time to take the rest of the scrap to the scrap yard. The wheels and axles were the heaviest and then a lot of other stuff to bring the total to 2780#. Whew, what a job. The weather didn't co-operate either the temperature has been 100+ for three days (we wanted to get out of Austin because of the heat, didn't work). Took the load to Fort Stockton this morning and cashed in. By the time I pay for gas for the trip I just about break even. But on the plus side all of the stuff I have been trying to get rid of is gone and in a year or so the grass and yuccas will be back and the whole place will shine.

Clean Up phase 1

2011-05-04T17:11:00.000-07:00

Made the trip back to the bunker this past weekend to begin removing the trash and assess the damage a little more thoroughly. The damage was deeper than we had thought. The solar panels were intact but the wires and connectors were burned off and the grid tie inverter was cooked. The water panels front glass was gone and the solder had melted from the copper pipes inside. The air conditioner has an undetermined problem that wasn't a problem because the temp was COLD. So, I'll be out of the solar business if I can find someone to take them off my hands(37 high voltage panels).

As you can see from the pictures two of the trailers were destroyed and the third with no bed became a trailer sand witch for a trip to the junk yard. The small crane that I have was perfect for the job of lifting the 16'flatbed into the 20 footer and then lifting the Wells cargo into the flatbed. I had to cut the axles off so the width would work out but they fit like a glove. Next trip I will have a bed and side boards on the 20' and haul the axles and other steel off. They only pay $100 a ton but something is better than nothing. Maybe I'll make enough to pay for the four new tires I had to buy.

The trip back to Austin was an adventure. After creeping down the road about 20 MPH under the speed limit to take the trailers into Fort Stockton. They had a much harder time unloading than I had loading and managed to bend the frame and snap a weld at the tail gate. The magnetic tail light wires were too short and fell off with any bump. A DPS trooper pulled me over because I looked so suspicious and we had a nice chat. No ticket. The XO and I pulled back on the hi way and in a mile or so one of the lights fell off. I got out and re-attached the lens-less tail light. Two miles further what was left of the tail gate fell off and while I walked back to pick it up the trooper stopped and gave me a ride back to the truck with the tail gate balanced on his trunk lid. Made it almost to Junction before both tail lights fell off. Well it was still daylight and I said we could make it home before dark and as long as the truck lights could be seen over the trailer we should be O.K. Well, we made it. Now all I have to do is rewire and put a new bed on the 20'er.

More Pictures

2011-04-12T16:46:00.000-07:00

The Bunker

2011-04-11T15:46:00.000-07:00

Where to start. Barb and I were there at the bunker to begin some finish work I have promised to do. I had brought the 20ft trailer out to get it out of the yard here in Austin. Some of the work involved cutting some steel and we thought we had better not. The humidity was about 4% and the wind was really blowing. We decided not to do the cutting and to head back a day early so I could rest before a DR.s appointment on Monday. Sometime Saturday a welder in Marfa caused sparks to ignite the dry grass at his shop. News reports say that it only took only 1:30 minutes to cover the 21 miles to Fort Davis. By that time it had spread into a wide front that burned the mountain and 20 or 30 houses in town.
We were blissfully ignorant of all this until Sunday morning when we saw a crawler on the national news. I called Mr. Hicks on his cell and got all the news. He told us that The Bunker was still standing but materials that I had stored in back was gone as well as one of the enclosed trailers. The wooden porch was undamaged (that'll make you scratch your head) and the power poles had been spared. Many of the poles on the road and down on the hiway were burned off at ground level (see picture). We thought we had better see for ourselves so we headded back.

The whole mountain was on fire and I heard Sunday that it was 0% contained and had scorched 84 sq miles in Jeff Davis county alone. On our way to Ft D we were stopped on hiway 67 outside of Alpine due to fires along the road. Things went bad very fast and a change in wind direction put us (Barb and I and about 30 other drivers) in danger. I wasn't worried, I was parked two cars behind a propane truck. Wait!!! What.. The smoke was very dense and the DPS figured we stood a better chance if we got out of there through the fire line. He told us to saddle up and lead us about 6 miles out of the fire area. Once out we saw that they had Northbound traffic stopped and there were about fifty cars waiting. Damage to a RR bridge caused the Sunset Limited to be delayed 6 hours between Alpine and Marfa. See link.
Later Sunday night we tried to go back to Fort Stockton but the road was still closed and 90 to Marathon was closed too. All of this was 30 miles from Fort Davis and we had to retrace our course and by this time the road to Balmohrea was closed also. Wild Rose Canyon was blazing and it was dark. The back fires that were set up on the mountain glowed and gave the whole world a feeling of eeriness We were stuck. DPS troopers told us the only way out was past the observatory 50 miles to Kent and then 67 miles to Fort Stockton. No early bed-time for us.

Pictures of fire damage

2011-04-11T12:15:00.000-07:00

These are the houses that were totaled. They went up like a roman candle and thank goodness all were empty at the time. The first one is the three building on the very tip of the mountain. They had been working on a remodel for about a year.

It looks like the end of the worid

2011-04-11T12:08:00.000-07:00

This week end there was a major fire that involved the bunker. When I say MAJOR I mean 60K acres+. The fire was so fast it destroyed 3 of the houses on the mountain totally and damaged most of the rest. I have a few pictures to share:

TLG's

2011-04-01T16:29:00.000-07:00

I want one. Have you seen the Direct TV ads about the opulence of having so many channels to watch? The tiny "lap giraffe' is what I'm talking about. I can see a whole herd roaming the bunker compound and I can plant several bonzai trees for feed and a tiny watering hole down by the address marker. Soon I can run the whole herd North to the railhead. Yipie..eeye..ay. Wait, that means a market for the meat. They will eat them. No, I better keep them down on the ranch. Well they do make cuddly
pets. Want one?

I'm back

2011-03-24T17:03:00.000-07:00

Well, there has been very little to write about in past few months that wouldn't be like whining or too personal to share. I have all the new parts installed and working fine and the blood thing is not resolved but won't kill me any time soon.
The XO and I have made several trips but did no work until last week when I finished up a few things that have needed doing. I was able to get down on the floor to cut and fit the last of the carpet. I loaded up all the tools and stuff we won't be needing to bring back to put into a garage sale. Anyone need a chainsaw that will cut 13" into solid concrete? I also had to replace a board on the porch that had warped really bad. We will be spending more time out here in the future but we don't have to work as hard as we have in the past.
The moon was so bright Saturday the you could read a newspaper on the roof. There was still moon shadows at 7:00AM. Really neat. If I hadn't have been so bone tired I would have set up the telescope to see the moon better.

I have tried to stay out of current events and politics in this blog but one small statement: What the hell is going on? How come I'm in this hand-basket? I'm too old not to notice that things are changing and not for the better. At least the bunker is WAY OUT THERE and as Austin circles the drain West Texas will remain as it has been for the past 175 years.

