When I was n the Army on Okinawa from 68 to 70, I helped start a nightclub.
There wasn't a lot of decent entertainment there. Tittie bars, strip clubs, and a few pitiful music clubs attempting rock n roll. On the weekend we would wander around looking for something different.
Bt we, I mean the enlisted personnel of the Psychiatric Service Clinic in Sukiran.
Sukiran had no nightlife, but Kadena was right down the road.
We were exploring the bars and ended up in a little hole in the wall bar having a drink when this chick strolls in with a guitar. Single white women were a rarity, and a chick with a guitar had our interest.
We asked her to play us a tune, and she did 500 Miles. Cool.
I played and sang, so it was suggested I play a tune. I pointed out that I played left handed, with the strings backwards. She said "In case you didn't notice, this IS a left handed guitar."
Holy Shit! What a convergence of stars.
So I played a finger pickin' version of Don't think twice. She countered with another folk tune, I played Portland Town.
Back and forth. The place slowly filled up until we had a pretty good audience. Then another guy walked in with a guitar, and he joined in. We were having a great time, drinking beer BSing and trading tunes and tunings. When I came time to leave, the two Okinawan ladies who owned the place cornered us and said "You come back Tomorrow, yes?"
So we did.
They had set up a small stage and a mic. and a couple of speakers. Word had gotten around and there was a pretty good crowd. We had a blast.
This was a weekends only thing, but every weekend we put together an open mic night. They owners expanded the stage and the bar twice, and Saturday nights it was standing room only.
It became too much BS and I dropped out after a while, but for a while I was a part of something great.
Funny how things slide in through the back of your head and pop up in you consciousness.
Here's something that popped into my head today
Moose Goosers
Then moose goosers ain't they a gas
sneak up on them moose
an goose 'em in the ass
Goosin' them big moose
goosin' them tiny
sneak up on them moose
goose em in the hiney
You can be a moose gooser
ain't nothin to it
SNeak up on that moose
then you goose it.
Tuesday, June 05, 2018
Wednesday, April 11, 2018
Arthritis & Stuff
As I get older, the accumulation of damage I have done to my body over the years adds up.
I have bad arthritis in my neck. When it is bad, in addition to the pain in my neck, I can lose feeling in the thumb and forefinger of my right hand, or ring and little finger of my left hand. This is the result of multiple rear end accidents in the car. Not me hitting someone, but someone hitting me. I used to say I ought to just paint a bullseye on the back of my car.
My left shoulder is messed up from my time in the Army, for which I receive a small disability pension. When it is bad, it feels like my arm is going to fall off. I strained it the other day splitting wood, so I have an appointment at the Orthopedic Clinic on Friday to get a cortisone shot. Cortisone to me is a magic bullet. Immediate relief.
Did I mention my appointment is on Friday the 13th?
My neighbor up the road has a small one man sawmill. He also has 40 acres and sells custom cut cedar lumber. He is down to making 2 X 4s because he has used up all the larger stuff. I had asked him to take a look at a tall dead Douglas Fir I want to take down. He got real excited when he saw some of the cedars on my property. I have some large cedars that are close to four feet in diameter. Prime cedar of that size is getting hard to find.He has suggested a couple of ideas of mutually beneficial plans for him to get his hands on some of my trees.
Of course he wants the largest trees, and those are the ones I don't want cut.
I would like a small road put in around the perimeter of the property just so I can get to the areas with my pickup. He has a backhoe.
I want siding for the greenhouse. Cedar would look nice.
I want to build a wood shop. A combination of fir and cedar would work well.
Lots of possibilities.
The neighbor is off fishing in the Colombia for walleye.
We have agreed to get together and come up with a plan when he gets back.
Until then I have handrails to cut and peel for the deck.
I have bad arthritis in my neck. When it is bad, in addition to the pain in my neck, I can lose feeling in the thumb and forefinger of my right hand, or ring and little finger of my left hand. This is the result of multiple rear end accidents in the car. Not me hitting someone, but someone hitting me. I used to say I ought to just paint a bullseye on the back of my car.
My left shoulder is messed up from my time in the Army, for which I receive a small disability pension. When it is bad, it feels like my arm is going to fall off. I strained it the other day splitting wood, so I have an appointment at the Orthopedic Clinic on Friday to get a cortisone shot. Cortisone to me is a magic bullet. Immediate relief.
Did I mention my appointment is on Friday the 13th?
My neighbor up the road has a small one man sawmill. He also has 40 acres and sells custom cut cedar lumber. He is down to making 2 X 4s because he has used up all the larger stuff. I had asked him to take a look at a tall dead Douglas Fir I want to take down. He got real excited when he saw some of the cedars on my property. I have some large cedars that are close to four feet in diameter. Prime cedar of that size is getting hard to find.He has suggested a couple of ideas of mutually beneficial plans for him to get his hands on some of my trees.
Of course he wants the largest trees, and those are the ones I don't want cut.
I would like a small road put in around the perimeter of the property just so I can get to the areas with my pickup. He has a backhoe.
I want siding for the greenhouse. Cedar would look nice.
I want to build a wood shop. A combination of fir and cedar would work well.
Lots of possibilities.
The neighbor is off fishing in the Colombia for walleye.
We have agreed to get together and come up with a plan when he gets back.
Until then I have handrails to cut and peel for the deck.
Monday, March 26, 2018
Sledding Hill
When you go to the end of our driveway and look to the south, the pavement ends in about a hundred yards. On the left side of the road, there is one house about a quarter of a mile south. On the right there is not another house. There is National Forest and Olympic National Park. The next house would be somewhere around Hoodsport or Shelton.
The road goes up. Then it goes up, then up from there. I have heard that the uphill is constant for seven miles. I have heard that the grade is 14 percent, which is pretty steep. I have driven to the top once.
Around a half of a mile up the road is a steel gate, which is always open. Another half a mile up the road is another pair of gates, which are usually closed except during hunting season. One of the roads goes across the side of the hill, the other continues up.
