Laura

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troutbend
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Laura
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Estes Park, CO
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Hotel - Hospitality

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This Oughta Be Good

Home & Garden > Garage Doors
 

Garage Doors

Garage doors are delicately tuned engineering marvels, and their smooth, reliable operation is easy to take for granted. Mine broke on Saturday so I right away called a professional outfit and a technician came up this afternoon and fixed it.

It was a matter or re-tortioning that big spring that is over the opening, reattaching the cables on the sides, and squirting it all with spray oil that turns to grease. According to him, our installation is less than ideal, but we don't need an overhaul until the next time it breaks. The charge was the $85 base rate for a 1/2 hour service call plus $2 for that can of lube that he used and then left the rest with me.

What a lovely, warm day we had here, almost 60 degrees, and the same expected for tomorrow. After that, a change is coming with a small chance of snow every day. I would just as soon have a lot more snow and cold weather for another month. It makes me nervous for spring to come too fast.

I know you wonder what is going on with the foxes.

I was up at 1 am last night, and noticed the motion sensor lights on the driveway were on. Pretty soon I saw a fox crossing the bridge, and next thing I knew, there she was in the back yard. She took a dog biscuit and walked back across the bridge and re-triggered the lights. This is not a good thing because it means they are probably living across the highway - as high as that sensor is up our drive there isn't a whole lot of other places they could be going. It's not bad this time of year when there isn't much traffic, but come summer, it's going to be very dangerous. I'm going to stop putting out food at night. The friendly fox only comes during the day time.

He was out on the river ice yesterday, carrying dog biscuits across to bury. This is in the opposite direction from the highway, so I was glad to see him spending time over there. With this warm weather, the ground squirrels and chipmunks might be venturing out, so that's a good hunting ground for foxes.












posted on Mar 5, 2012 4:39 PM ()

Comments:

Now I am worrying about the foxes. My garage door won't open by remote any more -- it's not used for the car anyway, as it is full of stored stuff and Ed won't get rid of any of it. However, when I get my bike out, I push the button that is near the house (the one near the driveway won't work) and then run under the door into the driveway before it can crush me. Fun doesn't describe it.
comment by tealstar on Mar 8, 2012 5:23 PM ()
I'd love to see that. I wonder what percentage of the time you are cursing just a little bit.
reply by troutbend on Mar 13, 2012 5:38 PM ()
But remember she is a vixen--and YOU know how they are!!!
comment by greatmartin on Mar 7, 2012 8:04 AM ()
Sly but foxy.
reply by troutbend on Mar 13, 2012 5:36 PM ()
I am lucky that my neighbor is a garage door installer. He installed my new door for me and checks it periodically to keep it in good shape. That big spring is a dangerous thing.
comment by boots586 on Mar 6, 2012 4:40 PM ()
You ARE lucky! It's a horrible feeling to have the only vehicle trapped inside a non-functioning garage door.
reply by troutbend on Mar 6, 2012 9:51 PM ()
Oh, no. I don't like the way this story is going. Watch out for traffic, little fox. I see too many dead foxes by the side of the road here. Don't throw apple cores, etc., out of your car windows, thinking you are feeding the wildlife. They come to the edge to get the apple cores and get hit by cars. Then the scavengers come and they get hit, too.
comment by boots586 on Mar 6, 2012 4:38 PM ()
I'm thoroughly disgusted about it, no more late night snacks for the foxes. If Mr. Friendly Fox wants to come around during the day, then okay. I don't put out night-time food when the bears are around, either, so it won't be hard to reform.
reply by troutbend on Mar 6, 2012 10:00 PM ()
whoa!this could be a difficult time there.About crossing the road.Nice of you to be concern.
comment by fredo on Mar 6, 2012 2:20 PM ()
I don't know if they move the family once they've had it. Wish I knew a way to encourage that.
reply by troutbend on Mar 6, 2012 10:01 PM ()
I once saw an Elk give birth on the highway in Colorado and it just killed me. She ran off and left the baby and we never knew what happened. It was
very early in the morning.
comment by elderjane on Mar 6, 2012 5:27 AM ()
A person doesn't know what to do in a situation like that. I saw a large bull elk walking across the highway near town this afternoon.
reply by troutbend on Mar 6, 2012 10:03 PM ()
You mean the romance is over? They are living on opposite sides of the road
comment by greatmartin on Mar 5, 2012 8:43 PM ()
Or distance makes the fox heart grow fonder.
reply by troutbend on Mar 6, 2012 10:04 PM ()
Concerns me, too, about crossing the road. Eeeeks. I assume it's the smaller, shyer fox you mean, who would be more comfortable in the dark. Hope there are no kits over there. When there is no ice on the river, what other way can they cross the river other than your bridge?
comment by marta on Mar 5, 2012 4:54 PM ()
The bridge is the only way across the river if there's no ice, but I just found this with Google: "Can foxes swim? Definitely. It's not at the top of their Things To Do list, but foxes have no problems swimming a reasonable distance if the need is there." I'd like to see that.
reply by troutbend on Mar 6, 2012 9:57 PM ()
It's the smaller fox for sure, but I'm not sure about my fox - if he goes over there to see her, or stays over here always. It's a little too early for kits (if they are following the usual schedule) but everything else is early, so why not that.
reply by troutbend on Mar 6, 2012 9:55 PM ()
yikes - that a bummer that the fox is crossing a highway... but I am happy you are looking out for him.
comment by kristilyn3 on Mar 5, 2012 4:43 PM ()
I'm wondering if they are attracted to the highway because of road kill potential.
reply by troutbend on Mar 6, 2012 9:52 PM ()

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