Author: peterb51

10th October 2017

The message came through that the wine rack unit was sold, the rumbles of panic were there, but as the chairs were nearly ready, it didn’t break out.

I needed to get to work on the sewing cabinet conversation. I already had the top made, but it needed a shelf inside. Some of the wood from Fido’s coffin came in useful, so that was laid-up.

I started to oil up the dining table top, this is a deep red mahogany colour, and should look great.

Of course the temperature outside has dropped, so the oil is taking an age to dry, damn it.

9th October 2017

I have done some dumb things in my time, but this one scales new heights. I needed a piece of batten to fix to the top of Fido’s coffin, I attempted to use a piece that had a split in it. So instead of cutting a new piece, I glued and clamped the split!!!

I progressed Fido’s coffin by fixing a new base and cut the top, progress has been slow because of other priorities, but I’m waiting for Kelli to say that I have taken it from being a crap piece to being a very different crap piece. However we always need storage, now whoever said that? Mmm something from my past.

We started work on the chairs, one looked like it had been used in a fight, so I repaired it as best as I could. They would compliment the round dining table at Lakeshore, so these should be ready for tomorrow.

I spent a lot of time trying to fit a drawer into the returned unit. I had salvaged runners from an old tv cabinet. The end result was awful. It was rougher than a badgers ass, so they were consigned to the scrap bin.

At that point of the day, I gave up, and poured a glass of red.

8th October 2017
It was a perfect day for a walk on the beach. It was warm, sunny, and a deep blue sky.

The lake was choppy, and the waves were breaking on the pier. Boats of all sizes were attempting to tackle the waves, and many just turned round and came back. What a bunch of weedy, fine-weather sailors they were. There was no sense of adventure, they were not the calibre of sailors who took part in the Dunkirk evacuation.

For the past thirty days I have been taking in a yoga class on YouTube. Now I know what comments I can expect, but this is something new.

Kelli has been practising it for a number of years, and has been trying to get me to take it up for a while. I have tried a number of DVD’s teaching the basics with a little success. My favourite position is laying flat on the floor, and I have been known to fall asleep and miss the entire session.

This time I had no excuse, I could start the day energised and dynamic, well that’s what the intension was.

It came as quite a shock when I realised how stiff I was. I felt like an old Twig that would snap with all the bending I was trying to do. I set myself a goal of just being able to touch my toes, and at the end of this course I was close. 

It certainly gives Kelli something to laugh at, as the sound of falling timber hits the ground when my sense of balance failed me.

My favourite position still hasn’t changed, and I may not be able to achieve some of the more complex positions, but I don’t care. If I can become more flexible, and it improves the quality of my life, then it is perfect. I also will be able to pick up any loose change from the floor without sounding like a creaking door.

7th October 2017

It’s Saturday, a rest day, a day when I can’t even get into the garage for stuff. Just turning the lights on is like a scene from Indiana Jones, where one thing falls, hitting something else that causes a cascade of thing crashing all around me. I must either finish something or tidy the place.

We drove to Grand Rapids for lunch with friends Steve and Cathy Love. These are two people I have always held in high regards. Their stories have lifted, and inspired me. 

On the way back, Kelli couldn’t help herself, and visited ” Goodwill” to see what was available.

She found four solid wooden chairs that could go with the table I am working on. “Where are we going to store them? we have no room.”

“We’ll keep them in the truck” she said ” 

I know this is true, and as the four blue chairs had just sold, it seemed too good an opportunity to miss. Guess I’ll be working in the garage tomorrow then.

6th Oct 2017

There is one job I hate, and that is hand sanding. Kelli needed the top of the Freebie cabinet sanding as it had been powder coated. An hour later, and covered in white dust, I was done, it was ready. 

Other jobs included cutting down a drawer to fit into a returned unit, hopefully to make it more saleable.

I also took the table bases apart, or more like they fell apart as I removed the screws. One was pretty bad and I may have remake it.

Larry’s tree is continuing to change, but it is still pleasant, with overnight rain, leaving the days warm and sunny.

A subject that leaves me confused is the toilet paper available in the US. I believe it is manufactured on a comparison to air.

The cheap stuff is one times thicker than air, and the most expensive is four times. Anyhow it is all crap, compared to this, the paper available in the UK is like bed linen.

