Glenn's Underground Cabin Update

[ben2go]

Is that stucco mesh on the outer walls?That would be a big job but quick with enough guys that know what they're doing.

[glenn kangiser]

Yes, Ben.. that was the big rush, for the canopies to be up so they could stucco around them.   

Lots of stucco....

Problem is so many trades working together.. the stucco guys needed to put the flashing on under my canopies, but they weren't ready so by the time I got my turn I was already late, but I made it and the project managers were really impressed.  Guess they didn't think I would make it.

I put one on when I was ready and had to loosen it and pull it out because they hadn't flashed under it.  That was before I was aware of how they were trimming the stucco and flashing out to my stuff... I thought the flashed over the top which they do but the do behind it too......Guess I should have gotten their plans and studied them too...  [ouch]

Oh well - got it covered now.   

[glenn kangiser]

Glenn in your photo - those turnbuckles they use in those applications are they real or just for looks?  I have seen them in other places and applications and they really do not look like there is a good anchor point in what they are hanging off of.  Real or eye candy??

Andrew, they are for real...but....

The main attachment strength is provided by 5/8 x 5 lag bolts staggered at 2" and 4" up from the bottom every foot underneath the canopy into the header above the window.  The top of the turnbuckle is attached to backing well nailed in the appropriate location by the framers... most of the time it is in the right spot.. or they have to come back and fix it.  [ouch]

The turnbuckles mostly level sag in the front of the canopy but the canopies are strong enough that I walk across them even before the turnbuckles are tightened.  I use a 4' good quality level to make the fronts level with the back. The turnbuckles provide quick adjustment. 

[glenn kangiser]

... on another note, Ben, most of the stucco will be done by Mexicans.  White guys just don't like to work that hard for the price the economics of building will allow for the most part.. even given the chance.  Note that I am not making racist comments.  Just the facts. [ouch]

I have a lot of Mexican friends and even carry on a bit of conversation with them in Spanish even if they speak English.... and I have a lot of white friends and I also carry on conversations with them if they speak the language...

There is a good portion of white guys working grading, electrical and other trades.  Most of the hard labor will be done by the Mexican guys but they are in the trades also.  I find people of all ethnicity in all of the work, but it just depends on what education they were able to acquire when younger or... what they decided they want to do in life.  You know.. recreational stucco... some people could really enjoy it.

What I do find is that if you respect them and treat them right they always do likewise.. maybe even more so. 

[pmichelsen]

What I do find is that if you respect them and treat them right they always do likewise.. maybe even more so. 

You treat those stucco guys with respect and you'll be part of the family, and drinking tequilla till you puke. Most of my close friends are from Mexico as well as my significant other. It's funny that I don't know if I would trust a white guy to do a good stucco job  Maybe that makes me racist.

[glenn kangiser]

You got it pmichelsen.   

There are good and bad in all races.  I work with the good ones and chase off the bad ones.


Reminds me of the time I chased the Union rep off of the Fed Ex job.  I figured he'd come back with goons and break my legs later, but it never happened.... guess he thought I was just a little crazy... like the rest of the guys on the other company I was subbing for did....

The foreman came up to me later and said, "At first I thought you were kidding, but then I looked again and saw that you  weren't"... and he vacated the area at that point...

[glenn kangiser]

Kinda cool to come home after working away for much of the week and see that the garden is still growing.  The lower area is on drip and up by the cabin, Sassy spends hours watering it every day.. [ouch]




I guess if I just get a bit of a break it would be nice if I would fix it too.....before the Permies get here..... but they will like the Hugelkultur beds... but then again, I guess I should get after them some more too...

[glenn kangiser]

Was down the hill Friday and noticed that while the Amaranth flower heads are getting much bigger, the Mennonite Sorghum is also getting ready do do whatever it it it thinks it wants to do next. 





It is my first time for growing either of them so have to keep studying up on them to find out what to do or what happens next...

[PEG688]

It is my first time for growing either of them so have to keep studying up on them to find out what to do or what happens next...

You could just watch and see what nature does, I know , not your style 

Are you and cjAl related?     

[CjAl]

hey, how did i get involved

[ben2go]

hey, how did i get involved

You are doomed. 

[PEG688]

hey, how did i get involved

Indirect questioning of my posts Sort of Glenn-like

[glenn kangiser]

PEG, I keep wanting to check it for seeds or something..... I have checked up and down the stalks of both and no instructions....



What if they are ready to give birth and I am not there to assist...

[glenn kangiser]

On an unrelated note... a Samsung Note that is...

My postings now are through my Mobile Hotspot from my phone... as I said before ..fast - no problems etc.   

Just for the fun of it, last night I fired up my old ATT Samsung Galaxy S... checked the Mobile Hotspot on the locked version... sure enough, I need to buy a plan.... they take a good phone, downgrade it and lock it up to extort extra money from unsuspecting American Citizens... like our government, eh? 

