I'm so stoned

It's only a figurative statement.  The reality is that my property contains quite a bit of field stone.  And oak trees.  Thus I decided to name the place Stoned Oak.  You only have to go down a few inches into the soil to hit a rock and this time of year, you are quite likely to be hit by falling acorns.  Nature is dangerous - stay inside.

So the question I've been asking myself is... why bring in more stone?  The property yields enough for doing borders but last year I wanted to do a three level terrace.  I hired a landscape guy to take care of that for me.  A beast has to know his limitations.  I liked the stone he used so much that I bought more from him.  I used this to replace the rotting railroad ties bordering the flower beds.  It turned out very nice and everything matches.

However, the big project for this year though went well beyond the amateur level.  I had to call in some big guns.  I say I had to but really - I wanted to.  And I'm so glad I did.  There was a retaining wall which was falling down at the side of the house.  It wasn't really an eyesore to the casual viewer but to me it was terrible.  The idea was to rebuild the wall and perhaps add some stairs to make a pathway around that side.   Enter Devin Devine the wizard of stone.  Ok, he doesn't call himself a wizard but it sounds good to me.  I met him at a local home show and was convinced he was the guy for the job after consulting with him.  Below you'll see what he did to make an eyesore into a focal point.  Yes, I had to buy more stone.

There is a small stone wall in there but with the ivy it's similar to finding Waldo.

 

The pictures barely do it justice.  This is a sweet piece of stonework.  I'd even call it artwork.  Realize that all the stone is dry stacked.  No mortar was hurt or killed during it's production.  Devin is definitely coming back to do more art like this at the Lair.

Perfume and Valium

I have been accused of not being in touch with my feelings.  You might expect this from such a beastly character.  I've come to find out it's not true.  Maybe that was the case a number of years ago but not now.  I am actually quite in touch with them.  I don't know when the change occurred.  I'm glad to know the truth of it and not believe someone else's opinion.

Turns out I'm a bit of a romantic too.  I always considered myself pragmatic in the ways of love.  And this is true at the beginning but after my heart is in it, I do turn into a sap.  It took some insight from a friend for me to realize this.  I still hate Valentines Day and I do things on my own terms.  That's just my way.

Most of you know I'm a Black Crowes fan so I thought I'd share some lyrics with you.

and how you made this cold boy smile
from the storm you took me weathered weary & tired
how you showed me the lessons of simple things
how love made this cold boy sing

Some say that love is the poor walk of life
Some say that love is the pain of being alive
Some say there's nothing on the other side
Some trade their souls for just a good time

My sentiments exactly and a tall order to fill.  It will be tough to make this cold beast smile.  Unless you have candy, that almost always works.

All is Fair

Since moving to the area, I had yet to go to any of the local fairs which occur this time of year.  I used to go as a kid and even worked at the bottle toss stand.  Let the tosser jokes commence...

Kimberton Fire Company puts on a good fair and is right down the road.  No fireworks this year however.  I guess they ran out of cash.  The area is a bit 'rural' and the crowd reflects that nicely.  I'm being nice here but others might say they are hicks or rednecks.  I'm not going to poke fun because it's too easy and I might be a redneck.

So games were played and food was eaten but you really need to know about these....

Those are deep fried Oreo cookies people.  Yes, they are as good as they look.  Piping hot, full of sugar and dripping with fat.  Then they top it with more sugar.  Served up with an 'I could care less' attitude from some teenager stuck inside a hot trailer surrounded by boiling oil.  Did I mention the sugar?

Next up was the Great Lakes Timber Show.  Real live lumberjacks!!

Here you see a wood chopping demonstration.  He got through that log in 21 seconds.  But there was also simple chainsaw carving, crosscut sawing and log rolling.  Then he threw that axe at a wood target quite accurately.  Now I could provide him with a couple addresses of targets I'd prefer to see get the axe.  Or perhaps he could train me?

Here's the crosscut saw versus chainsaw race.  The chainsaw lost this round.  The modified chainsaw he used for round two however cut that log like butter.  I want one!  It was probably all the sugar but I found myself cheering them on.  I didn't take shots of the log roll but that woman in the picture above rocked it.  She's a pro at spinning around on a wet piece of wood. (I couldn't resist)

I think they like the idea, Hoov.

