Updates on some overdue postings

Another of the several list items that I've finished, but have been too lazy to update in the blog.  Some of these were only marginally completed, but I'm going to count them anyway.

45. Build a media serverWhile probably not technically a media server, I'm counting this.  My old tower PC was about full to the gills with cheesy home video and music files.  I bought a RAID controller card and a few hard drives and now I have a few spare terrabytes to start filling up with even more cheese.

68. Mow the grass with a push mower (don't tell any co-workers) We snagged a push mower from Jackie and Mike's garage sail when they moved to their current (grass free) home.  It has come in handy on a number of occasions, in light of the fact that my gas mower has become somewhat tempermental.  I think the auto-choke is messed up; works fine in warm weather, not so much in cold.

The push mower is fine for our meager front lawn, as long as we keep on top of it.  Allow the grass to get out of control through a couple weeks of neglect and it becomes quite a chore.

75. Dress up and go out
Nothing regular, but I have actually managed a couple occasions that warranted a suit, Christmas parties, weddings, the old play.  Damn, I'm good looking.

79. Listen to podcasts/audiobooks on the commuteI've been doing this, but not as much as I might have originally liked.  Turns out I have a sort of commuting ADD; I lose track of what's transpiring in the book while I'm busy swearing at all the stupid motorists doing the kind of jack-assed maneuvers that I routinely do on my own.  I am constantly realizing that I've missed some key point and having to re-wind (not easily accomplished with my iPod while driving.) 

I'm currently listening to "The Guns of August" both on the commute and at bed time.  At bed time it is an excellent sleeping aid; I must have listened to the first five chapters 50 times, forever falling asleep and then rewinding.  I suppose I shouldn't use a sleeping aid while driving, but oh well.

85. Visit Alpine BrewingOne afternoon after spending the day at work at our El Cajon plant, I went east on a sojourn to the town of Alpine and the brewery therein.  Damn fine beer, (Pure Hoppiness) even when drinking alone.  Bought a growler and brought some home.  I was not going to count this yet, because for some reason it didn't feel like it counted with no one along to witness.  But then again, who knows when I might get back there again.

86. Build music boxes with the movements I've had foreverGot a few done this year at Christmas, one for Tee and one for Denise.  Have another 4 or 5 movements left, but this was a good start.

91. Organize the garage so we can get a car in it and still use it as a workshopWhile not really well organized, we can at least keep Denise's Prius in the garage and I can, for the most part, get at my tools.  Certainly will benefit from more organizing, but the car is in, so count it.

93. Get a new bed
Another one that is not entirely finished, but it does constitute a new bed, so I think it qualifies.  I built a box-bed frame and Denise purchased a "green" mattress to top it off.  We're sleeping on it, so it must be a bed.  I still need to finish the drawers that are supposed to fit in the frame.  They've been cut out and ready to assemble for months, but Denise keeps finding other projects for me.

98. Convert Nick's old room into my office/exercise/reading/media room
I have my computer, exercise bike, Wii, cable box, USB turntable, Power Block weight bench and probalby a few other items all arranged in Nick's old room, organized enough that I can actually use them.  Still a bit of a mess, but hey, it's a man's room.

#61 - Dinner at Cold Spring Tavern

Took me a while, but when I finally finished this one I finished it good.

For four straight weekends last month I worked in Goleta, helping Denise and her sibling's renovate their rental property.

Their renters of the last nine years or so recently departed, so there was about nine years worth of deferred maintenance to be done before putting it back on the market.  Actually, more like 45 years in some cases, because there's stuff that's never been upgraded in the lifetime of the house; single-pane aluminum sliders, dilapidated patio cover, painting galore.

As if I don't have enough projects to do at my own house.  But these projects took precedence, so off to Goleta we've gone.

Anyways, I decided that as long as I was shackled into forced labor I might as well have a little fun.  So, after working our second straight Saturday we took the entire crew (Pam, Paul, Doug and Sue) to Cold Spring Tavern for dinner.  We were joined by my sister, Linda.  Leo stayed back at the Goleta house with Bear.

Unfortunately, my phone's camera was not cooperating much so I have little in the was of photographic evidence.  I do have this fabulous photograph of Doug and Paul, in front of one of the aging trophies.  I will say this - taxidermy is not forever.  So of these various critter heads are in pretty sad shape.

The food on the other hand is delicious.




I love the Cold Spring Chili, so I had it for an appetizer.  Here's a photo.  Well it's a photo of what was left.

For my entree, the bunny.   Actually, Sauteed Medallions of Rabbit in a Marsala sauce of some type.  Fabulous!

 Not one for dessert, I had some Patrón XO Cafe instead (they were out of Gran Marnier.)  Not too bad at all.

Having completed item #61, I went on, in the spirit of beating a dead horse, and had dinner at Cold Spring again two weekends later.  Linda had mentioned that she had some old tools she was getting rid of and was I interested.  Never passing up an opportunity for more tools, I went with Denise up to the top of the pass, met Linda for dinner (the baby back ribs this time, yummy) and finished up the evening by raiding Linda's garage.  I don't actually need anymore tools, but I figure the boys can certainly use them.

Oh, besides the visits to Cold Spring, there was one other benefit of working on the Goleta house; it gave me the chance to use one of my other fabulous Christmas gifts...

"As seen on TV" the magic wrist band magnetic screw holder thingy that Denise saw fit to buy me.  I will say it provided an excellent workout; climbing up and down the ladder to pick up the bolts and nuts that kept falling off the magnets.  Oh well, I suppose I was exceeding the weight rating.  What it did best was too make my wrist all sweaty.