The mornings have a different smell now, as we head towards Autumn there is a bite in the air.
I have always been reminded of these smells at the different times of the year. Holidays and the first day return to school were quite distinct as were the different countries I have visited.
There are the unpleasant smells as well, one being the Heinz pickle factory that we pass on our bike ride to the park. One would expect the smell of pickles, but no, this smells like the pickles have just used the toilet, nasty.
Bangalore had quite different smells, cross a river and you needed to hold your nose, but the parks were an array of many fragrancies.
There was the thick smoke from the traffic that often masked the incense from the temples.
These reminders are what I carry around in my head and it’s not easy to convey to others.
It was a fiver night, just those few hours to sleep. It was a hard time, and unfortunately I was not in the best frame of mind to lend my support. I wish there was a pattern to the behaviour, something that I can understand.
Kelli can go about ten days between events.
Despite that setback, she made a great effort to put it behind her and get on with her day.
She did a lot of sanding to a oak dresser, getting it ready for painting, whilst I managed to turn some good timber into waste and sawdust.
We had a good ride in the morning checking on progress of the farmhouse that appeared to have stalled. No progress has been made for several weeks now, and with the autumn around the corner they should have least worked on the roof.
We sold the dark dresser, it had taken longer than was normal, but a couple from Muskegon came to collect. I helped to load it into the back of the van, but first the guy had to make room. It was filled with junk, it looked like they hadn’t used the back door for ages.
There were all kinds of beach equipment along with empty bottles and cans. It made our truck look clean. But it was good to see the piece go.
Later in the afternoon a guy turned up to collect the two bar stools. These had been hanging around for a couple of weeks, making us doubt our original buying decisions.
Now we have two pieces that we are trying to turn into gems, a bit of a task, but we continue to be optimistic.
The early morning awakening is back. Kelli awoke at 3.30 and couldn’t get back to sleep.
This single thing ruins the whole day. I can usually ride this storm, but it effected me more this time.
We had a number of tasks to do that we forced ourselves, we had to drive to Zeeland to collect a supplement that she was short of, then back to Holland to do the weeks shopping. It was gone three before I was able to do any project work.
It was difficult to concentrate, I would walk about trying to focus on what needed to be done.
It took me a while, but I worked on the doors for the kitchen unit commission. All the materials I have used was recycled timber, there were knots and nail holes that had to be filled. When completed I will have used a whole tube of wood filler, what a great product.
There are many really noisy cars that drive up and down South shore. It’s like they don’t have any silencers, it rattles the windows and makes the dogs bark.
There is alway the distinctive sound of the V8’s throbbing, but this sound is brutal.
Kelli alway rolls her eyes and says that it’s to make up for some male shortcomings.
Kelli dropped me off at Starbucks so that I could treat myself to a coffee and a cake whilst she went to Plato’s to sell even more clothes, and then on to Goodwill for god know what. She messaged me later to tell me the truck was ready to collect. As she was out and about I would have to walk.
Easier said then done as I would have to cross six lanes of traffic. There is the cursory pedestrian signal, but it was the distance. In a car, things seem closer together, but on a walk reality hits home.
After crossing the big road I picked up the pace a bit, I still had coffee in my cup that I gulped every so often, but you really have to stop to do that.
I reached the garage with seven minutes to spare. Angel, the owner, not the arch, was smiling, as he alway does, greeted me. I explained where I had come from, He was surprised, “You need to take things easy at your age” he said jokingly. I reminded him that I have done a lot of walking in my time and wore three inches in height off my legs.
I paid the bill reluctantly, picked up the keys and bid him farewell.
The drive back was much quieter, I could actually hear the radio, not that there was much to listen to, but it made a nice change.
I got home first, and I fed the dogs, I swear they are only pleased to see me when I have a fork in my hand.
Later Cameron came round wanting help to change a lightbulb in his vehicle. He had sent a YouTube video in advance so I was confident that it was easy to do. Three minutes later it was done, nothing broke, or fell down a narrow gap, it was textbook stuff.
We were all poised to take the truck to the garage. There were the complex logistics to take into account, getting Kelli’s mum’s van and picking me up and taking me back, all those kind of things.
Kelli did call ahead just to check but was advised to drop it off tomorrow instead.
Oh well the best laid plans.
I continued to work on the doors for Elaine’s project, gluing up the timber for the door panels.
Later we dropped the truck off at the garage, that saves us getting up too early.
I was excited, today I was going to Larry’s to work on the wheel bearing.
First we drove up to Kelli’s mum to collect a couple of dressers to work on while I was working on the truck.
Finally I was ready to drive over and start work stripping the front wheel.
Larry was waiting in the doorway, as I walked over he said he wasn’t feel well, and could we put it off till next week. He was having trouble breathing, I guess smoking again wasn’t helping. I was disappointed and pissed, but I didn’t want to be responsible for him dying on the job.
