I am still in self-isolation and though I need to go pick-up my mail as well as mail a payment...all these confirmed cases make me very leery to leave the safety of our home. Per El Zócalo most stores, restaurants, bars, city and county offices, consulates, and gyms are closed.
This afternoon I was watching TV in the kitchen when I heard a reeling noise. Looked outside and a Spectrum truck was right next to the fence...I mean like butted up to it.
After he left I walked over to check out the fence and made sure it was not damaged. Two years ago when I had the lot cleared I did away with most of the purple sage. Since I seldom walk to the fence line I had no idea they were blooming in my mesquite and cactus over-run lot.
More free yard work...the funny thing is that even though they only ran over weeds and small trees...it smelled like freshly mowed grass.
The day started out cloudy and gloomy but by the afternoon the sun came out. We had a low of 58 and a high of 81 degrees.
Good night. May you all have Terlingua Dreams.
Aunty Acid Saying of the Day
As many of the experts are saying this is a war. You just can't see the enemy that could take a while to defeat.
ReplyDeleteBe Safe and Enjoy the Isolation.
It's about time.
Precisely because we can not see the enemy is why there is a campaign in the USA both in English and Spanish with medical personnel and in the Spanish version by Latino/Hispanic celebrities asking us to stay home.
DeletePart 2 of my Power Options For Camping
ReplyDeleteIn Part 1, I told you that I don’t like gas appliances. I am all-electric and I don’t even have a gas vehicle. I have Coleman gas stoves and Coleman gas lanterns but I have not used them in years. My father always bought the cheaper “white gas” to use in Coleman products instead of the more expensive Coleman fuel. I recently did some simple research to learn the difference between white gas and Coleman fuel. There was so much discussion on the subject I would have to start all over again and take notes. I thought it was too complicated for my purposes. Apparently, “white gas” from the old days is not the same as the “white gas” of today. I think you have to change the orifice size depending on what type of fuel you use. I have no doubt I could, with a lot more research, figure this out. On the other hand, I don’t like gas so I do not intend to do more research on the difference between gas fuels at this time.
After you eliminate gas fuel for camping, the remaining options are very limited.
One option is to burn wood or charcoal. There are often rules of no open fires if it is too dry or too windy so that is not always an option.
I can camp without having to cook anything. N “has” to have coffee (I don’t drink coffee) so she always brings along her electric coffee maker. If we don’t have electricity at the campsite (which we rarely do), she will take the coffee maker to a restroom or some nearby place where there is electricity so she can make her coffee.
I started researching “portable electric generators”. Since I don’t like gas, I don’t want a gas generator, plus, they are noisy. I could use a diesel generator but they also make a lot of noise. There are often restrictions about using gas or diesel generators in certain areas because of the noise. I started reading about the Harbor Freight “solar kit”. It doesn’t cost very much but it is not complete. It comes with solar panels and a charge controller. You still have to buy a battery or batteries, an inverter to convert 12 volts DC to 120 volts AC, plus wiring for the battery and inverter. You also have to provide some type of enclosure to protect it from the elements. And, it is really not a “useful” system. It is more of a “fun” or “hobby” system to experiment with.
I found one system that might work. It is expensive but it might be worth it since it seems to be exactly what I am looking for. It is portable, it can handle high wattage for a “reasonable” time, and, it is fully enclosed. Also, a very big plus is that it can be purchased at Tractor Supply Company or Northern Tools so I could pick up the item at either one of these stores.
There is a one battery system that includes one solar panel and a two battery system that includes three solar panels.
[NOTE: This is strange. I have been researching this for at least six months and this system has always been on the Tractor Supply and Northern Tool website. I was going to put a link here but I don't see it on either website right now.]
I am seriously thinking of getting one of these systems. A lot of RVs have systems similar to this. I have watched a lot of YouTube videos of RV campers using solar but I have not seen any tent campers using a solar generator. I am seriously considering it but I will have to do more research if both of those stores quit selling that particular model.
The term "solar generator" is a marketing term, it's not a generator. The one's I've seen are boxes with a battery, some switches, maybe some blinking lights and a small inverter. You add the power to the small battery, either from plugging it in the wall or buys solar panels. Plus you will need a BIG solar system to run a coffee maker.
DeleteFor quiet and enough electricity to run a coffee maker get a Honda a 1000w (or a 2000w) inverter generator. They are the Gold Standard in generators, they are quiet, they don't use much fuel and they are not too heavy.
Or get a small propane or ever better a can cooker butane stove (https://tinyurl.com/vozt9no). That stove, a tea kettle and a cone filter maker for the morning coffee works great and doesn't take much room.
If you really want solar.... (This will NOT run the coffee maker but it will keep a phone going, a laptop, and keep LED lights going in the evening as long as the sun sines in the day time.)
