Kinda Fuzzy

No Work

2012-02-12T19:28:00.000-05:00

Well, The Fuzz hasn't gotten much done on this shed project. Mostly because it's been-

Freezin' Cold!

He and His Sweetie did get a bit of firewood in this morning before his trusty chainsaw tore up.
But just so you have something to look at, here's a pix of some sorta fungus he found the other day.

Thursday's Work

2012-02-10T12:23:00.001-05:00

Thursday Evening

The Fuzz had to build a bit of scaffolding to get those last pieces on the end. He still lacks the ridge piece. He might not get much done today, though. He does have the plywood for the walls. But we need a bit of firewood too.

Wednesday's Work

2012-02-09T08:58:00.002-05:00

When we last left Our Fuzz, he was still lacking the two edge strips.
The uphill side was handled from a step ladder. But this downhill side was another matter. It was too high to reach from the stepladder. It could be reached from this "real ladder", but there was a problem. The 1x4 (B) needed to be fastened at the edge (A). But the ladder was needed to reach this. And once the 1x4 was installed, it would be impossible to remove the ladder, since it was too long and would bind when the bottom was pulled away.
The Fuzz handled this by temporarily screwing a piece of scrap to the ends of to of the rafter extensions. This enabled him to get the first two screws into the 1x4. Once this was done, it was just a mater of working his way along the rest of the eave, since the 1x4 would now support the ladder. (where screwed down)

After this, it was just a matter of screwing down the tin. He had to work carefully up there, but be sundown here's where things stood.

And-

On Tuesday...

2012-02-08T10:08:00.000-05:00

It started out as another cold morning, but warmed up pretty quickly. The Fuzz made a fire for the fingers, and then started on the 1x4's. Eventually the tin will be screwed down to these. As can be seen, the structure is quite light. The Fuzz is hoping he can get away with this since we have little snow load to worry about around here.
It was a slow go however, working in awkward positions up there. He had to work his way up from the edges, using the previous strip for support. He finished the first side by lunchtime, and took a break. The second side was a bit more difficult to get to, in the beginning. Below is a look at how things stood when he quit for the day.He still has to finish the two strips along the edges.
The long extensions to the rafters are too springy to nail into easily. Using screws instead seems to be working better though. And he still needs to deal with that troublesome tree.
This morning it is raining just a little. So The Fuzz and His Sweetie will go out and try a new Coffee Shop. After that, perhaps he can get started on the tin.

Yesterday

2012-02-07T09:48:00.003-05:00

The day started out rather cold and gloomy.
The Fuzz decided it would be in his best interest to start a fire. Not wanting to make a fire pit in the work area, he wanted something to contain the fire. While he was puzzling over this, he noticed an old wash tub that had been discarded by someone out in the woods. So he brought it up and started a fire.

Who needs one of those fancy fire pits?
The first thing, as it may be recalled, was to extend the eaves a bit to accommodate the accidentally longer tin. The Fuzz used some 2x3 stuff from that infamous Home Improvement Store. This turned into a most of the day project. He also discovered, that one of the small trees (at arrow) that had been clear of the roof, no longer was. This will have to be taken care of today.Here is a look at how things stood as of yesterday evening.
Well, it's 30º out there this morning. It's time to go out and light that fire again. The Fuzz will let you know how things turn out.

New Week

2012-02-06T08:51:00.001-05:00

Just so you know, we have not dropped off the face of the Earth here. Suffice it to say that The Fuzz has been busy elsewhere. But now for the exciting part. Our Fuzz has taken this week off from the garbage business to work on the Shed Project!
Last week he made arrangements to have the tin delivered. As you can see below, it is here.
But when he saw it (he was not home for the delivery) he noticed* a discrepancy. Although he had ordered 10' tin, here we see 12' tin!
But the design (and framing) calls for 10' metal up there.
On consideration, it was thought that extending the eaves the extra 2ft, could provide some useful sheltered space to store garden tools and such out of the weather. So our Adaptable Fuzz picked up some materials to add some light extensions to this roof.When it gets light, and he has finished this post, The Fuzz will get started on this. We will attempt to keep y'all informed on the progress of this exciting project.

*This was discovered by noting the difference between the 10' ridge pieces, and the 12' stuff!

Did It Anyway

2012-01-31T21:02:00.000-05:00

Well, The Yankees can argue about weather this was
FREEZING COLD
or not.
The Fuzz says it was cold enough for him.

But he did ride that bike into work this morning.
It was a bit chilly, but what else could one expect for a January Morning!
And it was good to get back on the road.

Some More Spring

2012-01-30T20:20:00.000-05:00

Some more Spring!

Whilst The Fuzz was making his rounds today, he found these Daffy Dillies. One more sign that Spring is not far away. Of course we still have to see how things work out with that Groundhog. But this looks good.
And just so you know how things are going here, we have a look at Our Fuzz's Shed Project.The rafters are up. The next thing will be the roof. Maybe it won't be much longer for that. He really needs to get this thing dried in.
If it's not too FREEZING COLD, he may get the Motorcycle out tomorrow for the ride to work.

First One

2012-01-27T12:10:00.000-05:00

The Fuzz was out getting up a bit of dry firewood this morning. Even though the weather is quite warm today (59.7 F as this is written) The Fuzz knows this will not last.
He cut up a long dead cherry tree*, and on his way back across the coulee, he found this bright little hint of spring. Still no snow here though. It would be nice to see it at least one time this year.

* It smells so good when it burns!

Gloomy Days

2012-01-22T20:00:00.000-05:00

Well, the weather has been pretty gloomy around here as of late. The Fuzz got out this morning and cut up some of that wood that had been left under the power lines. The Young Daughter* helped load it onto the trailer for the ride back to our woodpile. Of course this stuff is mostly green wood, and needs to be split. A lot of it is poplar, not the best firewood, but one should not let it go to waste.
The Fuzz did get an opportunity to remove that shard of metal from his tire. He was ready to plug it. But there doesn't seem to be much of a leak there. He'll just have to wait to see how that all pans out in the end. It's kinda cold and wet to ride right now anyway.Here's a look at how our homesteading out here in the woods is going lately. The Fuzz hopes to have that shed together one of these days. Tomorrow, it's back to the old grind.

*Not so young anymore

Still Tired

2012-01-21T18:35:00.001-05:00

The Fuzz was having a bit of trouble with a lack of air in his Motorcycle tire. Somehow he made it home the other day. But this is a problem that needed to be addressed. We seem to be having issues with tires lately.
Well, Friday, The Fuzz was home from work. It was previously mentioned that our "Trusty Tire Pump" had died.
It was also mentioned that this had been replaced. At the right, one may view the replacement.
Using this fine piece of equipment, The Fuzz was able to locate the source of the problem, seen above. Next he will attempt to eliminate this source of trouble. We will keep you all informed of how things turn out.

Re Mystery Pix

2012-01-20T09:44:00.000-05:00

Wow. Vi got that one quick. Just to set the record straight, here's a look at what That Tricky Fuzz photoshopped out. He thought it would be too much of a give away. But some people can see though his little tricks.

Yet Another Freakin' Mystery Pix

2012-01-19T20:44:00.002-05:00

It may be thought that The Fuzz did not post yesterday to make some sort of a statement, or something.
Actually, he was just lazy.

But here is a Brand New Mystery Pix
for everyone's enjoyment.

Tiring Morning

2012-01-17T21:33:00.002-05:00

Here is the culprit. The Fuzz noticed a problem with one of the tires on our fine little motor vehicle. He was hoping a little action with the tire pump might fix things. But by the next morning it was obvious that this was not a permanent solution. This became even more obvious the next morning when our trusty tire pump* died. At this point, there was nothing for it, but to break out the spare, and hope it had some air in it.
Fortunately, it was OK. So while The Fuzz's Sweetie was occupied elsewhere, Our Fuzz stopped in at the local Tire Place. Since it was a holiday, things were pretty slow. But the Excellent Tire Technician found this little beauty embedded in the tread. (We have included this view with coin for scale.) We are pleased to say, that the skilled technicians were able to repair the damage, and now The Fuzz and Co. are back on the road.

*This has since been seriously replaced.

Last Chance To Get One

2012-01-13T14:46:00.006-05:00

If you didn't get it, you still can!

But you gotta Hurry!

Kitchen Warfare at-

http://shirt.woot.com/friends.aspx?k=20849

They Got Us Again

2012-01-08T17:25:00.001-05:00

One thing that was (still is) nice about our Home in the Woods, was that we were back a ways from the road. Granted, it is only a dead end dirt road, but The Fuzz still likes having a few trees between it and the trailer.
The Power Co got us like this when we lived near town*. And now, they got us again.
Here's a look at our new road frontage.
Fortunately, there were plenty of trees left. But there was nothing left for it, but to start working these ones up for firewood.

*It was a bit of a bummer.

Good Luck and Good Grub

2012-01-03T22:11:00.002-05:00

You may remember in our last post, The Fuzz was finally making an attempt to "upgrade" to a slightly less obsolete version of this Mac's OS.
It went pretty well, more or less. He spent a lot of time making back-ups of stuff. In the end it turned out that this was not really necessary. But then, The Fuzz knows that one can never trust a computer, even a Mac.
There did turn out to be a slight compli- cation with printer drivers though. But we are happy to report that this has been resolved now. (The Fuzz has no idea exactly how this happened)
So, getting back to real life, The Fuzz thought you all might like a look at our Collards.
The great thing about Collards is that, at least around here, you can grow them in the winter.
And so-
Here's a look
At this tasty treat
All fixed up
And ready to eat!

A Fateful Day

2012-01-02T10:17:00.000-05:00

Well, it's been a while since any one's heard from The Fuzz. He's been busy- and lazy when not busy!
He does have today off from work. And so, he will attempt an upgrade to this old mac. He is hoping to move to a slightly less obsolete OS. We're not sure how this is going to work out. He has put this off, time and time again. Let's face it. He's just chicken.
So, if no one hears from The Fuzz again for a while, it could mean that this has gone all wrong. Or then, he might just be being Lazy.But before he takes this fateful step, Our Fuzz would like to give y'all one more update on his big project.
This will be an open area, under the roof. There will also be a loft accessible from the inside. We need all the space we can get.

A Three Dog Night

2011-12-26T17:10:00.003-05:00

Well, here the three of them are, in their favorite spot, this time of year.