Toga! Toga!

The third annual Age of Augustus toga party was held this year on Boathouse Row.  I had never heard of this charity event but the Colonel insisted I come along.  (glad I did in hindsight)  Yes, people did actually throw on some sheets and get 3 sheets to the wind.  I was hoping for a breeze to come along due to the heat and because some of the ladies had quite short togas.  (none of these women talked to me)

I had rush around to get ready because I didn't have the makings for my costume.  Luckily all it takes is a white sheet and some rope for a belt.  Now I went the extra distance to create a wreath crown.  Just some wire and grape leaf garland but I rocked it!  Jekyll gave me some leather bracers to wear too.  So we had a good time, had plenty to eat and drink, took some nice photos - all of which got lost.  I also have to apologize to whomever has a photo of me giving them the finger on their camera.  You left it unattended on the table and well... I was drinking.  It could always have been worse.

So I present the photos of me at the party.

The back of my head is so sexy they took two pictures of it.  Like I said the rest are gone.  Maybe I should have approached the ladies walking backwards?  Surely they would have talked to me then.

Bittersweet

I prefer my chocolate bittersweet, not my love life. Nonreimbused plug -> Lindt

There are many sites out there devoted to bitter relationship endings. I'm not going to link to any here, you can find them yourselves. Most are fake but a few are real and their intent is to somehow get back at the other person by embarrassing them with private information. Probably not the best decision. But when you are hurt, somehow it seems alright.

I thought I'd take a different approach....

Know Yourself
When starting or continuing a relationship, the best advice I can give is to know who you are. Introvert, extrovert, geek, nature lover, adrenaline junkie, bookworm etc. What makes you tick? Learn to accept and love who you are and not worry about other's perceptions. This leads into the next part...

Know What You Want
This refers to what you want in life as well as a partner. It wouldn't be wise to choose someone who wants kids if you are unsure. Don't drive a Ford if you are a Volvo person. What to consider are major points or show stoppers, not something as silly as how someone brushes their teeth.

Make The Choice
No fence sitting allowed. Figure out whether to put your heart into making your relationship work or decide to end it. Things don't get better by doing nothing. This leads into...

End One Before Starting Another
It doesn't matter how you justify it, starting with a new person before you've properly ended your current relationship is ALWAYS bad form. It leads to resentment, hurt and stress far beyond what is necessary. Be an adult and act like one.

The Truth Can Hurt, Lies Hurt More
Many people consider that lying is easier on the other person. It somehow will lessen the blow. In certain cases that may be the correct course but what happens if they find out? How much more hurt will they feel to know someone they loved and trusted added insult to the injury? It's a matter of respect for yourself and the other person. The truth is the best option.


It all boils down to this - treat others as you would like them to treat you. This ethic is more ancient than I am.

Round and round

I know I'm showing my age a bit but beasts like myself tend to be old. In my younger days, I had something called a Vertibird. I don't remember exactly where it came from but it was fun for the times. I look at it today and can't help but think it's very much like drinking non-alcoholic beer. What's the point?


The little copter goes up and down but really only goes round and round and round. Still I had fun with it. Simpler times and minds...


Fast forward to my new toy in 2010. These copters have come a long way. With 3 channels, it has almost 6 degrees of movement. (for those non-geeks this means up, down, turning left, turning right, forward, back; true 6 degrees would give a move left and move right) Now it only runs for 7 minutes before needing a recharge but still its a far cry from the dizzy bot above. Nonreimbursed plug -> ThinkGeek

The best part is that these are so cheap and easy to fly, everyone can enjoy them. It does take practice not to run into everything. So I'm thinking of tying a string to the bottom and attaching the other end to something heavy. I always say go with what you know.

Thick as a Brick

I'm talking literally, not about the Tull song. Of course I could mention names but the stupid pile is so large I wouldn't know where to start.

So I present an item from the treasury. It's certainly not a ordinary thing. There is a story behind it but I'm more curious to see what you might come up with. Enjoy!