Another Lifetime to go

16th December 2021

The wind was pretty bad last night, it was nothing that I had eaten. It blew the rubbish bin over scattering the contents over the driveway. On top of all the nasty icky stuff we’re some disposable syringes that I use for injecting adhesive into cracks in the furniture.

Of course anyone walking by looking at our spilled rubbish wouldn’t know that. They would immediately jump to the conclusion that I was a junkie and give us a very wide birth in future. If they took the time to notice the thickness of the needle, they knew we don’t have a pet rhino.

Progress was moving at a good pace, the mid century piece had another coat of finish on the top, and the black and white dresser also had another finish coat on the top.

Kelli finished another small dresser and then decided that the single headboard that we got a few days ago would be painted to match. Her plan was to sell it as a bedroom set.

During the evening we sold the mid century piece to someone who actually communicated. There had been two other people who wanted it but just failed to answer to Kelli’s messages.

Building on this success she hatched a plan to combine the train wreck and the two side tables as a bedroom package. Both these pieces had failed to sell in the usual time and were becoming white elephants, which by coincidence were the main colours.

I was not sure that would work, but I agreed to take new pictures tomorrow.

15th December 2021

The stress of trying to get all members of the family in one place is starting to tell.

We decided to hold Christmas at our home so we didn’t have to suffer the horrible lighting and dismal atmosphere of her mother’s home.

I likened it to a morgue, but without the marble slab. It saps the fun and enjoyment that should be associated with the season, no music, no drink not even tea and coffee, how is that fun?

At least with having it at our home I can quietly drift into drunkenness in comfort.

Unfortunately none of Kelli’s children could join us on that day which is where the stress has descended upon us.

We have tried to go for the weekend before, but that’s not convenient for all of them. It’s not like their time is so precious, but it’s up to them.

We carried the mid century dresser into the house to take pictures, it has change a lot since we collected it.

We had someone inquire about taking a look at it but didn’t follow up.

14th December 2021

We were on the collection run today. First stop was a friend of Kelli who has a large stock of furniture that they never seem to get to. They negotiated a price that was within our range, so we settled on a six drawer dresser that had a few issues like a cracked end panel, nothing that glue and clamps won’t fix.

Off loading the piece back home we set off for the next collection Hudsonville.

This was a tall dresser that on the face seemed in good nick apart from a chip off one drawer front and a missing knob.

Suddenly we were up to the limit again.

The mid century piece is just waiting on the top, and the one we started yesterday had the top stripped and stained.

The lady came to collect the bookcase and thankfully she was delighted with it.

For dinner this evening I did a good old favourite, mashed potatoes, meatless sausages and sauerkraut. I would have substituted baked beans, but we had plenty to use up.

13th December 2021

Another doctors appointment for Kelli, more pain for her, this time in her index finger on her right hand. I’m not up in the acupuncture theory but it was something to stop her waking up at 5.30am every morning. These ancient Chinese had a point for everything. If that is the case what must I trigger everyday in the garage, maybe I’ll live to 100?

We then drove to Zeeland to collect a small wooden headboard, I’m sure it will be wonderful when she gets her hands on it.

I finally finished the bookcase by nailing the back panel on. It sure is different to when we started on it, I’m sure the owner will like it.

There are a number of long dressers in progress, and of course Kelli is concerned there isn’t enough, but as I only have one pair of hands it’s fine by me.

12th December 2021

The weather was suitable for some slab laying.

I didn’t want to go crazy, I wanted to at least make a start. I had forgotten everything I had learnt about laying paving so the first one took some time to get right. As these stones were a slightly different colour from the others I had already laid I purposely left a larger gap between them just to emphasise the difference. I managed to lay six stones before we had to go a pick up a record cabinet that Kelli had bought.

There was a bit of a change around in the garage, we dug out a large dresser that we got back in June. This was made by Dixie, a good brand, it came with a mirror which we gave away months ago.

Kelli needs things that she can work on, and they don’t need any repair work, although there is usually something that needs fixing.

The wind got up and put paid to me laying any more paving, which was not a big disappointment, as I had carried one eighty kilo bag of cement and that was enough for me for one day.

11th December Saturday

It was really windy this morning, strong enough to blow over one of the tubs with the bamboo spilling all the stones.

