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Spaulding Smails

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Everything posted by Spaulding Smails

  1. This is a legit ska band out of Michigan. Saw them in Houston circa 1998.
  2. This is the correct answer.
  3. Headed out next weekend to fill protein feeders in Kimble Co next week at the new property. Already seeing axis and whitetail coming in since we set up the feeders a month ago.
  4. @686 that's a brilliant setup. Love the simplicity.
  5. I ripped out the cheap pine shelves with exposed metal shelf supports and wood rods. We just had a single shelf / single rod around the perimeter of the walk-in closet. I built a very simple shelf system (think cabinet box without the doors, fixed shelves evenly spaced) along one side for my wife's shoes. Re-did the top shelf at 84", added a second shelf at 42" on three sides, and installed oil-rubbed bronze rods beneath both the top and bottom shelf to match the door hardware. All the shelves were built using concealed cleats with double 3/4" MDF shelves and 1x2 poplar nosings. Looked pretty damn good for an amateurish carpenter. Painters sprayed all the shelves and touched up drywall then repainted the walls. I saved quite a bit because I didn't have to spend a fortune on hardware and I'm not good enough to build doors / drawers. The only thing other than the MDF / poplar that I had to buy was the rods. I went back in our listing for that house and couldn't find any decent pics of the closet.
  6. Great thread. It's been interesting to experience my parents vs. my in-laws and their respective approaches to retirement. My parents were both very active. Mom has lots of community volunteer work, participates in every neighborhood group imaginable. When she retired 10 years ago, it seemed as if nothing changed. My dad retired six years ago from a C-suite job at a Fortune500 company. He didn't really have any hobbies, activities, etc when he retired. t suspected he'd miss business and start his own gig. He consulted for 2-3 years, then hung it up completely. Since then, he's absolutely kept himself busy. Joined a band (was and still is a kick ass drummer, older than all the other members by 20+ years), helps my mom in some of the neighborhood groups, and we just recently bought a ranch in Kimble Co. They're busier now than they were when they both worked. Both incredibly healthy. My FIL retired from his full-time job last year via a forced retirement / severance. Literally came out of nowhere and he hung it up with about one week's notice. Still has a side business that he runs, but he hates it. Ready to sell it. He spends the majority of the time at his lake house just hanging out. Fishes some, but not much. Health has already started to decline in that year since he hung it up. MIL has now pushed back her retirement four times in the last two years. Latest was from July 1 to March 1, 2019. I think it's because she doesn't want to be stuck with the FIL all day. There's also no other activities and she's scared of having some extra spending money. Just two very different situations. The best way I can summarize it is proactive vs. reactive retirement. I don't think it's smart to retire unless you have a game plan and know how you want to spend your time. As someone who's self-employed, I don't know that I'll ever retire. I can totally see myself working 20-30 hours/week as long as possible even if I am "retired". But, that's still a long ways off.
  7. Agree 100%. If you have some decent trim carpentry skills, you can build out custom shelves and upgrade rods pretty easily. I spent a weekend building out the closet in my old house about a year before we sold it. Had my painter come spray it the following weekend. I had about $400 in materials plus my time and I paid my painters $500 plus another $200 in paint materials. So, $1100 plus my time. The buyers that purchased the house commented on the master closet before anything else on the interior. Worth every penny.
  8. Not sure how concerned you are about what grows there (if anything), but look into some erosion control fabric. Not sure of cost, but hydroseeding over an erosion fabric is probably the best way to get vegetation started on a hillside.
  9. Cross posted with the gardening thread, but here's the finished chicken coop. Took the majority of three weekends earlier this spring. Had a helper for the initial framing, but everything else was done solo. Fun project.
  10. Physicality. Totally overused by color commentators, and often used incorrectly.
  11. Yessir. In that picture, they're all live oaks except for one red oak that lost it's two primary branches. Kind of janky-looking dead center. We have several more red oaks, a hand full of american elms, a couple of black walnuts and a few escarpment black cherries down the back of the hill as well. Love the diversity of the trees in this area.
