Horizontal Boring of Gas Line

Today the city installed a new gas line into our brick house. I was sure they would have to dig a ditch to put the gas line in. To my surprise - they didn't.

The gas line runs 36 inches deep. It has to go more than 100 feet from the street to the house.

The city used a horizontal drill - very similar to the way they dig oil wells today. Simply - the drill sections are 10 feet long. Using water as a lubricant - they push the drill into the ground on an angle. They can steer the drill - left - right - up - down - by controlling a rudder type device on the drill bit end. The rudder causes the drill bit to slip into any direction you want it to go. While one man operates the drill - the other man uses a meter to gauge where the drill head is. He directed the operator as the drill bit snaked through the trees. Finally - the bit popped out of the ground like a gopher - just a few feet from the house.

Keith Witnesses Stephen Strasburg Debut

Sent directly from stadium with the Keith's iPhone

Copied from the Washington Post -
Pitcher Stephen Strasburg makes his major league debut for Washington Nationals

They drove to work with baseball talk on the radio, tweeted breathlessly from their office cubicles, checked their favorite blogs for updates, sneaked glances at the handy countdown ticker that ran all day on ESPN, wished each other "Merry Strasmas." And finally, at 7:06 p.m., they rose as one from every corner of

There is A Mac For That

It's hard to believe that I have been using Apple Computers for 30 years. I first put my hands on an Apple IIe in 1980 - then in 1988 I got my first Mac. Since then - it seems that I am buying a new Mac every year.

I currently own 4 Apples - a MacBook - a MacBook Air - an iPhone - and the new iPad. Each machine has its own personality - each machine has some talents that are excellent and some skills that are just redundant. I obviously do not need 4 computers - but as a retired teacher for 7 years I do not "need " much of anything. Computers have become a very useful hobby for me. They enhance my purchasing skills - and help me in travel - both planning ahead and doing research while on the road.

MacBook

My MacBook is my desktop computer. Yes - it is really a laptop - but since it is the largest and heaviest computer I have - most of the time I use it at home. It is connected to the Internet via a wireless router made by Apple called the Time Capsule. While online I can do computer banking - read a variety of newspapers - watch television using a SlingBox - listen to radio - write stories on my web page - keep financial records - listen to my music collection - view my photo collection - read and write email. Using the program Skype I can make phone calls. Using the iChat program I can video chat with my grandson Jack for free. If I want to operate it without plugging it into an AC outlet - it will run about 3 hours on its battery. I bought this computer on CraigsList for $1000 used a year ago - and it still is under full AppleCare warranty

Our Neighborhood - Woodland Drives - Selected Top in Leon County - Two Years Running

Click on the title to see Woodland Drives web page.

For the second year in a row, Woodland Drives has been selected as the BEST neighborhood in Leon County! We received this great honor at the CONA awards reception in early May and your Board of Directors want to share this great news with the world. (You can view the Democrat’s article by clicking here.) We won this award because of the volunteerism that’s thrives in our neighborhood—and as a result, the strong community we’re building. Government leaders recognize that a vibrant neighborhood relies on the people who make the area better and better!

Installing New Windows at 1816 Seminole Drive

I bought this place mainly to get the 1.2 acre lot to build our future home. The brick house was a bonus. Our present home is up three doors.

The house was not upgraded since new in 1957. We mainly did three things - we painted it completely - inside and out. We had insulation blown into the attic. Then today - we started putting new windows in it. 

The window project is half done. Five front windows were replaced today. Tomorrow - six more windows will go in. It is a big improvement both in appearance and energy efficiency. 

The house has an old gas furnace/ac unit for hot and cold air. What is different about this system is that everything is outside. The only thing that goes into the house is the hot and cold air through a network of ducts and six floor vents. This provides perfectly quiet  ventilation with all motors being outside away from the house.

Next installation will be a Rennai tankless gas water heater. It will also be located outside the house near the bathroom wall. This will provide an endless supply of instant hot water. It will also free up a large space in the kitchen where the old electric hot water sits in a metal cabinet next to the stove.

Pictures -  Jim McKay installing the windows in the living room - Front of house showing new windows and the new wooden columns.

City Doubles Rebate to $1350 on Rennai Tankless Water Heater Install

Almost two years ago I had Seminole Plumbing install a Rennai tankless water heater on our current home. At the time an installation cost about $1400. Since then we have enjoyed an endless supply of instant hot water. It produces the hot water instantly - no holding tank to waste energy. We were so happy we got a $675 rebate from the city - and our energy bills dropped about $40 a month.