These tubs have withstood all manner of winds during the past year but it chose today to fall over.

Then came the sleet, I was however pleased to see all the leaves covering my front lawn had blown across the road to Larry’s patch.

Kelli continued to work on the mid century dresser, as I coated the top in oxalic acid trying to remove a water mark, it took two applications but I got rid of most of it. The top has to be washed down with water to remove the crystals of oxalic which takes two good wash downs and then it had to dry.

Oxalic is an odd substance it does a great job, but where do the stains go? Anyway I don’t care.

I learnt of it through watching videos of furniture restoration, lots of crusty old men working on old furniture, and I’ve joined the club.

10th December 2021

The snow vanished overnight, all that was left were sodden leaves on the front lawn. We have a tree that is reluctant to lose its leaves. It taunts me everyday, I know I have to sweep the leaves that have fallen, and I feel it gloating at me, because as soon as the drive is clean and tidy, it will shed a few more.

We had a customer arrive early to collect the tall green dresser. They were a cheerful couple, having stopped for breakfast on the way. The lady handed me the money, and I was expecting a few sachets of ketchup to go with it.

There are a lot of tops and drawer fronts that need finishing and these take a long time to dry, but the bookcase is nearing completion, just a final side to finish.

The train wreck has had another transformation. Worried about the lack of interest from Marketplace, Kelli decided to change the piece by painting more of the carcass, I had a twinge of pain as the brush wiped the white paint over the previously clear finished areas, but drastic action needed to be taken, we can’t store it for ever.

9th December 2021

I think I have reached the time in my life when all the lyrics of all my favourite songs have been erased from my memory. I am just left with Grandad noises, and humming the tunes.

I was famous over here by singing the wrong words to songs, but even those have gone.

What is worse is that Kelli knows the words to all songs even after only hearing them once, so maddening.

We had to collect Brenda, Matts wife from Grand Rapids airport in the evening. She had been in the Netherlands for the last couple of weeks. This was the first time Kelli had been outside after six at night yet alone driving, so it was a mile stone for her.

It felt odd driving to the airport and not having my luggage on board, and then driving back again.

8th December 2021

Americans use peanut butter for everything, from filling holes in roads to strengthening concrete, but this morning I learnt something else.

I have the job of cooking porridge, over here it’s oatmeal, so I’m am just ready to serve it with some hot berries and honey, when Kelli asked me to add some peanut butter. I was shocked and stunned, that seemed like a violation of anything normal. As she also likes a sprinkling of granola, just to add to the weirdness.

It was a snow day with about two inches falling, I had to drive to the post office to take some of Kelli’s Marketplace sales. It’s a good job that we have four wheel drive, some of the bends were slippery.

We finished the tall green dresser, turning it into safe white with a natural wood top and new scoop handles, that was posted straight away.

Kelli painted the two matching side tables while I cut the wood for the new tops, it was definitely a sawdust making day.

7th December 2022

I returned to the dentist to have my permanent crowns fitted. I thought it was just a simple procedure, flip the temporary ones off, and glue on the new ones, in and out in thirty minutes, how wrong I was.

I sat in the big chair, mouth open as an assistant had a go at taking the temps out.

She held the pliers tight and started wiggling, it felt like she was trying to pull my tooth out.

Finally there was a crack as half of one of the temporary crowns broke off. She then muttered something about getting the doctor to look at the rest.

I sat there, my tongue rubbing over the jagged area, waiting for the doctor to appear.

Ten minutes went by, he appeared in a flowing light blue plastic mac. He took his trusty pick and after a couple of flicks off they came.

Next was the trial fit, the crowns fitted neatly, but I had to now wait for an X-ray to check if they have seated properly.

That seemed to go well, so next he them, gave them a good clean and added the cement. A quick drying of the teeth and in they went. He pushed them down hard, almost dislocating my jaw, he then cured the cement with ultra violet light.

Then started an hour long process of chipping the cement that oozed out and dried. The hardest part was removing the slag between the teeth. They would chip away then take an X-ray to see if they had removed everything.

They must have taken eight blasts until they were happy that everything was cleared.

I walked out feeling that I’d been in a massive fight, hopefully I’ll be back to normal quickly.

With all those rays I bet I’ll glow in the dark for the next year.