Well it has been a year and a day since I have begun ownership of a dog. Before this time last year, I was content with the dogs around the farm, playing and throwing the stick with them given the chance. At first I wasn't sure what I was going to do with a dog in the house. I thought my dad and grandpa decided that a dog wasn't the best choice for my brother when he was working for someone else. I was going to be gone for most days and he was going to have to be caged up and left alone. Either he was going to tag along with dad and grandpa, or stay in the house. I didn't really want a dog that was going to be in the house all day long, and I didn't want one that was going to wander around all day long like some rogue wolf.
All in all though, Walter has turned out to be a pretty good dog. He will run around with CJ and Mitzie when I let him out there, has learned to keep his potty habits outside, and doesn't really bark all that much when he is indoors. He sleeps well in the evenings, is a little wound up in the mornings, and seems to come when I call him to come in from outside. When I first got him, he couldn't jump onto the couch, and now he can jump all the way up on my truck tailgate from the ground. He was as big as Chloe the pug, and now weighs more than Captain Morgan and is slightly smaller than Stella the dog. He still can't get CJ to play with him very often, but still pulls and rolls around with Mitzie to his hearts content. He now has some doggie companions in the house, and is going to meet some feline companions once the Vet Assistant gives them the run of the square footage.
In other news, I have been especially busy as of lately. Two basketball games a week that keep me from home for up to 4 hours. Stripping tobacco for around 8 hours a day, and having to figure out a new truck are all keeping me very occupied. Last year we had a crew of Amigos doing all the tobacco work, and I am beginning to wonder how they were able to work all the hours they did everyday, 7 days a week very often times. I will be glad to finish up the tobacco, and am looking forward to what we might be doing when the tobacco industry retires itself from the Hauke name.
times typed "oftern"-1
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Saturday, December 25, 2010
7.3
Well I went ahead and bought the big pickup truck that I had long been longing for. I finally got to the point where I had seen enough on the internets and was lucky enough to not have to do much driving at all to find a truck in my price range that was what I had in mind. Initially I had a silver truck in mind, but when I went back a week later the dealer had a truck that was the same year, same motor, same price, a nicer interior, and fewer miles. So I signed the papers and was driving home a 2001 crew cab F-350 long bed truck with a 7.3 liter diesel motor on monday night.
I preceded this purchase by perusing the internet message boards by reading all about different Powerstroke engines and decided the 7.3 motor was not all that bad. I couldn't expect to get great fuel mileage, but with enough modifications and care, I might be able to get 20 mpg highway driving and hopefully 15 or so on short farm drives and such. This means adding fuel additives and keeping the oil changed often enough. I may have to do more mechaning on my own also, every oil change that someone else does for me might cost more than 80 or 90 dollars, whereas if I do it on my own, I should only have to spend 50 or 60 and spend the time to do it.
I also have a few modifications that I need to do. First will probably be a 5th wheel or gooseneck trailer ball. If I can get a good enough price on a flatbed for the truck, I will go ahead and spend the money to get that done also. After the trailer ball is put in, I need to change the exhaust also. I need to put a larger exhaust on the truck so the exhaust has an easier time getting out. I have read all over the place how the stock exhaust on these trucks backs up some in the smaller 3 inch pipes and a 4 inch exhaust lets that job be done much easier. I have also read about some modification for the fuel tank that lets it fill up easier, a bumper mod for the heating unit so I don't have a loose cord hanging out, and some part I can put on the oil line to help changing the oil move along faster.
I sold my red F-150 to my brother. He was looking for something a bit more reliable at OSU, and he said he would match whatever the dealer offered me. The biggest issue we have had is the radio. I moved faster than I should have, and signed off the truck to his name before getting my satellite radio and equipment out of the F-150. I now have a box of jargon and the stock radio still in my F-350. We had a little back and forth about the subject matter, as he offered to buy my radio, and in the same breath convince me that I shouldn't bother my radio in my new truck. He was however, unwilling to pay me back for my sirius speciallty parts and subscription, so out they came.
times typed "oftern"-1
I preceded this purchase by perusing the internet message boards by reading all about different Powerstroke engines and decided the 7.3 motor was not all that bad. I couldn't expect to get great fuel mileage, but with enough modifications and care, I might be able to get 20 mpg highway driving and hopefully 15 or so on short farm drives and such. This means adding fuel additives and keeping the oil changed often enough. I may have to do more mechaning on my own also, every oil change that someone else does for me might cost more than 80 or 90 dollars, whereas if I do it on my own, I should only have to spend 50 or 60 and spend the time to do it.
