I did NOT lose my shop today!

If you've ever been to Wasted Electrons World Headquarters, you know that my workshop out behind the house is my favorite portion of the property. It's my man-cave, my estrogen-free zone and it houses pretty much everything material that is important to me. My scooter and the Kawasaki live in there during the winter months- they are still in there due to my now healing injuries but they are in there for a few more days. My tools are in there as well as all my fishing gear and my guns. So the shop might not be fancy but it is important to me and I love being out there.

I could have lost it today except for divine intervention or a stroke of luck depending on your point of view. I went out to the shop and unlocked it this morning before leaving for work to get some tools out that I will need later today. As soon as I walked in, I discovered a power strip that has been a main source of power above the bench was sparking, smoking and trying to burst into flame! I quick pulled the plug out of the wall outlet and things calmed down quickly and disaster was averted.

But what would have happened if I just headed off on my happy way to work without going into the shop? It might have burned to the ground, that's what could have happened! I almost never go into the shop except in the evenings, going in early as I did today was very unusual but I am so glad that I did!

I'll be buying a new power strip on the way home AND a smoke detector to be installed in my shop...

So what's happening at WEWHq?

Lessee, I've just ordered more parts for the Kawasaki after damaging a couple rubber bits and discovered during ordering that I was also missing a couple parts. I don't think they were in there when I tore the calipers apart. So that job's not done and is again on hold for parts. The scooter is still waiting for the motorcycle to move off the lift table for it's oil and coolant change.

I've opened up Fish Slayer for the season and have begun getting it ready for the fishing season. I put new registration numbers on it as the old ones were looking pretty tatty. I've still got to get the batteries installed and the trolling motor parts ordered so I can put it back together. I still need to get a trolling plate to get the speed down but if I could, I would buy and install a Minn Kota electric motor to solve my trolling needs. But as you can see, that's a spendy bit so it probably isn't on this summer's purchase list.

I put out 1 hummingbird feeder last week, early, since they normally don't show their tiny selves until Mother's Day and had a hummer getting a post-migration fill up in less than 24 hours. So far I've just seen 1 but I suspect he will share the the food news with his friends and there will be several resident hummers soon.

Haven't turned on the sprinklers yet as there has been enough rain to green up the grass. The rain won't last though so I'll have to get after them very soon. I've also repairs to make to the church sprinkler system this week so the grass and flowers there don't turn brown very soon. I've a broken fence post in my own yard that still needs dug up and replaced. Maybe I can get that done this week.

We had a great day on Saturday with grandbaby Ryker and his mom Steffanie. The weather was perfect for a trip to Thanksgiving Point to see and feed the animals and then to walk through the gardens. Ryker had a great time feeding the chickens and goats but he wasn't too thrilled about the horses, even declining a pony ride. He did have a real thrill rolling down a long, grass hill in the gardens after watching other kids to learn how to do it. We had a nice lunch there and later made a quick trip to Cabelas to see the aquariums and the stuffed animals on their mountain.

So I'm busy. My foot is mostly healed after a couple weeks in a velcro infected walking casts. I over did it going to Thanksgiving Point without the boot but generally it is much better. I'm skipping the annual trip to Flaming Gorge with my buddies this year as the bills just keep coming in and demanding to be paid so there is nothing left for a vacation, at least not in May.

Lots to do...

Susie's Lemonade Stand- what really happened

You remember Susie, the flourishing young entepreneur with a Verizon cell phone selling lemonade from her front yard don't you? Here are 2 possibilities at Lucky Gunner about how the future unfolds for Susie-1 the way things should be, the other the way the Democrats would prefer.

Took some time off yesterday-

It's spring and the time of year I always seem to be busiest. There is always winter cleanup to accomplish both at home and church, equipment that has slept all winter that needs attention to be coaxed back into life and toys that need uncovered, tuned and hauled out. I'm behind in all these aspects due to my broken foot and sprained ankle so I've been doing all that I can in spite of my injuries.

But I took yesterday off from all of it. I've been putting in 10 hour days on the job so when the end of the pay period rolled around, I was a full day ahead in my hours and I took yesterday off from the job, the yardwork and the shop. I had to see my Doc about a blood test, drove to Salt Lake City to the VA hospital to have my CPAP machine looked at and then decided that mid-day on a Monday might be a good time to visit Cabelas. So I went. I had a totally (time) unrestricted browse through the gun library, the used gun racks, the fish tanks and fishing department. I bought just a couple items I needed for Fish Slayer's trailer and some new registration numbers for it's sides. (And bought 1 package of number too many, so I guess I have to go back...)

When I got home I took the spousal unit out to the movies- The Lucky One and then home early after picking up some groceries and some desert to go with our evening coffee. I didn't touch a rake, shovel or wrench yesterday and it felt great. Today I'm back to the job and tonight I'll probably be back in the shop working on the Kawasaki. But I feel much better, relaxed and almost like I had a vacation yesterday so it wasa day well spent.