Pictures and mumblings

Things here have been going pretty much normal without anything exciting. I often remember the Chinese curse that goes, in translation, "May you live in interesting times." You can think that through.

Work is going ok for me. I am beginning to get a handle on more of the mgt stuff. I've had some challenges with some of my associates. One is new to Lowe's and has struggled shaking off former job mentality. But they are coming along. The other is young and doesn't have the work ethic us old geezers have. Nor do they have a Lowe's work ethic. So we are encouraging both to study Lowe's retail methods and come on line, so to speak. Lowe's is my first venture into retail since high school. I did pull brief stints in a shoe store, a fast food restaurant and a grocery store. But in 4 years of Uncle Sam indoctrination and then all of my adult life in the electronic service industry I really lost all trace of understanding of retail. And besides, it probably has changed significantly in those 38 years.

My blood sugar readings each day seem to jump all over the graph (yes, I graph them) and Jill just now suggested it might be in part to my shift work. Good, I have something to blame it on. My wife was suggesting my late night high sugar snacks could be a reason. Well, whatever. Some people always want to look at practical things. Inhibits those of who look at the esoteric in things. Being too grounded in reality causes the artistic brain cells to quit firing.

I've been working on a project in wood for our vision pastor at church and while it is coming along slowly, it is coming along nicely. I mixed oak with pine and have begun to question the use of pine. But it is what it is and with some stain and varnish it think it will be suitable for public viewing. I hope he doesn't believe he will have to put it away when he has visitors.

50 degrees and sunny here today with a little wind. Looks like mostly sunny to partly skies for the next 10 or 12 days with day time temperatures ranging between the current 50 and 68. I have been venturing out on the bike some lately. I am planing a trip to the Williamsburg area in December. It can be cold there, but hoping for mile temperatures and NO perception. I want to bike the Colonial Parkway and other areas.

I'll post pictures of my project when I'm done. After I give it to Pastor Kerry, of course. I doubt he even knows about this blog, but someone close to him might.

Cheers. Hope you did all you wanted to do in October. It is closing fast. I have one more report for work to finish. Argh.

Reading blogs

As I was working on a gift project just now I was also listening to Public Radio with Roy Blount Jr. (http://www.royblountjr.com/). Listening that is between the table saw, the belt sander and the shop vacuum. A quotation was attributed to Oscar Wilde. I looked the quotation up and found the attribution was indeed accurate. The quotation is this: "But what is the difference between literature and journalism? Journalism is unreadable and literature is not read. That is all."

I thought about that a minute and based on my experience with blogging I think I can expand this quotation to "Journalism is unreadable and literature is not read while blogs are about 50/50 on both accounts."

Blogs are most probably written with a much narrower audience in mind. I know my other blog, http://fiberflashes.blogspot.com/ is certainly written with just a few in mind. And those to whom it is not written for most likely have less than adequate interest to stick through an entire entry.

Those to whom the blog IS targeting may many times fall into that category as well. So, while some entries may catch the attention of any blog hopper some articles won't hold any one's attention.

So mostly blog entries are arrows shot into a night sky. If they find a target, woohoo. If not, oh well there is always the next entry.

If you venture into the other blog I must warn you. It is NOT intended for general audiences. It is written for serious theologically inclined mindsets. I venture into areas that for new or less spiritually mature persons may present stumbling blocks to faith. Especially to faith in the authority and authenticity of the Old Testament scriptures.

I think in my case the original intent of blogging is still very much intact. I blog for my own interest. If the blogs interest others, great. If not, I am no less. Get your own blog. I may not read it, but then you shouldn't care. Right?

Recent Pictures

This is our friend Barb from Peru. Well, now from Peru. She has lived, as far as I know, in many places but has been in Peru right at 20 years now. She is holding Abigail and I have Mari. Diana is in the lower right corner.


These are kissing cousins. Hard to tell them apart, huh?

Madison helping dad color outside the lines.


Chad with Madison and Jill with Mari at a nearby farm.



All smiles. Ebony and Ivory.

Pictures

OK, you've had to wait long enough. Here are pictures of the last two major projects we finished, or got close enough no one else can tell. First is my office. The next two are, of course, the half bath in the basement. And at the very end, a picture of me, the oldest member of this family holding the youngest, Abigail. Sweet, sweet Abigail. Madison, Amari and Abigail. What more could a granddad want?

