Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Dec 26 - 29

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Monday, December 26, 2016
Morning 65 Degrees, Wind SE at 4 to 6 Mph, Humidity 94%, mostly cloudy.
Afternoon 77 Degrees, Wind SSW at 2 to 4 Mph, Humidity 74%, Partly sunny (late).

Pipe delivery nine truck loads of casing pipe, going deeper on this well. Other deliveries after a quiet weekend made a busy morning. One of the trucks came in latter and he was unloaded and out rather quick.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Tuesday, December 27, 2016
Morning 68 Degrees, Wind WSW at 4 to 6 Mph, Humidity 93%, overcast.
Afternoon 81 Degrees, Wind S at 4 to 7 Mph, Humidity 66%, partly Cloudy.

A slow gate today after a busy morning yesterday. Since I changed the water pump last week I see a difference in water pressure, steady and the temperature does not change while showering. Live is better with good water pressure and constant water temperature.

New water pump on the trailer

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Wednesday, December 28, 2016
Morning 66 Degrees, Wind SW at 3 to 7 Mph, Humidity 94%, mostly cloudy.
Afternoon 80 Degrees, Wind SSW at 3 to 8 Mph, Humidity 70%, partly sunny.

Except for Monday it been a holiday week, low traffic with nice weather.

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Thursday, December 29, 2016
Morning 60 Degrees, Wind SSW at 4 to 7 Mph, Humidity 93%, mostly cloudy.
Afternoon 67 Degrees, Wind ENE at 12 to 36 Mph, Humidity 22%, partly sunny.

All that traffic I did not have the past two days showed today. The big item was cement trucks, nine, not the transit mix kind but the sand bulk haulers. Also a couple of special cement pumpers. And the vehicles coming in to check the completed wells, gaugers, meter readers pipeline companies, gas and oil. Then in the afternoon salesmen. Wait a minute I thought this was a holiday week, not today. Water, oil production there is water coming up with the oil and is separated at the well site and removed by truck as waste. Two trucks came in today, it has been almost a week since the last visit. The second truck was to a older well that does not produce much but one more time for the year.  

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Dec 21 - 25

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Wednesday, December 21, 2016
Morning 44 Degrees, Wind SE at 3 to 4 Mph, Humidity 60%, mostly sunny.
Afternoon 73 degrees, Wind variable, calm to 4 Mph, Humidity 50%, mostly sunny.

These past two days and today have been busy during the day with vehicles in and out in almost steady stream. Today seemed the most as I did not try and get any computer time (interruption) at all today.

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Thursday, December 22, 2016
Morning 53 Degrees, Wind S at 5 to 8 Mph, Humidity 93%, overcast.
Afternoon 66 Degrees, Wind NE at 4 to 7 Mph, Humidity 44%, overcast.

Oil and filter change for our generator today, it is running twenty-four hours, seven days-a-week. The oil change is done about three to four weeks. This trip they even changed a fuel filter and the eternal fuel pump between the fuel tank and the engine. They were here a couple of days ago and noticed the pump there was not working at all. Being the fuel was pump was not working they changed that also but, left the power off and the engine is working fine.  

Easier gate day, lower traffic winding down to a holiday weekend.

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Friday, December 23, 2016
Morning 53 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 2 Mph, Humidity 93%, overcast mist.
Afternoon 67 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 2 Mph, Humidity 86%, mostly cloudy.

Water pump, we have been noticing the water pressure pulsing mostly when showering and the worst part of that is water temperature changing to cold and then to scalding hot. I had been thinking it was the low water level in the tank but I noticed the water level yesterday (not too low) and how the shower went last night.

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Saturday, December 24, 2016
Morning 64 Degrees, Wind NNE at 2 to 4 Mph, Humidity 93%, mostly cloudy.
Afternoon 85 Degrees, Wind SE at 3 to 7 Mph, Humidity 36%, partly sunny.

