7.3.2026

 

We left for Goshen, Connecticut this morning.  Kyle designed and did all the cabinetry for a new home build there.  They held an open house/art show today and wanted us to attend.  We took the MINI and it was a really nice trip.  The route took us through the outskirts of the Berkshires, so it was an area we hadn't seen before.

We're proud of Kyle and his accomplishments.  You can check out the house detail at the link below if interested - and if you have an extra $2.5M you aren't sure what to do with.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/205-E-Hyerdale-Dr-Goshen-CT-06756/462915537_zpid/ 

We had just come in from outside and saw a bear right at the edge of the woods!  This is in a big development so it was a quite a surprise!

Building is in the blood - like father, like son!

High 90.5/Low 73

7.2.2026

 

Hopefully everyone is staying safe and cool in the heat wave.  While it's warmer here today, the humidity is down so it doesn't feel as bad.

Jim investigated new power washers, but wanted to get this one working no matter.  So he brought it down from the upper lawn hydrant down to the lower one.  He used the air compressor to blow out the connections...

Success - he got it working again!

He washed off both cars - drying off the MINI...

High 92.5/Low 69.8

7.1.2026

Jim's still been doing some clean up work, as well as lots of computer work and phone calls in the mornings.  

He had ordered more degreaser and it came today, so he wanted to go over the 4Runner's engine again.  He did have issues with the power sprayer - it's probably over 30 years old and Jim's done a lot of work on it.  I told him maybe it was time for a new one.

But he was outside for just a bit and came in looking like he had run a marathon.  We don't typically get high humidity here, but like most of the eastern part of the country, we're in the midst of some very hot and humid weather.  I had to run to Staples, and when I backed my car out of the auto bay, the windows instantly completely fogged up from the humidity.  

6.30 - High75.9/Low 58.4
7.1 - High 89.9/Low 66.9

6.29.2026

 Jim is contemplating work on the 4Runner - it would be a massive engine rebuild, so he's still not 100% ready to pull the trigger.  But he decided to take it up near the outdoor faucet and clean the engine compartment a bit.  He sprayed his magical cleaner on...

It's back in the auto bay and it looks pretty amazing!

He used the rest of the day to do some lawn mowing and trimming.

High 84.3/Low 56.5

6.28.2026

Jim had clean up to do from the big Bobcat job, putting all the tools away and getting everything back in place.

This afternoon, he started another project -  the tachometer for the chipper stopped working.  Jim contacted the company and they were great.  They sent Jim a new one in the mail.  This is the old one, not registering anything...

He had to take things apart a bit to get at it.  For now, we used some of our very heavy duty double sided tape to attach the tach to the machine and then Jim did the connecting...

He got it all put back together and started it up - it's working!

High 82.5/Low 59.7

6.27.2026

 Now that the Bobcat treads are back on, Jim had to adjust them.  That's done by putting in grease and measuring the droop of the tread...

Then he started up the Bobcat and operated the treads back and forward...

Then he adjusted the treads again...

What a huge job, but it's all done now!

Time to get ready for church!

High 76.9/Low 59.2

6.26.2026

Jim was back at work on the Bobcat today.  Trying to get more grease out of this cylinder... 

He took off the other sprocket, hoping that would help...

He finally came up with a way - he clamped everything in place...

Then he used the pry bar through the access hole...

Finally, all that grease started coming out...

Then he was able to start taking the tread off...

Trying to get the back off...

Success!

Draining the oil...

It only takes 2 ounces of special oil to fill up the drive train; however, they give you an 8 ounce bottle.  Jim used an eye dropper to get the right amount in...

Putting the sprocket back on...

He came up with a way to strap up the tread to help him get it on the back first...

Success - tread is on!  Obviously this doesn't show all the hard work in between to wrangle this 450 pound tread back on!

Starting the process all over on the other side - putting oil in...

Jim got the back part of the tread on, but is struggling to get the front on...

Success!  Jim was determined to get this tread on before calling it a day, and he got it done.  This whole right side was much more difficult than the left, for whatever reason.  So amazed that he was able to get all this done to this point!

High 74.2/Low 59.2