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The Fixer archives

porch project

Last winter the walkway from front door to car door was a river of ice. I have done several things to change that for this winter… retaining walls, ditch work, driveway re-grading, the way I shovel snow…

The biggest change is still ahead. I want to put 3-4 inches of 3/4″ gravel on top of the old beat up gravel of the pathway, raising it well above the surrounding area. Thus the water and ice will know for darn sure exactly where it is to go and not go.

I had to build a porch or the area in […]

self-designing project

The fireplace was heating up my desk more than I would like, but I did not want to move the desk from its location I designed into the room. I was building a firewood log rack that would deflect the heat while storing logs next to the desk.

My plumbing and heating contractor friend gave me a scrap of sheet metal I intended to put on the wood-stove side of the scrap-iron rack that was nearing completion in my metal shop.

“The problem” with the scrap was the 90-degree fold it had, while I was visualizing a flat […]

Coping Without Running Water

Every prepper worth their salt stores water and lots of it. Not only that, they store one, two, three or more ways to purify water. That is all well and good because you never know when a disaster or other disruptive event may occur and those water resources will be called upon for drinking, cleaning, hygiene, and sanitation purposes.

Recently, my number came up and I was the one without water during a short term, personal water apocalypse. Now really, that may be a bit dramatic because I was simply without running water. This was caused by a break […]

last yardwork of fall

Photos with captions of the projects I completed in the last few days before the hard freeze of winter 2014-2015 arrived. It was a sprint-to-the-finish that was a bit wearing on the old man.

allow moisture to go AROUND sally port

get that water (ice) off walkway

replacement for last year’s tarp

Dutch Door for light and to serve as dog-gate

riverside gets a new face

[…]

EZ / no-cook meals and snacks

99 Healthy Meals and Snacks for People Who Can’t Cook

The most common excuses I hear when people tell my why they can’t eat healthy, non-GMO food is that they “can’t” cook or that they “don’t have time” to cook.

It’s a sad disservice that our schools have decided that home economics class is no longer necessary. Whether you are male or female, the ability to put together a nourishing, tasty meal on a budget can’t be overrated. We’ve all got to eat, […]

Staying safe during Montana winters

from AMERICAN RED CROSS

Winter is a big deal in Montana.

Every year, Montana Red Cross responds to several winter weather emergencies, usually involving road closures, stranded passengers and the need for emergency shelter. This is why I plan to revisit the topic of winter safety several times this season, just to make sure we are all prepared for whatever the season throws our way.

Know the difference

When a winter storm is in the forecast, it is important to know what the following definitions mean:

Winter storm outlook: Winter storm conditions are possible in the next 2 […]