Saturday Report

2010-11-27T14:39:00.000-08:00

PT is progressing but I had more swelling than last time so there is more pain. Most of the swelling has gone down by today (Sat) and the pain is mostly discomfort. I told the therapist on his first visit that I wanted to be walking around the block by Saturday and he suggested that we do it right away. Did and have done ever since. The distance is 1/4 mile but looks longer from behind a cane.
The holiday kind of messed up the schedule but I've been working on my own and everything is starting to fall into place. The one Bad thing is wearing these support-hose. Now I know why women are so mean. I look like an elf in white tights.

Looks like he owns the place

2010-11-23T10:08:00.000-08:00

One of the neighbors down the mountain says he sees a cougar up at my place in the late evenings. Mostly the eyes glowing (the cougar that is) but I've not seen any tracks or a den. There may be a bobcat that comes around once in a while or it could be a large feral tabby. Either way when the sun goes down they tend to grow larger. I'm a U of H Cougar myself, class of '68, and I seem to remember growing a lot when I prowled at night.

The Deed is Did

2010-11-17T11:57:00.000-08:00

Monday, about 10:00AM, an army of medical personnel rolled me into the operating room. We had a difficult time with the spinal block but the second anesthetist was successful. Two hours later I'm in the recovery room and wide awake. Matter of fact I was just in "twilight" sleep during the entire procedure. Couldn't see anything though, they had me draped with rags and towels and the drugs were good so I didn't care what happened.
I'm home today, Wednesday, and the physical therapy begins tomorrow.

Time for the "last" surgery

2010-11-12T18:15:00.000-08:00

Well, fall is here and I can hardly walk so it must be time for the left knee joint to be replaced. I was scheduled for the replacement in April but the blood problem got in the way. I have been on oxygen all year and have to be bled every week or so and that has kept me from letting the knee surgeon take the skill/saw to my bones. No kidding, after they break the knee joint they cut the top off the femur and the tibia and replace the knee with the metal and plastic joint. Sounds bloody and nasty but I'll be in dreamland and it won't bother me a bit. I know what to expect now and I'm looking forward to it. The pain is gone when I wake up and the only thing that hurts is the muscles and tenons that had to be moved to do the job. It takes some work to keep the joint flexible but I know that if I don't it will cause me a lot of grief later. I have almost as much flex on the right side as a man my age should have and much more than most joint replacement patients. I have worked out and ridden a bicycle many a mile to make sure it don't stiffen up. So Monday is the day and I plan to be home on Wednesday and walking around to block by Saturday. I'll blog us an update next week.

Mitre Peak

2010-08-30T19:13:00.001-07:00

As we left this morning Mitre Peak was shrouded in cloud. Pretty neat, huh?

Quick Trip to Knock Down the Weeds

2010-08-30T17:23:00.000-07:00

Made a trip to the bunker this week end just to get away from the Austin heat. There has been so much rain this year that the mountains are still green and the yard is 3 feet deep in weeds that we have never seen before. 'In fact I found two patches of ground cherries growing wild. The XO and I mowed and chopped all but the cherries. Not enough for a pie but they may make a nice short cake and cream for lunch.
The people that bought Mr. Williams place up the mountain happened to be in town. Very nice couple, Mike and Barbara from Odessa. They have done a ton of work on the place already and it will be grand when finished (are we ever finished?). I'm sure that they will be happy when they move down. I need to see if some of Barbara's eye for design could rub off on the XO and me.
All in all a good trip and even with the work it was very relaxing. We took the long way home (1 mile further) and stopped in Llano for BBQ at Coopers.

100++

2010-08-15T07:55:00.000-07:00

Dang, we got through July here in Austin but already in August we've had two or three 100 degree days and every day has been 95 plus. The temp at the Bunker has been in the 80's and 60's at night. I think the XO and I will run out there for a few days. I need to do some measuring and marking for the next phase of construction. I need to move the trailers around and probe for the septic line. I have 24 trusses that are just sitting on one of trailers getting drier by the month (been sitting for three years). Been working on my body all this time and now that I have all the parts working it's time to do something. I still have one surgery to schedule but I'm holding off till fall besides this blood thing has yet to be resolved. It has been a rough couple of years and at times I was ready to throw in the towel. In fact we even discussed selling the place but figured it would have to go to a really "specific"(read: crazy)type of buyer. It is livable but I have grand ideas and most of the material on hand so finished it's not.

Back one more time

2010-07-18T16:31:00.000-07:00

After the bad trip we had a few weeks ago the XO and I tried it again this weekend. We had not intended to do anything that even looked like work so to insure a low impact day we drove down to the Big Bend. On our way down we dropped in to see John Wells at the Field Lab. He left upstate New York for the sunny Southwest about four years ago and has lived a self sustaining life as a recluse (with many, many friends). He was baking a loaf of bread when we showed up and we had a nice chat. While we were talking his longhorn, Benita, showed up to mooch some feed and see who was there. She is as close to tame as a longhorn could be and even allowed the XO to scratch her side. John turned down our offer of lunch at the Grub Shack (waiting for the bread to finish) so we bid him ado and headed back to the hi way and on South to Study Butte and up the river to Terlingua and Lajitas. For those who have never been up the river road from Terlingua to Persidio you have missed the best 70 miles of West Texas. The only problem is the "getting there". For a really nice vacation try the Lajitas Resort or the Big Bend State Park. Look 'em up.

A Bell for the Bunker

2010-07-03T16:05:00.001-07:00

The trip was not a total failure last week. I have searched for a suitable bell for the gate post for several years. Why isn't there a bells are us. I found one in Taos NM last year but the weight of that much brass and the cost of shipping put it out of the question. This one came through a lucky chance and I had to run all over the hill country to get my hands on it. For the last few months I haven't been able to pick it up let alone hang it. So on a chance I took it along, just in case. I intended to do no work at all but I picked up the wind turbine to bring back for sale and thought I had enough strength for one try at hanging the bell. It worked.. Yea..

