In My "Spare" Time: Year 16, Week 16, Day One (week 850)

``Year 16, Week 16, Day One (week 850)
(January 17, 2000 was my first carving day.)
04-30-16 Saturday

75 early morning, 86 late afternoon. Nice breeze with gusts that tugged on hats, focused in a few places to move stuff on tables. Sky showed red right where the sun rose and that faded to a yellow orange just before sunrise. Some medium level puffs, all day long mostly over the everglades and the ocean. A high haze settled over the entire sky that the sun spotlighted through and unless one looked up, one would not notice there was a haze (I know as I did not notice it for a very long time). This weather report was brought to you by the City Of Pompano Beach Department of Tourism.

After breakfast, we headed out yard sailing. There were a few in each section of our yard sailing run. We went to two areas I normally don’t go to, and skipped one area I go to when I am in a strong yard sailing mood. One of the first sales we went to was at a Catholic church. It was advertized in the paper and we were not sure where it was. It turned out to be one we went to last week. We didn’t recognize the name nor did we recognize the address. They won’t be doing these sales until August so it was nice to stop there.
There were several multi-family sales. Those are fun as the selection tends to be so much better. They have to get their act together and put out stuff I am after . To the best of my figures, we visited 10 yard sales. Three were people who periodically have yard sales. Two of those were where I actually got something.
Some weeks, several yard sales have similar items out. One week it might be bread makers, another time it might be lamps, and another time might be blenders. They have no idea what other yard sales has, it is just that something appears in common with several of them. Today was cutting boards. At one of the last yard sales we saw, I touched a cutting board with the thought of getting it, and forced myself to walk away. It had several colored woods in stripes and was pretty. It was below a few others but I saw the dark stripe of wood part way in and considered it. I did not get it as I have three cutting boards I use regularly and about five others that sit there, unused. I have one in the shape of a pineapple that mom had when I was growing up. It is hanging next to the stove and I never see it unless I happen to look at that one spot, While it is in plane view, I don’t normally see it. No, I have no need of cutting boards, none at all...but that one was pretty.
Again, I saw other items I would have snapped up several years ago, as I had a use for it or just wanted it. I am beyond that now. The items that attracted my eye the most, are things I already have too many of. I think there is a reason for that.
What usually happens when you end up with many of something is that you find something you “cannot live without”. You then run across another one and decide to get it just in case the first one has a problem. Then you run across one better than the ones you had. Sometimes you forget how many you have. You might also get a couple for gifts that you never give away.
I purchased a mandolin slicing set with five blades. I had a set like this and gave it to a friend because I found I only used or needed a flat slicer. The price was good so I got this set.
I found some wire display shelving. These are for displaying small items, setting them at different levels off the shelf or table. I have some and have used them when I was doing the Light House Point Yacht Club Art Shows. I have not done an art show in several years and have no idea when I will next do a show. I got these anywa as they might be useful, even if I don’t do an art show.
A guy had a bunch of clamps. I skipped the corner clamps he had with them, for use with furniture or picture frames. I have a couple of them and have never used any of them. It could be why my work is so askew.... In actuality, I have not done that kind of work. He had a bunch of small C clamps. I was picking them up and asked how much he wanted for them. The price he gave for all of them was what I expected each. There is an adage that says, “You never have enough clamps.” I decided I am going to try to prove the adage wrong....... I probably should have gotten the corner clamps also. You never know what deals you get unless you ask the price. There are a lot of times I won’t ask a price if it is not something I absolutely have to have, or I will ask the price out of curiosity and can decide whether it is worth taking home.
I got a quart and a half of buttons. The quart jar was filled with many sized, shaped and colored buttons. The baggy of buttons was filled with white buttons. Mom snatched up the baggy of buttons. I had seen some really tiny white buttons in there that Mom had said she was looking for, and got all the buttons. I keep thinking back to about two years ago, where I had seen something like six jars of buttons and did not get them, and am still kicking myself for not getting them. I did find some more tiny buttons for teddy bear eyes. That reminds me I have two teddy bears I have to finish stuffing and sewing up. I don’t dare make any more until these are finished. Maybe I should quit my job so I can have more time to do projects....... I have seen some crafts using buttons. Some using buttons as decorations. I will have to look them up sometime.

