hello

Well, we need a new fence, long overdue, but the fence sits on and just behind the garden wall. Only a small wall, but a lot of bricks. Unfortunately our lovely flowering cherry tree, prunus Kanzan, sent a couple of roots under the wall and over years, jacked a section of the wall up, and how.. For the new fence, now ordered, the wall has to be straight and level. And hopefully plumb, but that may be another matter. Old walls are never perfect, not on our sandy soils at least. So I strip the wall section to foundation level and build up.
And the side gate got vandalised so I had to source two old capping "stones"- clayware- and rebuild the brick pillars each side. A new iron gate has been ordered to replace the old wooden one.

Okay I bet you're sorry you asked now.
I will essay some pix later, if it doesn't turn out too shabby.

table saws and chop saws and even the ancient radial arm saws can now be fit with these extreme cutoff sensors that 'kill and actually stop" the sawblade within a nanosecond, thus preventing digital mutilation

Are they colour-sensitive?

The jewelry store was a gem...pun intended. And the apartment was special.

Both give meaning to the respect (almost reverence) afforded the term "upper east side!"

Not at all sorry I asked. Sounds like a fun project. When working for yourself, the ordinary anxieties of time and cleanliness don't apply so you can work as weather agrees, take naps, etc. Do send us some photos. Include your wife in something provocative, if you don't mind.

About 1970, I worked one summer helping a local doctor build a 50' trimaran and used a radial arm saw a lot. Loved the tool. My chop saw here is a sliding miter which allows a 12" cut on the perpendicular.

The mechanism you're speaking of is pretty expensive and my understanding is that once engaged it must be replaced. And I've got more fingers than I actually need on a day to day basis.

Thanks. I thought so too. We also did damned well with our other store and our places in Portland.

I haven't done any serious labour with heavy bricks for about twenty years and my hands are bloody killing me today. If it rains heavily this afternoon as threatened, I can have a rest.
But, progress is slow but steady. Awkward spot.

I know the sensation. I've been fighting through a bout of frozen shoulder for six months. It's the second time I've had it and it is a bugger. I've ended on my knees several times from the pain of it.

The rains came. I got soaked. I was trying to work through, hoping for a brief respite so I could tidy up, but no luck. Proper monsoon, thunder and lightning too. So I had to give up, bedraggled and be-grimed, and had a shower and dry clothes. That's better.
Sorry about your shoulder.

Thanks. But the shoulder is dry, at least.

Now that the hellos are out of the way, let me get on with it.

I was thinking about God looking down at us and being unsure of His next move. He calls one of the arch-angels up. The arch-angel, let's call him Irving, is wondering just what's going down. Irving remembered The Flood. This guy can get pissed.

God: I'm getting in one of those moods. I need you to talk me down.

Irving: Uh...Well, Your Bigness, there are all those kitten pictures on the internet. There are millions and they just leap way up when you shock them...

God: Have you seen what else is there? No, don't answer that, Irving. (pause) You know Jesus.! You know He doesn't look at all like He was born in... ******* Denmark. Imagine how Jesus felt when He saw those. We're at our wits' end here. You wanna have a real bad day? Go through my Prayers In box. Or take it full bore, go to GodTube and enter "Donald Trump". ps Two Nuns and a Donkey are NSFW.

Irving: Yeah, the Trump thing is compelling. But there's that curly...

God: Obviously, I know what you're going to say, "that curly haired kid with the blue eyes in Phoenix."

Irving: And his mother.

God: (pause) Yeah. Those two, are cool, aren't they. (He physically relaxes)

Irving: Yup. I think there's warrant there for the Rainbow Promise.

God: (head tilted over) You know what I like about those two. They're smart. I could talk to these two and we'd all have fun. Try to imagine how refreshing it is to see my creations when they aren't just suck-ups. But all these others...

Irving: (quickly) No need to go there, YB.

God: They think I made them to bow and kiss my feet?! MAINTENANCE - TURN ON THE WATER!

Irving: We know You're joking.

God: Yeah, maybe. But believe Me, when I talk about temptation, I know what I'm talking about. This isn't an abstraction.

Irving: Look, it's almost six and I've been invited to a...

God: "a family picnic in Phoenix". I know. Thanks for coming up.

Where did THAT come from?

Your guess is as good as mine.

Got a break from the weather gods today, the forecast showers did not materialise, and I was able to finish my work on the wall.
Folks passing by declared themselves to be impressed by my efforts, and I would modestly give myself a solid 7 out of 10.
I mixed the mortar myself, and cleaned off the bricks by hand. Hammer, chisel, shovel, wheelbarrow and bucket stuff. Unaccustomed labour which has left me aching in places I had forgot I had places. But praise de lawd, result!
And a well-earned hot bath.

and a Guinness, perhaps.

Well done, McTag. When I finish a job like that, I bring out a recliner chair and gaze upon my good works for long periods of time. I'm completely shameless in this. Do post a photo when you can.

Walking on a warm sandy beach on the weekend, I spotted a handsome and exotically shaped bottle sticking out of the sand. I dug it out and began rubbing the sand off and a voice emerged from the opening at the top, "Ohhh, just a little bit higher and you're going to have some wishes come true, big boy."

Execise caution.
Those things can be a bitch to get back off.
Or so I'm told.

So far, so good, george. First wish has been granted. I get to spend a week with this lady and her...um...fellow on her lovely ranch. Just imagine the time I'll have http://bit.ly/1lVoq6B