weese

Twenty Three

2008-07-26T15:26:00.000-04:00

hmm, 23... 23... why does that number ring a bell today. hmm...

Friday

2008-07-25T11:48:00.000-04:00

tip-o-day

Learn from your mistakes.

Clearly I don't.
I am off to the dentist now.

Twitter me this...

2008-07-23T11:57:00.006-04:00

Sassy was inquiring about Twitter the other day ...got me to thinking.

I have not used Twitter, tho conceptually I get it - and I am certain I don't want it.

Just what we need is something else to make our communications even shorter and MORE meaningless. The last thing I want to do is read the random thoughts of someone I don't know.

My life is not a snippet.

If you want to share something with me, my off-the-grid wife and I would love to invite you over to sit on the porch and ~~languish~~ linger over a cool drink while you regale us with your story. We'll have a conversation. We'll see eachother. We may even touch.

On my summer vacation I...

2008-07-22T09:20:00.006-04:00

Our intentions were not to have any plans. To wake each day and see what the day would bring. This went along smoothly for the first couple days. Whimsy and free we flitted around at our leisure and our pleasure.

Until ...o about Tuesday - when we thought we would just eye up a little project we have been toying with.

See we have had this custom, built-in cabinet in our living room for about 15 years now. It has served us well, but it was designed to hold electronics equipment and CDs -- which we no longer use.
You can see it here in this picture from several years ago.

While we were sizing up the project it seemed to make sense to just see how the thing might be installed. This could be easily accomplished by simply removing a little bit of the sheet rock from the back of the unit in the other room.
So ... we decided to just have a peak. We thought we'll look... get a cocktail, and think it over.

We noticed right away how easily the sheet rock seemed to be breaking up, so I grabbed an old towel, just to collect some of the dust we were creating.

It occurred to us that if we just had a hammer and maybe a pry bar that this sheet rock would really just come right down, so I went to get those.
My tidy wife suggested next that I grab a bucket to put some of the debris in.
But really... we just wanted to see how to get the cabinet out. So this wouldn't take more than a few minutes.

We uncovered some screws holding up some of the framing, so I grabbed my drill just to pop out some these.

The bucket filled up pretty fast, so we brought in one of those 30 gallon garbage cans. That seemed to do the trick - since really we were just gonna take off a little bit more.

Suprisingly, we were able to remove large pieces of the wall quite easily. And since I already had the drill out why not just see how the thing was secured to the wall.

To do this we simply needed to remove the trim from the front side of the unit. A couple more tools and this was easily accomplished.
And since we already had the large garbage can there... why not really....

We quickly found how it was secured to the wall but the unit itself was heavier than we could lift -- so we thought perhaps we could just shimey it a bit then lay it down. So I went and got some moving blankets and we eventually were able to drag it out of the house.

Since we coulnd't really move it around much I just went ahead and grabbed my circular saw so we could cut it up into more managable pieces.

The vacuum came out and we tidied up the place. It was then we realized that it was Wednesday and we had just intended to see how the unit had been installed.

oops.

Off to home depot for some studs and sheet rock.

Framed it up...

And tossed up some sheetrock.
whew.

All that was left was mudding and paint - and it was only Thursday.

Now, I don't want you to go getting the idea that our whole week off was all about projects and home improvements.

There was much rejoicing, and drinking and yes... nakedness. Tho sometimes these overlapped --just a bit.

You know how sometimes when you are walking through a room and you notice just a little something you want to touch up real quick ... and its only gonna take a second... so you just figure its better to do it now rather than wait... even if possibly you have been drinking... and might not exactly be appropriatly dressed for it...

ahhhhh....

2008-07-21T12:11:00.002-04:00

I'm back.
Well... we didn't really go anywhere.

Have you taken time off from work recently?
If you have the means, I highly recommend it.

I am slowly adjusting to this new routine. Sitting... typing... reading.

I have some email to sift through. More blogging tomorrow.

Dude, where's the party?

2008-07-12T12:20:00.005-04:00

Remember when you were in high school and you waited to see whose parents would be stupid enough to go away for a long weekend.
Party on, dude.

Welp, Ferris is away this week. It's his annual mission trip with his church's youth group - tho now he travels with them as an adult advisor. I am always so proud of him for not only doing this trip each year, but getting so much out of it as well.

