Aemon

My boy Aemon had his class pictures taken, and he is looking good!  I have not been able to see him or his brother Lochlin in person for well over a year now. Maybe it will come together at some point.  Try to stay in touch by phone and facetime, but not the same as being able to spend time with them.

Fancy Dancer Indian Bustle

Alas I have finished another project.  This one took some time to build and I was on/off with it, as it was a lot of repetitive work to complete.  But I managed to push through and straitened all the feathers and then tied off each of the colored feathers and taped up. I have a place in the basement to hang this, I just need to go do it.

Reobrix T6 Shuttle

I must admit, this build was truly enjoyable! It marked my first experience with Reobrix, and I was genuinely impressed by the clear instructions and the quality of the bricks. They resemble Lego bricks but come at a much more affordable price point. The T6-Shuttle build, comprising over 5,000 pieces, resulted in a substantial final model. I've already disassembled it, carefully repackaged, and boxed it up for safekeeping. Perhaps in the future, I'll recreate this build, and if fortunate, I might even share the experience with one of my grandkids. The prospect of building it together with them sounds like a delightful idea!

Happy Easter

Hope you're having a joyous Easter! Our day kicked off with a leisurely e-bike ride to the Zoo. The weather, while warming up, carried a slight breeze that added to the pleasant ride. Surprisingly, there were already many early visitors at the Zoo. As regular members, we enjoy the flexibility of visiting the Zoo frequently without worrying about reservations. Parking our bikes upfront made it convenient for us to explore the Zoo, taking breaks for coffee and snacks as we strolled among the animals. Around 1 PM, we headed back home, changed, then set off to meet Clark and Haley for a late Easter lunch. It was a wonderful way to conclude the day in celebration with loved ones. Happy Easter to all!

Lego

So let's see, what's next on the list to catch up on?  Well I guess we can talk about Lego.  I am a big Lego
fan, own a couple of sets, but mainly enjoy building them.   I was able to keep together most of the Lego sets that the kids had growing up.  Wish we had taken better care and kept the boxes they came in. Oh Well.  One thing for sure is that Lego are expensive.  So a while back, I came across Temu, and was looking at various products, figuring this site was a scam, and you would either not receive your order, or what you got what is no way what you were thinking you were going to get.

Roll forward a few months and now they have a commercial airing during the Super Bowl.  Well I decided to take another look.  What caught my eye the first time was building block sets, that looked just like Lego.  Being that Lego patent had expired several years back, there are several competitors out there that I was unaware of.   They have similar designs and a similar packaging look.  Even so, I was still doubtful about them, but decided to take a chance.  

I ordered two sets off of Temu and happily they arrived.  Came about a week and half after I ordered them.  Unlike Lego, who boxes, the box the Lego sets come in.  Thus helping keeping the packaging in great shape.   My order from Temu showed up, in the original packaging, so they are decent, but taped up as you can see in the pics.

I ordered two different brands Reobrix and Mould King from Temu, and I also looked at the sites for both.  The prices on Temu were heavily discounted as I was able to get both sets for under $200.00.  I have started to assemble the Reobrix Star Revenge set that contains 5749 pieces.   I must say so far it is just like working with Lego, pieces are the same, and the instructions are just as easy to follow.  Even the packaging is similar to how Lego packages as well.  Once I get it completed I will share some pics.   

What up Bitch!

What up bitches! Been a while, I know but get over it. 

So much stuff going on, but my lazy ass has a problem getting consistent in writing it all down. So work is crazy, which is the way we like it, as long as it is crazy good work. That's the goal, keep customers happy, deliver and you have a true partnership. 

But anyway, so what I have been up to. Lets go with some bullet points, and then I can remember what to come back and write about. As I get older I have been working on my memory. I just stopped listing to people, and wow I have less shit to remember.

• The Boys (Ameon & Lockland)
• Work
• Fancy Dance Bustle
• Not real Lego, but just as good.
• Rad Runner Riding & Tune up
• Weather
• Walking
• VHS to Digital Conversion
• Travel
• Food
• Zoo
• North Bros. Tree Stands
• My Tunes

OK, So I have some topics to write up and share.  Now I am not sure where to start.  Need to go take a few pics and download some things that I can share.  

I finished working on my American Indian Fancy Dress Bustle.   It took me a while to complete and I could have done a better job.  It was also a messy project with feathers floating around the room, from the cutting and trimming I had to do.   Well it's done, need to take some pics to share.  It's in the basement letting everything dry/set.   I found a place to hang it, and that's what I am waiting on before I take the pics, as I have two other pieces that will accompany it on the wall and think it will be pretty bad ass.  So more to come on this, later this week.

Big week at work for me coming up.  I have several team members flying in as we are have what is called a Sale Kick Off i.e. SKO for short.  It is a lot to prepare for and I want to make sure that is worth everyone's time and brings value.  It's a diverse group so what my apply to some may not apply to others and vice-versa.   Main thing to remember is, Dennis keep your cool.  Not that I wouldn't, but it can be very stressful. 