Just this afternoon the city decided to double that rebate to $1350. I immediately called Randy at Seminole Plumbing and ordered one for the brick house at 1816 Seminole.

If you do not have city gas - the city agrees to install a new meter and gas line to your house free of charge.

Randy at Seminole Plumbing - Phone 850-459-8212.

See rest of story here -

City Offers Double Rebates on ENERGY STAR and Natural Gas Appliances May 26, 2010 To promote energy efficiency and stimulate the local economy, the City of Tallahassee will double its existing rebates on certain ENERGY STAR and natural gas appliances purchased locally starting May 27, 2010. The new program was approved by the Tallahassee City Commission at its meeting this afternoon. The commission approved $750,000 to supplement existing rebates. This four-month incentive applies to qualifying purchases made locally between May 27 and September 30, 2010, or until the funds are exhausted. The full amount of the rebate will be credited toward the customer's City of Tallahassee utility bill. "This ties into our goal of reducing power demand by giving customers financial incentives to save energy and lower their utility bills," said David Byrne, Director of Energy Services. "At the same time, it will help support our local businesses and contractors, many of whom have faced challenging economic times." "Through our Energy Smart Plus (e+) initiative, we provide customers with a variety of innovative programs and tools, such as free energy audits, to help them save energy, water and money," said Byrne. "Recent survey results indicate that more than 90 percent of City of Tallahassee Utility customers agree that it's important to offer rebates to consumers who purchase energy efficient appliances." Qualifying purchases include the following ENERGY STAR-certified and natural gas appliances: Appliance New Rebate Amount Clothes Washers $ 200 Refrigerators $ 150 Freezers $ 80 Air Conditioners & Heat Pumps up to $ 700 Solar Water Heaters $ 900 Heat Pump Water Heaters $1200 Water Source Heat Pumps $1500 Natural Gas Furnaces $1400 Natural Gas Water Heaters up to $1350 Natural Gas Ranges up to $ 400 Natural Gas Clothes Dryers up to $ 400 Natural Gas Fire Logs $ 100 Natural Gas Grills up to $ 200 Natural Gas Pool Heaters up to $ 900 To take advantage of the City's rebate offer, you may download the rebate form online at Talgov.com/YOU or request one by calling 891-4YOU (4968). Then mail the completed application and a copy of the paid receipt, showing brand and model number, to: Energy Services #B32, 300 South Adams Street, Tallahassee, FL 32301 (or fax to 850-891-6127). If you purchase energy-efficient products or renewable energy systems for your home, you may also be eligible for federal tax credits. These time-based incentives include a 30-percent credit for qualifying solar energy systems, geothermal heat pumps and small wind turbines and 30-percent credit (up to $1500) for qualifying HVAC systems, water heaters, insulation, windows and doors, metal and asphalt roofs, and biomass stoves. Details and instructions are available athttp://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=tax_credits.tx_index. For more information, call 891-4YOU (4968) or visit Talgov.com/YOU. Contact David Byrne, Energy Services Director, 891-6898; or Michelle Bono, Assistant to the City Manager, 891-8200

Apple Sells 26% of All Music in the USA - 69% of All Online Music

Apple is by far the largest seller of online music in the United States, with 69 percent of the market, according to data from the NPD Group, a marketing consultancy. Amazon’s MP3 store was in second place, with an 8 percent share. Apple is also the largest seller of music, with 26.7 percent of the overall market, up from 12 percent in 2007.  - NY Times

Feds Close 200 Year Old Tamaqua Mine Company - Lehigh Coal and Navigation Company

Here is a story from the Standard Speaker. It is about LCN (Lehigh Coal and Navigation) - the coal company that has worked the hills around Tamaqua and Panther Valley for 200 years. Every day for 33 years - I navigation the road to school zigzagging my way past the old mines on my way to work - the same road my Dad navigated for 25 years before me. I would go by Greenwood (No.14) - then up Number 11 Hill - circle by Number 8 in Coaldale where Dad worked 25 years - finally past Number 9 in Lansford where the locals have turned the mine into a museum. Every day from my third floor science lab windows I surveyed the mine mess left by the endeavor.

The "Navigation" in the name comes from the days when they took the coal to Philadelphia by canal boat.

Our area produced Anthracite - the clean burning metamorphic rock that powered the industrial revolution for 100 years. There are still millions of tons left there in Schuylkill and Carbon counties - but the market has dwindled. Today - it is too dangerous and expensive to make a go of it.

The Final Piece of the Puzzle For the Brickhouse

We just got back from picking up this stove. We found it on Craigslist. It is like now - the seller was remodeling her kitchen in stainless steel.