Look for a 100w suitcase system with the controller, like this https://tinyurl.com/uylfqdk . Get a an Everstart battery from Walmart, P/N 29DC, it's 122 amp hour (less that $90) and a plastic battery case to keep it in (they will have they where you bought the battery, less than $10 last time I bought one). Plus you'll need an inverter if you want to try and run the 120v coffee maker.
If you just want to run the coffee maker get a Honda EU100i (https://tinyurl.com/twkwvth), shop around or try a knock off with the same specifications (The Honda is quiet so compare the dBA numbers).
Flyingdj- I do not see your plan as far fetched. I thought this was supposed to make me look less crazy.
DeleteThe teller at the bank... bummer. Tellers see a lot of people.
ReplyDeleteStill just two confirmed cases in my county.
Good luck MsBelinda!
Yeap, they sure come into contact with many people. Another thing is that they handle money and he or she could have contaminated both bills and currency that are making their way around town and beyond.
DeleteYou are lucky that being in such a hard hit state you only have two confirmed cases.
We have five new cases. One is in the city 100 miles from us, another a nursing home resident, another a staff member. Two others travelled recently and a young man is a mystery, not yet confirmed. We are thankful to live far out in the countryside where we don't have to mix with folks while out and about.
ReplyDeleteHi Karen, this silent enemy is everywhere there are very few places on earth that it has not touched. Even in this sleepy border town. Keep safe.
DeleteHow interesting the trucks made the air smell of freshly cut grass. And the blooming purple sage is gorgeous. Cut and dry some for smudging when Pollito returns with his bad energy.
ReplyDeleteIn reference to a commenter...the enemy is behind his podium in front of the white house.
I see he started using the seal and flag again. Lol
We had snow again today. More on the way. You are so fortunate to have some nice spring weather.
I wonder if you could make those HOA payments via phone, using your debit card? And perhaps call the p.o. and just tell them you can't get out but are worried about your mail so no fine happens, and they don't return your mail to senders. Just a thought. I will do another stealth run in a week or two.
Stay safe, my friend.
Lol, on using the purple sage to ward off Pollito's bad energy...will keep that in mind! Saw him drive by twice today one in his dump truck and later pulling his big tractor with his wino sidekick.
DeleteThe HOA payments go to an accounting firm in Houston and they only take checks. I had asked in the past if they would take Paypal but they say that would have to be set up by the HOA Board of Directors and voted by the homeowners.
I am not too worried about the postal service fining me and surely under the circumstances, I would hope they wouldn't. Though I plan to call them tomorrow just in case.
Oh gosh, more snow? It has been warm but we are expecting a cool down and some rain later in the week.
Stay safe as well my friend.
Meant to say..."Saw him drive by twice today ONCE in his dump truck"...
DeleteNeed to check my comments before hitting Publish :-(
Wow! We just had a BIG earthquake not far from here. It rolled and then shook hard and then rolled again. It has been felt from Calgary to Salt Lake City and Elko, NV! They are saying 6.5 but it was much larger than that.
ReplyDeleteI did not have an opportunity to watch the evening news so I have not heard about the earthquake. At 6.5 it was a large one! Take care.
DeleteHow do you know who were infected - e.g, the bank teller and the doctor. ?? Surely the county/city health department didn't publish that information. Here, in a county in Texas with a population of 30,000, we only have 3 cases, but the information about them is restricted to age, out of county contact prior to testing. I kind of approve of that.
ReplyDeleteThey published it in the local newspaper yesterday. Someone in the doctor's family wrote a comment saying that they hoped that just as they identified him they would do the same with the others.
DeleteI think it is a violation of privacy laws. I do not know if it was due to the fact that both of them came in contact with large numbers of people and/or the fact that he is a doctor. They never personally identified the teller or any of the others who have been infected.
http://delrionewsherald.com/news/article_21deb54e-7211-11ea-a35e-dbfb7ff2e87a.ht
DeleteCorrected link:
Deletehttp://delrionewsherald.com/news/article_21deb54e-7211-11ea-a35e-dbfb7ff2e87a.html
We have way to many cases here and 5 deaths, there are 24 cases and a nursing home alone, with on death there.. Tomorrow I absolutely need to get Fred to the groomer but it is a private one and she will come take out of the truck and bring him back in. I will have my spray with me.
ReplyDeleteWow, JO that is a lot of people in that nursing home to have this terrible disease. Fortunately, we have not had any deaths.
DeleteI hope you can safely get Fred to the groomer because this is only going to get worst and you might not be able to do it later.
Thanks for the link, that clears it up. The doctor himself posted on Facebook. The teller was identified only by occupation, and there are probably quite a few of those. OK. I won't worry about that anymore.
ReplyDeleteGlad you are staying in. Me, too.
I guess that is why my cousin keeps on trying to get me to sign up for a Facebook account but I am suspicious and old fashioned by nature so I will just take your word for it.
Delete