There is very little vehicle traffic on the unpaved road. Especially when it snows.
Where the road changes from paved to gravel, a road takes off to the West. There are several houses on that road. It dead ends about a quarter a mile in.
This makes the hill an excellent sledding hill. The snow compacts well, and the road ends up very slick. The last time it snowed, we had to rescue three vehicles from the ditch. A fourth truck made it out without our help. Three of the four were on the same 40 foot stretch of road.
You need to have a sled that steers, because the road is not straight. Not a lot of sharp turns, but enough that you will end up in the ditch or maybe over the embankment. I think I need to invest in an old runner style sled.
If they open the upper gate, the sled run is 7 miles long, and I have heard you can reach speeds of 40 mph.
What could go wrong?
The road goes up. Then it goes up, then up from there. I have heard that the uphill is constant for seven miles. I have heard that the grade is 14 percent, which is pretty steep. I have driven to the top once.
Around a half of a mile up the road is a steel gate, which is always open. Another half a mile up the road is another pair of gates, which are usually closed except during hunting season. One of the roads goes across the side of the hill, the other continues up.
There is very little vehicle traffic on the unpaved road. Especially when it snows.
Where the road changes from paved to gravel, a road takes off to the West. There are several houses on that road. It dead ends about a quarter a mile in.
This makes the hill an excellent sledding hill. The snow compacts well, and the road ends up very slick. The last time it snowed, we had to rescue three vehicles from the ditch. A fourth truck made it out without our help. Three of the four were on the same 40 foot stretch of road.
You need to have a sled that steers, because the road is not straight. Not a lot of sharp turns, but enough that you will end up in the ditch or maybe over the embankment. I think I need to invest in an old runner style sled.
If they open the upper gate, the sled run is 7 miles long, and I have heard you can reach speeds of 40 mph.
What could go wrong?
Saturday, February 24, 2018
Deck
I didn't want anything that was available commercially, so I figured I would build it myself from timber I made myself, harvested on our property, milled myself.
The first thing I needed to figure out was how to mill my own dimensional lumber. So I did some research and found the Alaska Mill, which attaches to a chain saw. I would need to upgrade my saw, so I bought a Stihl 362C, approximately $820 with a 24" bar., Alaska Mill to attach to it $320.
I selected two cedars for the decking. Felled them and cut them into two inch thick planks. Set them aside to age for a year' Also felled a fir tree to make the supports with. Set it aside.
Last fall, we decided to build a small greenhouse, eight by sixteen feet. For the work surface I removed the little existing deck from the house and use the Trex to build a couple of workbenches, so I decided that meant it was time to start working on the deck/
We dug out the cedar and fir, and bought the pier blocks, layed out the boards. They had a lot of saw marks on the so I used my hand held electric plane to work out the saw marks Half of the dedck is now fastened. After the weather breaks, I still need to do a little finish sanding on the deck so I can put on the weaatherproofing (clear Thompsons Water Seal.)
I will have to cut down another cedar to make the boards to close out the deck.
The upper part of the cedar I will use to make posts for the deck, after I peel off the bark. I will use peeled cedar poles for the handrails. Use maple branches to fill in.
As you can see, the boards are all 16 foot, and of various widths by two inches thick.
You can't buy the boards at Loews or Home Depot.
I guess I am about halfway through with the project.
Tuesday, August 29, 2017
Long time Comin'
Haven't been around here much lately. Just have been rel busy with stuff. Wood working, land clearing, lumber making.
I was out looking around the property the other day, and noticed a nice sized fir tree, maybe 80 feet tall standing there dead. Looks to have died fairly recently, like withing a couple of years, so it ought to be in pretty good shape.
My garage is getting pretty crowded with wood for projects, projects in mid stream and wood working tools and supplies.
If I have free wood, and the desire for a shop, it is a simple but time consuming thing to turn the tree into lumber and assemble a shed.
First thing is to decide where to put it.
There happens to be a fairly flat spot behind the wood shed. No big trees, fairly level, covered in ferns and salal. I took the DR Trimmer mower out there with the toughest cutters and cleared out a 14 X 20' area behind the wood shed, and cut down some scrub alders. About that time my back gave out on me, and it has been slow to recover. Getting old pisses me off. I am always attempting to do stuff and my body just says "Whoa there dude, you are exceeding the design specs."
So at the moment I am having to take it easy, which grates on me.
Yesterday I spent part of the day cleaning the garage, but when I got bored, I went to build a raised bed box for the garden. I didn't last too long. swinging a hammer just wasn't in the cards.
I also have a request from Carol to build a greenhouse. That won't be cheap. Harbor Freight has one 10' X 12' for $650, but I need to figure out where to put it, level the ground. The fun never stops.
I was out looking around the property the other day, and noticed a nice sized fir tree, maybe 80 feet tall standing there dead. Looks to have died fairly recently, like withing a couple of years, so it ought to be in pretty good shape.
My garage is getting pretty crowded with wood for projects, projects in mid stream and wood working tools and supplies.
If I have free wood, and the desire for a shop, it is a simple but time consuming thing to turn the tree into lumber and assemble a shed.
First thing is to decide where to put it.
There happens to be a fairly flat spot behind the wood shed. No big trees, fairly level, covered in ferns and salal. I took the DR Trimmer mower out there with the toughest cutters and cleared out a 14 X 20' area behind the wood shed, and cut down some scrub alders. About that time my back gave out on me, and it has been slow to recover. Getting old pisses me off. I am always attempting to do stuff and my body just says "Whoa there dude, you are exceeding the design specs."
So at the moment I am having to take it easy, which grates on me.
Yesterday I spent part of the day cleaning the garage, but when I got bored, I went to build a raised bed box for the garden. I didn't last too long. swinging a hammer just wasn't in the cards.
I also have a request from Carol to build a greenhouse. That won't be cheap. Harbor Freight has one 10' X 12' for $650, but I need to figure out where to put it, level the ground. The fun never stops.
Wednesday, July 12, 2017
Updates
I have been awfully busy the last couple of months, hence no posts.