Fort Stuckton

2010-06-29T05:19:00.000-07:00

If you travel through West Texas, 350 miles West of Austin be sure you:
1 have good tires
2 A good spare
3 It's not after two o'clock on a Saturday

The XO and I headed for the bunker this week end just to drop off a few things and generally check up on the place. I still am not able to work so we were just going to do an up-and-back. No need for the bug out bag, right? Bad idea.
About five years ago we were making the same trip and 6 miles West of Fort Stockton we had a flat. Right front, tread separation, donut spare and about forty thousand miles on the set. But it was Saturday morning so we just drove slowly back to town and bought a complete set of tries.
Fast forward five years to almost the exact spot. Blam! Same tire. I lean my crutches against the open trunk lid and unload the "stuff". A really nice guy from San Angelo (Thanks Mr. Wincowski) appeared out of nowhere and helped me (he did most of the work). When I dropped the jack the car just kept going down. Flat Spare. Soo.. I tried to limp, very slowly back to town. After crossing the median and crossing four lanes (80+ speed limit) of traffic I SLOWLY headed back. Half way I came upon a trooper making a two car stop and he didn't have the time or inclination to help me so I eased around him and kept on truckin'. Note, he did catch up with me just as I pulled into the Shell station, blinked his lights and continued on. I pulled up to the air pump, close enough to read the Out of Order sign on it. Drat.. I went inside with my fingers crossed that the pump was only unable to accept quarters, not so but the attendant told me that there was a free hose back at the diesel pumps. I pumped the spare up to where I could read the side of the tire that said 60lbs so I changed position, protecting my important parts and pumped her up. Now to find a tire.
Not a chance. Now I know why Fort Stockton has so many motels. Now the lack of bag comes out to bite us. Not even a tooth brush. So we spend some quality time and wait for the tire store to open Monday morning. Golly at 8AM there were six of us intrepid travelers waiting for the tire guy. One over-priced replacement later we are on our way. Everything else went smoothly and we are back in Austin .

Another Trip

2010-06-09T16:02:00.001-07:00

Just now getting around to posting this. The XO and I flew into Chicago and drove to Northeastern Iowa to see my brother and his extended family. Don't know why he wants to live in Iowa I guess it's his problem. I lived there about fifty years ago too but I escaped. Strange, nothing has changed. I'm used to living in dynamic places that grow and change with thousands of families moving in every month. Even now with the stagnant economy the city of Austin is growing like a weed.
I was on crutches and my brother was pushing a walker, we looked like characters out of a horror movie. His kids and grandkids are scattered all over town so we gathered up those that were available and had a dinner shown in the pictures above. The XO is the top picture and brother Lyle is down to the right. Daughter Diana and granddaughter to the left. Bob, his son and Jim, Dianas husband are down right.

Another trip to the coast

2010-04-18T18:47:00.000-07:00

Had to run down to Galveston this weekend to pick up a few things to make the bunker a little more self-sufficient. As long as we have electricity we will have water but in the event of an extended outage we need to have some safe storage. I have plans to store run-off water for gray water purposes but I needed a potable source so now I have a system that will provide 200 gallons and a method to purify the rain water if needed.
Of course we had to make a mini-vacation out of it. Galveston is one of those cities that has character. It was almost wiped out by hurricane Ike but from what I saw it has recovered about 80%. The major destruction was to the beach homes and they are gone. Many are not being rebuilt. The city itself was mostly roofs and trees and have been repaired and life goes on. The picture above says it all without saying a word. Many of the motels and restaurants along the seawall were damaged beyond repair. Some are just slow in rebuilding, the big Flagship Hotel was severely damaged but I was told that they plan to rebuild and even make a mall and amusement park out of it. Lemonade anyone?
I did take the XO for a cruise though, (two actually) so she should stay happy for a while. We rode the Bolivar ferry over to the penisula and back. It's part of the hiway department and is one of the few free trips one can take. About a twenty minute ride across the harbor and the sights are terrific.

New Gates

2010-03-24T18:04:00.001-07:00

Time and the weather did bad things to the original gates. The glue dried out, the stiles split and some of the screws fell out. They looked good but just didn't work.
To combat the sagging problem I made the frames out of 2" steel tube and covered them with sheet metal. With my handy-dandy plasma cutter I free handed a design on them. It could be better but Rustic is what I was going for. Not bad If I do say so myself.
The XO and I loaded them up here in Austin and took advantage of the weather and spent two days installing them. We need to start
spending more time on the mountain.

Spring Break

2010-03-12T17:19:00.000-08:00

Had to make a pre-Spring Break run to the valley just to find some warm weather. That five foot gator above shows how South Texas differs from West Texas in a big way.
The XO and I spent the day driving down the coast to Corpus Christi. Corpus is one of the little known jewels of Texas. Blue water, white boats and palm trees. What's not to like. Port Isabel is similar but has none of the charm. The second day drive to Port Isabel was enjoyable and warm (92 degrees) and interestingly total miles from Austin was almost the same as running out to the bunker.
409 to the coast and 437 to the bunker.
The picture of the bunker above was taken from the highway with my new camera. That shot is about a three quarters of a mile.

Cowboy Poets

2010-02-28T17:34:00.001-08:00

Desperadoes waiting for ....

It was cold down in Alpine Saturday morning. The cowboy breakfast brought out the real hard core. I was there with my new camera and was looking for just the right shot to portray the cowboy poet gathering. This one just about says it all. There was nearly 200 years of cold mornings and hot coffee just sitting together remembering how it used to be and for these guys how it would be tomorrow.
There were about forty poets and musical groups in attendance and we didn't get to see all of them but those that we did see were terrific. One group of Celtic, Scottish/Irish/Welsh and English players from Canada blew away the audiences with old folk tunes that were the basis for a lot of cowboy music. Their rendition of the Streets of Laredo was spectacular and the addition of the Harp really set their music apart from any I have ever heard.
The cowboys that recited poems and stories were great too. The XO and I didn't see all that we wanted but there is always next year.

Fired up the smoker

2010-02-18T17:18:00.001-08:00

Now that the weather has started to warm up I thought I would try the old smoker. The XO picked up some country ribs just because they looked so good.
While they smoked I built some gates to replace the doors at he bunker. They didn't weather too well and began to sag.
But back to the ribs. They were pre-sliced and I was a little afraid they would dry out because they were exposed on all sides. Solution, cranberry juice sprayed a couple tmes an hour. I was using the 3-2-1 method. 3 hours at 225 degrees, 2 hours at 225 wrapped in foil with extra juice to keep them moist, then 1 hour open, still at 225. They were great. The picture was taked just before they were served.
Oh, by the way. Next week end (the 26,7,8,) the Cowboy Poetry gathering happens at Sul Ross University down in Alpine. I don't know how many entrants will show up but it is really a great time. Since the 1st of March is my birthday I always figure they are there to celabrate with me. Visit their web site www.cowboy-poetry.org/

Howdy

2010-01-20T14:00:00.000-08:00

Back on my feet and taking another run at the bunker. Things haven't been conducive for a road trip but now I'm blogging from the bunker. This is what the XO and I call an up and back. Not going to do any work this trip "just because".
I need to make some plans for the place. I've got the trusses for the roof of the addition and until I get the roof up I won't have any place to install the solar panels. When the solar panels go up I have four solar water panels to install with them. These will provide domestic hot water and winter heat. I just hope my body will hold together for all the work that needs to be done.
I'm sorry I haven't kept the blog up but the way things were going I didn't have anything to say. I avoid politics and religion because those are sort of personal. That said, how about the senatorial election last night.