Well if I have to knock an item of the list I will go with an easy one.  Let's start with my lamps and the North Bros. Tree Stands.  I have written about these before and shared several pics.   

Well I did a couple things that were new this go around.  Instead of going with the original back and
gold, I opted for Blue/Gold and Green/Gold, and I have to say I am extremely please with the results on these.  

I also came up with a way to turn the smaller stand into lamps as well.  I was struggling with how to mount them.  For the larger stands a 4 Inch ceiling lamp holder works great, with just a little modification.  For the smaller ones I couldn't find any 2 inch lamp mounts that would really work for my need.   I came across some metal cups a while back, and figured out a way to mount them.   They work great and the smaller lamps take up a smaller footprint, which is great as well.  

I have included pics of the process, well the paint process.  I dissemble them and then bead blast them to remove unwanted paint and rust. Then any remaining clean up, I hit with the my wire wheel on the my grinder.   I soak the parts in acetone to give them a final clean before painting.  First I apply the solid colors, in this case Blue and Green, once dry I then apply the Gold, using a paint pen.   Once everything is dry, I then hit it with a coat of urethane to seal the pieces.    Then we move to assembly, I leverage all the original bolts and nuts when I can.   I usually place them in the tumblr for 48/hours and that clean up nicely.

reassembly is pretty easy and I am please with the outcome.  I have know idea what I am going to do with all these, but I do have fun bringing them back to life. 

Happy Holidays

Hey there, folks! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to each and every one of you! I hope the holiday season has been treating you well, allowing you to kick back and enjoy some well-deserved time off. As for us, this year has been a bit low-key. We decided to stay home due to my work piling up, even though it broke my heart not being able to travel to Kansas. But sometimes, responsible choices outweigh our desires.

On Christmas Eve, we gathered at home, and our son Clark joined us in the festivities. Oh boy, did we indulge! We ate, we drank, and we might have gone a tad overboard. But hey, it's the holidays, right? And then came the moment we had all been waiting for—the gift exchange! Wrapping paper flew, and laughter filled the room as we unveiled our surprises. It was a special moment, one that will be treasured.

Christmas Day called for our usual buffet outing. With just the three of us, going out was easier and

spared us from spending the entire day in the kitchen and cleaning up afterward. Plus, having Clark's girlfriend join us made it an even more delightful dinner. We laughed, shared stories, and savored the delicious flavors of the season.

Back at home, we stumbled upon a new game called Ranson Notes. It was easy to understand and provided us with hours of entertainment. We immersed ourselves in friendly competition, creating memories that will bring smiles to our faces for years to come.

Amidst the holiday cheer, there was a tinge of sadness. Neither my sister nor I could make it to Kansas for the holiday, leaving our mom to spend it alone. It weighed heavily on our hearts, but we did what we could to make it special, showering her with love through phone calls and messages. Hopefully, next year, if circumstances allow, we'll all be able to come together and celebrate as a family.

Today, or what would have been his birthday, I'm reminded of someone dear who left us almost three years ago. Clark reached out with a heartfelt message about missing his grandfather, and it resonated deeply with me. Thoughts of our loved one filled my mind throughout the day. Pop, you're always in our thoughts, and we miss you dearly.

But there's another piece of our hearts that's far away—our son Eric, his wife Shannon, and our grandkids Aemon and Lochlan. It's been over 10 long months since we last saw them, and truth be told, we're not sure when we'll be reunited. Papa took on the task of shopping for the little ones this year, trying his best to stay hip with what's cool amongst the younger crowd (well, the 2 and 4-year-olds, that is!). We were lucky enough to have a couple of FaceTime calls and receive some precious pictures. Oh, how we long to be with them during the holidays! But we understand that life takes its own course, and sometimes we have to wait a little longer. Maybe next year will bring us all together again.

As we bid farewell to this holiday season, let's hold onto the hope of brighter days, where we can embrace our loved ones once more. Though distance can be tough, the love we share transcends any physical barriers. Until then, let's cherish the memories we have, and eagerly anticipate the moments yet to come. Here's to a future filled with reunions, laughter, and endless joy.

SuperStar

 

Aemon got his photo in the community new outlet where he lives.  They had a community get together and the boy was making up some smores.  

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you had a wonderful and festive celebration, no matter how you chose to commemorate the day. As for me, my family and I decided to break tradition and dine out at a restaurant. It was a small gathering with just myself, Candy, and my Mom. We figured it would be a nice change of pace from spending the morning cooking and the afternoon cleaning up. Plus, we didn't want to end up with an excessive amount of food that would go to waste, especially after indulging in leftovers for a day or two. Our meal was delicious, complete with all the classic sides as well as turkey and prime rib. I suspect my Mom has some tasks lined up for me tomorrow to keep me occupied.

The holiday season has arrived, and we find ourselves in Wichita for a few days to celebrate Thanksgiving with family. We embarked on our journey across I-70 today, which was slightly more bustling than anticipated - seems like everyone is traveling to meet their loved ones. Our departure was delayed somewhat, and having the dogs with us called for additional pit stops along the way. Now that we've arrived, we're eager to relish some quality time with my mother and enjoy some delicious food.