ErkkilaDotOrg

And now a happy post.

I’m really enjoying the chickens, the foster dog, and the other dogs this summer. My non-rain days are something like this:

• Get up, get dressed (something new for me–working in pajamas is fine, but not walking through a chicken coop)
• Walk dogs around the yard
• Fill two thermoses with water
• Move dog run to a fresh, shady grassy spot
• Fill water dish/wading pool
• Walk to the barn with thermoses; gather wheelbarrow, dog crate, netting, clothespins, grit, corn, chicken feed
• Go to chicken coop; dump out tray in waterer and top off; fill feeder
• Capture 9 chickens from coop and put in dog create; wheel to dog run
• Set up dog run with pen and netting; put grit container in run; release chickens into it
• Go back and capture the other 9 chickens; return to dog run and release
• scatter corn in run
• Wash hands, work 8 hours
• Return chickens to coop in two batches and take down pen/netting
• If there’s time and good weather, release chickens for supervised freedom with smaller dogs running free
• Chase chickens into the coop

Maybe soon we’ll let them free range, then this’ll be much easier. They’re learning to peck sometimes, and the other day I caught one in the air as she tried to fly the coop.

Finally got the Philips RC9800i all programmed. Good: it’s in color, not bad interface, price, wireless stuff (I guess, seems pretty useless for me). Meh: Not very configurable (no PC software to edit every last button/screen as in Pronto series); the only user editable keys are 8 user defined ones for each device; very limited hard keys (only the ones you define for menu up/down/left/right/ok, mute, volume, channel); no way to mix keys from different devices on one screen or assign them to a hard key (biggest problem one for me is the ‘aspect’ button for TV); locks up sometimes; device icons are listed as very generic ‘PVR’, ‘DVD’ etc so if you have more than one you have to remember what order they’re in; it displays keys on the remote even if they have no code assigned to them; no way to move around or delete keys from the display. I like being able to set up remotes exactly as I like; this doesn’t quite fit the bill but I guess it’ll work for now. I do like the form factor and UI, and it seems pretty responsive.

A CableCard HD Tuner card. Meh: Windows only (probably due to the CableCard requirements).

ReplayTV PC Edition. Meh: no HD support yet. Windows only, even for streaming.

HDTivo (standalone; series 3). Meh: no more lifetime service fees. Isn’t it weird how they announced this right after Replay exited the set-top business?

Blu-ray/HDDVD. Meh: why did there have to be two? And the whole thing about possibly limiting resolution on component outputs (thus screwing us early HD monitor adopters).
I used to be an early adopter. Lately I’m feeling like I’d be a schmuck to buy into any of these half-assed technologies.

Able to leap small love seats in a single bound…look, down on the couch…it’s a slug…it’s a seal…it’s…HOUNDENBERG!

I had a somewhat well thought out rant about calea and internet “wiretapping” typed in and saved here. It’s an issue that’s very close to my heart and unfortunatly close to my wallet. However after some more thought on the matter, and deep soul searching (none located), i’ve shortened it to it’s core.

“Fuck the FCC”

“Fuck CALEA”

2 thumbs up for Mr. Zimmerman and zphone. Download it use it, and encourage other technology like it.

-pee

Looks as if our Philips Pronto TSU3000 remote has finally cratered. We made it about two and a half years this time (we had a Pronto Neo before that, and I think yet another Pronto before that). The third button from left (under LCD), which we usually used for the Replay’s skip 30 seconds button, became stuck down permanently (bubble underneath crushed), which probably is causing a permanent interrupt condition keeping the touch screen from working. I’ve ordered a new Philips RC9800I from buy.com since it’s color and less than $300 (unlike their other color remotes, one of which doesn’t even have hard arrow/select keys). Yay, the smell of new electronics.

Does anyone else hear ‘Zoysia Grass’ and think ‘Zoidberg Grass’? We’re also going to try to plant bamboo in the woods, hoping that’ll be more invasive than all the other invasive, crappy, clingy stuff in there.

There’s a garter snake hanging out in front of the barn all the time. Ever since the garage door opener broke, we’ve had a bungee cord attached under the door so we can open it from outside (no handle). We think the snake’s trying to have sex with it.

If you can stomach another anthropomorphic, first person pet blog, we’ve got one on PPFeet.com.

It looks as if we are fostering an Italian Greyhound named Cupcake. She loved me at Michelle’s, but I think she lost the love a little when we got home and she found out we already have three dogs here. Her owner is in the hospital (other owner is unable to care for her), so she’s spending the summer here at Camp Erkkila. With any luck she’ll get used to the other dogs and lose a little weight (she’s adorable, but a bit hard to lift for an IG). In the meantime she’s camped in front of the air conditioner and in the bathroom (cool spots and free of other dogs). Sobe greatly covets her newspaper squeaky toy but is, like the other dogs, rather indifferent to Cupcake.

We lost one of the black cochins today, and oddly enough, one of the really big fat ones. It might have been a hawk; we heard a commotion among the crows, and when I went out back I saw a large bird of some kind take off. It didn’t even get a chance to eat the chicken, just left it there. The rest were hiding in the underbrush and scurried into the henhouse when I showed up. It took us an hour to coax the last two out from under the henhouse and inside. I think we’re going to keep them penned for a bit and think through what we want to do to prevent further losses (this is only the 2nd day for godssake). I’m just really glad it was only one.

After reading this we decided they were big enough. Now we’re crossing our fingers that they’ll be good flyers by the time a coyote or fox starts sniffing around.

Looks like we might be fostering an IG. Maybe. Or not. Situation unclear. Guess we’ll know by Friday.

Somehow avoided the wrath of Kubota.

Not to belabor the subject, but I’ve started a chicken page for general observations about the project.

They’re here. And I think I already pulled something in my back while laying down wood chips and straw.

jkk: ‘The Taj Mahal of chicken coops’

Grep had a haircut today. The lady at Clip ‘n’ Cuddle was shorthanded and had to cancel a bunch of cat appointments, leaving her with only a couple of dogs to groom. As you can see, she got so bored she painted Grep’s toenails blue!

The chicken coop’s almost done. Haven’t caught up on picture taking yet; it’s actually much further along than this, but I’ll post more pictures soon. We should have the chickens on Sunday (and I still have to fix the screens!)

The green bean hierarchy.

1. Fresh from the garden
2. Fresh from the store
3. Microwave pouch
4. frozen cut
5. cut can
6. french cut (yuch….)

I try not to go below 4 ;p