The Platform

The deadlift platform...

There are many like it, but this one is mine.  However, at first glance, while the wood is pretty, the platform is a bit dull.  DH built if for our home gym, using Alan Thrall's plans from YouTube.  

DH suggested we do a logo for the platform, as that was included in the video he had seen.  We came up with a basic idea and he turned me loose on the project.

Working on the stencils.  The design was a bit more complex than I had expected, and it took a couple iterations to get them done right.

A finished stencil.

The first stencil,  I made the mistake of using painted on acrylic which bled under the edges of the stencil slightly.  but it cleaned up ok.

I wanted to use an old western style font for the text, but alas, Win 10 does not have any.  I had to make do with Playbill.  It's ok in this instance, and was certainly easy enough to cut out.

Final paint applied...Midnight Mare and Blood Red Roan, for DH.  Brownie points if you know where that comes from!

All I have to do now, is finish with the clear coat on top, and it will be ready for use!  It has been a fun project, and I think it came out pretty nicely.

Work getting done at Needs Work!

Last week our neighbor/seller was able to make the time to come by with his tractor and mower rig and cut our pasture!  From what we can tell, it's pretty high quality grass, with few weeds.  But having no livestock this year, and desiring to keep our Ag exemption intact (we'd be fools to let it lapse!) we needed to have the pasture hayed.

Last night, as we have had a brief dry spell here (look out for TS/H Barry due to move into the region by the coming weekend),  he was able to return with his rake and baler rigs and in less than an hour, he had it all raked and baled!

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It was fascinating to watch how it all worked.  I've never watched it up close and personal before.  DH and OD Henry dog decided after the fact, to go out into the pasture to check out the bales.

We even ended up with a mini-bale, the last one to come out of the baler, and undersized.  Total was 8.25 large round bales, promptly exchanged to our neighbor who did the work.  He said it's pretty common for folks with small acreages to do that.

Work continues at Needs Work Ranch

Moving is so much fun!  And if you believe that, I might have some swamp land to sell you!  Moving may be exciting sometimes, what with the exploration of the new and shiny, but I don't think it's ever fun.

Stuff gets lost, misplaced, abducted by space aliens never to be seen again until you purchase the replacement for it...but hey, 2 is one, and 1 is none, and 14 of 'em is an obsession, right?

Our dear friends at the rescue ranch gifted us with a long unused but well stored Husky riding mower.  It had been stored for about 12 years according to their records, but for $140, I got it running, and it works great.  I was thrilled!  Like our ranch. it needed some work, but now it works for ME!  

We are still searching for someone to come mow, rake and bale our 4+ acres of pasture.  Our seller said he would come cut it when he has time, but every time he has had time, it has been too wet to get into the pasture.  We may have to look into renting at least a raker and baler (and a real tractor to pull them).  

DH and Monkeyboy were working on a project the other night.  DH wanted to put some walls up in the shop, as we are planning to wall off half the shop and possibly drop in a mini split HVAC unit to make it tolerable there in the summer.

DH had just bought a pneumatic nail gun, and wanted to use it.  It worked great, and it took longer to get the wood ready to nail than it did to build the entire section!

 DH also built me a deadlift platform!  I did the stain and finish on it, and am working on a logo to paint.  My problem is figuring out the graphics programs, and scaling the images up enough to print out and make stencils from.

The next big project we have on our schedules, is the garden.  We have figured out a place to plant, but need to burn the brush piles first, and then till it all under, then plant a cover crop (probably buckwheat), then till the buckwheat under in the fall, and do a spring planting.

Other projects include more walls in the shop, more gravel for the driveway, working on plans for when we decide to build here in a couple more years, and other stuff that escapes my brain at this time of the morning.

One milestone has been reached in life though--our oldest, Monkey1 just got her drivers learner permit!  She completed the Drivers Ed class at PJC last month.  Now to boost her confidence, and get her some windshield time!