old silver

UK Neil is back across the pond for a visit but not venturing to Texas this trip so I am finally getting around to mailing his custom ingot #13008 - to his stateside address.  Turns out I have three more of the 2013 edition one ounce ingots available.  One was a mis-stamp (used a Z instead of a 7) and the other two were reserved but never purchased and I need to figure out what serial numbers they are supposed to have before I stamp and finish them.  Perfect opportunity to try selling on Ebay for the first time.  88,94,67,0,C

Trumped?

Is he lying about his faith, or just one of the frozen chosen?

biofeedback

One of the many things I have learned from my broken leg experience is that the art of partial weight bearing is made to appear to be non-exact rocket science.  Although there are a few clinical devices available at a very high price, I have only been given very simple instruction such as using a bathroom scale to gauge weight on the offended appendage, or the one crutch method for my current stage of healing.  One might think that with the advent of cheap micro-controllers, a simple solution would be available by now.  Perhaps I can figure out how to use the parts from a $16 bathroom scale to implement a more precise diagnostic tool.  Then all I will need is a good healthcare lobbyist to help me suck a couple million dollars out of Obamacare to get my big piece of the affordable healthcare pie.  86,90,68,0,B

expansion

Contemplating a pen expansion (red) and catchment excavation (blue).
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by request

made progress today...

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junkyard

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another guv'mnt number

That time of year to renew the registration for my trailer.  New rules enforced this year include getting the trailer inspected as well.  Registration and inspection amounts to $61.00 plus the additional hassle of getting the inspection.  But there is another way.  Called the tax office and they told me I also need a Texas Agricultural and Timber Exemption Registration Number.  Took all of 5 minutes to get it online.  Went to town today and was in and out the door easy with my new Farm Trailer plate...six bucks total and no inspection requirement.  In my case, based on the criteria I selected on the application, the trailer can only be used:  "exclusively to transport seasonally harvested agricultural products or livestock from the place of production to the place of process, market, or storage; or farm supplies from the place of loading to the farm. The vehicle may be used to allow farmer/ranchers to participate in equine activities or attend livestock shows."
This is not a way of getting around the law - just an option if you qualify.  Read all the rules in the links provided.  93,98,70,0,C

big bug

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Why aren't you Catholic?

A Catholic friend recently contacted me about an abortion protest being held in Troy New York this weekend.  She follows my blog and although she doesn't leave comments, she often emails me with additional and often brilliant insights in regard to some of my posts.  When she mentioned Troy, I replied to her that my former neighbor in upstate NY attends High Mass there.  I called my neighbor (who I often refer to as a Super Catholic) and suggested they meet sometime (they did on Saturday...small world).  While on the phone, we discussed my post last Sunday and she asked me, "Why aren't you Catholic?"  I can't help but feel that she thinks it is my only hope for true salvation.  I responded that I was happy with my current  relationship with Christ.  I did a little digging today and found a very long answer to her question.
1 Timothy 2:5 gives the most concise answer...For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

bonding

Chupa bonded with Uncle Ricky today...

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fat'n'sassy

Checked out a potential pen pal for Ben today...a 2 year old heifer from my neighbor Mario Rodriguez.  She has horns but is not a longhorn.  She is quite gentle and used to being around people (Mario allows his cattle to come into his house on occasion).  And in case you are wondering - no she is not pregnant...just well fed.  93,99,73,0,B

too much information...

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Photographer gone good...

My first job out of photography school in NYC was at a catalog studio.  We shot "fashion" for discount store flyers - the kind that got thrown into your junk mail back in the days before the internet.  Media Graphics was the name of the studio.  My friend Peter Kornicker was one of their first staff photographers.  He was a long haired,tan, beach bum, hipster.  I worked with him along with a crew of 10 others for about 3 years before we all started going our separate ways.  The company ultimately folded after about 5 years.  Peter pursued the fashion photography route for a number of years after I got out of the trade.  Somewhere along the line he found a truly noble cause.  91,99,74,0,B

another step forward...

Had a wonderful bath at the Sleep Inn in Fort Stockton this morning.  They had an amazing room attached to my accomodations about the size of my hut that has never ending/all temperature water that flows on demand.  Good news from my surgeon - I have yet to break a screw and I just graduated to 75% weight bearing.  92,99,74,0,B

Idaho Hillbilly

Last week I ordered a little item from the ebay store of my friend and bearded brother, Keven Villeneuve.  He and his wife Kitty threw in a little something extra...some morel mushrooms they harvested from the forest of their Idaho Hillbilly Homestead.

Progressive?

I have noticed lately that the progressive movement in our country is hell bent on embracing desire and intent on protecting it with promises of govenment interaction to assure our right to do what feels good.  They even go so far as to present images on social media of the Pope along with false quotes.  I find it a bit disturbing that they try to use a religious leader as their champion of sin.  The quote appended to the image above that began circulating December 2014 does not match any verifiable comments made by Pope Francis.  Although he did make statements in 2013 that were were erringly interpreted as inclusive of nonbelievers, they did not resemble the "not necessary to believe in God to be a good person" quote.  It's not clear where the quote originated, but there is no proof (nor is there precedent) for the claim Pope Francis voiced it.  They love to also throw in a bit of Christian villification by adding the phrase: some of the worst deeds were done in His name.  Don't be fooled - atrocities thoughout history were the hand of Satan, not God or his followers; for even those "followers" had been led astray by Satan.  One must ask one's self - What is the purpose of such a blatant deception?

solder savvy...