Somethin'

2011-12-25T00:00:00.001-05:00

Oh, and
Merry Christmas!

Mountain Adventures

2011-12-24T21:32:00.001-05:00

With that Young Daughter off visiting family for the Holidays, The Fuzz took His Sweetie to the mountains.This place may be familiar to some.

When they got into town, it was a bit early to check into their hotel. So they headed over to King Street.
One of their first stops was this place, The Art of Oil. All those tank things were filled with different kinds of Olive Oil, or Balsamic Vinegars. There were little cups that you could use to sample them.
Here's one of the customers doing just that.
The Fuzz and Sweetie poked around in the various shops until it was time to head to their hotel. That was when they saw this.

It seems there was a bit of construction going on. They could see the hotel, but the driveway was impassible! Finally, the cellphone, and The Fuzz's Sweetie's sharp eyes, figured it out, and they made it into the place. After checking in, They made a stop at Cheap Joe's (getting lost in the process) before heading off for some supper.Here's a view from the hotel that night,
And in the morning.

They want to take good care of you at the hotel.

They don't want you to forget anything.
The Fuzz didn't, as you can see.
After checking out, The Fuzz and His Sweetie headed back over to a combination bead-store, coffee-shop, they had seen the night before. Alas, it was closed.
And so, they took off, back down the mountain. And after a few more adventures, arrived safely home.

Doing It Up BIg

2011-12-21T19:56:00.002-05:00

This past weekend The Fuzz , His Sweetie and that Young Daughter went out of town to help celebrate a Birthday! This was officially known as Doing it Up Big! And it was done up big.
But as part of the festivities, Our Fuzz was required to wear a necktie. The Fuzz has not been subjected to this sort of thing for a number of years. In fact, the last time was at a wedding*. It was hard enough for him to remember just how these things work. But in The Fuzz's case, merely seeing the thing was difficult enough. But our Resourceful Fuzz came up with the ideal solution to this dilemma.
The party was BIG. And just to put everyone at ease, The Fuzz did not attempt to drive home.

*(Not the one in the previous post)

39 Years

2011-12-20T19:53:00.001-05:00

39 years ago

Secret Greek Grocery

2011-12-09T16:15:00.004-05:00

The Fuzz and His Sweetie made a foray into the Big City once again. This sometimes happens at this time of year. There are some things that just aren't available near our Home in the Woods. Some of the things they were in search of might be found at some sort of Greek/Mediterranean type grocer.
In this 21st Century, we have the internet, even out here. A search reveled a couple of promising leads. The 1st investigated led them to an upscale shopping area as large as a small town. This ended up as a washout. So they went in search of their next option. After a bit of driving (Sweetie at the wheel, Fuzz on the map*) they arrived. There was a sign at the street. But no market. But then, behind some other buildings, they came upon this mysterious door.

And there, in tiny letters, written with a marker, they read-
"Minos"

This was the place!
Minos Imported Foods got it's start as a wholesale grocery. But fortunately for The Fuzz, as Serafim Makas explained**-

"We deliver to restaurants across the Carolinas. That's our real business. But since I'm here anyway, I thought, 'Why not open to the public, retail?"

Once The Fuzz and His Sweetie found the secretive little doorway, they were welcomed inside. And truly welcomed. They were asked to sample delicious bits of feta, cut right from huge hunks floating in wooden barrels. There were casks of olives, also sampled.
Needless to say, they did not leave empty handed.
If anyone has the opportunity to visit this place, do it. It is located at 11016 Monroe Rd Matthews, NC. But you'll have to look hard. The Fuzz promises, it will be worth it.

*The Fuzz is a small town boy, and does not handle Big City driving very well. His Sweetie, however, grew up in a major metropolitan area. It is best for her to be under the wheel in these situations.

**Quoted from charlotteobserver.com- "Greek grocery in Matthews is a well-kept secret"

Construction Update

2011-12-08T14:33:00.002-05:00

It appears that it has been some time since The Fuzz has given any updates on this Shed Project.
Things are progressing, if slowly.
This first pix was made a few weeks ago, shorty after our last post on the subject. Here part of the ridge board has been assembled.
Below is another view of this phase of the construction.
Well The Fuzz has continued to work on this since, a bit at a time, on the weekends. The next step was to finish up with the ridge.
This was slow work, with Our Fuzz (who is not as young as he once was) working precariously high on wobbly walk boards, with little to hang on to!Here is where we are today. The Fuzz was able to get most of the rafters up this past weekend. But before we can get to the roof itself, he still needs to frame up the area over the open space. ("carport"? for lack of a better word) After that we will get to some tin.

But alas, The Fuzz has been having a bit of Back Trouble again, and might not get to this right away. We'll just hope for the best.

But, things have come a long ways.

70 Years

2011-12-07T14:15:00.005-05:00

A few years ago, The Fuzz and Family, had the opportunity to visit Pearl Harbor. It was a gloomy day, with a bit of rain, when we were there. Much like here today.

It is good for us to remember that Sunday morning, 70 years ago, when the world changed for America.

Bit Of A Bummer

2011-12-05T05:54:00.003-05:00

"Fleet of Ferraris Ruined in Sports Car Freeway Pileup in Japan"
(From Fox news)

"An outing of luxury sportscar enthusiasts in Japan ended in an expensive freeway pileup -- smashing a stunning eight Ferraris, a Lamborghini and two Mercedes likely worth more than $1 million together."

"...a used Ferrari in Japan can fetch $100,000 or more..."

Oh Well.

They're Back

2011-12-03T14:52:00.000-05:00

See all those little white things out there in the landfill?

They are a sure sign of Winter. The Seagulls have returned.
Every year these things fly in from the coast to spend the winter here. It seems like an odd thing to do.
You can see them around town, hanging out at Micky Dee's filching french fries and stuff.
But mostly, they hang at the landfill. Apparently, life is easy out there.
Well, just so y'all know about this important event, The Fuzz has included a couple of poor quality pix of our feathered friends, a sure sign of Winter.

The High Road

2011-12-02T14:45:00.007-05:00

This is something you do not want to see.
Particularly, if you are in The Fuzz's line of work.

This is a look into the hopper of one of our Ultramodern Garbage Trucks. This trash can should not be there. But things like this do happen.
December is here, and it was a frosty morning here in Beautiful North Carolina. Now, the frost can add a touch of beauty to our lives. But it can create problems as well. Especially when it coats a trashcan like this.

In these conditions, the suckers can get a bit slippery. In this case, the evil little thing slipped out of The Fuzz's mechanical grasp, and dropped into the hopper.
Now there are a couple of ways to handle this. One is to pretend it wasn't noticed until too late, and just pack the sucker up. The other is to climb up over the side of the ice encrusted truck, into the hopper, and throw the bastard out.
I am happy to report, that in this case, Our Fuzz did take the high road; and mumbling curses about getting too old for this s%!#, retrieved this valuable receptacle. And, he made it back to solid ground without breaking his neck!

Blue Is Green & So On...

2011-12-01T21:04:00.000-05:00

In regard to our "Recycle (Blue)" post, Woodie had this to say-

"...The carts allow for more privacy, IE less people commenting on how many liquor, wine and beer bottles are in your bin, which DOES happen, sometimes. :-)"

Actually, this can be an issue.
Back in The Days, The Fuzz used to "Pull Garbage" in little orange carts from behind the houses.
There was one fellow who used to carefully wrap his trash up in paper bags. The Fuzz and his coworkers, in an attempt to maximize the space in their buggies, would sometimes rip open bags like his to better pack the garbage in. This fellow would get pretty upset when all his liqueur bottles were suddenly exposed. Back then this was a dry county!
Of course now days, this isn't much of an issue with all this automated stuff.
When The Fuzz was asked how he got into this line of work, he finally admitted that it wasn't really the money, but the prestige that attracted him.

Chimneys Series #18 (b)

2011-12-01T00:00:00.002-05:00

(Flip side of #18 (a))

Chimneys Series #18 (a)

2011-11-30T00:00:00.000-05:00

Recycle (Blue)

2011-11-29T20:01:00.002-05:00

Recycling is the thing these days. And that is a good thing.
Here's a sneak preview of our Brand New Recycling Roll out Carts.
Starting next year (soon) these Blue Carts will be picked up every other week.
This is modern "Single Stream" recycling.
This "Recycling" stuff is not really new. Garbagemen have been "Recycling" forever. In fact, back in the days, 'bout all the good stuff got "Recycled".
Unfortunately, with our modern mechanized way of doing things, Our Fuzz, and others like him, no longer have access to all that good stuff. The Fuzz believes that in many ways, Old School was better.
But, as they say, "That was then, this is now".
So go Blue. It's the Green thing to do.

You Know You Want One

2011-11-28T20:32:00.001-05:00

You know you want one

This great Apron is only available here.
Don't delay, Buy today!
(Free Shipping)

"Forks, knives, cleavers, yeah. But those are just the obvious ones. Do you realize how heavy a rolling pin really is?..."

Kitchen Warfare is now available as an apron until December 9th.

The Blur

2011-11-28T17:20:00.000-05:00

So what is this Blur?

The Fuzz saw it (kinda) at our Thanksgiving Feast.
This thing was moving pretty fast.
But eventually it did slow down enough for The Fuzz to snatch a quick pix.It looks fairly harmless at this point.
But don't let that fool you, these things can be dangerous!

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-27T17:13:00.005-05:00

Since the Young'uns ain't so young anymore, The Fuzz and His Sweetie are off the hook for a lot of Holidays.

This year we gathered at that Schoolteacher Daughter's home for our Family Thanksgiving Meal. Cooking was a community effort. Here is a look at the gravy being double teamed.It looks pretty good.

But disaster is about to strike. That crispy, and tasty skin is just too much temptation.
The Fuzz caught them in the very act!

And the onslaught continues!
Our helpless bird doesn't stand a chance.
In no time the poor thing has been reduced to this!

And this was only the beginning.The next assault was by a man with a large knife!
The Fuzz decided to spare his readers any sight of the resulting gore.
We all sat down to a delicious meal, truly a "Thanksgiving Dinner that couldn't be beat".
The Fuzz hopes yours was just as great.

