There's a lot of "stuff" that piled up on the other side of the garage, brought in when our temperatures got down in the minus 10's, the garage having a small propane heater for winter workbench projects. Things that could be moved elsewhere now that it has warmed up to a balmy 30. And the shelves, built by either the former owner or elves on crack, were about to fall down.
Get out the saw, get some scrap lumber and the shelves might never hold a lot of weight, but they might actually be useful for the miscellaneous Christmas decor, paint and targets that collect.
The Glock sign, which Doyle, my favorite range officer, once gave me, hides the old paint cans. Some rollers were put on the old cabinet there on the left so I could roll it around to use as a portable space to work or saw. Above it, fixed to the wall, a little shelf that's lower in height for guests that may not be as tall as I and want to get to some basic supplies.There. MUCH better.
A fresh coat of paint on the workbenches.
The sink is old and discolored but it has hot water which is nice.
My "flying cow" sign from Oshkosh has GOT to stay.
As does Barney:
And perhaps a couple targets from the other weekend.
It looks much better and the work took a few hours. I've been up since 6 am. Time to make some lunch!
Add some Italian meats and cheese and a topping of some homemade olive tapenada made with olives, pine nuts, garlic, rosemary and other spices.
Hard work yet rewarding work. A good shop and a home that's self sufficient in times of problems is good. And tools. Did I mention tools?? :-)I enjoy hard work. And though it requires a lot of time, and sometimes help from friends with even more tools, buying up this older place was one of the best decisions I've made as a grown up. With all the changes that have gone on around me, diving into the purchase of a place whose final vision would require a bit of labor has taught me valuable things, and not just about budgets and planning, wood and nails and drywall. It's taught me about myself.
I spent one whole evening ripping out some cabinets, something I never thought I could do, and I worked late into the night, the sweat from my face tasting like what I am. I know I'm alone, and that I can do this and I swing the crowbar working side by side with it, like two old married people who know each others next move.
Now I'm done and fed, time to take a long soak in the big old fashioned bathtub. I put on an old bathrobe of someone who I loved dearly, who is now gone, after I got out of my old clothes. I don't have much of theirs any more, getting rid of some in the aftermath, other things given to those who could use them and make good use of them. I like the robe. It enfolds me and comforts the aching muscles, the aching questions. Would you be proud of me now? Did I do the right thing? I've totally reinvented my life in the last decade, yet with all the upheaval and punishment, sweat and bliss, I'm at peace here wrapped in the last remembrance of you.If you could sit here with me, if you hadn't left suddenly that evening, I would have liked to have had a long talk with you. I would have told you how much that the years had brought me, despite the struggles. I would have told you how I've learned to live on what is important, not some yuppified version of life, hollow and high priced. I'm satisfied, be it with the salty tang of a simple meal honestly made, or the sweat on my brow from hard work. Work with skills I didn't have 10 years ago. I would say that I hope wherever you are, you are finally at peace, as my tears mingle with the sweat of my work.
Salt and truth.
Spring is almost here; it's time to build something new.
22 comments:
Olve Tapenada (good on Italian meat or cheese sandwiches also good as a vegatarian spread on crackers or crisp breads).
* 1 cup pitted kalamata olive
* 1 cup pine nuts
* 3 garlic cloves
* 1-2 cup fresh parsley
* 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* fresh ground black pepper
Optional
* 1 cup of pitted canned black olives (decreases saltiness)
Directions
Add garlic to food processor, blend until minced. Add remaining ingredients except olive oil and half the olives. Blend until smooth, adding olive oil slowly while the blade is running. Then add the remaining olives and pulse until chopped roughly so the spread has a little texture to it.
Adjust ingredients to your liking - Additional pine nuts, parsley or pitted canned black olives will make it less salty and intense in flavor, while additional oil will increase the creaminess. You can also use other fresh herbs such as sage or basil.
Serve at room temperature.
There's a special kind of cooking love that goes into a great, simple sandwich. I haven't mastered it yet, but I am always a willing recipient!
This tapenade recipe is going to replace my store bought (shhh) and we'll see where it goes. I usually like mine with some fresh bread of even frozen pita in a pinch, and dipping oil/spices, or mixed in cream or neufchatel cheese, mmmmm! Thanks.
Wow, great essay!
Barney on one wall and Glock on the opposite wall - I like it. I have a magazine named "Barney"; I use it for charging the chamber for the "good" magazines. Barney is a Pro-Mag magazine and it's less than $20. I thought it looked pretty good so I asked Tam's advice. She took one look at it and said, "Keep it for malf drills."
So that's my Barney.
wv: zyglyba
Feed me like that and buy the gas for the bike and I would take a week off and help you with any building project you want.
