Here is some video of me checking out the diesel fuel tank, starting the Cockshutt 40 on a very cold day in December , 2013.
[video=youtube_share;n44VuPRE2xg]http://youtu.be/n44VuPRE2xg[/video]

Ralph;

Watched the video earlier on YT and brought a smile when I heard the 40 fire off. Probably not be able to start anything here at that temperature. Maybe with the Reddy heater on it for a while. Diesels have block heaters and maybe would start if covered up with a blanket. Coldest I have ever experienced was -28F about 15 years ago when I lived near Newark, Ohio. Had a little Buick 4 cylinder and it started right off and made it to work without incident. Was like a fairyland with all the frost on the trees and wires. Power lines stretched almost straight out from contraction.

Not that cold here. Was +3 degrees yesterday morning and only 18 this morning. Snow predicted for tomorrow with 3 to 8 inches of accomulation. Going to town for groceries and gasoline this morning and get the little Case 222 with snowblower  out of storage and put it in warm shop.

Portland Tri-State Christmas banquet is Saturday night. Hope the weather is not too bad to go. I am now the camping director for the club, so feel I should be there. Directors have to pass out the prizes for the drawing.

Gene

Fortunately Wny is not down to Ralph's low temperatures and hopefully won't be.  Night before last I was watching the thermometer floating between -7 and -8 F.  A clear sky and full moon really let all of the warmth leave town in a hurry.  Around 4:30 AM, clouds moved in and warming started.  By 7 AM we were up to 7 above and to 15 above shortly afterward.  Nothing like a blanket overhead.  Only problem is, that blanket keeps dropping snow.  Getting spattering of an inch or two each day.  Today we are looking at bright sunshine so far.  Held in the mid 20's overnight and looking for 30 today.

I managed to modify a wheel from an old spare blower with a good tire to fix my antique.  It ran well through the 8-10 inches on the weekend.  Did all of the walks and some extra pathways.  However. when I put that wheel on I found that two out of three bolts would not tighten, so no surprise they have loosened back up.  The studs thread into a flange on the axle that is only about 5 / 32" thick.  Hopefully today I will find time to drill open the holes in the flange, slide 5/16" bolts in from the back, and nut the outside.  More than one way to skin a cat, and that may be the way.

Hope Gene and Ralph are staying warm and staying healthy.

Charlie

Charlie;

Doing alright here in Ohio. Keeping the wood fire burning and nice and cozy. Like the wood heat. Wood I cut last winter is burning very good and providing a lot of heat.

Temperatures here have moderated somewhat and forecast to be much warmer through the weekend with temps in mid 40's. Been getting snows from the passing Alberta clippers with a couple inches every other day. Have about 5 inches on the ground and no wind to cause drifting. Snow should be gone by end of weekend

Had a good banquet with the Tri-State club Saturday night. Good food and good entertainment. Door prize drawing passed me by as it always does, but some members won some nice prizes. Weather was a little iffy with some freezing rain forecast, so several members did not attend, but weather missed us and roads were in pretty good shape.

Got my Christmas shopping done today so ready for get-together on Saturday night with my family.

Gene

Sitting here in the house with cold feet . Wind chill outside is in the -30s they say. Not much wind but the temp is low enough that even a little is too much. I got lucky when Viterra called for my flax last week and the trucks came Monday when the temp got up into the 20s. Water dripping off the bin roofs in the sunshine.
I haven't put the snow blower on the tractor yet but did have to push a little snow with the blade so the semis could get in and out of the farm for the flax.
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Ralph;

Glad you got the flax hauled. Pretty good way to close out the year. Good the weather held for you.

Charlie and I are having springtime monsoon. Temperatures in the 50's since Thursday melted all the snow. Friday the rains
 
started and came with a vengeance, Don't have the rain gauge out so don't know how much rain we have had, probably 5

inches or more. All the low ground is flooded and all streams are out of their banks. Low land across the road from me looks

like a lake and the creek can't handle all the water. Already started to cool off and will have a high tomorrow of 32 degrees and going down from there.

Last night had Christmas gathering with all the kids. Got home about 8:15 and about 9:30 a violent storm went through with

howling wind and Very heavy, horizontal torrents of rain. Had a wheelbarrow of firewood outside the back door covered with a

plastic water tank. Wind blew the cover off and the wheelbarrow was completely filled with water this morning. Haven't

checked the driveway, but hear it has washed out at the road. Will deal with that tomorrow.

