Monday, May 26, 2008
Weekend Revelation
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Somebody driving by this weekend saw the Dory frames and asked me how many boats I am going to build. My glib response was that it depended upon how long I lived. But that is pretty much the truth. If I could cut the nut by building boats, I definitely would. But until then, Nanepashemet Telecom will have to carry the burden of paying for everything.
Hot Dog Rolls
Will Sleep Over
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Even Jack Dog and Roenick are psyched.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Karmic Toy Chest
Those of you who view me as a narcissistic, self-absorbed, ego-maniac are not too far off the mark.
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But you can't say that I'm not honest.
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Now, back to talking about me...
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I just finished the first sealer coat of epoxy on the exterior of Will's Toy Chest. I'm reasonably satisfied with the craftsmanship, but the design is what I am totally pleased with.
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Three of the oak sides were part of the kitchen that I built 18 years ago when we first moved to Beverly Ave, and the inside bottom is cedar that I salvaged from my mother's hope chest. Too bad you can't smell it because it is still aromatic after over sixty years.
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There is a lot of good karma in this chest, and so to be more still when Grandson Will starts using it.
Lamp Post Envy
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Now, guess what?
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Joanne wants a new lamp post.
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I should have seen it coming.... but I have to admit, it is a good idea. She picked out this Azek PVC model which I like too. I may decide to buy the stock and build it, using the extra stock to build a cuppola from the Azek as well.
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I'll build another cupola for Jim-Bob so that he doesn't think that we're trying to steal his thunder.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Success
To laugh often and much;
To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;
To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;
To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others;
To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;
To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.
This is to have succeeded.
---
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Memorial Day Weekend
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All I could think of looking forward to this weekend is three days off.
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But the ability to enjoy those three days in peace and freedom, without having a German, Japanese or Russian telling me exactly what I could do with them is the true focus for this weekend.
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What a different, and dark world it would be today without the extraordinary actions and sacrifices made by the past generations of Americans in the Armed Services. The fact that I am writing this Blog in English and not German, and can say whatever I want without governmental repression.... this alone is testament to their services to us and America.
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I think of my father, who was blown off a ship in World War II, and spent a year in the Veteran's Hospital, my grandfather who was gassed in a trench in World War I, and my father -in-law, who was wounded by a Chinese artillery shell and held as a prisoner of war in Korea.
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It was the actions and sacrifices of these and millions of other men and women, who have given me the audacity to expect three carefree days of peace and relaxation this Memorial Holiday weekend.
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Have a great, fun, peaceful weekend.... but take the time to remember exactly why you are able to do so.... and give some thoughts and prayers to those who sacrificed for you.
Tuna Lips said...
and don,t for a minute think that Hassan the camel trader would like nuttin' better than to have your lilly white tookus muling around his figs and carpets whilst he watches good ole made in the USA porn. Cant have one without the other.
Help a vet, and pray for thems that fell so we might have our days in the sun.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Adjustments
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The discarded chest base was used to create a display shelf for the antique bottles that we excavated ten years ago from the original Sundance Pre-School site, which was an apothecary, then a clam shack before becoming the florist shop that we demolished to build the school.
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It would be possible to get all of the toychest sanding done tomorrow, apply a sealer coat of clear epoxy and be ready for spray varnish when the Tender is ready next week or so. But I have to carve Will's initials on the inside lid and that will take some time.
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I don't want to cut any corners on this project, and have taken every step I know to strive for perfection. This one is turning out well, but they'll be other chances to build chests for grandkids yet to be born.
Three Day Weekend
I'm only a few conference calls and some accounting work away from a long three day weekend. The weather report is aces. Looks like summer temps are kicking in.
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The WhaleEye hasn't been launched so that we'll be giving quite a few fish a stay of execution until a future weekend. Then all bets are off, because fish will die this season.
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I'm just going to lay low and stay around the hood. Both Mike and Kate talked about dropping by, and we have Little Will on Sunday and Monday. Looks like there is a great chance to get all of the sanding done on the Tender and Will's Toychest so that I can begin the spray varnishing next week.
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BTW, yesterday, I completed my second running workout on the tread mill with NO KNEE PAIN!
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If I can get some quality workouts in over the weekend, then maybe I can salvage the attempt at the Marine Marathon this October.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Week 20 - POTW
Announcing...
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for the 20th week of 2008
- Jon Lester
- Rich Berliner
- Will Murray
- Kelley Clark
- Bianca de la Gaza
- Ray Allen
Can't wait to check my email tomorrow.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Return to Normalcy
So Kristi Yamaguchi emerged victorious in Dancing With The Stars. I called that one episodes ago. I'm glad it's over though. Time to resume my manly role as a manly man, untainted by attention to a ballroom dancing diversion.