Redhead, food and guns (in any order what so ever) are a fine combination.
HA! Painted my garage the same yellow color- helps on the long gray winter days!
Man....My garage has never been that empty....at least not since it was built.
It would take a week just to get everything out to paint.
Great job Brigid and I loooooove your art pieces. :)
Hmm.... another recipe to try one day. I had just decided to stay home all day and relax, but that sandwich looks GOOD.
Nice job on the garage. You are right... hard work can be rewarding.
Using a chop saw on a loaf of bread? That is easily the most utterly awesome thing I have seen in a week. Now, how can I come up with an excuse to get one of my own?
I like the yellow paint in the garage, too; it lights up the room without overwhelming it.
Jim
w/v: Protesti. Upset Italians?
Jim - any excuse to play with tools.
Nothing sets off a garage like a few well constructed workbenches. My garage is gray cinder block. But that yellow looks like it might work... makes the space happy all by itself.
Just back from the shop o' bang and there were NO SMALL RIFLE PRIMERS. I mean, geeze, elect a communist and look what happens!
But - there was BLC2 in abundance and finally a 50 count box of the Nosler/Winchester partnership 180gr Silvertip bullets for reloading.
I stopped reloading for my Remington oh, ten years ago, because I couldn't beat the Winchester hunting season elk loads. Deadly, spooky accurate out of my BDL (one MUST know the range), impact like a busload of congressmen carrying my money to their constituents, and recoil that actually felt less than my old 165 grain recipe.
They sold that stuff for a song in the run up to every hunting season and I got used to buying two boxes every fall. Two or three years ago they rebranded a little bit and then "Nosler" appeared on the box. Apparently the Best and Brightest directed that production be cut back in an attempt to get people to swallow the eighty percent price hike.
I wish I'd bought three boxes at a time back when it was 9.9999999 a box. Lesson learned.
All our snow is gone, too. I billed 59.5 hours for the week. And I hear the haunting call of the vintovka Mosin requesting a trip out to the west desert tomorrow.
Bet I won't find a good sandwich on the way out there, either.
A band-saw makes a better sandwich slicer - produces less bread-dust, but watch your fingers. A lot of old shop-teachers have a missing digit because of the bandsaw, my dad kept all his intact.
Nice write up. Speaking of using power tools, we routinely carve pumpkins with a power saber saw and do the finish work with a jig saw.
I saw one thing missing. Where is the reloading and cleaning the guns bench and gear? Seems like your missing some "toys".
Keep up the good work.
Anon - the little homemade black benches are the reloading and cleaning, not fancy but they work. Gear is stored in a cabinet at the back of the garage not in the picture.
TimjUtah - have fun. Even without the sandwich.
Och, I still talk to someone, too...it's a one-sided conversation but satisfying, sometimes.
I wish we could organize the garage - last time we tried, we ran out of daylight and had to shove everything back in...
Nicely done - and I think that tapenada will find its way into a sandwich tomorrow!
Now that's what I call gittin' it done!...all the way around.
Although I have a college degree, and do computer work to pay the bills, I too enjoy building things with my own hands. Whether it's a ham radio project, or an 8 X 8 chicken coop, there is an immense sense of satisfaction when you're able to take an idea that you formed in your mind, and transform it into something solid and real.
Chris
Nice blend of emotions in there, Brigid. No doubt that loved one looks down on you with favor.
That flying Holstein--I saw her just the other day out back of the neighbor's milk shed.
When you finish sprucing up your range, there's a shop, two barns, basement, tack room, and an old smokehouse now used for storage here. Your help will be most appreciated. ;) It's supposed to be near 70 here later in the week.
Ah, the work can wait. The range will be hot, and you and Barkley are always welcome.
:D
Great post, Brigid. I love your method of bread slicing!
Re: "Two Men & a Truck" box..
They moved me from Shaker to Euclid ten years ago. Those guys were somewhat miffed to find out that I had packed everything (other than the furniture and the mattresses) so all they had to do was load up the truck, drive it to the new digs and unload it.
I like where I live now, but damn, I still miss Ohio.
CEB - that was an OLD move, but they did a really good job and glad I saved some of the boxes. They come in handy,.
"I would have told you how I've learned to live on what is important, not some yuppified version of life, hollow and high priced. I'm satisfied, be it with the salty tang of a simple meal honestly made, or the sweat on my brow from hard work. Work with skills I didn't have 10 years ago. I would say that I hope wherever you are, you are finally at peace, as my tears mingle with the sweat of my work."
Ah. This is the part I would comment on, if what I would say could be voiced.
I don't know what it is, but there's something honest in doing some physical work. Whether its painting the garage or digging holes for a fence. I love the feeling of satisfaction at the end and being able to see the results immediately before me.
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