Crapmobile

Proof that Harbor Freight has the cheapest stuff. Why else would this guy show up there?

~

Skull

I got my mounted deer head back recently. It's hung up right above the big engraved Bowie knife I got for becoming a Life Member of the NRA.

~

We'll never get this house on the market!!

We just can't get ahead. Every time I fix something two more things break. Last month the plumbing on the West end of the house backed up again (for the fifth time!!) Thrice before it flooded the kitchen and ruined the hardwood floor. This time the flood didn't ruin the floor, but the plumber did.

After two days of plumbers they finally figured out that the drain line for that side of the house had a low spot and wasn't draining completely. That made it possible for stuff to get trapped and back up the pipe.

They Dug a new trench and installed a larger diameter pipe at the correct slope. While they were at it they dug up the septic tank to inspect it. Of course, it had to be pumped and cleaned too. $5800.00 later and now the kitchen sink drains. Why couldn't I just run a hose into the flower bed?

~

Vernal Independence Kresten

That's right. That's my real mormon name. Find out what your real mormon name is with this handy and hilarious mormon name generator...

http://rumandmonkey.com/widgets/toys/mormon/

~

It's gotta be fresh!

No we don't starve our birds. They get fed every morning, but this little guy just can't wait! Maybe he just likes his food as fresh as possible. He jumps right in the minute Peggy goes inside with the food.

~

Using my Christmas present

I finally got enough research and studying done to feel comfortable making the first set of test bullets for my 7mm Remington Magnum. I made 50 rounds, ten each of 5 different powder loads. Next I'm off to the range to see which ones my gun likes best. Then I'll reload everything I have with the same load.

Pressing in the bullets


My results. YES these are my bullets and YES I took the picture.
~

When you have a tiny shop...

....you gotta make the most of the space you have. I made a torsion box from some old counter-top and mounted it as an extension on my table saw. Then I cut a hole, dadoed the edge and made a plexi-glass base plate for my router. Voila! Instant router table. It can even share the table saw rip fence. I made a blank cover for the hole when I'm not using the router.

~

My Mandolin - Not the stringed kind...

Peggy got some pickling cukes from Bountiful Baskets last week and we made pickles. Our little mandolin was just not cutting it (no pun intended) so we went shopping for a new one. Guess what...they're dang expensive! $50 for a cheapo.

We decided to skip it and by the time we got home I had hatched a plan. One old high-carbon steel knife and some scrap oak did the trick. By the way - this is about the 10th thing I've made out of re-purposed oak that used to be the trundle on the kitchen table Dad made when we were kids!

My radial arm saw worked perfectly for cutting the ramp.

Just the right thickness - and it only cost few minutes of shop time, which I don't mind!
~

Christmas blog

We cheaped out this year and decided to post an electronic Christmas Card this year. (Thanks for the idea, Al!) Click the link below to pop over there!

Merry Christmas to all our loved ones!

XR's Christmas Card

~

Gosh! I love the Japanese!

Check out this cool story in a blog I stumbled across. If you're like me, you'll end up loving the Japanese too - even if just a little.

Make sure to read the entire story so you don't miss the best stuff!

Ogori Cafe
~