In My "Spare" Time: Year 16, Week 32, Day One (week 864)

Year 16, Week 32, Day One (week 864)
(January 17, 2000 was my first carving day.)
08-20-16 Saturday

86 degrees early morning, 95 degrees late afternoon. A nice breeze herded puffs and blobs over the Everglades while blue sky remained over the ocean and us. This weather report is brought to you by the City Of Pompano Beach Department Of Tourism.

THURSDAY

I went for the turning club meeting, but was intercepted out in the parking lot. We meet at a school and the school was closing early this evening because it was the start of school so a bunch of us simply gathered and talked while waiting to see if anybody else would show up. One of the officers was calling up everybody he had a phone number for, telling them the meeting was cancelled. A few people showed what they brought. I did not think about it later, but I should have taken pictures of the work.
I got home early, but still later than I normally get to bed. It was nice talking to everyone that was there, though.

There was just a glow in the Eastern sky as I headed to Mom’s house. It was not long ago when the sun was already up at this time.
Right after breakfast, we stopped at a yard sale. It was mostly tools. The guy was getting rid of a bunch of extras he accumulated. While a lot of the tools were stuff I wanted many years ago, the only things that really caught my eye was a very large bench vice I don’t need it) and a transit level (also did not need but would have offered it at work). I did not ask the price on either. At the end of my day I stopped back to the yard sale and both were sold and over half his other stuff was gone too.

I am still fighting the bug I had last week. Each day it is better, but it is taking time. We got back from breakfast and I laid down and napped for a little while. That helped immensely. Mom showed me some projects she had in mind for me, and then I headed out on the yard sale circuit. I decided to clock the distance out of curiosity.
I headed North from Mom’s house, then went to the other side of the highway and went all the way back down. Where I would turn to go to mom’s house after the upper loop, it was 9 miles. I figure another mile to get home.
I then headed down to the southern limit of our run , crossed the highway and headed north again. Where the high speed driving started, was at 15 miles. Other than about three miles of fast driving, the trip is at 25 mph or less. When I got back to Mom’s house, it was about a 20 mile journey. That is the long loop. We don’t always do that. I was not planning on it until I decided to clock the distance. Then I was forced to go the whole thing.

As mentioned, the first yard sale was before we got home from breakfast. As I headed out, I passed that one. I found a yard sale where they had big mirrors for sale. I told them that I thought the mirror was haunted. I walked in front of the mirror and some goofy guy stepped in front of me and I could not see my reflection. They got a kick out of that.
A short distance farther, I found another yard sale and this one was where I did some buying. I got a bunch of files, and some clamps, along with a cassette tape set of the bible. This recording is read by Alexander Scourby. He is very good. He pronounces the complex names with ease. Now I have to find out which of my tape decks will work after all these years. It could also end up being a gift, if I find someone who can play them.
Heading south, I found several yard sales. They always have interesting stuff, but not the right stuff. One I just drove by as they had about twelve pieces of furniture and not much else.
Just before where the fast traffic starts, I found a yard sale and there I got a cook book. Not that I need another cook book. I don’t use the ones I have, but it was interesting so I got it.This one was on TAPAS. It is Spanish finger dishes. It started out as bread with something on it, set on top a glass of wine to keep the flies out.
In all, I saw nine yard sales but two I did not stop at. One was a woman who always has them and I have gotten about three things from her in the past few years. I also saw signs for two places I could not find.

Once I got home, Mom and I went out back to work on one of her projects. She had a tropical plant that had gotten too tall, so she had it trimmed down but decided to have it completely removed. This way, the only plant that is still in the ground on her property is a small Clerodendron tree.She is keeping it small.
NEWS FLASH: Itinerant wood worker cuts down tree. Falls on neighbor’s house demolishing it. More news at eleven.
The remains of the tree when I arrived, was about five foot tall. Most of the pieces are about the diameter of your thumb and it is a very soft wood. I used the Saws-all to cut the pieces to half the length and to remove thin pieces sticking out from the base of the main trunk.
To remove the main trunk, I had to cut at ground level. I am never good on the ground, but am worse bending over while sitting in a chair. I first tried the Saws-all to cut the biggest trunk, but the blade I was using was not long enough. Part way into the cut, the end was tapping on the wood on the other side of the cut. I then swapped to the electric chain saw. Even though the chain saw worked better, it was still not easy as this used to be for me. It took some time to work through the wood. Mom pushed on the trunk to keep it from binding on me. Wet wood, which this was, swells when heated. Once I cut it, there were a couple roots that came out of the trunk a little high and went into the ground. I had to cut that to free the trunk.
I then cut the second one the same way, but I cut the roots first. This one was a little smaller.
Mom stacked the debris to take out for pickup later.
I will say that it took some determination to not grab the big pieces of wood for carving or turning. It is not like I am out of wood or projects to make with the wood.

I pulled out my lathe to work on the drum sticks I started last week. I swapped ends a couple times with each one as I worked, bringing it down closer to size and then shaping the striking end. The tool slipped and I mess up the ball at the end of one of the sticks.
When I was done, both sticks were a bit too big in diameter and they don’t need to be that long. They are a lot closer to what I am after, though. Next time I work on them, I might make them shorter so I can get the striking ends of both sticks the same. I kind of wanted to get both sticks finished today, but one was fighting me, the tool dug in and the stick bounced in the middle. I did most of the clean up of my tool marks with my 32 grit sand paper.
I am not sure if I will use the sandpaper to get the sticks smaller, or use my cutting tools. I should use the tools even it if is nothing more than practice, but sometimes discretion is the better part of valor. They will have to be sanded to a much finer grit in the end anyway.

I had it by that time. I did not even bother sweeping up the little bit of sawdust I had made. I don’t like leaving a mess but I was at my limit. I could have done more after an hour or so of rest, but I chose to relax and cool down the rest of the day.

I have no idea what I will do tomorrow.

(Sunday Note) I showed my brother the files and clamps I got and he took some. He then asked if we wanted to stay out in the heat or go into the air conditioning. That ended my day for any possible projects.

I will see what I will do next weekend.
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