Tuesday, January 1, 2008
With the idea that Zeke would like some company when I'm away and he's at home, I brought home a kitten today. It took him awhile to notice that she was here, then there was a lot of barking and hissing. Based on past experience, I expect eventually they'll become friends, but it certainly isn't love at first sight.
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Things have calmed down slightly this evening. There's a little less frantic barking, hissing, and spitting. Maybe in a week or two the war will be over.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
By the time I went to the doc for my annual physical, then to the bank and the grocery store, there wasn't time to do anything but bring in wood for the evening and get dinner. Zeke and Miss Kitty continue to work on their relationship.
Friday, January 4, 2008
After seeing an ad for a disc for sale at Winfield, I went and took a look after work. It looks like just what I need, and the price is right, so as soon as I can get my trailer unloaded I'll go fetch it home. Then I'll be ready to get a garden started in the spring.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
If
you're old enough, you remember the sexy young Sarah Vaughan.
If you're a little younger, you remember the rotund grandma Sarah.
If you're even younger and don't remember her at all, this collection
gives you a good introduction to both versions, which means a
voice and a skilled delivery that made Sarah Vaughan one of the
best popular singers of the past century, surpassed only by Ella
Fitzgerald as a jazz singer. The songs here include familiar classics
from the Great American Songbook like Errol Garner's Misty,
Billy Strayhorn's Sophisticated Lady, and Bob Hope's theme,
Thanks For the Memory. Among the less familiar songs are
When Sunny Gets Blue, You Go To My Head, When
Your Lover Has Gone, and Thelonius Monk's great 'Round
Midnight. This bargain disk really fills the bill, with a
great vocalist performing great material.
It was a warm day, with a high around 60º, so I got some outside chores done. First I got the TT cab unbolted from the frame so it can be lifted off, then I unchained the TT bed so it can be taken off the trailer, and removed the license plate holder it was resting on, so as not to mangle the poor thing any more in handling. With those jobs done, I spent the rest of the day cutting and splitting firewood. For dinner I tried the new place in town, Mozitti's. It was good Italian food. After dinner I went to see The Water Horse. This fantasy about the Loch Ness monster is an excellent film that kids will enjoy, and it won't bore the adults. There's excellent acting by the whole cast, including the kids, and the special effects are convincing without distracting from the story. I'd say the good reviews it's received are well deserved.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
The heat wave continued today. When I looked at the thermometer on the front porch this afternoon it showed 69º! I took advantage of the day for some more outside work, harvesting more firewood. Later in the afternoon my friend Mark came out with his daughter and helped me take the cab off the TT. We also took the TT bed off the trailer, and moved a new compressor into the shop. The forecast calls for one more warm day, then we're supposed to get back to more normal temperatures for January, with highs in the forties. In the countdown to spring we have 75 days to go.
Monday, January 7, 2008
I would have done more wood harvesting, but the chainsaw is in town for repairs.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
I picked up the chainsaw today, but was too busy with shopping and other chores to use it. Maybe next weekend.
Wendesday, January 9, 2008
I spent over two hours this afternoon on the TT wheels, sanding and painting. One more session should finish the painting part.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
So that's it. Wheel painting done. Today I sanded and painted the final side. With the rear wheels done, that leaves just the front wheels and the rest of the truck to go.
Friday, January 11, 2008
After being a cold weather sissy since November 10, I got out and did my "daily" three miles this afternoon. I was really slow, but was pleasantly surprised to find I didn't have to walk any of it. My time for three miles was 33:20, which is about three minutes worse than usual, so I guess it would be more accurate to say I was really, really slow.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Here
we have another of those "best of" bargains, this time
from the outrageously talented Little Richard. All the biggest
hits are here. Good Golly Miss Molly, Long Tall Sally, Slippin'
and Slidin', and all the other old favorites, plus some lesser
known cuts, all in the high energy fun that have made Richard
Penniman a favorite performer and a huge musical influence on
others for decades.
The heat wave continues, with highs near 60º, and I worked in the barn with my coat off. I spent the afternoon on my TT project, removing parts for repair and restoration. These things always seem to take longer than expected, so I'll be delighted if I get the thing running this year.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Today while removing running boards and fenders, it occured to me that it would be nice if any dropped nuts or bolts didn't disappear in trash, so I swept up all the leaves and other debris, then brought in the shop vac and vacuumed up a few pounds of dirt.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Today after work I took the trailer up to Winfield and brought home a disk. It's in pretty good condition and will come in handy when I'm ready to garden this spring. I think it was a pretty good deal for $45. On the way to Winfield I realized I had left the book with my registration and insurance card at home, so I came home by the back roads to avoid the chance of being stopped by a cop.
Tuesday, January 15, 2007
I worked on the TT again for a while this afternoon, then brought in firewood for the evening. I get help on that last chore. When Zeke sees me bringing in wood, he picks up a stick so he can carry in some firewood too.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
All I accomplished this afternoon was sitting in a chair at the dentist's office, getting my teeth cleaned. All that left time for when I got home was fetching wood.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Dude, what a bummer! My Buick has been in the shop since Monday because of a sticking automatic choke. Today I got the word that the carburetor is shot and I need to get another one. I called a rebuilder in New York who is supposed to call back tomorrow and let me know if he has one. When I got home I worked on one of the rear wheel rims off the TT. I welded on a short piece of 1/2" pipe to match the one on the other rim. The valve stem is supposed to go through it when the tire and tube are installed. The rear wheels are almost done.
Friday, January 18, 2008
It turns out that I'm going to send the carburetor off the Buick to the rebuilder in Brooklyn. They didn't get it off the car today, so it will have to wait until Monday. After work I spent so much time grocery shopping that all I had time to do at home was bring in firewood for the evening.