A 5 Minute Job

2011-11-23T22:12:00.002-05:00

The Fuzz's Sweetie was having a bit of trouble with the doorknob on her closet door sticking.
So it was time for The Fuzz to get to work. Some examination reveled that the shaft of the old cheapy one was bent. At the Home Improvement Store, they picked up a brand new one. Once it was removed from the incredibly tough packaging, it appeared identical to the old one.
Except that this new one, was actually made of metal, instead of plastic. That much was good.
To the right you will see some of the varied tools that were eventually needed for this, simple, installation.
The first complication was when Our Fuzz discovered that the new lockworks, were slightly larger in diameter than the original. After a few nasty words, he went for his trusty Dremel Tool. With a miniature drum sander, he was able to enlarge the hole with minimal distortion.
But now, it was discovered that the striker plate was ever so slightly out of alignment with the new, improved doorknob. The first step was to remove the plate, and chisel out a space for the new bolt. (This had been "Micky Moused" by the builders, by simply drilling a hole in the doorjamb.) At this point, The Fuzz realized that his chisel was too dull to do any good here. So the next thing was to sharpen it. With his bench grinder back in town at the Old Place*, there was nothing for it but a hand stone. The chisel was very bad**, and this took a long time.
But he was finally able to remove the offending wood. And with the new lockplate located correctly, The Fuzz was ready to put in the two little screws that were to secure it. The second one*** broke off in the wood. Now, it was impossible to remove. But what was worse, it was exactly where he needed to put a screw. Things were really screwed up at this point. As can be seen, Our Resourceful Fuzz finally solved this problem by drilling a new hole though the lockplate for a relocated screw. Fortunately, this ugly mess is not visible with the door closed.
Yet one more example of how a 5 minute job can take half a day.

*This seems to be a trend. The Fuzz hopes to solve this problem when the Shed is finished.
**Very very bad!
***Cheap ass screw!

Latest Art-O-Mat Collection

2011-11-21T21:06:00.002-05:00

The Fuzz was fortunate to get a Sneak Preview of a Little Known Local Artist's Latest Art-O-Mat Collection.
For those who might be uninformed-

"Art-o-mat machines are retired cigarette vending machines that have been converted to vend art."

This stuff looks pretty good. But if you want any, you'll have to find an Art-O-Mat machine somewhere. It will be worth it.

Cute Kitty Pix

2011-11-19T15:26:00.001-05:00

We seem to have a bit of trouble maintaining our Kitty population out here. Some simply disappear, and some seem to acquire bullet holes.With that in mind, The Fuzz's Sweetie acquired this Momma Cat, and her 2 Kitties.
A while back, we watched the flick The Secret of Kells. (which we highly recommend*) In the flick there is a Kitty named, after that infamous Cat of Yore, Pangur Ban. Said Kitty is white, with different colored eyes. And so, meet our own Pangur Ban. And here is a Cute Kitty Pix of Pangur's sister, Cleo. (as in Cleopatra)
*Don't miss the Pangur Ban Song!

Sliding Glass Door Project Revisted

2011-11-18T15:24:00.001-05:00

Some time ago, The Fuzz posted on our Sliding Glass Door Project. Here is a little reminder of our starting point, the original door, and rotting apart wall.
Well, things had progressed pretty well to the point that all that was left was the needed curtains. We wanted these for privacy*, and to better hold the heat in on those coming winter nights.
This fell within The Fuzz's Sweetie's expertise. But her expertise was pretty much occupied at the time.

Well, that was then, and this is now. And so here is a look at out finished Sliding Glass Door Project!

Finished just in time for the cold weather.

*With the leaves fallen, the woods are fairly open and this side of the trailer is quite visible to the neighbors.

Contruction Continued

2011-11-12T15:00:00.001-05:00

So, what are we actually looking at here?
Well, it is a part of the construction process. There have been a number of design changes since this project began.
One change was to raise the roof a bit. The Fuzz realized he could get a bit more storage space as a "Loft". The original plan had called for a very low pitched roof, to simplify construction, and save on materials. But we won't go into all that right now.
Since The Fuzz is not using trusses (to allow more open space) The ridge must be supported some other way.
And it is still necessary to span an 8ft section of the work area. And so Our Fuzz fashioned this mysterious piece to support a 2x8* across this area. It also had to tie in to the rafters, hence the angles.
The assembly of this intricate piece was accomplished with no complications. Putting it up there was another matter. The Fuzz spent more time getting the ladders, walk boards and all that stuff together, than making it.So here's a look at how things are shaping up so far. The Fuzz promises to keep all his loyal readers posted on the progress of this important project. With any luck, he may get a few more pieces together this week.

*For some mysterious reason, a 2x8 is more like a 1½ x 7¼ these days!

Contruction Continues

2011-11-11T16:00:00.001-05:00

With some of the other projects out of the way, The Fuzz had a chance to get back to the Workshop/Shed.
While scouting for wood under the trailer, he found this most excellent 12ft 2x8!
He had been looking for a 10ft board to use to support the roof across an 8ft span. He figured he could cut this down, although with the price of lumber these days, that would be a pity.
But then, he realized, that he did need a 12ft piece for another part of this building! And so, it was spared, for a better purpose.But, it was still necessary for The Fuzz and His Sweetie to make a stop at the Lumberyard, for some other Bits o' Building. Here said "Bits" can be seen on the trailer in front of this ongoing project.

To be continued...

What's Next?

2011-11-10T16:41:00.002-05:00

Wine Cask Collection 5½

2011-11-10T00:00:00.002-05:00

And here's a look at the whole thing.

Wine Cask Collection 5

2011-11-09T00:00:00.002-05:00

Plumbin' Problems

2011-11-08T20:50:00.010-05:00

This would have been the Mystery Pix

But The Fuzz is not going into that now. Rather, we will deal with the problem.
The problem can be seen at the left.
At A & B we had leaks.
The day after The Visit of The Fuzz's Sister and Wine Tour etc. The Fuzz was preparing to cut some firewood. But, as he was retrieving his trusty (more or less) chainsaw, he found water dripping beneath the trailer.
This was not a good thing. While not as bad as the situation others have had to deal with, it did require his attention.
After determining the extent of the problem, The Fuzz and His Sweetie headed into town for another visit to that Home Improvement Store.
First thing was to install some cut off valves. With these installed, Our Fuzz could work on this project and His Sweetie would still have water for other purposes, like flushing the toilet etc.
And since he had all this already apart, it was a good time to replace this crummy plastic fixture with something nice.
At the Home Improvement Store, they found this little item.

They also picked up the replacement
supply lines.
The whole installation went unusually well with no major problems. And here's a look at the topside.

Pretty spiffy.And here's a look at the bottom side of this business, and the source of our wannabe
Mystery Pix.

Wine Cask Collection 4

2011-11-08T00:00:00.001-05:00

Wine Cask Collection 3

2011-11-07T00:00:00.001-05:00

Wine Cask Collection 2

2011-11-06T00:00:00.001-04:00

Wine Cask Collection 1

2011-11-05T00:00:00.002-04:00

Both Barrels (Or More)

2011-11-04T16:07:00.001-04:00

While enjoying a visit from The Fuzz's Sister and Brother in Law, we visited a small Local Winery. (And of course tasted a few)
The Fuzz got off on the old wine barrels.
So, of course, he got some pix. And these pix will soon turn up here as Midnight Specials. So watch for Cool Wine Barrel Pix here at Kinda Fuzzy!
The Fuzz does apologize for his inattention to this popular blog. But he has just been busy. In fact he has been so busy, that he can't even remember half of what he's been doing!
It is possible that this is some sort of age-related thing. Be that as it may, he is here now. And starting tonight, at Midnight, be watching for our Wine Cask Collection.

A 200 lb Mystery Solved

2011-10-29T19:39:00.001-04:00

The Fuzz's latest Mystery Pix was correctly guessed by Woodie.

"Woodie said... Heh, well.... This is a hard one... Maybe a storm drain, but the numbers on the side are throwing me off..."

Well, the numbers on the side were a bit tricky. Yes it is a storm drain. Or at least a grate from one of many that had disappeared from the streets lately. The "200" is the 200 lbs these things weigh. And that is the key to this all.
200 lbs is a nice chunk of metal, which can be sold at a scrapyard. And, 10 to 15 of these things are a really nice chunk of scrap to sell.
A few weeks ago as The Fuzz was making his rounds, he noticed one of these things missing. This left a rather large hole in the edge of the road.
He duly reported this, and it was replaced. But then as he was making his rounds the following week, he found 2 of these suckers gone. And these mysterious disappearances continued. It got to the point that the Street Dept. could not continue to replace them, even if they had had any replacements left.
But our Dedicated Detectives determined the location of these valuable pieces of Public Property, so essential to the safety of the motoring public.
And so The Fuzz, and another dedicated coworker pulled a trailer over to one of the local scrapyards, where an unhappy man loaded our trailer with these valuable vehicle protectors.
But as of yet, nobody is in jail.

A BIg Event

2011-10-24T22:23:00.001-04:00

With The Fuzz's normal schedule, he does not work on Fridays. But it is necessary that there be at least a skeleton crew on the job. So this duty is rotated. This past Friday, The Fuzz's number came up.
One of his duties was to assist in preparation for the Big Event. He and a coworker, hauled these barricades uptown. In the dead of night, (while Our Fuzz was safely tucked into bed) they would be used to block off the streets for the Big Event.
On the morning of the Big Event, The Fuzz and His Sweetie were in town, and made a brief stop at the Big Event*. The morning started out a bit on the cool side, but by the time they got there, there was a pretty good crowd. They didn't hang around for long though. After conducting a bit of business with a couple of the vendors, they moved on to other things.

*About Livermush

Yet Another Mystery Pix

2011-10-24T00:00:00.000-04:00

Just Some Thoughts

2011-10-23T10:03:00.001-04:00

The days are cooling off now.
The leaves are starting to fall.
The Fuzz has been keeping a fire going most days now.
On Friday Morning, there was even a bit of ice on the windshield of one of the trucks at work.
He has still been riding the motorcycle to work most mornings. But that sometimes requires a bit of extra leather. (Or rain gear!)
But the change is good. It is nice to live here where we actually have seasons. Although The Fuzz enjoys springtime, there is at least as much to be said for this break from the heat of summer. There's just something about the cool air and the low angle of the sun this time of year. It is quite enjoyable.

