Hellooo, Artic Vortex. Where did that name come from? Some weatherman just invented it? I don't know where it came from, but I have some suggestions where it could go. Thirty-five below and a wind chill of - 48, yikes! What happened to the beginnings of spring? Where are the tree huggers now, huddled down some place warm I suppose. Hopefully not burning oil or natural gas. Scandalous! I liked global warming, if there is such a thing. Bring it back.
I have marked Aug. 25 as a hoar frost rain. I also noted that it was - 30 C that morning and a full moon is on the calendar for that date also. It might be the last of the tomatoes. It doesn't look good. Now this morning it is 35 below. I am suspicious that the first of September will be the "killer" frost. This is one time I hope I am wrong, but the signs are there. Good luck farming!
On the home front, with this cold weather, a guy was coming to help me, but I phoned him and told him there must be a better day coming. My 7.3L environmental polluter is still in my shop. It has a communication problem with the battery and the starter. There is power to the big cord on the starter. No power to the solenoid. It is the relay or a fusible link? I haven't gone out there to check it out. Those fusible links are a necessary evil but with the way trucks are made now, how do you find the darn thing in that mess of wiring? This system of the solenoid down on the top of the starter is not to my liking. One of the reasons I went to Ford was I had Chevs and I got tired of crawling under a vehicle and pulling the starter off because the solenoid got dirt in it. Fords had their solenoid up on the fender, a much drier and cleaner place. Now 30 years later we have this Chev starter system on a Ford truck. Not one of Fords brighter ideas, I tell you.
I can't see real good in the shop and I am vertically challenged. Every time I go to use a trouble light the darn bulb is burnt out, so I have purchased a florescent trouble light and some rough service light bulbs for spares. Maybe now a guy can see where he is going and what he is doing.
When the weather is cold, that is when troubles show up. As I was plugging in my F-250, my other truck, the cord on the heater arced and burned off. Why me, Big Guy? Have I done something to annoy you again? I tried to not say bad words when the cord burned off and it's thirty below. Well maybe one or two slipped out, darn it anyway! Sorry, Big Guy, I am only human. Now will it be a new end or maybe will it be a whole new cord? Someone will have to crawl under the truck and find out. If it is a new cord, is it a three prong or two prong? I think this is a weekend warrior job.
In farm news there is some debate as what a guy should seed next year. Some guys are looking at alternative crops other than wheat. Some guys are looking at barley or oats. Some guys are contemplating growing peas. One farmer on coffee row turned to a fellow farmer and asked him how many peas he was growing? The guy replied he didn't know. He left that decision up to his wife. She might plant one row or two in the garden. Oooh boy! Some days you must marvel at the brain trust on coffee row.
In political news, no momentous happenings. The Liberals had their annual convention. In a media discussion group, Justin Trudeau made a poor joke about maybe the Russians would be in a bad mood after losing to Canada in hockey and might not treat the Ukrainians very well. The Ukrainians are having some turmoil in government. The media and Conservatives were all over his comment calling it inappropriate. The next day Trudeau made an apology. I think it was all a tempest in a teapot and not even a funny joke. The serious threat is the Russians now have troops in southern Ukraine. This can't be good.
Plans are moving forward for the grand opening of the Maidstone Airport June 21. The RM of Eldon has rebuilt and blacktopped the 4,000-foot strip at a cost of $2 million paid for solely by taxpayers of the RM of Eldon. The airport is being used and we want to have a bit of a celebration. We are going to have a free fly-in breakfast. Land lubbers also welcome. We have booked a 40 by 60 foot tent and are looking for a local caterer to look after the breakfast. Chairs and tables must be found. Both the local MLAs have been invited plus the premier. The federal MP is also invited. No one has committed to come yet. Even Reeve Gary Taylor wants to say a few words. We will have to find a podium. I am in charge of organizing this event and speeches will be short.
It has been a busy time with birthdays (five) in the family this week as I have a tradition to phone everyone up and sing happy birthday to them. I am not a singer but everyone including me seems to not mind it. I even phoned up Curtis, the mayor of Waseca and wouldn't you know it his sister was at the same birthday party so I sang happy birthday to her, too. That was some cackling laughter after, Crystal!
Joke of the week: The pearly gates were becoming a little drab after millenniums of use, so God sent angels down to earth and they came back with the most beautiful arrangement of flowers ever seen. God was pleased. Then the devil came along and stole them all. God was not happy and he phoned up the devil and said, "Bring those flowers back." The Devil said ,"No, not happening." God was furious. He said, "Look, you bring those flowers back or I will take you to court and sue you so hard your horns will fall off." "Yah," sneered the Devil, "where are you going to find a lawyer?"
