Doc’s Sunrise Rants

My counter went over the magic 250K mark. I had hoped to pay closer attention to the lucky lurker.

I’m happy to see my fans or stalkers from the fire prone areas of California are back.

The weather has been glorious here, as only autumn in the NW can be. Starting the days frozen silly and moving into t-shirt weather by late afternoon. Driving with the top down, long after convertible season is over. Ray bans and smiles. Flirting with pretty waitresses at the beach. Oops, that’s another story, for another day…

So, back in the day, I had a ‘real’ whiteboard from office max. Then somebody accidentally used the wrong markers on it one too many times and I got the next couple from home depot. And then one day we didn’t need them anymore and they went out to the goat barn. I find that with Brandon, I need one to diagram concepts, and I’m not bringing one of those filthy things back in. The kids went into town today to buy another, and the hangy things. It’s up.

I gave Brandon a pretest on the Saxon site, and honestly, the kid isn’t dumb, but he tested into Saxon 5/4. I thought “oh boy”. I didn’t have the heart to drag out my 4th grade Saxon books for him, so have been secretly using the book in the back room and making up my own lessons and worksheets for him, while awaiting a copy of Lial’s Basic College Math to come in the mail. My kids went from Saxon 7/6 into the Basic College Algebra, so I’m hoping the BCM covers everything up to it. Is that silly of me to want the kid to have a math book that says “college” on the front?

English is easier. Most language arts books aren’t “graded”, and the other two, when they see him with a book, will say encouraging things like “oh yeah, we used that in 9th grade” (when really, I think it was much lower, but I can’t remember). He’s doing well. He can write a legible paragraph now, he’s reading “Animal Farm”, doing spelling power, and I have him scheduled for an eye appointment because I don’t think he can see. So, not only did he go through 12 years of school (passed) without anyone noticing he wasn’t learning anything, the kid won’t pass the driving vision test when he finally feels confident enough to try the driving part.

A year ago, I started going through my school books (I have everything, literally, clear back to preschool level) - and I’m sure glad I didn’t get rid of anything. About the time I’m done with Brandon, maybe I’ll be ready to give them up - or maybe I’ll keep ‘em for the grand kids.

If you know what it is, you’ll say “cool”. If you have no idea, it’s an industrial sewing machine with a 3/4 hp clutch motor, capable of sewing multiple layers of thick material (like tent canvas) or even siding leather.

A year and a half ago, I bought this:

And I’ve been diligently working to turn it into this.

I replaced the floor, built new fold outs, rebuilt a tent frame (not exactly like the original, an improved version), polished it up, replaced the electrics, refurbished the chain drive, and added interior 12V lighting. I have the canvas, purchased from here. I’ve made a pattern. I didn’t have a way to sew it, but I do have a good friend with the above machine. Lucky for me, he bought himself a new one a few weeks ago, a bit fancier model, and simply GAVE me the older model! As in FREE. He also threw in 20 bobbins and about 10 cones of heavy tent thread.

Pictures of finished trailer to follow. Soon. Very soon.

Last night, a couple of very dear friends stopped by to bring me some slightly spoiled apples (for the livestock). Before they arrived, “D” called to let me know they had someone with them, her partner’s roommate from college (25 years ago). She wanted me to know that in no uncertain terms, she was NOT bringing this woman by to fix me up (as she’d been guilty of this in the past, with mixed results - re: see last spring’s posts). Anyway, they arrive, we all make nice and hug and haul the apples to the barn, where the goats made appreciative gobbling noises and the horses placidly ate the slices offered. The sheep acted weird as usual and looked at the apples as if they were 10″ butcher knives, high tailing it for the upper pasture with nary a taste.

The friend is predictably impressed with the isolation, the fall foliage, the quiet, and says something about how it would make a great “separatist enclave”. I laughed, however rude that was, and said “That would be difficult to manage, as I have two sons, and my straight daughters are always dragging boys over”. She looked stunned. “I simply can’t relate to lesbians (said snidely) who have been with men”. I returned with “Do brothers and dads count”?(very lame, I know) At this point I want to hit her, but D stepped in and tried (unsuccessfully) to diffuse the situation. We sort of stood around making uncomfortable small talk, all the while I SO wanted to explain to her how my children were conceived, but on the other hand, not wanting to give her the satisfaction.

Luckily, a distraction, the children in question drive up. Innocently enough, since I can’t keep track of all their activities, I asked “so, where have you been?” Katie, innocently enough, answers “At the church. We’re planning the harvest carnival for Halloween night”. This woman, who has never met me, practically screeches “YOU GO TO CHURCH TOO?”. Omg, they couldn’t hustle her into the car and out of there fast enough. And gee, we hadn’t even got around to homeschooling!

And from the files of “kids say the darnedest things”, Katie, in relating how the pastor’s wife was giving them snacks, says “Ew, they let their dog lick the ice cream bowls”. I answer, incredulously “But we do that too” “Yeah, but NOT IN FRONT OF PEOPLE”.

Have a good day people. I think my electricity is going to go out. Plus, my computer is dying. Dying dying dying. I’m considering a mac. I don’t know anything about them except that they aren’t PC based. That’s enough to interest me. Suggestions? Desk top. My lazy day laptop works fine.