so how did we get here??? i meanSDP......??? i have too much time to get not enough done.... so as i sat in the driveway wondering all teh accounting things i am supposed to know/do... i was facing :"the GATE" , there is a history about this gate... to look at it now... perfectly operating electronically .. PUSH THE BUTTON.....totallly taken for granted by all who come and go.... which i suppose is a measure of it's success... it is there ... it is supposed to be there. however... it did not get there by chance... or easily...
i hung that 12 foot gate on the most sturdy post i could find- at the coirner iof the split rail- 2 of thosd screw in gATE HINGES... .. YOU OPENED AND CLOSED IT BY HAND..... AND IT WWAS THERE.
BUT IT SAGGED..
SO I FIGURED I NEEDED TO PUT A ROPE ON IT TO SUPPORT THE END... WHICH MEANT I NEEDED SOMETHING "UP" TO TIE IT TO. . I FOUND AN IRON 2" PIPE 10 FEET LONG WHICH MEANT 2' IN THE GROUND WOUOLD,STRAPPED TO MY ORIGIONAL POST, GIVE ME 8' OF "UP- TO WHINCH I COULD PUT A ROPE FROM THE TOP TO THE OTHER END OF THE CATE... WHICH WORKED MAYBE TWICE.. AND THE ROPE STRETCHED... AND TEH GATE SAGGED...
. SO I FOUND A "TIE YOUR DOG OUT " CABLE PLUS A HUGE 1/2 INCH IRON "S" HOOK ONCE USED, I AM TOLD, TO HANG PIG CARCASSAS IN TRUCKS , IN TRANSIT... AND I EVEN PUT IN ONE OF THOSE TURN BUCKLES GISMOS IN CASE IT NEEDED IT... IT PULLED TEH PIPE JUST A FEW INCHES OFF VERTICLE, AND THE GATE SAGGED....
SO I FOUND ANOTHER S HOOK AND TRIANGULATED THE TOP BACK TO THE BASE OF ANOTHER FENCE POST AND MADE IT VERTICLE AGAIN... WHICH WORKED MAYBE 4 TIMES,AND IT GOT "OFF " THE OTHER VERTICLE.... SIDEWAYS ---- AND THE GATE SAGGED...
THERE WAS A TREE NOT TOO FAR AWAY SO I BOLTED THE TREE TO MY 2" PIPE AND HOPED THE TREE DID NOT GROW TOO FAST. FINALLY GETTING THE GATE TO SWING -- OPENING AND CLOSING BY HAND
DURING THIS TIME... i drove a blue ford 4whelled drive PICK UP truck.... the 4WD worked as long as you stopped and got out and turned the hubcaps ob the front tires.... but you must not drive it on road conditions while in 4WD. sO the routine was.. come off the road... pull up to the gate -- GET OUT --- TURN THE HUBS ( BECAUSE OUR YARD WAS NEVER PLOWED....) OPEN THE GATE-- GET BACK IN THE TRUCK-- GO THRU THE GATE-- GET OUIT SHUT THE GATE-- AND GET ON WITH LIFE. WHEN I LEFT, I DID ALL THAT BACKWASDRS...
I READ ALL ABOUT ELECTRIC GATE OPENERS.... AND IN MY WILDEST DREAMS I NEVER THOUGHT I COULD AFFORD THE $500 TO BUY A "MIGHTY MULE GATE OPENER" .. TEH MIGHTY MULE IS A WONDERFUL THING.... IT IS ALSO A VERY DELICATE THING.. AND GETTTING IT FUNCTIONAL INVOLVED MANY WASHERS FOR SPACERS --- THINGS LIKE LEVELS ( AN UNHEARD OF TOOL QROUND HERE) AND A WIRED PUSH BUTTON WHICH I COUOLD PUSH FROM THE DRIVERS SEAT OF MY TRUCK... IT TOOK ANOTHE 6 MONTHS BEFORE I COULD AFFORD A REMOTE FOR GOING OUT THE GATE,,, AN UNBELIEVABLE PLEASURE,
SKIP FORWARD TO 2020 -- SAME GATE... MULTIPLE REMOTES.... SECOND GATE FOR BUD AS REPAIR PARTS AND -- TO ME-- IT IS ONE OF MUST CHERISHED POSSESSIONS. AND EVERYONE ELSE THINKS IT IS NORMAL.
POINT BEING THE ENTIRE SDP ORGANIZATION WAS BUILT LIKE THAT ----WITH VERY CRITICAL PARTS PIECE BY PIECE, AND WE TOOK SO MUCH FOR GRANTED... UNTIL THIS COV19 HIT. WE ARE SAGGING... BUT STILL FUNCTIONAL
WE HAVE A MEETING AT 9AM... IN THE FRESH AIR OF THE T TENT ALL 10 FEET APART... I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE WILL BE THERE... BUT I WILL BE.
P.S.
THAT IS JUST TEH GATE--- I COUOLD WRITE A FAT BOOK ON THE T TENT... THERE IS A PHOTO OF ME ON THE ROOF, TRYING TO MAKE THE RIDGE STQRAIGHT.... YOU WILL NOTE IT DEFINITELY IS NOT.... IT HAS A SAG TO IT.-- BUT IT WORKS.