  12. Probably the last decent week for my lawn before the heat really sets in. Zoysia Palisades in Dripping Springs.
  13. Very nice, @Bogeywon. Bluegrass? Rye? I know nothing of northern climate turf varietals.
  14. Spring garden in full effect. Picked our first tomato yesterday. Soooooo good.
  15. @Brothahorn I try not to kill non-venomous snakes. They're just trying to make a living like the rest of us. But venomous snakes or anything that messes with my kids / pets / animals gets the business end of a shovel or shotgun. I try to keep them out of the chickens with that netting around the base of the chicken run and full 1/2" hardware cloth around the actual coop. I'd rather them move along than have a heart attack when I go check for eggs.
  16. Murphy the lab was definitely intrigued by snek. Had to throw him on the other side of the creek to make sure dead snek didn't end up as dinner snek.
  17. Snek. In the chicken run. Was kinda dead when it tried to get out through the garden netting and got stuck. Was very dead when wife found it and got after it with the shovel. Coachwhip. I think? I know, I know... Good snake. But not good snake when it's going after the chicken eggs. And tough to revive em once they get caught in that netting.
  18. @Masflo thanks for the feedback. We went ahead and booked Playa Largo for August. Did you fish at all? Any activities / restaurants you'd recommend?
  19. There's a decent shelf right before the creek that has probably 12-18" good soil. But, for the most part, the area is rocky. I'm just west of Dripping Springs. This is a small creek that flows through my property down to Onion Creek. I like the idea of Red Buds. Could do some Mountain Laurel as well. But, I would like something more stately that provides shade too. We like to take the kids down to splash around that area during the summer. I'll send pics this weekend so you can get a feel for the area.
  20. I've been cleaning up the cedar down the hill to the creek at the back of my property. I've almost got them completely gone, with just a few along the edges. Then, I have to tackle the other side. Great access to dip your toes in the water now, but seems kind of bare. I'm hoping the elms and a small live oak perched on the edge of the creek can thrive now that the cedar is out of there. I'd like to go back with a couple of bald cypress and a few cottonwoods (despite the borer issues). Any suggestions on time of year to plant, water requirements, etc? I can send pics of the area this weekend if it helps.
  21. While I'd be all for the Zion / Arches road trip, the wife is more keen on sitting around eating good food and working on her tan. We're back to August now for timeframe, but still leaning towards beaches. Looking to get away from the hustle and bustle but still have access to good food, etc. Leaning towards Key Largo, Marco Island or Grand Cayman at this point.
  22. Freshwater: All Star Topwater 6'0" model with Shimano Sedona spinning reel and All Star Jig 6'6" with Shimano Catana baitcaster. I fish mostly from my kayak, so I prefer the short rods. I have three of the 6'0" setups that I take on overnight river trips. All 20 lb green braid with 12 lb fluorocarbon leaders. Saltwater: Two Waterloo Salinity 7'0" with Concept Z reels. 30 lb yellow braid with 15 lb fluorocarbon leaders.
  23. Actual anniversary is in June. We thought the logistics of in-laws watching the kids wasn't going to work, but now it might. @Masflo I'm intrigued by the Playa Largo. Please provide an update when you get back. That may be in play if we go in June. If August, leaning towards San Francisco or San Diego for a long weekend.
  24. Looking for some good options for a 15 year anniversary trip this August. Thinking Thursday - Tuesday, so five nights. I have more than enough Southwest points plus a companion pass to get to any Southwest destination and more than enough Marriott points to stay at any Marriott property (including Autograph Collection and Ritz Carlton). We don't travel much anymore, so I'm kind of stumped on where to go. We like activity and good food when we travel. We'd prefer to make our own choices over being stuck at a hotel and limiting ourselves to their restaurants. I'm open to a big city or a laid back beach resort and anything in between. Direct flights from Austin a plus, but not required. Also willing to rent a car and drive a few hours to get off the beaten path if necessary. I know it's hurricane season, but I'm not opposed to rolling the dice in the Caribbean. Suggestions?
  25. Porque te toque a ti mismo
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