Author: peterb51

17th December 2025

I heard a terrible commercial on the radio the other day, and it was repeated often during my journey. It is all about income tax, and it was produced by a business that helps people sort out their tax problems.

The theme of the commercial is fear, scaring people to death if they haven’t paid their taxes.

It shouts that the tax authorities will come after you, take your house, empty your bank account, take your passport away and leave you destitute.

This is not the only one, there are others that want to frighten people, and it is disgusting.

But that is what is happening to all of us, everything that is bad is being thrown at us keeping us in a state of unrest and anxious.

Check it for yourself, when is there good news?

TV ads are designed to make you feel inadequate, show food that is not healthy, and show games meant to keep you angry and tense with your opponents.

The distractions are all around us, it’s like the scene from the Truman show, where we are all in a show. 

As I have written many times, I don’t believe anything in the media unless I see it with my own eyes. 

It’s hard to question stuff, we listen, form opinions, take sides and dig a trench from which we defend our beliefs.

The biggest challenge is to climb out of that hole, take one step, and ask why should I believe anything that we are told.

My decision will not change the world, but I will not expel energy that can be harvested by the evil that surrounds us, try it, it’s really liberating.

I took my chair shell to the upholster, other that my renders its was the first time he saw it in the flesh. “It’s big isn’t it? Were his first words.

I explained that it was based on the loveseat that we already have, so it’s actually a seat for two.

We talked about the seat cushion being the first part to get sorted, so Randy, the guy who will help navigate us through the job can work to his hearts content.

 We also delivered the cedar chest and a small table to a customer just outside Holland. Although still covered in snow the small community, mostly built by the same builder, were a collection of very unique houses from hexagons , burms and chalets, all interesting and appropriate for the landscape.

16th December 2025

It was project day, and I was eager to get there to finish the chair shell by attaching the webbing strips.

John wanted to continue to apply finish to his church job. That seems to be going on for ages and although he had tried to explain what the thing would look like, I was none the wiser.

What I can gather is the core is a four legged height adjustable desk frame which is then clad in wood panels, but where I get lost, and I have tried to understand, is between the wooden panels there is a steel sheet which is supposed to a shield in case someone shoots at the pastor. I told John that if he is that bad they should get another pastor.

If everything is assembled, it will weigh a ton and would need a crane to lift it.

I wait with bated breath to see the result.

As far as my own project was concerned, fitting the webbing was relatively straightforward.

Getting it into the truck was a little more difficult.

It was a heavy bugger, both John and myself struggled to lift it, there must be enough timber to equal a small tree, but we did it, and it just about fitted. 

I gave John a notebook to put things he needs to remember, losing memory is a terrible thing, and he is slipping down that slope. Sometimes simple things like using his phone confuses him, and I find myself helping him. I try to make a joke about it, because I don’t want to come across as a carer, I just want to help him.

We start the day with a coffee and a biscuit, I think he is getting used to that, that is repeating once we finish a significant part of our projects.

Driving down to his barn on a Tuesday is my creative release, I just have to keep a list of projects going.

15th December 2025

There was no more snow last night, it is even anticipated that the temperature will rise towards the end of the week. Snow that lasts for weeks is a bit of a drag, it slows everything down, and working in the garage, although insulated, is not the most pleasant place to be.

We finished the cedar chest and took pictures, I hope we can get it sold before Christmas.

There was the usual shopping trip, with an excursion to the north side to collect a dog training cage that was being sold for $15, a bargain. Kelli has used this method for all the dogs she’s had over the years, so we are getting prepared.

I checked out the BBC news for anything about the demonstration in London against digital ID, I had watched a bit of the debate in parliament. Most members agreed what a waste of money it would be, and a thin end of the wedge toward full government control of the people. 

I think back to the plan to centralise everyone’s medical records that cost billions and didn’t work. The big concern is the possibility of the system being hacked and everyone’s information being stolen and sold, I say keep personal information personal, tell the government to piss off.

14th December 2025

At least another four inches of snow fell last night, the snow ploughs were out early clearing the road outside our house. I donned my artic gear and started up the snow blower. I find it fun, although when it blows back it’s not so enjoyable.

I also had to scrape the snow from the roof light above the kitchen. Luckily I had a long rake especially for the job, but with an aluminium handle, without gloves would be dangerous.

So once the cold work was done I did some work in the garage, yes it was cold in there, but sitting on the heater helped as I sanded six drawers and repaired the side panel.

The little colony of birds that live in the holley bush went crazy when Kelli took out seed, as we had breakfast they were flying back and forth feeding their little bodies.