Soldered up the extra back up timer for Pepino today to show off my soldering skills (just for remmij).  Had a slight problem with the kit components - the relay they sent didn't fit on the board.  Waiting for the reply to my request for a replacement.

Had a visit today from my new friends Val and John from Lubbock.  They recently saw the Microtopia documentary that featured the Field Lab and figured out where I was.  Ben loves visitors because it means he gets some extra attention and a snack.  90,99,74,0,B

Reunion

Ben had a reunion today with his friend Adri...he has put on 30" of horn and about 1000 lbs since her last visit.  90,101,73, .11",B

rulers of the roost...

Chupa and John

Frank and Manny

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time change...

My next leg appointment got bumped to next week which left a hole in the schedule.  Good excuse to solder up one of my new timer circuits for pepino.  Took about an hour to put everything in place, run a test, and place into service.  Changed the pump interval time from 9 seconds on / 4 minutes off to 14 seconds on / 3 minutes off.  Gained 2 degrees of cooling power.  90,97,71,0,B

HURRY!

A couple of days ago I got an email from some folks in Houston that want to eventually try the "off grid" life and wanted to pick my brain.  The first advice I always have is NEVER BUY LAND OFF THE INTERNET AND NEVER BUY LAND SIGHT UNSEEN.  Right off the bat they were about to break the first two rules - they were very excited about some property offered from Sunset Ranches.  If you go with their "cheap monthly payment plan", you end up paying twice an already way too high price.  Like a lot of internet land companies, they make most of their money sucking people into cheap monthly payments for worthless land that they end up reposessing and reselling to the next sucker (45 days late with a payment and you loose it all - no matter how much you have already paid).  I warned them off just in time and saved them quite a bit of money and misery.  90,97,73,0,B

cold front...

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meme of the day...

A meme (/ˈmiːm/ meem) is "an idea, behavior, or style that spreads from person to person within a culture".

The existence of so many religions and the claim that all religions lead to God without question confuses many who are earnestly seeking the truth about God, with the end result sometimes being that some despair of ever reaching the absolute truth on the subject. Or they end up embracing the universalist claim that all religions lead to God. Of course, skeptics also point to the existence of so many religions as proof that either you cannot know God or that God simply does not exist.
The existence of so many religions is not an argument against God's existence or an argument that truth about God is not clear. Rather, the existence of so many religions is demonstration of humanity's rejection of the one true God. Mankind has replaced Him with gods that are more to their liking. This is a dangerous enterprise. The desire to recreate God in our own image comes from the sin nature within us—a nature that will eventually “reap destruction”.
Many people do not want to believe in a God who demands righteousness and morality, so they invent a God who makes no such requirements. Many people do not want to believe in a God who declares it impossible for people to earn their own way to heaven. So they invent a God who accepts people into heaven if they have completed certain steps, followed certain rules, and/or obeyed certain laws, at least to the best of their ability. Many people do not want a relationship with a God who is sovereign and omnipotent. So they imagine God as being more of a mystical force than a personal and sovereign ruler. 
Do all religions lead to God? Actually they do. All but one leads to His judgment. Only one—Christianity—leads to His forgiveness and eternal life. No matter what religion one embraces, everyone will meet God after death. All religions lead to God, but only one religion will result in God's acceptance, because only through His salvation through faith in Jesus Christ can anyone approach Him with confidence. The decision to embrace the truth about God is important for a simple reason: eternity is an awfully long time to be wrong.

Luke 11:52 “What sorrow awaits you experts in religious law! For you remove the key to knowledge from the people. You don’t enter the Kingdom yourselves, and you prevent others from entering.”

venting my heat frustration

a little cardboard project to direct the breeze

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harsh reality...

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One leg...

Today marks 8 months since my little mishap.  Been putting about 60lbs of weight on the break for a month and so far I haven't heard anything snap.  My surgeon told me not to be surprised if a screw breaks (but not to worry about it since they are easy to remove - YIKES!)  I am due for my next appointment next week and hopefully moving forward to the next level of weight bearing.  96,103,74,0,C

BB&J

Ben snugglin' up to our new friend Joe Quigley.

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geocatchers...

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colder tomorrow

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Meet the Medders (part II)

The Medders family came out to visit me a little over 2 years ago.  They have been on a quest for 5 years to find the location the Lord was calling them to and finally found it near Abilene earlier this year.  Terlingua was one of their targets.  Although the price was right out here, the remote location didn't make sense for the big plan.  They recently quit their jobs and are moving their large family to follow the call to build their 2nd World Experiment..."launching into nothing but the arms of Jesus."
Kama - "That's crazy, by the way."  Jeff - "Yeah, I know."

Ephesians 4 I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.   

Bad attitude...

Celebrated Buddy's third birthday today.  This will be his last at TFL - he's going to auction next week.  His banding, then cutting missed and he still has one testicle and a bad attitude.  He's been tearing up the barn and humping the water tank.  Shopping for a gentler companion for Ben.  91,98,71,0,B