Chicken 'n Chocolate

     First communique penned inside Swett Lodge next to warm Earth stove - perfect wordplay penchant place.

     Success moving this slab

encouraged another 'improved' attempt.  Let's put this slab (to shovel)

here - least that's the plan.

Dig out 'round slab to what appears to be a joint, persuade with 4x4 find slab unit all the way to distant crack. 

 Excavate slab to that crack, persuade

only to realize won't be able to budge ten feet by 32"x4" concrete.  Unsuccessfully attempt halving with skill saw, masonry blade (used far below) set at full depth

decide renting gas powered concrete cut off saw in order; replace soil 'round slab.  Find new masonry cutting blade (near above) at St. Vinnie's decide to try another time cutting progressively deeper scoring cuts rather than shoot for whole kahuna at once - will report on attempt.
    Finally catch 'Machete' at David Minor Theater $2 Tuesdays - funny, preposterous Rodriguez/Trejo gore fest.
    Prep another garden section - 25% done now:  break sod; turn in horse manure, leaves (turned soil right).

Clay here needs organic matter to keep from being summertime adobe. Earthworms abound digging - soil basically in good shape.
     Itch to be in the house; wire brush; sweep floors in kitchen, front room, hall; time for $1 Sal Army curtains.  Cut coaxial cable 'curtain rod' from hundreds of feet salvaged (here on scoured front room floor) - previous owners cable wired every room,

overhand knot to length, hang on 16 penny double heads nailed into upper corner edges of window trim - easier to hide/repair damage than if nailed in trim face -

thread curtains onto wire, hang.

Double headed sixteen penny tie back,

voila: matching front room curtains.  West windows curtains open,

closed.

Front window curtains open,

closed.

'NO TRESPASSING' now a hair more dainty.

West fixed window curtained - want to keep chill out here too -

quality view still apparent.

To keep long drapes from sweeping floor add bent nail coax cable curtain rod center support on west window,

front window.   Latest freebie futon seat/back pivot holes worn sloppy by nutless 1/4" bolts drill to 3/8"; drive in 3" section oil furnace supply copper pipe; bolt, washer, nut tight - like new; bring mattress in from garage; zip on freshly washed cover - lookin' homey.

New curtains too shear, baste 'garage door' fabric (left)

liners to curtain backs with dental floss - get 115 yards/buck at ninety nine cent store, save special thread trip, nice minty taste (current stuff knots OK - some doesn't) - more privacy, insulation.  Outside view front window lined drapes closed.  Go yams!

Outside view west windows lined drapes closed -  little wild with shears lower left.

     Can't deny Earth stove any longer.  2/2/2011 - diggin' eight, why so twosy? - Swett Lodge first night.  All goes well/warm. 
     A million little things get accomplished along the way.  Hand vac floors one day, wipe down with Petzyme next virtually eliminating cat smell.  Repane kitchen west window,

kitchen sink (north) window.

Take off old barely functional corroded

by cat urine acids back door hinges

rehang door on new ReStore hinges.  Top hinge set into freshly chiseled pocket on door edge (left) fits original jamb pocket (right).

Bottom hinge screwed to door edge - no pocket (left) - fits original jamb pocket (right).  Door swings/closes/locks freely, kitchen closed to the outside.

Pie safe door, two remaining kitchen drawers knobbed with discarded bath vanity chromes.

Original cardboard drawer bottoms

replaced with 5/32" plywood from 'lumber yard' - cuts easily with utility knife - in reknobbed drawers before Sunday's big game.  Load 'em up. 

Quick glance reveals transplanted to northwest corner of garage from back porch eave licorice root making it/not thriving,

slab at bottom of north back steps unearthed/mudjacked one day last week for usefulness/drainage -

may relocate outside garage door raising grade/providing less muddy approach.

     Early Packer lead won't permit watching BIG game on Swett Lodge's puny thirteen inch TV, pedal to Kate's join her; Spud; nephew Jesse, gal for Wisconsin's triumph.  Despite our - Kate, Spud, me - pregame Cascade Raptor Center field trip where 'twas chick day - alternating menu: mice, chicks - for the birds, Kate gets KFC game bucket.  Food abstinence Sunday don't indulge, bring home Monday breakfast care package.  Chicken 'n chocolate.   Peace    d

Liver

Guitar play 35 years, favorite pastime, own two guitars. 

First: Squier 'sposedly '51 reissue though neither Squier (not 'round back then) nor parent company Fender ever made a guitar like this in '51.  In some purge sold this guitar for $100, missed, bought another for $200 only to get it home, realize it was the original guitar - 'came back' guitar.  Cheapo knock off Indonesian made modified - plays/sounds real good.  Player.

Second: no name - 'heresy' beautiful guitar lovers say 'should be Gibson, Fender' - thrasher Floyd Rose tremolo guitar, recarved headstock, rewired, repickuped: favorite guitar ever.  Player.
    Someone said Swett Lodge'd be beautiful finished.  Comfortable, practical, user friendly - not beautiful.  Liver.
 

     Doing something wrong broke trusty kitchen knife.

Similar St. Vinnie's replacement item.  Stainless, tough to dull, readily available.

     Add bolt through shovel neck locking handle.
     Mudjacking refers to leveling cement slabs by putting mud under 'em done these days with hydraulic pump. 

Want foreground slab (breaks at yellow line at right)

between curb/front walk.  Mudjack plus.

Dig out entirely 'round slab - corner keyed into front walk slab; chisel; persuade out with 20 ton jack, break 2x4 find 4x4 levers fine.

Raise/hold slab standing on 4x4, shovel dirt under slab to jack,

finally vertical.  Couple wheelbarrows driveway gravel behind garage for new car park location - lots more later.  Fetch pneumatic two wheel hand cart from Kate's.  Won't begin to heft/move 300 pound plus slab.  Return hand cart find three cylindrical fence posts.

Flop/pry slab onto fence posts on useful salvaged luan underlayment rolling course (limed side up).

Rolls pretty good.

Walk like an Egyptian.

Slab ready to 'flip' into place,  dig its hole

find paving stone

which joins backyard garage walk's queue.

Struggle, 'flip' slab using firewood 'jacks', 4X4 - another time another approach; balance slab on curb; 4x4 lever into place.

Kate 'n fambly interrupt important earth moving work sweep off to downtown bleu cheese burger lunch - mmm! 

Dirt fill cracks, ex slab hole, salt rest 'round low driveway area.

Degarage trusty $8 mower, fire up.  First balky, adjust carb, clean gas, runs fine.  Come spring change oil: it'll mow forever.

Mown lawn, gate, front walk - looking like someone cares 'bout Swett Lodge.

Couple unwanted window sashes scrap crisscrossed 1x4 nailed to roof rafter luan underlayment, quarter round molding loaded - 'lumber yard' in session.
      Feel ahead of schedule - could start sleeping in Swett Lodge - stench departed sooner than expected.  

Luck out - procure second free futon off Craigslist.  Frame needs a little work, wash mattress cover, find bedding - can sleep in garage apartment or house, guest even!
    No question looking at some of these pics why they call Eugene 'The Emerald City' specially this time of year.  Kate says peas go in the ground Valentine's Day.  Have to get garden digging.

Put these yamsters - actually sweet potatoes (?) orange flesh notwithstanding - on front window sill today hopin' for many plantable slips.  Gettin' a farm goin' here.  Spring's 'round the corner.   Enjoy.       d