Saturday I was out doing some fall projects and checked the pond water temperature. The surface temp was 43 degrees (Fahrenheit).

Today, Monday, we had cold front winds. Our top wind gust this afternoon was 54 mph from the northwest with temps in the high 30s.

The propane tanker was out and filled all three of our propane tanks (one each @ 150, 200, 300 gallons). I am not looking forward to that BILL!

Winter is at hand.

Wood is probably ice fishing already.

We heat with geothermal but had a small propane tank for the fireplace. The propane company came and got it because they said we weren't buying enough and would have to charge us an extra $240.00 anually to hold on to the tank. When the guy came I said, "Hey I know you only work for the company, but if they don't want my business I don't want to be a customer." He shrugged his head, and said, "I know how you feel but I'm not allowed to say anything."

This company has hundreds of tanks sitting outside on their facility. You can't tell me it because they need the tank.

What happened to "it costs more to gain a new customer than to keep one?" I know they will never ever get my business again.

I call this greed and it will shoot them in the foot.

Theo - Maybe Wood will favor us with a report.

I'm sitting in Minneapolis right now. We were driving in flurries this afternoon.

I feel for you folks up North that heat with propane or heating oil, it sounds like the prices are going to keep going up all winter long.

I gotta get the wood burner fired up for the year. The wife complained there was a crust of ice in the toilet bowl this A.M.

It's snow showers here in northern Indiana too.

Smile guys, this just means that ice fishing is just around the corner.

I just got my propane tank filled last weekend for my home away from home for $183.75. Of course, we just use it to cook and heat water.

In the metroplex, I use natural gas and I expect to feel the pinch. So far, we are still air conditioning.

-16 c here last night. It's a late start to winter but it's coming now. Yes I'm walking on the pond, hopefully another month and the lakes will be driveable. Summer is a long three months.

Cecil,
Maybe you could find a propane tank that was used in a pick-up.I have one that holds 100 gal? and dont have any trouble getting it filled.I think I payed 200.00 for it.I also have a hose to fefill little bottles for my camper.Its real handy and you dont have to put up with thier nonsence.Just dont buy it from that same company.

- 16 All those Yankee fish must be glad they can find that 39 F water near the bottom.

Had to light my wood heater about two weeks ago. It heats our home and water. My heat runs longer than my AC, and I live in Tennessee! I can't imagine life way up North.

Had light snow flurries here today in Pittsburgh.

Tom,

Thanks. That's what I've been told. My neighbor has an extra small one but they said no one will fill it because it doesn't have some kind of safety sticker.

I've been told all the gas companies in the area are doing this if you don't own your own tank.

Eric, he is worse than a Yankee, he is a Canadian, hey?

At least it is -16C not F, that is about 3F, right?

But glad I am where I am ,come August it is another story.

It'll be 42 degrees here tomorrow morning. That does it! I'm heading South.

You weenie Dave!

Chilly huh, Dave. Good thing it will be back in the 80's by Friday.................whew!

Bill I like Yankees and Canadians . I just don't want them all moving down here. They are welcome to visit anytime. Heck I like to go up there and fish , but only when its warm.

My comment was about the cold tolerant yankee fish living under the ice.

it is 52 and my wife had to build a fire

Eric, I like them too, I like everybody.

But I dont like anyone around me period wherever the come from. That is why I am centered in my little 19 acre refuge with a moat type entrance drive and keep a tall hedge row of with briar with thorns, wild roses with thorns, wild black berry with thorns, all mangled with Japanese honeysuckle for a trip effect with a few trees with thorns thrown in for everything to crawl up high.

Only real problem I have in a "Sunbelt Growth State" is all the movement in causes big cities to sprawl out increasing the population even in rual areas raising property values, good if you want to sell, bad if you don't and your taxes keep jumping up.

Otherwise I am a real socialable fellow.

Sadly, the same thing happens up in the Rust Belt.

Cold tolerant Yankee catfish.

Ah the ol' Burbot AKA Ling Cod or Lawyer fish. Distantly related to the ocean codfish. Ugly but sopposedly good to eat. What's unusual is they spawn under the ice!

I have caught a few of those ugly mutts over the years, first one I ever saw was caught by my sister in Georgian Bay. Scared the crap out of us as kids.

Wood - I think you are just trying to scare some of the southerners with your talk of a 3 months summer, what with winter taking a good 8 months of the year alone.

Some paylakes stock Burbot around here. Any PBers have any in their ponds?

We also have propane gas logs and do not use enough to meet the gas company minimum. I bought two tanks (100-pound cylinders) at TSC and take them into the gas company myself to get them filled. They have no problem filling them as long as they are within the hydrostat test date (10-years). At the end of 10 years I plan to throw them away and get new ones with all of the money I am saving! In fact, we are installing an LP generator if I ever get around to it and I will buy two more cylinders for it as well.

Good ideas Victor! BTW I have a twin brother named Victor. Not the most common name but a nice name.

Cecil you have a twin !!! OMG CB1- #2.

Don't throw 'em away. They can be recertified for a nominal charge and be good for another 10 years. Re-cert can be done at most propane gas company distributors.

I have been through the same thing. I actually came home from work one day to find them 'removing' one of my tanks... I flipped since I just had them filled and didn;t want to lose any gas or get hosed for what was in the tank. My problem is my usage varies hugely and so does their price. They don't seem to see the connection between overcharging and me not using as much.

Owning your own propane tank is the best way deal with these propane guys.

Au contraire. Owning your own natural gas well is the best way to deal with these propane guys.

I usually just catch a little gas from one of my oil wells.

...Red Adair's nightmare

Must be a fraternal twin. CB is 1 of a kind!

Can you burn methane gas safely? My wife says if I could only tap into the vast reserves that I produce under the sheets.

I'm pretty sure he's fraternal although our mother swears up and down we are identical. Used to be impossible to tell apart but not anymore. He has much different interests although he too writes magazine articles from time to time -- for a model railroader magazine. He's a cost accountant, does payroll etc. etc. by profession for a manufacturer. Not interested in fish or ponds. He's also a railroad historian and photographer, and has a massive railroad layout in his basment he built himself. He's also into geneology research.

Here he is on my wedding day on the left 17 years ago.



Any other twins out there? I'm sure there are!

Shoot - I was hoping we could have a battle of the brains in raising giant fish !

Burbot gather in balls under the ice in the winter to spawn. Monogamous, not!

IMHO there is NO WAY Cecil and his twin brother Victor are identical.

Cecil:


Victor:


NO WAY!

Wow, even the fish are twins!

They must have the same hair stylist too!

As it was with most twins, or kids close in age, Mother insisted on dressing them identically too.