Period

When do you know that it's the end of an era? I'm sure most people can chart their lives based on events that have happened. We move, we start or end various relationships, graduate from school, etc.

I feel that a era of my life is coming to a close. My girlfriend and I moved down to Fort Lauderdale from Pittsburgh and so began what I call my Fort Lauderdale Period. It was a classic example of a young couple starting out. During this time, my wife got her Bachelor's Degree and we got our first cat together. We got married, had jobs, and paid bills. We didn't have much money, lived in an apartment my wife would like to forget, and didn't have a car (we did everything by walking or riding our bikes, a lifestyle most people couldn't do in South Florida). When I started a job as a security officer, it became necessary to get a better mode of transportation. After we looked at our finances, we decided a motorcycle was an option. I rode it to work until we got a car, then a truck. The motorcycle was put aside. Over the years, we got it fixed up a couple of times and I rode it to get to and from work for awhile. Most of it's time was spent in storage, not being ridden.

Two weeks ago, we finally sold it (gave it away). So this post is in memory of a motorcycle that embodied what I thought of my personality from that era. Farewell, Derbi.

To-Do's

I'm starting to feel some self induced pressure as holidays approach.  "Are you crazy?!" you say.  "The holidays are several months away."  Yeah, I know but I wanted to try to make several things for Halloween and Christmas.  I know how my time tends to slip away while with the kids so I wanted to try and start earlier this year.  I've read that some Halloween home haunters start on projects around July (on average).  With the plans I had to make (and save money) versus buying this year, I created a list of things I wanted to make.  Will I get these done?  Probably not.  I have gotten more done this year (since last post) than I usually can claim.

1. I built a bookcase.  Results: not the best but nice.  I wanted to use joinery (and my router) instead of store bought fasteners.  The joints could be tighter.  I also rushed the finish (example: I didn't sand it down to the level I would have liked).


2. I've made several rings.  Results: varies.  I made several rings from one dollar Sacajawea coins, one from a Canadian two dollar coin, and one from coconut shell.  The coin rings were good practice and look relatively nice (but could use more polishing).  The shell ring looks good but could use a finish that makes it shine more otherwise it's very dull.  The only real complaint is that I have a hard time sizing them.


3. I found a chest of drawers/dresser being thrown away.  I sanded down the frame (leaving the drawers) and refinished it with Johnson's Paste Wax. Results:  very nice.  We're using it as an entertainment stand.  The only down side?  It's not meant to be a stand holding heavy things like the t.v., CD collection and DVD collection so it seems to bow slightly in the middle from the weight.  Still to be done: convert some of the drawers to hold the DVD player and other electronics and still run the wires through the back to the t.v. and speakers.

I hoped to get some projects done like some paper mache jack o'lanterns, maybe a flying crank ghost or other such mechanical ghost/creature and some sort of display for the porch.  The potion bottle collection also needs a better display.  I just have to decide how I'm going to do these.

Workout

Just to let you know, she wanted to workout at the same time as me.  This was not forced on her.

"Daddy, it's heavy!"

Condo Environmentalism

Living in a condo/apartment has made us have to make some compromises.  For example, we're limited on being able to grow a garden.  Container gardening is an option but isn't always easy to accomplish.  We've started to want to do more with our waste.  Recycling has become easier as we figure out space to temporarily house the stuff.

Our latest success is a compost bucket.  We've been wanting to try to reduce how much of our waste ends up going to a landfill.  Food trapped in plastic bags doesn't really do much in a landfill but if composted, it will break down in as little as a few months and provide nutrition for potted plants or flower beds.  I found several how-to's with a web search and decided to try this one.  I went to our local hardware store and picked up a bucket.  For the soil/sawdust mixture, I use soil right out of our flower bed and pine litter (unused) from our cats.  It's been a day since it was put together so I don't have any results yet but will post more as it progresses.

Mother's Visit - #1 of 2011

My mom is coming into town tomorrow.  Whenever she announces her intentions to visit, we start discussing what I will get done while she watches the kids.  They take up most of my time.  Many of my projects and some of the cleaning gets put off as I put out fires all day long.

What's on my list for this visit?  Cleaning, trying to finish an entertainment stand I started a while back, and possibly a bookcase or two.  We'll see how much actually gets done.

