Porch Work, Lack of Sleep, Nice Day

 

Beautiful day in Chaumont NY. Side yard viewed from side porch.

Yesterday, October 28, 2025, was a beautiful day. Sunny, breezy, cool, temp in early 50's. I hd. shortage of sleep because I was up until 3:00am watching the 3rd baseball World Series Game between the LA Dodgers and Toronto Bluejays. The game went into overtime innings. Dodgers won in a walk off home run in the 18th inning. Consequently I was overtired and less ambitouse than normal. I did some work on our side porsh, accompanied the BH to a doctor appointment, picked up a grocery order from Hannaford's, had a guitar lesson at 4:30, went to Brother A's house and then to Sam's Club to buy Halloween Candy for Friday. Spent almost $140.00 for the candy. We bought a box of 48 Snickers bars and the 30 count boxes of assorted candy bars. Last year we had 163 trick or treaters, an all time record. This year it's supposed to be rainy so I imagine we will have fewer. 

Brother Goes In For Prostate Surgery

Brother Al ready for prostate removal surgery. He was upbeat and joking.

 I drove my Celebrity Brother A into the Samaritan Medical Center in Watertown, NY for prostate gland removal. I got up at 4:15 am, left house in Chaumont at 5:00, arrived at his house about 5:30, got to the hospital at 6:00m, his check in time. At 7:30 he was wheeled into surgery. It's now 9:35. Procedure supposed to take about 3 and 1/2 hours. 

Rain Drops on Maple Leaf Photo

 

Raindrops on a maple leaf,   photo by Gary Walts

I snapped this photo of raindrops on a maple leaf back on September 25th. I took it with  Minolta 50mm f2.8 macro lens mounted on a Sony a6600 camera.

Today I finished cleaning the wood stove flue pipe, the part of the chimney system that is inside the house. A couple days ago I cleaned the chimney. It's ready for the first fire of the season. Normally I have this chore done much earlier in the season. I decided I should clean it in late spring or early summer at the conclusion of the heating system. 

It was sunny today, great autumn colors with a high of 5 degrees.

New Tires on Our 2019 Kia Sorento

 October 10, 2025: New Tires on Sorento

Sunset on the Taconic Mountains viewed from Hairpin Turn of Mohawk Trail, Clarksburg, Massachusetts

We recently had four new tires put on our 2019 Kia Sorento prior to taking a road trip. We had planned on a drive to Florida to meet H & D in Miami, however, several things cropped up including the fact that H & D got sick,  the Better Half was not feeling up to it due to her ongoing back ailments. So the BH and I decided to take a long weekend road trip to through Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Maine. (I still need to post some photos from that). 

Anyhow I opted to buy tires at Cheney Tires in Watertown. I've experienced great service and work at that shop. The tab for that came to $700.98 Cheney's, by the way was sold not long ago to Steve Shannon Tire and Auto Centers. 

Today is the Better Half's 77th Birthday

Wednesday October 15, 2025 

View from our backyard, Chaumont NY, a beautiful day.

Today is the Better Half's 77th Birthday. Outdoors it has been a lovely autumn day. Temperature at 55 degrees, clear sky, sunny, mild breeze. It simply can't get better than that. (Well, figuratively speaking.)

In the afternoon we took a drive, started by going down the Millens Bay Rd, having herd there was a nice farm stand somewhere along it. We came upon it and it was closed. Sign said it's open Saturday and Sundays. From there we made our way to Clayton and to Watertown. We had dinner at  the Texas Road House which was quite good. The tab came in at $100.00 and change. 

Here she is, my Better Half on her 77th birthday

My iPhone reports I walked 4,784 steps today.

Farm stand on the Millens Bay Road between Chaumont and Millens Bay

Farm stand on the Millens Bay Road between Chaumont and Millens Bay

The Texas Road House, Watertown, NY

Finished Kia Sedona Brake Job

 

New brake rotor, pads and caliper successfully installed on 2011 Kia Sedona

Today I finished replacing the brake pads, rotors and calipers on our 2011 Kia Sedona van. It came out great. Brakes and goes down the road nice and smoothly. Driver side rotor removal was difficult. The passenger side went smoothly EXCEPT: One of the bolts holding caliper bracket in place was very difficult to break free. But my large DeWalt battery powered impact driver got it apart. 

ALSO, a little trouble with passenger side caliper. Yesterday I Got new one at Auto Zone. Got home and discovered one of the pins was seized up. Could not budge it. Took it back. Watetown store didn't have another one but their Evans Mills Store did. I get home and go to install it and this one came with the wrong metal clips that the brake pads slide on! So back I go to Evans Mills and get the correct ones. This morning it all came together nicely.

I now need to get the exhaust system repaired. It's very loud. 

Later today I made a batch of Jamaican Jerk Marinade. In the evening we went to B & M's place for dinner. 

Reciept for brake purchased at Auto Zone.

New brake rotor, pads and caliper successfully installed on 2011 Kia Sedona

Kia Brake Rotor Removed Today

 Saturday October 11, 2025.

