Spent some time today doing stone cutting....

Raw rubies (not ruby crystals)


Raw rubies shaped and polished for
free form jewelry. These buggers are nearly as hard
as diamond..... a real bear to do anything with.


More free form stones for wire jewelry.


Slabs for cabachons, and another free form
for a necklace.


Quartz crystal geodes sliced, with polished edges.
Each is a few inches across, and once the the rind
is ground off they are delicate as eggs. Several just
shattered as I sliced them.

A John Lee Hooker evening

John Lee Hooker spilling from the speakers, like cool wine on a warm evening.

In front of me, a new copy of The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein.
Bought this afternoon, since my last copy is old and worn, as if the act of reading it has abraded the words. I last read the book a few years ago, and tonight the mood strikes again.

Maybe.... just maybe.... I'll sit up all night and read. It would be a fine way to spend the night.... considering the options. A cup of Earl Grey, when a Yuengling would better suit. A reading chair, when a soft bed would be welcome. An evening with Manny, Mike, and Wyoh when I'd rather be with someone else.

RAH spins a fine tale, to engage the mind and quiet an echo ringing in an empty place inside.

So far today...

Woke up late, to good coffee. Cheese omelet and bacon for breakfast.

An hour of hard chore work, then an hour swimming with the boy.

Lunch.... Italian sausage and fried onions from the grill, good baked beans, and home made cole slaw.

Now, relaxing with this confuser on the deck, in the shade.

I feel sorry for anyone who's not me.

Only one thing could make it better..........

Range time today....

Good range time today. Shot the Colt, my M+P, and quite a bit with the Mosin which I mention over at Carteach0.



Here in this video, I shoot a ten round magazine thru the M+P. One round failed to fire, and I automatically worked the slide to chamber a new round. Didn't even think about it till afterwards.



The pistol shooting was at fifty feet, at 4"x6" index cards. I consider these good substitutes for silhouette targets, which can get a little pricey. If I ever have to defend myself, I'll just ask them nicely to please hold a card in front of their face.



Fifty feet seems long with that size target..... but the bullets went where they were supposed to.

Today!

This evening I will be in school running a certification test session.
Aside from that... no world ending issues to deal with.

I am thinking a trip in town to the bank, then to the range for
a Heller of a good time. Ok... Ok..... I know. Been done, been over done.

A few hours of bang-bang will be fun. The Colt, the Smith, and perhaps a Mosin just for the enjoyment of it. 90 degrees today... lets see how well I shoot with sweat in my eyes!

Ya'll take care today, ya hear?

A glimpse at what I have been doing this week

Just a quick note, as I drift to exhaustion....

We are done roughing in one riser, and another done but for the final floor sheathing. Then..... finish wood, electrical runs, network and phone wiring, painting, video cabling, and some lighting issues.

We were alloted 240 hours total labor time. We are 32 hours in, and I expect we'll use less than half our given time.

No, we'll get no bonus for finishing early, nor even a thanks. It's just this..... we talked about it, and neither one of us would sleep well if we just ran up the clock to make the $$. We know how to work..... not how to fake it.






On this first set of raised seating tiers, we made errors galore.
Luckily we over-engineered with adhesives, fasteners, extra supports, etc.
We could park cars on this thing.



The second set, 75% finished by lunch today, is better built and we could park trucks on it. That should be about right for teenage boys.

Our 'finish trim' will be ripped down 2x8's, glued and screwed. No way the little angels will hurt them!

On another note... a little birdy told me we might be getting four adult students next year, as a bonus to our fifty two or so high school students. That makes fifty four to fifty six students to fill our fifty chairs. I guess we'll hang some from the ceiling or something.

In light of that, we came up with a plan today..... (bwahahahahaha).
Starting the first day of school, we are going to play big band and jazz for the first hour of each day. When enough students quit, we'll cut it back to half an hour.
That should clear the seats out pretty quick!

Hey! YOU! Please vote for me!

Faced with a lousy choice in voting for president, I offer you a better one.
Vote for me in sparrow's Haiku contest!

You'll enjoy it!

Today...

