Day 3407

I've been looking for some better shoes to wear on my longer walks. I didn't need to look far. There are enough shoes in my closet to start a shoe store. Today I wore an old pair of hand made Pivetta boots that belonged to my Dad. He wore them frequently while we lived in Alaska during the 1960's. Amazingly, these 50 year old hiking boots were still in better condition than shoes I bought last year. They just don't make things like this anymore. The boots are much sturdier and more comfortable than my regular dog walking shoes. I'm torn between wearing these shoes on a regular basis and preserving them for posterity. I've typically only worn these boots on snow days to preserve the soles. The boots still have the original soles and they show minimal wear. Pivetta is still considered the holy grail by some serious hikers. Colin Fletcher considered them to be the best boots you could buy. Should I save these things or wear them out? This is always my dilemma. I have a reverence for well made objects and often don't use things that were clearly meant to be used.

I went up to the audio repair shop this afternoon and paid the remainder of my bill. I didn't take the Sequential Circuits synthesizers home with with me however. I asked the technician who restored the gear for me if he'd be interested in helping me sell it for a commission. It's worth a shot. This guy knows musicians and collectors all over the country. I don't know anybody who's looking for a vintage synthesizer. We'll see what happens. I'm certainly in no hurry. The last time I actually used these synthesizers was in 1982.

On my way home I dropped off some more things at the storage warehouse. At least I don't have to store the synthesizers yet. I should have rented a larger unit because I've almost filled up my storage space. This wasn't supposed to happen so quickly. In theory there are still lots of things I can get rid of, but it's so much trouble to sort through all the boxes. I've started storing the new stuff in large clear plastic tubs so I can see what's inside. I don't have a clue what is inside some of the older cardboard boxes. Janet is well on her way to cleaning out her storage warehouse. She wants to move out before her next renewal date. I don't even understand this concept. To me a storage warehouse is like purgatory for stuff. You put stuff in there and maybe later it goes to heaven or hell. Storage warehouses are a great way to avoid making decisions. If I had an unlimited amount of money, I'd just buy an entire storage building.

It's started to rain again. I hope I didn't bleach the ceiling in vain. I'm still waiting for one more bid to replace the roof, but I'm not liking what I've seen so far. The cost is way too high. Jeez. I bought my first house for less than the highest estimate. I may be doomed to using the sump pumps and sweeping away the standing water forever. I hate viewing every rainstorm as a potential roof leak however. It gets old fast.

It's supposed to continue raining all day tomorrow. That's the main reason I ran most of my errands earlier today. I hate to drive in the rain. Sometimes I fantasize about living in the desert but I don't like rattlesnakes and scorpions either. I'd better get used to this because the rainy season could last another month. I'll need to turn the pumps on soon. Hope I can remember to turn them off again.

Wyatt is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day

Day 1256

While I was having my Black Bean Benedict breakfast this morning, two people seated at the next table were trying to explain the concept of purgatory to each other. I can't remember when I've heard a more confusing and convoluted explanation of anything. I'm not much of a believer. Belief requires a certainty I just don't have. I am a good observer though and try my best not to pass judgement on what I observe.

It was difficult not to pass judgement on the roofers carpentry skills however. When I got home from breakfast, I noticed that the new fascia trim the roofers had just finished attaching to the edge of the carport didn't match the existing trim on the house. The lumber they used for the fascia was an inch wider than the existing trim. Didn't the guys notice the obvious mismatch at the joint where the new trim met the old trim at the corner of the house? Jeez! I wish they'd measured the lumber before they nailed it up on the house. When I pointed out out the disparity in the two sections of trim, the guys seemed angry with me. Did they actually think I wouldn't notice this?  One of the roofers finally told me that they would fix the problem, but didn't tell me how. They all left for the day immediately afterwards.

The assignment to provide photography and social media coverage for one of my clients at a big watch and jewelry trade show got approved today. The schedule has changed though. Now I'm leaving earlier and staying longer than I anticipated. I wish I'd known this new schedule several days ago. I recently ordered an airport friendly rolling carry-on camera case in anticipation of this assignment. The UPS website says the case is scheduled to arrive the day after I leave.

It's raining now. The main roof is more or less finished, so I imagine we'll stay dry inside. I wouldn't be surprised if the cars were wet tomorrow morning though. The carport is definitely still a work in progress. When I looked this afternoon, it certainly didn't appear very waterproof to me.

I hope the wet weather clears up soon. We've got a three day weekend ahead and it would be nice to have some beautiful, sunny weather to go along with the holiday. I know the dogs are going to expect a trip to the dog park. Personally, I don't know what to expect anymore.

Ziggy is today's Dalmatian of the Day

Watch of the Day