G12+

It's not that I've intentionally been slacking on writing, it's just that life ended up getting extremely hectic towards the end of the year. So much so that I had little time to think at work (which oddly used to be a great thinking time...being holed up behind a desk with a couple of monitors and a stack of notepads). When I end up transitioning back into 'treading water' stage, writing is one of those things that helps take the edge off.

So here we are, another year down, and a full year in that 'factory job'. Blessings come in disguise and while the work itself demands the brain power of a drunken feline, the OT pay more than made up for it. On a look back, there's quite a bit to be proud of, even if I find myself more restless than ever.

It had to come sooner or later, the great lodge freeze-out. Actually, more of a snow-out. With adequate heat both upstairs and down, the major struggle is getting to the building. Since it was not originally intended for year-round living, there are of course, difficulties. Such as the occasional pipe freeze, or ice build-up on the deck. Not that big of a deal. But a major snow recently stopped us in our tracks. We were fortunate to get out the morning after to put together our plan while the flakes continued to fall with no end in sight. We made two runs out with clothing and perishables before parking the truck and going on foot for any additional visits. And then, surprise of surprises, a day or two passed and the 'neighbor' used his tractor to pack down the 1/2 mile path from the main road. And so there may be hope yet. While I write this it's 40F. A recent trip past the land gave me confidence that should temps return to below freezing, the path-in should be easy to traverse now that much of the high-centered snow has melted. Time will tell.

For the week off, it's been both relaxing and busy. I've gotten quite a bit of reading in. A LOT of organizing in the basement. Installed a coolant heater on Cara's VW. Purchased and shellac'd trim boards for the lodge, and tackled a few other to-do's out there. Tonight- a movie with friends. Tomorrow night- a new years eve bash here in town. Sat and Sun? Perhaps the lodge for a big project. Oye.

In no particular order, noteworthy events of 2010:

June 1st, Cara and I moved into the lodge and said goodbye to the CF apartment. We took in a Wright and Like tour in Racine. I bought a tractor and mowed a lot of open field. An Olds station wagon found its way to the lodge. Ben and I swapped a rear axle in intense Iowa heat and humidity. A drive-in screen went up...and then came back down. Cara and I took in a Madison modernism tour. I made a trip to MN for a grand wash-in. Cam, Ben and I took down Ben's dilapidated garage. One fine morning I got up early and started digging holes and mixing cement. Next thing I knew, I had a steel building. Ben and I worked on Don's Talisman in Rockford, once again in the blustery snow. I decided to visit MN in October for a week and explore the back-country, something I had never done. Fall parties and bonfires were hosted and I finally got that projector for showing movies...inside. Made a few friends. Sold a few things on ebay. Started the 'great basement haul-out' project. AND, broke ground on Cold Storage III, aka, The Research Lab.

Next year should prove very interesting.

Modulo 72

It's not that I intentionally quit posting after my Minnesota breather, it's just that life just seemed to make convenient excuses. In fact, quite a few posts were started, and abandoned, in the last month or two out of loss of interest. But here we are, halfway across November. Weather turning, outdoor projects coming to a close.

The big news! The official ground breaking for the Research Building (aka CS III) took place 15 November 2010 with the trenching of the footings and, later in the day, string setup for the footings. Today (the 16th) supposedly the footing formwork will go in and the pour will take place. The weather is set to hold this week, though about 10 degrees cooler than last. Next- wall formwork, grading and compacting, and then the finished floor. Meanwhile, the lodge is getting buttoned up for winter and the pole building is now set for steel siding which is enroute.

Job wise, I'm in maintenance mode. Riding it out 'til things get heavy, or the soul-less burden becomes too much to bear. Unfortunately, it's a catch-22. Some people are able to be creative wherever they are. While I may have once had that skill, these days it takes the right setting, the proper surroundings, to get my mind into gear. It's like trying to compose a proper email with a radio blaring in one ear and someone trying to have a conversation with you in the other. Just doesn't work. The research building should help alleviate that. A place for everything and everything in its place- to soothe the mind. The proper tools and benches to tear into a project, or play around with an idea. The equipment to get me back into a place where the mind can run; productive or not. That…. and working garage doors.

A Mixed Bag

Where would I begin. Perhaps with the obvious- Monday morning, slightly cranky and tired. I'll be throwing the levers alone this week while the other fellow is out of the office; let's hope it stays this quiet now that all the paperwork is out of the way.

While it's only the 4th of October, I'll turn my head and surely the 15th will be on me. Then November, when we all can agree the year is shot. The days are cold, the heaters run and you find yourself moving indoors. So it was nice to have a weekend of sun and warmth. Got much done even with my grandma's 84th birthday and a Saturday spent with Cara, palling it up with llama, goats, and other critters. Then a run to the CR Restore, but first, a little excitement with 5th street tire and exploding sidewalls. The good times, they did roll.

So, Sunday, managed to run the tractor up and down the lane, mowed the "front yard" for what'll probably be the last time this year. Trimmed the lower branches from our fast-growing side-yard tree. Organized the pumphouse shed. Weed-wacked about the place. Fixed a rear spotlight that I mysteriously found in several parts on the ground. Also, wired up and tried out a "new" 5kW industrial heater (hey, it works!). The day wasn't complete without cleaning and painting the final deck upright, then stringing (temporarily until I can find fittings) braided steel cable across the front upper deck. And, hauled in and hooked up the new switchboards to a pair of phones we grabbed at the parents after a noon lunch and stroll over at my grandma's.

…More to come...

Finally, a New Approach

Despite what some may believe, the need for a storage building was dreamt up back in the days of the initial Lodge groundbreaking. The reason was two-fold- I had lots of things that needed shelter that you wouldn't want to be tripping over everyday, AND, you wouldn't want to pull your daily driver in and out of what's essentially your living room on a daily basis. The name "Cold Storage" came along and stuck, even though the actual storage may well see some heat. Cold Storage 2 was actually the first iteration, and if you snoop through my folders you'll find many variations on the idea, each time, a different approach, because frankly, the designs never really clicked. Whatever the design, the specs were rigorous, needing to both house vehicles, power tools and equipment, interim washers/dryers, and a good portion of basement glut. It also needed to complement the lay of the land, harmonize with the lodge and pumphouse, and not attempt to take center stage. Third, it must be cost and time sensitive and make use of the Lodge "lessons learned". Not exactly easy benchmarks to hit.

Finally, a new approach that breaks from previous designs so significantly that it's fair to dub it "Cold Storage 3". The present design is workable, flexible even. With potential for full insulation and heating, an upstairs bathroom (yes, two floors), and some novel, integrated solutions to storage and movement. Where difficulty lies, is in spanning both floor and ceiling distances with conventional techniques. This is where the real engineering comes in.

That's how you pass the time….

I made the mistake Thursday after work of firing up the SubZero freezer and going about ironing, cookie baking (was that Thursday?) and other post-work activities. After an hour or two I transferred over ALL the items in our packed fridge to the freezer unit and set about defrosting the Coldspot. Several hours of attention (and hacking) later, the thing was finally frost-free. By now it was 10 and I knew Friday was going to be a long one. I crossed my fingers, checked the thermometer every few minutes, and transferred everything back over. Outside the side door, a big pile of frozen ice chunks. Now she runs great at even the warmest setting and we've regained our freezer space.

Friday…super long day of wearing multiple hats at work…simultaneously. Playing boss wasn't so bad, the minute-by-minute demands made the day fly by, and I held my own against rowdy union boys that tried their best to get one over on me, while still managing to keep lines flowing and the business unit manager happy. I was ready for that drink after work.

It seemed no matter how much sleep I got the following days, I was always exhausted, even if I was moving about. We slept in Saturday, then took advantage of the cool, but sunny, afternoon and got all the mowing done around the place. I even washed down the tractor and was reminded that yes, it needs a tractor shed. With chores finished, we rolled up Waverly way in the wagon to see the sights. I got sucked into the authentic Fareway for some oddball cuisine…after all, with a GIANT Fareway going up behind this one, it's not long for this world. That's unfortunate, because the existing one does everything it needs to, it's just cramped. The new one has ceilings that'll be too high, aisles too wide, and in the process, pick up that cold, unfriendly feel. It also looks like a giant Walgreens.

The vintage gas station-turned auto museum next door had a '56 Pontiac out front and a glimpse through the service bay windows revealed how much fun a true enthusiast can have when they've got some money and imagination.

The evening was low key, with some reading, Lawrence Welk, and a bad movie from Red Box.

Sunday, another shot to sleep in and we did. Followed it up with eggs, hash browns, sausage, OJ, and toast out on the lawn. More reading about the trials and tribulations of Control Data Corporation, THE supercomputer pioneers based right out of Minnesota. We got after the next chore before heading in to CF, namely house-washing the back of the lodge. Cara manned the hose and detergent and I scrubbed like hell with the acid brush. Didn't get too…wet, but worked up a sweat. Hung the clothes out and headed in.

Spent the rest of the day at the Pruisner's for Lydia's first bday party. It was a good time with good food and chit chat. My eyelids were dropping later in the eve but we somehow managed to make it past 10. Back at the lodge, I set up my R2R machine I grabbed from the parents on the way in, and played around with some tapes I had picked up the weekend prior. This vacuum tube machine hadn't seen any kind of use in over a decade; just sat silently in the basement corner, and yet it sprang right to life without prodding or coaxing.