I cut down a good sized fir tree and made the structural components for my deck. It turned out to be more difficult than I anticipated. It was right at the upper limit of what I can do physically by myself.
I pulled a muscle in my back humping one of the beams out of the woods, so I have been limited a little in what I can do. But the bottom line is that the structural components are all done and under the eaves of the garage aging so they will be ready next summer when I go to build the deck. I have an adze on order to finish up the beams and work out any imperfections.
Besides the Alaska Mill work, I have been doing some woodworking. I just turned out an incredible live edge burlwood maple side table. I also have a really neat piece of skelotonized driftwood I and finishing. Don't know exactly hoe to describe it, but it has lots of interesting shapes and lines. I will probably post a picture of it when I decide it is done. That's part of the problem. When is something like that done. I guess it's done when I say it's done. I have thought it was done a couple of times, but found myself piking it up and doing "just a little more".
There is an area just to the East of the house that was overgrown with nettles and brush. I have been avoiding doing anything about it ever since we moved in here, but decided it was time to attacck the area before it got completely out of hand.
Fortunately I have a DR walk behind brush-cutter trimmer mower. Unfortunately it had not been started in several years, so I dug it out of the equipment shed and it took all morning to tear it down, clean it up and get it started. It ran pretty ragged until the second tank of gas. Unfortunately the drive belt was old and brittle. It didn't break, but pieces of it started unraveling, so I had to get a new belt.
I also ran out og cutting string. The best stuff I could find, was just not up to the task. I have ordered some of the right stuff from DR, but it won't be here for a couple of weeks. The stuff I found locally flys apart when it meets heavy resisstance, so I spend more time installing new string than working. At least it came in a 150 foot reel so I have plenty to work with.
I cut down a good sized fir tree and made the structural components for my deck. It turned out to be more difficult than I anticipated. It was right at the upper limit of what I can do physically by myself.
I pulled a muscle in my back humping one of the beams out of the woods, so I have been limited a little in what I can do. But the bottom line is that the structural components are all done and under the eaves of the garage aging so they will be ready next summer when I go to build the deck. I have an adze on order to finish up the beams and work out any imperfections.
Besides the Alaska Mill work, I have been doing some woodworking. I just turned out an incredible live edge burlwood maple side table. I also have a really neat piece of skelotonized driftwood I and finishing. Don't know exactly hoe to describe it, but it has lots of interesting shapes and lines. I will probably post a picture of it when I decide it is done. That's part of the problem. When is something like that done. I guess it's done when I say it's done. I have thought it was done a couple of times, but found myself piking it up and doing "just a little more".
There is an area just to the East of the house that was overgrown with nettles and brush. I have been avoiding doing anything about it ever since we moved in here, but decided it was time to attacck the area before it got completely out of hand.
Fortunately I have a DR walk behind brush-cutter trimmer mower. Unfortunately it had not been started in several years, so I dug it out of the equipment shed and it took all morning to tear it down, clean it up and get it started. It ran pretty ragged until the second tank of gas. Unfortunately the drive belt was old and brittle. It didn't break, but pieces of it started unraveling, so I had to get a new belt.
I also ran out og cutting string. The best stuff I could find, was just not up to the task. I have ordered some of the right stuff from DR, but it won't be here for a couple of weeks. The stuff I found locally flys apart when it meets heavy resisstance, so I spend more time installing new string than working. At least it came in a 150 foot reel so I have plenty to work with.
Thursday, May 11, 2017
Live Edge Free Form Burl Bowl
When I was working in the yard, I was removing an old diseased rhododendron and looked at the base where I had cut it down, and it just looked like what I was looking for to display the bowl.
A couple of hours of trimming and debarking and here it the result.
Sort of an entish star ship enterprise looking fluid look to it.
I love it when disparate elements come together to make a whole different thing.
Sunday, May 07, 2017
Fencing
Last year we planted three cherry trees and two five-in-one apple trees.
In other words, deer feed.
We got one cherry and no apples. I think that the deer left the one cherry just to mock me. My deer repellent of choice is my Airsoft reproduction 1925 Thompson sub machine gun. It shoots 6mm plastic pellets, so it stings but doesn't penetrate the hide. Only two problems with that pan. First of all I have to be there, and also the gun has to be charges (it is electric).
So this year I stepped up my game. I purchased a battery powered solar charged electric fence.
Take that Bambi!
I haven''t quite worked up the nerve to try it out on myself. I have been bit by an electric fence plenty of times, and while not really harmful it is less that pleasant.
I remember the time when we were having a going away party for my and J.B out at Art's little place out by the airport. There must have been forty people there in a tiny little house with only one bathroom.
The guys resorted to going outside.
We heard this hellacious bellow outside and looked out the window to see all six foot seven of Dave clutching his private parts and jumping up and down while bellowing at the top of his lings. Ranks as one of the funniest things I have ever seen. The people next door had horses and ran an electric fence around their property. Dave had stepped behind a tree and pissed on the electric fence.
In other words, deer feed.
We got one cherry and no apples. I think that the deer left the one cherry just to mock me. My deer repellent of choice is my Airsoft reproduction 1925 Thompson sub machine gun. It shoots 6mm plastic pellets, so it stings but doesn't penetrate the hide. Only two problems with that pan. First of all I have to be there, and also the gun has to be charges (it is electric).
So this year I stepped up my game. I purchased a battery powered solar charged electric fence.
Take that Bambi!
I haven''t quite worked up the nerve to try it out on myself. I have been bit by an electric fence plenty of times, and while not really harmful it is less that pleasant.
I remember the time when we were having a going away party for my and J.B out at Art's little place out by the airport. There must have been forty people there in a tiny little house with only one bathroom.
The guys resorted to going outside.
We heard this hellacious bellow outside and looked out the window to see all six foot seven of Dave clutching his private parts and jumping up and down while bellowing at the top of his lings. Ranks as one of the funniest things I have ever seen. The people next door had horses and ran an electric fence around their property. Dave had stepped behind a tree and pissed on the electric fence.