Oh yeah.. many of our polys are likely invested in ATT... that should explain it...free insider trading, eh...didn't want to start any false rumors... 

There you have it... if you want free stuff get the international unlocked version....free stuff... the new American way...

[glenn kangiser]

Indirect questioning of my posts Sort of Glenn-like

Moi... it is sort of an art... I didn't really know I had been caught at it...

Must have been sort of an indirect catch.. like off the wall in left field.....

[rick91351]

Moi... it is sort of an art... I didn't really know I had been caught at it...

Must have been sort of an indirect catch.. like off the wall in left field.....

Ya' but someone has to have a pretty good arm to get it to home plate from there, and not use the relay man.

[glenn kangiser]

Hmmm.... gotta watch myself then... PEG has that good arm from swinging that hammer all of the time....

[CjAl]

the hotspot function on the samsung galaxy tab is horribly slow, i dont use it unless i am forced to

[glenn kangiser]

That may be a problem with your provider or a problem with the locked version of their phone I think. 

My connection is fast enough on the Samsung Note GT 7000 European version to watch the embedded Youtube videos here on the forum or listen to music etc, barely slower than at home.  [ouch]

I just ran a speed test to check for you, cjAl, and it shows 2.5 MBps DL,  .55 MBps upload.  Pretty fast as we only used to get 1 MBps at home on DSL. 

I did upgrade Sassy's and my phones to a 4G sim and I note having H+ often which is capable of very good speed.  The Euro version unlocked is not recognized as a smartphone by ATT as it doesn't have their built in crapware.  Also the processor in the Euro unlocked phone is 3 times faster than the US ATT locked version.  They had to slow the domestic one down 3 times to work with the Qualcom radio for their new high speed internet LTE radio.  Makes sense, eh? 

OK - if you understand how they do it here in the US it does make sense..... it should be good for about three or four upgrades for them to get us up to speed with Europe and Asia ... lots of money to be made there, eh?...

....meanwhile back at the ranch... Glenn was sitting around watching the ATT customers on their new locked ATT phones thinking they had something new and fast as he sped by them on the internet freeway...

I'm so ungrateful... I should be thanking the ATT gods for not blocking International phones from their system... but then they would miss out on that money... greed will get them every time, I guess.... 

[glenn kangiser]

Forgot.... we were talking about the stucco... 



Thursday they were finishing the lath around the canopies I put up..

today....






todo con los manos....  (maybe I'm not a proper Mexican but they will understand me).  Hard working guys.  I asked one if he could speak English... No...pero alli mi jeffe....

No, OK .. Yo habla poquito espanol... mas trabajo aqui esta dia? ...

Si, en la tarde, mas trabajo aqui.

Gracias, yo trabajando en la otra edificio.



Yes... I know ... terrible Spanish but I found out what I needed to know and now the guy is my friend because I tried.  He will help me anytime I need it I am sure.  That is just the way they are.   

[glenn kangiser]

Well... tonight I saw another thing on my Samsung Note that I hadn't tried...


USB Tethering.  Hooking up the phone to charge as usual but using the phones data connection over USB for the computer.  I tried it one time before but didn't get it working.  Since I figured out the WAP settings for the Wireless Access Point, tonight I hooked up - clicked "Tick to Tether" and... there it was .  I was on the net simple as that - hard wired to the phone.... no wireless.  [ouch]

This phone is so cool.  Remember.. if you get the locked American one, this stuff will all cost extra every month and you will not get it until you pay the piper....the one who locks up your phone and charges you extra to use it's built in features that you are paying for.  This feature is also locked up on the ATT phone.  You need a plan... yeah.. I have a plan... quit getting ripped off by my wireless carrier. Through the contract you pay as much or more for the phone over 2 years as you would if you bought the International one and had all of the features, a reliable GPS using American and Russian satellites and a ~3x faster processor....

...also..remember that the locked phone may not last 2 years as Sassy's didn't ... broke in a bit over a year - no warranty - no insurance... she was SOL....      Had to buy her own phone anyway.

Isn't technology wonderful? ....

[glenn kangiser]

Mobile and couldn't find a way to rotate this pix but I think you will get the picture.  [idea]






So what do you think?   




Has the Burger King got a winner here or what?   

[rick91351]

Does that bacon sundae work with my low carb -  high protein menu? 

[glenn kangiser]

  Rick, maybe it was made just for you....

I think it happened like this...   Wendy's and Burger King are about a block apart here in Walnut Creek.... [idea]

I'll bet one of the Burger King employees went to Wendy's to check out the competition and saw that they had the Baconator there as well as the Son of Baconator.

The had to do something.... so...

They came up with the Bacon Sundae....

Anybody dare me to try it? ....

[CjAl]

dennys has had a bacon and maple syrup sunday for some time. i can feel my arteries hardening just looking at it