The last day of vac and the writing was on the wall. The winds blew like crazy all day long, forcing my eventualy closing of the last open clerestory early in the AM due to the scream of wind cutting across the screen. It was too windy to clean up and paint the lawn furniture for the winter, but I did manage to roll a few coats of red on my pre-cut plywood panel destined to be the pumphouse door, and spent some time in the PM shellac'ing and sanding panels for the upstairs vanity. The rest of the afternoon was frittered away on an all-new design for Cold Storage 2. It's rare to get a block of time anymore to dedicate to this kind of free thinking and so far I'm enthused about the initial results.

The last free evening? Bad TV in parallel with reading, music, and internet putzing while waiting out the storm that hammered us. Note to self: buy an anemometer.

Music into Gold

What a weekend! Should've been relaxing, but some sort of inner angst that I can't quite put my finger on had me feeling a touch under the weather (or just beat).

Friday, got out of work at a decent time and hit up M*nards for a cartful of supplies, half of which were grocery items. I returned the small impact gun which failed in the first week of use, only to discover that model is no longer being carried. Supplanted no doubt, by something pricier.

For such a nice evening I had thought about having the gents out to the lodge but with Cara's schedule it made more sense to hit up the PL. Had a grand time, spent too much but the juke had us rolling. Cam dropped in but was quiet for the most part. Cara came by and discovered some coworkers. All-in-all a good way to blow off a little steam from a long week.

Saturday I decided to make my own. Got breakfast going, made some macaroni salad, got laundry running and worked on a shopping list for the Fleet Farm. Hung everything out on the line around lunchtime and hit up Waverly. Picked up a pair of 12v lamps for the tractor, in small GE blue and yellow corrugated boxes reminiscent of the 60's. The computer text on the label side told me they were newish..actually they were 20 years old. Still, you could feel the quality in your hands. Also grabbed a mini grease gun and other maintenance essentials, a few pairs of work pants, etc. Scored well at T&T, including a Tupperware bowl from '54, a GE stainless 60's coffee urn, a blue heaven baking dish and a stack of reel-to-reel releases. By the time I hit evil W*lmart for wine and razors, I was beginning to drag. Weather was gorgeous, however, so I cruised home at 50 or so in the Olds, and greased up the tractor in the shade. Mowed the DI area and called it a day.

Sunday, not sure what went wrong. Plenty of sleep, up at 9, and zero motivation. Nevertheless, I strapped myself to the power tools the rest of the day and have the sunburned back to prove it. Things were really heating up temp-wise inside, but a steady breeze from the south made working outside the side door quite tolerable. In between cuts, measurements upstairs, and routering, I caught 'Eddie and the Cruisers II' in 5 minute chunks. 1 word: Predictable. But worth it as an unintentional documentary of the Springsteen era. Also cut a new door for the pumphouse to replace the temp siding "door". A few coats of paint and it'll be ready to hang.

Somehow managed to put away all the heavy equipment and clean up moments before Cara came home. Decided it was make-or-break time and installed an additional light in the kitchen over the counter adjacent to the sink while she rested. The install went almost too smoothly.

With a superb late summer evening still to come, we took the wagon into town to the parents for chit-chat and a visit by my grandma. Snuck a peak at the basement (where is my Akai R2R?) and made a quick mental note: double the size of CS2). Stuck around 'til dusk before heading back.

Fall is coming.

End of Order

The last few days have been pretty hectic, though fulfilling.

How to get the most out of a Thursday:
Up before the sun.
Narrowly escape a speeding ticket thanks to the stickler driving in front of me.
Put a good 10 hours on the clock.
Pick up a rusty axle from the flood plain with Ben.
Purchase an Oldsmobile.

Friday: This pitch black at 5:30AM stuff has got to end. Put in another long day of OT at work, then the parts store for a few misc items for Saturday. Needing a plan for Saturday's axle swap, Ben and I met up at the PL. I gave Cam a buzz as well. Not only was the A/C shot and doors propped open, it was too hot to serve tap beer (all foam) and Miller's company was rather lacking. We were feeling pretty nonplussed as it was, so after a couple beers and a tentative plan, we went our separate ways. I returned to the lodge in time for the mosquitoes to take hold and worked on the Olds for a little while before turning in.

Saturday morning….where was the sun? I paced until the fog lifted around 10:30, then was able to start mowing. The temps came up and the sky cleared. I ran the tractor until noon, getting a couple acres done as Ben pulled in. By that point, shirt sweated through and a decent farmer's tan going. And so IT began. One long, hot, humid, sweaty, dirty axle swap. We both agreed that was about our limit for automotive endurance these days. 8 hours baking in the sun, fighting rusty bolts and stubborn iron. Around 4 we got a brief reprieve and headed for Waverly for parts and cassettes at the new Goodwill store. Fought and fought and fought the brakes, which could still use another bleed, but the Blazer is now fully mobile and back in service. Polished off our fair share of Old Mills as we sat in the dining area, unable to move. Shower, dinner, and bed.

I was a little achy Sunday, and in one of those moods where I wasn't sure I wanted to do much of anything, but labor called. Got up and ran the push mower around for an hour taking care of the detail areas you can't get with the tractor. Yes, the sun was beating down. Then time for a little breakfast. Determined to do….something, I made good on this year's promise of taking Cara to Antique Acres for the Old Time Power Show. It did not disappoint! After that, to the car wash, then the parents' place where I caught the second half of Ghandi on AMC. Next, home to try out a pickled egg recipe and bring in the clothes off the line as the sun was setting.

The next morning, back to the grind. An 11-hour day followed by a stop at AZ to return unused parts and loan-a-tools. A sigh of relief to have that off my chest. Then the 'rents, and Fareway, and before you know it you get home and the only thing you can muster is grinding kitty litter into oil on the driveway. That, and a Digiorno pizza. Oh hell, and 45 minutes of ironing while sleeping standing up.

I can't say this summer has been a total loss. It's a different whirlwind mode this year, where even though I'm working constant OT and trying to tie up loose ends outside of work, I no longer must succomb to the whipping of the daily task list. That said, I think a little fall mini-vacation may be in order.

Strange Days

It's been odd the past week or so. Of course, there was the up and down of the drive-in screen. Spent Tuesday with the parents dismantling and salvaging a good portion of the remains. Then spent a few hours in the sun playing catch-up with grass that desperately needed mowing. The rest of the week was fairly quiet. Mostly because of late days at work and early nights in bed. After the drama and angst, I hit up the PL with Ben and Cam Thursday to blow off some steam. Still sorting out the Blazer axle, Ben and I engaged in enough automotive chat to turn Cam's stomach. Home by 11.

With a no-work-Saturday upon me, I relished in the fact that I could stay up late AND sleep in. Ran to Menards after work, then met Cara for dinner at the old Neighbor's establishment. Had a tasty bacon and cheddar burger and stopped by the parents for some books I still had over there. Home..tired and full. Went to sleep…not so late.

More of the same Saturday afternoon. Did my best to keep idle and "relax". Started off ok, but soon I found myself rolling in rust and dirt getting greasy under the blazer in the hot sun. Spun some LP's, looked cross-eyed at some technical pubs, but was mostly busy at nothing. Kept on that way until 11PM or so after putting up with enough calculations, and enough of a bad Jack Lemmon movie. Tired? Probably. Creative? Not so much. That did get me thinking about the creative process.

You might say I have a lot on my mind…two cars parked downstairs with drivetrains apart. Cold Storage 2 for this season (foundation types, roofing materials, costs). Replacing and building the drive-in. Cara's cabin. Getting the Blazer back on the road. Maintaining sanity from work. Stuff sitting around at the parents. Outstanding construction tasks. And lots of little things like taking care of the brougham title, sleuthing out a weather radio, searching out a snow plow and/or truck. Fixing the road. And all the mindless details that go into each of those. End of the day, apartment life sounds mighty good. Guess this is the price for being able to do what you want to do with minimal intrusion.

Meanwhile, vintage computing and design calls. Console sets sit, untouched. Business ventures, out of reach. It's not all negative energy, but it does a real number on the artful, creative side of things. But that I can deal with. Some of the most worry-less, simple, people I have had the 'pleasure' of knowing are not necessarily the most creative. And what about those individuals that were, but are now…not. What is the corollary?

When I worked in engineering, I could feel my soul being slowly overtaken. Same for energy. BUT, not creativity. And if a person is creative and positive, they can usually get themselves out of a lot of tight spots in life. Of course, outside circumstances were different, but I believe it was because I could counter the duldrum with my own time consuming inventions. Not quite enough time to get those ideas off the ground, but enough to package them up neatly and place them upon the shelf. A design for this. A solution for that. A small plan with beginning and end. The here and now is a different story. It's not the lack of free time that is the source of the problem as it would first appear, it's the slow attack on my intelligence. This is the conclusion I drew on Saturday. This wasn't a problem before- I wasn't dealing with idiots. But hang around a group long enough, and then tell me that your aspirations, intelligence, and attitude is not in some way affected. When meeting up for beers after work involves staring at a tv screen for 90% of the time with minimal engagement, you best put down your signature and give up. I mean, it makes sense why a major portion of the male population would rather do nothing than spend a Saturday afternoon watching sports and drinking beer, reacting only as events play out in front of them frame by frame. The trouble? I found myself equally motivation-less Saturday.
I'm going to chalk this one up to lack of sleep, but I best be careful, lest this situation consume me without further warning. Odd as it sounds, I miss the academic environment.

Yankee Brow Mopper

Wednesday, 4PM. At the PL. This is a week that won't get any shorter, even with Friday approaching (I'll likely be working Saturday anyway) plus two layoff days at work this week meaning I still have to show up for meetings.