Friday, March 31, 2017
Sidinng
After we completed cutting up the two cedars for decking, there were a bunch of slabs of cedar left over. The way you get started making decking is to carefully level and nail some boards to the log to use as a guide for your mill.. After you have made your first cut, you discard the guide bards and first cut.
A couple of the leftovers were fairly thick, so I decided to make them into benches, which requires you to strip the bark off of them. I set aside two hunks for benches, which left me with a bunch of scrap. Some of it I cut up inn to small pieces to use as spacers to put in between the boards as they dry.
That still left several boards flat on one side, round on the other, and very pretty. I couldn't decide what to do with them.
Then I thought about the wood shed.
The wood shed is nothing fancy. Some 4 X 4 structure, a sound roof, and a few boards. Not very attractive, but passable and functional. But what if I took the left over boards and stripped off the bark and nailed them to the outside of the shed? It would lend the wood shed the appearance of a log building!
So I went and ordered a draw knife to strip the bark off of the boards, and started nailing them to the front of the shed. As I got into it, I did not like the way the shed was put together, so I tore a bunch of it apart, went to town and got some 4 X 4s and beefed up the structure.
It's looking pretty good so far. I'm just afraid I will run out of material to cover the front.
Gotta do some measuring and figuring.
Who knows, I might have to cut down another tree.
A couple of the leftovers were fairly thick, so I decided to make them into benches, which requires you to strip the bark off of them. I set aside two hunks for benches, which left me with a bunch of scrap. Some of it I cut up inn to small pieces to use as spacers to put in between the boards as they dry.
That still left several boards flat on one side, round on the other, and very pretty. I couldn't decide what to do with them.
Then I thought about the wood shed.
The wood shed is nothing fancy. Some 4 X 4 structure, a sound roof, and a few boards. Not very attractive, but passable and functional. But what if I took the left over boards and stripped off the bark and nailed them to the outside of the shed? It would lend the wood shed the appearance of a log building!
So I went and ordered a draw knife to strip the bark off of the boards, and started nailing them to the front of the shed. As I got into it, I did not like the way the shed was put together, so I tore a bunch of it apart, went to town and got some 4 X 4s and beefed up the structure.
It's looking pretty good so far. I'm just afraid I will run out of material to cover the front.
Gotta do some measuring and figuring.
Who knows, I might have to cut down another tree.
Wednesday, March 15, 2017
Decking
There is a small deck attached to the front of the house. It is about six by 12 feet, made from Trex, which is recycled plastic. I hate it
There is not one single thing about it that is attractive. No handrails, no fancy wood, no furniture.
I had decided to replace it.
Since I have three and a half acres of trees, I thought it would be a nice touch to make it out of lumber cut from trees on the property.
We have a lot of Cedar, which is a very attractive wood, So I bought an Alaska Mill so I could make my own decking.
I decided I wanted the new deck to be 16 feet wide, so Kieth and I cut down a couple of nice medium sized cedars. The Alaska Mill Will accept a tree up to 19" so that was my criteria for choosing trees.
The deck is going to be gorgeous. The boards are 12 to 19 inches by two inches by sixteen feet long.
We have cut all the boards now. Some mighty fine looking boards they are. too.
Next we have to drag them out of the woods and stack them under cover to dry.
Where can you get cedar boards 19 inches wide by two inches thick by 16 feet long? Pretty much no where but at my place. It will make an incredible deck when it is done.
I still have to work out the details for the deck, but the lumber needs too dry for a year, so I'll have plenty of time to figure it out.
All the waste from the project will be turned into kindling.
Nothing wasted.
There are several 10 inch diameter fir trees that would make excellent structural supports
There is not one single thing about it that is attractive. No handrails, no fancy wood, no furniture.
I had decided to replace it.
Since I have three and a half acres of trees, I thought it would be a nice touch to make it out of lumber cut from trees on the property.
We have a lot of Cedar, which is a very attractive wood, So I bought an Alaska Mill so I could make my own decking.
I decided I wanted the new deck to be 16 feet wide, so Kieth and I cut down a couple of nice medium sized cedars. The Alaska Mill Will accept a tree up to 19" so that was my criteria for choosing trees.
The deck is going to be gorgeous. The boards are 12 to 19 inches by two inches by sixteen feet long.
We have cut all the boards now. Some mighty fine looking boards they are. too.
Next we have to drag them out of the woods and stack them under cover to dry.
Where can you get cedar boards 19 inches wide by two inches thick by 16 feet long? Pretty much no where but at my place. It will make an incredible deck when it is done.
I still have to work out the details for the deck, but the lumber needs too dry for a year, so I'll have plenty of time to figure it out.
All the waste from the project will be turned into kindling.
Nothing wasted.
There are several 10 inch diameter fir trees that would make excellent structural supports
Monday, March 06, 2017
Lemonade
The old saying goes "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade".
Good advice, even when they are not your lemons.
Lisa and Kieth recently departed on an adventure. They moved from here to Hawaii. Keith has some property there, a brother living there, and had a job lined up remodeling some property and starting up a B & B. Sounds idyllic neh?
Except it wasn't. The job didn't work out the way it was supposed to, and they ended up stuck in Hawaii with no money and no place to live.
Not my lemons.
Except that they called here to ask for a loan. I am not inclined to loan people money, especially family. I have seen too many times it has come back to bite people in the ass. Carol was disinclined to loan them the money, and I don't blame her. No many things can go wrong.
So I came up with a win/win scenario.
Our rook appears to be the original roof that was on the house when new. It's looking pretty raggedy, and has a bunch of moss on it. The eves are dripping. We have been talking about putting a new roof on. Kieth is a contractor, and roofing is well within his skill set.
I payed for them the plane tickets home, I buy the materials, and Kieth installs my new roof in exchange for the tickets.
Everybody wins.
Good advice, even when they are not your lemons.
Lisa and Kieth recently departed on an adventure. They moved from here to Hawaii. Keith has some property there, a brother living there, and had a job lined up remodeling some property and starting up a B & B. Sounds idyllic neh?
