Happy new year to you as well, my friend! 
All the best for you this year and every year!
Gonna get back to babysitting my sour-belly! 
Apologies for the delayed response. I’ve spent most of these past four days in bed whining and feeling sorry for myself 
This too shall pass, hopefully!
,
WHAB
Hope you can feel better soon, friend. I went for over a month without eating solid food when they couldn’t figure out it was gall stones. Took 4 different doctors til they decided it was something other than acid reflux. Screw those nexium and Prilosec drugs. Made my stomach even worse. And it’s was such a simple procedure to remove the gall bladder.
Hope you’re able to relieve the pain more than suppress it. Always the better option. 
Good luck my friend.
Staying warm here.
They NEVER figure it’s gall stones… until they look under every other possible rock first… I think it is a rule or something…
Cheers
G
Lol. I think you’re right! They push Rx right off the bat.
I feel like all my encounters with Drs, I always end up suffering for too long. And I’ve seen it go on with other around me too. Glad I don’t see them very often. 
Hey brother!
Stomach is feeling a lot better now, for some reason.
Coincidentally, I was diagnosed as having some ‘stones’ a few years ago. They showed up in an MRI or CT. It was a side note to what they were actually looking at - I think it was my back (spine) problems.
They weren’t kidney stones and I was told my stones weren’t a problem - they weren’t of sufficient size to be a problem back then.
I don’t know all the different places where stones can form and I don’t remember exactly where they said mine were. I ‘think’ Gall Bladder is the only other organ they form in in the human body. I don’t really know.
IF that problem returns I will have them investigate that farther.
I am glad they were able to return you to good health! 
Nice heat source! A good looking one at that!
Thanks, my friend!
,
WHAB
So good to hear your feeling better. Yeah if it’s not kidney stones it’s gall stones and those had me doubled over in pain for too long. Hope that’s not your case. Stay on the mend friend!
Hey brother! Thank you!
Was there ever a break in your symptoms or were they non-stop continuous until they remedied it (them)?
my friend!,
WHAB
There were times it would feel “better”. But usually only a day or 2. Then I’d just be in pain to the point where I was just pacing around or rolling around. It was super achey feeling in my lower back and on the sides. It wasn’t consistently bad to that extent, but I could always feel it. This went on over a month or more. After a simple ultrasound they saw stones and a day later I felt incredible.
Sorry. Edited that for grammar. Lol
Thank you, Dr. Rhino!
IF those symptoms return I’ll ask to be seen and query them on the potentiality of stones!
They have been receptive, even quite accommodating, to my prodding and inquisitiveness - in the past.
Thanks again, a BUNCH, my friend!
You, sir…,
WHAB
Anytime friend! I’m not positive what’s going on on your end but I’d hate for you to suffer as I did. Stomach issues are the worst. Been dealing with them my whole life. I’ve been feeling much better since I went vegetarian 16 years ago. MUCH better. Not trying to push that on anyone. Just my choice.
Nothing is ‘positive’ when discussion potentialities! Until they are examined fully first, that is. At this point it is just something to watch for and prod the medical team IF it comes to that point. And I appreciate your adding to that discussion. I was feeling horribly bad for more than a couple of days!
I, too, have been dealing with some type of stomach issues for a very long time as well. I was diagnosed as NOT having a bleeding ulcer a VERY long time ago, when I was sure I did - at least some kind of ulcer problem. I’ve had minor stomach issues since before that time. But, like I said, they found my stones, which they determined at that time, was not a concern while they were looking at something else.
And, I’d be a vegetarian too IF I didn’t like meat so much! 
You’re more than welcome to your life choices without criticism! I fully respect your choices!
However, I figure…we didn’t scratch, claw and chew our way to the top of the food chain just to eat rabbit food!!!
Thanks, again, brother! ,
WHAB
Totally agree with that WHAB
Agreed! I understand I’m privileged to be able to choose this lifestyle. It really has improved my health though. I don’t fall for those fake meat products either. I probably get more protein than most folks out there, but I try to. 
I make chili that makes people ask, “there’s no meat in here?” 
All good health to you, my friend! I am truly happy you found a way through these times that suits you! Some people never do.
Protein is an important dietary factor for all us humans, no matter where or how it is derived!
Your chili sounds very interesting!
But, you may have entered in to my definite no-go zone. I can’t do “hot”. Anything more than pepperoncini (you flat-landers know them as Salad Pepper or Yellow Pepper ) is too hot for me.
I can’t even do spicy spaghetti sauce, and I LOVE spaghetti sauce! I often tough it out if it’s not me doing the cooking, though!
