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Upper Peninsula Michigan and Auction Win Outcomes

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I was up in Wisconsin and the UP (upper peninsula) in Michigan. It was a lot of driving after launching/landing in Appleton WI. I got an item off the bucket list by driving across the "Mighty Mac". Altough it was built in the late '50s. It is still the longest suspension span in the Northern hemisphere. It is a crazy long bridge with a crazy long suspension span. It was good to see the bridge in context of the seemingly endless forests of Northern Wisconsin and Michigan. The culture in the two haves of Michigan are noticibly different as you might expect. Great time meeting with folks both in WI and MI. The tractor I won in auction, seems to have paid off. This time I beat the odds. It was a really good deal. I have the "no-key, non-running, may have hydraulic problems, unknown hours" -auction win, running well with minimal cost and time. I have some more tweaks, maintenance and minor fixes but the major risks are gone.
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The electrical outlet isn't working.

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I found this on a church alter. I think this outlet is a great testimony of why I use steel electrical boxes.
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New Deck. New Deck Furniture.

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The fire feature works great for evening meals, better than expected.
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Time available to finish the deck replacement

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The deck replacement is complete. As usual, there are items to add and fuss over, but the structure is primarly usable and complete. The thing that kills me is that although the "new" deck looks great and is extraordinarily strong, it is a "repair". The deck is functionally the same as it was 2 months ago before I tore it out and replaced it. It didn't add any functional value to the house, just a repair. Some stats: (10) new/improved concrete footings and 4x6 posts, (6) 2x12x16 beams, (21) 2x10x10 joists, (37) 2x6x16 deck boards and lots of expensive fasteners. I did get some help in a couple of ways. I was part of a large layoff at Accuray, Inc. That freed up some of time for sure. It is really quite sad that they have good technology, great markets, a significant installed base and they still can't figure out how to stay/get profitable/solvent. Vlad retured from 5 months in Russia. He helped me move a lot of the heavy lumber. ...
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The Humanized Cat

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I passed by Gracie the other day in her cat room chair and did a double take. I went and grabbed the camera. This was not some kind of action shot. It is just Gracie relaxing at her best.
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Dan Gryder

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We had a local youtube aviation celebrity show up at our monthly EAA breakfast. Dan Gryder showed up with the DC-3. It was good to meet him face to face. Most of the time he makes sense. Dan Gryder -Probable Cause
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Scope Creep

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I started out to replace a few deck boards on my deck in anticipation of having a neighborhood party this Fall. Well, the few deck boards turned into a few more deck boards and then joists, then supporting structure. Then I found issues with a rusted-thru post supporting the adjacent porch and the underlying concrete footings. Needless to say, the small job turned into a bigger job. All the work is well within my capabilities, but the budget (both time and money) has expanded. It became my highest priority and I am back working on the urgent repairs after completing the emergency repairs. These projects look bigger than they really are compared to a new bathroom or kitchen or something. I easily do all the work myself, alone. It will be done soon.
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Couchsurfing with US Education Without Borders

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We had a nice visit from Emma. We enjoyed a dinner with folks involved with "US Education Without Borders". It was quite an enriching experience without any jetlag or expensive tickets. Angie had to practice her Mandarin.
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