You can click on the pictures to enlarge them.

Cheers.

Fall colors muted

Todd and I went for a 10 mile ride this afternoon. The fall colors here in the central Shenandoah Valley look like they are going to be somewhat muted this year. I don't know if that is a result of little rainfall during the last few weeks of summer or what. I would have liked a camera along today, but mine is just not suited for bike riding. Way too big and heavy. It would bust a hole in my chest if I put the strap around my neck. I probably ought to sell it and the rest of my camera gear and buy a new smaller one. If you know anyone interested in a very little used Nikon D70 with two lenses and a very well used Nikon FTn with several lenses give them my email address.

I did pretty well on the ride considering it was my first foray on the bike in at least 6 months. I was nursing a very tender torn meniscus in my left knee and was afraid riding would aggravate it. I may have been wrong. Today's ride caused me no discomfort except in the bum area. The little seats on road and crossover bikes are not made for old guys like me. My thighs burned a good bit on some of the up hill sections. Unfortunately up hill sections are a major part of any ride in this area.

Yesterday I drove through a neighborhood just west of Route 42 in Bridgewater and fell in love with it. The homes all look to be 1950's to 1970's architecture, and the streets are Kansas flat and very open. No hidden intersections or blind spots. Wonderful place to bike ride or walk the dog and/or your main squeeze.

Saturday evening I created a spreadsheet that will have color filler in time squares indicating who in my department is working each day and what hours. Different colors for different people, of course. I transferred it to my Dell PDA so I can carry it at work. It looks like it will be a useful tool. The PDA is not the smallest thing I have in my pockets, however, so I may resort to printing the schedule 3 weeks at a time and carrying it in my pocket folded up.

I have needed a tool for knowing who works when so I can keep on top of creating work lists and so I know who opens, etc. Some people are better openers and some are better closers. I hate getting up early, but I love leaving work at 2pm when I do open.

I got to hold precious Abigail for a few minutes today and she smiled at me. She is so beautiful. Madison and Amari are beautiful as well. But you know how granddads are. Totally unbiased. G and I have been blessed with great children, the sweetest daughters-in-law imaginable, and three beautiful granddaughters. On Friday one of my former store associates came by with his boy who is exactly the same age as Madison. He is almost certainly the most beautiful little boy I have ever seen. His daddy broke my heart when he said he and his wife had divorced.

Our very precious friend Barb is supposed to be with us this Wednesday for an overnight stay. We are looking forward to seeing her again. I can't remember when we last saw her in person. I know Todd and I saw her in Peru in August 1999. Way too long, I know that.

Lately I have spent all of my time working, sleeping or reading / researching. I need to work on some projects around the house and do more with the family. I have been so caught up in this reading and discovering I can hardly think about much else. I have two smaller projects going at the moment. I am adding electrical outlets around my workbench which should have only taken a couple of hours, but I am missing one EMT fitting. I'll try to get it tomorrow. The other project is a railing on the front porch. I have it all built, but am not as happy with it as I would like to be. I may pull it apart and reassemble it at least.

Later. Thanks for stopping by.

More music

It is midnight, zero hundred hours in military time, time for the clock to send Cinderella running from the ball as her carriage turns into a pumpkin. And I am tired. I must have climbed up and down a very tall ladder tonight 50 times pulling stock and non stock items.

Anyway, on my way TO work I was listening to a program on NPR titled Acoustic Cafe. They played a song with a strong Latin American sound and I loved it immediately. It was written and sang by Zoe (pronounced Zoie) Lewis. Lewis is from England, but lives here in the US now. In an interview I found on YouTube she said that she had been recently listening to Keren Ann, a singer songwriter living in Paris currently, but who was raised in Israel. I listen to some of her music and liked it as well. Check them out and see what you think. Lewis' song that grabbed my attention is titled Gringo from her CD "Small Is Tremendous."

I think I have discovered my favorite genre of music. It seems to be a blend of R&B and folk, and in some circles falls into a category called Indie, for independent.

Anyway, just wanted to share. So what are you dressing up as for Halloween? Think I could pull off Batman, for obvious reasons? Or is that too lame? Considering recent events and popularity?