My giddy wife and I are taking the entire week off from work to enjoy the big empty house.

So... party is at our house. I should warn you tho, if you're planning to stop by, you may want to call first ;)

Friday

2008-07-11T12:24:00.004-04:00

tip-o-day

I have said before that cleaning is my Zen. This does not mean our house is immaculate - it simply means that I enjoy the act of cleaning as much as the result.

Cleaning has alot to do with Chi. And so... if you find yourself in a funk someday, maybe a little foggy or not quite connected, perhaps you have some issues to work through -- tidy up your space. Set things in order, dust, vacuum and mop. Clear some clutter, get into the corners, rid yourself of the dust and disorder.

This will do several things for you. It will get you moving, your blood flowing and your brain organizing, and as a bonus your space will be neat and organized.
In this newly cleaned space you will feel better, clearer and more present, your heart will lighten.
You will feel like you have done something nice for yourself, and you may be surprised to find you are calmer and more relaxed.
Try it.

When you're done... be sure to put your feet up in that sparkly room and have a refreshing cocktail.

2008-07-10T13:10:00.001-04:00

where's weese?

dunno, I'll go look for her.

Cats

2008-07-07T08:34:00.006-04:00

Welp. Looks like we have a cat.

Our little feral kitty, locked up in confinement for 8 weeks, is now FREE.
We opened the doors Friday and waited. She popped out of her kitty door and walked around the back of the garage like she owned the place. (I know this because I was sitting in a lawn chair waiting.)

We have seen her exploring around the barn/garage, up around the house and out into the yard a little bit all weekend. And then she comes right back to nap on her shelf in the garage.

The world is her oyster (or rodent... as it were).

But wait, there's more.
Meet Jasper.

Jasper is The Daughter The Therapist and Her Handsome Beau's newest addition to their family. Last year they rescued Sophie, and this past weekend scooped up another little feral.

Independence Day

2008-07-03T09:00:00.003-04:00

Tomorrow is Independence Day.

We will open the door for the FREE cat.
And wait to see if she ever comes back.

A sign of the times.

2008-07-02T12:25:00.003-04:00

I have been watching this particular low profile window air conditioner online for some time now - waiting for it to go on sale. We already have one and love it, it's a great little unit, and light enough for me to install alone with ease.

It finally went on sale last week.

Alas, we decided to buy a cord of wood instead.

NY Pride

2008-06-30T10:05:00.016-04:00

Being proud takes stamina people.

We start the day at 8a.m. - getting organized and having breakfast 'juice' before heading to the train.

On the train we noticed some young people getting ready for the parade.

A little brunch at a favorite place.

Waiting in the hot sun for entirely too long.

No sooner did the parade start...

When the rains came.

We took shelter in a local bar.

We were so wet it was as if we jumped into a pool. Even things in my pockets were soaked. Luckily, I had rain gear for my phone.

Then off to a great little Italian place - where things started to get blurry.

And so we kept drinking...

Then into the subways to head back to the train.

We had some extra time to appreciate Grand Central Station.

Finally... heading home on the 9:07.

whew.

Friday

2008-06-27T11:06:00.006-04:00

not quite a tip-o-day

Ever since we have started to cut the grass with our trusty reel mower, I can't tell you how many people have said they couldn't do it simply because it would be too much effort.
(if you are one of those who mentioned this... take solace, you're not alone)
Yet, we'll pay hundreds of dollars to a gym to run for an hour and get nowhere, or sit on a bicycle and watch television then go lift heavy things up and down and up and down only to put them back where we found them.

And people say I have gone mad.

Are you out of shape, need some firming up?
Think about it.

55

2008-06-26T15:34:00.002-04:00

Did you know that driving 55mph saves gas?
No, really...it does.

If you drive alot, it can save you quite a bit actually.

Apparently, I am the only one who knows this... or cares.

--

Conversation with Ferris:
weese: "I have read that driving 55 will save gas."
Ferris: "That's correct - 55 is the optimal speed for gas savings... on any road."

Neil Sedaka... he knows

2008-06-24T12:33:00.004-04:00

Breaking up is hard to do.
Especially when it's been so long.
I can't say it's any one thing. Maybe a series of small things, maybe I've changed, maybe it's things I have heard. I dunno.

It's over tho.
I am moving on.
I have already planned to meet someone else.
But... as with any breakup - there are some loose ends I need to tie up.