I really like chicken wings. You’ll note I didn’t say ‘hot’ wings. The last time I ate hot wings I had to have a bath towel handy. I thoroughly enjoyed them but I sweat like a hog eating them!
Regards, my friend!,
WHAB
I love the spicy stuff. Like those hatch green chilis! Pepperoncinis are tasty tho!
I swear to you, before I was a vegetarian I couldn’t eat hot stuff either. Not without suffering greatly for it. Now I’d die without my homemade smoked Thai chili’s. I’ve been putting em on everything. 
Again, not trying to persuade. I’ve just been happier since. The human experience is different for us all. 
I hadn’t mentioned it before as I’m not a medical professional, but I do have a non-cancerous mass on my adrenal gland. The mass is more than 1/2 the size of the adrenal gland it is attached to. I attribute that mass to my inability to take spicy foods.
It came up when they started doing MRI’s on me. I remember it showed up on my first MRI the VA did in 2007. Several years later they did a deeper examination of just the mass and determined it wasn’t cancerous.
I still believe that’s why I can’t take spicy, except in my women!
Again, I truly and fully respect your life choices. Happy is best no matter how it is attained!
Bon Appétit, my friend! ,
WHAB
Lol. I love it.
Understandable since is it’s a condition. Hell I wouldn’t give you a hard time if you just plain didn’t like spicy. 
Keep on trucking man!
Can’t wait to see what you’ve got in store for the school house next!
Slow going! My back 
and apprehension has slowed my progress.
My back you know about. Apprehension is in how I need to proceed with the build.
I previously mentioned the extra and unnecessary under loft support. I found out it was built that way because they had a different idea on how to build stairs up to the loft.
My main complaint is where they placed the 4x4 posts. Where they were placed them prevented positioning a mattress. A mattress of acceptable dimensions, that is. I am using a used, and quite painful at times, mattress now.
More to the point, no mattress could fit between the posts unless the mattress was away from any wall and thereby reducing the usable space by that much.
I have been apprehensive and dreading modifying the space. While the ‘beam’ (ledger board) under the shared ceiling/floor joists of the loft was attached to the 1924 Schoolhouse stucco (cement) wall was with masonry screws I wanted to add more masonry screws than what they used. I wanted to make sure the ‘beam’ is supported as well “I” can make it before removing/cutting the 4x4 posts out of the way.
Where it was…dated images - trying to show the 4x4 posts and the ‘extra’ double beam support attached to them. There is a 4x4 post just to the left of the first image
I don’t have a ‘proper’ hammer drill to drill into the masonry walls. It was a job!!! I used my GSB18-490B12 Brushless Hammer Drill/Driver. I spent some of this time puzzling over things puzzling IF I should buy a proper Hammer Drill. I just couldn’t justify the purchase for just this one job. I very nearly did buy one just last night. I used what I had and made it work.
Before I could remove the beams and 4x4 posts I had to unfasten the beams from the ceiling/floor joists.
They screwed the joists down into the beams. I didn’t realize that until I tried to remove them. I removed the bolts/washers/nuts that went through to beams horizontally and it would be free to be removed - it wouldn’t come loose. The screws I couldn’t see at first were installed from above before they put the 1924 Schoolhouse tongue&groove flooring down in the loft.
The Bosch GSR12V-140FCB22 Cordless 5-In-1 Multi-Head Power Drill/Driver saved the day - again!
That drill/driver, even with its diminished size wouldn’t fit in the space in a standard configuration. Only the 90 degree head would get the job done. I first tried to use a “Sawzall” to cut one of the screws and I did more damage to the joist than I’d like to have caused. I’ll have to sister a board to it. Probably not really necessary but I feel it is the right thing to do.
I gained 24 inches of usable floor space (mattress placement) on the West end of the under-loft by removing the 4x4 post on that end.
Now I have to decide how large I need to make what will be a Veg space once the Attic space is completed. It looks like I’ll have to Veg and Flower in that space. As a Veg space it won’t need to be as big as a Flower space.
Where you see the 2x4 on the floor at the foot of the place I lay my head is 81 inches (6’9") from inside to inside of what will be walls.
IF I keep the mattress (queen size) oriented in the same direction BUT if I buy a “Full” mattress I could gain another 5 inches. I am going to get another mattress one way or another. I’m still trying to get the VA to order one for me (there is still a chance - according to my reading of existing rules - the Pain Clinic is permitted to “prescribe” medical equipment. I had to reschedule my pain clinic appointment because of that last snow. It’s currently schedules for Jan. 25.)
This picture shows where the wall will fit now and the other 2x4 is where the wall would be IF I need to the 5 inches.
