The Post Office is Closed

I grabbed this photo while visiting my dentist the other day. I thought it was a perfect example of what happens to old technology. This is one of the old mail chutes that people would drop 'letters' in. I know, how quaint. Taking crushed up and dried trees, writing on them and then loading them into trucks and shipping them around the planet. I like how the old mail conduit now has networking cable run in it. Seems ironic.

Weekend Getaway to Carmel

It was Jodie's birthday weekend so I surprised her and rented her favorite car, the new Mini Cooper Convertible, and we headed down to a B and B in Carmel. A nice drive down Highway 1, dinner in Capitola and lots of stops along the way to enjoy the scenery. Some notes; the white sand beach (even though imported) was amazing, Carmel is full of old people and it closes too early, 17 Mile Drive in a convertible is a must for every person and those weird 'sea dragons' at the Monterey Aquarium freak me out. We had some great food but the one that really stands out is the breakfast at Carmel Belle's (see photo). Rightious! Katy's Place and Casanova were good as well but we are really spoiled in SF.

Check out the photos

Still Fixing Mowers

Long time readers will remember the story of me taking my old mower apart on the garage floor Well that old thing has been getting harder and harder to start so when I saw a lightly used electric mower at a garage sale for $35 I jumped on it. Seemed like a good deal for what usually goes for about $250. I used it twice and then neglected the lawn until last weekend when the foot tall weeds embarrassed me into action.



I learned a few things about electric mowers that day. They don't have the torque of a gas one and they can blow out your breakers and then melt down. I took the thing apart, of course, and there really are only three pieces to the thing 1) the switch on the handle 2) a small bridge capacitor and 3) the electric motor. So the switch was fine and the engine seemed OK when I threw some juice at it on the work bench so I ordered a $2.50 capacitor on the internet and I'm back in business.

I feel so 21st century

Floor Show

Vegas Photo Spread

Las Vegas Getaway

This is exactly the view that I was looking forward to. I had been busting my hump on the house and need some R and R and so J and I headed to Las Vegas for some time by the Mandalay Bay pools. We got back this afternoon and I headed right to work so this is just a teaser of the photos coming up. I'll post more after a good night's rest, to recover from the vacation.

Rockin!

Wow, what a bunch of work to rip out the old plaster, lathe, crappy wiring just to stick new stuff in and nail up some new dry wall. Whew. Anyway, here are a few shots of it going up. No mud and tape yet but that is happening this week.