Back I Am
I know it has been a while but I figure no one has noticed.
I’m writing from my new laptop. I won’t go into the gruesome details except to recommend that you should avoid bathing your laptop. Getting a new one was a little like my experience buying my car. Exasperating at first, the final purchase was super easy and satisfying. From Best Buy via USPS; I was pleasantly surprised. Fortunately, I have cloud and external hard drive backups so getting back to “normal” was super smooth and easy. Serendipitous discovery, I can get my local NPR station on my TV.
I obviously made it back to Homer; it was via Portland where I met the awesome people that Ryan and Judy have living with them now. 
I don’t know what they did with their children, but these replacements are pretty cool. Louis even let me win one game of chess.
Meanwhile, back in Homer construction begins on the Worsfold outhouse. Destined for the cover of a magazine, it is designed and built by an amazing local craftsman. I hope to include a photo of him when the project is finished. Here’s one of the project so far. It even has a porch!
I’m working on some diamond willow pieces for accents.
In my spare time, work continues on the Primrose stool.
Glue-ups get a little complicated.
I’m using Wenge (Millettia laurentii) for the wedges. It is the first time I’ve worked with Wenge. It won’t be the last. I love the tiny veins of lighter wood.
I found a local doing laser engraving, so learning to carve will have to wait a bit. I used epoxy to preserve the shallow engraving.
It is 8 degrees out right now but in Soldotna it is minus 8. It is great for astrological exploring; have I mentioned that I can see Jupiter’s rings and four Galilean moons with my cheap spotting scope. Full lunar eclipse tonight. It will require me staying up a little past my bedtime but the weather is perfect for it.
Stay warm.
So far I've reached acceptable proficiency at the following, in chronological order: Silversmith, infantryman/door gunner, helicopter pilot, fireman, carpenter, residential contractor, FAA Air Traffic Control Specialist and crotchety old retired guy. Currently, I'm learning to fly again and that is what this is all about. 7/7/2020 edit: As I have had the opportunity to reflect (old people do that a lot) on my actual proficiency level at the above occupations, I feel adjustments are in order. The term "acceptable" depends on the observer, their own proficiency and experience level. Acceptable to me might be woefully deficient to the master. I think it would be more accurate to claim that I have earned a living wage at all of these occupations but never got rich. Actually, I feel that I have gotten rich at the last one. I have what I need and am profoundly grateful for all of it. The future looks bright indeed, as I have learned to fly again. For that I have all of you to thank. Thank You!
Crotchety…yup!