Social Lounge

Made it to a day off tomorrow.  Found a Pinot Noir in the island cabinet.  It is doomed.

......so I'm not alone in drinking alone on this fine friday evening. 

I can't stop watching Lady Gaga videos.  Don't tell anybody!

What is it: Lady Gaga?

Sad.  Really sad.   

Lady gaga thinks she's the new madonna of pop music.  I guarantee you've heard one of her songs in a public area.  She makes fun looking videos!  Sorry, sometimes I have to listen to something other than Joel Salatin gloating about his cows. 

The converter job was put on hold Friday.  Massive repairs have the plant weighing options which may include permanently shutting down that section of the plant.

Experiencing flu-like symptoms since yesterday so I've been lurking.

Sorry to hear about the plant, and your symptoms Ken.

I'm still working on recovery... going on two weeks now.  So don't do as I do and burn the candle (or Crisco) at both ends.  Be sure and get your rest....

Lady Gaga is a trip, Elton John type costumes and all 

Man, the flu's got us all down in slightly offset weeks.  I send good vibes and thoughts of raw garlic cloves in your direction! 

Hi Everyone!

Just wanted to take a moment and wish all you other singles out there a happy Valentine's Day!

It's rainy and dreary out here, so I offer a bit of sunshine to brighten your day!

Bill

Thank you, 9andalf!  What a lovely photo!  We just happen to be getting lake effect hail right now with more snow on it's way.   And I would like to accept the Happy Valentine's Day wish even though I am married.  Us married folk sometimes celebrate Valentine's Day, too.   

Us married folk sometimes celebrate Valentine's Day, too.

Heyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!  You're not 'sposed to be pokin around down here in the singles lounge!!!   

And you're right, so happy Valentine's day to everybody, partnered and un-partnered alike!

Um, this topic says Social Lounge      Not that I wouldn't drop in on my single friends, too. 

I'm outta here for a while.  Have a shutdown at a pulp mill boiler in Fernandina Beach for 30 days.  I'll be on and off that job coming back to set up for a shutdown at a phosphate plant.  Have a lime kiln in Perry right after that.  Figure 6-8 weeks before I get much free time. 

When I get back it'll be time to find some land!!

I'll check in when I get a chance.  Some of the motels have wifi, some have lobby computers, some just have roaches.

Stay warm. 

You'll be missed Ken.

Enjoy the new scenery !

Back home for a couple weeks at least.  Moving tools and materials for the next couple days.  Looks like I might have Sunday off.  Should I sleep all day or get something done around here?

Starting Monday I have the night crew for 21 days.  I'd complain about the long hours and endless shifts, but this job will pay my bills for 6 months.  My concern will be keeping the guys safe. 

This job is a phosphate plant.  They dig up phosphate rock, turn it into fertilizer-phosphoric acid P2O5.  I heard an estimate that the food grown from the fertilizer produced at this place feeds about 50 million people.  Thats a lot of biscuits!

The Attack Tank
This structure is about 80 feet on a side, 50 feet high.  Its separated into 10 different compartments to process the acid.  The walls and floors are lined with carbon brick for its acid resistance.  Over the course of a couple years between shutdowns, the brick will wear down from debris and flow.  Sediment builds up on the walls and floors.  We go in, clean up the debris, inspect the brick, make any repairs needed.  Jackhammers and shovels at first, bricks and mortar after that.

The Filtrate Tanks
There are 2 of these godforsaken things.  4 compartments in each tank, about 4 feet high.  The acid is about 28% but the sediment on the floor is uneven and does not allow for good drainage.  While the tanks are flushed out, the pooled water leaches the acid out of the sediment, creating a considerably stronger acid solution.  I burned my leg a couple years ago crawling into one of these.  We have since upgraded to one piece acid suits and flush it ourselves after the plant has flushed it.  Only takes a couple of days to clean these out, but its a tough couple of days.  This is also lined with carbon brick but it is hydroblasted every 3 weeks between shutdowns resulting in much more damage.  Once cleaned up and dry, laying the brick is a breeze because we sit on buckets.

The Gyp Tank
This is rubber lined so its just a clean up job.  Gypsophosphate builds up on the walls several inches thick and has to be knocked off with 90 pound hammers.  We hang the hammers in a sort of sling making it easier to handle.  I look for guys who are big and dumb for this job.

The Hydrate Tank
This is a massive stainless steel tank.  The door is big enough to drive a bobcat through so thats what we use to clear out the massive volume of muck inside.  We have a guy that is into 4 wheeling and mud-bogging, this is a dream job for him.  When the bobcat is done, I send in someone with a firehose to wash it out.

Trenches and Pads
Drainage and containment is a major aspect of the plant.  The ground heaves with all the water, acid eats away concrete, heavy equipment causes cracks and damage.  These are lined with a red shale acid brick.  Motors are raised on concrete pads and dissolve from leaks over time.  We tear out damaged sections, build forms with rebar and lumber, pour concrete, lay bricks.

