Another Lifetime to go

29th August 2023

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.

28th August 2023

I had my new crown glued on this morning.

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.

27th August 2023

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.

26th August 2023

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.

25th August 2023

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.

24th August 2023

Another oven day, making it difficult to breath,

I know in a few months we’ll be complaining that it’s too cold. The reported temperature was ninety six, much higher than the expected eighty four.

A lady turned up to buy the heavy dresser in the later afternoon, I had added an extra coat of wax oil in the morning, but with the high humidity it took ages to dry.

Kelli had found another dresser in Jenison, close to Hudsonville. The address was in a housing complex, which are often like a rabbit warren, where apartments and blocks have letters and numbers that don’t make sense.

We drove around trying to message the person for directions. “Just look for a crowd of kids playing outside” came the reply. Sure enough we spotted them outside an open garage.

As we pulled up a lady carried out the dresser. “She must be strong” I thought as the two of us struggled to lift it into truck, “better not get into an argument with her”.

We stopped off at the corner shop for some urgent supplies. Kelli bought thinly sliced turkey and some Black Forest ham for me. This is still strange to see this, buying meat, real meat after all this time and eating it, enjoying it, without guilt.

As soon as we were back Kelli started stripping the dresser, but it was hot, and she was using a heat gun to remove the paint, I’m sure we could have left it outside in the sun for an hour, and that would have done the job.

23rd August 2023

Phew it’s hot today, it’s like opening an oven, but without anything to eat at the end of it.

I had to apply more wax oil to the heavy dresser, this is hard work. The oil has to be pushed into the grain with a non abrasive pad, it certainly gets the muscles going.

Then I had to work on the commissioned work.

That is when I discovered I had made a cock-up with a door I had laid up yesterday. I had made the Relationship of stiles into the rails and the rails into stiles, the wrong way round, not sure how that happened. Now I could make the second door exactly the same, or start again from scratch. The only problem with that was I had cut up all the remaining wood ready for assembly.

I need to get more wood from Elaine.

I did make a jig for cutting tenons and bridle joints that will make the new door frames quicker. This attaches to the saw fence and slides along so the joints can be cut perfectly square, I guess I will try it out soon.

Within a short time my shirt was absorbing moisture from my body, it was very uncomfortable, I would have to go inside to cool down. However going back out caused my glasses to mist up, another reason why I hate wearing them.

Kelli finished painting the bed frame, and decided to repaint the drawers on the dresser that was not getting much attention.

So we had a marathon photo session, two dressers and a bed frame that now joined our two bar stools as finished goods.

The heavy dresser got a bit of interest, someone is coming to look at it tomorrow.

22nd August 2023

I scrubbed the top of the heavy dresser because I was not happy with the finish. Wax oil is a bastard to remove, I had to scrape it off inch by inch then sand with a fine paper that got clogged, it was hell.

I allowed the surface to dry off in the sun, before applying another coat of oil, thankfully it turned out better. I also finished another lattice floor for another drawer.

I started making the doors using the table saw. I have seen jigs made to cut tenons for table saws but I have made one yet, I had to improvise.

Kelli picked up a queen size bed yesterday, she unloaded it and started to prepare it ready for painting. Beds are not a great seller, but hopefully someone is waiting for one.

We had a bike ride that took us to the house with the secret garden that we found last year, unfortunately there was no one around, but the flowers booked beautiful.

There were more eggs outside the house on Southshore, we have become a regular customers and the poor chickens are probably whipped to lay that many eggs so that we can have our breakfasts.

Larry came over to take our truck out to check on a noise we were getting on the driver side wheel. I suspected it might be a bearing, when he returned, he confirmed it. I went straight on to eBay and ordered a new part, there is always something to do.

21st August 2023

Whilst Kelli had to get a supplement she needed from her doctor, I had my old gits music playing. I finished sanding drawer fronts for the heavy dresser, and applied a wax oil to them, the sun soon dried them out.

I finished sanding the first commissioned drawer box and started on the lattice floor panel for the second.

We listen to a lot of independent pods casts now rather than the mainstream media outlets. I used to think they were pushing an alternative narrative, but recently I’ve paid more attention to what they have been saying. It is a far cry from a few months ago when I accepted everything I heard fro the “official” news. I’ve learnt a lot about the Ukraine situation and about the broken promises that NATO had made to Russia as part of the deal to break up the Soviet Union. There is so much that is kept under the carpet that it makes me angry that no one tells the truth anymore. We have the Trump/Biden saga, two old men way past their prime, both trying to hold on to power for all the wrong reasons. The two party system is not working, everything is a stalemate nothing gets done, and more money is being sent to the Ukraine than aid to Hawaii.

America is shit scared that Trump will win the next presidential election, all the indictments against him just seems to fuel his support, he is using donations to pay his legal bill and his base are too dumb the realise it.

There are a number of very capable people who could do a much better job, but they are being shunned, and to see that happening in real time has brought me to my senses. It doesn’t mean much to me because I cannot vote in this country, but I feel for other countries that do not let the real stories come out, I’m sure the whole story of the Covid vaccine will eventually come out, it has to, otherwise the lies will go on.

20th August 2023

A fruitless trip to Zeeland in search of some free furniture began the day. I hadn’t finished my coffee when Kelli announced that she found a posting on Marketplace listing several items that we could rejuvenate and sell.

Off we drove, stopping for fuel, we headed for Zeeland. She had sent a message asking what was still available, but had not received a reply, so we were travelling blind.

The address was a trailer park outside of the town. These have a bad reputation around here, and in some cases quite rightly so. We drove around passed the place, with no sign of anything. This was a big waste of time, and we were angry, not the kind of “ let’s burn the place down” sort of angry especially with the price of petrol at the moment, but from the inconvenience.

We drove back, stopping at Kelli’s mum to collect a heavy dresser that we stored there. Next was a bike ride to the park stopping at the corner store on the way back for some essentials, then back to the projects.