FSU Volleyball Lost Home Opener to Ohio State

In the background you can see - me - Lulu - Mary Sue - Scott. I am right by her elbow. In front of us - George - Joel. Volleyball draws a big crowd - mostly grayheads because admission is free. Even after losing this game - the noles were ranked number 10 because they beat Long Beach State on the road. The picture was posted on Facebook.

House Day 20 - Shoring Up For The Roof Trusses

The support braces will be replaced by fiberglass square columns. There will be 6 columns in the front and 6 in the rear. Steel straps will be inside the columns. 

Today and tomorrow will be spent getting ready for the arrival and placement of the roof trusses. The roof trusses will be supported at 4 points - the front and back house walls - and the front and back porch  beams. 

Today the crew was shoring up the walls to hold the trusses. The braces will hold everything square until the plywood walls are installed. 

Sunday Afternoon House Project Tour

2002 Roadtrek Class B Motorhome - Camper Van

2002 Dodge Roadtrek with 318 V8 engine. It has 4 speed automatic overdrive.

We bought this Roadtrek last week. The original owner used to go back and forth to his vacation home. It only has 28000 miles on it. I received the original window sticker and all the service records. They did not use it for camping. The shower was never used.

Lulu and I have owned several camper vans - but never a Roadtrek - the Mercedes of campers.

We plan to use the camper for football game trips - Mardi Gras - trips up north to Tamaqua - Richmond - Washington - Delaware. We will camp at Disneyworld.

With a device called a Slingbox - I am able to watch my home Directv system on my iPhone. We have ordered a connector to play my iPhone through the camper TV. If it works - we will have TV service wherever we have ATT phone service. No antenna needed. Wish us luck. Later - the iphone to TV connector works great - we get great Tv service going down the road or parked anywhere we get ATT.

Roadtreks are made in Canada. 

We plan to get the windows tinted very dark so you can camp without needing curtains.

Here is what the camper looks like after I spent a couple days cleaning it up.

It is 19 feet long and 8 feet 4 inches high. It fits in our metal garage with 10 foot doors.

Freshman Jameis Winston - First Game - 26 of 28 - 4 TD Passes - Ran for 1 TD

House Day 19 - Exterior and Interior Walls All Framed

Gary and crew put in a full day and completed all the interior and exterior wall framing.

The roof trusses arrive Tuesday. The crane will be here Wednesday to put the trusses in place. Then it will look like a house.

House Day 18 - It Was So Hot Today

Gary Wayne and Josh Wells check each 10 foot stud to see if they are straight. If a bow even a little - they are marked so that all stud bend the same way. The outside walls are made with 2x6 studs and the inside walls are made of 2x4 studs.

Today - the crew of Gary - Gary - Joe - and Josh were building the interior walls. Rooms started to take shape and Lulu and I were very happy. The rooms are all going to be spacious. Each bedroom has 4 windows - and the 10 feet ceiling ads to the openness. 

I could not believe how hot it was - and all I did was watch and clean up. I had my jungle hat on but went through two three shirts - it was so humid. Gary and crew were here by 7 AM - and left at 3:30. No one left the site. 

Brothers Joe and Gary can complete each other's sentences. I never had a brother but if I did I would like it just like these guys.

Josh Wells is high upon a ladder laying out and 8 foot interior door in a 10 foot wall. 

In this picture Gary is sawing right in the middle of the living room Behind him is the front door.

Here is Lulu's kitchen. You can see the 4 x 8 island. 

From the northwest corner of the lot - here is the completed perimeter. 8 windows across the back and 1 door.

This is the front southeast corner guest room. It has two windows facing Seminole Drive and east. It has two windows facing south. What a great spot for a desk.

The Cavern Beatles

The Andrew Leibenguth Effect - You All Have Heard of the Ken Burns Effect - Well Try This

North Ward and Middle Ward Playground - Tamaqua PA

Andrew Leibenguth - Tamaqua Activist and Lulu's Former Library Aid - is onto something great. He has a drone with a special gimbal and camera on it. He has posted a series of videos. He "flies" over Tamaqua landmarks and has become quite good at phrasing his pictures and video. His style starts from takeoff and goes through to landing on the same spot.

Whether daytime or nighttime - his videos have such clarity. I like where I can pause his video - then take a screen shot of a particular place.

His shows just scream out - I have to have one of those aircraft.

Day 17 - House Project - More Walls and Window Holes

Click to Enlarge

This Panorama picture show the north wall - east - wall - and south wall. The house is just a big rectangle. Directly across form you is the front door. On each side of the front door are 4 large windows. To the left is the north wall with 4 windows. To the right is the south wall with 4 windows. The walls are 10 feet high. 

