A weekend project completed...

Back in February, Pam and I went down to the Troy Home Show just to look around.  It was a pretty crummy week with lots of clouds, wind, and cold temperatures so we just wanted to get out of the house.  Besides, we had not been in Hobart Arena for quite a while, so it was good to be in the old building again.  I used to coach high school wrestling tournaments in there, and it was where we held our high school graduations when I was employed at the Troy City Schools.  They have spruced it up a bit, and the displays were pretty good.  Home show was pretty small -- probably too early in the year for a lot of the contractors.

One of the displays did catch my eye, however.  It was a guy and his wife selling flagpoles.  I had been looking to kinda consolidate all of the flag displays at our house and this looked like the perfect way.  Going to a home show and looking at a display you kinda, sorta want anyway is like going to just "look" at puppies. Everyone knows you cannot just go and "look" at puppies without bringing one home.  That's the way I bought our last Trailblazer.

So, this weekend was the planned project date.  Pole - check.  Flags - check. Cement - check. Posthole digger - check. Advil - check. Rainy forecast - check.

I put 340# of Quickcrete in this hole which should hold it pretty well.  While it was setting up, I also had to scrawl our initials in it along with the date I put it up.  Just like some kid,  Also checked it several times that afternoon while it was drying just to make sure it was level.  Nothing worse than a leaning flagpole.

Finally got everything done, mulch re-positioned and raked, excess dirt taken down to the pond to fill in a low spot by the bank that I had noticed, and flags attached.  This is a telescoping pole, so I did not have to mess with a rope.  The pole is a 20' pole when extended to it's full height, but I put it up at that height and thought it was too high, so I brought it down to the first stop on the telescope which put the pole at 15". I think that looks better, so it will probably stay there.  The picture at the left is the taller version, and the one to the right is where it now stands.  After everything was completed and the area policed, I saluted the flag and took all the others down.  I am not sure if the old lights from the small flag that used to be in the front of the house will sufficiently light the new one at night.  We'll see.

Oh, yeah.  So if you remember, I had a check list earlier in this report.  Well, guess what -- this project has been completed now for about 45 min. and it is now raining. Guess a new U.S. flag and a new Army flag should be broken in properly.  Kinda like the old Army sayings, "If it ain't raining, you ain"t training." Or "If it ain't raining, you ani't having enough fun."  Oh well, I am sure there will be plenty of sunny days ahead -- and maybe some snow, and lots of wind.


Oh! say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave,
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
(Francis Scott Key, The Star-Spangled Banner)

Hooah