The first week is brutal, sloppy, filthy, muck work.  Heaps of debris, crap dripping, sparks flying and falling, noisy, lots of grunting.  After that, its bricks and bricks and bricks, and more grunting.  I'll probably lose 10 pounds.

Job done with end of shift 7am today, have the rest of the day off.  Only lost 8 pounds.  Added to the body of evidence supporting the theory that it is easier to buy clothes rather than do laundry.

Next job starts 7am tomorrow, runs for 8 weeks, but only 10 hour shifts with weekends off. 

Hi All.  My name is Jason and I have lived in north west florida all of my life.  I am 27 and am currently working as a bartender even though I have a degree in accounting (i dont know why i got a degree in accounting because i honestly do not think i could stomach it as a career).  My goal now is to become a certified teacher and teach math and science for high school. I am studying as much as I can about permaculture now so that when I finally do buy my house/land ill be ready to get busy.  I enjoy fishing, biking, and gardening.  anyway, hopefully ill be around here for a while so I just wanted to introduce myself.

BTW Paul, or anyone else for that matter, I see you are located in florida in zone 8b/9.  are you located on the panhandle?  I ask because i am looking for some experience in permaculture and would love to visit or help any permaculture establishments in the greater panhandle area.  hands on learning is the best kind.  I would really like to see with my own two eyes what is really possible. Does anyone know of any permaculture that has been established in north west florida? 

Nice to meet you Jason!

Funny how life works out isn't it?  Sounds like you'll make a great math teacher with your accounting (numbers logic) background.

It would be so nice if you put your real name somewhere - in your account title, signature, or such for others.  This is something Permie Paul likes everyone to do so we can all feel comfortable in a personal way with each other.  So consider it if you will.

And if you also post this request of yours in the -  regional forum for your area you might get more offers    just a suggestion.

Welcome ♥

Welcome aboard, Jason

You may have confused me and Paul.  Paul is in Montana.  I'm in Lake City, a couple hours east of Tallahassee. 

Hiya. I'm Amy, new to this forum. I'm 46 and single. I live in a very small town in Southeast Missouri where no one ('cept me) knows what Permaculture is. I take great pleasure in baffling my neighbors with my projects. I'm slowly replacing the lawn with organic veggies and fruits. This year I added a couple of Asian pear trees and some chickens for eggs. So many projects, I could work on this place for a lifetime.
I also keep a herd of cats just in case it gets really cold and Ameren runs out of gas.
Good to "read" everyone. *waves*

Good to meet you Amy.

Amy,  You must be in the wrong part of Missouri.  I'm in Ava, Mo, about and hour SSE of Springfield.  There are a number of people here who know PC, and a few more that think they do.

Yes Paul, it appears I am in the wrong part of Missouri. People around here are mostly soybean/corn/wheat farmers. When I mention organic techniques they sort of tilt their heads to one side and squint. If they could I think they might just pat me on the head like a little kid.
Its okay. I lived in Southern California for 17 years so I didn't expect to fit in when I moved back here. My garden is beautiful, lush and green. One of these days  the neighbors are going to ask how I do it. LOL.

It's not like everybody in Ava knows PC.  My neighbor laught at me and compaired me to an old drunkard she used to know when I tried to explain what seedballs are.  However, I know at least a couple other people with a PDC and more who know quite a bit about PC.  There is an active organic gardening club in town and lots of old hippies who garden organically.  Just don't bother asking for anything organic at the feed stores.

I guess since I've posted twice to this thread, I maybe should introduce myself.  I'm a gregarious hermit.  I moved to the Ava, Missouri, USA, Earth area a decade ago.  I have 50 acres of worn-out and abandoned farmland.  I'm trying to work about an acre or two and let most of the rest be zone 4.9, that is zone 5 with a bit of tinkering and some harvesting.
I'm 48, single and work on a fish farm. 
I run the Ozark-Homestead list on yahoo groups.  There's some useful local homesteading information there, but not much PC stuff.

Very cool, Paul. So nice to meet you. I am definitely the only old hippie here. I chose this place because it was close to family and because I could buy a house for the same price as a car. We have an interesting little microclimate here. Just 30 miles to the west of us and the same distance to the east the weather is much more severe, more storms and snow, more extremes in temperature. I'm guessing it's because we're so close the the Mississippi. While the humidity is impressive (89% yesterday), I'm able to grow under cover for nearly all the year.
I think of this as my starter/experiment home. I don't know how long I'll stay but I'm able to do as I please with my little bit of land.

I'm BACK.  Shutdown season is drawing to a close.  Still have a couple of jobs to take care of, but the biggest one is just a few miles away and I get to come home at night.  Got home to my new place this afternoon and took a nap, probably sleep all day tomorrow.  I'd like to get some furniture moved, particularly the bed.

Where to start on this place?  I thought my list of projects was long, but looking at the scope and health of the field, my list keeps getting longer.   Even though last night's shift was long (28 hours of gittin er done), the days at home are never long enough.

While I'll invest some time catching up on posts, for tonight, its R&R.  Pinot Noir and Sinatra.

But, but.... is it legal to drink French wine with Italian singers? That's some thin ice there dude

I'm not technically single, but I am available. 

