Mystery Solved and Diesel

 We are climbing back up the ladder of discomfort, heading for a week of back-to-90-degree heat.  Come on Mother Nature ... we are used to wearing long pants and jackets this time of year.  Instead, I still have the air conditioning running!!

The good news is the mystery was solved.  Whew ... that was a relief!  The mystery man came back at 8:30 the next morning and again rang the bell.  This time I opened the door and who should I find?  Not the boogey man, not a burglar and not Jake from State Farm ... it was my GARDENER!

I had told him he could leave his mower in the back yard for the week ... no problem.  Call me when you need it for your next job.  I just didn't recognize his CAR versus his TRUCK.  What a relief THAT was!!  He just came to pick it up.  I really do live in a nice neighborhood, but the HOOD section has been getting closer and closer over the years.  You can't be too careful when that happens.

After a big sigh of relief, I went to work on this quilt.  It's time to think about something other than the Elks.

Though it is smaller, the backing I bought was not big enough without being pieced.  That quickly became a BIG problem since not only would I have to cut on the lines, but this piece of fabric was directional.  What a pain!!

The solution was to cut and paste several pieces together.  I hate that!!  It requires a lot of math.

It took several hours to figure this out and get it sewed together.  So here is the BACKING!  It's going to be even HARDER to get it on the longarm so the center piece is actually in the CENTER of the back. I've done this before and it was a disaster.  It's going to take a LOT of thinking!!

Since this is a small quilt, there's no use wasting batting by cutting it from the roll.  I took several pieces of leftovers and stitched them together.  Can you see the seam?  

Before that one goes on the machine however, THIS one had to come OFF.  Another Cooper approved quilt, this one was destined for the front of the rig, though to be honest, I'm thinking I would rather stitch a couple of sheets together with batting inside.  The front of this is just leftovers, but the back was a rather expensive piece of fabric.

My afternoon was spent trying to catch up on a few Zzzzz's, which was interrupted by a phone call.  My friend who owns the same Van called to related her oil change story.  Luckily she found a place only 40 miles away.  I about had a heart attack when she told me the price of $800.  This is not your mother's oil change.  

When I think about it though ... my truck holds a lot of oil, but can only go half as far, so in the end, the cost is about the same.  We talked everything dumping tanks ..... her hose is not long enough and she has been dumping before it's full ... and about Dave losing his hoses due to the cap coming off.  That prompted me to pin my cap and recommend she do the same.

Then the bad news.  My control panel says I have only half a tank of propane left.  I only used propane twice.  Once for a 15 minute generator run and once for a ten minute heater run.  Since my friend went to Alaska and back and still has 99 percent left in her tank, I'm guessing I have a problem.  Ugh ... it's always something!!  I'll have to call and see if I can get that looked at.

Dinner was pretty simple ... one quarter of that lovely baked potato and one quarter of that way too fatty rib eye.  I know, I'm weird.  Born and raised on a cattle ranch and I would rather eat CHICKIN!!!!!

Here's another thing I learned about the Mercedes diesel engine today.  It has the same finicky taste for food that I do.  They recommend only B5 fuel, not the B20 that every gas station serves up today.  They said B20 would kill my TRUCK'S diesel engine, but it's still running great, mostly because I change the fuel filter more often and do not live in a freezing environment.  

By the way, I just learned about this stuff ... B5 means 5% biodiesel is added and B20 means 20% is added.  Biodiesel is bad for the engine, gunks it up requiring fuel filter changes more often and if you live in a freezing part of North Dakota, it's supposed to crystalize ... a bad thing.  

Though I probably could just fill it up with any old diesel available, I probably should try for B5 if I can find it.  That's a problem since stations do not advertise the fact.  My friend did her research and says Sinclair stations usually carry the better grade fuel.  

And so today as I head to the (ssshhhhh don't say it out loud) FABRIC STORE, I'll check out a few stations and see what I can find.  

Guys out there with diesel engines ... can you verify the diesel questions???