Odds and ends.

I haven't done too much the last couple of days, but I had a casualty.  I appear to have lost another mouse, this one was of the electronic variety (though I have lost a few fuzzy ones lately too).  It just simply stopped moving.  The buttons still work.  So instead I just put my travel trackball on my computer.  Hopefully it does better, this trackball has now outlived almost the last half dozen mice.  The AA battery in this trackball has now outlived my last two mice (the Performance MX and the MX Master) which is kind of sad.

I also finally figured out how to remove the center headrests.  I don't understand why Ford thought it was a good idea to put a button in the middle where you can't really get your hands in order to even raise it, but it is off now, which improves the visibility a little bit.

I also used the heat in my truck the other day.  I figured it would be a cold winter because the truck doesn't heat up, but apparently the cab is the first thing that gets heat.  I haven't dug too much into how Ford implemented it, some use auxiliary heating, some use heat pumps instead of AC, some just redirect any heat from the engine to the cab first.  I would hope it is the heat pump from a technical standpoint, auxiliary heating is hard on the alternator, and redirecting the engine heat would make the issue of it not getting to temperature worse.  But at least I won't be cold.  Given how quickly I got heat though, I think it has to be auxiliary or a heat pump, I can get heat shortly after leaving my driveway, and that is without idling it.

Greg's birthday was yesterday, so I went to that, and I also ordered a cup holder for the front seat that should snap into the bottom of the center seat.  It used to be a standard part on older F150s, but it looks like it should snap into the clips under the middle seat.  We shall see.  I haven't started anything new, but the variance and using the pile of dirt is already in progress.  

Before winter:

• Deal with town and get the variance.
• Finish distributing pile of dirt.
• Determine method of clearing snow. 
• Driveway winter prep.
• Clean off the slab.  
• Clean out the carport.  Decide what to do with the power center.
  
• Mulch the leaves.
• Ensure the shed will make it through the winter.  Shed pilings
• Knock down the dead knotweed. 
• Winterize equipment.  
• Run mowers out of gas, put diesel treatment in the tractor, change oil in snowblower, rearrange the carport, put weight in the back of the truck, prep heat pump (clean filter), disconnect hose.  Fire up generator.  Take down bug zapper.
  
• Also note that my tractor is due for its first servicing.
  
• Install the driveway markers.

Winter projects: 

• Get the building permit.
• Complete detailed house plans.
• Work with La Valley to get a concrete contractor.  Get the plan/schedule in place. 
  
• Design future method of travel.  Consider building the prototype.
  
• Shed floor.
• Shed windows.
• Fix generator box.  Decide/do something about power center.
  
• Clear/mark walking trails.