Winter comes to the mountain

2009-12-04T11:15:00.000-08:00

The XO and I made a quick trip just to see the snow on Wednesday. The snow was mostly gone but the cold was still in attendance and more snow was to come in Thursday into Friday. We spent the night and headed back. All the way the news was that Austin would be paralyzed with snow on Friday. Yea,..Right. About noon I saw 4 flakes and they looked rather forlorn and lost. Well, it's early.

2009-11-08T17:59:00.000-08:00

Update 11/12/09 Coming up on week four. I see the saw bones (literally) on Monday and I can start serious training if everything is in place. The XO and I have arranged to put a new roof on the house Monday so we may not make the trip next week.
Week Three: Haven't blogged because I have been taking it easy. The XO has been working my arm three to five times a day and I am really coming along. My motion is better at three weeks with this routine than it was at six with the right shoulder. One more week before I'll see the Doctor and we can see the x-rays. If the little tab he placed has held its position holding the large muscle from my back in place on the arm bone I'll be good to go. We can begin some weight training and some stretching and the arm will be as good as new in a week or so.
We plan on coming out to the bunker after the doctor visit to spend some time (I had to promise no work). I might try to go down to Terlingua and look up John Wells at the Field Lab. His place is really looking good. I think it's because he works a lot harder than I do.

Bionic man redux

2009-10-28T17:08:00.000-07:00

One week out from surgery I had the stitches removed and the Dr. said I could begin PT, carefully, with the XO acting as coach. He was amazed that I was ready to go home the day after my new shoulder was installed. No sense staying though, I'm really good at pain control and I had a little football of nerve-block so off I went. He doesn't know about years of dentist visits with no pain meds. I have pretty good mobility because I have been working at it since the surgery. I can raise my arm forward from my side to 135 degrees, think heil Hitler, and pivot my elbow and wrist 100% of their pre- replacement motion. When my right shoulder went in the company I was working for required me to be off 12 weeks, I'll be 100% and swimming laps in 4 now that I'm retired.

Bionic man

2009-10-16T18:00:00.000-07:00

Back to the hospital next week. Number two shoulder (left) replacement. This time I will be more aware of what's going to happen and will bounce back quicker. UPDATE: Went in yesterday and was home today (10/21/09). Doctor was impressed with my lack of pain and my mobility so he sent me home early. Still have a couple of months of PT but I'll be back to 100%.
We have been in Annapolis, MD for the past few days on grandchildren watch. My son was in Egypt so the XO and I tried to help with the girls and had a really good time, they're 6&11 years old, we have to enjoy them while we can. The girls in Houston are older and almost out on their own, in fact one is away at college and the other is a junior in HS. I have tried to get the junior to look at Sul Ross in Alpine but nothing doing.

Run for the Bunker

2009-09-20T18:20:00.000-07:00

Got to finish that patio. I have that few blocks to place and I want to test my new high speed internet system. update: 9/23, works like a charm. I have everything set up and I'm bloging from the bunker now. The XO and I made the trip Tuesday because it was raining here in Austin and we couldn't get anything done here. We put down the rest of the patio blocks and declared the courtyard done. I spent the rest of the day getting the 20' trailer ready to haul back to the home front. New lights and pump up the tires (They go flat) and it's good to go.

Another Home on Our Range

2009-09-14T19:47:00.001-07:00

Down the hill from the bunker there is another home in the most inhospitable place. Don't know what kind of bird it is, maybe someone will tell us. They have moved along now that the kids are grown but they'll be back.

Tiles Down

2009-09-14T19:16:00.000-07:00

I have replaced the photos from the last trip below because it looks better to show a completed job. The XO and I ran out of tile last trip and had to come back to Austin to replenish. I counted 90 for the finish and guess what. Ran short again. By the time we cut the edges and replaced a few that cracked when I ran the tamper over them we were 12 short. The real problem was that we changed the plan. There was to be a rock garden in one corner (3X4) so 12 tiles. Oh, well, next trip.
Now that the big stuff is done for a while the XO and I can just enjoy the next trip.
I have tentatively scheduled the replacement of the other shoulder for late October or early November. That means 5 or 6 weeks of down time. I could use some front porch time. We will probably also spend some time looking up some of the folks that inhabit this part of Texas. People in these parts are the most self reliant and talented you will ever find. Desert-rats that take each day as a challenge and end each day with the satisfaction of a job well done.

Finished Courtyard

2009-09-14T19:13:00.000-07:00

The August trip in September

2009-09-07T14:33:00.000-07:00

Lots of stuff going on so we didn't make our August trip to the bunker till this week. We had to get out of the heat so we headed for Sturgis SD. We also went through Iowa to visit my brother. I call him my retarded brother because he lives in Iowa. I have tried to get him to come to Texas but he won't even come to visit. He says that Texans are all braggarts but I remind him that Iowans don't have anything to brag about. Especially football.
For the past four years I have had two pallets of patio blocks gathering dust out back. Last trip I spread sand in the patio area and this week we laid them. My knees still hurt. The XO would gather them in a wagon and bring them to me on the sand and I would put them down. I thought that each pallet was 250 blocks which would have been just right but it turns out that they were 200. I'm short (well...short happens) so next trip we have to carry a hundred and lay them. It really looks great though and when finished it will be nice.

Sand Sand Sand

2009-07-12T17:39:00.001-07:00

Don't look like much but this is six yards of sand laid over a compacted base of small gravel. Lots of work and plenty of raking but it will pay off.....Next trip.

“Republicans believe every day is 4th of July, but Democrats believe every day is April 15″

Home again

2009-07-12T17:11:00.000-07:00

Coming up the hi-way from Alpine the mountains look extra green denoting lots of rain this summer. The temperature was around 100 at this point and by the time the XO and I get to the bunker it should be 92 max with a good breeze. (It was).

The project for this trip is to get the patio ready to lay the pavers. I have 6 yds of coarse sand coming up Friday afternoon and a Bobcat plus compactor set for morning. Ha, it worked out just that way and by dark the XO had to be moved by brute force into the bunker and I was so shot I couldn't even have the usual steak and red wine. We were in bed before 20:00 and just for the sleep. Morning came with the aching muscles and 4 or 5 hours left to finish so we got busy and Viola we finished early and called the rental outfit to come get the tools. Early afternoon nap and the steak in the evening. nice weekend.

Pulled the plug

2009-07-01T16:54:00.000-07:00

The XO checked it to them yesterday. The firm had a little going away party and then ---out the door. After 50 years she may have some trouble being out of harness. She has the rest of this month planned and written into her planner. I am 11:00 lunch and 2:40 doctors appointment. It may take a few more months to relax.