So today I said to myself we have a spare water pump on the trailer why not change out the pump that is there with the spare one resting there in the box. So I made it happen and had a good shower with steady water temperature.

 Slow day few deliveries and gaugers.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Sunday, December 25, 2016
Morning 68 Degrees, Wind SSE at 6 to 8 Mph, Humidity 88%, overcast.
Afternoon 82 Degrees, Wind SSW at 10 to 25 Mph, Humidity 54%, sunny.

Well I was awake early, the sound of the generator pulsing or surging. I got up and went up front some time after four am. The surging started again as I was now dressed I went to the generator looking for leaks or something wrong, nothing was noticed out of order. I went back into Buster and it started again, this time I noticed our outside lights go off and remembered then turn on the external fuel pump, I did that and no more surging after that.

MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone, hoping all had a nice CHRISTMAS day.

There were a few gaugers and one person shift change but no deliveries.

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Dec 14 - 20

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Wednesday, December 14, 2016
Morning 52 Degrees, Wind NE at 1 to 6 Mph, Humidity 90%, overcast.
Afternoon 67 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 4 Mph, Humidity 67%, mostly cloudy.

An average day of in and out. Sanding and preparing the table surfaces for finish.

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Thursday, December 15, 2016
Morning 56 Degrees, Wind ENE at 5 to 13 Mph, Humidity 86%, overcast.
Afternoon 59 Degrees, Wind  at  to  Mph, Humidity %, overcast with some late afternoon sun breaking thru.

I stained the wood today as there was no misty wet morning. Later in the day the gate traffic picked up, no big new project just a higher volume of vehicles coming to and leaving the gate. I went to Carrizo Springs submitting prescriptions some new and some refills that were filled in Pleasanton last. Did not wait for them as it would have been an hour and a half wait. Did our other shopping at H E B also.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Friday, December 16, 2016
Morning 54 Degrees, Wind S at 4 to 6 Mph, Humidity 87%, overcast.
Afternoon 63 Degrees, Wind SW at 2 to 7 Mph, Humidity 81%, overcast.

Foiled again and a misty wet morning, we had made plans to go to Laredo again today to return some things we got last Saturday and get some other things. Latter in the morning the mist stopped but it is still overcast. Today there were trailers of casing (pipe) eight of them withe the last one out by eleven-thirty. They unload them with a forklift so it is done pretty fast. That will be going in the ground soon and be cemented in place.

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Saturday, December 17, 2016
Morning 41egrees, Wind SE at 1 to 3 Mph, Humidity 96%, overcast, wet mist.
Afternoon 85 Degrees, Wind SSW at 3 to 11 Mph, Humidity 52%, mostly sunny.

Off to Laredo before eight o’clock we accomplished all we went for and lunch at Texas Roadhouse. We replaced our toaster with a toaster oven, now we learn all over how to toast bread but we also have the oven capability we did not have.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Sunday, December 18, 2016
Morning 37 Degrees, Wind N at 13 to 18 Mph, Humidity 61%, overcast.
Afternoon 48 Degrees, Wind NE at 9 to 16 Mph, Humidity 37%, sunny.

 A nice slow Sunday gate traffic wice, and football on television.

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Monday, December 19, 2016
Morning 26 Degrees, Wind NNE at 3 to 5 Mph, Humidity 71%, mostly cloudy.
Afternoon 45 Degrees, Wind NW at 2 to 6 Mph, Humidity 30%, partly cloudy.

 Just a normal day then my wife was up early for me to drive into Carrizo Springs to get prescriptions I put in on Thursday. On the way home I stopped at McDonalds bringing home to Buster our dinner. After a while a tank truck came I thought to deliver diesel fuel to equipment at other sites after another short while a trailer tanker came I just thought fuel delivery to the drill rig. But the driver asked “did the wrecker come yet?”
After that, there was some excitement as three sheriff’s cars and an ambulance came rolling thru the gate. There was another tank trailer that came in earlier and he slid off the road leading to the drilling pad. The wrecker showed in another half hour. The sheriff’s and ambulance were our pretty quick as there were no injuries, just pride I guess.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Tuesday, December 20, 2016
Morning 44 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 1 Mph, Humidity 52%, overcast.
Afternoon 56 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 4 Mph, Humidity 34%, partly sunny.

