Getting a Handle On Things

I turned a replacement handle for my little garden cultivator I made a few years back at the blacksmith shop. I trimmed up a peach tree and made the handle from a dead branch. It was kind of nice to just cut a chunk of dead limb and 15 minutes later I had a handle made and installed. I should locate a chunk of copper tubing for ferrules and then make a few extra handles of various sizes to keep on hand.

I noticed when mowing the other day that something had been digging in the dirt by the corner of the big barn. Whatever it was spent a lot of time working all around the corner rather than just burrowing under the bottom of the door that already had about 4 inches of clearance. I was a little hesitant to open the door, not knowing what I might find on the other side. What I found was the garbage can I kept the cat food in was laying on its side with the lid off. I'm assuming it was a raccoon that had chewed the tarp strap in two that was holding the lid on and then finished off the cat food. No telling what could have been in there, though. I went out to the old barn before it came down to take care of the dog one morning and on the other side of the dog pen was a coyote sleeping on a bale of straw no more than 4 feet away from the dog, who was also sleeping. Old Gracie never was much of a watch dog.

This was a busy week. I went to both the doctor and the dentist for check ups and then back to the dentist with the Missus for an extraction for what remained of a broken tooth. At least I made it out of the dentist office without a cavity for a change. Lots of phone calls for medical things and Medicare. Once you get close to Medicare age the phone rings pretty much non stop with offers to sign you up for a supplement policy. I didn't realize there were that many insurance companies out there. 

My cycling companion from the high school came by the house yesterday afternoon. We made five long distance trips together on the bikes: The Katy Trail, The Bran Ride, Portland to Missoula, The Natchez Trace, and Pittsburgh to D.C. We've also done some riding together on both organized and training rides. He started at the high school the year before I did, so we've got roughly a twenty year span of working and riding together, plus we roomed together on my first trip to Italy. He's decided that he's had enough of the teaching game and is calling it quits. 

Best wishes on the retirement, Kevin. You've earned it. Hopefully we can get out and ride together again.