I am going to do it on the phone.
I will call today to tell him I am going to start seeing a woman, and would he be so kind as to send my things... to her.

This will be first for me. My whole life I've chosen men. But it's time to change and I am looking forward to meeting her and having her examine --- my teeth.

enchanting evening

2008-06-23T08:05:00.012-04:00

Each June New Haven puts on the Arts and Ideas festival with all sorts of music, dance and theatre. Saturday night they traditionally present Opera on the Green.

It's a very well attended event with people turning out with full table settings - linens, candles or candelabras, wine and food and all the accoutrement.
Lovely.

The entire experience was delightful; we had perfect weather, a bottle of red, some snacks and fabulous entertainment.

This year East Village Opera Company performed - they were amazing.

Classic opera melded with classic rock. Think Mozart jamming with Pete Townsend.
They have two fantastic vocalists and when they performed the Flower Duet **, my rather smitten wife turned to me and said

"I think I'm in love."

with this woman... incredible voice and a sensual performer; oh... and she's hot.

Luckily ... my adorable wife went home with me.

Though we stopped to buy a CD ...and to meet the band.

** renowned in the opera world for its sexual tension and lesbian subtext

Look!

2008-06-19T08:36:00.005-04:00

Look at my weeds!

How organic.
I am so proud.

Define irony

2008-06-16T10:27:00.003-04:00

For the back story I will quickly recap:

1) Ferris got a ticket for having a beer.
2) His wise and sage parents advised the lad to pay his fine and move on.
3) The Department of Motor Vehicles didn’t want to miss out on the fun so they suspended his license making his infraction a conviction.
4) Said wise and sage parents lawyer-ed up.
5) My law abiding wife took Ferris to his first court appearance, clear across the state (no snickering about state size from you Texans) where he was told to do some community service to wipe his slate clean.
6) Ferris performs community service for old, poor people and receives a glowing letter of recommendation from the supervisor.
7) My patient wife drives Ferris back to court clear across the state where he presents his community service paper work.
8) His case is now marked Nolle – yay.
9) To actually receive his license back however, some paperwork needs to be filed BY MAIL to the Department of Motor Vehicles, with of course another fee. They will in turn send back a paper that reinstates Ferris’ license. We are hoping that will happen this week.
That afternoon, after a long drive, a day in court and running paperwork around my tired wife went out to get the mail.

And what do you suppose she found there.

Ferris’ first letter to report for jury duty.

Friday

2008-06-13T14:43:00.003-04:00

tip-o-day

This tip is actually courtesy of a fellow blogger.
I tried it, it works, and I like it.

A great, completely organic way to get rid of weeds or unwanted grasses is simply hot water. I boiled up a kettle full and dumped it on all the weeds growing up in the patio. Worked like a charm.

Note tho, this is an indiscriminate kill so be careful where you pour. I accidentally poured it on some of my gentle wife's moss. You don't mess with her moss.

roots

2008-06-11T12:40:00.001-04:00

You know what’s great about living in the same house for over 20 years?

As I was enjoying my breakfast of tofu, flax seed and mixed berries on the patio early Sunday morning, I wallowed in the cool breeze and watched the morning dew lift, reveling in the stillness of our neighborhood on this weekend morning before 8 o’clock.

I reflected back to our first summer here where I can remember like it was yesterday -- rolling out of bed …oh, somewhere around midday maybe, stumbling outside, nauseous and shaky to find broken eggs all over the driveway.
Nothing like cleaning up from a 3 a.m. egg toss on a hot summer day with a hangover.

Ah the good ole days.

working for a living

2008-06-10T10:42:00.003-04:00

Don’t just have your eyes open. Be alert -- process what you’re seeing.

Earlier this week I passed a woman on a bike on my morning commute, though it's not unusual to see a woman on a bike.
It was a street bike not a … I think they call them cruising bikes or comfort bikes now. She was not wearing sports apparel. She had an attractive messenger type bag over her shoulder. She wobbled a bit as she pedaled her way out of the town center, toward the office complex were I work. Clearly this was a new experience for her.

This morning I saw a man in a white shirt and tie on a scooter. He rode with traffic on my street down to the light, but then rode in the shoulder on the main road to down toward the highway. I hope in his heart he felt proud and not belittled.