I also have a few modifications that I need to do. First will probably be a 5th wheel or gooseneck trailer ball. If I can get a good enough price on a flatbed for the truck, I will go ahead and spend the money to get that done also. After the trailer ball is put in, I need to change the exhaust also. I need to put a larger exhaust on the truck so the exhaust has an easier time getting out. I have read all over the place how the stock exhaust on these trucks backs up some in the smaller 3 inch pipes and a 4 inch exhaust lets that job be done much easier. I have also read about some modification for the fuel tank that lets it fill up easier, a bumper mod for the heating unit so I don't have a loose cord hanging out, and some part I can put on the oil line to help changing the oil move along faster.
I sold my red F-150 to my brother. He was looking for something a bit more reliable at OSU, and he said he would match whatever the dealer offered me. The biggest issue we have had is the radio. I moved faster than I should have, and signed off the truck to his name before getting my satellite radio and equipment out of the F-150. I now have a box of jargon and the stock radio still in my F-350. We had a little back and forth about the subject matter, as he offered to buy my radio, and in the same breath convince me that I shouldn't bother my radio in my new truck. He was however, unwilling to pay me back for my sirius speciallty parts and subscription, so out they came.
times typed "oftern"-1
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Loose Lips SInk Ships
Well it has happened again. Much like previous times I dared to have some ambition and talked about it, naysayers have shot me down. This time there was no "I only do things that make me money" phrase to latch onto, but there might as well have been. I opened my mouth and talked about getting a bigger truck, but have had no supporters and am in a mood of doom and gloom. As of now, as soon as I keep my word to my brother and sell him my truck, I am going to go and buy a small single cab truck, likely without 4x4 and if I'm lucky a manual. If everyone wants to tell me a big truck is a bad idea, what does that say about my current "not small" truck? Any leftover money I have will go towards buying perishable farm supplies and I am spending very little on luxories in the coming year.
I tabulated my Credit Card expenses for the year to date and have found that I have spent 43% of my CC bill on possibly unnecessary goods. That is going to come down in the 2011 year also. Soon I am going to go see the H&R block folks and then tabulate my planned 2011 expenses by month and for the year.
Hopefully spending less and having less will get me to pay off my loans. My student loan isn't going away, and the home loan is looming also. Those will be paid off in no time once I cut some of the fat.
I have also done something to make the vet tech less than happy. She does not want to celebrate the Advent sesaon and two things have happened because of this.
1. I am unable to convey why to those who ask.
2. Those who ask can't seem to let it be.
So it is going to take some more effort to work through this, but it can be worked through. This is partly due to my loose lips sink ships ideology, and the ideology is holding true.
times typed "oftern"-0
I tabulated my Credit Card expenses for the year to date and have found that I have spent 43% of my CC bill on possibly unnecessary goods. That is going to come down in the 2011 year also. Soon I am going to go see the H&R block folks and then tabulate my planned 2011 expenses by month and for the year.
Hopefully spending less and having less will get me to pay off my loans. My student loan isn't going away, and the home loan is looming also. Those will be paid off in no time once I cut some of the fat.
I have also done something to make the vet tech less than happy. She does not want to celebrate the Advent sesaon and two things have happened because of this.
1. I am unable to convey why to those who ask.
2. Those who ask can't seem to let it be.
So it is going to take some more effort to work through this, but it can be worked through. This is partly due to my loose lips sink ships ideology, and the ideology is holding true.
times typed "oftern"-0
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Tobacco Troubles
The past three weeks I have spent several hours everyday stripping tobacco. We were unable to secure any amigo help this year, so I am at work as are some of the hired hands that help put the tobacco in. I have also took it upon myself to be in charge of the statistics and payroll for the year also, so I have a pretty good idea what is going on.
The trouble part is that we are likely unable to sell any of the tobacco we have. This drought level fall season has left our tobacco with a color that the buyers and graders and anyone associated with the purchasing of tobacco at our local market don't want anything to do with. They did send a letter out saying that if the tobacco has not cured, let it stay in the barn. We are apparently illiterate, as we took no heed of the letter and are now in a position to not be able to sell our tobacco.