Well during the night another fuel tanker came and another wrecker and the tipped over tanker trailer truck came out this morning it had laid over on its right side. This happened on the roadway leading into the drill pad. I guess that ranch area is holding more rain water and not drying as fast as other areas.

Fuel delivered for our generator trailer.

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Dec 10 - 13

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Saturday, December 10, 2016
Morning 43 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 4 Mph, Humidity 61%, overcast.
Afternoon 46 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 2 Mph, Humidity 82%, overcast & misty rain.

Laredo, we were on our way just after seven thirty, taking about an hour for the fifty six mile trip. First stop was Lowe’s as they had a Black & Decker saw and a Worx Pegasus work table both on sale. First cruse down the isles I found the Pegasus table but not the saw. I checked high and low then a clerk came by and helped me. No they do not have that sale item, not had that sale item in the store since last June, but they did have another item I might want. That forty dollars more but there was more in the package, because they did not have the one I asked for he offered me twenty dollars off the price ($109.00) out the door plus sales tax, now that was a better deal than I was looking for. I was wanting the circular saw to work these projects but the extras are a a plus.
Seams like we always end up stopping for groceries before coming home. But there was a lunch out first at Texas Roadhouse. 
Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Sunday, December 11, 2016
Morning 46 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 1 Mph, Humidity 94%, overcast mist.
Afternoon 55 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 1 Mph, Humidity 94%, overcast.

At least the mist stopped latter in the day but the overcast continues. I worked outside most of the day made another platform to use near the gate when are holding it open for outgoing vehicles. That area is sticky mud when wet the more mud we can keep off our shoes the better. I also worked on cutting to size the surface for the computer desk and I purchased another piece of wood for our hassock we use near the passenger chair as a side table.

The new computer table

Thought For The Day – You can tell a lot about a woman from her hands. For instance, if they are wrapped tightly around your throat, she’s probably upset about something.

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Monday, December 12, 2016
Morning 50 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 1 Mph, Humidity 95%, overcast.
Afternoon 58 Degrees, Wind WSW at 3 to 7 Mph, Humidity 90%, overcast.

Well into the afternoon before things dried out, misty overcast is continuing. But we are not freezing cold like a large portion of the country with snow falls six inches and above. Other than that there were the normal Monday gate visits with gaugers and pipeline companies in to check their equipment. One thing different is there are oil and natural gas pipelines removing the product. Other ranches the product Oil, was taken off site by truck mostly. One last spring they added a pipeline to another tank battery across the road from the ranch we were gate guarding.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Tuesday, December 13, 2016
Morning 56 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 1 Mph, Humidity 95%, overcast.
Afternoon 61 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 1 Mph, Humidity 91%, overcast.

In spite of the wet conditions got some work done outside. I cut and made edging for our hassock table top. Now sanding and finish to be done in better weather. I completed sizing and edging the computer table. This also needs sanding and finish.
Overcast continues, broke late in the afternoon with some sunshine in the western sky leading to a big full moon after sunset.

Hassock table top

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Dec 5 - 9

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Monday, December 5, 2016
Morning 49 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 2 Mph, Humidity 95%, misty rain.
Afternoon 62 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to 3 Mph, Humidity 82%, mostly sunny.

We did not have any more rain after seven this morning there was more than enough for three days with streams coming down both sides of the road. The road it self stood the rain ok but the ground around Buster is gooey sticky on the shoes.

 Water picture

Busy today with vehicles showing up after the weekend and three days of rain. Preparing for changing natural gas compressors on the existing wells. There are eleven production oil wells currently on the ranch. Ten are owned by the company putting in the six new oil wells. This afternoon the crane to do the “lift” came in the gate and the crew stayed til dark setting up the equipment for tomorrow’s work.