These are not rich people who tend to jump in making these short term grandiose changes because its chic.
These are not poor people who I have heard are now abandoning their cars when they run out of gas.
These are folks like me. We are working for a living, and the money we make goes to our living expenses.

Things are changing, people.

Look for it, you will see it.

Participate.

You don’t need to get a scooter or ride your bike to work. But – you would be wise to think twice about your discretionary spending. Do you really need a new blouse, new shoes? Examine the word ‘need’ with new fervor now.
Even if you can (or think you can) afford these new things – is it wise to buy now?
That’s how you should be thinking.

Yes, we need to save the planet.. so why not save some money while you are at it?

The FREE cat

2008-06-09T12:13:00.002-04:00

The FREE cat is still under lockdown in the barn. The cat expert people say we need to keep her in there for at least six weeks. She is doing fine - eating, peeing, pooping... all is well. She seems a little bored to me, but we have seen no signs of rodents out there since we got her.

Meanwhile this is what we found in the basement last night...

Those are teeth marks. This is the cord for the dehumidifier. Which was plugged in.

Not sure this whole 'feral cat' thing is working the way we planned.

Friday

2008-06-06T11:07:00.004-04:00

tip-o-day

Did you know that almost all faucets are covered under lifetime warranties?
The manufacturer will send out new parts at no cost - all you need to do is drop them an email.

I did-- just this week on our damned near new kitchen faucet.
The sprayer has begun to leak.

A new one is winging its way to us now.

That warranty won't do you much good though if you don't even know the make or model.

Remember to hang on to all owners manuals. Have a couple of folders all set up in your file cabinet so you can just toss them in without too much fuss. The easier it is to file the more likely you are to do it. I keep a basket on top of our filing cabinet to simply toss things into that I will file when I have a free minute (my organized wife will tell you how full that basket gets... but at least I know where to look if I don't find something in it's folder yet).

When something goes wrong you'll be ready.

Harken

2008-06-04T12:56:00.007-04:00

In our ongoing effort to be more environmentally conscience we have resurrected the reel mower.

We bought it a couple years ago. My easy-going wife liked it well enough, but I wasn't too happy with its performance. After a short time I gave in and bought a used gas mower.

Now, that I am of the mind that the 'american lawn is the bane of the environment', we are using it again.
(Oddly I am still at complete peace with the degrading condition of our lawn. Tho, its quite possibly my clever wife is sneaking prozac into my morning coffee).

Last week I was out cutting the front lawn with it. It does a decent job, leaving the lawn looking more natural than manicured.
Since the mower is silent I can hear everything going on around me. Instead of hearing cars zip by all too fast I heard the clip-clop of hoofs.
I looked up and sure enough a horse and buggy were travelling down our busy, double yellow-line street. They were from the farm down the street that still sells fresh eggs, corn, even raw milk (what does one do with raw milk... Guy?)
Cars were lined up behind them. I am sure they were annoyed.

We were able to chat for a moment as they trotted by our house. I commented that it was such a lovely evening for a ride - they commented back how nice and quiet my mower was.

It was a moment.
A moment out of time... in busy suburban Connecticut.

yeah. We're keepin' the mower.

Mind the sign

2008-06-03T13:07:00.004-04:00

For various reasons over the past 20 some odd years I have had the occasion to drive a particular back road almost every day. Currently, this road takes me from my home in one town to my work in a neighboring town. So I am on it every week day. It's also the road we take when visiting my in-laws. So I am on it many weekend days as well.

Needless to say I am very familiar with this road. I have come to know some of the people living along the road - tho they most likely would not know me. I have seen their children grow up, I know when they get new cars, I know the ederly woman in the white tudor house needs more help these days, as I see her with visitors almost every day - where there used to be few.

This morning I noticed the deaf child sign.

Tho the sign is not new.

It's been there all of these years. I suppose it had just become part of the scenery.
I remember when Ferris was just learning to read and we drove by that very sign on the way over to his grandparents house. He read it to me and we discussed its merrit, and even it's lack thereof.

This morning I wondered -- where is this kid now?
Certainly he must be grown. But his sign remains. I wonder... does he even know its still there? Does he pass it every day like I do. Perhaps on his way to visit his parents.
Maybe a new family with a deaf child saw the sign and decided to move to the area, appreciating its convenience.

And so I will continue to drive this road... with renewed intent to heed the sign, because you just never really know.