The Dr. said I was nearly back to 100% and we can start planning on the other shoulder. I think Oct. will be soon enough. Meanwhile we can get back to work on the patio. All I have to do is tamp the sub-base down and add sand for the tiles to bed in. Once the tiles are down we can begin to enjoy it.

I'm going to talk to the guy that has taken my place for the past two months and see if he needs me to show him how to do all the things he has been doing. Gee what for. Anyhow I was planning to retire the end of July so maybe I'll go a little early. That way we can slow down together (if we don't kill each other first).

On The Road Again

2009-06-14T17:45:00.000-07:00

The XO and I finally made the trip all the way to the bunker. Two weeks ago we tried and my new shoulder hurt so bad we had to turn back. I had to promise not to do any work and I kept that promise except that the wind (yes it blows) had rearranged the dish on the roof. Had to fix it. I had a lot of trouble one handed so I cheated a little. Paid for it today. Now I have to sweat the pt lady tomorrow, she will probably rip my arm off and beat me over the head with it.
We took the car for this trip (so I wouldn't be tempted to work) and for the first time I was stopped for speeding. We chatted some and he let me off with a warning. That strip of hi way is notorious for catching speeders because it just invites speeding. Should have known better.
The bunker looked really good driving up the mountain. All one color and the West side cleaned up, some. We really enjoyed doing nothing. I was sitting on the porch about midnight letting the breeze blow between my toes. Barbara (the XO) had gone to bed and I had an urge to do something right out of the Man Book. Everyone should have the pleasure of peeing off his own porch. Ahhh, it was good and I didn't cause any global warming or any of that stuff.
Barbara is going to retire effective the end of June and I will follow in July. We will spend more and more time at the bunker so things will begin to be finished. Oh, happy day.

Here we go again

2009-04-19T19:12:00.000-07:00

We've been to the bunker several times year but haven't done much. We did dig and level the courtyard getting ready to lay the pavers. I am going into the hospital on Wednesday for a shoulder replacement. Bit by bit I am becoming a new man. They will do the other shoulder in a few months, the irony is that the other one is the worst. While I am under they are also going to try to repair the thumbs so I am going to be a basket case for a few weeks. If they can stop the pain I'll figure it's all worth it.
I've revised the amount of work I am going to do around the place because of the surgeries I am facing. Oh, by the way another knee is coming soon. Already I can't even walk through an airport without setting off every alarm TSA has. We went to Tampa last month and they have one of those full body X-ray gadgets. Because of the weather up on the East coast we spent all day running between SWA and Continental trying to get home. They really got to know me at the X-ray machine and would call in all their friends to watch and point. Finally got the last SWA flight into Houston then rented a car and drove home. Maybe we will spend some more quiet time at the bunker. You know, sit on the roof with the telescope and a margarita and map the night sky.

January Trip

2009-02-04T17:38:00.000-08:00

Finally got some color on the gate beam. I also had to replace one of the doors that make up the gate. Just happened to have one left over when I decided to make the side gate out of iron. Killed two birds with that move. Got the door out of the way in the bunker and took the sag out of the gate. The door that was replaced just dried up and sagged. It was so bad that it nearly fell off.
Talked to one of the neighbors about some sand for the courtyard. I need to make a compacted bed for the pavers I will lay. For some reason the cement plant down in Alpine had only the kind of sand that still had gold in it. Must have at the price they were asking. Geeze, $65 dollars a yard plus delivery, I could almost haul it from Austin in bags for the same price. I was so flustered that I forgot to ask about concrete.

Thanksgiving

2008-11-30T15:51:00.000-08:00

First picture first. A real two-holer. If you are lonesome or just nervous about your toilet habits this is the place for you. I ran across this in Ozona, Texas years ago but just now got around to taking a picture. This is the mens(?) room at a convenience store on the East bound side of I10. Cozy, huh. I wonder what the ladies side looks like.
The work this long weekend was to stucco the beam across the gates. It was very cold and windy so I didn't get the paint on but once finished it will match the bunker. We did get some trees cut down and the long grass cut down along the driveway. All in all it was a great trip and we will paint next trip.
I have figured out a neat fixture for the gate post. I wanted to hang a bell in the opening but haven't been able to find one that fits. I thought I would find a fire extinguisher, you know the old steel co2 kind and cut the bottom out and maybe cut one or two vertical cuts in the sides and tune it by cutting more off and using an old ball peen hammer for the clapper. I may even use a large oxy tank because I can have it 3 feet long and still fit. Should ring like a bell.

Gates are swung

2008-11-09T15:59:00.001-08:00

It was one of those perfect days in West Texas. 27 degrees to awaken to and 75 degrees by early afternoon. I was able to hang the gates and tackle a couple of other jobs that needed doing. All in all a great weekend.
The gates are a cobble of scrap and purchased iron and some scroll work rescued from a dumpster. Most of it has been in the scrap pile for a long time. Long enough for G'maw and the neighbors to be asking about it. So, cut-cut weld-weld and cover it all with paint and viola, gates for the stucco arch. Next trip the beam across the front gates will be finished with the aid of some more foam and stucco.

A little paint

2008-10-05T16:13:00.000-07:00

Made another trip this weekend. Put on the brown coat Friday and followed up with color coat on Saturday. The courtyard really looks good now but there has been so much rain this year that I need to get rid of the weeds before I can put down the pavers. The picture of the mountains show how green everything is. It really has been a wet year. Speaking of wet, we have been talking about taking some bottled water "just in case", well this would have been a good time to do it. Well went bad (lost its prime or spun the impeller on the motor shaft) the motor was running so. Mr Prude, the well service guy, was on his way but we had to leave so won't know if it got fixed today or not. Next trip we will carry some water to leave, "just in case".
The first picture shows the glass block climbing up the arch. I have thought that it would really look good and besides I have 500 glass blocks just waiting to be used. The blocks would climb each side and if there is any space at the top I will use a cut concrete block to close the gap and hide it with a star or something. We shall see.

Made it

2008-09-07T15:32:00.000-07:00

Finally made it this weekend. My arch looks pretty good and next trip I will add some color to it and the fence. The frame is made over a skeleton of wire and styrofoam and anchored with rebar at the posts. I was supposed to melt a channel into the foam with a torch in order to run re-bar around both sides of the arch. Forgot the torch, so I just threaded wire through the arch and mounted it on the surface. Time will tell if I did the right thing but it seems solid. Not counting the labor and the drive the whole shebang only cost $50.00 so if I have to rebuild I can do it on the cheap and nothing lost.

Curses, foiled again!

2008-09-01T15:51:00.000-07:00

Plans for a trip to the bunker over the holiday went down in flames. Problems at the Austin homestead overcame the wanderlust. I had built the frame for the arch here in the backyard and all that remained to be done was to put it up and flesh it out with some stucco. The frame is made out of Styrofoam and wire and will be easy to install next trip. Some people look at me as if I were nuts for doing it this way. Little they know how many buildings are done in the same way.
I had planned to go on a trip to the Black Hills this week. Fly into Denver, then drive to Custer and spend a few days running around the area (Mt Rushmore, et al). This too, had to be canceled. I may be able to run out to the bunker this weekend. We shall see.