We had a day agreed to view our little puppy, well there are two in the race, I said they should fight to the death, but that wasn’t well received.

So there is a tan or black one to choose from, Kelli being very decisive could decide, so she was getting advice from various friends. 

I’m sure we will take the dark one, then it will be similar to Dharma’s colouring, that would help me distinguish who is who.

13th December 2025

We might have found our next puppy. Kelli has been on the case, and found several animal shelters, and a web site that allowed private breeders to sell with less restrictions.

This breeders person had seven puppies, five male and two female, Kelli wanted one of the females, but despite several messages she got no reply. The animal sanctuary close to Fennville had two puppies that stole her heart, and luckily she was invited to see them and check how Phoebe responded to them, so that is promising.

It was snowing all day, I cancelled the recording session with Chris mainly because Kelli had a bad night, and because of the snow. 

There were things to return to Goodwill, clothes to take to Plato’s and some Amazon returns to arrange.

The loss of Dharma is still felt, there are still tears, but they are less, now the attention to the new addition and the training of a possible new little critter.

12th December 2025

We had a deadline to meet to deliver the dresser.

We had to be in Grand Rapids by 2.00pm, normally not a problem, but there were things we had to do first, mainly just getting the damn thing into the truck was a challenge. At seventy inches long it just fitted, then off to the post office, get petrol then head to the highway.

We got to the address in plenty of time, offloading was slightly easier because there was an extra pair of hands. 

Kelli had noticed a thrift store on the way, of course she wanted to check it out.

It was called the Rustic Market thrift store, and it was huge, and popular judging by the number of cars in the carpark.

We wandered around together for a while, then I went over to the CD area to see what was on offer. I was impressed with the number of Christmas music CD’s, there must have been over a hundred all lined up on the shelf. Most of those I never heard of, but as I moved round to the other section I started looking for Kenny G discs. I found quite a few, so I moved them all together, and I decided that should be my mission whenever I visit thrift stores in the future.

Kelli just rolls her eyes as if to say, sad old git.

We did buy a small Christmas tree decoration, and when I say small it is. You could put two lights on it and that would be overcrowded.

This was because Kelli wasn’t in the mood to get the large skinny one out of the store room. I realised that we have always had mutant Christmas trees. We’ve had, fat, thin, short, tiny, and just visible, nothing normal, we are like a repository for malformed trees.

Kelli  was also keeping tabs on a puppy available with the humane society, today was the day when we would find out if we had the chance to adopt it. The only thing stopping us was another person. This kept us on tender hooks most of the afternoon. We even looked around at Goodwill for a training cage, but we had no luck on that.

Later we were informed that the person had taken the puppy which disappointed Kelli, but like a dog with a bone, she kept looking. I’m sure it won’t be long before we have another tiny mouth to feed.

11th December 2025

It felt very different this morning, it was the first time that only one dog ran out of the spare bedroom. Only one dog ran out into the garden to have a piss, only one dog eating from its bowl, and yes, we knew how difficult things would be now.

Kelli had a rough night, as I expected, I tried to get her to think of the good times that Dharma had. Grief has no constant, it hits at the smallest reminder, then tears flow.

Normally after their breakfast Dharma would jump up on the sofa and sit next to me as I read the news, or listen to a podcast, her heavy breathing was the background sounds that we were used to. I even respectfully left the space she occupied, maybe feeling that the time was not right to invade the territory that used to be hers.

Only Phoebe came and sat under the table as we ate breakfast, they both used to wait for the crumbs to fall on to the floor, usually on my side.

Everything was unfamiliar, how would we get through the day? The answer was to throw ourselves into some jobs, I had a cedar chest to paint, Kelli started calling the local humane society to see if there were any puppies available. Excitedly there was one being fostered in Holland, but other people were first in line, but that didn’t stop her. She filled out the necessary paperwork, and from that was approved to adopt an animal from that kennel.

Now there is the wait to see if the other interested party takes her.

I managed to do a number of things in the garage, and we even managed to sell the long buffet to a person in Grand Rapids, that was a positive for the day.

We took Phoebe for a walk this evening, I was the one with  Dharma’s lead, but now I was redundant, I was reduced to carrying the poo bag.

10th December 2025 

It was a dark day in Holland, and this time it wasn’t the weather.

Dharma, our old girl, took her trip across the rainbow bridge, to become a memory.

She had some sort of turn last night, becoming shaky on her legs. This morning when I let her out into the garden she was slow, and unsteady.

