Sunday

Today has seen the first fire of the year. It was, of course, just over the hill in much the same place as last years fire. The tanker planes and helicopters kept flying over my place, likely on their way to calero. I tried to start the 21 car model-T while I watched them fly over. I needed to move the 21 car to the back shop. It was a nice day and it seemed reasonable to actually move the car under its own power. Charlie used to need me to start the T, due to the fact that it does not crank start easily. One person cranks, while the other holds a battery and a switch to change to magneto power once the car is running. I figured I would try to crank it myself. It didn't work. I certainly had a bit of exercise trying though. In the end, I pushed it back to the shop and stored it there. After the fun of moving the 21 car I got the new television going and connected. It is huge, and on loan from my sister. The television is the better part of thirty inches larger than my last. I find it is nice, but more of a luxury than I would permit myself if I were to buy one myself. It is too much. Also, my arms are sore after moving my sister. I am not even close to weak, but ones muscles don't generally have to move an entire house on a daily basis.

Soapbox

When I first started the zLog, I intended it to be a virtual soapbox that I could explore the world around me in an interactive battle with it. Instead I find that my life at this point has little conflict to get my mind working. I move from day to day with little drama and very little to wonder about. From time to time I read other blogs and am a bit envious. I used to love to write, but then I had something to write about. Lately I find that my postings here are no more than day to day details about a rather mundane life. There is little magic in it. My brain has begun to atrophy without proper stimulation. Without conflict there can be no expansion. I need something to jump start my brain.

Sally smells sheep smells down by the sheep store...

Some time back I went to pick n pull for a few needful things. I found them, but I also found some other optional items for cheap. Considering the fact that they will neither make my car go nor make it go faster, I had not bothered installing them. Now I have. The BMW now has a better looking center console that has all the screws actually doing the job they are supposed to be doing. Misfortunately, at least one of them has a very particular odor. In fact it stinks very much bad. I am hoping the smell will dissipate, but I think that I may be stuck with it. After all, those parts have been just sitting around dissipating in my yard for several months. Perhaps on Monday I will go to the shop and apply some of the fancy anti-stink spray I use on cases.

Speaking of shops. My landlord came this week past and removed any number of things, including the forges and anvils, and most if not all the blacksmithing tools. This is bad timing. I met a friendly blacksmith not long ago and now I've got it on the brain. Of course I have not been able to find a supply of coal to fire the forge, so I couldn't do much anyway, but never mind that. Now I am thinking of gathering my own supplys and tools. I think ebay will yet again become my friend. If I am careful, I might be able to do this thing if I go for a propane forge like the blacksmith advised. Coal is more nostalgic and likely would please me more, but propane is cleaner, faster, and perhaps a bit less work. And as long as we have this obsession with the barbeque, there will be fuel for it. I hope the blacksmith writes back. Now I've got technical questions for her.

Yes?

I've been a bit distracted lately. A few things have happened that seem appropriate to write about, but I haven't been able to either remember what they are or to actually bring myself to write about them. My nose is healing nicely, if not precisely in the same shape as it once was. I spent a day in very high, very cold water panning for gold during the memorial day weekend. I managed to find quite a bit more than I did the last time, but still far from enough to retire on. There is a book in my possession now that I had been meaning to read for a while. It was/is worth the wait. A letter I have been attempting to write has been mailed. I am not sure how it will be received. It was written to a person I really don't know that well. The first letter is always the most difficult and delicate. It is hard to know what is enough and what is too much. For me, a serious letter is a creation of fire. I do not like to write lightly and that causes problems. Especially if you are writing to a girl who may not be entirely sure of you. As it is, the letter was short and rather bland, but perhaps it will be taken well. I worried about it for far too long. I think the stress was starting to pickle my brain. I kept trying to re-write the letter. I mailed the last imperfect attempt just to settle my wits. All in all, I think it was fairly harmless, though I do think I made one major mistake. In the worst case all that will happen is that I receive no reply. It helps if I keep reminding myself of that. Also, a peacock has moved into the neighborhood and his calls are rather calming. If he lived any closer, they might not be.

Luck

Those people whom know me fairly well know that I am rather lucky person. Unfortunately I am lucky in waves. All will go well for some months, then the fabric of the world will unravel around me for a while. After that, the patern repeats itself. Having just broken my nose, I wonder what will come next. I don't remember doing anything that would justify such an action. Now that I've paid the piper, what did I buy?

What just happened?

My computer, may he rest in peace, is no more. I write this from a very grateful spot on the couch, using a computer kindly lent by jFrog. My poor talking oracle box is at Casa de Bat-Manuel being hopefully remade into a working computer. Manny himself is now happily married and hopefully has finished moving his second sofa chunk. My nose, may he heal quickly, has been reset into something more closely resembling its natural shape. The process was less painful than the actual breaking, but not much more pleasant. It involved someone I'd never met before shoving a tool that looked much like a small burnisher with the tip rounded off up my nose and using it to yank my nose back into the center of my face. I'd sleep better at night if I knew I would never have to have that done again. Misfortunately, I've broken it before and I don't doubt I'll break it again.