Quick Trip this weekend

2008-07-15T19:30:00.000-07:00

It's been a while so we need to get something done. I will load up thirty or so blocks to build the other fence post and get prepared to do the arch between them. Sounds like a good days work. The arch will be a combination of glass blocks and ferro-cement. I will try to incorporate some broken wine bottles in the cement just for the heck of it. That will be my attempt at art and if it don't come out too well I can always cover it with the cement. The fun will come while I collect bottles. I have never been a wine snob but now I will have to buy it by the color of the bottle instead of whether it has a cork or screw cap.

The fence comes together

2008-05-26T15:18:00.000-07:00

Memorial day '08. The fence is far enough along to show. Lots of work. The fence is cinder block with a top of glass blocks. I scored a thousand glass blocks from the remodel of a high school. They were painted green on one side and Barbara had to clean them up. The fence meets the gate post with a rubble of glass block and small chunks of concrete left from the windows. The blocks will get a parge of stucco and then the same paint as the gate, that's why I didn't do a pretty job with the blocks. It took both days to git-er-done, the footings had been done on the last trip and one post was already up too so this time it was just...clean the glass blocks, lay the concrete blocks and sit back and admire.

Back to work

2008-04-28T06:10:00.000-07:00

The storm blew in about 5:oo AM Sunday morning. The door on the work trailer was banging and sleep was slipping away so I went out to shut it. The thermometer on the wall said 66 degrees but as I ran across the yard I could tell it was coming down (I had slipped on only my shoes). By the time I was back in bed the temp had dropped to 60. Sleep was out of the question so Barbara made coffee and warmed up pizza for breakfast. I like cold pizza for breakfast myself but it goes better with stale beer, so I settled for warm. Meanwhile we tried to find a weather report on TV.
By 7:00 the wind was blowing 45/60 and the temp was down to 40 degrees. What's going on, it is almost May. I spent some time trying to finish up a few things left from Saturday but the wind chill was a real factor. I had laid about 40 concrete blocks and tools were everywhere. The best I could do was to pick up and put away. Trying to close the gates was interesting.
The blocks were hard to work with until I was able to stand up to lay them. Once I was able to run strings and the base was level I walked right along. Next trip I will bring the blocks up to 32" high and then run 24" inches of glass blocks on top, neat. I measured the gate post for a bell but then this morning with all the wind I thought that even a brass bell would just end up like a wind-chime and drive us crazy so more thought on the subject. Hmmm... We got on the road early and fought the wind and fog all the way back to Austin.

Don't Pay the Ransom

2008-02-18T14:28:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted much this winter 'cause I've had a lot going on. I try to make it to the bunker once a month or more, and I have, but I didn't do much work so there isn't too much to talk about.
The gates are finished and I have been planning the courtyard walls. As soon as it gets warm enough to work I'll have some sand (20 tons) delivered and begin laying the courtyard blocks. I'm wondering how to do that with my bum knee but I have a plan. I've got an old steel post hole digger that I can modify to pick up a block by the edge and then place it within an eight of an inch of the last block. A slight kick will seat it and make ready for the next one. All of this can be done standing up and will probably save my back too. We'll see.
On the first of March Sul Ross down in Alpine is hosting the Cowboy Poetry Gathering again. If you have never been to one of these gatherings you are missing one of the best times you will ever have. Cowboys (and girls) from all over the country come to tell their lives in verse. It's like strolling through an antique shop when every turn brings back memories you thought were lost. See you there.

Last look at the gates

2007-11-04T18:47:00.000-08:00

This is a shot from down the driveway. The gateposts are stuccoed and if you look hard enough you can see the railing on top of the spiral stairs. The railing was made from a bike rack that I picked up at Habitat for Humanity re-store, like the stairs themselves and the doors for the gates. A little cutting and welding and a lot of grinding and it fits and looks good.
It really comes together now and we can move to the inside for the winter. I still need to finish out the skylight and paint the bathroom, two small jobs I've been putting off too long.

Did I Say Homey?

2007-10-28T11:42:00.000-07:00

Here's a shot from the inside which makes it look more like home. The bunker has been livable for more than a year but it seems like all of the pictures are of the outside. This is the kitchen/dinning room/living room/entry/hallway to the bedroom, etc. In a small cabin like this you don't have room to dance (unless it's one of those huggyup styles). We will live mostly outside when I get the courtyard finished anyway, " small is good".
I am looking for a telescope for the roof although I know that it is cold up there even in the summer. It's a shame to let those high altitude, dark nights go to waste. We have been up there at night and you can read a newspaper by starlight. If there is a moon you could get a bad case of moon-burn.

Lookin' good

2007-10-13T11:34:00.000-07:00

The bunker is beginning to look like like a finished project (from the front anyway) and with a little grass cutting it should be done. We went out last week and painted the gates and did a few other fix up projects. Barb painted the spiral stairs and learned that you have no room to turn without getting into the paint. Her right arm looked like a raccoon tail. It was Wednesday before it all came off. The crane is in the back and for the first time in a long time the front looks homey. Next trip I will stucco the gate posts.
We tried a new restaurant Saturday down in Marfa. It came highly recommended but it was a minor disappointment for us because we are more steak and potatoes types.

Time for Some Photoshop

2007-09-08T18:00:00.001-07:00

The gate posts and beam will be done in the same color as the bunker. The gates get painted next trip and I will probably remove the front door and paint it too just to keep the colors the same. Time for the crane, seen on the right side of the picture, to move to the rear of the bunker to get ready to build a carport or something. That will open up the parking area in front of the gates and keep things looking trim.

West Texas views

2007-09-08T12:37:00.000-07:00

A friend sent me this link with some really neat web cam shots of Fort Davis and Guadalupe peak. There are a lot of shots of El Paso but I'm sure you'll like them all. They are updated 4 times and hour and run 24 hrs a day which makes for some night shots of El Paso which are spectacular.

Return to the Bunker

2007-09-02T19:00:00.000-07:00

Well, it took a while but we returned to the Bunker this weekend. I was concerned that I couldn't do much so I lowered my expectations to just finishing the gates. As you can see it turned out really nice. Each of those slabs weighed 150 plus and I was able to wrestle them around in spite of the knee. I only had trouble when I dropped something or was working close to the ground for some reason.
I may not be 100% yet but close enough to continue where we left off. I have decided to hold off on building the addition for a while, at least until I am able to spend more time at the bunker. We are still not finished with the courtyard and that West wall so we have a year or so to make up our minds. In the meantime I can make the drive without stopping every hour to stretch that leg and that means a trip every four weeks or so and things will move along at a good clip. More later.

