Apologies for the Hiatus.

just going through the routines currently.  Fighting a mild case of depression, a usual for me this time of year, and no need to delve into the ‘why’s’ as there is reason enough watching the world slowly devolve; like watching a dementia patient slowly slide into the final state.   Oh, wait, just like watching Emperor Poopy-pants the first discuss the economy by citing  “I. Pencil” for dummies after reading only the opening chapter.

Lots of good stuff out there on the webs,  Sarah’s pointing out that our IMMIVASION is nothing new and very much an old tactic for softening up a resident populace.  I take back my statements of “replacement population” and will resort to “INVASION FORCES”: in all reality, there are real fighters in that mess, and I have mentioned to keep an eye out for ‘strange conex boxes’ in obscure locations.   And if you find one before kick-off of the festivities, consider it an early Christmas for you and yours, distribute accordingly, and KEEP YOUR DAMNED MOUTHES SHUT!!!!

Just going through the routines.   Going to the J.O.B. every day, making sure to represent my skills the best way I know how, and watching the supply chain issues slowly creeping our way.  Granted, we have had supply side issues for months now, but I am beginning to see them stratify into my areas.   We are down to roughly half a bundle of pipe that I use for building most of our products.  A quick calculation tells me that if we don’t get a shipment in this Friday, I am on temporary leave until such time as we have the materials needed.   I currently have 4 pages of build notes, and those four pages easily burn through our existing stock and into another bundle, and NOT BE COMPLETE.   And those pages are added to daily.   

No, that’s not the cause of the depression.   Honestly, I could take the next month off and it wouldn’t hurt my feelings one bit.   Might dig into my finances, but it wouldn’t bother me to maybe get some of those other things done thatI get distracted away from by having the daily duty of making a paycheck, (and feeding four-feets, keeping the homefires burning (literally this time of year) and all the other stuff that accumulates on a single dood curmudgeon living on a hill in KY)

YAY,  Grizzy just brought me a very young mouse, quite dead, and looking pleased as punch with himself.   ANother problem that irritates the hell out of me this time of year, and my Furbabies are doing danged good at dealing with it.   (and when he isn’t looking, in the toilet it goes.  Don’t want him thinking I don’t appreciate his ‘gift’.)

One thing that messes with me this time of year, probably the trigger for my depression is loss of daylight.   I work through most of the daylight hours, then have almost none to work with for ME/MY PROJECTS, and I start feeling behind the eightball on things.   That usually leads to me scrambling to ‘catch up’ and that is ALWAYS when the mistakes start piling up.    I may not focus on “Perfect” but I hate redoing any work, especially due to me getting stoopid and (feeling) rushed.  I am also wating on the fabric for the kayak build.   Ordered, but, yet again, the company I ordered it through is sitting on things.   I may have to start digging for a different company to deal with that I can rely on.  This is the third time they’ve done this.  The last two times, Order confirmed, but nothing ever shipped.  At least they didn’t charge the card, even though it approved and showed transaction complete, it was never finalized on that end.   Just frustrating when you are counting on something to complete a project, and find you have even longer to wait as you look for an alternate source/product/material to replace the original idea.   At least this instance, this is a rebuild, and I am in no rush to complete since its colder than a witches teat in November (It is November Dio) and the water levels everywhere around here are sorely lacking for any reasonable paddle fun.   Like B says, most of the creeks are ‘frigging goat paths” right now.   Even the Cumberland river nearby is a ‘float scrape, scrape PORTAGE, float scrape” trip, and thats just in the first down-river mile from my place.   It may be awhile before I can test float the “Rebuilt Kayak carcass formerly known as Serena/now Selkie”, and I want to do it on river as I want the current for testing handling and stability.   Static water of an inland lake won’t do in this case.   Just fiddlin’ details that I am trying to correct in this build.

Oh, yeah, for the test float, I won’t be using the new (when it ships if it ships) skin.  I snagged a poly-tarp from the billboard guys and that will be my makeshift skin for the test float. (gonna look kinda funny with a giant cheeseburger design on the skin,,,, sure won’t be a permanent thing,,, )   Polyester shrinks under heat, so I can stretch the ‘skin’ on, then use a heat gun to tighten it up.  Its already waterproof so I don’t need to seal anything up for a test run.  Its not like I am going to try and roll it, and if I capsize, its a wet exit, swim for shore kinda day then.   I don’t see that as an issue though, Serena was stable as all get out and I am not changing much in the hull shape in the cross section, just the longitudinal.  If anything, she will be more stable since I am widening the beam by one inch and bring the CG closer to Keel by flattening that rocker.  (and anyone that ever saw me in Serena prior will choke on that ‘stable’ statement, her primary was shit, but her secondary was a brickwall.  She just ‘felt’ tippy in flat water, but she was stable as can be in wild water. A definite confidence builder when the waves started breaking on her bow.  Even with that ‘brickwall’ secondary, she was an easy roller, and surprised the hell out of me at the pool. ). Maybe I can get some serious work done on the frame this weekend and get closer to that test day.   As for a repeat of the time loop thing, not a complete fit this go-round.   I had Serena wrapped and tested prior to T-day in 2019, and skinned and sealed by December 1.  That may not happen again due to the skin supplier.   (one alternate, pricey, but doable, is from an airplane materials supplier.   Same concepts, and I can get NON-FAA certified material for this to save a little cash.  No need to have the FAA dealing with a silly single seat boat, eh?)

outside of my darkened thoughts, Da is doing good.  Bored, what with me gone during the days working, and not having much time between getting home and total darkness.   Came home today and he and a neighbor were playing with a backhoe and digging the ducks a larger wading pool.  Funny part is, they aren’t even HIS ducks.  They belong to a local Gentlewoman Farmer, but Da goes out and buys 50# sacks of feed for them (and her free-range chickens), built them a pond so they didn’t have to risk going to the river, and even built them a nest site under his porch “so if the weather turns, they don’t have to waddle home”.    He comes off like a mean grumpy bastard to most people, but the man has a soft heart for animals that most people would never guess at.  

I wonder where I get it.  LOL.    

Anywhoos, y’all take care, I’ll be back tomorrow with something more inline with the currents of this blog.   Just needed some ‘Me’ time.

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