Christmas Ramblings

I'm getting back to my normal sleep patterns and have made it through the pile of newspapers, magazines and junk mail. Had a Christmas get together last evening with out of town folks and another small one tomorrow - sure glad I've still got a couple of weeks vacation left.

I did get a few things for Christmas to keep me occupied during the cold winter evenings.

A couple of jigsaw puzzles and a plastic model kit. My buddy with the Camaro bought me the model. I need to get a tube of glue and some metallic red paint and go to town. The model has a 409 with dual quads. Mine had a 327 with a single carb. Probably the first thing I need to do is get a model oak tree and a chainfall so I can drop the motor in. It used to be every car both of us owned ended up under the tree for an engine swap. We had to schedule our working hours around the weather but we could normally pull one out and have the other one in and running by the end of the same day. Or we'd jerk one out, get it rebuilt and drop it back in a week or two later, bumming rides to work or borrowing Mom's car in the meantime. I'll set up shop down the basement so I can paint and glue without stinking up the house and it'll be safe from the dog and cat.

They're not normally this docile. I might have to fence off an area around the card table to put the puzzles together, in fact.

Here's the tool boxes Surly made for his boys for Christmas. Nice work - all hand tool joinery and the painting of their initials and accents really make them look good. These will be around long after the boys have outgrown the plastic & electronic stuff Santa brought them. And since they hold tools, it's a good start for the boys to someday being craftsmen in their own right. Or if they choose a different path, at least being able to appreciate the work and the love that went into making them.

I'm going to try and organize my digital photos from my trip in the next day or so and get a couple of CD's made. I'll swap them off with my traveling companions and I can post up a few of the trip highlights. Since I shot a few rolls of black & white, I need to mix up some fresh chemicals and get my film developed and get to Menard's and pick up a few things while the 11% discount is going on. In fact, I should probably order the lathe bed extension for the new wood lathe while the 11% rebate is in effect. 

Lots and lots to do but it's all stuff I want to do now. And I'm having fun doing it. What could be better?