Mystery Pix Reveled

2011-10-18T20:01:00.001-04:00

The other day, while The Fuzz rode into work in our Luxury Vehicle, he noticed that things were just a bit dim.
So when he got there, he decided to investigate further. Sure enough, there was only 50% lightness. This was a result of a failure of 50% of our Low Beam headlights. Fortunately, he had made it into town without any unpleasant incidents.
That afternoon, Our Fuzz made a stop at the Auto Parts Store for a replacement bulb.
Not being familiar with these new fangled sort of vehicles, he consulted the Book, hoping to avoid any expensive foul-ups. There he found that it was suggested that he remove part of the Fender Stuff to "obtain access" to this little item. This seemed like a lot of trouble to him as he lay on the wet ground contemplating the situation. On his feet once more, he took another look under the hood. It appeared that it would be possible to simply reach in there and remove the defective bulb, and install the replacement in "reverse order". Indeed, this proved to be the case.Here is a closer look at this defective device. One can clearly see the problem here.
But this whole episode did present the opportunity for a Brand New Mystery Pix. But of course it is too late to demonstrate your deductive abilities now. That Canuck has already opened the mystery.

The Canuck said...: "broken halogen lightbulb?"

Latest Mystery Pix

2011-10-15T00:00:00.001-04:00

The Fuzz's Latest Exciting Mystery Pix!

"Gypsy Geoff"

2011-10-14T07:26:00.001-04:00

On our recent visit to the Renaissance Festival, The Fuzz, His Sweetie, and Young Daughter once again had the opportunity to see Gypsy Geoff *in action.
Here's a look at him setting up for the exciting climax of his Dazzling Demonstration of Daring Dexterity.
From top, to bottom-
Washtub,
Chair,
Broom,
And Gypsy Geoff Himself!

Kids,
Don't Try This At Home!

*We've seen this guy before.

Not Again!

2011-10-11T20:18:00.003-04:00

Just a little reminder popped up again.
The Fuzz tried to ignore it at first.
Then came the procrastination.
But of course none of these efforts had any lasting success. So it was off to the Auto Parts Store for some oil and a filter.The Fuzz says there comes a time when you just have to deal with it.
Well, he dealt with it, and now that annoying little light has been pacified one more time.

Renaissance Festival

2011-10-10T15:48:00.000-04:00

It was time for our annual visit to the Renaissance Festival. Last year we went a bit later in the season, and froze our tushes off! So this year, we hit the opening day. We were joined by that Schoolteacher Daughter and her Loving Husband.

Here's a look at some of the Royal Party.

We're hoping that maybe next year, we can be joined by some other family members. That would be fun.

Kitchen Warfare T Shirt

2011-10-09T16:04:00.002-04:00

And remember, this great T Shirt* is still available
Here!

*Now with over 9030 sold! Don't miss this once in a lifetime opportunity!

Already!!!!!!

2011-10-09T15:28:00.001-04:00

While The Fuzz and His Sweetie were in town a few days ago, they had occasion to visit that Infamous Home Improvement Store.

This occurred on the 7th day of this month of October.
Now The Fuzz realizes that procrastination is not exactly a good thing, but he thinks there may be times when it has it's place.
Isn't this disrespectful toward the
Great Pumpkin?

Gargantuan Tater

2011-10-07T08:00:00.005-04:00

Here it is,
The Gargantuan Tater!
The Fuzz's Sweetie was wanting some sweet potatoes*.
We were at the local Farmer's Market and found these things.
They were rather large.
With our dinner parties down to 3,
1 Family Sized Tater was enough for all!

*Some exciting nutritional info on these tasty tubers!

Bing Gananda 31

2011-10-06T00:00:00.002-04:00

18 Found at Sea

"I don't know what to tell you sir. At first we thought the boat was empty. But there was an old man there laying on the bottom. He's alive, but doesn't seem to know we're here.
"He seems to be an Englishman.
"The boat itself, is quite old, and so is it's gear."
"Surely you don't think he's been out here at sea for all that time!" said the captain in irritation.
"No, sir," the lieutenant said quickly. "That would be impossible."
The lieutenant handed the captain a book.
"This was with him, sir. It's a journal of some sort."
The Captain began to flip though the pages. The first entries were over sixty years old. He stopped when he reached the part where the His Majesty's Ship, Mary Anne had reached the Island. Tindor had given the location. The captain realized that this was approximately where they were now.
From that point the entries changed. From here on they were primarily pictures. Pictures of Strange plants. And strange creatures.
He was interrupted by one of the sailors.
"The man, is dead," he said quietly.
"What?"
"He was talking to himself. He must had been mad. He kept talking to someone named Bing Gananda. And then, he just died. He was smiling.

...The motion of the boat had ceased. Tindor could see the jungle all around him. The moon glowed in the sky above the trees. But there was another glow among the forest, and it was drawing closer.
And he seemed to be standing in a pool of cool light. He realized the glow was coming from himself. But it gave him no alarm. And the glow now approaching though the trees, was Bing Gananda.
Tindor forgot all about the boat.
As he walked to meet her, he could feel the earth beneath his bare feet. She seemed larger now, almost like himself. Then he noticed his hands. They had the pale glow of Bing Gananda. Tindor could feel Tomono and Pandurina watching as Bing took his hands.
"Now we are Blood..."

The End

*Bing Gananda may also be found in the sidebar, at the right.

Bing Gananda 30

2011-10-05T00:00:00.002-04:00

Pandurina had left to hunt, and Bing was sound asleep when the sailors came. It was obvious that the den was being used by someone, or something.
It was Isaac that found her. He dragged her from the den, kicking and fighting furiously. She had been taken completely by surprise. She kicked and bit him. Isaac yelped in pain and lost his grip.
Bing bolted, but ran straight into Ed. He caught her by her long hair. But by now that strange knife was in her hand. She spun around and slashed at his throat. Ed let go of her and clutched his neck, as the blood spurted between his fingers. He dropped to his knees, trying to stop the flow.
But now Hull and Ben had both gotten hold of her.
"Damn! What is this thing?" asked Ben as Bing struggled in their grip.
Isaac examined his arm where she had bitten him. It was bleeding profusely.
"It's a little woman!"
"It's not human, you fool!"
"She's a devil!"
Bing Gananda was spitting curses at them, but of course they were curses they could not understand. It was at this moment that Tomono, and Tindor both bust from the jungle.
Tindor's heart was pounding with fear and rage as he rushed toward the men. He raised the cutlass with a snarl. Tomono bounded toward them from the other side. Isaac raised his pistol and fired.
Tindor stumbled as a sharp pain stabbed through his shoulder. Tomono dropped to the ground and rolled, blood spurting. Tindor felt pain, but there was no wound. It only strengthened him as he fell upon Ben, slashing with his cutlass.
As Ben turned to defend himself, he let go of Bing Gananda. But it was too late to save him, and he fell into a pool of his own blood.
Now Isaac rushed at Tindor who whirled to face him. Hull held on to Bing's knife hand, and drew his own pistol. He was about to fire at Tindor when Pandurina leaped on him from behind. His shot went wild and He, Bing, and Pandurina rolled on the ground in a tangled heap. Tomono struggled, trying to get up. Then he fell back, and lay still.
Tindor and Isaac faced each other, swords in hand. Tindor spoke first.
"I never figured you as a mutineer, Isaac."
"I guess a man can be wrong," he answered. "I never figured you for a fighter."
Isaac looked past Tindor to see Pandurina and Bing Gananda rising from Hull's body. They stared at him, but didn't move.
The two men began to circle each other, looking for an opening. Then at some sign, known only to them, they rushed together.
At first Isaac had the advantage by virtue of strength. But as Tindor grew more used to his weapon, his training came into play. He gained confidence, easily parrying, Isaac's cuts.
In the end, it was Isaac who fell.
Tindor slowly lowered his weapon. He turned to see Bing Gananda, arms around Tomono, crying bitterly.
"Sam U-el, help us!
Tindor dropped his cutlass and walked over to where Tomono lay. There was a burning pain in his shoulder. Then he realized that the pain, was Tomono's. They were Blood! And the fear in the pit of his stomach, was Bing Gananda's.
As he examined the wound he finally realized how closely he was now bound to these two. He wouldn't leave now, even if he could.
The wound was serious, but not likely to be fatal. Tomono would recover, with proper care. And Sam U-el would give it.

Was it not true that they were Blood?

Mystery Pix Reveled

2011-10-04T20:51:00.006-04:00

Mystery Pix Reveled!
Gonna have to give "momma mandy" credit for this one she was the closest!
"... it almost looks like a braclet or the band of a watch?"
But we had some good guesses.
This is a new chain for this necklace of The Fuzz's Sweetie.
Not exactly a "braclet", but close enough for The Fuzz.

Bing Gananda 29

2011-10-04T00:00:00.000-04:00

17 A Cutlass and Blood

As the sun rose, it began to burn off the remaining fog. Four men stood together on the beach. Hull was the leader. With him were Isaac, Ben and Ed. They were the only survivors. Except for Tindor. He was somewhere on this island, and they needed to find him. He was the only one left who knew how to navigate. And they wanted off of this dammed island.
Tindor knew they were looking for him, and he was determined not to go. He saw that Bing Gananda was still sleeping in Pandurina's den. She would sleep all day, he was sure.
He needed to find a place to hide. A place where he could also keep watch. And he needed a weapon. There were plenty of those back at the shipwreck, but that was also where the sailors were. He decided to go back. Perhaps the men were gone by now.

It was not far. Tindor took a careful look from the edge of the jungle. The beach looked deserted. The ship was not far from shore. It looked as if one could wade out to what was left of it. Tindor Stepped out from his cover, and began to run across the sand, toward the wreck.
But he stopped suddenly when he saw some movement on the beach. There were a number of bodies laying together in the sun. He had thought them all dead, but one had raised his arm.
Tindor walked slowly toward him, stopping to pick up a piece of wreckage to use as a club. But he did not need it. He found Martin, lying helpless, begging for water. Tindor had none.
"Mr Tindor," Martin said, "Kill me, please!"
"Kill you?"
"Kill me. I can't move anymore. I just want to die."
Tindor would have liked to do it. Martin was responsible for everything that had happened. But he was no murderer. And, that would be letting him off too easy.
Instead, he went to the other corpses. Finally he found what he had been looking for. He held up a cutlass, and walked back toward Martin.
If Martin was expecting to get his wish, he was disappointed. Tindor walked past him and back into the jungle.
He hefted the cutlass, and swung it around a bit. He had done a bit of fencing at school, and was rather good at it. But this was a different sort of weapon. Yet, he was sure it could be effective.
As he moved carefully through the thick foliage, he began to feel uneasy. Then there was a sudden fear, and an incredible urge to find Bing Gananda. Tindor broke into a run, and started for Pandurina's den, and Bing Gananda.