Porch

2007-05-24T18:56:00.000-07:00

This is a shot of the sign while the sun was still high. Looks pretty neat though. The glass blocks on the gate wall show well too. All in all it was a pretty good trip. I can hardly wait to have enough strength in my legs to get back to work. Most of the remaining work involves concrete or SIP panels so I'll need all my faculties.

Texas Roadhouse

2007-05-15T19:29:00.001-07:00

Went out to the bunker this weekend and couldn't do much so I hooked up the neon to see how it looked at night. Wow, I bet the neighbors wondered what was going on. It showed up down on the highway, about a mile away, and I was waiting for a tourist to come up looking for a cool one. I did a few other, easy, things like hooking up a few more electrical sockets in the kitchen and installing another TV set in the living room (a 900 ft/sq cabin with three TVs and one is a 96" projection set up just for football games). I did have some trouble with my knee because of the uneven ground and the 6 hours of travel each way but I'm getting better each week. My next visit to the "saw bones" (in this case a true statement) is the fifth of June and I expect he will release me and I can go on with my life with just a twinge now and then. I'm ready.

Neon
Originally uploaded by neilsmth.

2007-04-25T16:49:00.000-07:00

Imagine an arched beam across the top of the gate. The doors will fit high and tite to this beam to give me about seven inches of clearance above the ground so four inches of compacted sand and two inches of paver can run under and three feet out front to make an apron in front of the gate. The pavers will cover the courtyard and make a realy nice patio.

Planning time

2007-04-25T16:18:00.000-07:00

While I was grounded with the knee I had lots of free time. I had a stack of foamboard too, so as you can see I tried my best to model the bunker. I know it looks amateurish but that's the best I could do with a ruler and a razor blade. The picture is from a high front angle and shows the wall at the rear of the courtyard and the gates in the front. Not so noticeable is the low fence which runs along the right side of the courtyard. All in all it is a fine representation and I'll be glad if the real thing turns out as well.... In the mean time I am regrouping and planning my next few trips. The gates will go up on the next trip, if I can work with this leg, as you can see it takes four exterior doors and makes a heavy pair of bifolds. I have two six by six posts which will bolt to the wall on each side of the opening and provide a plumb frame to hang the doors. If I find that they try to sag I can use a barn door track and wheels to keep them in line. Once they are up I'll stucco both sides and the arch over the doors. It'll look great.

I'm Back

2007-04-17T11:36:00.000-07:00

While I am not 100% yet I am getting around like a three legged dog. My pain threshold is high. Living with three females and working for two more will do that to you. It still hurts though. I go in for PT three times a week and will for a while and the girls there make sure I suffer too.
This knee thing started back at Christmas when Barb and I were on our way to Mexico for a short vacation. Didn't make it through the airport in Houston and had to come back home to eventually get the darn thing replaced. I owe her a nice trip but I have trouble traveling so we will stick to Texas. A few days in Kerrville and I am going to visit the bunker but I'll just walk around and take stock of the things that need to be done. We will make the trip a little slower, probably two days each way.
Chapman Building Systems, in Kerrville will supply the SIP panels which will make the West wall of the courtyard and, if I finish the project, the addition. I will meet with them Thursday to discuss the project and to make sure I'm on the right track.
Back to work next week on a light basis but I need to give John a break because he has been covering for me all this time. Thanks John.

2007-04-03T11:09:00.000-07:00

UPDATE, UPDATE: 4/2/07......Nothing to report for the last three weeks, I am just trying to do all the exercises and get my feet back under me. Yesterday I did my day walks (1/4 mile around the block) three times. I felt so good that when Barb got home I took her for a walk only this time we did the full neighborhood (1.1 mile) so I made my goal plus a little-bit. I'm not 100% yet but I'm coming along.

Try, try again

2007-03-12T19:36:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is the day. Tuesday the 13th. The Dr. will turn his skills with a drill, a saws- all and pair of pliers into a bionic knee replacement for me. Oh, I forgot the hammer. I don't know if I'm going to the hospital or a muffler shop. By noon it should be over and then several weeks of teaching the muscles to live with a foreign object. I'll be ship shape in a month or so. My personal goal is to be able to walk a mile in three weeks. Once I can do that I'll be ready to go back to work in another week or so, if they will take me back. I need to get back to work on the bunker too. It's time to do the gates and the wall around the courtyard. All the parts are there and a couple of trips should be enough to get it under control.

UPDATE: 3/15/07.....Home already. The knee went like clockwork and the pain was so tolerable that I didn't have to resort to morphine at all. I was up walking Tues evening and on Wed morning I walked the whole sixth floor hall (between a quarter and a half mile). Dr was pleased and sent me home today and the pain is still tolerable but worse. Like a giant charlie horse, the joint is not involved but the muscles that hold every thing in place hurt like a tooth ache. I'll work on it.

Eclipse at the Bunker

2007-03-04T16:35:00.001-08:00

eclipse
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

The eclipse was almost over when the moon came up. The bite out of the top lasted about 10 minutes and by then the moon had lost its red glow and was just another Full Moon over Fort Davis. I doubt it looked any better from the observatory across town. Oh, and by the way the temperature was about 15 degrees this morning but at least the wind wasn't blowing like it did Saturday.

Update on the Hawk

2007-02-26T17:32:00.000-08:00

Since I didn't get the new knee on the 23rd I was able to check out the Cushman. All I found were rotten gas lines, a bad fuel pump and dry brakes. Replaced everything and it started and ran like a top. Still don't have any brakes (the horn works) but that should be an easy fix when I'm able to get around on my new knee. Even if I have to replace the whole system I will come in well under the 500.00 I was hoping for. The knee should be on the 12th of March so I am still limping around on crutches and a cane.

Curses, foiled again!

2007-02-23T15:37:00.000-08:00

Went to the hospital this morning for the new knee and at the last minute the Dr. postponed it. I had the usual "springtime in Austin" problem with allergies. It turns out that ANY infection in the system could migrate to the new knee and hide there. The complications would be detrimental to the new joint and how it is accepted by my body. Who knew. Anyhow they started me on an aggressive antibiotic and sent me home for a week or 10 days when we will try again.
My friend John, who was going to cover for me for the next six weeks, is off the hook for now and I will have to go back to the office and un-hug all the girls that hugged me for luck. I really want it over with because the pain is bad and hobbling around on crutches is a real drag.

CUSHMAN HAWK

2007-02-20T16:18:00.001-08:00

TRUCKSTER
Originally uploaded by neilsmth.

