In My "Spare" Time: Year 16, Week 37, Day One (week 869)

Year 16, Week 37, Day One (week 869)
(January 17, 2000 was my first carving day.)
09-24-16 Saturday

78 degrees early morning, 88 degrees late afternoon. No breeze early on, just picking up nicely later in the morning. Radar blobs danced off shore for a long time. About two, one reached out for us with a hand. This weather report was brought to you by the City Of Pompano Beach department of Tourism.

Mom found two church yard sales in a paper. We headed out to visit them. One is a church we visit periodically. There were a number of interesting things I chose to not get. They had books, dollar a bag. I found some Jeff Smith Frugal Gourmet cook books. One was a three book set. Then there was another separate book. Mom found a few more books to add to the bag. When I got home, I found I had two of them. This makes my library to have 6 of the some 10 or so books he wrote. Of the two books I had doubles of, I put the kept the best in my set and the others will go as gifts or yard sales. I got these, not because I intend to follow a bunch of the recipes, but I loved his show and would like to have a nice collection of his books.
I also picked up a set of three scissors (one a pinking or serrated) and some metal crochet hooks, with a few needles and a metal knitting needle.

Mom had picked up some stamps, which I was thinking about getting, and we looked at a Brayer Roller – used for spreading ink on stamps or printing plates. I glanced at a travel iron that had a converter to European outlets. I have one, possibly two, so I held off on getting that.
We got home and looked at what we picked up, and Mom decided she wanted the brayer roller as one of the stamps is a really big musical piece. I headed back there. Both the iron and the roller were gone. I got twisted around leaving the church. I did find a yard sale I would never have found. I got onto the road I needed and headed North. At the far end, I found a yard sale. Lots of interesting things I would have wanted later. I did find a guitar stand at a price I wanted to pay. I later gave that to a place we meet where a number of guitarists gather to play.
The other church turned out to be mostly commercial stuff and they wanted a donation for entering. I chose not to. I was feeling cheap at that moment. I had parked on the wrong corner of the building so I got a nice stroll. It is surprising how the walk back is always twice as far as the walk there.....

At a yard sale we missed when Mom was driving, I found out that a friend of mine was helping with the yard sale. It was just not something there that I needed. I gave her some books her daughter might like that I had in the truck. .

I reached home and chose to take a break, relax until after lunch, which was going to be fairly soon. At two, I went outside after checking the radar. The string of radar contacts somehow skipped inland, going more over the edge of the Everglades. I went outside and looked at the lathe and the things that have to be moved to get it to where I could use it. I decided that with the weather that could be coming, that was not a project I cared to do.
I decided to trim corners off the platter turning blanks. A lot of equipment would not have to be taken out or put back for this project. It looked good for when weather is questionable.
I took my multi plug extension cord out. It has a plug box where several outlets can be turned off by a switch. One outlet is always live. I use this most when I am working with the dremmel or the mini lathe. I plugged the Saws-All saw into the always-on outlet, set the wood in the vice in position to knock off a corner. I brought the Saw-All up to the wood and pulled the trigger. Nothing.
I changed outlets and still nothing, no matter how the switch was set. I wondered if there was power to the power strip I was plugged into. Mom had someone working there this week. I plugged in the fan, and it ran so it was not the power strip;. I then plugged the saw directly into the strip and still it did not work. I even moved the blade so the motor rotated, just in case it was in a dead spot. Still nothing. About that time, we started getting a Seattle Shower. This is where you get hit by one tiny drip a minute. Not enough to put up an umbrella and not really hard enough to keep you from working, but over time, it is enough to get you soaked. Since the saw was not working, I decided to pack up and end the day. It was getting closer to the time to leave anyway.
Other than some fun yard sailing, I accomplished nothing. I have to get with my brother to trouble shoot the Saws-All. I might have to replace it. Will see.

I will see what happens tomorrow.

SUNDAY

I stopped at a yard sale of a woman who has had a few the past few weeks. Last time I visited, she said she was going to donate a bunch of stuff. I guess she decided to have another sale. She had a light frame with a bag that velcros to the top rails. It was a hamper. I love hampers for my yarn. I have several wicker hampers filled with yarn I have not had time to touch. I still have yarn that needs a better place for them.. I had something different in mind for this hamper though.

A good storm passed about an hour later.

I reached mom’s house after a long stop and she said, “lets go out to eat.” That killed the afternoon. She only offers that if my brother is not coming up.
When we got back home, I got some things together and headed home. I had a couple stops to do on the way.
My first stop was Sears. I was after two items, and they no longer carried them. One of them, a water proofing spray for camp gear, I know is available, unless the modern synthetic fibers has eliminated the need for it. They also no longer carry Saws-Alls in the store. They might be found on line. The one I have was a Craftsman, which Sears carried.
My second stop was Lowes Hardware, which was in the same plaza. I looked at the prices and the range looked like $75 to $115, if I remember right. The one I have is a good one. Mom has one of those off brand saws that has no guts. I figure the higher price MIGHT be an indicator for power or constructed quality. Will have to give it some thought.

I headed home, ending my day.

I do hope to get something done next weekend. I have a lot of wood that is calling my name. I am getting that thought that I have to get some Christmas ornaments made soon. It is never too early, though I started making them back in January and other projects became more important.

I will see what I do next weekend.
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