When we got home, I laid down with my legs up and played with my tablet while listening to the radio. I did not sleep, but did get some down time.

I went out back to check over my yard sale finds and photograph them. It does not take long to forget what one picked up recently or when you got them.
I dug out a can of varnish (getting old) and added varnish to the angels I had made. The paint I used on them smeared as I applied the varnish. That was expected as the paint was leaving marks on things kept in the same bag. While I was at it, I gave the wooden paint brush ornaments a coat of varnish. When I add paint to them later, the paint won’t soak into the wood and, I was already messy and had them all together. It was only a few more minutes of work to also give them a quick coat. I set the pieces out in the sun to dry. A few will need a tiny bit of cleanup as a few bits got stuck on them from the work bench. That is not usually a problem.

I cleaned up and then got hit by the lazies. I sat with the tablet and some music, and sat the rest of the afternoon totally pre-occupied. I was not in a big mood to do a lot of standing, which many projects I had in mind needed anyway. I only realized I played the day away, only when the sun was bearing down on my legs from over the neighbor’s house and under the awning. I saw it was late but not quite time to get going so I decided to keep playing until it was time to pack up.
When I went into the house, I saw a project I intended to work on, but had left it in the house and forgot about it. Maybe tomorrow.

I will see what actually happens tomorrow.

Year 16, Week 16, Day Two (week 850)
(January 17, 2000 was my first carving day.)
05-01-16 Sunday

81 late morning, 84 in the afternoon. Fast moving puffs. One put a few drips on my windshield as I was driving to moms, but that was an accident. Lots of blue sky between the puffs. A breeze just strong enough to cause you to pull down on your hat. This weather report was brought to you by the City Of Pompano Beach Department of Tourism.

I got to Mom’s and placed some stuff out back with the intention of a project. Dad said, “Let’s go for lunch.” I knew I was not going to do any projects. We sit and talk during dinner so it takes a lot longer than just eating.

The day had moved on when we got back. I could have done something, but chose not to work outside and instead head home.
I started driving home and realized I needed a few things for the project I intended on working on, and there was a HOME DEPOT along the way. My truck pulled the steering wheel out of my hands and headed there on its own. It ignored the peddles. The day was hot and once it found a parking place and turned off the AC, it refused to restart. I could not stay in the truck under those conditions so I had to go in.
Of course, I had a Sunday Worship service at the Home Depot store. I left a donation in the collection plate........
Last week, someone gave me a Belt Loom. This is to weave belts. The brand was printed on it and I went on line to find the company and any information on it. It is made by THE SCHACHT company http://schachtspindle.com/ and is their INKLE LOOM http://schachtspindle.com/item/inkle-loom/ . I found that the tension rod and the shuttle were missing, both of which is easy for me to make.
I realized that what I needed was a threaded rod and some nuts to make the tensioning rod. The rod, and the tightening knob can be easily made with skills I already use. I considered getting a full length threaded rod but decided to get a short one, about a foot long (the full rod was only a little more in cost, but I did not feel we will need a whole lot of rod laying around (especially since what I was getting is not what we normally use) . Even so, I will have to cut the rod to length when done.
I strongly considering getting some dowels for the tensioning rod, but realized that when I drill the wood, the bit will likely wander. If I am doing this work, it will not be anywhere near centered at each end. The best thing to do is to drill the hole first in a much larger piece of wood, and then turn the work round and to diameter, centered on the hole. My method is much like firing an arrow and then painting the bull’s-eye around it.
I have pictures of the shuttle and while I do not know the actual size of it, I can use the pictures as a guide and make something that will do a good job of passing for the real thing. Now, next Saturday, if nothing is planned, I will make the missing parts. The loom itself is made in a light colored wood. I am thinking it could well be maple. I am guessing, though. Come to think of it, I might have a couple pieces of maple hiding around here.

I will admit that I accomplished next to nothing this weekend. I would feel guilty about it except that I enjoyed the entire time I spent doing it.

I do have ideas for projects next week. I have ornaments to make, a loom to fix, wood that is begging to become sawdust.

I will see what I do next weekend.

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