Round Two

 A couple of days after my plumbing project, I couldn't figure out why the basement carpet wasn't drying out. I put a dehumidifier out and had a big fan on but it seemed to be getting wetter!  I looked above the dropped ceiling for leaking water pipes, but all looked dry.  I checked outside for a plugged downspout that might be causing water to leak thru the sill.  No plugged downspout.  Finally I discovered a leak in the cast iron Y where it goes through the poured concrete wall.  This is hidden behind a fake beam.  When I was running the snakes thru the drain line when we had the plugged line, I must have hit a thin rusty spot and caused a leak. We immediately stopped using the sink and dishwasher.  I made an emergency call to Clayton, and he stopped to look at it.  He gave me some advice, and the next day I was able to buy the products he recommended at Menards.  I was able to clean up the cast with a steel brush and then using an air compressor, I blew out the dirt and dried it out.  I applied Hydro Seal on the outside of the cast, and then silicone on the inside of the pipe and let it set overnight.  The next day I buttoned it all back up, tested it for leaks, and we were back in business.  It took a week to completely dry out the wood and carpet.  Everything is now back to normal and we got some cleaning done in the process.

I hadn't checked my bees since late August.  On a beautiful Sunday afternoon, I went out to check on them.  I wanted to check for mites and small hive beetles.  Going into winter they need to be in top condition.  My bees are usually pretty docile when working with them, but on this day they got very angry with me.  They did not like me disrupting their day!  My smoker didn't seem to calm them at all.  I wear a full bee suit plus nitrile gloves (easier to work in than leather gloves).  My suit has elastic cuffs that are getting a little loose.  When I stretch my arms, sometimes a half inch of wrist is exposed.  I was being bombarded by the bees, and they found each wrist more than once.  Aside from the initial stings, it didn't hurt too much.  But the next morning, both hands were puffy and my wrists and hands itched all day.  I will have to do something different next time out, but maybe they will be docile again.

We have a small building on the farm that started out as a tiny home.  When my grandparents were going to build the house I am now living in, they built a single car garage sized house to live in while building.  They wanted to tear down the old house which set back a lane, and reuse some of the lumber in the new house.  Thus they lived in the little house during construction.  After they moved into the new house, it became their chicken house.  My dad used to keep boars or a bull in when he didn't want them breeding.  When I was a teenager, it was just used to store mostly junk.  After I was driving a while, I wanted to turn it into a shop and garage for my car.  Dad cut open a wall and installed a used garage door someone gave him.  I insulated the walls and added cheap paneling. After Dad and Mom moved to town, Fred and I converted it into a woodworking shop, which is what it is still mostly used for today.  The old free wood garage door finally rotted, so Jack helped me tear it out, and Rusty's door service installed a new one for me.  I am working on cleaning it out, and we will have to repaint it next summer.

 

Harvest is progressing nicely after a slow start.  The first couple weeks were damp and cloudy and the crops didn't dry down much.  This last week was beautiful and we made great progress.  All the soybeans are out except the double crop and replant beans.  I bought a truck this summer. I was able to  pass my semi truck license test just as harvest started, so I am doing most of the trucking.  Son #1 is running the combine most days, and the old farmers wife reluctantly got a refresher course with the auger cart.  We hired a homeschooled young man from Congerville to run the cart for us most days.  Mahlon picked it up quickly and is doing a great job.

We celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Washington Apostolic Christian Church in September.  I was in college at the time, but I spent many Sunday mornings on a folding chair in the Lincoln Grade School gym.  I helped work on the new church building on Cruger Road whenever I was available.  I distinctly remember helping Fritz & Gudeman pour concrete, helping set the trusses, and helping Chris Koehl build the pulpit area.  My old green Chevy pickup was borrowed to pick up the baptismal tank in Gridley, Kansas. I was able to work there with both my father and grandfather. I was blessed to find my salvation here, participate in the Young Group, raise my family here, watch my children find salvation, and serve in a number of different capacities.                                                                                                 A lot of people have passed through the church over the last 50 years.  All were invited back for an excellent meal and a history presentation.  Some of them were able to come for the commemoration, and it was good to see them. Son #1 was in charge of putting together a book with pictures, stats, ministries, activities, and a timeline.  It was a blessed day.

 Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.             Psalm 127:1