When I had set out their food, and went to let them back in, Dharma had ventured further into the garden, but looked lost and confused as if she didn’t know where to go, she had to be carried back into the house. Although she ate her food, there were more things going on, especially her eyes.

Kelli noticed that they were twitching constantly, that was not normal, so she contacted the vet. 

There were several possibilities, none of them good, so she made an appointment in the afternoon. 

As the fateful time approached, we were joined by Cameron and Greer, the emotion was growing.

Greer, along with her ex husband Dylan, we drove to the vet. Dharma was panting continuously, her confused state was stressing for her.

We were led to a small room, the same one that we used last week. In that time since the last visit the mood had changed, gone was the hope for improvement, now we had to play god.

The vet checked her over and explained what she might be experiencing. She believed that everything was spinning in her head leading to her confusion. 

We had time to discuss what should be done, a very difficult time and an awful decision to made.

A sedative was administered, Dharma slowly sank into a restful position, this was too much for Kelli and Greer, they both sobbed openly.

Both Dylan and myself felt the sadness and our eyes filled with tears. 

When the final drug was injected there was no going back, as her heart slowed, the atmosphere in this small room was heavy, so many tears had been shed, I tried to hold it together, but when Kelli patted Dharma on the back she said “Night, night Dharma” I couldn’t take it any more, my eyes filled up, and my nose was blocked. I searched in my pockets for something to wipe my eyes and blow my nose, all I had was a piece of shop towel, very old and well used, but I didn’t care.

Damn emotion! That was it, we had played our part, we had helped her find final peace, but it didn’t feel good, time will heal us, Phoebe, will sense the difference, and we will move on.

The drive home was surreal, no words were spoken, maybe each of us had our own thoughts, that we didn’t want to share, but they will come out one day when we speak of her, remembering her character.

I will remember her sitting next to me on the sofa in the evening watching television, when the first wafts of her venting made my eyes sting, no sound other than a silent “phoot”.

As I sit here writing, I swear I can still smell it.

Goodbye Dharma,  I’ll miss you.

9th December 2025

It was back down to the Byron Center to John the wood’s barn. I drove to his home, as usual, and he was ready.

I had every intension of finishing the chair today. All it needed was the leg frames attaching and a good sanding to get all the exposed joints nice and flush.

However, I discovered that the groove that the webbing clip fits into was too shallow, it needed to be increased by 3mm.

Now I could have used a router to cut it deeper, but I was worried that without sufficient guides the cutting might wander off and ruin the webbing attachment.

But once I make a solid guide it will be finished.

John was his old self, his eyes flashed when I poured him a cup of coffee and a slice of freshly baked pumpkin bread.

Then he went in search of his orbital sander, he looked everywhere muttering as he went. This was a really good one costing over four hundred dollars when new. He called his son and discovered that he had taken it, John was reassured that he wasn’t going crazy, and his son brought it back. 

He then spent time sanding the whole frame.

I do try to keep conversations going, he forgets a lot of things, and he knows he does, and I feel the frustration he has. Sometimes simple things like making sure the plug is full engaged in the outlet.

I forget things, but I have learned to carry a notebook, and I’ve encouraged him to do the same, maybe I will get him one for Christmas.

The weather people had warned of severe storms throughout Michigan, but so far nothing has happened, it was raining during the early evening making the snow slushy and nasty.

Whilst I was away, Kelli baked bread and finished painting the dresser that has been parked in the living room, now we have to get pictures taken and posted.

8th December 2025

We have started an unusual ritual in the house.

Since Dharma’s episode last week we decided that we needed to be prepared for her to get weakened, but still wanting to go on short walks.

Kelli had the idea of a small cart that we could pull her along to save her strength. Of course when we got it and tried to lift her into it she summoned the strength to jump out of it.

After reading about similar issues that other people had, it was determined that she needed to get used to it around the house. This meant that we push it around her at different times of the day, sometimes putting food in it for her to find and eat. So when both the dogs are eating we place the cart near them, and at night when they are put to bed, the cart is in there with them. It makes us laugh every time, the only things it doesn’t do is go to the toilet with them, and, if there wasn’t snow about, I might even try that.

Of course it was food shopping day, but we also had to drive to Hudsonville to pick up the second dresser.

Things have been very slow sales wise, but we have pieces that need painting, but as it’s so cold outside to spray, we’ve brought the long buffet into the house, laid a sheet down and given it one coat of paint. We will have to do it with the cedar chest, because even more bad weather is heading our way over the next few days, series is definitely soup making weather.