Except it wasn't. The job didn't work out the way it was supposed to, and they ended up stuck in Hawaii with no money and no place to live.
Not my lemons.
Except that they called here to ask for a loan. I am not inclined to loan people money, especially family. I have seen too many times it has come back to bite people in the ass. Carol was disinclined to loan them the money, and I don't blame her. No many things can go wrong.
So I came up with a win/win scenario.
Our rook appears to be the original roof that was on the house when new. It's looking pretty raggedy, and has a bunch of moss on it. The eves are dripping. We have been talking about putting a new roof on. Kieth is a contractor, and roofing is well within his skill set.
I payed for them the plane tickets home, I buy the materials, and Kieth installs my new roof in exchange for the tickets.
Everybody wins.
Wednesday, February 08, 2017
A Little Too Much Excitement
The weather forecast was for rain, which was fine with me. I am a Northwest Native. I have webbed feet and moss on my North side.
But the weather forecast was rain, and I by God was ready for rain. So it snowed.
I had a doctors appointment this morning at the Pain Clinic, mainly to refill my prescription for Percocet, and to check on me status. If it wasn't already made, I probably would have stayed in.
But because of the snow, Mrs A decided to skip her swim session at the Y and I got to take the good car. The HHR is front wheel drive and does great in the snow, so I was relieved. The nice thing about front wheel drive is that the drive of the wheels is always in the direction you want to go. So if you are not stupid, you cn generally get where you want to go.
The road weren't great, but they weren't bad. The one shade corner where Happy Valley Road turns to the North is always shady, and it was a little slippery, but not bad.
I went to the doctor's and was headed to Walgreen's when a guy o a motorcycle two cars if front of me abruptly pulled over to the side of the road, got off his bike and fell flat on his face.
The car in front of me and I pulled over and we got out to make sure the guy was OK. So did a car heading in the other direction on 5th. A call was made to 911
The guy was having a seizure. Looked like a grand mal to me, but that something for the doctors to figure out..
So we turned him on his back, and held him down from thrashing around so he didn't hurt himself. I made sure his airway was clear. We talked to him and reassured him that everything was going to be OK, that we had called for help.
A nice lady in the car behind me volunteered a blanket. Lady, whoever you are, thanks.
I hung around until the ambulance showed up, and got back in my asr.
Mrs a had suggested that I get her ice cream since she was stuck at home, so I stopped at QFC to pick her up Halo Oatmeal cookie ice cream.
When I went to get the money out of my wallet, my hands were shaking noticeably. I explained why I was so shaky, and left to go home
The roads weren't so great coming home, and I spun a little a couple of times.
I got home safe and sound, but shaky.
After I told Mrs A about my trip, I realized that I had never stopped at Walgreen's to fill my prescription. Mrs A suggested a shot of fine Irish Whiskey was the prescription she suggested, and good swig of Tullamore Dew was the recommended dose.
Worked quite well.
But I don't think I will be going back out today.
But the weather forecast was rain, and I by God was ready for rain. So it snowed.
I had a doctors appointment this morning at the Pain Clinic, mainly to refill my prescription for Percocet, and to check on me status. If it wasn't already made, I probably would have stayed in.
But because of the snow, Mrs A decided to skip her swim session at the Y and I got to take the good car. The HHR is front wheel drive and does great in the snow, so I was relieved. The nice thing about front wheel drive is that the drive of the wheels is always in the direction you want to go. So if you are not stupid, you cn generally get where you want to go.
The road weren't great, but they weren't bad. The one shade corner where Happy Valley Road turns to the North is always shady, and it was a little slippery, but not bad.
I went to the doctor's and was headed to Walgreen's when a guy o a motorcycle two cars if front of me abruptly pulled over to the side of the road, got off his bike and fell flat on his face.
The car in front of me and I pulled over and we got out to make sure the guy was OK. So did a car heading in the other direction on 5th. A call was made to 911
The guy was having a seizure. Looked like a grand mal to me, but that something for the doctors to figure out..
So we turned him on his back, and held him down from thrashing around so he didn't hurt himself. I made sure his airway was clear. We talked to him and reassured him that everything was going to be OK, that we had called for help.
A nice lady in the car behind me volunteered a blanket. Lady, whoever you are, thanks.
I hung around until the ambulance showed up, and got back in my asr.
Mrs a had suggested that I get her ice cream since she was stuck at home, so I stopped at QFC to pick her up Halo Oatmeal cookie ice cream.
When I went to get the money out of my wallet, my hands were shaking noticeably. I explained why I was so shaky, and left to go home
The roads weren't so great coming home, and I spun a little a couple of times.
I got home safe and sound, but shaky.
After I told Mrs A about my trip, I realized that I had never stopped at Walgreen's to fill my prescription. Mrs A suggested a shot of fine Irish Whiskey was the prescription she suggested, and good swig of Tullamore Dew was the recommended dose.
Worked quite well.
But I don't think I will be going back out today.
Tuesday, February 07, 2017
Entertainment
We live in a most beautiful area here in Sequim. Olympic Mountains, Straights of Juan de Fuca, Paciific Ocean, rain forests.
But when it comes to Entertainment, the selection is a little sparse. There is one cinema with five screens. A few casinos that fearture third string entertainers. Some tmes some B listers.
But what it does is expose you to some excellent performers that aren't well known outside their special niche.
I am pretty open minded when it comes to music. I like just about all gernres of music. Opera doesn't float my boat, and C & W isn't my favorite, but can be OK.
We will go to any venue and watch most any show, because that's all there is.
The one fact that has impressed me over and over is how many truly tallented musicians that there are out there that are good enough to be on a bigger stage performing for a bigger audience.
SO we dtove into Port Angeles the other night for a show. Mouths of Babes was performing at Studio Bob. Studio Bob is a part time art studio part time performance space. The decor is midcentury yard sale meets gymnasium. Very eclectic and informal.
