Author: peterb51

6th March 2024

First day on the job. I was ready straight after breakfast, bow saw in hand to tackle the trees in my neighbour’s garden, she had agreed for me to cut them down, as the place was a little overgrown.

I then encountered my first problem, I couldn’t get my work boots on.

It was not that my feet have grown, rather it was the thickness of the socks I was wearing.

Holland winters require some serious feet warmers. The kind I wear are Scandinavian, and are as thick as a moose’s hide. After struggling for ten/fifteen minutes, and fearing that it might bring on a heart attack, I loosened the laces, and my feet slid inside.

I am not a tree feller, fortunately the trunks were thin but tall.

One by one they came down, I was careful that they didn’t fall across the path and damage a neighbour’s fence.

The only tool I had was a small bow saw, and it was difficult, progress was slow, but I kept at it.

It was exhausting work, almost the second time I could have had a cardiac arrest. There would have been a bit of credibility in dying on a proper job rather than just putting work boots on.

Once they were down came the cutting up and separating the thick bits from the thin. I used my chop saw to cut up the trunks.

I then had the idea to burn the thin twigs in my incinerator, but I didn’t have any paper to start it.

I looked in the letter box, there is usually some junk mail in there, and I wasn’t disappointed.

I screwed the paper into tight balls laying the thin twigs on top and striking a match to get it going.

There were flames and smoke, but it didn’t last long. The wood was too damp to catch, it needed something extra. I looked in the shed and found a bottle of white sprit, hurrah! I thought, this will get it going.

I sprinkled the liquid all over the twigs, lit another match and dropped it in expecting a sheet of flames singeing my eyebrows.

Nothing happened, then I checked the bottle, and found that it was non-inflammable.

That is when I gave up for the day.

5th March 2024

As flights go, this was a good one, everything was on time, and it wasn’t full.

The person in the window seat in my row was sitting behind his wife, who had a complete empty row, maybe she had enough of him.

The cabin crew on American tend to be a little more mature, but they were friendly and attentive.

Once we reached Heathrow the fun started. The passport control was buzzing with activity.

The processing is mostly done with scanners and facial recognition these days, which in this case confused a bunch of old dears that couldn’t get the hang of the passport scanner. They kept pushing it in and out with no idea what to do.

My small case made it through, was one of the first off, so that made me happy. I made my exit looking for a place to have breakfast, and I couldn’t find one. I’m sure there was a place, but not any more.

So disgruntled, I made my was to the bus station hoping there was something there, and there was, but cash only.

So I didn’t get any refreshments as I waited for the coach to arrive.

I read my book for an hour then the coach was announced.

I did try to sleep on the coach, but I kept nearly falling off the seat.

Eventually I got to Bath Bus Station and Nicola was waiting.

Arriving back at the cottage was great to see. Nicola had already left some food for me, they are so thoughtful and kind, so that first cup of coffee was like nectar.

I relaxed for the evening speaking to Kelli many times as I planned my jobs, that start tomorrow.

4th March 2024

As human beings we tolerate a lot, and that is tested at the airport.

Gerald Ford International has changed out of all recognition. For one thing you could always find a parking spot close to the terminal, not now, you are lucky if you find one on the first floor.

Next, you could arrive quite late and still get checked in, now it is different.

I got there with forty minutes to go, and was told by a young uniformed Asian lad, that I had missed the baggage check. At least I think that’s what he said.

My option was to take it all through security and try to get it tagged at the gate.

Of course they found my shaving foam.

“ That container is too large to take through” the officer said, “I will have to confiscate it”.

Fortunately that was the only issue, but then I had a long walk to the gate.

It certainly has changed, it is all very modern, It used to be a small cosy place with plenty of seating to wait, if you were getting up courage to fly, or wait for people to arrive.

The flight was full, and I hate it when someone has the aisle seat and immediately close the shade. They don’t own the bloody shade, that and the baby crying made the start of the trip annoying. I was watching a girl in a row in front constantly on her phone furiously typing messages then opening up other apps, all the bloody time, there was not a break, it was like her life depended on it.

Once in Chicago, I called Kelli to let her know I had arrived, and stopped for a coffee at Starbucks, but they were only accepting cards, I had a crisp twenty, another annoying situation.

There are Asian people working everywhere, and I was fed up with asking them to repeat everything.

