Stuff

On Sunday afternoon I headed over to the shop for a bit.  Originally the plan was to clean and put things back in there place.   Well I got a little side tracked.   As I was sorting through the parts pile I started to set a few items to the side for what I thought I could make a bird out of.   I had an S wrench for the body, some tines for the head, smaller S wrenches for legs and a couple of gears and old nuts and bolts.

I tried several different variations on what it could be. Well it didn't really come out as a bird, but more like a chameleon.

Monkey Wrench

I have enjoyed the last couple of days off work.   Yesterday we focused on getting the outside of the house decorated for Christmas.  I got up in the attic and Candy took the rake to the flower garden and cleaned it all up.      We did about the same set up as last year.   Candy did make use of the sleds we had bought.   She placed them on the front porch, one with a snowman and another with garland.   I will get you pictures tomorrow.  I mowed up leaves so the front yards looks pretty good, (again).    Between Candy and I, we had another 5 large trash bags full.

Once the outside was done we turned our attentions to the inside.   We have scaled back this year.   We scaled back on the inside.   Instead of the big tree, we did a small table top tree.    We went with a Simpich Santa Christmas and left the Nativity scene in the curio cabinet in the basement.

We did a nice walk on Friday and I need to get out tomorrow and do the same.   The weather has been really nice, so it makes it enjoyable to be outside.   We took Mable and I know she was glad to get out.

I did get a couple of small projects completed.   I was over at the shop this morning cleaning. I    had to move my box of sprockets and I barely could so I figured I need to use a few up.   I dug out some various sizes, found some screws and went to work.    I added the wrench and wow this is done.   I have a few other pieces to use, but less is more.  This is on the backside of our storage shed at the shop.

When I got home I had shown Candy what I created.   She went and got my gold wrench and start placing it around the two sprockets we already had on the wall.   When she held like it is in the picture it looked to me like a bicycle or motorcycle.   So we went ahead and hung it up.  Looks pretty cool!

Happy Thanksgiving

Where has the year gone?  I can’t believe that today is Thanksgiving.  Boy, the year has flown and is flying by quickly.  Here is wishing you and yours health, wealth and happiness and all the best on this Thanksgiving of 2014.

We have been cooking since about nine this morning.  The plan is to eat around two this afternoon.   The boys will be here and I think Eric is bringing a guest.   It is really starting to smell good.   It is eleven now and Candy is loading the turkey into the oven. So what’s on the Menu?

·        Turkey

·        Dressing

·        Rolls

·        Green bean casserole

·        Ranch Spinach dip

·        Roasted Cauliflower

·        Pumpkin pie

·        Mashed Potatoes

·        Margarita Punch

Should be some pretty good eats!   I know we have a whole lot to be thankful for.

I had yesterday off as well as today and tomorrow so I need to take advantage of it.   I don’t see much happening today.   I checked the weather and tomorrow will be the day to hang the Christmas lights.   Need to get it done now as I will be traveling and super busy the next couple of weeks.

Yesterday I got over to the shop at about 10:30AM and returned home about 4:00PM.   I cleaned, seems like I am always cleaning all the time, from putting tools away to sweeping the floor.   I make some pretty big messes, so it gets dirty quick with my various activities, sandblasting, sawing, sanding, grinding, etc.

I had some croquet balls left from my most recent project.   I was standing in the garage juggling them trying to figure out what to do with them.  Throw them away, store them in a box, whatever.

Then it struck me, I should just make a set of juggling balls.  So that is what I did.  I gave the balls a quick sanding.  Screwed in a small hook into each of them and then hung them from wire.   Shook my spray paints and I away I went.   Between coats and while they were drying I worked on making a wood stand to hold them.

After a couple of coats they came out pretty nice.  I will say it is tough to paint round balls and not get any runs.

I had one of the Williams wrenches blasted and ready to do something with.   I taped off the ends and gave it a coat of primary and gold paint.   Not sure why I chose gold, but it looks pretty good.   Now I need to figure out what I am going to do with them.   I have some smaller wrenches and was thinking about making a tree.   Using one of these wrenches as the trunk and then use the smaller wrenches as top branches and use nuts and washers as leaves.