We decided to get it done at a garage that we had used before, it was an extra cost didn’t want to make, but what the heck.
The rest of the day was a disaster, I tried cutting up some oak timber, but it was a bit much for my saw, and I didn’t want to burn out the motor.
Then I was about to machine a rebate in the back of the door frames when it started to rain.
So we decided to assemble the Webber grill.
The thing was bloody huge, I cursed that I couldn’t find any assembly instructions.
I started putting things together, realising that I put the wheels on the axles. Then I found the instructions hidden in the first bit of packaging.
Then I found I had fitted the wheels in the wrong order, and because I had fitted the knock-on caps, I had a hell of a job getting them off.
I was fitting legs, taking them off, putting them back on, it was a circus.
I stopped myself putting the handle on the inside of the cover, that would have taken the biscuit.
That is when we took a ride, nothing could go wrong with that, but the pavements were filled with joggers and other bike riders.
I finally got to do my machining without incident, however the grilling of the salmon didn’t go so well, it was taking a long time, we ran out of patience, sticking it in the oven to finish it off.
We did sell the white dresser to a repeat customer, later she sent a picture of it in place, that’s very rewarding.
The nurse managed to remove the temporary one with a miniature crow bar, there was no pain even when she dried the stump with a burst of cold air. There was the dry fit, then an x-ray, that is when the dentist came in on his roller-skates, or so it seemed. He did a bit of grinding to remove a couple of high spots then mixed the special adhesive to bond the crown.
It all took less thirty minutes, I was then back on the road to get home and start work.
But first there was a ride to the park for our exercise.
I drove to Spring Lake to pick up a chair that I bought on Marketplace. I coaxed the truck up the highway, the front wheel bearing was groaning, I had the radio as loud as I could but I couldn’t drown out the noise.
I arrived at a small house and was greeted by the lady of the house. The place was full of Herman Miller furniture including the Situ chair that I had bought.
Driving back the bearing continued to growl, I felt it wouldn’t last much longer, but I did make it back.
We finished a white dresser and posted it, it was sold by the end of the evening.
I had a good trawl through Elaine’s barn picking out timber to finish her project.
She has an interesting house set in woodland halfway along the road to Saugatuck. He garden is decorated with glass sculptures she has created. She had a large lake stocked with carp that come for their food when a bell is rung, it really is a sight to witness.
The barn is full of timber of all sorts, it’s difficult to get to most of it. I found three lengths that I though would be good for the small cabinet door frames.
Once back home I was keen to start, but first we took our bike ride. We went first to Castle point, then back past the old farmhouse to see if there was anymore progress on its restoration.
Unfortunately there was nothing further done. I’m not sure of the plan, we’ve been there during the week and at weekend and seen nobody, not what I expected.
Kelli painted the latest dresser after I removed the top, that had to be stained.
In between that I was cutting the rails and stiles for the doors cutting the half lap joints on my new jig.
Using this was a lot safer, and a bit more accurate than any previous method I used, although with the blade set so high it was a bit scary.
It was a cloudy start to the day, okay for a bike ride. We picked up more eggs from our usual supplier, we must be putting the chickens under pressure these days.
I finished and assembled the last lattice floor into the drawer body, just a bit of trim added and that’s done.
I was due to drive to Elaine’s to pick out some timber for the doors but she cancelled, re scheduling for tomorrow.
That left me with sanding drawers and the dresser carcass for Kelli to prime.
We haven’t made much progress on the garden this year, concentrating on the kitchen took up all the time and resources, that will have to wait until next year.
There has been more talk of an new Autumn lockdown and mask mandate, as a new mutant strain has been identified. It is also a coincidence that a new booster has been developed and is ready to distribute. I guess the vaccine debate will continue, I am not anti- vaccine, it just needs to be tested. If the various governments cannot agree on the virus’s origin, how can they force us to take an untested vaccine for it. I heard that Switzerland have stopped the mass distribution of them leaving it to the individual and their doctor to decide. If the US reinstate any travel restrictions, I will be really pissed off.
It was a grim day, the sky looked like it would open up, the humidity was less, but still oppressive.
We did our shopping one day earlier mainly because there was bugger all left in the fridge
A lot of people say that it’s expensive to eat healthy, I can vouch for that.
I have been listening to a number of discussions about diet and health. I learnt about the Standard American diet or SAD.
It was designed to be cheap, easily transportable and long lasting. So food was loaded with the most vile sweeteners and preservatives that added very little nutritional value, but they tasted good.
Because of that people are prone to eat more, hence the obesity that is so prevalent in America.
Kelli still struggles with the thought of eating meat, but she overcomes that in the belief that it will make her feel better and reduce the need for so many supplements, and doctors visits.
It was bearable enough to work outside, Kelli stripping paint, and I was working on the last lattice base for the final drawer.
The last invoice for the kitchen was paid today officially marking the completion of the project.
It has taken a while, but we’re happy with the result.
Another Lifetime to go 