Mouths of Babes is a female duo who are fantastic musicians and singers. Their music is about as eclectic as it gets. They re alternately funny touching serious and lighthearted. They managed to bring me to tears and belly laughs. Their songwriting is fantastic. "Brighter in the Dark" is a light in the face of the dark world.
They probably won't rise to the hights their tallents should take them to because they are a couple, and that will most likely limit their audience. Doesn't bother me at all. I am all for anything that brings more love into the world, and against anything which promotes prejudice and separation.
I really wish Ingrid and Ty all the best in their careers and hope thay come back here in the Blue Hole.
But when it comes to Entertainment, the selection is a little sparse. There is one cinema with five screens. A few casinos that fearture third string entertainers. Some tmes some B listers.
But what it does is expose you to some excellent performers that aren't well known outside their special niche.
I am pretty open minded when it comes to music. I like just about all gernres of music. Opera doesn't float my boat, and C & W isn't my favorite, but can be OK.
We will go to any venue and watch most any show, because that's all there is.
The one fact that has impressed me over and over is how many truly tallented musicians that there are out there that are good enough to be on a bigger stage performing for a bigger audience.
SO we dtove into Port Angeles the other night for a show. Mouths of Babes was performing at Studio Bob. Studio Bob is a part time art studio part time performance space. The decor is midcentury yard sale meets gymnasium. Very eclectic and informal.
Mouths of Babes is a female duo who are fantastic musicians and singers. Their music is about as eclectic as it gets. They re alternately funny touching serious and lighthearted. They managed to bring me to tears and belly laughs. Their songwriting is fantastic. "Brighter in the Dark" is a light in the face of the dark world.
They probably won't rise to the hights their tallents should take them to because they are a couple, and that will most likely limit their audience. Doesn't bother me at all. I am all for anything that brings more love into the world, and against anything which promotes prejudice and separation.
I really wish Ingrid and Ty all the best in their careers and hope thay come back here in the Blue Hole.
Tuesday, January 31, 2017
The Blue Hole
The area where I live is known as The Blue Hole. This is because it is in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains in Washington State.
Because of the prevailing wind patterns, we get little rain here. The average is 16 inches a year. The weather pattern comes in from the southwest bringing a lot of moist tropical weather with it. The clouds run into the Olympic Mountains which cause them to pile up against them and the squeeze the clouds, causing them to dump their moisture. You can travel 100 miles from here, and land in Forks, Washington where the average is 100 inches a year..
If you rravel just a short distance,to say Port Angeles. a distance of 15 miles the annual precipitation goes up to 20 inches., similar if you reavel east to Port Townsend.
This is one of the primary reasons we chose to move here when we retired. The same mild climate as Seattle, but without all the rain.
As with all plans, there were a couple of things I did not take into account.
Mainly the temperature. For some reason it did not occur to me that blue skies in winter equates to cold. The cloud cover keeps it warn, the clouds a blanket to keep us warm.
So the difference isn't enough to make for a completely different environment, but the winter temperatures average couple of degrees cooler.
It doesn't particularly bother me, as I have lots of hobbies to keep me busy. Nothing like sitting down with a good book in the living room with a toasty fire in the wood stove.
Because of the prevailing wind patterns, we get little rain here. The average is 16 inches a year. The weather pattern comes in from the southwest bringing a lot of moist tropical weather with it. The clouds run into the Olympic Mountains which cause them to pile up against them and the squeeze the clouds, causing them to dump their moisture. You can travel 100 miles from here, and land in Forks, Washington where the average is 100 inches a year..
If you rravel just a short distance,to say Port Angeles. a distance of 15 miles the annual precipitation goes up to 20 inches., similar if you reavel east to Port Townsend.
This is one of the primary reasons we chose to move here when we retired. The same mild climate as Seattle, but without all the rain.
As with all plans, there were a couple of things I did not take into account.
Mainly the temperature. For some reason it did not occur to me that blue skies in winter equates to cold. The cloud cover keeps it warn, the clouds a blanket to keep us warm.
So the difference isn't enough to make for a completely different environment, but the winter temperatures average couple of degrees cooler.
It doesn't particularly bother me, as I have lots of hobbies to keep me busy. Nothing like sitting down with a good book in the living room with a toasty fire in the wood stove.
Friday, January 13, 2017
Out of the Hole
Back in the middle of November I fell in a hole.
Nor a physical hole.
A mental and emotional hole.
A hole so dark and so deep that no light penetrated it. No escape was possible.
Looking back on it, I can see no rational reason for it. I am prone to getting depressed in the winter anyway, but usually a little St. John's Wort gets me through it.
Some how this was different. More profound, and much deeper.
Oh there are lots of reasons. I am diabetic, have bad kidneys, am in constant pain arthritis. At the time my left shoulder was undergoing a bout of bad arthritis, limiting the use of my left arm, and that in combination with the arthritis in my neck keeps me from getting a decent nights sleep. Maybe it was a combination of all those things.
I am a creative person and suddenly the creative juices dries up.Although I had a number of projects that I had been interested in, suddenly they were sack cloth and ashes.
I have a beautiful 1977 Datsun 280Z with a color changing paint job that goes from purple to blue to green depending on the lighting and direction you are looking at it from.
It has a 160 mile an hour speedometer. I had it up over 120 miles an hour out on the track, and it was solid at that speed. I have always wondered what the top speed actually is. I figure it is around 140.
I began to wonder if I could top 140. And what it would be like to take out a bridge stanchion at that speed.
The thought began to insinuate itself into my consciousness ore and more frequently. To the point where, when I was out driving, I would eye the approach to various overpasses to calculate whether they had the right amount of straightaway to get up to full speed.
The problem is that when you are that deep in the hole, t is very difficult to see any path out of the pit. One of the most difficult things I have ever done was make an appointment with my doctor to tell him I need help.
I have always been there for everyone else. Admitting that I needed help was a blow to what little pride I had left.
But I managed to drag myself up by the bootstraps and made it in to the doctor's. He assessed the situation and was close to having me hospitalized, but I talked him out of it, saying that I was self-aware enough to know when to ask for help, so the likelihood of me taking myself out right after that was extremely small.