BUT, do I really need the extra 5 inches?
I don’t think I’ll “need” the extra 5 inches. I’ll have to get my Clone and Veg and Flower systems in there to see the layout to make a final determination.
So, I’ve decided to build that wall in a way that I can easily bump it out those extra 5 inches down the road - I’m thinking 4 screws - 2 into the floor and 2 into the blocks in between the joists into each corner of the wall - would hold in place. The wall is only there for separation. For separation between me and light and to insulate it.
Now, I need to find my Chalk Line/Plumb Bob 
. I’ve looked for it and I don’t see it anywhere. I know I’ve seen it here at the Schoolhouse - I just don’t remember if it was outside or inside where I saw it. I may have to tie a nut to a string in the meantime!
It’s taken an extraordinary amount of time just puzzling this out. Then overcoming the dread!
While my back is still giving my problems I haven’t been completely idle. I added Stabil to the Zero Turn gas tank (Winterized it) and put it in the ‘garage’. My brother did transport his Kubota shortly after I bought the Gravely but before he had even seen it. Just as I had thought it might go. I can maintain the lawn and he can plow his driveway!
Oh, I also started a woodworking project. I’m making a Burial Flag Display for my Texas girlie (her Uncle’s flag).
I have it tentatively designed like my Father’s burial flag…
My illness and weather has set that schedule back by a bunch. That and 4 cuts I have to make. 4 22.5 inch degree angle cuts.
Note that the bottom angle cuts in my father’s case are 45’d on the body of the case and trim was added in the front to look like 22.5 degree cuts. I’m sure it was done that way for production purposes. That’s not how I want to do it.
I have tried every which way to do it with my Festool TS75 and there just is no way. I puzzled that out for days. It either has to be cut by hand (which I am going to try on some test pieces) or on a table saw…a table saw that I don’t own. I can use my brother’s saw (it’s still here just by happenstance - he will move it at some point in the future, maybe Spring) but even then I’ll have to build a Tenoning Jig to make the 4 22.5 degree cuts.
I have rough-cut to length the piece I’m going to use (Red Oak, of course! ).
I’d like to make it continuous grain on 2 of the upper visible sides. No one will ever notice it, probably…but I’d like to try.
I have the rough-cut length of Red Oak S4S’d (surfaced 4 sides) and square. It was quite a treat processing the wood in this Residential Woodshop! . I wound up surfacing/jointing about 3/8ths inch off the project piece. 
. I took it from around 1 inch thick down to about 5/8ths inch.
The Festool Guide Rails really shine in this application. I marked my dimension on the project piece, layed the guide rail down and ran the say down it and removed barely more than a sliver off the edge!
The equipment performed better than planned, except for the acute angle cuts I’ll need. The DIY Two Stage Dust Collection used on the Jointer and Thickness Planer worked better than even I expected!
Then a recent purchase. The first regarding dust extraction on the Festool TS75. I found a company - Strawbyte - that fabricated 3D printed accessories for Track Saws. The first is a cover for the weak spot in Festool’s near perfect dust extraction.
This is how it comes to the user.
The hole in the side is a dust extraction weakness. The hole it there for blade changes.
This is how it is DIY recommended to address this weakness. Painter tape over the opening.
It worked quite well but is obviously hokey! 
This is Strawbyte’s fix…
This is the Strawbyte cover in place…nice!
AND, they also make a product for Waste-Side cuts. Used with the Guide Rails Festool Track Saws are made to have waste cut on the right side of the saw. That means every cut you make has to be measured from with that in mind - from the left side. IF you cut on the wrong side of the line you’ve precisely measured out on your project piece it will be short by the thickness of the blade (the Kerf). I’ve done it! 
These simple devices allow you to make your precise cuts on the waste-side of the guide rail. They are the exact thickness of the blade you have on your track saw.
Strawbyte makes these products for different Track Saw manufactured and for different blade thicknesses (Kerfs).
I’m actually looking forward to utilizing these Waste-Cut accessories! 
I strongly recommend them!
Now, IF my back holds out , I’ll start making a lot more progress going forward, especially since I have some of it puzzled out - finally! 
I have a lot of things to move around to see how they’ll fit in this space.
P.S. I wrangled my Niece’s knowledge of how her Engineer had devised on adding more living space above the classroom - the attic. She described exactly what I puzzled out and designed out on my own - exactly!
I do hope you’re ALL having the best of the New Year and more!,
WHAB
I have one of those flags too, my friend! I am 54, my dad passed in January 1970. Thanks for your family’s service!
Hey friend! I’d say the easiest way to make that miter is on the table saw with a jig!