This is the next addition to the bunker. A local landscape company had this really neat Cushman Hawk setting next to a shed waiting for parts. Three years, no one remembers anything. The boss said get rid of it so there you are on the spot. What would you do? Right, drag it home and take a chance that it will run. It will have to wait till I get my new knee and break it in but this I know.
The 16hp BS twin is free and seems to have plenty of compression. The alternator is gone but the brackets are there and the starter is on the motor. The brakes are nonexistant but it is a cable/hydurolic system and there is lots of slack and little fluid, maybe just an adjustment and top off. Seats are sunburned and need to be replaced. I'm betting that less than $500.00 puts in in running order. It will be nice to have around the place if only for hauling rocks. The bed is the right height to work from and it will make a mobile workbench too.

ArtCar

2007-02-18T14:45:00.001-08:00

ArtCar
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

I have been looking for a new car to make the trip to the bunker and I think I've found one. BS says there is not enough chrome for her taste so I guess I'll stick to the truck.

Back to the Bunker

2007-02-14T12:19:00.000-08:00

Since I will be tied down with this new knee for a while I thought I would run out to the bunker this weekend just to make sure it is still there. I wanted to go the 23rd because the cowboy poetry gathering will be down the road at Alpine that weekend but that's the day the new joint gets placed. Drat!
I'm not too surefooted right now so I won't get much done, unless that skunk is still under the front porch. He was there last trip but waddled off before I could get the gun. This time he may meet hot lead. I hope he's gone.
Dr. says I'll be able to do most things that I can do now, just don't fall down and stay away from ladders. I'll remember that when I do the roof of the addition and what about the spiral stairs aren't they a sort of ladder. Oh well take it one step at a time and I will have a lot of time.

Needles

2007-02-08T19:00:00.000-08:00

Needles
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

Back to the keyboard

2007-02-08T18:19:00.000-08:00

Posting has been light (non-existant) for the past few months. Problems on the home front involving the "C" word and an unrelated knee replacement. The knee is still to be done but it's going to to happen.
The knee blew while running across the Houston airport to catch a flight to Guadalahara on Christmass day. We turned around and went home and I've been on crutches ever since. Tomorrow I will see the bone doc and schedule the replacement. I tried to avoid the new knee but I just can't get rid of the pain so it has to be.
The other problem has been in the works since September when a major jump in the precursor caused a mild panic and really messed up my fall. After seeing several Dr.'s and many more tests we scheduled the surgery for the 15th of January. I opted for a high-dose radiation procedure and it involved the inplanting of 16 Very long hollow needles into which a cable with a radioactive tip would be inserted and left for varing lenghts of time. This was to happen four times over two days. No one took the weather into account though and with the ice storm hittng that day we had to do two treatments on the 15th and re-implant the following Monday with two more tratments. It will be a few months before we know if it took but the Dr. is positive and so am I. I'll be 100% before you know it and get back to work on the bunker.

Smoker

2006-12-10T16:00:00.000-08:00

Next stop the LSB. I just had to have this one. I bought it from a neighbor whose dad had it made by a flight instructor of mine from South Texas back about 1959. What goes around..... There were many times that Cessna 120 felt like it was made out of the same hunk of steel and had the same solid wheels. I lived through it though and became a fair pilot but those days are gone and the smoker is still a welcome addition to the bunker.

I cooked a turkey and a big briskit the Saturday after Thanksgiving and it held heat like a dream and was very easy to regulate. Both hunks of meat came out lookin like coal but inside the meat was jucy and sweet.

Now I have to figure out a way to transport it to the bunker. It weighs about three hundred pounds and is very top heavy.

Whats cookin

2006-12-10T15:58:00.000-08:00

Whats cookin
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

Back in town

2006-11-20T16:59:00.000-08:00

California was nice but I am glad to be back. We arrived at LAX about 9:00AM and picked up a new Pacifica for the jaunt out to Venice beach for brunch. Spent about three hours just people watching. We just bummed around the rest of day, even visiting a Trader Joes out in Reseda. By five we were heading for Hollywood and the restaurant linked below. Due to the time difference and having to try to catch a 5:00AM flight we turned in the rental car and turned in early. We had a little trouble getting out of LAX (got bumped 4 times) because everyone was traveling for thanksgiving. I did have a back up reservation on Southwest so I was GOING to make it home. Back before sundown.

No News is ......

2006-11-16T14:39:00.000-08:00

Been trying to make it to the bunker all month. There are many reasons we haven't made it, not the least is there is just too much to do this month. This weekend I plan to take Barbara out to California, to her favorite resturant in West Hollywood, for our aniversary. We will fly out early Sat morning and spend the day on the coast hiway; Venice,Santa Monica, Malibu, etc. Then back into WH for the Gardens of Taxco
It is the best Mexico City style cusine in the US. They have an unusual drink that they call a margarita but it is made with sweet vermouth and fruit juices that makes your toes curl up like a baby on the breast. Yumm.. Then a good nights sleep and back to Austin Sunday morning.

Gate Too

2006-10-23T11:15:00.000-07:00

Gate Too
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

Concrete blocks from doors and windows. 0.00
Doors from habitat-for-humanity re-store 40.00
Gates for courtyard priceless
I love to make something from nothing. These doors will really look great when they are hung and painted. The glass blocks on the upper left corner will be back-lit at night to compliment the porch light. I also have a 4X12X12ft truss which will span the gates and be covered with foamboard and stucco to make an arch over the gate. Everything will match the stucco of the bunker and look like it is part of the compound.

gate

2006-10-22T16:10:00.000-07:00

gate
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

Gate post

2006-10-09T17:43:00.000-07:00

Gate post
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

Wind Farm West of Ozona

2006-10-09T17:10:00.000-07:00

Wind Farm West of Ozona
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

West Texas SUV

2006-09-24T11:00:00.000-07:00

West Texas SUV
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

Way to Date

2006-09-24T10:55:00.000-07:00

On the way to the bunker this month we stopped for a steak in Ozona, this is roughly half way and the they have the best steaks just East of the Pecos. There was a young man and his date at the next table and the were obviously celebrating, you know ordering the big chicken fried steak and extra gravey. They were fun to watch and the whole place kind of joined in. When we left we saw their ride. No SUV for them. See above. Now thats the way to travel out here.

Quarter View

2006-08-17T19:07:00.000-07:00

Quarter View
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

Glass Fence

2006-08-10T19:46:00.000-07:00

Glass Fence
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

Glass Blocks

2006-07-30T14:56:00.000-07:00

Glass Blocks
Originally uploaded by neillsmth.

Glass Blocks

2006-07-28T19:06:00.000-07:00

A high school was undergoing renovation here in Austin and I scored a few hundred 8X8 glass blocks. I don't know yet what I will use them for but I think they might be good for the fence. Four feet of adobe with sixteen inches of glass block with a cap of adobe sounds neat to me. I may incorporate them into the gate somehow. No reason to let them go to waste. They may work in the addition too, as a shower or the base for an island in the kitchen. We will see.