He did refer me to the Whack Shack for further checkout. The Crisis Center was very understanding and professional, although they did insist I divest myself of my knives. I was carrying three. They were somewhat concerned about why I needed three knives, but I told them I was doing some wood working, and each on was for a different task. I'm nit sure they believed me, but at any rate they let me leave.
Since then it has been a long slow process to dig myself out of the hole.
I am back in the daylight, now.
Just today, I was struck by and idea for a project that has brought back the enthusiasm.
I was watching an episode of American Pickers last night, and they featured a chair with an elaborate back with a carving, that they called the "Green Man". Basically a human face with hair and mustache of leaves and branches.
When I was cutting wood last fall, I came across a section of a maple that was twisted ans scarred. About four feet long. I have been figuring I would use it as a test piece for using my Alaska Mill. slabbing it out. Now I have a plan of what I want to do with it when I cut it.
Today I made a preliminary sketch.
But I am not quite to the point where I want to take the "Z" out for a drive.
Nor a physical hole.
A mental and emotional hole.
A hole so dark and so deep that no light penetrated it. No escape was possible.
Looking back on it, I can see no rational reason for it. I am prone to getting depressed in the winter anyway, but usually a little St. John's Wort gets me through it.
Some how this was different. More profound, and much deeper.
Oh there are lots of reasons. I am diabetic, have bad kidneys, am in constant pain arthritis. At the time my left shoulder was undergoing a bout of bad arthritis, limiting the use of my left arm, and that in combination with the arthritis in my neck keeps me from getting a decent nights sleep. Maybe it was a combination of all those things.
I am a creative person and suddenly the creative juices dries up.Although I had a number of projects that I had been interested in, suddenly they were sack cloth and ashes.
I have a beautiful 1977 Datsun 280Z with a color changing paint job that goes from purple to blue to green depending on the lighting and direction you are looking at it from.
It has a 160 mile an hour speedometer. I had it up over 120 miles an hour out on the track, and it was solid at that speed. I have always wondered what the top speed actually is. I figure it is around 140.
I began to wonder if I could top 140. And what it would be like to take out a bridge stanchion at that speed.
The thought began to insinuate itself into my consciousness ore and more frequently. To the point where, when I was out driving, I would eye the approach to various overpasses to calculate whether they had the right amount of straightaway to get up to full speed.
The problem is that when you are that deep in the hole, t is very difficult to see any path out of the pit. One of the most difficult things I have ever done was make an appointment with my doctor to tell him I need help.
I have always been there for everyone else. Admitting that I needed help was a blow to what little pride I had left.
But I managed to drag myself up by the bootstraps and made it in to the doctor's. He assessed the situation and was close to having me hospitalized, but I talked him out of it, saying that I was self-aware enough to know when to ask for help, so the likelihood of me taking myself out right after that was extremely small.
He did refer me to the Whack Shack for further checkout. The Crisis Center was very understanding and professional, although they did insist I divest myself of my knives. I was carrying three. They were somewhat concerned about why I needed three knives, but I told them I was doing some wood working, and each on was for a different task. I'm nit sure they believed me, but at any rate they let me leave.
Since then it has been a long slow process to dig myself out of the hole.
I am back in the daylight, now.
Just today, I was struck by and idea for a project that has brought back the enthusiasm.
I was watching an episode of American Pickers last night, and they featured a chair with an elaborate back with a carving, that they called the "Green Man". Basically a human face with hair and mustache of leaves and branches.
When I was cutting wood last fall, I came across a section of a maple that was twisted ans scarred. About four feet long. I have been figuring I would use it as a test piece for using my Alaska Mill. slabbing it out. Now I have a plan of what I want to do with it when I cut it.
Today I made a preliminary sketch.
But I am not quite to the point where I want to take the "Z" out for a drive.
Friday, December 23, 2016
White Christmas?
December 23rd and it is snowing!
Hope it sticks around for Christmas. I don't even remember when was the last time we had a white Christmas. Of course Mrs. A, would have me tarred and feathered for hoping it sticks around, but I can always fall back on every husbands excuse: "It's not my fault".
We did finally get out the tree and set it up and got it decorated. I took care of the lights, Mrs A took care of the decorating. That may seem to be a misleading statement, as it is a pre-lit eight foot tree with a thousand lights, but it is in three pieces and all of the different sections have to be connected correctly. It is kind of difficult finding all of the wires and hooking them up correctly. Took me a couple of tries.
Watching the snow is so hypnotic. Something about falling snow puts me in a trance-like state where I can sit there for a long time just staring out the window.
The downside is that I have to go get another wheelbarrow load of wood out of the wood shed.
Hope it sticks around for Christmas. I don't even remember when was the last time we had a white Christmas. Of course Mrs. A, would have me tarred and feathered for hoping it sticks around, but I can always fall back on every husbands excuse: "It's not my fault".
We did finally get out the tree and set it up and got it decorated. I took care of the lights, Mrs A took care of the decorating. That may seem to be a misleading statement, as it is a pre-lit eight foot tree with a thousand lights, but it is in three pieces and all of the different sections have to be connected correctly. It is kind of difficult finding all of the wires and hooking them up correctly. Took me a couple of tries.
Watching the snow is so hypnotic. Something about falling snow puts me in a trance-like state where I can sit there for a long time just staring out the window.
The downside is that I have to go get another wheelbarrow load of wood out of the wood shed.
Saturday, December 17, 2016
Home Fires Burning
We heat with wood.
Having 3 1/2 acres of trees supports that.
Electricity is expensive and wood is free (more or less).
I love sitting in the living room with a fire in the fire place and a good book.
I currently have about 3 cords of dried aged Alder in the wood shed. That will get us through this winter. I have another 2 cords of Maple drying at the back of the garage. I want to have enough dried and aged to last a year ahead.