The brick house is now just a few days from move-in condition - if you don't count the new windows being installed June 1st.

Full Video of Joel's Skydive

For a more detailed video of the jump - click on the title above.

What will you do to celebrate your 70th birthday? My Dad died when he was 66 - Lulu's Dad was 69.

Joel Dawson Completes Her First Skydive at Age 70

Our neighbor Joel Dawson did something that less than .0001% of the world population has done. She jumped out of an airplane using a parachute and landed safely on the ground.

It was a festive affair as family and friends gathered to help celebrate Joel's 70th year. The weather was fantastic at this little country airport  about 15 miles north of Tallahassee in Quincy.

Pre-flight equipment check

Husband George will see the flight at home

For a more polished video of the jump go here -

http://gallery.me.com/dawsongj#100480

London Olympics Mascots

Wenlock and Mandeville are the Olympic mascots for the London 2012 games. They might scare small children.

What's with the rainbow - are they from Hawaii?

The Birdhouse: A Story About Ray Primm - the Man Who Lived 40 Years in the House We Just Bought

Harry's Note - You all know that Lulu and I bought a property down the street with the intention of building a new home on it. The lot is big - 250 x 210 - right here in downtown Tallahassee - less than a mile from the Capitol. There is a brick house on the property - but the city said there is room for 7 more. We only intend to build one - but keep Ray's for a spare.

Mike Brown is president of the local amateur radio club. He wrote this column about Ray Prim - the man who lived alone 40 years in the house at 1816 Seminole Drive that we just bought.

The Bird House

by Mike Brown - KE4FGF

The young man sat quietly at the desk in his dorm room. While he loved FSU, the school was a long way from home, and in an effort to make some friends in the area; he’d brought his 2-meter HT with him.

It was late on a Sunday evening and he’d participated in the local ARES net a short time before, but feeling a little bit blue and homesick, he put his call out on the air…

In a few moments, he received an answer…”How ya doin’ young man?…KAAY DEEE 4 VQS…

“Hi Uncle Ray…I’m fine” and the conversation moved on from there for about 10 minutes. I had passed my Tech test at that point, and had a radio in the car, but in those days, the gratification of a call sign was a wait of several months, rather than a few weeks, so I was held to being strictly a listener.

The House Project Today

Lulu and I bought a 250 x 210 lot just 5 doors down the street. It has an old brick ranch home on it. We are renovating the old brick home - but are main goal is to build a new home on the lot. I have been cleaning it up a bit in the last few weeks. 

So far - new paint inside and out - new windows coming - new lights - new outlets and switches. Shampooing carpets. 

The house is strong - brick walls are 6 inches thick. It is on a concrete slab that is raised form the ground with a crawl space for heat/ac - plumbing. It has a big carport and two brick out buildings. there is a long driveway and parking lot on the north side of the building.

Address is 1816 Seminole Drive.

This is looking north in the back of the lot. That area is 120 feet x 210 feet. If we put the house where the middle tree is - it  would face south and be completely hidden from the street.

Mud room - door goes to car port - could be third bedroom.

Dining room facing east. Nancy got chandelier for over her dinette.

Dining room has two built-in corner cabinets

Bead board back porch ceiling - vent is from attic with full house fan.

Southern Crackers Have Solution to Oil Spill - Hay

Property Taxes to Soar on New Property

Back in Pennsylvania - when I was on the School Board - I used to argue that property tax assessment should not change until a property is sold. Then the new basis for the taxes would be the selling price of the home. That is good for an owner who has been in a home a long time. Their property taxes would not go up until the house sold and in many cases that only happened when they died.

Be careful what you wish for - because Florida passed a law saying property taxes cannot rise more than 3% in any one year unless the property is sold. At that time the city or county can reassess the property.

Since our present home is one of the more recently sold properties - we pay more taxes than most of our neighbors. Our home taxes are $3300 a year. Some of my neighbors pay around $2000. And the taxes on the home we bought 5 doors down the street are only $740 - because Ray - the former owner - lived there 40 years.

Eberhardt Wanted in Shooting Incident

Tuesday  there was a shooting less than a mile from our house. Looks like one of my long lost cousins is at it again. Supposedly - there is Indian blood in our family tree.

Tallahassee Police Department Obtains Warrant for Eberhardt

May 13, 2010
On Tuesday, May 11, 2010, the Tallahassee Police Department responded to a reported shooting in the 2400 block of Country Club Drive. Upon arrival officers located two male victims who had been shot. Both victims were transported to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital with injuries that were not life threatening.