Here's the recap... Friday night Ben and I drove over to wellsburg to pick up the bucket lift. We managed to make it to the lodge even with the rr's handiwork. Then a few well rec'd drinks at the panther before a busy Saturday.

The next morning i was up and pacing. It was hot, it was humid, but work needed to get done. Cara managed to break her tow before the construction started but she took it in good spirit. The parents showed soon and we started auguring the first 6' hole, which took some doing seeing as the extension wouldn't fit the motor shaft. Luckily I had a few spare galvanized fittings on hand and we found one that would work. Much toil and A LOT of hauling with the tractor, then the big moment. We had Ben on hand, Cam came out and even Blake and Hannah made a surprise stop in time to see if we could upright the first timber. After much consternation I continued with the bucket lift and things went off without a hitch. Plumb it, cement it, clean up and head for the smoke shack where cara, cam and i had some of the best chicken I can recall, delicious sides and even got in a few free games of pool. Sunburnt and tired, we called it an eve and got to bed with light still in the sky.

Sunday, the 'rents arrived as I was finishing auguring the initial 3' of the easternmost posthole before adding the extension. Cara , who was not doing too hot, took off to get her eye checked out leaving my dad and i to get to it. Fighting broken shear pins and the hot, wet air, finished the augor job, dragged the column into place, lifted one end onto the bucket, and then proceeded to upright and sink it into place! Cam arrived at noon in the midst of more digging and together we got the other two poles sunk and plumbed in the afternoon heat.

We broke for lunch and cool down before mixing cement, but even that went quick enough with 3 of us pouring, mixing, hauling and shoveling cement. With the job done we retreated to the lodge to meet the girls who brought pizza and breadsticks, then to the side deck to sit in the shade, have a cold one and take in a truly glorious Iowa summer afternoon, the kind that can only be appreciated in soaked shirts and jobs done.

Monday... Menards after work for more bags of cement, then an evening of mosquitos and cement mixing. Snapped a few lines and let things setup overnight.

Tuesday... Right to the bucket. Slowly but surely made my way bottom to top marking lines, fastening braces and securing the horizontal stringers every 24". Inside for dinner, then bed.

Wednesday, here i am at the PL. Tonight's agenda? Cutting 2x4's to length and attaching to the back of the stringers for rigidity. Trim the post tops...maybe paint the "extensions".

And perhaps work in a good blog-venting...

Needles and Dimwits

For putting in only four days at the factory last week, I sure felt exhausted. Then again, there was no shortage of drama. And with little down time in the evenings, I could see things slipping further and further behind at the lodge. I made the decision then Wednesday to take a little catch-up day Friday. Catch-up, I did.

Thursday night was a grand time at Steve's with delicious brats and tasty dogs, potato salad and corn on the cob; plus all the interesting conversation one can handle. It was nice to have that little voice in my head silenced, you know, the one that says, "it's a school night". Maybe I don't hear the voice, just the guilt. That's a real problem- when I play by others' rules, I commit, and end up limiting any fun to a Friday or Saturday night. Anyhow, a good time.

Woke up Friday morning and got down to it. Cleared the kitchen counter and sanded the filler around the glass block window where we had had a leak; then a couple coats of paint. While that was drying, got out the stain and sandpaper and went about touching up the leading edge of the pocket doors upstairs that were unstained. Next- the bathroom was initially designed for baseboard trim but I'm finding I prefer it without- that means any excess caulk and grout has to be cleaned up and new caulking done. So, got out the razor blades, vacuum, and caulk gun and went to town. Done. Cleared the side decks, scrubbed, and waited for the sun to dry off any moisture from the previous night. Meanwhile, sat outside with the Blazer counting rotations of the rear axle and crankshaft. 3.42 rear end. Time for some online gear shopping. With the deck dry enough I got out the porch and floor paint and masking and went to town giving it a nice even coat of red; really makes a difference. With paint and stain drying, now mid-afternoon, I loaded the STS with my heavy jack and tools, washed up, hopped in the car and headed for Waverly. Found a decent 1 1/2" socket and 3/4 slide bar along with gear oil at the fleet store. Then T&T for a few choice finds (vintage heater, desklamp, and tumblers). Next, downtown Waterloo.

Dropped by Laidigs to find the place open and the much-needed glass medicine cabinet shelves cut and ready. Bid adieu to the busy man and continued on to Menards to arrange delivery of the drive-in bill of materials. Got things setup for Saturday, then sweated my arse off sorting through 14' 2x6's to be added to the order. For what I wanted to do…purchase additional lumber, select it myself, and have it added to the delivery slip, I was surprised how 1) easy it was at the lumber desk, and 2) how it depended on high school fork truck operators to put my stack of boards with the correct tag in the correct place at their leisure half way 'round the outlot..if they had heard a word I said.

Turned up the A/C and pointed the car towards the parents', where I discovered the '76 was blocked-in by a neighbor's Buick inhabiting the driveway. With the neighbor gone, I could only roll the '76 out halfway. Spent a half hour squeezing between the sides of the car, breaking lose the axle shaft nuts on the front wheels with the new tools. With the heat, humidity and gusto, I pushed the car back in, collected my things and returned to the lodge for a much-needed shower. With evening closing in I returned to meet Ben and Cam at the PL to cap off a day of constant motion, where we cornered the marked on the jukebox and had a grand time.

Slept like the dead and accepted the fact that there was more work to be done with Saturday's morning light. Got up glumly and looked at my phone- Hmmm, a message from the Menards delivery fellow concerned about traversing the farm lane. There was no time stamp. I stepped onto the deck, and whoa, here was the delivery sitting in the side yard! Well, that'll have to be dealt with since the "delivery flags" were over in the DI area. Cleaned up, fueled up the Farmall and worked on a good sunburn. The tall, wet grass was a bit much and the soft ground made navigating tricky. I did what I could from the tractor seat before pushing the gas mower around for another hour or so and getting the bags of cement, now stacked in the sideyard, covered with a tarp. Came in for an afternoon reprieve, got laundry going and ordered up the gearset needed for the Blazer. Hung the laundry out to dry and noticed an email from Cara at work…Big Sale at Hancock's! Well then, only an hour left open. Hancock's…they know how to disappoint. That's a rant for another time. I accepted the situation and bought 5 yards of a deckstripe pattern for west window curtains, then made my way back via Greenhill to 218, whereupon I took a tour of the dilapitated housing down by the river and did a little snooping in the evening sun.

Home, peanuts on the deck with Cara (where we noticed those huge dragonflies were frolicking enmass), then a final MadMen and sack time.

Sunday, supposedly a day of rest. But hard work begets satisfaction. After whipping up a pepperoni and egg breakfast burrito, I took to dismantling the Fleetwood in the yard. Cara mowed in the hot sun. I got door panels pulled, trim pieces yanked, fought wasps and disassembled the dash. Opened the glovebox door to discover it was packed full of insulation…then a mouse stuck his head out to greet me. Well hello. I relatched the door.

Cara ran off for groceries, I had the car pretty well stripped. Next, shoveling heavy dirt and sand. Basically, re-excavating both horseshoe pits. I had pulled all the weeds the day prior, and was surprised to fill my big wheelbarrow with the material from a single pit. Cut and placed weed blocking fabric in the bottoms of each and carefully packed the material back in, adding sand where necessary. Can't say I enjoyed that work much but it should provide many happy games of 'shoes. Got the weedwhip out of the shed and went about the great whipping of the weeds, which at this point is more like the cutting of the stalks. Grass and crap all over the place. Also told Cara I'd look at her car, which is now showing an ABS light. Well, removed both front wheels and had a look about. All ship-shape. Got on the net to find failing ABS modules for her car all the rage. Crap.

Cara returned and we cleaned up and headed out the door for the evening showing of "Inception". A fine flick! Even with the power going off halfway through the movie and the emergency lights coming on. At least the audience was used to sitting the dark.

And their you have it, another weekend in excruciating detail!

Hillbilly Harbinger

Last week…. A real killer without much downtime. Long days at work, errands every evening and then things that always seem to need doing out at the lodge. Somehow, made it through.
Friday night we ate at My Verona. Pricey, but worth every penny. The service and attention to detail was topnotch, more so than any other restaurant I can recall. The dishes: unique, unpronounceable, and delicious. http://www.cedarfallstimes.com/assets/pagePDFs/pdf200916-43105.pdf Makes the Brown Bottle look like Burger King.

I took a bullet and supervised an 8 hour shift Saturday morning. Meanwhile, things were heating up outside. I swung by the parents around 2 for an old bottle of Disc Quiet, then to the lodge where the sun was out in full force. Cara ran errands while I hauled brush, shoveled dirt, painted the side deck and hauled the jack out front and changed the brake pads on the Blazer. Whew. Then… crack open a bottle of wine and take in a few MadMen as the sun set. Completely exhausted after 6 days of work and other sundry toil, I bedded down like the dead.

At 3:30AM Cara made several attempts to wake me, and finally, after the howling got too much to handle, I got up and scrambled. The lodge was fit to blow away in one of the most bizarre wind storms I can recall. Instead of a quick, violent downburst, the winds circled and changed directions north/south, then east/west, all pretty much simultaneously.

First, I closed all north facing windows and laid back down. (closing the north windows cuts the exit path for the south blowing winds and thus the wind goes around the building and not through it). No change. This was odd, I thought. Then, set up the ladder and closed all but one clerestory. Still, the wind was cutting parallel to the open window screen, whistling with ever changing pitch. I closed up all windows, trekked to the upper deck door and stepped outside. Trees were bending, the wind was forcing its way up inside the soffits and screaming as it cut across the edges of the fascia boards. I looked out in the side yard and one of the heavy wire chairs that had been on the balcony was now laying in the side yard…somehow it made its way through the steel railing uprights on the west end of the deck and launched itself down onto the grass….without leaving a paint mark or scratch on any of the railing. And still, no rain. With all windows closed and everything outside locked down, we went back to bed. So much for a good night's sleep.