*Bing Gananda may also be found in the sidebar, at the right.

The Chain Of Events

2011-10-03T19:47:00.003-04:00

With the cooler weather comes the need for firewood.
So over the weekend The Fuzz and His Sweetie made a tour of the surrounding area in search of dead trees to burn.

They did find a number of them.
So The Fuzz broke out his trusty Chainsaw. They did manage to cut up some of the dead wood they found laying around in the woods. They brought a few wheelbarrow loads back to the trailer. Then The Fuzz attempted to cut up a few oversize pieces that were laying around from last winter.
This was the result.
He supposes the chain was already pretty well worn, But anyway one looks at it, this is not a good thing.
Well, there is enough wood for a few days.
But it does look like it may be time to replace the chain.

Bing Gananda 28

2011-10-03T00:00:00.000-04:00

Bing Gananda slept for a long time. The fog never lifted. After a time Tomono came and called to Tindor, to come out.
"Sam Eu-el, come with me."
Tindor crawled out of Pandurina's den to where the big cat was waiting for him. Tomono led the way to the beach. It was closer than Tindor had realized.
"Stay here and watch."
Tindor crouched down and peered out though the vegetation. He could see the wreck and the dejected sailors standing by the fire.
At first he felt sorry for them, until he remembered the mutiny, and killings. Now, he felt detached from it all, almost as an outsider. Somehow, he was beginning to feel as if he belonged here, with Tomono and Bing Gananda. It must be the Blood.
He wondered what the men would do now, but it was only out of curiosity.

"What do we do now?"
"We're marooned on this bloody island."
"And what about him?" Ben asked, looking down at Martin laying there.
The rest turned to Hull now. He was next in command, if it mattered.
"We'll rot in this cursed place."
"We still have two boats," said Isaac.
The others were quiet. The prospect of going to sea in an open boat was not very appealing, especially after experiencing this last storm.
"We could make it to the coast..."
"And be hung as pirates!"
"No one knows about the mutiny," Isaac continued. "We were shipwrecked, that's all"

Tindor could hear it all from his hiding place. If they left, he would be here alone. But there were the cats, and Bing Gananda. What if he had to live out the rest of his life here, he wondered? Would he lose his mind? His attention was caught by the mention of his name.
"... Mr Tindor can."
Tindor can what? he wondered.
"Aye, the Captain, Martin, and Mr. Tindor could all navigate."
"We have Martin." It was said hesitantly.
"Martin? We should cut his bloody throat! This is all his doing."
Martin was listening from his place by the fire. He would be better off dead anyway, he thought. He had realized by now that his legs were paralyzed. Just make it quick.
"We'll need to take him."
"Damn him. Let's find Tindor."
"Would he come?"
"It's that, or stay on this dammed island!"

And that was the question in Tindor's own mind.
He looked at the cat beside him. Tomono had saved his life. But was there really a place for him here? The sailors conversation brought him back to attention.
"...Aye, he's just the sort to tell it all."
"We'll have to kill him too. But not till we make it to land."
There was no question of his going with them, now. The men continued their discussion.
"When this dammed fog lifts, we'll find him. He'll come, one way, or the other."
"What about this one?" indicating Martin.
"Let the bloody crabs have him," Ben said, and gave Martin a vicious kick in the side. Martin could no longer help himself and shrieked in pain. Ben merely spit at him, and walked away into the fog.

Tindor drew back. He had heard enough. Tomono led him back to where Bing Gananda lay sleeping.

*Bing Gananda may also be found in the sidebar, at the right.

New Mystery Pix

2011-10-02T00:00:00.002-04:00

Another exciting Mystery Pix!

Taking A Swim In Paris

2011-10-01T16:18:00.000-04:00

Regular readers of Kinda Fuzzy may remember that back in the late springtime, The Fuzz and His Sweetie had the amazing opportunity to visit Europe, and our Air Force Daughter.

They were also able to work in a short trip to Paris! One of the Fuzz's favorite parts of this was riding on the Seine. While they were waiting for passengers near the Pont d' léna, The Fuzz saw this family, taking a swim.As He and his Sweetie watched,they made their way across the river,to where this boat was moored.And then, they climbed out and up onto the quay.

The Fuzz has more pix along the river. He's hoping to get some up here eventually. It may take him a while, but don't give up on him yet!

Bing Gananda 27

2011-10-01T00:00:00.002-04:00

16 Marooned

Martin pulled himself painfully along the sand at the water's edge. He couldn't feel his legs, but yet, he was sure they were broken. It was something in the way they dragged behind him. Something was simply not right. He hoped that if he could just find shelter, and rest, perhaps he would survive.
This island had seemed like the perfect opportunity. Most of the crew was already with him. Now they had found the perfect base. It was easy to get rid of Pierce, and the few loyal seamen. But from that point, everything had gone wrong.
After what seemed to be an eternity, he heard someone approaching.
"Hull!.. Isaac!.. I found one. He's still alive!"
Another man came. They lifted Martin to his feet, but he couldn't stand, and collapsed to the ground again.
"It's the Captain!" This time the acknowledgment gave him no pleasure.
The two seamen half carried, half dragged him to a small, struggling fire. It took all his strength not to scream in pain. There, they laid him down beside a corpse.
Martin realized with a stab of fear, that one of the seaman was Ben, the one he had ordered to kill Morris. Ben looked at him with disgust, and walked away.
It was beginning to grow lighter now. The fog remained, but now they could see the silhouette of the wrecked brig near the beach.
One by one, they pulled bodies from the water. Martin was the only surviver. And he was in bad shape. As the light grew, they could see the ship better. It was obviously finished.
It was quiet now. All sound was muffled by the heavy fog. Martin lay there alone while the others searched though the wreckage washing up on the beach.

*Bing Gananda may also be found in the sidebar, at the right.

Hot Stuff

2011-09-30T15:42:00.002-04:00

We haven't had much luck with our peppers the last couple of years.

We tried growing them over at the Old Place. There was a problem with deer. But this year has been different. We have deer out here in the woods. But we also have Dogies!
Here's a look at some of the Habaneros.
The Fuzz chopped some up the other night for our Buritos.
When one does this sort of thing, one must be careful not to rub one's eyes, or any such thing. One time we were cooking up some hot sauce with these things. The Fuzz was foolish enough to step out to answer nature's call. He has been careful not to repeat this mistake ever since.

Bing Gananda 26

2011-09-27T00:00:00.001-04:00

Samuel Tindor had watched in silence as Bing Gananda "Sang to the wind". Then, as the clouds gathered, she called Pandurina, and they rushed off, into the night. He was left alone.
The wind began to rise. Before long it was roaring through the treetops. Leaves and small branches were torn from the trees. Tindor could hear limbs falling to the ground throughout the jungle. Then the rain struck, and he sought shelter in the cat's den beneath the tree roots.
He lay there in the dark, listening to the raging storm. He thought about the Mary Anne and wondered how she would ride this out.
And then, a thought of the Shadocatch, Tomono, came to him. Tindor thought of him out in the storm, and wondered how he was. They were Blood now. Was it always like this?
And what of Bing Gananda? He felt cold, and touched his own clothing. It was dry, but for some reason, he had thought it wet for a moment. She was Blood with him too.
He shuddered, and lay in the dark waiting for the morning.

"Captain" Martin went down as the water swirled around him. He was slammed into the bottom and became confused. He no longer knew which way was up. The waves rolled him over and over, and pounded him against the bottom. Finally he could hold out no longer and the air burst from his lungs and he choked on sea water.

When Martin woke, he was laying in the wet sand. The storm had passed, only to be replaced with a thick fog and chill. It was still dark. He had no idea how he had gotten there. There was no sound other than the gentle lapping of the water on the sand.
He listened carefully for any voice, any sign that he was not alone. There was nothing. Then, finally, there was a distant voice, muffled in the fog.
"This one's dead too."
Martin was relieved. Someone, at least, had survived. He tried to shout, but only gasped in pain. He had several broken ribs, and he couldn't move his legs. He began to drag himself painfully in the direction of the voices.

Tindor was surprised at how quickly the storm had died. Then, the fog had moved in. He could barely see a half dozen yards. He was surprised when Bing Gananda joined him in the cat's den.
She was soaking wet.
"I'm cold, Sam Eu-el," she said as she lay down beside him. She seemed very subdued.
Then she moved closer. Tindor pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her. She was shivering. Bing Gananda seemed very small to him. Finally, she was still.
"Sam Eu-el?"
"Bing?"
"Is evil... Can One catch it?"
"Catch it? Like a sickness?"
"Maybe."
Tindor thought about it. It was easy to go along with it when it was all around you. But it was still a choice. Not all the crew had went with Martin. He remembered Jack, and his last words to Grinder.
"Maybe. Maybe you can catch it, But you don't have to."
"I wrecked your ship."
"I know." He had known it somehow.
Bing Gananda curled up beside him. Tindor wrapped her in his arms. She was crying.

*Bing Gananda may also be found in the sidebar, at the right.