All this trauma, and I wasn’t on the big plane yet.

3rd March 2024

It was a mad rush to get things ready for Kelli to carry on to finish, but we did get one complete and posted

.

This was the piece we found at the side of the road in Grand Rapids that had two drawers missing and one severely damaged. After a massive amount of work, it didn’t turn out too bad.

There was another dresser that needed two doors fitted, in itself a simple job, but nothing is that straightforward. Although the door were made square, the carcass was not, but the hinges were adjustable.

The temperature was around sixty degrees Fahrenheit, so just my shirt today.

Once the storage room was cleared I was able to get to my case, so that I could start my packing.

We decided to move all the pieces that have been sold, but stored in our room, out into the garage. This should make it easier to move when it’s time for them to be collected or delivered. The timing is not ideal, we did try to get things done before I left, but that didn’t happen.

Kelli is resourceful and she will get someone to help her.

It was a rush, I certainly felt it by the time all the jobs were completed.

I wanted to take very little clothes with me this time, because I still have stuff to bring back.

I had problems checking in on line, especially when I had to fill in my Green Card details.

Of course being America it has to be difficult.

I had to add my card number, which I thought was on the front of the card. After trying for half an hour, and many many times adding the same information, I had to take a break, it made no sense. I went on line to check my understanding and discovered that the number was amongst a seventy digit number on the back, but when I tried that it still didn’t work.

Out of desperation I took my American phone and did the check out procedure on that, and it worked!

There must be some conspiracy about using iPhones to check in, I’ve never had that problem before, I guess I will have to sort it out when I want to go back.

2nd March 2024

There was no intention of going out today, except to deliver the long dresser to Zeeland, finally. But also we picked up a dresser from the car park at a pharmacy. Kelli needs things to work on and sell whilst I’m away, and this fitted the bill exactly.

I was on a time crunch myself, wanting to get a dresser repaired and ready to hand over to be painted.

It was a pleasant fifty degrees Fahrenheit, with the sun shining a good day to be working outside.

It wasn’t the greatest of days, Kelli was not in a good mood, this always happens when I’m due to fly, she imagines all the bad things that could happen, blimey, if I thought like that, I wouldn’t go outside.

Anyway I need some space, so I went for a long walk, and by the time I got back things were better, and my head clearer.

1st March 2024

We didn’t plan to go anywhere today, I needed to get any furniture pieces that required work done before leave next Monday.

The weather was dry and certainly a bit warmer than the day before, so the garage door was wide open.

The thought of the journey back hasn’t yet dawned on me, time without Kelli and the dogs does feel strange, but it’s necessary.

I made good progress on one dresser, finishing the drawers and staining the top, the larger white one has the most to do.

After a days work it’s alway nice to have a hot shower. However ours is so sensitive, the slightest touch on the control is the difference between bearable hot, and unbearable, but it certainly makes the skin sing.

29th February 2024

I was hoping that the temperature would be on the way up, but getting into the garage it was still bloody cold. It made me snappy because the glues wouldn’t dry, and would fall apart once the clamps were released.

In the end I had to use epoxy that solved the problem.

Then I had to repair the footboard from the bedframe that we picked up yesterday.

A rail had snapped in the middle, so the first task was to remove the two pieces from the frame and decide on a way of joining it back together.

I saw that the uprights were dowelled though the tenon of the lower board, ah! I thought, I will drill those out and splay it out to remove the broken parts.

Well that was done, but it was near impossible to remove them, even hitting them with a large rubber mallet did not move them.

I sat with my head in my hands, and then I noticed there were screws on the underside. That’s why the bits didn’t pull out. Once removed, it was easy, and then the next job was to join them back together.

My only option was to drill for a large dowel and epoxy adhesive to join it all.

With a bit of tricky alignment and a bloody long clamp I got it all together again, and left it to cure for the night.

We finished early as we had a dinner arranged to meet up with our furniture friends John and Patti.

We went with our favourite Irish pub, I was looking forward to more Speckled Hen.

28th February 2024

We had to help Greer and Dylan move from Allandale to Grand Rapids. I remember helping do the reverse a year ago.

They had changed their minds about buying the static caravan and decided to rent an apartment and try to save towards a house.

Fortunately Kelli and I were not doing the heavy work, we would be at the apartment moving stuff in and trying to unpack for them.