Sunday, sun shining in our faces, guess we better get up. After breakfast and tidying, we took my spreadsheets and lists over to menards and, in one swoop, hauled, ordered, arranged delivery and purchased 95% of the materials needed to build the drive-in screen, fence, and concession and projection buildings along with the viewing deck. Can't say my wallet has screamed like that in a very long time. 10-day lead time on the special order, so I guess we'll see if official groundbreaking is the 24th, or the 31st.

And what better way to celebrate the accomplishment of getting out of Menards with souls intact than a trip to Hardee's. Actually, the good was great as usual. Angus thickburgers, onion rings and hand breaded chicken strips.

We decided to press our luck, and went to Lowes to try to order corrugated fiberglass panels that Menards did sell when I planned the DI, but no longer offers. Finding that Lowes had some of these on their website, same brand and all, gave me a glimmer of hope. But as is Lowe's wont, their staff consists of Home Depot castoffs that wouldn't know a truss from a joist. Much hand holding and photocopying of a brochure I brought in ensued. Will I get a call from them today? How have they managed to stay in business? These are the questions.

Uncle Frank and Bladder Lake

A refreshing vacation, as always, though this year's "relief" was less intense than years' past when my days were dictated by late nights, schedules and punch lists lodge work demanded. Not that I’m slacking in the sense that I'd like to be, but that the day job pretty much occupies my waking hours. With that in mind, the Minnesota trip was bliss. With bags packed we started with our traditional route up old 218 to Owatanna, then to 35 to make up some time for our late start. The state highways were smooth and open for business and the weather, perfect. All we needed now were detailed maps of the state, something not readily available in paper form. But what was this? The iPad to the rescue.

To say it was useful would be an understatement. Not only were we tracking our movement in real time on the google-based map application but streets right down to residential were right there at a "pinch and zoom" while our location dot tracked nearby. Knowing there once was a DI in St. Ansgar, I pulled up safari, found an article released in 2008 about a vinyard on the old DI property, pulled up an address, loaded the maps and directed a change of course as we entered town. This was not just any drive-in, but a fly-in drive-in. The grounds had all been turned to vinyard but the concession stand remained as an outbuilding and the owners have taken to showing DVD movies on a 16x16 screen of their construction, even going so far as to create a retro-themed sign at the road with marquee of what's playing. A chat with a family member there filled us in on the details. From there, back on the road, but again, a problem. Entering Austin the 90 west ramp was closed. There was road in front of us but not on the paper maps. A quick check of the map app and it turns out it was a shortcut over 90 that we've always taken. Nice.

We soon found the backroads were a better choice than 35, which reached a standstill as we neared Burnsville. We could see the next exit from our position in gridlock and bailed when we got the chance. As Cara drove, I plotted through side streets and rural drives with an eye on a new route. We worked our way through Shakopee, Hutchison and various townships west of the cities, then up 22 through Litchfield, and eventually 71 north. All the while, never back-tracking or losing ground thanks to our new navigating device. It came in equally handy on our return trip thanks to its real time traffic mapping (green, yel and red on major interstates) and once again paid for its self when we hit a standstill heading south just north of the cities near Brooklyn Park. A quick exit and reroute to Ikea, Macy's and Harbor Freight was pie.

But what of the north?

Gorgeous weather, not a worry in the world. Stuffing ourselves silly with all the home cooking. Boating on the lake. Piloting the Suburban. One of the longest and most well-done fireworks shows I've seen in person. Shopping...in town, at the transfer station, and of course MN liquor stores. While the Stroh's and Grain Belt Light in bottles was tempting, it was the Hamm's and Special Export that made the cut. "Special Export, just like Old Style, but in a green can!" In retrospect, I should've picked up a case of Hamm's Special Light, but the couple cans I brought home will have to do. A couple drive-ins were photographed and will make it to the archive list. Some plumbing work completed, too.

As always, too short. Each night testing Cara and my will to make it past midnight with aggressive games of dominoes with the fam. We spent the final afternoon at the parents' place on Leech Lake where Brittni and the brother in law had been staying. An excellent boating venture out, followed by bocce ball and lasagna.

This could quite possibly be the last visit to the grandparents given their house is on the market and things are being sold off. Kodachrome was shot and Cara gave her new birthday camera a good break-in. And so another 4th passes, and I suppose it's downhill from here. On the way home I caught the tail end (okay, 10 seconds) of a Buffet song, Changes in Latitude, Changes in Attitude, and was reminded, as I had been a couple times earlier in the week, of two things. 1) It was as if it had been literal years since I had worked my day job. 2) Being so far removed from my routine allowed me to see outside my created reality. Of course, now the window begins to close.

Divided Highway

There are few perks to waking up at 5AM on a Saturday…when you'll be heading to work shortly, and just finished a 12 hour shift and countless lodge dealings. Add in a freak overnight thunderstorm delivering wind gusts, pounding rain and strobe-light-esque lightning the likes you only get in the country and you've got a recipe for a restless night. No matter, it's not everyday you catch the backside of a storm illuminated by a low-rising sun.

I wrote up a long-winded tome Monday evening but it never made the likes of the net…probably because we didn't have the net. Though now we do. Sort of. The iPad has arrived, the unlimited plan situation has been rectified and I'm enjoying loading up on the apps at speeds approaching 28.8. This is the Edge network and I can literally enjoy a book at my side while pages load. BUT, it's better than nothing, and the Pandora app more than makes up for it. The big time shortcomings, which I knew previously, is that the iPad is NOT a computer replacement. I'm very much OK with this (which is why I bought one) even if it is occasionally a real PITA.

If a person did nothing more than net surf, it might work, supposing that you visited a friend or Apple store for updates, and didn't care about losing purchased apps should a reset be necessary, and you had someway of getting your DVDs onto the thing, and bought the camera kit to load your pictures, and all your music fit into the RAM with your apps…and you didn't regularly use apps that required pointer precision any greater than the bluntness of your finger (like 3D modeling, CAD layout, graphics and photoshop, etc.) If you doubt me, I'll gladly show you Adobe Ideas, which takes a stab at it.

Mostly though, the iPad has no visibly organized, easily accessible, file system. There are apps that seek to rectify this, but it's like running MultiFinder on a Mac 128k. In a desktop world where documents have equal footing to applications, the iPad/iPhone structure essentially buries your files within applications that can only run at one time. This format works great on pocket sized devices where you might tackle straightforward tasks, like crafting an email or checking your stocks in a business app, but the concept doesn't scale to larger devices (like the iPad) that have the hardware power and capability to do things you wouldn't normally do on a tiny pocket screen where modifying and 'bringing together' multiple documents is very realistic, like making a powerpoint. It's like running At Ease where you can only launch apps, not docs, you have no HD privileges, and the floppy drive is unavailable for temp storage. Now how are you going to write an email with rich text, attachments, and in-line photos that require a quick cropping and size adjustment? Better free up your evening.

Baby steps, and it'll get better. In a lot of ways, it's the Newton file system.

How Much Would you Pay for this Purple Rhodium Compound?

A fine extended weekend it was. Took full advantage of the Wright & Like 2010 tour in Racine, taking in the big hits, like Wingspread and the Johnson Wax Admin Bldg, and the smaller, but just as impactful, like Trilogy and the William Mason house. The weather for traveling Friday mid-day was superb and the diesel transported us economically along the interstate system; no backroads or limping transmissions this time.

Friday night, then, we attempted to dine at "Oh Dennis! Saloon and Charcoal Grill" but, arriving in pouring rain at 9:01PM, discovered they kill the grills at 9:00PM. We backtracked to another spot I had heard good things about. Infusino's Pizza. Ordered the recommended House Pan and have to admit, 1- simply the best pizza anywhere, 2- the medium was too much for us to handle, and 3- the price couldn't be beat. Some chicago style pizzas focus on mass to garner their Pan claim. Not this one, and it's all the better for it. Bad part of town? Ooooh Yeaaahhh. Ghettos seemed to be the hallmark of the Racine trip. We rustled up some local bottled brews and cold Labatt's and enjoyed at the hotel.

Saturday night after a day of touring, and hitting up ALL the tour destinations, we returned to "Oh Dennis!"'s for their speciality: ribs. Came darn close to the Hickory House for falling right off the bone and not being too wet nor dry. Cara's fries were done to perfection and encrusted with parmesan cheese crumbs. I still give the HH a tip of my hat due to their sweeter sauce; Cara begs to differ. Full house of course, with a half hour wait. The dank, busy atmosphere, heavy paneling and prompt servers and bartenders helped speed the clock. Alas, no good brews on tap.

The spoils of the trip include a good folder of shots, slides, motivation, and Schlitz 12 packs for $9.49. By end of day Sunday I had forgotten what the factory even looked like.

It can be both motivating and difficult to see such unique, atypical structures in person. The motivation is often self serving, such as "I've considered that", or "that's how I did it". And the difficult, when you shake your head how anything so gutsy, aggressive and perfectly executed can exceed your wildest dreams. When it comes to Wright, his engineering standards and grasp on the physical environment was at times….shaky. On the other hand, by seldom tanking those things into account they never even entered his mind as limitations when laying out a design. Doors that have to be caulked shut at the bottom to keep out the rain, leaky windows and sagging roofs tend to characterize a lot of his work. Then again, why shouldn't it?

