Fall Has Arrived
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Here she comes.
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There she goes.
We have been getting up early and walking in the park. Teri walked while I was working in the field, not dragging a sack Rick, for the last month. She got me walking with her after my work came to an end. She walks about 2 1/2 miles and I do about 1 1/2. Not bad. We get out there around 7 am or so. It has turned rather chilly now so we have an indoor place to walk.
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We have had a couple of frosts this week and the leaves are now turning. Next week I should get some really good pictures if my camera will work. Don't let me touch your camera. I do not have good luck with the digital cameras for some reason. I can not find a watch that will run longer than a year either so I don't wear one. I guess I am just electrifying.
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Teri and I got up real early this morning and drove to Cape Girardeau where she had an MRI done on her shoulder at 8 am. She fell, back in August, and it just has not gotten any better. I got her into my doc this week, 3rd one, and he set her up. We will find out in a day or two what the next step is.
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Teri took some really good photos of some trees but the dang camera was in movie mode and so I deleted them. What can I say? I will try a better camera next time. Need to find a laptop first though. One reason I have not posted as often as I usually do is because I have to use the desktop, since the Dell laptop has crashed for the second time. I guess I use it too much but for 750 bux it should have done better. I mean, I keep it in a case and everything.
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Speaking of desktop, we had to put a power supply in it when we got home last month. It was dead and not even plugged into the wall. I am hoping there will be some bargains on laptops before xmas. I want a smaller screen so it is easier to use in a vehicle. The 15.5 is too large for us. 12 inch would be perfect if I can find one. Anyone have an old 12 inch that you want to sell because you got a larger one?
Well, as I said, we were in Cape today. After the MRI we did the Hobby Lobby thing along with Dollar Tree. You know, the normal lady thing. I have a bench at Hobby Lobby that should have my name on it somewhere. Over to Sam's Club, expired cards. Been expired 6 months but we can still get in and look around. No bargains there on laptops. But, where can you eat for 3 bux? Yep, Sam's Club. My favorite place for lunch. We will renew the cards when we need something. I think that saves us money in the long run.
I am ready to see our motorhome. Its been 5 weeks yesterday since we left it. My daughter takes good care of it but I got a couple others looking at it too, as they drive by. I am getting good reports so I guess she knows we will be back soon. 9 weeks today is Jan 1st. We are looking at that as a target date to head west. We have some trips planned when we get there. Quartzsite, Az. is at the top of the list. This is our 3rd planned Jan. trip to that place. Maybe this one will happen. I think it will be a blast. No hookups but hey, we can stay for free. Don't need hookups, just a little sun and some propane. Anyway, if we get there we will have some really good pictures.
Hope all is well with our friends out there. Drop us a line when you have time. Will see you again in a day or two.
Dan
And, It Rained
Well, looks like my work is over. We were picking for another farmer, trying to help him get his cotton out before it rained. We could have been done Saturday. It rained today, all day long. So, anyone looking for an experienced farm hand with a college education? Email me if you have something. Must be legal and moral for me. Just kidding. I need a few days off to get caught up on things around here. Our grass was freshly mowed when we got home. I have not touched it since. It looks as good as the neighbors' but I do need to even it up a bit.
Still looking for 2 1966 VW bug doors. Mine are not what I want to paint so until I find a couple the bug will be yellow. If it takes too long to locate the doors it might get primered. Folks just look as I meet them. I think they are laughing at the yellow paint, as I have mentioned earlier. Teri and I drove over to a "bug shop" in Polar Bluff today but he had nothing like I need. My doors have been butchered by someone and the passenger door has bondo in it.
I did check the fuel mileage today. I had been hoping for 25 mpg in town. Well, I got a dab over 24 so I am very happy with that. It has a dual port engine so that is pretty good. I have not "babied" it yet so I am sure when things get tight I can squeeze it to 25 mpg, in town. Did not buy if for the highways but I figure 30 mpg would be a fair figure there. Not bad for a 1961 year car. No power steering though. But, I did get a bigger wheel so I can turn it much easier now. There is a 10.5 inch wheel on it and I now have a 14.5 to install Friday.
We will get out and about next week when the weather clears up. Should be able to snag some Fall Colors from the trees. This is about as pretty a place as there is when it comes to the leaves changing. We live on Crowley's Ridge, lots of trees.
Thanks for checking in. We hope everyone is doing well. I am starting to get the "itch". ready to hit the road and find our GMC coach. I sleep really good in it. Have not slept so good since coming home. We have been home 4 weeks today. About 9 more and off we go.
Have a great week.
Dan Gregg
Vdub Heater
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This post is for my VW friends. Had some questions and wanted picture, so here it is. All mounted and waiting to go. I wired it direct to the battery and havea 30 amp fuse in line.
Dan
Nippy This Morning!!!
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Wow, the temperature was down this morning. Made me think I had better that heater installed in the Vdub. So, while the race was on, with a nap in the middle, I got it done. Will have heat as I travel about 12 miles to the cotton patch in the morning. I feel better about that.
Worked on the headlights too. I am having a problem with low beams. Going to run a complete new harness to the headlights from the fuse box. I have spent a considerable amount of time tracing this down. I do not want to run the new harness and did everything I could to fix it without doing that. But, that is what it will take. I have pretty much wired the entire car anyway. I tell folks that I resurrected this one from the dead. That is not far from true.
