UltimateBass Home Front Activities Dec 24

[Donald Garner]

Greetings to all,

    Here we are Dec 2024 the last month of the year 2024      Time sure has flown by this year 

Our weather forecast for across Central Texas today was 36-57dgrs.  We had lots of clear skies and sunny skies     The day started of cold but had warmed up pretty good by noon. 

Not much happening around here these past couple days.  Yesterday I spent most of the morning laying wreaths on gravesites at the Central Texas Veterans Cemetery.  There are 3 individual I know that are buried there.

Today we attended church and had lunch at our favorite Oriental Restaurant over in Temple.  Afterward the rest of the afternoon was spent in the recliner and watching TV.

I hope everyone had a pleasant and relaxing day.

Y'all be safe in your travels and be mindful of your surrounding.

[Bud Kennedy]

Had enough of this early winter and it isn't even winter yet.  Highs today only reached the mid 40s while lows have been in the high 20s.  This is more like late January than early December. Cold is gonna continue for at least another week.

Been a bit under the weather with a muscle problem in my back that is keeping me off the bowling lanes this week.  Sprained it the Friday before Thanksgiving.  It is getting much better but still not up to slnging a  bowling ball around.  Hopefully things will be good by next week.  On top of this I also had a bit of a lung infection problem but that too has pretty much gone away.  We wanted to put of the Christmas tree but my back just is not up to the task.  Hopefully by the weekend we can make it happen.

[caddyjoe77]

went to Lay lake mid week last week.  Fishing was pretty tough as spots do not like cold weather apparently.   Nonetheless we were able to scrape a few out and some largies out.   More importantly, the friends were excellent as always. 

[Donald Garner]

Greetings to all,

Beautiful Fall Day here in Central Texas.  Lots of sun with mild temps.  Our forecast for today is 49-80dgrs with a SE wind @ 11mphs with 51% humidity.

Its been a jacked up week last week.  Prior to Thanksgiving I had to drop the Diesel off at the dealership.  The check engine light came on again.  They kept the truck till last Monday.  I went and picked it and the tech told me he had jump start the truck.  He told me also after cleaning the Turbo Charger that it needed to be replaced.  Wow, $7,000.00 dollars for replacement. 

I called my daughter who lives and works in Stuttgart, Germany and told about the issue.  This is her truck I'm just taking care of it while she's over there.  She told me to hold off and get another opinion.  If this winds up getting replaced this will be the 3rd Turbo Charger in that truck the past 6yrs.

Wednesday morning I went out to start it and move it and the truck wouldn't start.  I replaced the batteries (Old batteries only 2yrs old).  Got the new batteries in and still it wouldn't start.  I got to looking around on the engine and found the Wiring Hardness on the left side of the engine was cut in  two.  I checked to see if maybe squirrels might of eaten through the hardness, Nope those wires were cut nice and smooth no jagged ends. 

I called the dealership up this morning and they sent a tow truck over and off it went back to the dealership.  I met the tow truck driver there and found the Service Tech who processed the Service Order the week prior.  I asked them to see if the Service Manager was available so I could speak to him.  We all had a pleasant conversation in his office trying to understand how this issue occurred.

So hopefully in a couple weeks they'll have it all figured out.  After this I'm going to take it to another diesel maintenance shop to have that Turbo Charger checked out.  Averaging out the price of Turbo Charger replacement the bill will equal $21,000.00 dollars.  This is a 2009 2500 series truck there has got to be something wrong some where in that engine etc to cause these Turbo Chargers to go bad.

Other than that issue it's been really quiet and pleasant around here.  Thanksgiving was great with the wife and son.  Weather has been pleasant we did have to turn the furnace on last week it did dip down into the low thirties here for a couple days.

Bud; Tks for stopping by.  I still have ya in my daily prayers my good man.  Hope your back and all the aches and pains get cleared up so you can enjoy the day.

Joe; Tks for stopping by also.  Congrats on a successful outing and sharing the time with friends. 