Bing Gananda 25

2011-09-26T00:00:00.001-04:00

15 Shipwreck

Martin stood on the deck, watching the shore. He had sent two more of the sailors in with the Jolly Boat to find out what had happened. He was getting worried. He had already lost almost half the crew since they had come to this place.
Perhaps the old cook was right. What if this island was cursed? Questions came to his mind. Why was it not on the charts? Surely somebody should have found it before now. It was not all that remote. Everything seemed just a bit out of place.
A cloud passed over the moon. The sky had been clear, but as Martin looked up now, he could see clouds gathering rapidly. The wind was shifting too. The brig began to swing around on her anchor.
Within a quarter hour the wind was blowing dead onshore. And it was beginning to pick up strength. With the change, swells were beginning to enter the cove.
Martin had been watching the men at the fire on shore though his glass. There should have been four, besides the ones he had sent. He only saw two others.
But by now the Mary Anne was straining at her anchor. The wind was approaching gale force. Martin could see the men on the beach, struggling to launch their boat into the waves breaking on the sand. It was too much for them, and they gave up, dragging the boat up the beach.
Now Martin turned his attention to the ship. She could never beat her way out of the cove against this wind, even if she wasn't short handed. This storm had come up too quickly. It was unnatural.
Then the rain hit. It came horizontally, drive by a wind which had built to hurricane force. There was nothing but wind, rain, and the now pitching deck.
There was a brief lull, and Martin got a glimpse of the shore. It was way too close. The brig was dragging anchor. If the storm did not let up, they would surely go aground. But then the rain closed in again, and he could see nothing.
By now, what was left of the crew were on the pitching deck. They were trying to get a second anchor over the side. But they couldn't hold on to it as the ship lurched. A man screamed as it fell back on him crushing his chest. Matin rushed to help. But it was too late.
The brig struck stern first, then was lifted by the next wave only to hit again harder. The rudder was smashed as the waves pounded her. Now the bow began to swing around and the waves caught her amidships. She was slammed again and again, driving her farther up on the beach. There was the sound of splintering wood as she rolled onto her side and the waves crashed over her.
Martin lost his grip and was washed into the surf, fighting for his life.

*Bing Gananda may also be found in the sidebar, at the right.

Basic Home Improvements

2011-09-25T11:51:00.001-04:00

Time for more Home Improvements

The Fuzz has been a bit slack keeping up with things here lately. So here is a bit of an update.
With our new Sliding Glass Door installed, it was time for The Fuzz to tackle the Baseboards that he had promised His Sweetie a couple years ago. After all, there was no use in putting in something he would only have to tear up again. But now his excuses were gone.
In the top Pix, you will notice a rat hole in the corner. This was here when we bought the trailer. While installing the new door, The Fuzz had removed a section of wall. He used a piece of this to continue the wainscoting, thus covering said rat hole.
He, and His Sweetie had purchased several 1X4s from the Home Improvement Store, and ripped a bevel along one edge to make Baseboards.
Here's a look at how it came out.
The Fuzz has been working on this a little at a time, as the opportunities arrive. It will be admitted that he does somehow manage to find time for other projects. But the living room is finished now, and he has even made a start on the bed room!
Obviously he is not working on it at this moment, choosing to attempt to catch up on this blog instead.
Here's a look at some of this great Baseboard with a relocated phone jack.

Bing Gananda 24

2011-09-23T00:00:00.002-04:00

"Sam Eu-el" woke around midnight. He could feel the tension in the air. He found the two cats huddled together. Bing Gananda was nowhere to be seen.
He made his way to the nearby stream in the moonlight. There he knelt and had a long, cool drink. Then, he sat there in the night air for a long time. The food and rest had refreshed him. Now he finally had a chance to think over his situation.
Nothing about it seemed to be even possible. The mutiny was real enough, but this Bing Gananda, and her cats could not be real. Or could they? And there was this matter of the "Blood", and the words in his head. He was sure he was going mad.
After a time, he realized Tomono was now laying beside him. Lost in thought, he had not heard the big cat's approach. Then the cat sat up and looked into his eyes. There was an intelligence there Tindor had not expected.
Then, the cat spoke. Tindor could not understand the words. But he had an idea what Tomono wanted. Tindor had not been armed, but he did have his penknife. Now he took it in his hand and the great cat raised his paw.
Tindor drew his own blood in turn.
"Now we are Blood"
"Yes, now we are."
It was so strange to understand this creature, so different than himself. He didn't yet understand how close he was now bound to this creature.
"Come with me. Bing Gananda is singing to the wind."
Tindor had no idea what this meant, but he was ready to believe anything by now. He followed Tomono back to Pandurina's den.
Bing Gananda was there leaning over a carved stone bowl. Tindor could not see what was in it, but it gave a strange glow as she swirled the contents with her finger.
She sang.

"Hide your face
O moon from me
Clouds arise
Now from the sea!"

It was an eerie melody, and she repeated the song again and again. The hair stood up on the back of his neck as Tindor realized that she was calling up a storm. A cloud passed over the moon. As he looked to the sky, he could see more clouds forming. The trees were beginning to stir as a breeze began to rise.

Bing Gananda 23

2011-09-22T00:00:00.001-04:00

The explosion was heard back at Pandurina's den. Tindor never stirred, but the big cat was alarmed. Bing Gananda tried to calm her. She stroked Pan's thick fur as she sang a soothing song.
Tomono rushed up and began relating what he had seen to Pandurina, upsetting her all over again. And so it was a while before Bing Gananda finally heard the story herself.
She was appalled. Something had to be done about these "men" and their evil. A first she thought about going to Kurura, on the mountain. He, also, could call forth fire. Bing Ganada did not like fire. None of the Lithorians did. They preferred the cool light of their moonstones.
Then a shadow passed in front of the moon. Bing Gananda looked up to see Kurura, on the wing.

The men on the beach saw him too, silhouetted against the moon for a brief moment.
"Mother of God!" gasped Isaac. He could not believe his eyes.
Hull stood still. His mouth hung open. The long body and bat-like wings could be only one thing. But that was impossible.
They watched in disbelief as the shadow of the dragon circled the cove, and then returned to the mountain.
They looked at the fire. A fire might ward off a lion, but a dragon was another thing. But then, of course, there were no such things, were there.
Isaac finally managed to speak.
"Did you see..." But one look at Hull's white face answered his question. This was a nightmare he would not wake up from.

Bing Gananda had seen Kurura returning to his lair. If he would not act, she would.

*Bing Gananda may also be found in the sidebar, at the right.

Bing Gananda 22

2011-09-21T00:00:00.000-04:00

14 Sing to the Wind

On board the ship, Martin had just lain down when the seaman on watch rapped on his door.
"Cap'n, sir, come have a look at this."
Martin wearily came out on deck. The man pointed to the shore. They could see the bonfire on the beach, and beyond that the jungle.
"There, Cap'n, did you see it?"
Martin looked at the island. All he saw was the fire on the beach, and the glow from the volcano at the top of the mountain. He was about to curse the sailor, when he saw a faint glow out in the jungle. It must be what Roper had seen the previous night.
Then, they noticed a commotion around the fire on the beach.
"What's happening on shore?" he asked the sailor.
"I can't tell, Cap'n... It looks like a fight."
Then, there was a sudden flash as the bonfire exploded into the air. The sound echoed across the cove. Then, all was quiet.
The beach was dark now, except for tiny bits of flame here and there. They began to fade into glowing embers as they watched from the ship.
"Bloody hell!" said the sailor involuntarily.
By now some of the other men had come out, having heard the explosion.
"What the hell?.." asked the old cook, and then he too, fell silent. He had his own opinion of this island.

On the beach Hull was gathering the scattered bits of fire together. Isaac first went to the dead seaman, then to Roper. He was still alive, barely, and suffering horribly. He had been cut almost in two by the blast.
Isaac drew his own cutlass and ended it.
"Damn that fool!" Hull said. "We need to get this fire going again before that lion comes back."
"You saw it?"
"Aye, I saw it."
The two men worked to get the fire burning again. Isaac cursing as he burned his fingers.
This hadn't turned out as he had hoped. At one time, piracy would never have tempted him. He was a fisherman. But after his young wife had died, back in England, he had gone to sea. He had thrown in his lot with the mutineers. The adventure appealed to him, and what did he have to lose?
Now they were stranded on this accursed island. The brig was not seaworthy. And the crew were being killed off, one at a time. Seven were dead already. Who would be next? He eyed the jungle warily.

*Bing Gananda may also be found in the sidebar, at the right.

First Fire

2011-09-20T21:09:00.000-04:00

It seems to be that time of year again. We've had a few cool mornings lately, and some afternoons, if the truth be told. And it is probably best to just tell the truth.
The point is, that The Fuzz had to light up the Old Woodstove.
And that meant Firewood, of course. And so, here we go again.
The Fuzz broke out that old Chainsaw and dropped a couple of dead trees. They weren't very big, and won't last long. But it did let us warm up the trailer a bit.
He brought a bit of it into our Handy Wood Stash, by the heater. It did feel good.
But it has warmed up a bit now. And so the fire is out again. But it was pretty nice when we wanted it.

Bing Gananda 21

2011-09-17T00:00:00.000-04:00

Bing Gananda had brought Tindor to Pandurina's den. There, she had fed him most of the fruit Pandurina had gathered. After that, he had promptly fallen asleep.
She studied him laying there. In many ways, he was like the Lithorians. But, he was a giant. He must be a creature of the day. His skin was well tanned by the sun. There was hair growing on his face. His clothing seemed restrictive to her. It even covered his feet. She wondered how he could use his toes at all.
Bing Gananda was curious about his world. Where was it? How had he come here? They would have a long talk, when he woke.

While Bing Gananda and Pandurina occupied themselves with the man, Tomono decided to get a look at the other men who were on the beach. He crouched in the shadows and watched.
There were four of them huddled around their fire. Their boat was pulled up above the tide in the sand. Two were from the band he had encountered earlier, in the jungle. One of the other two seemed to be the leader. They were drinking something from a cask. It smelled a bit like rotten fruit when the breeze blew toward Tomono.
Against his better judgement, Hull had let the men have the rum. Isaac and his companion were in need of a drink after their ordeal. In fact, they all were in need of one.
Hull pressed them for the details of their scout. Isaac told him of their encounter with Tomono. When it came to the part about Grinder, he was purposely vague.
But Roper wouldn't let it be. Hull tried to get him to drop it, but he kept pressing them. Finally the seaman let it out.
"Isaac killed him. It was a fair fight."
Then there was silence. Grinder and Roper had been partners for years. Roper stared at Isaac with hatred. The rum had emboldened him, and he staggered to his feet, hand on his cutlass.
"Sit down, you fool!"
It was Hull. There had already been enough trouble in his opinion, and he meant for it to stop.
Isaac didn't get up. But the other seaman did, and faced Roper.
"You're a bloody fool too! Sending us out there in that cursed jungle. Why the hell didn't you go yourself?"
"Shut your bloody mouth!"
Roper drew his blade. Hull and Isaac both got to their feet and backed out of the way as the two drunken seamen began to fight clumsily.
Soon they were both bleeding. Then Roper saw an opening and struck. The other man went down. But as he fell, he made one last effort, pushing Roper toward the bonfire. He shrieked as he fell in.
Roper had never drawn the pistol thrust into his belt. But now, as he clawed his way out of the flames, it discharged, ripping open his thigh. Then, his powder flask exploded, blowing fire in all directions.
The explosion terrified the Shadocatch hiding nearby. The frightened cat burst past the startled men, with a snarl, and fled back into the jungle.
Hull and Isaac slowly got to their feet and stared at each other in the silence.
"This isn't our fight," said Hull quietly.
"No, it's not."

