A failed experiment

Yesterday was a downer.  I had planned for several weeks for the copper clad dividing strips between the walnut and maple boards of the headboard for the bed.  I even sent our first order of copper back as we did not like the patina that we had ordered.  After a couple of hours yesterday morning it became clear that the copper idea would not work.  I do not know if I ordered it too thin or if the idea was just bad from the beginning but in any case I had to go to plan B. That plan became more wood in the form of paduak wood.  Yesterday I made 3 new dividers out of paduak and glued the seven boards together.  This morning I put the legs on the boards so it will be ready to bring into the house this afternoon.  I will need to put the danish oil on the paduak in the coming days but the headboard should be on the bed by Tuesday or so.  We will see what it looks like then.
We are looking at cool temps for the next several days.  This morning it was 39 at 5:00 AM and then went down to 38 by 6.  I think the high yesterday was 53 and for the next several days the highs should be in the upper 40s.  Not really that bad for mid October but then just a few days ago we were basking in the 70s so the big change makes it look chilly for sure.
I really needed to get the headboard glued so I can get it in the house and turn off that electrical heater.  I get dizzy when I see the meter going around when it is on!
It is hard to believe that we only have this weekend and next weekend before November rolls around.  Time goes by so fast.
I need to check the headboard again to see if it really is square--not a pretty sight if it is crooked but I have high hopes.
Enough for this morning.

Thirty years is a long time--45 years is longer

1983 Honda Goldwing 1100



Fall colors




Sunrise in St. Paul

Last July Terry's brother Cab gave his 30 year old Honda to me.  It had not been started in 6 years so we found a guy to rehab it and it came home yesterday.  What am I going to do with a 1100, 450 pound cycle?  I am not sure.  I last rode a cycle in 1968 and that was my Harley 250 Sprint!  A bit of a difference I would say.  I would humbly say I am a novice rider at best even though my only mode of travel for two years was my cycle--THAT WAS 45 YEARS AGO.  Even though the cycle is 30 years old it has only 13000+ miles on it.  It even has electric start and turn signals--not the one arm signals I used with my Sprint :). 
I woke up to rain this morning with temps in the low 40s.  I turned the heater on in the wood shop as I intend to wipe down and buff the boards for the bed headboard later this morning.  I am excited to see what the boards look like after three coats of Danish Oil and buffing. 
We have had so many squirrels in our yard that the lawn is beginning to look like a mine field. I decided  something had to be done so I started a relocation program and in the last 3 days have relocated 6 of those little monsters.  Someone told me that the squirrels can come back to the same location but I am sure these will not. 
Terry is excited today.  We will pick up her niece at the U of MN this afternoon and take her out to dinner.  Sarah is interviewing for her residences in medicine.  It will be fun to spend some time with her.  I think we may pick her up and take her to the airport tomorrow as well.
I have not called Dale B about deer on his farm but I need to do that soon.  I am hoping he has a nice big buck feeding off his salt block right under the tree stand north of the farm buildings.  He promised me he would put the salt block and oats out weekly but you know these farmers they are so busy maybe he has not had the time!!!
I made the FP pot only 2/3 full this morning as I am meeting John K for breakfast at 7:00 and want to save some coffee room at that time.  SO the pot is empty and I am finished.

Happy Birthday Audrey--a day late



That is one delicious jawbreaker




My hair is flying because I can not sit still!




Well, I can sit still for pictures




A tree house to aspire to!!!!!!!

Not unusual for Grandpa, a day late.  Audrey turned 5 yesterday, happy birthday Audrey.
The grandchildren are growing too fast.  I talked to Leo yesterday and he proudly told me that he lost his first tooth.  I asked him if his Dad pulled it with the ignition pliers like Dad used to do with us and I guess it just fell out at school.  How undramatic is that???  Anyway the tooth fairy left a dollar under his pillow so that was good.
The tree house--it was built a few years ago by Terry's sister and her husband.  I probably should not have posted it as now Mike, Aaron or John may want to out do it.  I am sure there have been many fun times in it. 
I will put the last coat of danish oil on the bed frame today and then buff it tomorrow.  The copper strips should come by Wednesday and then it should be put together by the end of the week.  I think it is looking pretty good but we will see when it is put together.  My fear is that with the size of the piece it may end up glued all crooked and then our bed will be lopsided!!
Also started to rehab the four storm windows for the kitchen.  They are in BIG time need of some TLC.  I am so so thankful for the inserts we put in on 14 of the windows two years ago.  No more climbing up the ladder to the second floor with a heavy storm in tow, then some how postioning it so that it would hang on the house correctly!  Of course another good thing is they can all be washed from the inside and there is no glazing to crack, peel and fall out.  It would have been nice to have done the kitchen windows too but it was not possible. 
Ouch, tomorrow the second half property taxes have to be mailed.  St. Paul taxes are very high I think.  Since we purchased the house the taxes have increased by five times.
My FP is down to the grim on the bottom of the cup so-----

Another perfect fall day



an amish school bus of the past




Amish children have no homework which these kids would NOT like!!!