To everyone I hope your day is going well for ya.  Be safe in your travels and as always be mindful of your surroundings.       

[caddyjoe77]

one more full work week then two off.  Trying to get out this weekend as apparnetly the A-Rig bite is ON.  Mayb not happen until next week though. 

VA shocked me with some nice backpay and a letter admitting they made a mistake, which is what ive been telling them since April. 

Customer floated me and my compadre 450 more hours so work is paying off. 

hope y'all are doing well. 

Donald, there is more suspicious stuff going on with that truck -- something doesnt smell right. 

[topdsm0138]

  Still kicking! 

[Bud Kennedy]

Cold and rainy Christmas Eve day.  December sure has been a lot of up and down weather cycles from lows in the mid 20s to highs in the upper 70s.  It has been a real roller coaster weather ride that is for sure.  My back is doing better but still a ways to go so bowling is on the sidelines for a bit longer.  Also have had a bit of a lung infection that adds to the back pain believe it or not.  Oh well.  The past coupler years sure have been an exercise of medical issues that have popped up but alas I am sill here so that is a good thing.

Got my insurance bill for prescription coverage and it increased 44%.  Holy Cow ! ! More stuff is being covered in 2025 but that has driven the cost up quite a bit.  Each year I am struck how my thickest file folder is always insurance information.  We are rapidly becoming insurance poor. 

[Donald Garner]

Greetings to all 

Cloudy with light rain showers are covering down across Central Texas this morning     Our forecast for today is 52-70dgrs with 90% humidity with a S wind @ 9mphs.  They're forecasting rain for Thursday with partly sunny skies for the next 10days after that.

I will be glad when this month is over with.  It's been one JACKED UP MONTH around here    I went and picked the diesel up from the dealership on the 1st of Dec.  They cleaned the Turbo Charger and informed me it needed to be replaced.  Tuesday morning I went out to start it and and it wouldn't start.  I went and replaced both batteries.  It still wouldn't start.  I double checked all the connections and got really mad after seeing SOME ONE HAD CUT THE WIRING HARNESS IN HALF AND STOLE the PCM module from the engine      This happened between 1am > 4am Tuesday morning.

I called a tow truck and had the diesel taken back over to the dealership.  I filed a police report and call my daughter over in Stuttgart, Germany.  She contacted her insurance company and the paper work drill started.  I'm impressed with her insurance company.  They had a check deposited into her checking  account in 2 days.  The dealership told me it was going to take 3 days to get replacement parts etc.  Beings the Holidays are upon us we might get the truck back in January     Total cost for repairs = $ 7,000.00 dollars.

We've lived here for 20yrs and never had any chit like this happen before.  Some AH just pulled up in the driveway and STOLE that part off that truck in the middle of the night.  Who ever did this knew what they were doing.  Nothing else was bothered.  End of RAND 

   Well Christmas is here finally.  Grandma got the grandkids presents all mailed off.  We did a Face Time with them last week watching them opening their presents.  It's going to be a quiet day here tomorrow.  My wife is fixing a Pot Roast with all the veggies for our Christmas Meal.

Bud; sure sorry to hear that your back is giving you problems.  I hope you get to feeling better soon.  Our weather here this month has been a lot like yours.  We had cold days > For here at least < Heck it was in the low 80's last week for a couple days.  I hear ya about the medical issues.  Since 2021 I've been working on getting my health back on track so to speak.  My VA doctors have done a GREAT JOB in taking care of me so far.  My BP is Down to where it belongs, 99% of the internal fluid swelling is gone.  There are still some small things that we're dealing with but over all I'm really pleased at where I'm at     The goal is to get well enough to get back to fishing.  This is my Spring Goal get back on the water.

Top; You should be about ready to box up those uniforms aren't ya?

Joe; Tks for stopping by and I hope your future outings the livewells get full.

To everyone Merry Christmas and Happy New Years ahead.  Be safe in your travels and enjoy the family time together.