*Bing Gananda may also be found in the sidebar, at the right.

Bing Gananda 20

2011-09-16T00:00:00.000-04:00

13 Fire in the Night

As the sailors brought the wounded man aboard, Martin asked them what had happened.
"We was attacked by a lion, Captain," one answered.
When the cook saw the man he said nothing. Martin took him aside.
"Well?"
"He's a goner, Cap'n. We could cut off his arm, but he won't make it either way."
"Dammit."
Morris lay on deck moaning weakly. There was blood on his lips. He was obviously dying. They might as well get it over with. Martin pointed to one of the sailors that had brought him.
"Ben, cut his throat."
The man looked bewildered.
"Now!"
Martin's hand was on his pistol. The sailor reluctantly drew a knife from his belt. Morris looked up at him, eyes pleading. He looked again at Martin, who drew the gun. Then the man bent down, and slit Morris's throat.
"Throw him over."
As the sailors heaved Morris over the rail, Martin walked to his cabin.
As the cook walked away, he muttered under his breath,
"We're all under the curse now."
The sailors looked at each other, and said nothing.

On shore, the men threw more wood on the fire, and watched the jungle warily.

"Captain" Martin was brooding over a some brandy from the former captain's cabinet. Captain Pearce had had good taste. But it was hard to enjoy his new situation. He did have command of the ship, but what good was that with no crew? And the way things were going, there would soon not be enough men left to man her. He sat and stared at the lantern on the table.
It had been inevitable that some would be lost in the mutiny. But who could have known about this "lion" or whatever it was. And, he suspected that Grinder had really been killed by some of the crew. He was a bully and a fool, and he had had it coming.
But he hated to lose Jackson. He was an excellent seaman, and would have made a good mate. Hull and Roper were both too hotheaded. Now, he would have to make the best of things as they were.
Hull and Roper had been part of the conspiracy nearly from the beginning. Once they had possession of the ship, they were to sail to the coast where they would be joined by Señor López and his daughter Maria. They would supply more men, and more importantly, several guns.
This island would be a perfect base for them. There was a good anchorage, sheltered from the prevailing winds. It was not on any charts, yet close enough to the coastal trade for their raids. And with Governor López behind them, there would be little to fear from the authorities.
But that storm had complicated things. They should have already been back to Santa Rosa. Now they would be stuck here even longer until the repairs were finished. He missed Maria.
He did not miss Mr. Tindor though. Their last port of call, before the storm, had been Santa Rosa, on the coast, where López was governor. He had entertained them lavishly. Pearce had suspected nothing. But Señorita López had paid Mr. Tindor way too much attention. He was glad to be rid of him.

*Bing Gananda may also be found in the sidebar, at the right. (possibly)

The Devil's Staircase

2011-09-15T10:23:00.001-04:00

This weekend the weather was pretty nice. The Fuzz had planned to do a bit of work around the trailer. But His Sweetie remarked that it would be a good day for Motorcycling.There are a few things lined up for the next few weeks, so it did look like if He was going to go, this was the day to do it. He decided to ride NC 80 up to the parkway. This is one of The Fuzz's favorite rides. It is also where he had hit a deer several years ago. He keeps the dents in his tank as souvenirs. But he had no idea it was Famous!
There was a photographer making pix of the passing bikers, and a sign about seeing the pix online. The Fuzz couldn't remember the name, but he hit Google, and eventually found them*. And then, he discovered that he has actually been riding the infamous Devil's Staircase! Pretty exciting! The Fuzz does recommend the ride, if you are ever in the area. From there, he headed up the parkway for a more laid back experience. Here is where he stopped for a sandwich and beer.
All in all, it was a pretty good day up in the mountains. The Fuzz did make it home in one piece, with no new damage to either him, or his bike.

*You can see the proofs that The Fuzz is too cheap to buy here, at Blind Kenny's site.

Bing Gananda 19

2011-09-14T00:00:00.001-04:00

Samuel Tindor lay in despair among the roots of one of the unknown trees that towered above him. The jungle was beginning to fade into twilight. He was waiting to die. It was only a matter of how. Would it be some jungle beast, or the men now hunting him? He no longer cared.
He seemed to have shaken his pursuers, for now. But they would be back, he was certain. He tried to remember exactly what had happened. The only thing he was sure of, was that Jack was dead. He had seen Grinder shoot him.
After that, he had fled. Someone had shot at him. And then there was confusion. He thought he had seen a beast attack the mutineers. Then, he had run until he collapsed, and crawled here, to hide, and die.

He may have slept, he wasn't even sure about that. Now his heart began to pound as he became aware of something moving near him.
He could see it now. A great, grey, cat-like creature was moving though the twilight. He sat up to see better. Now he saw another one, circling him. It was another mottled grey cat, this one with a huge black mane. Then it slowly approached. Tindor didn't run, he was ready to die.

Bing Gananda and Pandurina had followed Tomono to where the creature was hiding. From what Tomono had told them, it was an outcast, like Bing herself. Kurura had called them "Men", and said there was evil with them. But the Eld had told her they were not all evil. She wondered, was this one an Evil One?
As Pandurina slowly circled the man, he sat up and watched them. Bing Gananda made up her mind. He was an outcast, and so was she. She would go to him.

As the cat drew nearer, Tindor could see it better. It was very much like the one he had see earlier, except for the dark mane. Then, to his surprise, the "mane" sat up.
Now he could see it was not a mane, but a rider. He saw what looked like a pale child, with hair black as night. As she drew closer, Tindor saw that it was no child, but a woman, no more than a yard tall at the most. She wore only a loose tunic, her arms and legs were bare. Her skin was as white as snow, in contrast to her hair. It seemed almost to glow in the night, like the moon itself.
Bing Gananda spoke. Her voice was like a song, but her language, unknown to him. Yet, Tindor found it soothing. He thought this must be a dream, or maybe he was already dead. She couldn't be real. But then, she touched him, and his whole body relaxed.
Pandurina stayed back in the shadows. She never took her eyes off of Bing Gananda and the man. Tomono patrolled, just beyond her, watching for any intruders.
Tindor looked up into the coal black eyes of this amazing creature. She seemed so delicate, yet he sensed the presence of great power. The cats, as fierce as they were, did her bidding willingly.
Now, from a belt at her waist, she drew a strange blade. Tindor felt a momentary stab of fear, but it quickly faded. The knife was not of any metal he knew. It looked like crystal of some kind, yet sharper than any razor.
Then, strangely, she pricked herself and drew a large drop of her blood. She stepped closer. Tindor couldn't have run if he'd wanted to. Bing Gananda touched his lips with one hand, and he knew what she wanted. He opened his mouth slightly. Then she placed the drop of blood onto his tongue, and spoke again.
This time, although the words were still foreign to him, he heard her, in his mind.
"You must do the same."
Tindor moved as if in a trance. He could barely believe what was happening. He held out his hand as Bing Gananda pricked his finger. Then she touched the drop of blood to her own tongue.
"I an Bing Gananda. Who are you?"
"Sam," he answered. And now she understood him.
"Sam?... Just Sam?"
"Samuel."
"Sam Eu-el," she replied with a smile. She made three long syllables of his name. "Sam" was just not enough for a name, she thought. Although, it might do among friends.
Bing Gananda could see that Tindor was starving and exhausted.
"Come with us now, Sam Eu-el." She had decided he was not the Evil One. "Now we are Blood."
Tindor slowly got to his feet. His mind was reeling. He followed this sprite and her cats into the jungle.

Bing Gananda 18

2011-09-13T00:00:00.000-04:00

12 Now We Are Blood

The sun was already behind the mountain when Isaac and the others finally made their way back to the sea. They found themselves on a deserted shore. The Brig was nowhere to be seen. They followed the shoreline back to the cove. By now they were carrying Morris. It was dark by the time they made it back to their boats. Roper and Hull met them there. There was a fire on the beach.
"Where the hell have you been?" Hull demanded.
Then they saw the wounded man. Roper asked,
"Where's Grinder?"
The men looked away. Nobody wanted to speak. Finally Isaac told them.
"Dead," he said flatly.

"Dead?" asked Roper in confusion. "How the hell..."
"Just dead," Isaac said. As Roper looked at the men, he realized that no more would be said. He also saw that Isaac now had a brace of pistols.
Then Hull asked in a shocked voice.
"What the hell happened to Morris?"
"The bloody lion," answered one of the men.
"What lion?" he asked, and then remembered what Jackson and Tindor had reported the day before. He looked nervously at the nearby trees.
Hull examined Morris's arm. It was obvious that he would lose it. He looked away. Now he wondered if there would be enough of them left to man the brig. He told two of the sailors,
"Take him out to the ship and see if Jones can help him."
The old cook had served on warships most of his life. He was the closest thing to a surgeon they had now with Tindor gone.
As the sailors pushed off to the brig, Isaac took Hull aside.
"We found Mr. Jackson and Mr. Tindor," he said. "Jackson is dead. Tindor is out there somewhere." He pointed toward the darkening jungle.

For Our Yankee Friends

2011-09-12T20:09:00.003-04:00

Here's something for y'all Yankees

Just thought y'all might like a look at this stuff before it looks like a T Shirt.

Bing Gananda 17

2011-09-11T00:00:00.000-04:00

Tindor had stood up when the mutineers came. He had heard their words and watched in shock as Grinder killed the Bos'n. Now all eyes were on him.
"Get him!"
Tindor bolted into the jungle. Grinder raised his second pistol and fired. The ball passed by Tindor's ear. But just as the mutineers started after him, there was a grey blur, and the "lion" rushed between them. A sailor raised his musket, but before he could fire, The cat's great claws had ripped it from his hands. He reared up, slashing right and left. The men scattered.

Tomono had been watching from the shadows. The shot from Grinder's pistol had startled him. But when he saw Grinder turn on Tindor, he attacked. He liked that man, and wanted to protect him.
Tindor fled farther into the jungle. Once the mutineers were scattered, Tomono followed, quietly.