This afternoon I got the call that our relief worker cannot take our gate tomorrow. Plans are pushed out until the worker is available, maybe Thursday or Friday.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Tuesday, December 6, 2016
Morning 49 Degrees, Wind variable, calm to  Mph, Humidity 93%, mostly sunny.
Afternoon 75 Degrees, Wind NE at 3 to 10 Mph, Humidity 40%, mostly sunny.

We are continuing the drying out process after our three days of rain.
Busy again this morning with a natural gas compressor being brought in, crew and equipment. Drill crew change is happening today along with our regular daily visitors.
Other flatbed trucks came in to remove the old natural gas compressor so the morning was like a convoy with all the trucks and workers coming in about the same time. Late morning the old compressors were trucking out the gate. It slowed in the afternoon but a very busy day.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Wednesday, December 7, 2016
Morning 45 Degrees, Wind NE at 2 to 4 Mph, Humidity 92%, overcast.
Afternoon 58 Degrees, Wind variable at 1 to 4 Mph, Humidity 81%, overcast.

Workers coming in to complete connections for the natural gas compressor keep the vehicle number higher again today. There was only a sliver of bright sky later in the afternoon in the west, but it is not raining just the overcast.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Thursday, December 8, 2016
Morning 51 Degrees, Wind NE at 8 to 15 Mph, Humidity 82%, overcast.
Afternoon 54 Degrees, Wind NNE at 4 to 17 Mph, Humidity 61%, overcast.

Busy day with the drill rig getting six trucks of pipe delivered. Then the workers for the natural gas compressor connection and salesmen and woman supplies being delivered.
And the cranes (two) were taken apart and removed today, the cranes were used to assemble the drill rig last month, that is three trucks plus worker trucks. The second went out while my wife was on duty as I went to Carrizo Springs for our weekly shopping and drinking water. We were going all day from just after six this morning.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Friday, December 9, 2016
Morning 38 Degrees, Wind NE at 4 to 8 Mph, Humidity 61%, overcast.
Afternoon 50 Degrees, Wind ENE at 44 to 7 Mph, Humidity 50%, overcast.

Slower cold day, long pants for me, the first time at this gate. Working on a plan for tomorrow trip to Laredo for shopping and lunch. Getting supplies for inside and outside to make things easier. The trip is on for tomorrow.

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Nov 30 - Dec 4

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Morning 50 Degrees, Wind NW at 6 to 10 Mph, Humidity 54%, mostly sunny.
Afternoon 78 Degrees, Wind ENE at 4 to 6 Mph, Humidity 18%, sunny.

Run of the mill day just the normal daily ins and outs.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Thursday, December 1, 2016
Morning 46 Degrees, Wind ENE at 4 to 6 Mph, Humidity 54%, mostly sunny.
Afternoon 78 Degrees, Wind ENE at 5 to 9 Mph, Humidity 32%, mostly sunny.

My wife was up early so I could make the run for groceries and drinking water. Its been nine days since we have been shopping and myself its been longer as my wife was the last one shopping before thanksgiving.

Runoff edge of road

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Friday, December 2, 2016
Morning 64 Degrees, Wind ese at 6 to 8 Mph, Humidity 73%, overcast.
Afternoon 68 Degrees, Wind E at 6 to 9 Mph, Humidity 90%, overcast.

More of the rain was light misty, rain heaver on my wife’s early morning than during the my day. I think because of the weather the vehicle traffic was less today although the regulars were in to check their equipment prior to the weekend. There are eleven wells on the ranch and the drill rig is adding six more. There were two water wells drilled also since we have been on this location.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Saturday, December 3, 2016
Morning 57 Degrees, Wind NNE at 4 to 12 Mph, Humidity %, misty rain.
Afternoon 63 Degrees, Wind E at 1 to 4 Mph, Humidity 93%, overcast rain. 0.15 rain

Gooey mud

My wife had more rain during her shift as there were rivets left in the edge of the road where the water stream ran past our walkway. We are making a plan to take Tuesday off an go into Laredo for the day. Sometime together and retail therapy. I have a table top I made for my computer and want to change that basically remake it. It is nothing special just one quarter inch plywood cut to fit over a sliding shelf.