On the motivation front, I was up Monday and off to work on a list of tasks scribbled out Sunday night. Things I had not been looking forward to, but needed to be done. Chiefly, moving furniture and clearing the area in front of the rec room tri-window. I moved the saw, stand and tools out to the front deck and started work on trimming that fixed window out. It required several cuts exceeding the capability of the saw but I managed. Late in the afternoon, more re-arranging, and mahog end caps to the soffit light in the bedroom. Backing up to the AM in the kitchen, installed rolling racks in the lower cupboards and got a handle on our "kitchen stuff" situation. Finally, I think the pieces are coming together. As the sun set and Cara started dinner, I pressed forward on shortening the wooden blinds in the north upstairs windows and adjusting cord lengths; trickiest part is the time consuming removal of warning labels on the wood in half a dozen languages. I'll do okay if I can managed two per night.

Sycophantic Homonyms

I may be getting closer to the shore despite the waves that occasionally toss me back to sea. I may have mentioned the thoughts and feelings that compelled me, nay, drove me, to seek something more all these months but have recently waned and been replaced with bewilderment and the thought that "they pay me for this?". This is both good and bad, obviously, because it means the day to day is kid-stuff, but also that I'm ultimately short-changing myself. The redemption is that success is difficult unless there's drive, so schedules and dates mean little without motivation; I'd short-change myself either way at the moment.

I think this has to do with the recent move. Before, the apt had been "settled" by living there. Often a mess, it was temporary and home and required little advance planning or work to be done. Meanwhile, the Lodge didn't necessarily need to be neat, orderly and 100% correct; it was a side project moving forward like other side projects. With the apartment out of the picture, the only thing running at 100% is the day job. That means everything else is ultimately chaos. I'm beginning to realize a lot of people must live their life this way.

But what a weekend! Slaved away the better part of the break but took the day off on Monday. Got off "early" on Friday (which meant 10 hours) and ran errands- dropping things off at the parents then to the lodge to putter and clean. Attempted to run the tractor and discovered I was out of fuel. Back into town for gas, extension cords and a case of oil I had at the parents. Ben came out later that eve and landed a hand on some projector trials out in the DI lot; I was beat as was he and he took off in short order. Managed a decent night's sleep.

Saturday was my big fix-up day. That's actually what I called it. The big fix-up day. I started with the tractor: first an oil change, then the filter..that turned into a fiasco. I'm thinking it had been a few years based on the remains of the metal cartridge I removed. Cara went off to run errands and I moved on to changing the oil in Blazer. Next was dragging two different lengths of aluminum ladders to each telegraph pole along the tracks. One, lightweight but only long enough to reach the lower crossarms, the other heavy as all sin, especially when being drug through waist-high weeds, avoiding holes and mounds from hidden, rotting ties. If you're looking for an exhilarating experience, try clinging to the top of a ladder perched in a thicket of sumac on un-even ground, leaning against a 100-year old creosote pole full of holes, with cross arms attached by luck and perseverance. I managed to get the old galvanized hardware to cinch-up after years of wind and storms had worked the nuts loose several inches(!). Obviously the crossarms were mostly swiss-cheese but they're no longer at risk of failing due to loose hardware.

Heat-stroke nearly set in on this little task, but the job is done. After a break I moved detritus from the side yard out to the fenceline, cursed at the mole and wired up a low-voltage control box in the pumphouse. Next, time to mow. I got the Farmall going and tackled mowing up at the road and started on the parcel south of the lodge. Cara took over the push mower and worked the west side. By twilight we had most of it done and settled down for burgers on the grill. A perfect evening, too. Cara's friends came out later that night for a tour but I was bushed.

Sunday, more of the same. A late breakfast also brought an unknown comedy- "The Last Time I Saw Archie", starring Robert Mitchum and Jack Webb. It was going to be a hot-one so I took the opportunity to make a no-bake Oreo dessert for later.

Cara ran the mower and we cleared the side yard entirely. I augured a hole for the clothesline post, filled it with peagravel then mixed up cement. With Cara's aid we plumbed the post and let it set up for the day. I moved on to raking down the hill-o-dirt in the septic area and then fought the dry ground, burying the horseshoe pit frames and filling with 70lb tube sand. I put together a patio table I had on hand and found a shaded niche for it under one of our few large trees, out near the pits.

Ben, Cam and Katherine showed up shortly after the work was done and we settled down for a mediocre game of bocce-ball followed up with a series of practice rounds of horseshoes. The weather was more fitting for conversation than a test of skill but nobody was interested in making a big night of it. Just as well, we were whooped. The next day was set for leisure. After organizing the upstairs, Cara got laundry going while I tackled ironing. I pushed the Kirby around while she scrubbed the bathroom. We packed cold chicken, the picnic blanket, the AM radio and some high life's and hit the road.

The Parkersburg recovery is nothing short of astounding. Eerie, actually, being that _everything_ is new. Two years ago the tornado came through and we had driven the same route 24 hours before. This time, we picked up snacks, lemonade and pasta salad at the new grocery store, Brother's Market. Excellent prices for a small town affair. The afternoon was terrific for a picnic at Pine Lake and 1330 came in crystal clear. After traipsing around the countryside we made it home around 7:30 with enough evening light to sit outside and take in the cleared yard and lazy sunset. I wish the sleep that night were as relaxing but a whole lot of bumps-in-the-night and an over-zealous bat made it a rough one.

A Relief from the Heat

Well, it's official. We're living at the lodge. Turned out our schedule synchronized perfectly with mother nature's humid wrath. We got our start early Saturday morning with help from the parents, moving the other section of the couch, the mattress and box spring, and countless boxes. For the help we all went to J's for breakfast enroute to the lodge. Excellent food. Extremely disappointing service.

Unloaded the works a little past noon, headed to the parents with the extra box spring and to pick up an NOS lawn spreader I've had in the basement for some time. A quick turn-around then the great unpacking. It was a long, hot, humid day. The floors were sweating as much as we were.

Life is in disarray at the moment. Face it, people like stability. Some like to be in control, others need to feel like they're under someone's care (control). When the markers and sign posts one relies on (I watch the news at this time, I hang my keys here, milk goes on this shelf, I keep my important papers there) are upheaved, things get topsy-turvy real fast. Add to that open contruction items and a yard missing a Sanford and Son sign.

In the last month my work "situation" has congealed, so to speak. To use a poor comparison, it's like a person finding out they have a terminal illness. Alive and going through the motions as if they were unaware, but the knowledge that things are/will be changing sometime in the future makes the present difficult. I can see how after years of the same, people come to rely on their jobs and careers as crutches. The same desk, the same familiar names in Outlook. Showing up at the same time each day. No wonder the true-blue hard working salary folk drop dead of a heart attack within a year of retirement. Sure, no one's forcing the "job change" on me, and that's the problem…the easiest thing to do would be to continue on that straight and narrow. But, when you've truly convinced yourself, whether the markers are there or not, you no longer can see them.

Next on the screed blog, the inevitable conundrum of 'stuff'. I take a lot of flack for the state of the parent's basement, but 95% of the things down there are discrete. A washing machine, a console TV, table radios, iMacs, etc. Stuff toaster size and smaller gets put on shelves. The rats nest of wires and parts and junk that were on the workshop shelves was sorted and tossed this past winter. All that remains of the horror-of-horrors are the workbench tops. But, I know what's down there and pretty much where it is. Where I get in trouble is when I put things in boxes. I use the same methodology when packing stuff to move. Put like things in one box and don't mix. Perfect time to sort stuff that maybe wasn't sorted pre-move. Mark clearly. Inevitably, this leads to the "I remember this" exclamation sometimes heard by others at the parents when I do come across a cardboard box I haven't opened in ages.

Here's the rub…the lodge is a showcase venue rather than a storage building. As strange as this sounds coming from a guy with half a dozen blenders, "clutter" drives me nuts. Clutter is in direct opposition to the modern aesthetic. The entry "room" of the lodge now has a couple washers, couches, a sheet of plywood, power tools and cardboard boxes up to my waist. I know it's only temporary, and as long as the boxes are organized, I'm cool with it, but I know Cara takes it personally as I grouse around searching for a pair of socks. What I'm trying to avoid is a repeat of the neighbors up the street. They moved from Dubuque to CF when I was a kid and I distinctly remember there always being an unpacked box or two upstairs, and loads of moving boxes in the basement. Made excellent building materials for forts, and I don't know if they ever did unpack them all.

And the new sleeping digs….it'll take some getting use to. Curtains will be much appreciated over the clerestories and the cable is in place. I worked Saturday PM installing the cut-to-width wood blinds in the upstairs north windows which helps some. No joke, the moon was so bright Monday night shadow puppets were clearly visible on the upstairs wall.

Toiled Sunday in the heat focusing strictly on yard work. Rolled out and soaked the grass seed blankets on the east side of the cement pad, wired up a recept next to the lower deck, and planted two yews along the east foundation wall. Far too windy to seed the lawn. Ran into town for another round of apartment pick-up and grabbed some Godfather's for dinner. To give you an idea of how packed our Coldspot is, finding room for a couple slices of pizza was a real challenge. Sunday night, better sleep.

Monday, spent 10 hours on the line and an hour in the office. The line had the heat and humidity of the 90+F exterior temps without the aid of the breeze. Chillers do nothing for the dew point. Attempting to 'turn the other cheek', I stopped off for a cold one at the PL enroute to the apt for more of the discrete things (laserdisc player, microwave, shelves, etc.) The temps inside were cool, I assumed from the A/C but it could have been since Mel was bartending. Cam dropped in and we shot some pool after a few beers and an enjoyable egg. I parted ways, headed towards the hill, then to the lodge to unload and "relax".

