April 9th, 2020
“Bwaynose Diass Screendooreater ” or “Good Morning, young lady” or if it is night time where you are, “Bwaynose Snowshoes Screendooreater” in Redneckish – a complex language not inhibited by accurate pronunciation. It is Day 21 of the California Lock Down (i.e. Shelter in Place order + Face Masks are Required in Public).
Is it me, but are the plummer’s, remodeling and HVAC companies doing a lot more advertising on TV since this deal started. I am guessing that now would be a good time to get a clogged drain, replace your shower or blow up your ac because they have all been trained on providing those services without killing your ass with disease.
This week I learned some stuff:
• This is just embarrassing! Over the years as “packratitus” usually associated with old age set in, I have been adding these cute hung from the garage ceiling storage loft thingies. This week I went to add the 4th (and final unless I start doing it in the living room). I used roughly the same installation method I used installing the other 3 butt his time I learned something remarkable. For 20 years, I have been operating on the “fact” that the rafters in he ceiling of my garage ran east to west. This week, while in the process of making my garage ceiling resemble Swiss cheese, I found out that they run north to south 16in on center!!! It was just dumb luck that I got the other lofts installed into the joists. I learned, you cannot trust those magical stud finder devices on horizontal surfaces. I learned that the knock-knock method of stud locating works less reliably when there is a lot of insulation involved. Rare Earth Magnets finally pulled me up from despair and allowed me to see the error of my ways. Its kind of cool, you just scoot these very powerful magnets around on the drywall/plaster surface till it sticks to a screw and Waller!!! You found your joist, rafter or stud. Even this method takes longer, if you are looking in the completely wrong direction.
• I have learned through UJT magic that one old friend of mine was at one time a both a foil and lead stained glass guy. Who knew?
• April 9th is the 100th day of the year (because 2020 is a leap year – but there still only 265 days till Christmas!). On this day in 1784, The Treaty of Paris was signed ending the American Revolutionary War; In 1865, Confederate General Robert E Lee surrenders to General Ulysses S Grant at Appomattox Court House, ending the American Civil War; On this day in 1945, The United States Atomic Energy Commission is established; In 1961, The Pacific Electric Railway (once the largest electric railway in the world – LA County Red Car streetcar system) closed; Georgia declares its independence from Russia on this day in 1991; On this day in 1992, Manuel Noriega is sentenced to 30years in Federal prison for drug trafficking and Major Set Adams of Wagon Train TV show, was born; J. William Fulbright, American lawyer and longest serving Senator in history in 1908; Dennis Quade, American actor on this day in 1954;Phil Ochs, American singer-songwriter passed away on this day in 1976.
Website Update:
• WhhoooHooo! A “New” Vocabulary Quiz!!
• Last week for our New Musical Trivia Quiz (The Crowd stares off into space.)
• Just one new recipe this week – Sautéed Kale. It was good would have been better if I had kept a better eye on it (just a little charred).
Writing, Ceramics and Painting Update:
• I stepped away from the glass cutting pretty much this week. Though I did sneak out and get some window pane glass to practice with. But this week I was pretty focused on getting the fence stained all the same color.
• Grandpa Stories is still not re-published.
Weird-Stuff-O-Meter:
• I got my daily text from San Diego County’s COVID19 response organization. It’s my fault. I signed up for it. But I knew. Deep down, I knew that the disaster response organizer Poobah was going to assign the, “keep the minions informed with daily texts” task to some wannabe politician of the future and we would end up getting texts like this: “ San Diegans Encouraged to Stay Mentally Healthy. COVID19 Deaths Reach 19”. Oh, I can hardly wait till this genius is on the town council solving our homeless problem with strategies like, “ Give em all a bunch of money and they will go inside somewhere to hide it.” And so it goes… say safe ..it truly is all up to us.
Music Update:
Another tiptoe though the archives to share some things you might missed or never have heard or at least not heard recently.
This week’s UJT Radio Program:
• John Prine — Angel from Montgomery — We said good bye to a great one this week. John Prine had a talent bigger than all outdoors but was recalsetrant about being a public figure. He said a lot through the songs he played. Some of his music made us smile, some made us sad but all of his songs made us think. RIP and Thank you, John.
• John Prine – Paradise – This is another great song from John. This was the first John Prine song that I fell in love with. I hope whoever is taking care of John now, “takes his ashes down the Green River”.
• John Prine – Illegal Smile — You all just sing along now with us on this one. This song was kind of anthem for us newly minted wannabe hippies back in 1971. All three of these songs came from John’s first album, “John Prine”.
• It’s A Beautiful Day —White Bird — I have loved this song longer than I have loved my wife and that is saying something. I love to vocals, violin and guitar work … just a very great song from a special time in my life. I hope you enjoy it too.
• Al Stewart — On the Border — From the Vinyl!!!! This is a deeper cut from his 1976 release, ‘ Year of the Cat”. The acoustic guitar is delicious!
• Fleetwood Mac — Sara — This is one my favorite Stevie songs. This one is from, “Tusk” released in 1979.
• U2 — Sleep Like a Baby Tonight — This one comes from their free album, “Songs of Innocence” released in 2014.
That’s it… Do the best you can; Laugh every chance you get; And always remember … The best is yet to come! As always, thank you for being my friend!