Thread: Summertime

Well my friends it is done. I know you didn’t believe me when I said that I would do it. But it is done.














Her wallpaper is finally up. We worked together as a team, like one that was destined to be laughed off the field, but in the end it looks pretty good. She doesn’t understand what- “Just worry about aligning the edge” actually means. So there is a small gap between two sections near the bottom. Somewhat noticeable by rude guests perhaps. Other than that there are no wrinkles or air pockets. Everything smooth and nice like a professional had done it for me at the cost of $1,000. Considered by me several times but I always said no, I’ll do it.

The really good news is that we had enough wall paper to do the project. It cost almost a thousand dollars in wallpaper to do it, and the only thing I was able to say to her when we finished was, I am glad I don’t have to do that ever again. I think it looks hideous like something some old witch would have in her lair. It is made in Jolly Ole England and is based on a famous painting from 1890 called Strawberry Thief. Birds stealing berries in an English garden sort of thing. Very famous I assure you. Pricing says so, too.

I made a crock pot of beef stew yesterday, too. I kind of like stuff like that. Definitely a meal t prepare when I am away from the house and can’t sniff at it all day.

I also practiced with my jig tying stuff.





The lower jig has a string (removed from inside the paracord) holding the blade. I am thinking it will sway about in an erratic fashion and produce something. I am not sure what it will produce, but I thought it was a good idea when I made it up. Maybe look like an injured minnow perhaps.

I am still waiting on my new jig head mold. I wish they would hurry a little. I keep checking that email….keep checking.


I also made pickled eggs yesterday. 18 of them. I followed the Shotgun Red recipe and added beets from a can to the mix. The eggs are soaking up that beet color as we speaketh. I noticed an empty jar on the counter yesterday and realized that she had consumed the last of the first batch I made, without beets. So I figured to make her more. I hope she likes these as there are a lot of them needing to be eaten.

I might try my hand at pickled sausages. Shotgun Red says most folks use hotdogs anyways. She will sneak hotdogs out the secretly sliced corner of the package, and eat them as is, cold and slimy, so she might like them pickled.

There are basically two types of ants in my area. Sugar freaks and acid freaks. She is more like the acid freak ants than the sugar freak ants. She likes things sour, and well pickles are sour. I even bought the expensive apple cider vinegar to make them, thinking that would impress her.

She loves goat cheese but no way we are getting some dumb old goat.


I have about a hundred ready to go jigs now. Some of them look cool to me, but most are plain Jane. When I fashion up some fur and produce a jig it looks great. After I have made a few others it no longer has my eye. Not sure, but maybe I am just fickle. Like a pickle. I suspect they will get donated to the club like all the others do. I am always chasing something new.

I kind of like this one.




Herl of peacock there you see. The colors shimmer off of a peacock feather and the metallic greens are gorgeous. Ain’t getting no peacock bird neither. They scream and make a huge mess. Require feedings and waterings and such, too. Coyotes would encircle it and fall victim to it’s claws. We had a man locally who had some sort of large ostrich type bird, and it attacked him. It used it’s claws to open up that man from his sternum to his groin. His guts spilled right out and he floppethed onto the dirt floor of that bird’s pen. The medical examiner staffer told me it was hideous. They had to sort of shove the guts back in to move him and all the while that bird was roaming about. Watching them. I figured it kicked like a kangaroo to do that.

The puppy is doing fairly well these days. She climbed onto her mother’s favorite antique sofa and proceeded to chew a whole in the middle of the back. Pulled out some fluffins and romped about while we were at work. I am certain it was great fun, but like most things in life, the really good stuff has consequences. Her consequence is that she is now an outside dog while we are away from the house. I mean this was not her only violation, but it was egregious and I knew something bad had been done when I got out of the truck, Yup, sure enough, she had done something really bad this time. The shrieks were very audible coming from inside the house. The puppy came outside and saw me and ran up as if expecting me to do something about her mother’s affliction. She was inconsolable, sobbing and mad all at the same time. You know what I mean don’t you.

She has attacked several other chairs, various other soft and squiggly items, and once she even ripped down every garment in her mother’s large walk-in closet. Got them all. It is kind of important for me to not be caught snickering, but she is so cute. Her mother bough her an indestructible toy. I laughed so hard when she gave it to her and said- “There, now she won’t chew my stuff anymore”. I am not sure if she grew up with puppies, but if she did, she sure didn’t have one like my little Charli. She shredded that toy first day. No problem. Like it had all be some sort of challenge.

Her mother was concerned about her being outside all day in the heat. This is a dog we are discussing here. Anyways, when I get home and I feed her she goes right back outside to romp and play. She must be part bird dog because she loves chasing birds. She will sit and stare up into the trees, waiting for a bird to fly thru. Then she chases it and barks at it until it disappears. She also does not like armadillos or squirrels, or her mother’s water pistol thingie thing. Man she hates that thing.

I am going to finally try Diamond Clear Coat for dipping my jig heads into. Not sure if it will pan out for me, but I reckon it will be a great way to secure the eyes to my jig heads. Stick them on and dip the whole head and hang to dry. The stuff is said to be delicate and easily ruined and is not cheap. If I don’t care for it I might try to dip in a UV based clear coat. There are folks that build UV boxes to cure their UV stuff, but I just set things on the deck and let the good old Sun cure them up. The problem I have with that stuff is that when it dries, it leaves a hazy appearance on the eyes. Who wants that of their free to them custom jigs ? No one that’s who.

My A/C unit is on it’s last leg. Been so for a year now. Saving up for that little problem. I have to have some A/C or I toss and turn in my own sweat at night and that is not much fun. Like sleeping with someone that pees the bed. You get up but no way you want to lay back down. My wife dated a man that had no heating or A/C and I remind her of how her life really turned around when she met me. I surmised that he also peed the bed, too. Yes, I am just that petty about things. She would ride me like she does that puppy until a new unit was fully installed. I assure you she would. Mud…..that would be my new name.


Not sure what I will be doing today, but hope it turn out to be great fun with lots of excitement and pleasure. I have some tuna steaks in the fridge thawed and ready to get oiled up and slid about on the CharBroiler. Maybe lay some of that on a salad. Yes, with goat cheese. Of course with goat cheese. YUCK !