A few more days of this and the 3-day weekend is upon us. Looking forward to it.

A Thursday Summary:

5:30 AM Up. Coffee. Not too tired, not too awake.

Two and a half hours of sitting in an auditorium watching other departments present their quarterly improvement projects; then presenting ours. Really? This is how I spend my waking hours? I'll show YOU a project. At least there were complimentary cookies, streusel and Diet Dew.

Immediately following: 15 minute return. Half hour at the desk for email. 15 minute...return.

11:30 to 5. A metrics summit. Q notes. Warranty. Culture change. Really? This is how I spend my waking hours? At least there were complimentary cookies, pizza and Diet Dew.

5 to 5:30: email and followup with the super.

6 to 8: Menards for two Yews, grass seed, seed blankets, a bag of cement, etc. Most of the time spent in the rain.

8 PM: Fuel: $70. FR Tire Pressure: 15PSI.

8:15: Turn on my personal cell to find this text: "You expressed interest in the Montana Bakken Shale Formation, largest oil discovery in US history. Serious inquiries only. If still interested, reply = OIL."

8:22 Dry Cinnamon Toast Crunch. Vodka.

8:27 Shale formation, eh?

Bar Furious

So it's Friday morning, I'm at work, pretty much breezing through the day, figuring what it'll take to earn minimum OT and getting any open ends tied up before leaving town. I had been up a little later than usual the night before getting my things together but I had some pep in my step and the sun and warmth that greeted me on the way out of the concrete bunker made the trip north quite enjoyable, even if 5PM twin-cities traffic is a PITA.

Rolled into Coon Rapids a touch before 5 and a glimpse of turquoise in a garage behind the house let me know I had found my destination. The weekend had begun. I found Ben pounding away at a stubborn transmission still attached to a washer in the basement. Don, the proprietor, showed me around. Plenty of cool toys and not enough space at his quiet suburban abode. I threw a little water on my face, changed shirts, and we met the group of washer afficionados at Bar Abilene after a quick stop at R*bert's. Delcious food but a long wait to get our orders prepared (there were 18 of us). I was starting to drag by the end of dinner, and there was little to keep my attention. After settling our bills (and watching 16 of the 18 cough up 15 dollars each for a single drink, ugh) we took a stroll downtown to a grocery store known for their wide selection of laundry detergents and additives. No joke.

I was doing better Saturday after a short night of sleep on the living room couch. Lots to work on, including disassembly of a unit-bearing motor, as I learned they were called, and some playing around with a late 40's RCA hi-fi set that needed a little bit o' TLC. That eve was the big shindig though my interests of late have been quite muted for reasons I don't know. No matter, it was good to chat it up. En route Don, Ben, Geoff and myself stopped at a vintage music store specializing in only 78's. Also a 50's diner Supply Business. Most everything started at several hundred and only went up from there. Extremely cool place, however. Then to Matt's, a 50's era bar, for Grainbelt on tap and Juicy Lucy's- homemade hamburgers with cheese melted inside the patty. Terrific.

We were all pretty worn out by the time we got back to Don's. I bedded down and checked the speed of the vintage Kenmore box fan at my side using my finger tips. With two weeks left to get a month's worth of things completed, I resigned to returning home Sunday afternoon and using Monday vac to dig in. Don cooked up a helluva Sunday breakfast and I put together the GE fan we were working on and R&R'd the pushbutton mechanism for the RCA before getting his turntable "un-gummed". Left late afternoon for IKEA, spent a couple hours there with a list in hand, then to the open road for a quick and quiet return trip.

I slept in as best I could Monday, gathered laundry, dropped off recyclables, deposited my state check and did some grocery shopping on the way to the lodge. First was unloading the washer and dryer pair riding in the Blazer. Cleaned them up with a little surface cleaner and they look like a million bucks. Unloaded the bulk of Ikea stuff, stained the lower deck perimeter, stained the last board for the pumphouse, transferred a load of fridge items from the apt to the Coldspot, got laundry going and set to work installing steel cables upstairs for curtains with supports between every clerestory window. Measured lower window frames, changed in a fresh fuel filter on the Farmall, charged the battery, hung out laundry, began marking and cutting the new blinds with the miter saw, got dinner going, used whatever light left to bundle and cut the last two blind sets and then cleanup and put away the tools as the sun set.

That was yesterday. Today…5PM? Exhausted.

'82 Oldsmobile

The weekend- Spent most of it sleeping. Well, that's not true….sleep-walking perhaps. I had taken Friday off hoping for decent weather which was not to be. However, it's been a long time that I can say I really slept in; the overcast gray skies and drawn shades gave the illusion it was still 5-something AM despite the morning moving by. Packed boxes, and the Blazer, most of the day as the rain came and went repeatedly. Finally succumbed to taking a load out late in the afternoon and spent an hour or two working on the ETC getting it jacked up, removing exhaust parts and breaking loose the motor mount nuts. I was still feeling a little under the weather from a 24 hour bug but the sleep certainly helped. Got home, hot shower, and met Ben down at the PL. Cam joined in after the crowd died down and we finished the night with pool, drinks and excellent picks on the juke.

Saturday, Ben dropped by early afternoon and gave a hand moving out the bookcase, dresser and one of the couch sectionals. Once again, overcast skies that did nothing to help our resolve. Ben took off for a nap, I went upstairs to continue my indifferent lethargy. Finally, suggesting Cara and I go for a walk, we took a tour of the hill and decided to stroll downtown and pickup a couple half-racks of ribs at Zippy's. They did not disappoint. The evening air was brisk but a walk down some of CF's backstreets reveals some interesting houses and interesting details you wouldn't normally notice. Caught Betty White's monologue and got some sleep.

Imagine my surprise when I threw open the blinds to find sunlight and decent temps Sunday morning. Up and at 'em we grabbed breakfast and stopped by the 'rents on the way to the lodge. I took the opportunity to tear apart Cara's door panel- removed her old cracked-up passenger side mirror, and with a little patience, installed the new one. Put it all back together without breaking anything in the process.

Then to the lodge where we spent the afternoon mowing. I put the pushbar on the new mower for Cara while she got the Maytags started, then it was fightin' time with the Farmall trying to get it to run right; either an intake gasket leak, plugged fuel filter or time for a carb rebuild. Limped her along and cut around 2 acres while Cara must've cut a good 3/4 herself. Then to the road with shovel and saw. The new mailbox is now in place (but for how long?) The sky changed from clear blue to steel-gray as I mended the pasture fence near the gate on my way out.
Still feeling rather indifferent, I indulged in the delcious italian cheese bread and pizza Cara picked up, had some moscato and closed down the eve with a little MadMen.

Full Tilt Boogie

I've finally gotten a dose of summer the way it use to be. It's been OT like mad up until this week and outside projects and the move have kept me busy. No surprise then that I'd get home after a long day, knock out a few things on the powerbook, then barely be able to keep my eyes open by 9PM. BUT, this week is a 'layoff week' which means, that while I've still got to show up for work, the pace is easy, the hours are short, and the annoyances, few. Seems all I need to put a bounce in my step and shift attitude is some good weather and the prospect of something other than the mind numbing mundane.

Busy weekend. Had to put off the epoxy paint until Saturday due to the rain and humidity that rolled through Friday night. Had a good time down at the PL even though we never connected with Micah and Co. Sat morning the sun was out and the temps fine. Cara and I got a jump on the paint project, having finished the masking and the mopping and the sweeping. As the floor cured we worked feverishly outside through late afternoon and early evening, mowing, hauling, sorting, towing. Still more to be done but things were looking good in the yard. Got back to the apartment to clean up and head downtown to meet my mom's college friend and her new husband as well as catch up with her daughters. Busy place but good food. Stuck around an hour or so amongst the friendly strangers before heading back, but not until an awkward moment where I was momentarily detained as a random girl chatted it up with Cara and I while attempting to "scratch and sniff" my shirt (the pattern looked like cherries).

Even though I had caught a few extra hours sleep Sat and Sun I was still feeling pretty drained, no doubt my body trying to recover from 50+ hours inside a windowless factory breathing in solvent and diesel fumes. That said, I got to the lodge Sunday a bit before Ben arrived, made myself some breakfast and started moving things around. He showed up with tools in tow and we started tearing apart the '85. We made good progress before a) the reality of all the krep in place still holding the drivetrain in sank in, and b) Ben getting a call that he'd be dispatched to Moline shortly. Cara went shopping and I spent the rest of the day moving powertools and furnishings back onto the freshly painted floor as a warm Iowa evening settled in. Sat down outside and cracked a beer.

Around a month ago I took my manager by surprise by setting up a meeting. Her, with my immediate supervisor/manager (we'll call him... Gary), needed to regain hand and attempted a bit of table turning Monday, 8AM. No sweat. All said and done I could tell by the look on Gary's face that he was confident things would play out 'by the book' (go figure), the look on his manager's face whom I set the original meeting up with revealed a far more realistic understanding of the situation. I revealed none of my cards.

Interestingly, the Universe tossed me a few bones that morning . It's not often I buy into the 'everything happens for a reason' argument, but I will say that statistically, there will be times in a person's life that analysis and perception intersects with events, situations and ideas so close to home that it just might as well be crafted by a higher power.