A short note before I find myself in the wood shop.  I am sitting by the computer looking out the front window and the sun is starting to shine on the tree in front which makes it look golden--nice picture for the middle of October.
My project is going well in the garage and I am doing it without buying ANY more wood.  I had priced the walnut and maple and am so so so thankful that I had enough on the wood rack. 
Terry is doing well, I guess I should say as well as one could expect.  She is sore and walks carefully but each day it is a bit better.  I actually think I have done a good job of trying to keep her from doing too much.  Well if one wants the truth she would be good on her own to monitor activity but some how I feel like I should take some credit!
No my FP coffee is about gone and what is left is not very hot so it is to the microwave and then out to the shop.

Really--this is camping!!

A short one today.  I would say maybe every third night when we camp we have electric power so it is easy to make my FP coffee!
Terry had a difficult day yesterday but today it is starting out much better so here we go, on the fast track to recovery.
Temp is 40 this morning with most of the windows telling me it is fall.  It will be out to the wood shop soon to get working on some projects.  Time is going away fast!

ALL TEN, HERE THEY ARE!!!



Elspeth-2 months




Agatha-4 months




Ben--1 year and 9 months




Ruby--3 years and 8 months




Jude-4 years and 1 month




Audrey--5 years this month




Faustina--5 years and 4 months




Leo--6 years and 5 months




Liam--8 years and 5 months




Henry--10 years and 1 month

 That is it--but can not get much better than that!
Terry arrived home from the hospital today and is doing well.  We expect her recovery to be speedy.  We are so thankful.
Fall is here with cool temps and rainy weather.  The leaves are falling quickly but not as much as SD!!

Last big trip of the year

We arrived home (St. Paul) yesterday after a fun and relaxing trip.  We were on the road for 13 days, drove 3200+ miles, visited 19 more state parks, visited family and friends and took in a wedding.
One day we drove into Canada and then out again 500 miles later.  On that day we arrived in Grand Portage MN late in the day with the intent to take the ferry out to Isle Royal National Park the next day.  When we talked to the camp host he informed us that during this time of year the ferry would be going out again in 6 days!  We had no idea that it went once a week and not only that but even during the 6 weeks of summer that it goes daily you MUST make a reservation.  So much for one more national park.  With that we directed our attention to state parks.  There are 72 in MN and last year we visited 41.  So for the last few days of our trip we visited friends north of Duluth, visited Terry's mother and visited 19 parks.  We will visit one just outside of the cities this week when we have an appt and then will have 7 left.  I think they will wait until 2014.
After we arrived home yesterday the time was spent unpacking, washing the camper and car and visiting a bit with Travis.  He is working really hard and has lost a amazing amount of weight.  He is looking so so good. 
It is GOOD to be home.  In the last 60 days we have traveled 13,500 miles and slept in the camper 50 nights.  As I walked out to the camper this morning to get the toaster the chill in the air kind of said, "Time to take care of the camper and let travel rest for a time."  Our next venture will be to drive to Naples which will be in mid November.  We need to take care of some health issues, not serious ones, so that is the reason for the mid November departure.
It was so much fun to see Elspeth Zoe for the first time.  She certainly is a cutie!  Here she is at nearly 2 months.  

I have not talked to John as most of the time on our trip we did not have internet or phone but it should be noted that his school, Trinity at Greenlawn in South Bend, recently received the "BLUE RIBBON AWARD" .  Trinity at Greenlawn was awarded this honor for the fourth time and became only the 8th school in the nation to receive it four times.  No school has received it five times.  John will travel to Washington D C in November to receive the award.  Well that is if our nation is not totally shut down by then!!
We saw some beautiful fall colors on our trip.  When a person travels they realize that everyone should plant maple trees just for the fall colors. 
One of the most interesting state parks is Sudan in central northern MN that is an old underground mine.  If anyone travels there be sure to take the $12 tour.  A person travels about a half mile underground and then rides a tiny train through the tunnels.  To learn a bit of how the  miners worked is just amazing.  They made good money but it would not have been for me.  A cubic foot of the iron weighed 300 pounds.  The miners worked very hard and if their candle went out, in the early days, there was total darkness, I mean you could not see your hand an inch in front of your face. 
No, my FP is about gone and it is time to start the day.