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Just a few shots of the bug with its new shoes. I like the mags and new tires. Now I need to give it a bath as it has not had one since we got it back in July and no telling when before that. Not much else I can do to make the outside look any better til it finds the paint booth. I will be ready to get that yellow paint off of it. So many folks look at me when I am driving this thing. I am thinking that they are laughing at the yellow paint. I will stop that before too long.
I have been insulating the interior too. Need all the help I can get with heat and the noise from the engine as it is very loud. Should anyone know where I can find two 66 doors, let me know. I won't paint it until we find the doors.
Back to the cotton patch tomorrow. Felt good to have a day off. We have about 500 acres to pick for a neighboring farmer. I figure 6 days of good picking and no breakdowns. That could be Saturday.
Hope everyone is buttoning up for winter. Hope our GMC will be ok in Az. til we get back to it. I drained all of the water. My daughter checks the solar system for me periodically to make sure the batteries are up. She told me last night that she has not seen it below 100% yet. That is as it should be. No Redwoods there to block the sun.
Thanks for checking on us. All is well with the Greggs.
Dan
Back Again
Kathy the caterer is here. I am telling you, we eat better in the field than most of us do any time. When we see the white van here we come. Everyone stops and heads to the van.
Just a few shots of some of the food that Kathy prepares for us.
The first day I took my lunch. Never made that mistake again. I wish I could have gotten a "spread" shot but can't do that when it is all in the van. My batteries died before I could take pictures of the ribs and fried catfish that we had this day.
There are always at least ten of us eating. Always much food left over. After Kathy makes sure that we are all fed, she cleans up and stays in the field to help us. She is a worker.
Well, it rained us out last night so I finall got time to work on my laptop. It has been broken since we got home 3 weeks ago. Sometimes I could get a little work out of it but mostly all I could do was read my emails. Could not send back or get anything on the blog. I still can't get it to charge the new battery but I have it so we can at least use it now. I appreicate those who emailed me wanting to know where I was.
Took the vdub and got new tires mounted on the mag wheels. Then to the shop for new brakes. Want to make sure it is safe as it is 47 years old. Will grab a couple of pictures of the new tires and mags in a day or two. I hope to eventually make it look and act like it is new again. Will make a good car to tow behind the motorhome. We really can not feel it back there when we tow it and I love that. It weighs about half what the Vibe does.
Hope everyone is having a great week. We have had a good one here. I normally get home after dark from work. I hope to work another 5 or 6 days. We have about 600 acres left. 100 belongs to my cousins and we have been approached by a fellow farmer to help him with his crop. At least 500 acres there to pick. He must have heard about the quality work that I render to the team, ha.
Have a good weekend. Check on us when you have time, we really enjoy your company.
Dan
The Shirt On Your Back
This is not a sunset. Hey, for a buck, I can get up real early, as long as it is legal and moral. I have seen several of these in the past week.
I thought I would show those north of the Mason Dixon line where their shirts come from. I realize none of the folks in Dixie are interested. On the left is the buggy that brings 3-4 bales of cotton to me from the picker. I am controlling the machine on the right, cotton module builder.
Well, if you twist the buggy too much an axle may pop. Here we are early Monday morning replacing one that popped Saturday night. Did all of this in about an hour. Oh how nice modern tools are, like aircompressors in the back of a pickup truck. This would have taken 4 hours when I was a kid on the farm.
Here is the broken one.
A shot from my viewpoint. Stuff is fluffy and ready to come out of those bowls
My cousin doing some "bossing" as the cotton is dumped into my machine.
The operation in a picture. 2 6 row pickers, a buggy getting loaded, can't see it, and the module bulder.
Here comes the white stuff. I got to be ready.
Here I go to work. Pushing and compacting the stuff. I can get 12 bales of cotton packed in here, sometimes more. We used to dump 3 or 4 loose bales in a trailer and run o the gin, and sit, waiting to get it off. No more. The gin comes to us. They pick these modules up right in the field.
Here is a short module. Maybe 6 bales in here.
So, there you have it. With 2 6 row pickers we can grab 100 acres in a day, more or less depending on problems. Even fixing a broken axel Monday we still got 100 plus acres. Good days and not so good days. However, never a dull moment and we eat very good. Our food is brought to the field and we feast everyday at lunch. I will grab a shot of what Kathy brings us everyday. You can not buy what we eat in a resturant. She is one great cook. Always get to work before 12 noon.
So, now you can see where those cotton shirts come from. I have another job title for my resume.
See ya later. Thanks for checking on us.
Dan
Working Again
My buddy, Jim. He loves Airstreems and now has 2 of them. When we left back in June I had been helping him on his 73 model. Now, look at that shine.
This was as dull as they come, but shines like a new pen
ny now. Jim and Jr. have been busy while I was gone. The interior is looking good too. This will be one nice rig. I really like these Airstreams too.
We put an awning on it today. Here is Jr. trying to figure it all out. We got the thing all wound back up with lots of tenison. Got another one for the windows on the other side.
Just a shot to let you know the bug is alive and well in Mo. We got it all legal yesterday. I have been driving the fool out of it. Worked changing the oil on it yesterday.
I am working for my cousins on their farms. Picking cotton and I am one of the module builders. Lots of fun and I might get paid. Have one moreskill to add to my resume. I need all I can get.
Computers are both broke. I am struggling with the laptop, trying not to bump it or it will go off. Got some parts coming.
Teri and I missed all of our GMC friends this week. the international convention was in Delaware. Just was not in the cards for us this time. Hope to see everyone in Dothan in March.
Thanks for checking on us. we are doing great. Work is good for the "poor".
Dan
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