The edge facing me I have added a square dowel rod to stiffen that end. The new one will be larger, have different cuts and I will add the square dowel to the inside edge to prevent the top from moving or sliding further out. I have grown tired of some of the extra moving but I need to make it so I can easily remove and store the computer on the shelf closed in the compartment when traveling.

Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Sunday, December 4, 2016
Morning 52 Degrees, Wind NNW variable, calm to 1 Mph, Humidity 94%, light rain.
Afternoon 56 Degrees, Wind NNW variable calm to 1 Mph, Humidity %, rain.

Slow all day and rainy. Some of the regulars came but otherwise a slow day. With the weather keeping gate traffic low I have been able to spend time at the computer planning. We are thinking of traveling east in the spring to see our North Carolina grandchildren and seeing the cherry blossoms in Washington, DC Finding RV Parks in the area at a reasonable price is taking time and not many to choose from. Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Morning 50 Degrees, Wind NW at 6 to 10 Mph, Humidity 54%, mostly sunny.
Afternoon 78 Degrees, Wind ENE at 4 to 6 Mph, Humidity 18%, sunny.

Run of the mill day just the normal daily ins and outs.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Thursday, December 1, 2016
Morning 46 Degrees, Wind ENE at 4 to 6 Mph, Humidity 54%, mostly sunny.
Afternoon 78 Degrees, Wind ENE at 5 to 9 Mph, Humidity 32%, mostly sunny.

My wife was up early so I could make the run for groceries and drinking water. Its been nine days since we have been shopping and myself its been longer as my wife was the last one shopping before thanksgiving.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Friday, December 2, 2016
Morning 64 Degrees, Wind ese at 6 to 8 Mph, Humidity 73%, overcast.
Afternoon 68 Degrees, Wind E at 6 to 9 Mph, Humidity 90%, overcast.

More of the rain was light misty, rain heaver on my wife’s early morning than during the my day. I think because of the weather the vehicle traffic was less today although the regulars were in to check their equipment prior to the weekend. There are eleven wells on the ranch and the drill rig is adding six more. There were two water wells drilled also since we have been on this location.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Saturday, December 3, 2016
Morning 57 Degrees, Wind NNE at 4 to 12 Mph, Humidity %, misty rain.
Afternoon 63 Degrees, Wind E at 1 to 4 Mph, Humidity 93%, overcast rain.
0.15 rain

My wife had more rain during her shift as there were rivets left in the edge of the road where the water stream ran past our walkway. We are making a plan to take Tuesday off an go into Laredo for the day. Sometime together and retail therapy. I have a table top I made for my computer and want to change that basically remake it. It is nothing special just one quarter inch plywood cut to fit over a sliding shelf.

The edge facing me I have added a square dowel rod to stiffen that end. The new one will be larger, have different cuts and I will add the square dowel to the inside edge to prevent the top from moving or sliding further out. I have grown tired of some of the extra moving but I need to make it so I can easily remove and store the computer on the shelf closed in the compartment when traveling.


Busters Gate Catarina, TX - Sunday, December 4, 2016
Morning 52 Degrees, Wind NNW variable, calm to 1 Mph, Humidity 94%, light rain.
Afternoon 56 Degrees, Wind NNW variable calm to 1 Mph, Humidity %, rain.

Slow all day and rainy. Some of the regulars came but otherwise a slow day. With the weather keeping gate traffic low I have been able to spend time at the computer planning. We are thinking of traveling east in the spring to see our North Carolina grandchildren and seeing the cherry blossoms in Washington, DC Finding RV Parks in the area at a reasonable price is taking time and not many to choose from.