September 8 to 14,2019

Sunday ; Raining ! Yuck !

This morning I disassembled, repaired, and reassembled my beard trimmer. Seems to be near the end of its life. Are you listening, Santa ?

This afternoon I took some lumber to our community’s woodworking shop and cut it for my entry landing baluster project. I used the cut pieces to finish the design planning and determine how much wood, and what dimensions, I must buy. 

I tried but failed to get a radial arm saw in the shop adjusted to cut the angles 

I need. I couldn’t get the radial arm saw’s arm unlocked. < shrug > Woodwork is NOT my forte ! Especially use of power saws !

I also finished making fire starters using an egg crate, dryer lint, and paraffin wax, a project I started but did not quite finish a couple of weeks ago. I did some Palm Springs trip planning. And dreaming ! WOW … their theatre and music entertainment venue prices are outrageously high !

MMMMM … Kelly’s Doukhobor borscht for supper … while watching “The Fabulous Baker Boys” movie.

Monday ; Mostly cloudy, trying to clear late in the afternoon, mild temperature. Summer must be over !

This morning I went into town (Keremeos) to run some errands. I bought vegetables at Sanderson Farms. I bought toiletries at Pharmasave. I bought lumber at Keremeos Home Hardware. I bought milk and advertised specials at Buy-Low Foods. MMMMM … Coho salmon and lamb chops on sale !

I had a lazy afternoon. After lunch I read a book and napped with the animals. 

I did some desk / computer work. I returned a book to the clubhouse library and took Ozzie for a walk. I went bicycling. WHEW … < puff puff > … need to do more of that ! Especially now, while I’m unable to do pool exercises. Because … 

I have an infected cyst on my chest. Although it’s mostly healed now. Maybe 

I can resume doing pool exercises in a couple more days.

Tuesday ; Mix of sun and clouds, warm.

Late this afternoon I cut thirty balusters in our park’s woodworking shop, using a radial arm saw. Half of the balusters are angle cut at each end. I had a lot of difficulty getting the radial arm saw set to the exact correct angle. The whole cutting / sawing process took longer than I had expected. Partially because … the radial arm saw scares the bejesus out of me ! Wait a minute … I need to verify that I still have all ten fingers ! ! ! < sigh > Good thing I opted to study Latin in grades eight and nine instead of taking woodworking shop ! ! ! < sarcasm >  “Hic est ****ing Brittania ! Brittania est ****ing insula !”

This afternoon I received a telephone call from a woman at President’s Choice Financial. She was calling to attempt to resolve the “points” problem we are having with Joanne’s new MasterCard. < sigh > She was a nice lady, but … 

I might as well have been talking to a brick wall ! ! !

In the evening I created a wonderful new Udon noodle stir fry recipe ! And watched the season finale of Amazing Race Canada.

Wednesday ; Mix of sun and cloud, intermittent light rain, warm.

Gave myself a pedicure this morning. OUCH ! Cut my big toe with a new, very sharp toenail trimmer. Isn’t getting old wonderful ? ! ? < sarcasm >

In between bouts of rain this afternoon I worked on my baluster project. 

I measured, drilled, and countersunk mounting holes in all of the straight cut balusters. Next step in the project is to drill the angle cut balusters, a bit more complicated.

Around suppertime I went to the swimming pool and did a cardiac exercise session. I haven’t done that for almost a month because first we were travelling in the Kootenay Rockies and then because of an infected cyst on my chest which is now (almost) healed. The exercising felt good, I have missed it, even though it is hard to find the motivation to get (re)started.

Thursday ; Overcast, windy, warm, wind driven cold rain at bedtime when 

I walked Ozzie.

This morning I continued working on my baluster project, measuring and drilling all the angle cut balusters. Then I patched and sanded the screw holes left by the removal of the old lattice on our step railings. One side only, I’ll probably work on the other side tomorrow.

After lunch I had a brief phone conversation with Joanne in Winnipeg. Then … 

I went fishing. I thought it was still warm enough to walk across the river wearing only river sandals and shorts. BRRRRR … I was wrong ! The Similkameen River is no longer warm ! Next fishing outing I’ll wear my chest waders. I fished for an hour and a half. I caught one lovely, large Rainbow Trout. Fishing this year is definitely not as good as previous years.

When I spoke to Joanne she asked me to do some online research on a seniors’ condominium community in Niverville, a small town near Winnipeg. I think my sister and brother-in-law drove her by there yesterday. I did the research, and was intrigued enough that I quickly made arrangements for her to take a tour of the condominium community on Saturday morning.

I made perogies for supper. They weren’t great !  I wonder if the perogies were the problem, or my cooking technique ?

Friday ; Mix of sun and cloud, warm.

This morning I did some garden harvesting. HMPH ! As usual, our gardening has been a colossal waste of time and money. As it has been every year for the last … < thinking > … forty-three years ! Oh, well … maybe next year ! HA HA HA !

This afternoon I continued on our entry landing baluster project. < sigh > It’s coming along … slowly ! Around suppertime I went to the pool and did cardiac rehab exercising. Today I felt strong. And motivated. I worked longer and harder than usual. I guess it’s true ; celibacy DOES enhance athletic performance. HA HA HA < SNORT > HA HA ! < ROFLMAO >

Saturday ; Cloudy and warm.

This morning I went into Keremeos to run some shopping errands ; Sanderson Farms for some vegetables, Buy-Low Foods for a few grocery items, Keremeos Home Hardware for some baluster project hardware.

This afternoon I worked on my baluster project. < sigh > And ran into multiple problems, necessitating a “back to the drawing board” redesign. Who would have thought that some construction moron would build an entry landing that wasn’t symmetrical from side to side ? ! ? And I changed the spacing between each baluster, requiring … < sigh > … many more balusters to be cut and therefore … < sigh > … more wood and screws to be bought.

I also did some routine preventive maintenance on the camper, removing the “house” battery, topping up the fluid in the cells, and reinstalling the battery. I now ( since my triple bypass surgery ) have difficulty removing and reinstalling the heavy battery that’s squeezed into a small compartment that’s higher than my head.

DSK