Friday, June 12, 2009 -
It was sunny this morning, but feels cooler than the past couple of mornings. NWS is now predicting 50% chance of thunderstorms for Sunday, with a 40% chance between now and then.
I feel lazy this morning and have taken my time reading a magazine and then starting the generator so I could collect my emails and send yesterday’s update. Zack and I have played and took a short walk and he is now napping while I do some research online.
After playing with Zack again, I changed into my old work clothes and went out to get something done. I am split between having so many tasks on my list, that I hardly know where to start. I unloaded the gas, 2 x 4s, insulation board, and propane tanks from the truck and then parked it in the garage. I got the trail mower out and then backed the Argo out of the garage, hooking the trail mower up to it. If you remember correctly, I had attempted to start the unused trail mower to circulate the Sta-Bil in the gas tank, and the pull start cord wouldn’t retract, well, for whatever reason, it was retracted and with several pulls I was able to get it started. I mowed the front half of the property before parking both of them back in the garage. I really just wanted to see if the damn thing worked, and it does. Because it is a “trail mower” and not a lawn mower, it doesn’t cut close to the ground and my grass isn’t really high enough to make much difference, but I was able to cover the same area in about 30 minutes that took me a day with the push mower, so I am happy.
I then decided to use the bulldozer to smooth out my driveway, so started it up and moved it out of the garage. The right track seemed way too tight, so I got out my wrenches to adjust it. Because I’ve had the tracks come off of the gears so often, I try to keep them adjusted and lubed on a regular basis, but this track was so tight that if I didn’t know better, I’d say it shrank in the rain. There was absolutely no play in it at all. I loosened the lock bolt and attempted to turn the adjusting bolt, but it was frozen in place. I can’t believe that it must have rusted fast in just the few months of non-use, but nothing I did could get it to move. I sprayed it liberally with Wrench Free and let it soak.
I checked the opposite side, and it adjusted without a problem, so I had to figure some way to free up the right side. I finally ended up using a pipe wrench and 6-ton hydraulic jack to make it move a fraction of an inch. After about 8 times of jacking the wrench, it loosened enough that I was able to move it without the jack. I guess it was just the rust, but then I noticed that the track was not riding on the top roller, but actually the outside was riding on the outer edge of the roller.
Closer examination leads me to believe that the upright holding the roller is bent inward and it caused the roller to move enough that I can’t get the track to ride in the roller. I worked on it until 7:30 and became exhausted, so I quit and played with Zack. I can’t believe how fast I got tired, and I mean like I had been working hard all day long, not just a few hours. I am drinking lots of water and resting often, remembering how high my blood pressure has been. No need to have a stroke over something I can finish tomorrow.
I fed Zack and Zoey came to ask for some canned food, so I gave her a little. She only eats about a quarter of one of the small cans and that satisfies her. I sat down to cool off and relax before taking my shower. After my shower, I fixed myself a couple of frozen French bead pizzas and sat down to watch television before going to bed at midnight.