This is a view of the front porch. It will be 10 feet x 60 feet. The house roof will extend out over the front and back porches. On each porch - front and back - there will be one door and 8 windows. 

It was a very hot day - but Gary Shiver - Gary Wayne Shiver - Joe Shiver - and Josh Wells. Just kpet framing those wall. The walls are heavy - made of 2 x 6 boards - lots of nails - lots of bolts - lots of hurricane straps.

Day 16 - Up Goes The First Wall

Come on to the Raising - up goes the first wall. 

This morning - the lumber to frame our house arrived. It was mostly spruce 2x6 and 2x4 boards. There was enough treated yellow pine to make the perimeter plate which is bolted directly to the foundation.

The concrete footer boards were recycled to make the massive headers above each window.

Noles Climb A Notch

AP Poll

RANK | TEAM | FIRST PLACE VOTES 
1) Alabama (58)
2) Oregon
3) Ohio State (1)
4) Clemson (1)
5) Stanford
6) South Carolina
7) Texas A&M
8) Louisville
9) LSU
10) Florida State
11) Georgia
12) Florida
13) Oklahoma State
14) Notre Dame
15) Texas
16) Oklahoma
17) Michigan
18) UCLA
19) Northwestern
20) Washington
21) Wisconsin
22) Nebraska
23) Baylor
24) TCU
25) USC 

Schuylkill County Couple Drive Their 100 Year Old Ford Model T To California and Back

Jay Leno and Model T that went from PA to CA to PA

From the Pottsville Republican

PINE GROVE - Even blistering, 100-degree heat couldn't stop their 100-year-old vehicle.

For Pine Grove area adventurers Jacque and Mae White, it was California or bust.

The Whites recently returned from the Model-T Ford Club International Tour in Kanab, Utah. They also traveled on their own in their 1913 Model-T Ford across the United States to California and back, completing an 8,294-mile odyssey from July 10 to Aug. 13.

FSU Rookie Lights Up Pittsburgh

Video from Seminoles.com.

FSU Introduces Its Shining Star - Famous JAMEIS

Jameis Winston - FSU's freshman quarterback - Number 5

We have heard it all before. This player or that player is going to turn it around for FSU. As an old Seminole fan - one skeptical of saviors. But this may be the chosen one.

Florida State is not known for playing well - at night - on the road - in bad weather - up north. Last night was an exceptional night in Pittsburgh. Just a week ago we visited the 3 rivers town when son Keith got married near there. We were tempted to stay for a week to see FSU play at Heinz Field downtown. But 9 extra days was just too much time away from home and the new building project.

Freshman JAMEIS Winston had not played a down of college football until last night at 8 PM. In just a couple hours - he has moved to the top of the Heisman list among almost everyone in this in Florida Capital City - except the Gator fans. Winston led his team to a 41 -13 victory by completing 26 of 28 passes for over 300 yards. He had 3 touchdown passes and not one interception. He ran for one.

The kid has a supporting cast - a solid experienced line - a ton of receivers - and speedy running backs behind him. Yes - the defense is suspect - a new system and a new coach.

After the game - he had a cool and collected interview. A star is born.

I expect the value of tickets to go up in town this week - even if our next opponent is Nevada. A pass happy offense fills in seats. Last year we seldom paid for than $20 for a ticket on the streets. This kid is going to cost me some money.

Come on - join in - there is an extra seat next to me on the bandwagon.

My Hometown - Tamaqua PA - From The Air

Andrew Leibenguth - a local Tamaqua photographer and community activist - posted this neat video of Tamaqua taken from his photo-drone. I lived in Tamaqua 55 years. The place looks really nice from the air on a warm August day. Lots of green - and it looks so tidy.

Florida State Volleyball Team Beats National Champion Long Beach State on the Road

2013 Lady Seminoles

Walter Pyramid is the Home of the Long Beach State 49ers. It holds 5000 people. This is where FSU beat national champion Long Beach. It is 3 miles from the Pacific. It is a true pyramid - cover with sheet of blue aluminum. 

From Seminoles.com

LONG BEACH, Calif. - Behind a superb offensive effort led by sophomore outside hitter Nicole Walch, the 18th-ranked Florida State indoor volleyball team defeated Long Beach State, 3-2 (15-25, 25-23, 20-25, 25-18, 15-12), to finish the Long Beach State Mizuno Invitational late Saturday night at the Walter Pyramid.