Friday the 13th February 2015

WHAT ARE YOU DOING? I THOUGHT 13 WAS AN OFF DAY ??

Good questions & of course, obviously, there ARE answers.

I awoke early & quickly found myself in a dilema. It was too cold (14) to get up out of bed & I couldn’t get back to sleep.

So I go to Protocol I, step I & read some from both books hoping that returns me to a sleep state. I read briefly, short sections from each. I MUST do the book reports for the Book Club (tab) for Rediscover Catholicism & Adam Smith by Russ Roberts. Each is so intense that after reading short passages it takes time to digest. This morning was such a case.

The next step in Protocol I, step II, is check the dumbass phone for email. There is the usual trash junk mail & spam and then surprise of surpises, a message from Oz. Yep, Emma checked in after a number of weeks. It is summer Down Unda so as they say no worries if gaps in comms stretch out.

Seems there was a lightning strike near Emma & in addition to frying all the electronics started a brush or bush fire. It was at a neighbor’s about 2 meters away & fortunately no one was hurt. Water is so scarce in that area that they had to fight the fire with rain water captured & stored in tanks. Always enlightening to hear from Emma.

The purpose of her message was to wish me well & caution this day, Friday the 13th.

I think I should be pretty safe. I am going to be careful as always, stay very close to home & work various & multiple projects of which the list continues to grow.

Like yesterday, I went out to my carving buddy Cal’s to use the drill press & a power saw for some quick operations. On the way out, I see some items by the curb for bulk pickup. I see a wooden chair, a mirror & other items I could not readily identify so I decided after finishing up at Cal’s I would stop & give the pile a closer look see. Which I did.

The chair was a solitary with a serious broken stave under the arm rest. I took it regardless with the idea of making the necessary repair but before I got home I questioned my sanity. What WAS I thinking? ANOTHER project?

So this morning it is on the cold side (0 - 2), I am out of firewood so I may bust & break up that chair & burn it in the fireplace as a homeless simulation exercise.

OMG … REALLY?

Sounds like the Legend on Lakewood, aka Lunatic (LOL) checking in.

Yes. I have some other scrap wood just to take the cold edge out this morning. It won't last all day but until the sun comes up it will work. AND I'll be rid of the dang chair project. For good.

The mirror was also a bust looking much better during the drive-by than up close. The frame was cheap, plastic & broken and the mirror itself not so good. I am thinking making Leon can put it in a better frame but that is going to cost. Then I am not sure where I can put it. If bad luck starts running in short supply (ahem), I suppose I could break it.

Then the guy asks if I want the tv. Incredulously, he tells me it works so we load it up. It is the old style, crt & if I can’t place it anywhere in the cloud tastefully, I’ll take it to Goodwill for a donation. Someone can use it.

So I have much more to do today. Fans are wanting to see the trip report from FL and there is other writing.

There are ducks in various & multiple stages that need progress from rough carving, finer details & painting ESPECIALLY the one which is sold, paid for & waiting delivery.

To build a fire in the fireplace will make whatever the efforts more pleasant. Any progress will lift spirits further. Make a few phone calls later to fight on-going battles & follow ups, see what happens.

Tomorrow is St Valentines Day so Mass is in order & I think Patty has some plan in mind.

So, to conclude, Happy (& Safe) Friday the 13th & Happy St Valentine’s Day tomorrow just in case no entry gets out.

This is Bill signing out & this morning LITERALLY chilling out.