So the point of this is that I am unlikely to be able to sell my tobacco. I don't know if any of our tobacco will sell at all. Dad and grandpa are seemingly unable to wait and see if the tobacco is going to cure out or not. They can't stand being idle for a single day. Sure, we have weeks of work ahead of us once the tobacco cures and is able to be sold. Our help may not lounge around waiting on us to call them when the tobacco cures out. We need to do as much as we can when we have the help we do.
Financially, I should have enough money to pay the bills and get me through the last month of the year. I am expecting at least 18 grand the first of the year from my soybean sales. I have more bushels to sell that I can hopefully get over twelve dollars a bushel for when I decide to sell. I had been wanting to sell my pickup truck and buy a larger truck but am not sure I should do that if I don't get the income from my tobacco crop. I will have enough money to pay my mortgage. I should be making payments on my student loans next year also. I can't say or think for sure that I can afford truck payments if I don't have tobacco income. For the 2009 year, my profit from my tobacco ended up being what my tax bill was. I need to get my tax record book in shape and go see an advisor to plan ahead what I may have to spend. I wanted to get a new truck so I can deduct that expense as farm expense. I can do such a thing with my self employed life style.
The other issue is the letter the warehouse folk sent out. They say the market will be open as long as needed to sell all the crop. I keep pointing this out to my bosses, but who know if they are listening. The tobacco will cure out, we just need to give it time. Even if it takes until late spring, I would be willing to do it. Grandpa seems convinced it will never change color.
I also need to get something looked at eventually. My neck gets really stiff when working. I don't notice it at all during work. My neck only get that way when I try to lean forward some, or point my chin down. If I treat this as a stretch and slowly work it loose, things are okay. However, the same thing happens when I also drive the tractors all day during the spring. I must focus to much on staring straight ahead. As long as I know how to treat the stiffness, I should be okay.
times typed "oftern"-0
The trouble part is that we are likely unable to sell any of the tobacco we have. This drought level fall season has left our tobacco with a color that the buyers and graders and anyone associated with the purchasing of tobacco at our local market don't want anything to do with. They did send a letter out saying that if the tobacco has not cured, let it stay in the barn. We are apparently illiterate, as we took no heed of the letter and are now in a position to not be able to sell our tobacco.
So the point of this is that I am unlikely to be able to sell my tobacco. I don't know if any of our tobacco will sell at all. Dad and grandpa are seemingly unable to wait and see if the tobacco is going to cure out or not. They can't stand being idle for a single day. Sure, we have weeks of work ahead of us once the tobacco cures and is able to be sold. Our help may not lounge around waiting on us to call them when the tobacco cures out. We need to do as much as we can when we have the help we do.
Financially, I should have enough money to pay the bills and get me through the last month of the year. I am expecting at least 18 grand the first of the year from my soybean sales. I have more bushels to sell that I can hopefully get over twelve dollars a bushel for when I decide to sell. I had been wanting to sell my pickup truck and buy a larger truck but am not sure I should do that if I don't get the income from my tobacco crop. I will have enough money to pay my mortgage. I should be making payments on my student loans next year also. I can't say or think for sure that I can afford truck payments if I don't have tobacco income. For the 2009 year, my profit from my tobacco ended up being what my tax bill was. I need to get my tax record book in shape and go see an advisor to plan ahead what I may have to spend. I wanted to get a new truck so I can deduct that expense as farm expense. I can do such a thing with my self employed life style.
The other issue is the letter the warehouse folk sent out. They say the market will be open as long as needed to sell all the crop. I keep pointing this out to my bosses, but who know if they are listening. The tobacco will cure out, we just need to give it time. Even if it takes until late spring, I would be willing to do it. Grandpa seems convinced it will never change color.
I also need to get something looked at eventually. My neck gets really stiff when working. I don't notice it at all during work. My neck only get that way when I try to lean forward some, or point my chin down. If I treat this as a stretch and slowly work it loose, things are okay. However, the same thing happens when I also drive the tractors all day during the spring. I must focus to much on staring straight ahead. As long as I know how to treat the stiffness, I should be okay.
times typed "oftern"-0
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