It has been so busy I hardly have enough turn around. Thanksgiving we had a bunch of people over. I had purchased a 20' X 20' X 12' shed from Kieth, and we put that up. Vinnie and I felled a small maple. It was fun. Vincent had never run a chain saw, so I taught him how to start and run the saw, then introduced him to splitting wood. He claims that he had never split wood before, but I found that a little bit too much to believe.
Shortly after Thanksgiving, Rick lost his job in Utah, We were planning to have him come up and paint the inside of the house next spring/summer. Although I was not ready, we (Carol) decided it would be good for everyone concerned if he came up and did it now.
So for a couple of days before he got here, we were busy getting things ready, things like taking down the drapes, pictures and nik-naks. Then a week of going from room to room moving furniture, then a couple more days of getting everything back where it belongs.
As a result, here it is Dec 17th and we do not have a single decoration up.
Tree? What tree?
Having 3 1/2 acres of trees supports that.
Electricity is expensive and wood is free (more or less).
I love sitting in the living room with a fire in the fire place and a good book.
I currently have about 3 cords of dried aged Alder in the wood shed. That will get us through this winter. I have another 2 cords of Maple drying at the back of the garage. I want to have enough dried and aged to last a year ahead.
It has been so busy I hardly have enough turn around. Thanksgiving we had a bunch of people over. I had purchased a 20' X 20' X 12' shed from Kieth, and we put that up. Vinnie and I felled a small maple. It was fun. Vincent had never run a chain saw, so I taught him how to start and run the saw, then introduced him to splitting wood. He claims that he had never split wood before, but I found that a little bit too much to believe.
Shortly after Thanksgiving, Rick lost his job in Utah, We were planning to have him come up and paint the inside of the house next spring/summer. Although I was not ready, we (Carol) decided it would be good for everyone concerned if he came up and did it now.
So for a couple of days before he got here, we were busy getting things ready, things like taking down the drapes, pictures and nik-naks. Then a week of going from room to room moving furniture, then a couple more days of getting everything back where it belongs.
As a result, here it is Dec 17th and we do not have a single decoration up.
Tree? What tree?
Wednesday, November 09, 2016
Side Table
Here is my latest creation, a burl maple live edge side table. The grain is incredible. The stand is a branch fork from the same tree. The finish is spar varnish. Just enough to bring out the grain. It was a fun project. I tried several different finishes, but after applying and sanding off several different types, settled on this.
I have another slab from the same stump ready to go, but need to figure out a stand for it.
I have another slab from the same stump ready to go, but need to figure out a stand for it.
Tuesday, October 25, 2016
Alaska Mill
Well. my Alaska mill came in. I have put it together and mounted it to the chain saw.
For those of you unaware, and Alaska Mill is a framework you attacch to your chainsaw that turns the chain saw into a lumber mill.
In other words you can turn a tree into dimensional lumber.
The primary reason I got it is that I have this maple stump that is this beautiful burl wood. The mill allows you to turn it into slabs suitable for furniture (after you finish it)
I cut a slab our of the stump, and the grain is incredible. The slab is about 4" thick. With the mill I can turn it into two beautiful slabs/
Or firewood.........
I am flying by the seat of my pants here, so I am being very deliberate and taking it one step at a time.
Today I will mount the guide rails on the slab (to make it so I can cut an even slab.).
Then I have to figure out where to take the slab to cut it. Some place with enough room to work. Not inside. I will need to brace the slab so it doesn't slide as I push the saw foreward.
Oh, but the way, the mill will only cut something 18 inches wide, so I need to trim the slab in order to cut it.
Once I have done the first piece, the sky's the limit.
There is the rest of the stump to think about. I can make a bunch of two inch thick slabs for furniture.
After that the next (long term) project is to make enough maple boards to build a deck off of the front of the house. I really like the idea of building a deck out of wood that started out as tree, and I personally cut it down and turned it into lumber, and then built the deck out of it.
It will be a lot of work, but if it ever gets done in will be unique.
For those of you unaware, and Alaska Mill is a framework you attacch to your chainsaw that turns the chain saw into a lumber mill.
In other words you can turn a tree into dimensional lumber.
The primary reason I got it is that I have this maple stump that is this beautiful burl wood. The mill allows you to turn it into slabs suitable for furniture (after you finish it)
I cut a slab our of the stump, and the grain is incredible. The slab is about 4" thick. With the mill I can turn it into two beautiful slabs/
Or firewood.........
I am flying by the seat of my pants here, so I am being very deliberate and taking it one step at a time.
Today I will mount the guide rails on the slab (to make it so I can cut an even slab.).
Then I have to figure out where to take the slab to cut it. Some place with enough room to work. Not inside. I will need to brace the slab so it doesn't slide as I push the saw foreward.
Oh, but the way, the mill will only cut something 18 inches wide, so I need to trim the slab in order to cut it.
Once I have done the first piece, the sky's the limit.
There is the rest of the stump to think about. I can make a bunch of two inch thick slabs for furniture.
After that the next (long term) project is to make enough maple boards to build a deck off of the front of the house. I really like the idea of building a deck out of wood that started out as tree, and I personally cut it down and turned it into lumber, and then built the deck out of it.
It will be a lot of work, but if it ever gets done in will be unique.
Wednesday, October 12, 2016
Project Pictures
The Birds Eye Maple Burl Bowl is coming along nicely. I have pretty much finished carving it out and am ready to start with the tedious part of finishing it. Lots of sanding to remove the imperfections.
The burl table top, I have polished out the chain saw marks and given it a couple of coats of Tung Oil. The grain is amazing. I still have to figure out how I am going to mount it. and whether I want to remove the bark. Oh well, no hurry, no worry.
The platter I have not done much work on, but you can see the nice grain in the wood.
Yesterday I was in town so I stopped by the Stihl dealer and ordered an Alaska Mill. That is an attachment to your chain saw that lets you turn trees into lumber, and seeing as I have about three acres of trees, I think it will come in handy.
One thought I have is that there is this puny little deck out front made out of Trex decking. It would look pretty terrific if I rebuilt it in Maple. Who do you know that has a deck made out of Maple?
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