Took advantage of the warm afternoon to pickup some parts and change the oil and solenoid on the '76. With weather so nice it didn't matter that I found myself mopping up thick, black oil off the parents driveway with soaked paper towels in very torn denim...as the sun set.

An even slower day Tuesday but a day to set my own terms had me renewed when I clocked out. Picked up a load of groceries, stopped by Menards for a hefty price adjustment, ordered some parts for the ETC, and filled the Blazer with boxes full of books and yarn and shoes and what-have-you. Cara and a friend from work kept at the packing and we hauled it all out to the lodge as black clouds began to roll in and rain threatened. Got things sorted out and I spent the last hour inspecting the transmission I bought earlier this year and assembling the new mower (swapping motors back) before the spotty rain chased me back inside.

Pro-Ductive-Weekend

It's been a relaxing 3-day break of getting-things-done around here. Took Friday off after last week's lost-weekend, which meant Thursday night I could finally relax. Hit up Menards after work, then pointed the Blazer for the lodge. It was already 6 when I got out there and changed but the threat of rain the rest of the weekend meant I better get busy. I finally was able to change the magneto cap on the Farmall and fire her up legitimately. Once up and running, I set forth to mowing the remainder of the drive-in acre and did so until just about sundown when Ben and Cam made an impromptu visit. We spent the remainder of the night taking in the good weather on the deck and trying out a number of LP's upstairs. Got to bed around 2 and was up a few hours later as Cara gathered her things for an Indiana trip.

Friday it rained off and on- worked around the apartment taking care of some chores and getting some things boxed up, then Lodge bound to tackle a list of indoor items including re-gasketing the fridge with a gasket that's the number I ordered but suspiciously looks like something else, and cleaning up and rewiring the low-voltage control cabinet over the main breakers (finally). Spent the majority of the day there working on this, that and the other before heading home with Little Caesar's, PBR and Casino on LD. Put in a good night's sleep in anticipation of getting up early for the Janesville city-wide sales Sat morning.

Which turned out to be a bust. Found a couple things, but the rain put a damper on festivities and sale after sale turned up nothing but kids clothes. Even struck out in Waverly. The skies began to clear by mid-morning and I set my sights to working on the tractor. With tool chest rolled to the side door I cleaned up electrical connections and wiring, tightened every loose nut and bolt on the old girl and played with the mower deck belt routing and tensioning. Stopped at the parents for a quick lunch and picked up my tax check, then to the apt to load up all the boxes Cara had packed for the lodge move now that the rain had stopped. Took some time to get the Fleetwood listed on eb*y and filled up a 5gal can of gas before making a return to Union Road. With an hour or two of light left, I finally got everything adjusted on the Farmall and decided to give the mower a shot at the "short grass" directly south of the Lodge. Even with her dull blades she made good work of it. Made the final pass as the sun disappeared over the horizon, then brought in the boxes. Finished the last piece of upstairs interior trim, an outlet on the downstairs side wall, and unpacked some of my things upstairs before heading in.

Sunday, yet again up with the alarm. This time, for Menards (again). Gray. Dreary. Rainy. Made a quick breakfast before setting sail. Absolute madhouse. Bought a mower, and a tree, among other rebates. (surprise, Cara!) Had planned to pick up rock, pavers and sand but gave up in disgust. Returned to the lodge doing a cool 30 MPH with branches dancing out the back hatch. Fought the mole's dirt piles (more like mud piles) and got the new tree in the ground. Tore into the new mower to discover not only is it 2" narrower (this I knew) but you have to unbolt all 4 wheels with wrenches when you want to change height. Forget that. Brought the old mower in and pulled the blades off both. Swapped the Briggs engine onto the old deck but with it's shorter shaft, I'm limited to the 20" blade. At least the wheels are easily adjustable. And more under-deck room to alleviate blade binding in wet grass. Wired in a lightning arrester into the shed. Said nuts to this weather and made it back to town my mid afternoon to run some errands.

Now....I need a shave and a shower.

Multiple Problems; One Good Solution

When people get together, interesting things happen. And I mean interesting in the "you frickin' morons" sense, not interesting in the "entertaining" sense. To put it bluntly: I am on a ship of fools. The greatest nag of late is that instead of rising above what I do for a living and leading, growing, etc, I am merely being pulled down to the average, to be repeatedly pummeled with hard objects until the numbness leaves me forgetting what I could possibly achieve without these self-imposed shackles. It's easy to conjure a knee-jerk reaction to this on such a gorgeous day, but my mid-term plan is in place and I wouldn't want to be hasty.

In the news:
1. I've achieved a new personal OT best of 67.5 hours in 6 consecutive days.
2. Said days are getting longer, sun is shining, grass and trees are green about a month earlier than last year.
3. I am stuck inside earning OT and unable to enjoy the sun, grass, or trees.
4. The Pruisner's are moving back to CF for what will be a very interesting (there's that word again) summer.
5. My year-long quest for a tractor has come to a satisfactory conclusion.
6. The well is still pulling sediment, but the showers are great.
7. What's not workable is staying at the lodge on weekends without blinds.

It's sunny. It's after 5. Think I'll head over to the parts store. Then collapse.

No Milk Today

No production today, and an hour to kill. Don't feel much like writing, other than to say I am not yet feeling the guilt of squandering good-weather days indoors. The only thing stopping me from not spending every waking minute at work (other than the fact that I have to be here for OT) is lack of conciousness. I've got the option open for more of said financial benefit, but I just can't get up that early on a Saturday. Lazy? Dunno. Tired? Definitely. Some things money can't buy.
How tired is tired? Not that tired. I miss those days of giving 100% well into the middle of the night on some project, propelled along by internal drive until I knew well enough to step away from the workbench. There's a sweet satisfaction to that mental wear-out. Similar to that satisfaction of toil on a hot roof in the sun. The principal difference I can find is that over time, one wears out your back and knees while the other improves by knowledge and determination.

Anyway.

Rushed home from work last night, stopped at Fareway for exceptional deals, hung out at the parents for a few to pick up paint and see the grandparents that made it to town. Then to the lodge for a few hours of toil. Painting. Staining. Grinding. And engine measurements with my new micrometer set. Next thing I knew it was dark out and I hadn't been to the apartment yet. To be honest, the temptation of moving in NOW grows by the day. I burn at least an hour each day between work, the apartment and the lodge just driving the Blazer.

Home, with just a few minutes to wind down before conking out for the night.

T-Minus 2 Months

(Written Thursday)

This has got to be the longest "short week" that I can recall. We've started every day at 6AM, tentatively running 'til 6:30PM. As if that weren't a good base for a long week, add in a comedy of errors trying to thwart our production each and every day. This has included castings arriving from overseas rusty as all get out and unable to be used, changing our schedule significantly (a pretty important casting). Chassis parts out of tolerance requiring (out of plant) re-work to run (put us a full day behind schedule and caused layoff last week). Managers running around trying to explain why our production is not up to snuff. People just not showing up for work. Parts and pieces getting damaged in-plant. A chassis getting dropped. Paint system failure sending 3rd shift home. Etc. Etc. A full two hours of downtime were accrued yesterday and we still laid off early due to material availability. In short, a long week of fire-fighting. Today started no differently but it will end differently.

Exhausted, but work clothes are in the car and temps are expected to be glorious. After work it's lodge time to tackle some staining, engine parts bagging and cleanup, and side deck work. Nothing too wild, a prelude to tomorrow's list (water on for the season?), with, perhaps, a chance to enjoy the balcony or go out for a drink in the evening (or eat at Denny's, score some hard candy and roll a few hobos). Saturday, more of the same, but a load or two may be heading to the lodge, including the vintage Coldspot fridge.

Which brings me to T-Minus 2 months. 'Month 1' the lodge interior will shake off the cobwebs and accumulations of the past season, the floor will see epoxy, the SE corner will see paint and finishing, and the great move-in will begin with a vengence in 'month 2'. By June 1st, out of the apartment and into the lodge. Last night would have been great to enjoy out there with a drink and a book; winds had died down, sun was out and temps were just right. Lots of people hanging out on rooftops around campus. Me? Dead tired and inside. Soon enough though, soon enough.

This CD is a Macintosh to PC Conversion for: Jane Smith

The long and the short of it…. As it turns out, the Panthers lost. Further grim news was that I'd be working a full 8 hours Saturday, starting at 6AM. The Saturday part I can deal with, but the implications of such news would drive a saner person to bed down early Friday night, completely deflating the self-set expectation of blowing off a little steam after a long week of OT. Suffering through the "saner" approach once already, I decided first to work on the lodge after leaving work, then, once home, discovered half a dozen phone calls on my cell about catching the game downtown at 8:30. Well, fine then. It was a pretty decent time though there's only so much Grainbelt I could take and the beer on tap was fairly high caliber for my, shall we say, traditional, palate. Got home in time to catch the last two minutes of the game, then caught a couple hours sleep.

The line ran somewhere between fair and poor the next day and I was pretty whooped by the time I walked out into the open air having dealt with fire-fighting and crappy attitudes. Pointed the blazer towards the parents, caught my second wind, and met Cam and Ben to lend a hand pulling an engine off a stand in the basement. From there, some cold brews, a heater working overtime, and an evening of engine removal and teardown on the '59. Cara stopped out but was none-too impressed with the situation. Meanwhile, we were celebrating our victory of liberating the engine from its bay in record time, without damage to it, or the car. We topped the night off with a sampling of quadraphonic cuts upstairs and a very questionable game of Go Fish. Totally exhausted, I made it back to the apt and collapsed.