Got the gas line run from the propane tank to the house so will be able to install the gas furnace soon. Rented a trencher on

Thursday and dug the trench and installed the copper line. With ground thawing out it was a muddy, mushy mess trying to

tamp the backfill in the trench. Finally just covered the trench and the heavy rain has settled in a lot of the trench.

Gene

Well. my belly is happy.  I fried some bacon this morning and ate if in a sandwich between two slices of toast.  I do not know if that is my favorite food, but if not, it is not far from my favorite.  OJ and coffee and I am good to go for a while.  

You are right, Gene.  Lots of rain.  Not as much as you had and not as warm. 53 called for yesterday, but we only made it to about 37 in the daylight hours.  It did get a little over 40 in the overnight.  The snow is gone, except where there were piles.  Some of those remain.  I heard mention somewhere on TV about two inches of rain.  Our guage is put away for the winter also.  Quite a surprise this morning to see that the puddles of water that were numerous yesterday are pretty much gone today.  My sump pump for the cellar that was working every few minutes over the weekend is mostly laid back now. Good!  


Do not have much to talk about today. With the weather being what it was I pretty much hid in the house except for a trip to the store for vittles.  I did epoxy my beard trimmer which had broken inside so the blade assembly would fall right off when it was turned on.  They do not make stuff like they used to.  It is somewhere between 15 and 20 years old.  Tried to buy a new set of Wahl like it.  Many web sights show it but say out of stock.  I checked the Wahl sight to learn it is discontinued.  Bummer.  The new model looks like cheezy .  Epoxy to the rescue.  I will put the blades on today and see how we made out.  Pretty delicate repair, but I am hopeful.

Wishing you men a good week and a very Merry Christmas.

Charlie
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Charlie, I use JB weld for similar repairs.  We were close to 40 overnight here too. As in -40F. I see it is up closer to -20 this morning. Not very inspriring to get out and do anything other than chores. No rain, freezing or otherwise. Radio is saying wind chill factor in the -40 range this morning. Going back to sleep I think. Seasons greetings to all.

Ralph,

Put on an extra blanket or two.  The clippers are back together and so far seem to work OK although I have not really clipped anything with them yet.  At least they did not fall back apart.

Charlie

Merry Christmas to all. Hope everyone has a good Christmas. My Christmas was last Saturday night with all my children and grand children. Was a good Christmas. Kids got me an Ipad tablet for Christmas, so will be a learning experience to learn this. Will spend a few cold snowy days and nights learning this!!!!

Looks like we in western Ohio are the coldest this morning. Colder than Ralph or Charlie with 8 degrees this morning with just a dusting of snow overnight, don't know if it will still be around for a white Christmas.

Will be working in the shop and basement today to prepare for putting in the gas furnace. Have to modify the furnace bonnets to fit the existing ducting in the house. Got the heat side done and now need to modify the cold air side. Nice to have the heated shop to work in.

Gene

Western Ohio update, as it were:   We closed on the new property yesterday, in Saint Paris, Ohio.   It'll be nice for the Super M to have some room to breathe.

Dean Vinson
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Two thumbs up to you, Dean.  Pretty exciting time for you and your family, I'll bet. When the stress of the move is over, hope you find a lot of enjoyment at the new place.  Now if I ever get to visit my daughter in Delaware, I can   catch Gene and Dean with a seventy mile drive from her place.  Someday, I hope.

Charlie

Dean, congrats on the closing. Looks like a nice property. The Super M will make a nice home there. I tried to find the proprety on Google, but Nettlecreek and Lonesome road are so crooked and entertwined and I am suffering from a head cold and concentration is hard to come by.
I have made some deliveries in the area, especially on Smith and lonesome road.

Look forward to having you for a neighbor.

Gene

Thanks, Charlie and Gene--it is indeed an exciting time, and we're looking forward to settling in.  

Gene, I just looked at Google Maps and there seem to be two Nettlecreek Roads in the area, one each north and south of US 36.  I'm on the one south of 36, just east of Kite Road.  Figure maybe half an hour up to your place?  And Charlie, do let me know if you're in the area, I'd be glad to say hello to you in person as well.  Delaware is perhaps an hour east of me, right there on 36, and it's a nice drive.

Dean

Dean. I did find the right road, What I was seeing north of 36 was Nettlecreek ditch. Let me know some day when you are down at the farm and I will stop for a visit.