Doing construction again today...... I forgot what hard physical work is like.
Fun!

I'll post pictures tonight, but the gist is this: We are days ahead of schedule, after
only one day of work. Somehow we HAVE to slow down and take it easier. We'll
be done way too quick at this rate.

First, breakfast with my partner, then away we go!

Oh... the stone cutting and polishing thing..... I guess it gets to you after a while.
Last night, pretty much exhausted, and I still drifted to the basement to polish
a few slices..... not really meaning to. I think this weekend much time will be spent
over saw and polishing wheel.


Update: No pictures tonight. I'll take some tomorrow. Just.... exhausted.

Snicker.....

On the other blog.....

Home again, although it feels funny to say that

After a days driving, I arrived home yesterday afternoon.
'Vacation' is over, but the work I have planned for the next month
is light and there will be time for play if I wish.

The pool here at the house is now open, and looking gorgeous.
Probably one of it better points is..... I don't have to take care of it.
Someone else enjoys that task (really, they do!).

After unpacking and a quick bite, I hied myself off to Satan's Den
and bought some swim trunks. Then a rapid dive in, followed by
a some bounces and swearing. The water is COLD!

In a few moments, it was all good. Swimming laps does wonders
for muscles kinked from driving all day.

Then, a short soak in a hot tub with the jets cranked up, and a very hot
shower.

I felt like a new man again!

Off to do construction today...... you folks have fun, and stay cool.

Waiting on this decision....

The Supremes are due to make some sort of decision soon...
Very soon.....
Like..... Monday maybe. Maybe even today!

This is their biggest case of the season, effectively deciding what the second amendment means.
It's the first time they have addressed it in about 80 years. The last time was the Miller case, and that was a very bad review. Miller died before it came to the court, and representation was lousy.

My thinking..... the court will wiggle out of anything definitive.
Just my pessimistic opinion.
No matter what they decide, it will open the way to legal challenges on many fronts, and very interesting times for American gun owners. All 100,000,000 of us.

Some more interesting points here.....

In any case, I am watching and waiting with unusual excitement.

A few pictures... of vacation

Yes, I'm away from it all. In a new world for a while, and it feels like home...



The trees, on the other hand, have definite ideas about being touched. Some of them are positively ferocious!



After the rain, in a lull, the sun makes a valiant effort have itself seen...

Yes.... this feels like home.

Eye the horizon

See past to a larger world

The future awaits

Don't worry.....

Blogging shall be light, if any at all, for the next few weeks.
I'll be away, happy, and relaxing.

Take care my friends...

A walk by the river...... wooded paths

Just sharing some views from yesterday. A walk down wooded paths over the river. One bald eagle, several goofy touristas, and a beautiful day.

Man shopping Baby!

Listen closely friends, and you shall hear
A tale of bold Man Shopping, to delight your ear
Into the very pits of hell, but with a buying plan
It was Wal Mart at dawn, entered a daring old man

Race to the photo center, to print me some prints
Zoom, clip, and crop, seeking only perfect tints
Fire it up nice lady clerk, for I'm in a real push
Slug that hot black coffee, and move that cute tush

Storm the mens clothes, to find the sale rack
Seven dollar shirts? Buy the whole bloody pack!
Eight dollar blue jeans, and where is my size?
Snagged every one in stock, thats my prize

An empty checkout line, there must be at least one
It's just past dawn, hardly even a hint of sun!
Pick a young one, with life still in her fingers
Ring me up, ring me up, and please don't linger!

Four shirts, two pants and a bag full of socks
Snagged on the run, because Man Shopping rocks!
Only fifty two dollars? Thats a heck of a deal
If it was just a little cheaper, I'd call it a steal

Out the front door, with a satisfied dance
So reading the watch, how far did it advance?
Only twenty four minutes, a very short mission
That's Man Shopping my friends, in it's finest tradition

A quiet morning
The sound of water falling
leading me within

Standard fare......

I wasn't real hungry tonight... until I read Linda's post that is. That Beef Wellington could raise a man from his death bed. So.... since I now had a taste for meat.... it was off to the store.

