May 23, 2026

Yesteryear
One year ago today: May 23, 2025, a lot of logistics.
Five years ago today: May 23, 2021, 30 years, no job.
Nine years ago today: May 23, 2017, have you met Suzi?
Random years ago today: May 23, 2012, constant, if petty.

           Happy 10th. Today is ten years since I bought this place. And it sure tied me down, which is a good thing. I would not want to be a renter these days. I remain amused by media that treats homelessness as a plague that strikes hapless victims. Not buying, folks. I know homelessness requires years of willful deliberate neglect of education, good example, and bad television plus a sour-ass attitude, disrespect of private property, and sabotage of any peers who try to get ahead. So I made up a big breakfast of hotcakes and the birdies get cereal and peanuts this morning.

           You do get a video of the work on my first real matching set. Two, I’ve done before, but this is six. It also tests a new format for the video presentation. Yes, I did get some experimental boxes finished as to major design. Further, I tested staining the fence picket wood, and you bet it soaks up stain. But that’s where logistics enters the equation. I get the stain for free, other than a 20 mile round trip to go pick it up.

           What will we get done today? Last evening was a total treat building that set of wee boxes. They are moderately harder to build, but now I can apply past knowledge. The small sets are easier to display and ask the same price as one larger box. If today is successful again, I’ll see about slapping together a jig to speed things up. Before that, I have news from Miami, JZ has informed me of the five full meals he ate in one sitting at the food court.
           I could not believe even JZ could tuck away five meals. You heard it right, not just the sandwiches but the full meals with all the fixin’s. Around $75 worth of food court chow, and I have permission to document it. You see, but for this blog, on some historic day last week, this true story would be lost to future generations. This photo is the best I could match to the location because I know the food court in Dadeland Mall.

           Nor have I any reason to doubt he downed the whole amount because he once ate seven steaks in one afternoon at Ocean Reef. What’s life without the occasional binge diet? Twenty years from now we’ll look down on all this and laugh. Here is the list of meals:

1. Phillie steak sandwich
2. Pizza double slice (1/4 of large pizza)
3. Chicken egg rolls with rice
4. Chick-fil-a fried chicken sandwich
5. The big burrito

           I did not assess the calorie count but I would place it above 7,500. Then he calls me a half-hour ago to brag about it and describe the people watching him. I would have charged admission. Anyway, the purpose of the call was my trip to Tennessee and pending return to Miami in around 90 days. Since I cannot be certain the past few days are a positive signal that I am doing better, I’m hesitant to make any plans at all. Except a siesta and then a stroll to the workshed. If you have any better ideas, now is the time to spout.
           And pies. I have two pies in the oven, cherry and apple. Single crust, so I don’t do a food court, ha-ha. A key lime in the cooler, and I’ve set out ingredients for oatmeal-cranberry bread. The oatmeal is soaking in the milk, so I’m committed. I don’t use buttermilk, which I consider highly overrated.

           Later, cancel any siesta, this time for good reason. I really wanted a slice of oatmeal bread, but found I had no raisins. One of the other ingredients is cinnamon, but I used half/half nutmeg. There is no white sugar, so I used turbinado. For raisins, I substituted dried cherries. Now my place smells like a bakery and I cannot fall asleep through that. Serves me right. Here’s a pic, it’s quick bread but I baked it like a cake. I’ve only got one bread pan and I have a hankering fo meat loaf, so I reserved it.

           What a weird fluke today. There was a rainstorm and shortly after, there must have been a huge fire nearby. Normally I would be very alert to the odor of burning wood, but I did not notice anything until I looked out the kitchen window, There was a thick blanket (fog-like) of smoke over the whole neighborhood. You see, I missed the warning signals due to a bizarre circumstance nobody could have predicted a few months ago. I had been inside using the laser, which takes only moments to fill a room with invisible but aromatic wood whiff. How uncanny is that?

Picture of the day.
PPP
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           Where were we? Ah, yes, talking to JZ. Hey, dude, I warned twenty years ago to get yourself a hobby. It’s true, you know, every dude who has one of my free boxes has transformed into a box expert. JZ likes the small boxes and thinks they should go into a spice rack. Golly, I never thought of that. I’ll compromise. The larger boxes do resemble shelves when stacked sideways. In any case, I may need extra shelving to keep all the advice I’m getting from guys I know who never built these kind of boxes in their lives.

           Here’s an excellent view of the “biscuit” label idea. Those are laser etched on the largest common size, called a 20. Several test patterns are in the picture and I do not know how much these biscuits swell up. They are compressed and designed to react with the moisture in the glue to squeeze into a tight joint. Quite an impressive concept. C’mon, admit they do kind of look a bit like labels or tags, so maybe I do have a smidgen of imagination.

           Here is the result of today’s labor. Two boxes, stained, and slightly off size. You can’t tell the defect. These required 27-1/2 minutes each to get to this stage. That’s too long, and you can see the interiors are not stained. The unplaned lumber soaks up so much stain it has to be rationed and it the quantity is enough to impart a distinct oil smell to the wood. The knobs pretty much have to be a contrasting color, which are getting rare as I roll these boxes out the door.
           Paying attention to the “spice rack” faction of my input staff, I tried every possible combination of fitting these boxes into a standard size larger box. The hope was to find an easy way to create the shelf that intrigues so many onlookers. Thinking to line these boxes with cloth, I still cannot find my guillotine (large paper slicer). I’ve some experience with this sort of lining and know the value of that tool.

           I can confirm the Golden Ratio dimensions are not directly compatible with nesting designs. Put me down for some pencil and ruler time, it is a rotten idea to trial and error such works. I’ve built up wood to larger sizes and it isn’t normally economical.

           America is certain there is no connection between the cutoff of USAID and yet another anti-Trump talk show cancellation, this time that weirdo Colbert. I chose an evening of coffee and reading and was rewarded with sharp left-side leg pains that precede diminished numbness. Yep, around an hour later the affected area dropped to half-size. And I can feel warmth again on the surface, meaning the damage is fading. I called JZ back to confirm these are normal markers. He says I’m lucky, that it is paresthesias, and the healing process I’m experiencing is mild.
           Normally he says I would experience sharper “pins and needles” because I am healing rapidly. The lesser the signs, the slower the healing. But, he continues, there is no real cure, that even seeing a specialist will not accelerate recovery and I should be glad enough there are no other effects. Fair enough.

           Continuing reading, I see an article on the Catalina, a flying boat from the 1930s. It seems there could be a new model. Slightly smaller and a quarter the cost, a factory in Florida says the radials are replaced with turboprops, speed is up 70%, and composite materials make it sturdier. That would be something to see. Note, redesigns of older model planes avoids much of the regulatory paperwork of new certification. I also read last year that 15 of the originals are still flying.

ADDENDUM
           I have a few more words on homelessness. In America, you have to be a true loser to get there. Nobody is born homeless. The homeless could start by moving out of the cities. I had to live in the toonies for years before I could afford an apartment and they can too. Instead they feel entitled to live where they please. I had to put up with roommates, landlords, noisy neighbors and thieves until I worked my way up, and so can they. I worked the rigs and mills for years, so don’t be expecting me to listen to sob stories.
           In happy news, a bill has passed that makes deportation automatic for illegals who commit welfare fraud. Interesting because if they even apply, that is fraud.

Last Laugh

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