In this case, failure is an option

My experience with the hollow core auger did not go well, it was your basic failure.  I "thought" the dirt under the house could be augered out into my little wagon and hauled off, thus eliminating the need for buckets and a lot of sweat.  But, my thinking of saving a lot of work for my mining project was a failure.   So I disassembled the auger and it is laying in the yard.   The dirt I was removing was a little too wet and it would just ball up and get mashed into the pipe and stay there, I could not figure out to make it any lighter or bulkier so it could be moved.   I will try again this summer when I am bored with my other projects.   In the mean time, I have removed 26 yards of dirt to date  and the crawl space is not quite luxurious, but I can get to the utilities under the kitchen and that is what is needed. The kitchen project is in full swing.

I visited my Dad's brother who lives in Maryland.  I have never been to his place and I was in the area and made the effort to look him up.  In the past funerals were the only chance to visit with him and it is hard to make any real conversation at those events.    Ward is currently working as a home inspector at age 79.  He still works 3 or 4 days a week and climbs on the roof and crawls under the house to do inspections during the selling process or if there is a law suite over some failure of construction.  He stays pretty busy.  His wife is a retired realtor.  He built the houses and she sold them.  It has worked pretty good for them.   The picture is a chain saw carving in their yard.  A very large oak tree was near a power line and the local tree trimmers basically botched the trimming and the tree died.  He decided to have a local artist carve it into a "totem pole".   The actual carving took only two days and it is really a great piece of art.  The carving has been a local attraction ever since and is easily seen from a very busy highway.   It was an interesting day to get a feel what my Dad's family was like.   Ward left the Ohio area during college and never returned.   He quit after his sophomore year at Ohio State to follow his wife to be back to Maryland.  He was majoring in civil and mechanical engineering.  His interest in math and his incredibly knowledge of building houses let's me know the source of my similar interests.

I have been following three local senior athletes who ran in the USATF Master indoor championships in New Mexico last weekend.  They are my Facebook friends and Grady Cash, William Yelverton , David Schmanski  all medaled in several sprint events.  The local talent is quite deep and it makes me proud that I can actually compete with them.  I am in a bad age spot for USATF, I am 59 and the old guy in the age group.  Next year I can try the indoor stuff when I am 60 and actually have a shot of competing.  I have never competed indoor and look forward to giving it a shot. 

I am ready to start outdoor running.  I ran tonight at the gym on the 1/11 mile track.  I did some 290 meter cycles, felt good, but the curves really restrict my stride length and the feet and ankles get a major cranking.   I have been really uncomfortable on the treadmills lately and my breathing has been uneven.  It is time to get outside and start doing some speed type work.  I still have about 3 months until the State meet,  but I have some ideas for some lower risk speed training. Plus, the local talent is already in shape from their indoor competitions.   I need to get to the track, badly.