The only beef on sale that looked good was some London Broil. Normally a little tough, it seemed perfectly suited for something I wanted to try.

Now, I cook steak in a cast iron pan. First searing at screaming hot temperatures on top of the stove, then finishing in the oven. It's almost guaranteed to serve up a great steak. Except... it's summer. I have the AC on. I don't want to heat up the oven to surface-of-the-sun temperatures. I want to use the grill. Grilled steaks are not as good as my pan seared steaks.......

Hmm.......

How about a cast iron pan on the grill, at rocket hot temperatures? A little while later... dinner is served.



The steak is first marinated a short while in balsamic vinaigrette. While soaking, I poked and perforated it thoroughly with a fork. Then, into an iron pan which approached five hundred degrees. A short time on each side, with the grill lid shut in between flips. Smell that?



It comes out of the pan and onto the plate to rest. Give it ten minutes to relax... and you'll be rewarded with a juicier and more tender steak.



Now, what to do for ten minutes? How about preparing the mushrooms that go with the steak? Have a bunch of sliced bella's waiting for this, with some peppered butter to go in the pan first.

Go ahead and shut off the grill... the pan is more than hot enough already, and has all those wonderful pan drippings just waiting to be soaked up.

Dump in the butter, and as soon as it coats the pan follow with the mushrooms. Stir and turn as they sizzle, browning and taking on the steak/butter flavor.
As soon as they look slightly crisped on the edges, turn them onto the plate with the steak.

Whack the dog with a two by four so he'll sleep through the next twenty minutes and leave you in peace as you eat.







Feel free to click on any photo and enlarge, if you wish.

Did something unusual tonight... (for me, anyway)

I actually sat and watched TV tonight. An entire episode of
'Deadliest Catch'.

I haven't watched any TV to speak of in months......

Just felt like being a potato for a change.

Stones..... again

This time, Just a few photos.
They speak for themselves.
Cutting and polishing these things
can be enjoyable.... it's easy to get lost in the
craft.

What does a bored teacher do?

Prevented from beginning our construction till after another week passes, and fully caught up on all other work that can be done.... what does a bored teacher with access to nice shop out of the sun do?

He waxes his truck.

I had a big lunch in our culinary programs dining room. Chef can cook a piece of driftwood and make it taste wonderful. After lunch, knowing I needed physical activity or a big soft spot to fall over, I pulled my truck in and spiffed 'er up.

I... Like... My... Truck.

More stone stuff

For Breda and Sparrow, more about cutting stones.

One of the skills I am picking up is cutting and polishing
slabs. Specifically, agate geodes right now.

A feature of these is the slab is usually translucent
and beautiful. It's best when light is shining through it.

To that end, I wanted a display device that would hold a
slab and a candle.... and it was so easy to make.
My first try was from a simple 2x4, to work out what I wanted.
Now, the final product is made from rare hard wood.

Today.... that boat fell apart. Hard.

Some might recall a boat that attempted to kill me early
last week.....

It's not nice to mess with Carteach0, for Carteach0 has access
to heavy equipment and large dumpsters.

Bye Bye boat from hell..... have a nice trip back home.

Hear that?

It's the sound of ...... silence......

The boys graduated last night. NO more kids in school for me.
In a week, no more school for me period.

The next sound you hear will be a deep breath of relaxation.

A full and busy day....

Spent some time today poking around inside
a rock to see what was there. Turns out it was
worthwhile, as this is what I found:




In addition, while running errands, I stopped at a
small Amish store. It's one of those places with no sign.
Either you know it's there, or you don't. They are
fine with either outcome.

There, I purchased some tomato and basil plants for
the garden, and a bag of dark chocolate wafers.
To go with the wafers, a bag of cashews.
In case you missed it.... the Amish KNOW how to eat well.

This evening, having put in a full day planting the garden and
wrestling with diamond saws, I finally had time to relax.
Moments after sitting, I realized again one reason
I stay so busy.... I miss my best friend, a lot.

So, to console myself, I combined the Dark chocolate and cashews
to make these treats....



No worries friends. I won't eat them all by myself.
I'll have help, no doubt, as soon as they are discovered.