The rolls look normal until you come to use them, then they’re gone. If you drop a sheet on the floor, it disappears, or, it never reaches the floor, and just floats away. The toilet paper industry must be making a fortune, especially with the new administration, usage must have tripled.

Justin “bloody” Hayward is still dominating the airwaves, and just when “God only knows” by the Beach Boys came on, Kelli switched it over.

“What did you do that for?” I asked. “Oh, because it’s been on ten times before” she replied.

5th October 2017

I had high hopes for the day, a long task list, and a hungry appetite to complete them.

I started with the small table that virtually fell apart when I touched it. I have called this the POS (piece of shit) table.

Stripping off various loose bits enabled me to re-glue the split panels, and get on with the next job.

One of the drawers on the freebie had to be rebuilt, which was relatively straight forward.

Laid up a door for Fido’s coffin, and laid up a piece of redwood for the top.

Started to put the trim pieces on the Apocalypse unit, soon these can be handed over to Kelli to transform.

Later I was able to sand the sides of the POS, so that is now ready for painting.

4th October 2017

“Quick! There’s a dresser on twenty seventh”

I had just settled down to my first coffee.

“It’s just been posted twenty minutes ago, let’s get there quick”

Kelli emerged with her “nazi” cap firmly pulled down on her head, as she rushed towards the truck. So leaving my coffee I followed.

“It’s this side of town, really close”

That was an understatement.

Twenty-fifth, Twenty-sixth, where has twenty-seventh gone? The GPS coughed into action, its miles away. That only heightened the tension, would it still be there? Was the car in front going to the same place? it was like a gold rush.

I was prepared for a violence confrontation, Kelli can be a formidable opponent when there is something going for free, and she wants it. I would gladly stand back and hold the car keys.

As it happens no-one else turned up, and after a quick assessment we loaded it into the truck triumphant.

Today was delivery day for the dining table and small bench, both turned out well, and heading for Lakeshore Marketplace.

On the way back we stopped off at Goodwill to see what treasures were there. Kelli eventually purchased a small table that I had been resisting. ” it only needs a bit of glue to repair it” she said. Reality is the panels had split due to humidity, but I gave in, and we loaded it into the truck. There was another stop to pick up another dining table from a private seller. The price was good, but once we got it back, I realised the bases were held together with screws, and I would not be happy letting that go without extensive repair.

3rd October 2017

Visiting Grand Rapids for the annual Art Prize exhibition. When I was asked if I wanted to go, I thought they were saying “Our Price”. Therefore my response was ” Wow! You have Our Price here” which was met with strange look.

It appeared like most of Grand Rapids was involved in the Art Prize event, with street art as visible as those in the exhibition halls.

Even the river had a role to play.

There was even a collection of begging signs that an artist “bought” and displayed along a corridor. It was an illustration of the different worlds that co-exist in this so-called land of opportunity.

2nd October 2017

Temperature back to the 80’s for the next few days, so short sleeves it is.

Took the new things to Hudsonville and refreshed the space. 

On the way back we went to the usual haunts, but there were slim pickings.

Still shocked at the new from Las Vegas, when will people here realise that automatic weapons are for killing people. No amount of prayers can help those poor victims, but stronger gun control could reduce them.

There is no easy answer, like most things here there is a financial aspect to it. Let people have their guns, but charge them a thousand bucks per bullet.

I might get into a serious rant about this subject again in a few weeks, when there are more killings.
Poor Tom Petty popped his clogs as well, that was sad news, he was a rock icon, and someone who influenced my musical taste. We are slowly running out of these great rockers.
Kelli sold her two bedside cabinets this evening, yay for her.

There is a bit more space in the garage at the moment, so room to work on Fido’s coffin.

The big round table base has been painted, so I must start staining and oiling the top.

1st October 2017

Another day of rest sacrificed to finish the few furniture pieces we have. A dresser, and bed were finished and loaded into the truck for delivery to Hudsonville tomorrow.

I completed the grey staining to the bedside cabinets, it’s okay, but there is not much grain to show through.

We took a bike ride to the beach to break up the day a bit. There are very few people about due to the change in the weather, which makes it more fun. 

Following the undercover surveillance, (well checking with the mail delivery person again) we found out that the English lady’s name we couldn’t remember was Lesley. That will make future conversations less embarrassing. I must get a stock of beers in, Mike looks like he could handle a few.