Tuna Lips said...
You call a jap winning anything on Americanish tv normalcy? What next, you gonna open up a 'gay care center' so all the chilluns can get learnt up on not being normal?
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Cause for Concern
There are a couple of points of concern that I have to bring to your attention today.
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First... I did not throw a No-Hitter yesterday for the Red Sox against the Kansas City Royals. It was Jon Lester, not John Nestor. The fact is that I've never even pitched for the Red Sox. So stop all of the congratulatory emails and voicemails. You know how annoyed this makes me.
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And Second.... I've just recently found out that Dale Johnson, aka "Buck", was noted as the best marksman in his Army battalion. Buck with a rifle. That is definitely cause for concern.
Coming Together
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Of course it all won't pan out as I imagine it. If it did, I'd be looking for loft space with a loading dock near a water put in for my ultimate Nanepashemet Boatbuilding business pretty soon.
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That will happen sooner or later... but sooner is definitely preferable.
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BTW, Will's Tool Chest is already finished... mentally in my head. I'm happy with the design. Now all I have to do is complete it with some solid craftsmanship. Since I'm not working with a printed plan, the mental part is the hard part.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Finals
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Convergence
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The mahogany has some stress cracks, but these will be sealed by the absorption of the first coat of epoxy.
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I also sanded out the dovetails but was less than 100% satisfied because the fit was not as precise as I would have liked for a project of this importance. The gaps were filled with a glue and sanding dust putty that will cause the flaws to disappear, but I know that they are there and a juried woodworker will see them.
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The vast majority of you Peeps won't have a clue, so I guess I shouldn't get pissed off with myself about it.
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The project will be completed well before Will's birthday in mid-June, but I'm rushing it because I want to spray it with multiple coats of marine varnish while the Tender interior is also being varnished, and I'd like to launch the Tender as soon as possible.
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Both projects will be completed with the varnishing at the same time.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Clean Up Your Act
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But if cleanliness is next to Godliness, then my garage must be right next to Hell.
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That is one filthy place.
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I glued and clamped the dovetails on Will's Toy Chest today, but the bulk of the day was spent trying to clean and get order in the garage. It looks pretty good to me now, but to the untrained eye, it still must resemble a chaotic pigsty.
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The day ended right though when Tommy and Linda O'Shea came over with some natural casing hot dogs that we grilled with chicken wings and kielbasa... chased down with some Dark and Stormies.
Thursday, May 15, 2008
POTW Week 20
ANNOUNCING...
Nanepashemet Peeps of the Week for the 20th Week of 2008
- Sarah Crawford
- Ted Bruschi
- Steve Spillane
- Stacey Butler
- Charles Sheen
- Nick Herz
Tuna Lips said...
Comes to groomin', whatsoever you does, dont lets em shave your man parts. Why once, I was passing time with some some seemingly decent gents, and we took to tales of grooming and what passed for fashion at the time. This after several white wine spritzers. Next thing I knowed I was garbed in latex and gettin' my nuts shaved by a tattooed feller with a pierced foreskin named Reggie. Castro district has got nuttin'; to do with Fidel. Jeepers.
Cancellation and Obsession
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It's true that I am dangerous in a tool store or on Amazon at night. I have no idea why I have bought some of the tools that I have. I suppose that irrational tool buying is a better vice than most obsessions but it's still bad.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Asian Catastrophes
What's with the massive loss of life from earthquakes and hurricanes in Asia? 100,000 dead from a typhoon in Burma... 20,000 dead from an earthquake in China.
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Doomsday prophets might give this as evidence that we come closer to the "End of Days".
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I think that's hogwash.
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As the earth has become a global village via the Internet and other communication media, obscure provinces in China become next door neighbors. In 1916, a meteorite hit Siberia with the force of 1000 nuclear explosions. Nobody knew about it for 10 years. That could never happen today.
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At any rate, thousands of people dying in natural catastrophes seems to be more of a 3rd world phenomenon. Katrina in New Orleans left 1800 dead.... a relatively low number compared to the carnage in Asia.
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The only thing I can think of for the exponential Asian loss of life is a difference in building codes between the two cultures.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Project Progress
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I showed the panels to Joanne with the combination of oak and mahogany. She was impressed. That's good because she normally has no trouble telling me if something that I've done sucks.
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I also received the Epiphanes Varnish from Jamestown Distributors. That gives me no excuse in finishing the Tender refit.