Saturday, May 30, 2015

The Rain's a Pain and Falling On the Plains

Highway 78 Spillway Creek
The Texas drought has been replaced by the hundred year floods. For the past two months we've had rain nearly every day taking the Lake Lavon level from fourteen feet below normal to eleven point one feet above normal.

Old Highway 78 which is often used as a fishing pier, where the cows wandered freely on its dry lake bed is now completely submerged. Even Thompson Cemetery next to the lake has suffered with rising lake levels.


We feel lucky to be on an elevated location where the saturated ground drains away from our house. Even so, the yard is pooling with water making it impossible to mow.


The Weather Experts have predicted this morning's rain will end the long running stream and record breaking amounts of rain these past weeks. Hopefully, the yard will dry out enough to trim back the jungle.

The blueberries are getting plenty of water.
Those who live closer to bodies of water aren't as lucky as we've been with Duck Creek in Rowlett overflowing its banks and flooding homes. White Rock Lake and the Trinity River have overflowed their banks and are affecting neighboring communities flooding homes and sending many to shelters from the storms.

Even major highways have felt the impact of too much of a good thing. Northwest Highway was closed yesterday morning about 5:30 am when an underpass became flooded with over six feet of water. Despite barricades and warnings to "Turn around, don't drown," seven cars attempted to traverse the water and ended up being rescued by the National Guardsmen in floating rafts. It's expected to remain closed for a couple of days until rain water can be pumped into overflowing drainage canals that feed the already swollen waterways.

I'm wondering if all the prayers for rain during the drought over the past four years have finally reached their destination.
No more drought like we had in 2011 - 2014

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Man Caves, Controlled Chaos


Some say that a messy desk is the sign of an organized mind. That might explain the explosion of chaos that reigns supreme in this man cave. Despite the disarray, this is the haven of dreams for many men.

At first glance it might seem like an accident waiting to happen. True, there may be wires dangling, floor jacks lurking, paint booth plastic drop cloths hanging from the ceilings and ladders to travail, but there is also order to the dusty decor. You have to learn the secret handshake to get inside.

This week's project has waited since the early nineties when the roof trusses were originally installed. So many projects have taken priority in the meantime.

The four foot spans between trusses are quickly being supplemented with a rafter installation in between the gaps. There is renewed hope that a ceiling will be installed so that air conditioning can become a reality. For the past two decades, this has only been a dream despite Texas summers with three digit temps.

Project that is now on the back burner.
The El Camino project has taken a back seat to the ongoing ceiling construction. Everything has to happen in a certain order.

The ceiling construction is a prelude to building the Powder Coat Oven, a device large enough to cook automotive intake manifolds and large specialized equipment.

The old oven from the house is used exclusively to bake auto parts.
The old oven from the house remodel is used exclusively to bake his auto parts now. Once used with the chemicals in the process, it can't be used for food anymore.

Here is where the magic of powder coating happens when it comes to turning carburetors into masterful works of art.

This is a link to the  hubby's videos on  How To Powder Coat a Carburetor explaining in detail how he does the entire powder coating process.
Holley Carburetor
 In case you have gotten lost in the maze of projects in this 32 x 64 foot garage, there is still a small path to let you find your way back out.

Go into the light if you want out.