Not I'm not a cheater and I never will be. My long-term boyfriend Terran and I are open and polyamorous.(translates to many loves and means we're "allowed" to date other people) For those who want more info go HERE.

For those who wonder, I usually date men but I've been known to crush on a girl or two.

Not ready for a full intro yet. Just saying hi... and testing the waters of acceptance.

Ken Peavey wrote:
I need a name for my farm.  Stone Soup Farm is the latest idea but its taken (1 in MA, 1 in IL).  Before that was Morning Dew Farm (something like a dozen of them).  I suppose I'll come up with something when I get the land and get it going.  You folks have any suggestions?

How about:  Spanish Moss Farm?  That one is probably already taken?  or maybe you should just wait until you find your land and then the name will come to you.

(bump)

If you are hesitant to put up a classified ad for yourself, you can always get involved in some idle chit chat in here.  It can be surprisingly effective.

Well, this is pretty cool.  My name is Raine and I'm new here.  I just got an email about this today, but it looks like it's been around here for a while.  I've been single so long that I don't know if I'm even looking to change that, but ... who knows?  This forum may have potential... after all, what are the chances of finding a guy who knows what "permaculture" means at the local bar?    I just moved to northwest Arkansas where there is NO DIRT.  Well, a teeny bit between all the rocks.  So I am very happy to be a permaculture/hugelculture geek.  Love makin' my own dirt.  Woo Hoo!  I bet this is the only place where guys might find that attractive.  Here's a pic of my sexy permaculture garden underway.  And one of me too.

In the bars around here you would be hard pressed to find teeth.

Haha!! Yeah, I guess that could be another drawback to the bar crowd.  Mom always warned me not to go to bars to look for men...because then you end up with a man who hangs out at the bar.  Go figure.  She never mentioned the teeth factor tho...

That cat sure seems to have a large tail. I like cats, but the other picture is much nicer.  GREAT hair!

How far from old 71 hwy are you?

oh heh mind if i sit down.....ive had a heck of a day too sheesh just realised how much there really is to do this winter and its come too soon!! sigh    well im feeling a bit randy so think ill headdown to the singles club for a looksee ;}

@Rainey B - Good for you.  Embrace your hugelkulture geekiness!  If you are patient enough, you will eventually find someone who appreciates it.  There are few of us, for sure, and many may live far, as I do, but we are out there.  And that is a very fine feline gracing your garden bed with his presence.

@Willow NyteEyes - I see that there has been precious little chit-chat on this thread since this time last year when you posted.  Still, I think it rude that you put yourself out there, testing the waters of acceptance as you say, and nobody has responded to you.  I can only speak for myself, but I say "welcome and be accepted."  I have known two polyamorous couples before, one very well, one only a bit.  I would also say that their relationships seemed to be working well in one case, marginally in the other.  But all were nice and friendly and thoroughly decent people.  I don't know that I could make a polyamorous relationship work myself, but props to you if you can.  And good luck to you and your boyfriend making your ways in this world.  I hope you come back and post a full profile in this forum (if you haven't already...?)

~ Matthew N., Southern transplant

A chuckle for everyone:
The Montana Department of Employment, Division of Labor Standards claimed a small rancher was not paying proper wages to his help and sent an agent out to investigate him.

GOV’T AGENT: “I need a list of your employees and how much you pay them.”
...
RANCHER: ”Well, there’s my hired hand who’s been with me for 3 years. I pay him $200 a week plus free room and board.
Then there’s the mentally challenged guy. He works about 18 hours every day and does about 90% of all the work around here.
He makes about $10 per week, pays his own room and board, and I buy him a bottle of bourbon every Saturday night so he can cope with life.
He also sleeps with my wife occasionally.”

GOV’T AGENT: “That’s the guy I want to talk to - the mentally challenged one.”

RANCHER: “That would be me.”

Hello to all,
I just found this topic, and well seeing as I am sitting in my Van, eating supper and reading the Permaculture Forums, seems I am either, single or just do not want to go into the house and see the wife..
Ok,, shhhh, flashback, that was a couple of years ago, no wife now, single not really looking as I attract all the weirdos out there, and I do mean all of them.

Last Fri I sat in the Laundromat doing laundry and watching a movie on the laptop. Sigh such a gregarious life  I lead. Being a non drinker, non smoker, I do not like to go to bars too many fools there. So where to meet people who are like me? Not too many people like me, ex military, poly minded, permaculture, prepper, survivalist, who like bikes, winter camping, motorcycles, and vandwelling.

Willow, welcome, poly works for some not for others, and some who do the swing thing, are actually poly with committed partners but just do not know the word poly. Poly is not polygamy, and it is not for everyone.

Thanks for bumping the post up so I could see it.
This Ontario, Canadian boy, should be going to bed soon, alone, like normal,
so cheers to all and hi to everyone here.

Hi Ken,
You make me miss FL more than ever. There is a farm listed on this site that I would love to visit.
Hi Rose,
Im right with ya. Its a life change and no one to talk to about that without friends and/or family...