The bad brake rotor finally removed from 2011 Kia Sedona

Woke at 5:30this morning. Got out of bed at 6:30. At 8:00 I tried again to remove the kia brake rotor using a bolt to apply pressure to it. I tghtened the bolt against back side of the rotor. Then loosened it, turned the wheel a few degrees and tightened the bolt again. I did this  a few times and finally it became apparent the rotor was slowly coming off.  I had a couple errands that took me into Watertown. I was back home by 2:00. Did some more painting on the house. Then started to put new rotor on. Discovered the caliper mounting bracket pins and sleeves were seized up. Tried to buy a new bracket but instead bought the entire caliper and bracket assembly. Tomorrow will probably put it on and finish the drivers side rotor / brakes. Still need to do the passenger side. 

Nut and bolt passed through bracket mount holes and applying pressure to brake rotor.

Nut and bolt passed through bracket mount holes and applying pressure to brake rotor.

Kia Sedona Brake Rotor Replacement

 

Nut and bolt that broke as I tried to free siezed brake rotor with it. 

My 2011 Kia Sedona van needs front brake rotors. They have gotten bad, pulsing and thud-thud-thudding while braking. I've replaced rotors on every car I have owned, including this one. Some are difficult to remove as they get rusted on. Yesterday, Friday, October 9, I bought new rotors and brake pads at Auto Zone. Price came to $226.00 and change. Got home about 2:00 and thought I could get the job done then. I jacked the front of the van up and started in on the driver side. I could not get the rotor loose. I sprayed it plenty with WD40, hammered on it- a lot. Heated it with a torch. Stubborn. Will not budge. So I sprayed it with more WD40 3 or 4 more times before I went to bed. 

Earlier in the day I cut up some Brussell sprouts, sweet potatoes and italian sausage, tossing them around in a casserole with with some oil, honey, salt and pepper. Roasted the combo in 350 degree oven until done. 

Awoke this morning at 5:30. It was 31 degrees. I tried again to break the rotor free. Frustrated I searched youtube and found a way to use a bolt and nut to break a rotor free. YES! I have used that technique in the past. It worked then beautifully. I had forgotten about it. You pass the bolt through the bolt holes in the caliper mounting braket. The bolt is threaded through a nut between the knuckle caliper bolt hole. Tightening the bolt applies pressure on the stuck rotor. However, I still had no success. Bolts were short on threaded section. One I managed to fit and used 1/2 inch ratchet drive and torqued the bolt down until it broke. Then I had to get a saw and cut it aprt to free it from the rotor. Today I bought some better, hopefully stronger bolts at the NAPA Auto store here in Chaumont. Two bolts, and package of nuts cost $14.00! WOW! I set it up and applied pressure to the rotor, used more WD40 ad am leaving it alone overnight. Will see how I fare tomorrow.

After that I cleaned the upper boards and eves on the wall I am painting. Hopefully tomorrow I can give the wall a 2nd coat of paint. 

Brussel sprouts, Italian sausage, sweet potatoes mixed and ready to go into oven.

Brussel sprouts, Italian sausage, sweet potatoes fresh out of the oven.

Painting Section of Chaumont House

This is exterior wall of our kitchen after I scraped and sanded paint and exposed wood.

Yesterday was warm, reaching a high of 78 degrees here in Chaumont, NY.  I spent some of the morning stacking firewood. In the afternoon I scraped and  painted a section of our house. It's been needing some attention so I finally got to it. There were some obvious spots where the paint has been getting flaky, blistering. Working off ladders I began about noon. Scraped what would come off easily. Then I used a small palm sander with 60 grit and sanded the whole surface, thereby roughing up the old paint and removing any weathered surface of exposed wood. Then I used Glidden paint and a three inch brush to apply a single coat. I finished the chore about 5:30, including clean up and putting tools away. I then retired to the front porch and had a refreshing beer. It was a Dogfish 60 minute IPA. The paint was pricey and does not require a primer coat. I've never used this type of paint before. Coverage was pretty good but should have a 2nd coat. I hope to get a warm enough day soon to apply that additional coat. Today we awoke to rain that continued through the day. So, it's no day for painting.

This is exterior wall of our kitchen after 1 coat of paint.

This is paint I used for first time. No primer needed. 

Iva Smith Memorial Gallery, Yellow Barn, Hammond NY

 Saturday September 27, 2025

Evelyn Saphier, owner / curator of Iva Smith Memorial Gallery of Fine Art

Saturday afternoon I visited Evelyn Saphier at her Yellow Barn Gallery in Hammond, NY. She has invited me to do a photography show in Summer 2026. We went over some details the she requires of me, viewed the gallery space, tossed around some ideas and in general had a wonderful visit. It was a windy, warm, beautiful day to boot. Talk turned to artists / film maker Carmen D'Avino who lived in Hammond. He died , I'm guessing,  close to 15 years ago. I snapped this photo of Evelyn as we talked and toured the gallery space. The light falling upon her as she talked and gestured caught my eye. 

Wood sculpture by Carmen D'Avino at Iva Smith Memorial Gallery

Wood sculpture by Carmen D'Avino at Iva Smith Memorial Gallery

Wood sculpture by Carmen D'Avino at Iva Smith Memorial Gallery

The Iva Smith Memorial Gallery, Hammond, NY

The Iva Smith Memorial Gallery, Hammond, NY

The Iva Smith Memorial Gallery, Hammond, NY

The Iva Smith Memorial Gallery, Hammond, NY

The Leap, painting by Dawn Oman,  The Iva Smith Memorial Gallery, Hammond, NY