The trailing downside of the Saturday-workday is the "lost weekend" feeling. I slept in Sunday as best I could, got myself out of bed to the welcome sight of sunshine, watched Cara go gangbusters cleaning up the porch, and got myself in gear to work on the side deck. A little windy, but you didn't need much of a jacket in the mid-day sun, as long as you kept moving. First though, was a yard cleanup. Took down the snow fences and posts, gathered the scrap wood, tightened down the canvas tarp and moved some steel stock. By "country" standards the yard is just dandy, but the toll of "clutter" is warping my brain. The yard may be my last refuge! We live in a small apartment with Cara's worldly posessions, shared furniture, and my daily things; pretty cramped. Most of my large stuff is packed in the basement not as display but rather an interim 'ready-to-move' basis. Looks like a warehouse in waiting. And then there's the lodge proper, half full of expensive, need-to-keep power tools and materials. Decently arranged, but visually assualting. Everywhere I turn, disorder!

Tackled the side deck while listening to a mix of AM radio and cassettes (huzzah, a player!). Finished up the majority of the planks with the sun threatening to set. Home for a little decompression followed by early bed. Yes, that's right, a week of 4:30 wake-up calls ahead.

Quid Pro Quo

Train wreck. That's how my body felt getting up the past couple days. Almost like the worn-out, hard-as-plywood mattress we've got out at the lodge. I can chalk my aches and pains up to construction-contortions but for whatever reason Cara is really feeling the pain.

Decent weekend with good weather Sunday. Friday, I was worn out from the OT but was still up for a little fun. Picked up my miter saw at Ben's before heading to CF. Met Cam at the PL to blow off some steam. We shot some pool, first against each other (with games rapidly deteriorating), then against a pair of chumps for shots. It all went downhill as I got destracted by the juke, and the other fellow got distracted by beer. In the end, all 4 of us were taking turns chasing the 8 ball around the table to the point that we sulked away embarassed. No shots were purchased.

It's clear spring is on the way. Of course the weather is improving, but the attraction of the PL is waning. The last handful of visits have been lackluster, not the least of reasons I can pin on the surly service from Mel, Miller and co. You'd think someone might offer a hello with the coin we spend there. Friday nights'll be better spent gathering 'round a bonfire or chatting it up on the deck in the sweet spring/summer air; a dollar goes further, too.

Up with the alarm Saturday for an estate sale where Cara and I ran into my parents, who tipped us off on a tag sale in W'loo. Our plan of heading directly to CR was delayed slightly by major re-org time in the back of the Blazer, trying to arrange a dresser, "Roto-Oven 400", cocktail cart and other misc finds (plus the miter saw, still riding with us). The Blazer's radio's rear channels finally went the total freakout route (gotta be bad caps) so we rolled along without the distraction of those commercial broadcasts. Once in CR, I spotted a new church addition that looks like it could have come from my hand (I say that with as little ego as possible), so we stopped for a photoset.

The restore failed to live up to past expections since their policies have shifted to carrying only newer or contemporary colors and fixtures, however, we did score some fixed tempered lites in frames and 4 complete miami window units for Cara's cabin. Pricing was decent, too. Next issue….how to fit 7 windows into the blazer on top of everything else.

Our return trip turned out to be fairly…interesting. CR to Palo, through Shellsburg, Vinton, Dysart, and Traer. Now we both know what "wind up in Traer" means. The original mission was to head for Steamboat Rock but we aborted after considering just how far out of the way it was. Plus we still had this load to, unload. Late afternoon, hit up the parents' place with the rats and laundry. Made a quick trip to the lodge to unload the goods and survey the outer yard. Showed Cara the progress upstairs. Then more laundry, home, and kaput. Full, productive day, to be sure.

Sunday, then, wasn't too bad. For once we had good temps and sun, but a coat was still recommended. I toiled at the lodge, carpetting in the closet, more side deck work, but my mind (and body) were elsewhere. Some leading-edge blocking and landscape cloth and the deck'll be ready for the planks (which I still have to rip lengthwise). With not a trace of August humidity in the air, wasps building nests, nor a weed to obscure the vehicle, I pulled out some cardboard and went about removing the front end and bumper from the Fleetwood in the yard. Few more pieces of trim and interior to yank and it'll be ready for the scrapper.

Now if I only had a place to store this stuff.

Fibonacci's Corduory Conundrum

3/14/10- First day of lodge access.
A bit of a blur but this is how I recall it going down. Sunday- made a stab at heading to the lodge…and succeeded! Still some soggy, heavy, muddy snow blocking parts of the lane in, but once out there, I got busy. Opened some windows and aired the place out. Took off my coat and opened the shellac. Carefully measured the upstairs runs and corners and with only the table saw for assistance, I cut trim to length and shellaced 'em in the sunshine. While drying, I got the closet finished up, charged the compressor and surveyed the open list items. Installed what I could of the baseboard in the bedroom before the clock said it was time to go (actually, all the stock on hand). Had a good sit for a few minutes out on the deck admiring the neighbor's water-front property, then loaded the truck with trash cans and departed.

Still more OT spent at work for the week with a 3:30 reprieve Wednesday. Left work at 4, home at 4:30 to change and pick up my phone, then lodge at 5. Another "big" task closer to completion. The lower side deck still needed supports and joists…with angles. I finished the underpinnings just before the snow came on and there she sat for the winter. Got the difficult stuff done, then shellac'd more trim that I had picked up Monday night after work…..which brings us to…..

Thursday. I realized the night before after getting home that the shellac'd trim was still outside. Shellac and moisture do not mix. This was confirmed Thursday at 6:30 when I got the lodge. So- sand, couple coats of touchup, make a few cuts, move a few things upstairs, and at 7:30, trim was in. Bedroom 94% complete. Now I need the miter saw. Gotta say, even being "worn out": crossing things off my list and taking in the evening light feels 'good'.

Now, on the cusp of a Friday evening, heavy head and a long week behind me. Time to enjoy a bit.

You've Got to Get Up Pretty Early to Beat a Nazi Dictator

Apologies for the slacking, been too darn busy at work lately to bang one out. Get a couple hours of freedom, then hit the sack and do it over again. I figure I can keep it up for a couple more months, pay for an engine rebuild, throw a few bills at cold storage 2, then look for new opportunities when the Iowa summer comes alive. 2010, a pivotal summer to be sure.

I may have mentioned this theory before, but batting it around recently at the PL with Ben brings it back to the top of the heap. Lots was discussed, including "lucky money". There are those that think they should get paid more no matter what they currently make; these people tend to complain incessently about everything. But on the flip side there are those making average incomes for work the individual feels they're being over-paid for. Lucky Money. The more I think about it though, it comes down to the worker's mentality because let's be honest, you can lose a ten dollar bill on a can of good coffee and a loaf of bread, and the more I look around, the more I realize how little work ethic and honest skillset is available on the market. And while flipping burgers at McD's may be the cliché'd pissant job, someone that digs ditches for a living in the summer heat might think a clean uniform and air conditioning for minimum wage is Lucky Money. Perspective I guess.

Had a grand weekend- after an atypical Thursday night out, I was starting to drag by the time I got home Friday at 6. Picked up Cara and stopped at the parents, who were back from their lengthy excursion down South. Nothing ground-breaking to note in the few minutes I was there; swapped stories, then bustled back to the apt to change. Made it downtown at 8 and met up with Ben at Toad's for a gut-busting chicken sandwich and frosty mugs of Coors (ahem, light). After dinner the three of us dropped in on the PL for a drink and were appalled at the scene- the place was loaded with 20-somethings and the roar of conversation and tunes on the juke was deafening. Ben, no doubt tired from standing at the bar, took his leave with us nipping at his heels. No sleeping in Saturday, had a job to do.

Up with the alarm, dressed, coffee at kwikstar and on the road. Spent the day helping a friend sheetrock a ceiling…. 3 scaffolds up! Perfect day for it as the weather was generally gray all day so no loss on outside activities. By dark we had the final panels up and I pointed the Blazer back towards CF. Got home, toiled at some design, then passed out.

Fibonacci's Secret

A quick check of the archives reveals a fast-paced Feb '09. I had just gotten back from a whirlwind Florida trip. The month was moving by very quickly. I built the kitchen island out at the lodge (which I remember very well- it was a dry cold out there but sunny and I spent a long day with the kerosene heater, circ saw and clamps getting everything built up "just so"). Feb '10, however, is proving to be an opposite in many ways. No longer are there the post-work obligations of years past, and even though my hours at work fly by, the month drags on like a cement star being pulled across a field on a sheet of plywood.

The weekend that wasn't. Friday night was crippled by the fact I would have to get up at some ridiculous hour Saturday. Saturday was crippled by spending the morning at work, and exhausting the afternoon trying to make up for shut-eye lost. Sunday was crippled by all-around lethargy from the days prior. The silver lining, however, was Sat night. Despite feeling slightly achy and tired when Cara and I arrived at the PL (temporary bug?), it wasn't too long before the ship turned around. Drinks flowed like it was going out of style. We lined the pockets of steroid Steve and even gave ol' man Yukon Jack a try. I can honestly say, I had a great time.

Sunday was laundry, but not before hitting up HyVee for lunch, after striking out at Waffle Stop and Village Inn. Places were packed solid. A little tip- the all you can eat pizza buffet also includes the calzones and sausage rolls, which normally sell for a couple bucks each anyway. Not a bad deal; plus a chance to catch up on the 'paper and ads since we don't subscribe. Got things done over at the parents and took in one of the 'Pirates of the Carribean' flicks on TV.

Looks like another week of potential OT headin' my way. An excellent motivator to do a little more homework on my latest scheme.