Wesley's Timeline

Lilypie Second Birthday tickers

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Christmas 2008

I know that it is not yet Thanksgiving (yet it will be before we know it, which is a good thing except I have a lot of work left to do on our holiday show at school), but I am looking forward so much to the holidays that I thought I would blog about it.

I went to Walmart today (the only big store within a one hundred mile radius of us and therefore one of the only stores open on Sunday). I went with a list of things to look at under the guise of needing things for Miracle on 34th Street (which is true). I came home with a few things for Miracle... and quite a few things for others as well. I know that the Christmas stuff in the stores this early drives some people crazy. Not me. I love it. It inspires me and makes me want to buy stuff to make for other people. And buy I did. I came home with the makings of at least six Christmas presents. Now I just need to get busy!

Reid installed (with many expletives) his stovepipe for his forge and we tested it out last night... and it draws really well! He did have a set back this week in that the big machining vise he got for free won't work. He messed with it for hours and it is officially broken. After the forge and anvil, the vise is the most used instrument in a metal working shop. He has a little one that he mounted to his work table and he can use it until he can get a big vise... but we were sad that he couldn't get the free one working and instead will have to buy one.


(You can see how well it is drawing by the flame (and the smoke which you can't see) being pulled up the stove pipe. In the foreground you can see his anvil mounted to the block he made for it. He is smiling and pretty happy... and this is probably the cleanest you'll ever see his shop again! ) And just so you know, it isn't the stove pipe that is crooked... that is picture-taker error!
This week, his goal is to get some coal and some metal stock and start getting his skill set back! He doesn't think it will take him long to relearn what he's doing (muscle memory apparently)... I think it is going to take a little while for his muscles to get used to this new work again! But hopefully some Christmas presents will be coming out of his shop for Christmas '08 too! So, if you have any request you should get them in early! In other words, we are hoping that this is the Christmas of family, good eating, and home-made presents! How about Christmas for you?

(PS- Stephanie, you can answer a question in a blog either in your response or in your own blog post if you like... or treat it like a rhetorical question and not answer it at all... up to you entirely!).


(PPS- Tater is fine, just as we expected him to be... and yes, it is funny)

Here is Tater today... as you can see he is fine... and his normal bored self.

And here is the evidence he left in my bedroom... destruction Tater-style!

5 comments:

Stephanie said...

Priceless - that picture is priceless!

Alice said...

I have a blacksmith order. Should be easy and small so won't need much metal. Could he make me a shawl pin/holder?? He would have to make a circle of metal and then make the pin that is long enough that it sticks out each side. You pull the shawl fabric up through the circle and then stick the pin through. I just told your daddy today that would be a good present!! LOL
And Tater looks quite fine, the forge looks warm and he did really tear that package up didn't he???

Anonymous said...

Yay Reid! I want everything made out of metal for christmas! (I know, I wasn't on your family's list... but...)
The forge and anvil look awesome. Hope you see your husband again once he gets going. :)

Alaina said...

Wow - the shop looks great! I bet Reid can't wait to get working! I'm so glad Tater is okay - great pictures of the him and the destruction. :)

Anonymous said...

The workshop looks great, too bad about the vise though. Glad to see Tater is his normal self.