Outsmarting myself

We need to design and build a small, tall display for our good friends at Precision Board. It is a tree with large Precision Board leaves to showcase their green product certification. There were of course plenty of ways we could have tackled this project. I decided to fabricate the tree of welded steel with a riveted base to match the display/storage table which is also part of the project. It seemed simple enough. I bent a couple of quarter-inch pencil rods to form the tree and then ran a welding bead between them. The process was then repeated endlessly around the trunk of the tree. As with many complex and lengthy projects, it seemed to go on and on and on. After two days of forming pencil rods and welding, I was less than halfway up the tree. I was beginning to wonder what I had gotten myself into and as each team member walked by, they added their comments to ‘encourage’ me on my journey. Peter just laughed very loud each time he was within earshot. But The result was looking very fine in my mind and I wasn’t about to give up and do it an easier way. Today was day four of the build and the tree was complete at long last. This little trade show display is without a doubt the toughest we have ever built.

Modern antiquities

Our friends from BNR Electric were again onsite at the Hazelnut Inn installing the latest and greatest electrical components. Although the Inn will appear like it has been in place for centuries the building is very high-tech in many ways. Today, complementary charging ports for guest’s electric vehicles were installed in the parking lot. We don’t anticipate any guests will bring their horse-drawn carriages when they come for a honeymoon or anniversary stay. It is only ninety-five days until the open house!

The art of the salad

Henry is ready to help no matter the task as long as there are tools involved. Today we were in the kitchen, making a fresh salad for his dad’s birthday celebration. Henry has been using knives since he could hold them (under careful supervision of course). He retrieved the lettuce, cauliflower, carrots and radishes from the fridge, and helped me rinse them all in the sink. He then got to choose which ones he would slice and dice. He picked the radishes and carrots, leaving me to cut the lettuce and cauliflower. With Henry’s expert assistance, we had a delicious, fresh salad in no time. The birthday celebration was fun too!