The Baton Brothers head south.

I wrote to the Baton Brothers and asked why there not on utube. And I requested they do The Orange Blossom Special. Well, I figured I could tape one of their shows if I got no answer which I didn't and so I did. They were in top form and I got the full hour of blood curdling singing and picking with out grinning. They could have called this episode "Arte and George at Wal-Mart". I'm sending a box of support equipment for the planes too. And a DVD or CD of Bluegrass in the UK.
Were heading for NH to get some clothes and a new gas grill today. The old grill is worn out.

Test went OK.

I flew the engine with the stock head button this morning. It started up with one back flip and I had to lean it out a quarter turn. Probably because of the increased compression. The winds were strange, many directions and from calm to 10 mph. Hard to place maneuvers down wind.
I dragged out a small ringmaster with an .049 on it. I flushed the tank and spray bar with alcohol and needed the starter to get it going. It ran pretty good. I made up a set of lines at 48 feet long. I don't know if that length is optimum but I do know it's too long if anything.
I'm surprised that the box arrived in less than 3 days. Everything I send from the Moosup P.O. takes 4 or 5 days at least. I priced the postage on the USPS web site and it was over $30.00. I paid close to half that with insurance. And the hours are better than Moosup. And on the way to Lizzy B's.

The post man knocks twice.

It was the parts from Fox. I installed one of the new head buttons with a .020 shim. I have the old one ready to go back in if it don't work out.

Morning flights.

After breakfast we went to the dog track with the plan to beat the forecast winds. It worked. I got in 3 flights and the Fox .40 ran quite well. There wasn't any turbulence and the winds were very light and steady blowing away from the sun. Before we left for the track I shook the fuel container and the fuel foamed up. I put in another drop of armor all and that may have been the reason for the good engine runs. As I was wiping the oil off the rudder it pulled off the fin. Not a problem and I glued it back on.
I went to Lowe's in Danielson looking for a new vacuum hose. I found one and an attachment and a filter that I didn't need as there was a new on it already. I have a spare. I also got some epoxy that mixes as it goes down the applicator tube and some spray glue for sheeting foam wings. Then I had words with the self checkout machine. There wasn't any regular checkouts available.
I hooked up the mowers and cut the grass for the first time too. It needed it.
The mail just came and I think the package he put in the box is the new head buttons for the Fox .40's. I may have cut too much off the others.

Nice day a bit windy.

I went to Lizzy B's for coffee and they told me Ma had won the raffle. So I was also headed to the Sterling P.O. to mail a box to LA. The Moosup P.O. didn't open till 0900. Anyway I got the box sent off and the post master, Mrs. O'Brien, said my son went to school with her daughter. I head for home and as I got out of the truck I remembered the raffle prize I left on the counter at Lizzy B's. Back we go. After that we go to the dog track and it's getting windier by the minute so we walk around the place a couple times. I removed the mower blades and sharpened them. I found that I had installed the small mower blade upside down last year. This engine has lasted through Roy, 2 mower decks and sits all winter. It's got to be 15 years old. 4 pulls on the cord and it's running, ready for another season. I got some oil, a filter for the El Camino and a can of fix a flat for the riding mower. The tire has been going flat for several years now and I finally got around to doing something about it. I should have bought 2 cans while I was at it. Lots of leaks around the bead. A lot of shaking and it may hold air longer.

Nice day.

I dragged the carpet from the garage extension and they are drying out slowly. The water level is going down and the water stopped seeping into the basement around 2:30 this afternoon. It's still wet behind the garage but below the cement level. Easter dinner kept me from flying today. I did repair one of the Fox .40's. I had broken one of the muffler mount bosses a while back. The hole was complete enough to hold a screw in place so I cleaned the hole and bolt/stud and JB welded it to the block yesterday. I installed a tongue muffler and put it on a board for some run time. It started good and I ran 4-2 ounce fuel loads through it. They always run good on the board. I ordered 2 head buttons from Fox for more experimenting. The river is back to within a foot of normal levels. That should be good enough for the hatchery to resume stocking soon. Fishing season opens next Saturday.

The aftermath.

It Looks like the high water mark was about 6 feet above normal level. Kaman took a pretty good beating. Probably got 2 more feet to go down. The Bulletin said Windham County was spared the worst of it. Can't prove by me.