What People Throw Away

I feel guilty when I look in the garbage.  I look in my garbage and think about stuff I should be composting, recycling (although my wife is good about grabbing that stuff), or just the fact that I'm adding to a landfill somewhere.  I also look at the stuff other people throw away, not to the extent of opening bags of garbage but more of glancing at it.  Many times people throw stuff away that stumps me.  There was the photo album (made me wonder who throws away an album or why it was thrown away), the Christmas tree still wrapped in lights and ornaments (I collected a couple), or the case from a technical school with books, IDs, and tools still in it.

Then there are the times that I find something neat and it just makes me want to look at the garbage even more in the future.  I've mentioned the table I found and refinished, but in the past I also found an old steamer trunk, a rolling metal tool chest with stuff inside, our coffee table, and multiple DVD's, CD's, and books.  I'm especially proud of having salvaged multiple fresnel lenses from big screen t.v.s that people have thrown away.

My latest find?  A gas mask!  It's in good shape but needs to be cleaned.  It's got leaves and dirt on it from sitting on the ground near the dumpster.  My first thought was to use it for a Halloween prop or costume (you have to admit, gas masks are creepy).  My wife mentioned it would be great for a zombie apocalypse.  I think she may have been mocking my taste in movies...

To Do List 2011

There are many things that didn't get done (or even started), but on the positive side I did finish some.  Others were done more as an experiment or as a way to test things yet still accomplish something.  (I know experimenting is a way to learn and practice but I hate to waste material that I had to buy.)

1. I found a table near our dumpster one night.  I looked at it and all the parts seemed to be there.  The legs were off to one side of the top and skirt.  In the pale light, I could guess that the colors were not the best.  We needed a much larger table, so I brought it back to the shop and found that it was in good shape.  It just needed to be put together and refinished.  I painted the legs and skirt and the top was sanded, stained and refinished.

2. I built a stand.  It originally was meant to hold our son's Moses basket but when we no longer needed it, we moved it outside to use as a plant stand.  It currently resides in our bathroom because all our succulents are on it safe from the cold spell South Florida is experiencing.  This was the first project that I really wanted to look nice since it would be inside for a while and I wanted my wife to like it.
3. While my wife was pregnant, she did some work from home.  She wanted to be able to work in our bedroom away from our firstborn but with our room being a tight fit, we couldn't put a desk in there.  I made a desktop that could be clamped to her nightstand.  It created more space for her work laptop, mouse, and monitor.  This was the first time I got to use my router.  I also tried to do curves.  It remains to be stained and finished.  It may eventually turn into something else.

 Other things went unfinished or not even started.  We tiled the main living area of our condo several years ago but I still need to finish the molding in the kitchen and the room dividers.  We need to clear stuff out of the garage that got stored there when our first child was born (so we can get a vehicle in there during hurricanes or so I can use it as a shop the rest of the year).  Then there's the whole list of projects that I would like to do just for the fun of it or because I think they will make our home nicer.

So that being said, here is my list of projects that I am commiting to do in the year 2011.

1. Bookcases:  We've got a ton of books in boxes in the garage and in our bedroom to protect them from the kids.  I'd like to build some bookcases that have doors on at least the lower half.
2. Entertainment stand:  Again something with doors.  I love my DVD collection just as much as the books.  When our first child got old enough, she figured out how to take out the DVD and now we've got lots of scratched movies, not to mention the possibility that she may damage of the electronics.
3. Floor:  Finishing the molding and dividers first, then moving on to steam cleaning the carpets and refinishing the tile (to make it easier to care for).
4. Storage:  This is a multi-project statement.  Since we've moved here, I haven't been happy with various methods of storage that we have done for lack of better ideas/time.  The closets, pantry, garage, laundry room and cabinets (kitchen and bathroom) are all places that I get frustrated with.  I know there has to be a better solution that we can create for each room.  By the time we sell this condo in the future, it may be organized as well as a ship.

There are other projects, such as the cat litter, that I'd like to do but these will be the only ones I'll commit to.  During this coming year I've got a wife, two kids, pets and a home to take care of, along with the possibility that I may be starting my own business.  That's a lot on my plate but next year is the Year of the Rabbit!