4.22.2024

 I felt SO bad for Jim this morning.  He was on the very last chapter of the last module in his defensive driving course when, unbeknownst to us for a while, we lost internet connection.  This course requires you to answer from probably a dozen security questions as well as voice biometric recordings while you are taking the test.  So while Jim was reading through his material, the program was trying to ask him to answer questions but he didn't know it.  So when the internet came back on, he had failed to answer the questions.  It then kicks you out of the course, you have to pay for it and complete it all over again.  He was able to contact someone and get logged back on again for free, but he still has to complete the course again!  So a complete waste of the morning as well as now he has to do the course again!

Back in the shop, he sanded all the primed pieces...

Then started painting them gray...

High 56.5/Low 31.8

4.21.2024

Jim lightly sanded the other side of the cabinet pieces, and then started priming.  Mom came down to get reacquainted with all the shop happenings since she was gone...

Priming all done...

Then it was back to the pin replacement for the car lift.  You can see the difference between the new pin on the left and the old on the right.  The fit was just sloppy and Jim wasn't happy.

But he had to expand the hole on the car lift part just a bit for the pin to fit, so he used a special sanding cover for the fit to bore it out a bit...

Fits great!  He has it attached back on the car lift and it seems great.

Dirty job alert!  We decided to clean the septic filter twice a year instead of just once and since it was cool today, Jim figured it was a good day.  Unscrewing the top...

Jim had to get the hose hooked up and brought over - then he sprayed things off a bit...

Cleaning off the filter...

Yuck - but it looks much healthier now!

Jim was able to remove the heavy concrete cap without using the Bobcat since it had only been 6 months - just made the job a little quicker rather than getting the Bobcat out.  Putting the cap back on...

Then screwing on the top - good for another 6 months!

High 44.5/Low 30.7

4.20.2024

Jim did his computer work in the morning, then did some sanding in the shop before transitioning to priming! 

One side of the cabinet sides and drawer fronts primed and drying...

Jim did some lawn mower work - it will be time for mowing soon.  He had put the better battery in the chipper when he sold it, so this battery is now on the charger.

He also did a little work on the car lift, replacing some pins to make a tighter fit.  He still has some work to do on that tomorrow so pictures to come!

Time for church!

High 59/Low 46.6

4.19.2024

Jim had lots of phone calls and computer work to do this morning - everything from defensive driver courses to trying to talk to a technical person about a chipper to making sure his jury duty was postponed.  Whew.  He also had to finish bringing up the rest of my mom's things from the car so we could get her all unpacked.

In the shop, he did lots of sanding... 

Everything is getting to be in really good shape - all these pieces have edges turned over and are all sanded.  Finishing will be next!

High 59.3/Low 40.5 - some drizzles around

4.18.2024

I had a doctor appointment this morning and was able to drive myself for the first time in a month!  I did some grocery pickups while I was out and Jim schlepped all the groceries upstairs once I got home.

In the shop, having figured out what dimension bars he wanted to use for the laundry drawer, he marked the locations on the drawer sides...

Then drilled holes on the ShopSmith...

With that done, he was able to put the drawer together and use the press to fit the dovetails together...

Looking amazing!

Doing the rounding over of the edges...

Mid-afternoon, we headed down to pack up Mom and all her belongings from the respite center and bring her home.  We had to do a checkout procedure and get all her medications from the nurse.  We stopped at The Local and had a burger and beer to celebrate all our good news of late!  

High 46.7/Low 42

4.17.2024

This morning, Jim and I went back to see the surgeon for my 3-week checkup.  The pathology report came back that it was a rare benign ovarian tumor that presents as a malignant tumor.  The doctor said that if the pathology comes back with less than 10% abnormal cells, it's still considered benign and no follow up is required.  I still have to take it easy for the next four weeks but I can now drive and can start increasing activity.  So we are saying this chapter of our journey is over and we continue to feel so incredibly blessed!  Thanks to everyone for their prayers and support! 

This afternoon, Jim was able to spend a little time in the wood shop - putting the middle drawer in the press...

This is such a big dovetail joint that Jim has to be really careful to have equal pressure on the entire joint so that none of the inidividual dove tails break off...

Two drawers all pressed together.  Jim is still researching options for the top drawer bars for hanging laundry, so he can't do that one until he decides.

Rounding over edges...

Sanding...

High 64.9/Low 34.4

4.16.2024

Jim got the MINI back on the road today - his first trip was to the ophthalmologist for his 6 month exam - he got a great report so we're thrilled about that.

In the afternoon, we took the MINI for a little road trip to a Bobcat dealer that had a chipper for sale...

The guy brought over a skid steer, connected it up, and ran it to show Jim how it worked.  He has lots to ponder now!

High 66.2/Low 37.6