Scrounging Firewood (and other stuff)

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I have posted a couple pictures, but it has been a while now, of my brick and mortar grille/smoker. I can’t call them up from my phone though. It was sized to use a half of a steel drum as a cover. There are doors on two sides of the chimney. A bit of a learning curve to using it; every fire is different, of course. It was years before I even started trying smoking in it.

I have gotten to the point in life where I am thinking life’s too short. Like:

Life’s too short to …
Life’s too short for …
Life’s too short not to…

That “point in life” is stage IV colon cancer. It has spread out of the colon. All they can tell you is the average is two years. Too many variables to predict anything else.

In the interest of helping someone stay out of this, get your screenings done when you are told. Become aware of what the symptoms are and get them checked. I have nothing to elevate my risk except that I am over 50. Never drank, never smoked or used tobacco in any form. No history in the family. It doesn’t care. It can happen to anyone; it can happen to you.
Oh man, sorry to hear this. As others have said, keep up the fight!
 
Saw something on youtube yesterday that dodge trucks were catching on fire, wire connection issues. If you have one you might want to check on the recall. I guess they are waiting to next month to announce it and then it will be a letter. I don't own one so no fact check on this.
Weather is warm so The OWB is done for the season. Now to start in getting wood for 2024/2025.
 
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This is not the grille, but it's close, about 10 feet away. This was just a couple months ago when my son was in from Seattle. He was on his way to Buffalo to join his then girlfriend (now wife) and her family for a couple days before Christmas. Snowed in for a week.

Life's too short not to roast marshmallows.
 
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Since I couldn't find a picture of the grille/smoker, i went out and took one. Not in use, and no, that is not a steel drum on top. That one burned out, so I stuck this together from scrounged material. Some from a shelf and some from a van partition and maybe some other material, other people's discards. Two assist bars from the bath hardware section that I wasn't getting put on my van, so I used them here.
 
I love the 2.7 twin turbo. It's more powerful than the 360 and gets 25 MPG on the highway.
I'm very impressed with my 2.7 twin turbo / 10 speed in my 2019 extended cab F-150. Very peppy, 25 MPG on flat highway and 21 around town if you drive it real easy. Great powertrain for anything other than heavy towing.

Mine (in velocity blue) was on the lot and was stickered for over $47,000, but I got it for $36,000 brand new with a rusted 9 year old Escape trade in. April seems to be a good "rebate" month for them.
 
I'm very impressed with my 2.7 twin turbo / 10 speed in my 2019 extended cab F-150. Very peppy, 25 MPG on flat highway and 21 around town if you drive it real easy. Great powertrain for anything other than heavy towing.

Mine (in velocity blue) was on the lot and was stickered for over $47,000, but I got it for $36,000 brand new with a rusted 9 year old Escape trade in. April seems to be a good "rebate" month for them.
I've only managed to squeeze 22.5 mpg out of my 2019 F-150/2.7L/10-speed combo. The 5.7L/6 speed Ram I had would pull circles around it, and the 5.3L/4speed Chevy I had pulled better also. I still think it's the best powertrain on the market if you just need a simple half-ton pickup for everyday use.
 
Looks a bit like a Dupytren's contracture surgery. Or what that another accident?

I used to whittle balls in cages, chains, etc. One night she passed by my chair and said "Careful, don't cut yourself" "I never do". 1 minute later we were off the the ER for 8 stiches in my palm. Scare has faded away.
 
Things looking up a bit. 3 hours in the willow bush fighting dead fall and thorn. Felt good and only quit because I hit a good stopping place. One more session and I will have an area cleared to fall 3 good sized fire wood quality trees. Even the MS400 is improing. I'm gettine one or two pull warm starts. Cold still takes many pulls but the number is decreasing. Now to go out and hit the mower for the first time this year.
 
Had to add about 18 oz of R134a to my 85 K20 . Air was cool but not cold enough after i added it I was able to cut the fan down to the mid level and it was comfy . I just can’t seem to find the leak I added dye last spring when I evacuated it and converted it to 134 I changed out all the o rings and had new hoses made up for it . Even in pitch black with a good UV light nothing . So I guess I’ll be adding every year . Little baffled
 
I've only managed to squeeze 22.5 mpg out of my 2019 F-150/2.7L/10-speed combo. The 5.7L/6 speed Ram I had would pull circles around it, and the 5.3L/4speed Chevy I had pulled better also. I still think it's the best powertrain on the market if you just need a simple half-ton pickup for everyday use.
I have the first gen 3.5 and I've had it for 9 years. It tows better than anything I've ever driven in a half ton. Torque comes in way low and you don't have to rev the snot out of it to get it to make enough power to pull a load. The new 2.7's numbers are really close to the first 3.5. between that and a lighter truck plus a 10 speed, I bet I'd notice no difference. Probably my next truck engine. Imo the EcoBoost will take a hemi's lunch money 🤑 same goes for a 5.3. Just what I've seen from my driver's seat at the stoplight drags and they say the 2.7 is faster to 60.
 
I have the first gen 3.5 and I've had it for 9 years. It tows better than anything I've ever driven in a half ton. Torque comes in way low and you don't have to rev the snot out of it to get it to make enough power to pull a load. The new 2.7's numbers are really close to the first 3.5. between that and a lighter truck plus a 10 speed, I bet I'd notice no difference. Probably my next truck engine. Imo the EcoBoost will take a hemi's lunch money 🤑 same goes for a 5.3. Just what I've seen from my driver's seat at the stoplight drags and they say the 2.7 is faster to 60.
Can't argue that, never been around a 3.5l ecoboost.
 
Had to add about 18 oz of R134a to my 85 K20 . Air was cool but not cold enough after i added it I was able to cut the fan down to the mid level and it was comfy . I just can’t seem to find the leak I added dye last spring when I evacuated it and converted it to 134 I changed out all the o rings and had new hoses made up for it . Even in pitch black with a good UV light nothing . So I guess I’ll be adding every year . Little baffled
The compressor seal is probably leaking when it sits over winter. The oil drains away from the back side of the seal and the refrigerant seeps past without dragging dye with it. Pretty common.
 

My ecoboost wasn't a pick up truck, but rather the 1.0 3cyl Ecoboost in my Focus that I used to have. I tried to like that car, the motor, 6 speed manual, and suspension were brilliant in it. You'd think a 1.0 would have the powerband of a weedeater...not so, very broad power and quick enough for all road situations. The car handled like a rally car...my benchmark is my old e39 M-sport 5-series(basically an M5 with a smaller v8,) so my definition of "good handling" is pretty high. However, the car spent more time in the shop than on the road...all warranty/recall work, but still frustrating...I traded it in on my Taco as soon as I found a 6 speed Tacoma.

I still have a "boosted" vehicle, but it's just my Dodge 2500.
 

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