Interwoven in that plan was the collection of a headboard from somewhere in Grand Rapids. I was then sent off to do that job.

Armed with my new phone and GPS I set off. Well it wasn’t quite in GR it was a long way out.

I followed the route, leaving the outskirts and heading into the unknown. I drove cautiously along this road lined with trees until it ended with a sign that read, Dead End.

Oh shit! What should I do now? the GPS didn’t help, the only thought was to retrace my steps and see if I could find the address.

Luckily I saw the house number painted on a wooden board nailed to a tree.

The house was on the top of a steep driveway which I was advised to reverse up, which I did.

After meeting the owner who was eight feet tall, I loaded the headboard and frame into the back of the truck, and proceeded to drive down the hill, and back along the scary road.

By the time I got back Kelli had emptied all the boxes and we both waited for the rest of the stuff to arrive.

Then the fun started. Box after box was unloaded, then the furniture all being squeezed into a two bedroom apartment.

We stayed as long as we could, the Kelli sprung another surprise on me.

There was a free bed also in GR that she wanted to collect. At least it was on the way back, but with the weather back to winter it was not a fun experience trying to load a bed frame that was a little too large for the truck, but with the back door held closed with a bungee strap we finally headed home.

27th February 2024

It was voting day In Michigan, moreover it was selection day for the Republicans and Democrats to determine what bunch of crooks have a run at the White House.

I have become so critical in recent months of the dirty tricks used to pick the candidates.

Kelli has turned full circle in her political views, after voting for Biden in the last Presidential election. There is so much that has emerged regarding the backhanders he’s been getting, and how the censorship surrounding the scandal involving his son. The border situation and the financial support for Ukraine and Israel have sealed his fate in popularity. If he wins this time it will have been fixed.

On the other side is the bloated orange crook who seems to be winning all the state’s despite his criminal and civil indictments. His popularity is growing exponentially at every turn, it is almost a certainty that he will return to the White House unless he has a fatal accident which is the only thing to stop him.

I’m keeping my head down on this occasion, it’s going to be a real shit-show.

26th February 2024

There was a lot on our agenda today, I had a dental appointment, so Kelli dropped me off on her way to Plato’s to sell more clothes.

I was a little early, so I sat in the waiting room.

There was an elderly couple already waiting.

The lady looked like an indigenous race whilst the man was weighed down by the large black cowboy hat, it must have been heavy because he needed a stick to help him walk.

They were muttering as I was watching a commercial about medical insurance. This was on a continuous loop, and it was driving me crazy.

The lady was the reason the couple were there, the man kept telling her not to try to pull her tooth out. She then shouted back that she wasn’t. This exchange got louder as he kept repeating himself. It got a little embarrassing.

I was trapped between an arguing couple and a repeating commercial.

Then the subject changed, the old guy then thought they had been forgotten, believe you me, they were not forgotten, maybe ignored, but not forgotten.

Eventually a nurse called them in, poor girl, she had no idea what was she was let in for.

I continued to wait, it must have been the tenth run through, I knew it off by heart.

Then it was my turn, I was led into a treatment room and laid down on the couch. It was reclined until my eyeball filled with blood. Fortunately it was just a cleaning, but it still hurt.

Once that was over I just had to pay the bill.

I was given the total at the start of over four hundred dollars. I asked what that included, apparently it included fluoride, which I didn’t want. I discussed it with the hygienist who agreed to reduce the double flushing solution to a single one, so that brought the total down to a hundred and sixty nine dollars, a bit more acceptable, but how much is that flushing solution?

All the while Kelli was out doing stuff, and not ready to collect me, so I decided to walk to Starbucks and wait until she was ready.

Well, she was obviously doing something interesting because I was waiting there for a long time, my blueberry scone and coffee had long gone, and I was scouring my phone for anything readable. I was there so long I should paid rent.

Then she arrived fresh from Goodwill, we then had to go back to Plato’s to collect her money.

In the back of the truck was the long dresser that we were due to deliver to Zeeland.

We arrived at the address, a flat above a bakery, but there was no sign of the buyer.

Apparently he worked at Herman Miller, and after Kelli messaged him, it appeared he was tied up in meetings all day, no surprise there.

Why he didn’t tell us before we drove all the way to God’s town? Not very happy with him.

However the day wasn’t wasted, we did collect a dresser, a little worse for wear, but it was free.