Go ahead.. click on the photo to enlarge it. Make it
your desktop. I dare you!

Just past my fingers
I feel your heart beating true
to me, a beacon

One of the boys showed up with my safe!

The middle son showed up yesterday with a surprise.
My gun safe, in his truck! It took him, the neighbor, a floor
jack, and a long pry bar to get it in the truck....

Into the house here... a fridge dolly and three husky manly type men.
We had to remove a few doors and move five bookshelves, but it's
moved in, and nobody got hurt.

It's now ensconced in it's new home.... and will be soon be filled
with it's usual contents. Feels kind of nice to have that back...

Breakfast fixuns, and more

Muffins.... made with cheddar cheese and a touch of garlic.
Also has some rosemary, parsley, and black pepper.
Warm and buttered.... a dozen evaporated.



Country skillet..... Dice potatoes and onions sauted in bacon grease, then inundated with eggs and cream. Topped with shredded cheddar and baked till set.

Topped with salsa..... it's a favorite of mine, but not for everyone.



And now, another adventure in stone. Finished yesterday, this wedge shape of agate has already been claimed. It took some talking to get it back long enough to photograph. The lady of this house says this piece is now hers, and will not be
going to the store for sale.

It's an idea in process..... and if I can make it work you'll see more photos of such things.







Another project, about 3/4th completed, is the deck behind the house. It overlooks the pool. It hasn't been cared for in years.... at least ten years. It's color varied from dull gray to dark algae green. Hours and hours of pressure washing, followed by a good long dry out, then a coat of natural stain/sealer. This is the first coat, and probably the last. The Thompsons sealer covers nicely and looks particularly good when dried.

What you see here is one half the deck... there is a chunk behind the photographer (me!) that is somewhat bigger, but without a solid roof. It has an Italian style cover of boards set on edge to block some of the sun. Today I'll get all the furniture moved to this side, now finished, and stain/seal the other side. Next weekend it will be done.

My sitting room windows look out onto this deck, and from there to the woods. Not a bad view.

Two pieces, of a shared source

I don't need a new interest, but it happens anyway. My mind works better when it stays active. Like a magpie, something new and shiny comes along and I'm off to the races. "Oh look..... Shiny!"

The latest mind candy: cutting and shaping stones. The equipment is here. A willing if somewhat garrulous teacher is here, and rocks are everywhere. While there are over two tons of fancy cutting stock laying around here, I have only to walk into the woods and pick up a stone.

That's what I did yesterday. I had a project weighing on my mind, and I walked out into the woods behind the house... kicking over rocks and digging through the underbrush. Looking for an old piece of the earth that matched what my minds eye was imaging. A stone that had inside it what I wanted. I found it.

Perhaps one of the things about stone cutting that fascinates me.... is the way it demonstrates humanity. Not wishy washy liberal humanity, but the real meaning. Being human, being a man, having control over my environment and shaping it to fit my desires. I wish this piece of common stone to be a new shape and serve a new purpose, and by the power of my hands it will. It's that ability that sets us apart from all others on this planet.

In this case, my desire was a set of book ends. With a special purpose in mind, I wanted a stone of a certain color. Making slow and deliberate slices with a diamond saw, I took a common stone from the wood and reshaped it to match my desire. A flat and stable bottom. Wide interior surfaces to support specific journals for years to come, and front faces with a polished glimpse into the heart of the stone.

I made exactly what I wanted, and it felt good. It will feel even better when I gift them to their new home, to the person they were made for.

In cutting and polishing the stone, a recurring thought played across my consciousness. One stone into two. Two stones, of the same source. Two stones that are really one, just separated by space and time and circumstance. Set side by side, their origin flashes into obviousness.

Taken separately, each has it's own beauty, and flaws, and strengths. Placed together all thats good is multiplied. Their common past life becomes clear and they deserve to be together from then on. It's right... that they serve their purpose beside each other.

Each piece, an individual and unique thing. Taken alone, separately, each has it's own value and beauty. Each would serves it purpose without peer. But, place them together, and they magnify each others essential character until the union produces something new and better.

Something beautiful to the eye of a man.