The sailors slowly regrouped around Grinder. Several had vicious slashes. Morris, the one who had lost his musket, had his arm laid open to the bone, and some broken ribs. He had lost a lot of blood already. The others were making a tourniquet. One turned angrily to Grinder.
"What the hell have you gotten us into?"
"Shut up, Isaac!"
The man reached for his cutlass. Grinder drew his own and they began to circle each other. Then Isaac rushed Grinder, and they began to fight. The others just stood back to watch.
Soon both men were breathing heavily and soaked with sweat. Grinder had been cut several times and was bleeding heavily. It was only a matter of time, and he knew it. His eyes were open wide and he began to panic.
He tried to step back, but lost his footing on a root. That was all it took, and he was run though. He stood for a moment, looking down at the cutlass, then looked up into the eyes of the man who had just killed him. Then, his knees buckled, and he saw nothing.
One of the sailors said quietly,
"We are all dead men."

Isaac stood there panting. He had never killed a man before. It had all been done in a moment of anger. This whole place seemed to be under a curse. Now the men looked to him as their leader.
"What now, Isaac?"
"Which way do we go?"
Isaac shifted uneasily. The sun was going down. Soon it would be dark. Then a thought occurred to him.
"Follow this creek. It has to run into the sea somewhere."

Pandurina was laying outside of her den. She had gathered a collection of the fruits she knew Bing Gananda liked. She looked up as Tomono approached.
She snarled at him. But it was only a half hearted snarl. The truth was, she liked Tomono. Someday there would be kits she knew. But not today.
Tomono had heard of Bing Gananda's banishment. He expected that she would be with Pandurina. The fruit confirmed his suspicions. The man was more like the Lithorians than any other creature. So it seemed natural to bring them together. And he knew Bing Gananda would not be afraid.
"Bring Bing Gananda. One of these creatures is here."
"Why should I wake Bing Gananda for you?"
"Because she'll want to see it."
Pandurina knew this was probably true. But she would not be ordered around by any He Shadocatch! She was about to spit at him when she realized that Bing was standing in front of the den already.
Bing Gananda could not really understand the words of Tomono, she was not Blood with him. But she could get his meaning from Pandurina. She asked,
"What is it Pan?"
Now, Pandurina had to tell why Tomono was there. She glared at him, and then explained what he wanted. And as she had expected, Bing Gananda was ready to go.
"Let's go, Pan," she said as she climbed onto the big cat's back.
Reluctantly Pandurina followed Tomono into the jungle.

Life Is Peachy

2011-09-10T14:42:00.001-04:00

The Fuzz and His Sweetie got these peaches the other day.They look pretty nice. But the flavor was not exceptional. They are also a bit on the firm side. But they did make a good peach cobbler. And now the delicious aroma of Peach Pie is wafting though the trailer! Life can be good.

Bing Gananda 16

2011-09-10T00:00:00.000-04:00

11 All Dead Men

Tomono had not run far. He was quietly watching these men from nearby in the jungle. He did not like them. They were different from the two he had seen at first.
He followed them as they wandered though the dense forest, obviously lost. They were getting closer to the first ones now. Tomono waited to see what would happen next.

Jackson had never stirred during the encounter with Tomono. But Tindor was wide awake now, and thirsty. He went over to the stream for a drink. As he drank, he noticed some unfamiliar fruit growing nearby. He went to investigate, hoping it was edible.
As he was examining it, he heard something else approaching. He crouched down out of sight to watch. The sounds grew louder until he saw Grinder and the others pushing their way though the undergrowth. They were talking among themselves.
"I told you it was the other way!"
"Shut the hell up!"
There was more grumbling, then sudden silence as they stumbled upon Jackson laying there. Finally Grinder spoke.
"Well, look at that. If it ain't Mr Jackson himself."
The Bos'n slowly opened his eyes and looked at them wearily. Grinder kicked him viciously.
"Get the hell up!" As Jackson struggled to his feet, Grinder said scornfully, "Did you enjoy your swim?" Then, "You seen your friend Mr Tindor?"
Jackson glanced quickly around, and instantly regretted it.
"So, he is here!" He turned to the sailors with him. "You two," he pointed, "look around. He must be around here some where. Find him."
Grinder pulled a pistol from the brace at his belt, and pointed it at Jackson's face.
"You had a change of heart, Bos'n?"
"Go to hell, Grinder."
Grinder's face twisted in rage.
"You first," he said, and then pulled the trigger.
It was suddenly quiet after the blast of the gun. Jackson crumpled to the ground, his face was a bloody mess. The rest of the men stared at him. Grinder put his hand on the second pistol.
"Well, who's next?"
Nobody spoke. Then one pointed toward the stream.
"There he is!"

Door Pix

2011-09-09T14:24:00.000-04:00

The Fuzz has been a little slack the last few days.
But, he did promise some pix of this finished door project. So here they are.
On the right is a look at the exterior.
There is still a bit of touch up painting needed, and some curtains. But The Fuzz's Sweetie will take care of that.
All in all, it took a bit longer than expected. But there was a bit of an interruption that complicated things.
The Fuzz is doing OK in that regard, and his bike is functioning. There is still no news of any funds for repairs though.
But here is a great little Techno-Tip. If for some reason, one sees a Electrical-Type Flash whilst cutting wood (or anything else) The damage can be quickly, if temporarily, fixed with Wire Nuts! Of course it is better to avoid this situation entirely if possible.

More On Improved

2011-09-07T12:12:00.000-04:00

With the interior trim pretty much finished, it was time to go back outside. This had been left off due to The Fuzz's inability to work laying on the floor due to his injuries. But now the time had come.
Here he is using a piece of lumber salvaged from part of the wall that had been removed. The chisel is being used to remove some glue residue.
That piece was used under the new door. To the left is a look at the new curtain rod. The Fuzz had done something similar over the window with a nice piece of scrap copper pipe. But this time the cost was prohibitive. So he used some conduit.It is atached to the wall with screws going though small spacers cut from some scrap copper tubing. Now all we need is some nice curtains. The Fuzz's Sweetie will handle that.
We'll get some pix of the finished job up sometime soon.

Bing Gananda 15

2011-09-07T00:00:00.000-04:00

10 A Lion

Pandurina's den was a hollow beneath the roots of a great tree, cool and well hidden. Bing Gananda curled up beside the Shadocatch and was soon asleep. It had been a long night. And she hadn't slept much the day before. She had a mind to have another look at the men on the beach, but for now, it could wait.

The exhausted Bos'n was fast asleep. Tindor sat watching him. Jackson had lost his shoes in the water while swimming for his life, and his feet were already bruised and bleeding. They had nothing to eat, and no weapons. But they had found water.
Tindor was tired himself, but too uneasy to sleep. He jumped at every new sound. At times, in the distance, he thought he could hear the mutineers. As the day wore on, his eyes grew heavy. Eventually, he succumbed, and fell into a fitful sleep.

The sailors were busy. The Ship's Carpenter was directing the repairs. He had not been happy about the turn of events, but he could see which way the wind was blowing, and would make the best of things.
The repairs would take several days at best, perhaps as much as a fortnight. But there was no need to hurry. "Captain" Martin was planning to send a party out to forage for some fresh food. Surely there was game somewhere on the island. And they would need fresh fruit if possible. The Carpenter needed some timber too.
Hull was Martin's new Mate. He was taking some of the sailors to shore with the longboat, to see what they could find. As the men were getting ready to go ashore, Roper took Hull off to the side.
"Hull," he said, "Did anybody see anything strange last night?"
"Strange? What are you talking about?"
"Oh, nothing." Then he added hesitantly, "It's just... From the ship... Well..."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"There were these lights" Roper said in a low voice. "We saw them on shore."
"Lights?"
"Aye, kind of like the moon itself, but out there in the jungle."
"Well, we saw nothing." Hull told him. But he glanced at the island uneasily.

Tomono, the Shadocatch, moved noiselessly though the Jungle. Like most of the Shadocatch, he preferred to hunt at night. But there had been a lot of activity among the Lithorians, and now he was curious. There was a new scent in the air. It was like nothing he knew, and it was nearby.
Tindor woke with a start. It took a moment for his eyes to focus. There was a huge cat staring at him. He was afraid to move.
Then Tomono spoke. Tindor was sure the big cat was speaking, but he couldn't understand a thing. Then with a swish of his tail, Tomono sprang back into the jungle.
Tindor sat in shock for some time. This creature must have been what Jackson had seen the day before. It was a cat of some kind. But like none he'd ever seen. And he was sure it had tried to talk to him. Or was it all a dream?
It looked to be about a yard tall at the shoulders, and was covered with long, thick fur. The color was a pattern of light and dark grey. He had expected it to attack at first. But it had spoken instead. What kind of creatures inhabited this place, he wondered.

Tomono moved noiselessly away from the men. Here was something new. They resembled the Lithorians, but were much larger. He wondered if they were dangerous. He was not surprised that they couldn't understand his speech. It would take Blood for that. He wondered if they had met the Lithorians yet. They must be what had stirred up the Lithorians. He would leave them alone for now.
As he circled back toward his den, he heard something approaching noisily though the jungle. He crouched down and waited. It was another group of the men. They were talking loudly among themselves, oblivious to their surroundings. They were coming right at him.
The leader was only a half dozen paces from the cat when he saw him. His eyes shot open and he dropped his cutlass in panic. He jumped backward and fell over Grinder who was right behind him.
Tomono reared up and leaped over the fallen men, and bounded away into the jungle. One of the sailors belatedly fired his musket at nothing in particular.
"What the hell was that?" one asked once he had recovered.
"A bloody lion," another answered.
The men gathered close together, watching the jungle warily. Grinder angrily pushed the fallen man off of him, and struggled to his feet.
"What was it?" he asked. He had not gotten a look at it himself.
"A damned lion!"
"Big as a house!"
"There are no lions on these islands," Grinder said, half to convince himself.
For a moment he remembered those weird lights of the night before. But this was broad daylight. It was only some animal he told himself as he calmed down. And probably, not that dangerous. After all, it had run away. It was too bad they hadn't shot it for the meat.
But the men were spooked. They wanted to go back to the beach. At least there they could see what was around them. They were men of the sea. This dense and twisted vegetation seemed like a deathtrap to them.
But now they were confused. In the excitement they had gotten turned around. No one was sure which direction they had come from, and everything looked the same.
An argument broke out. Finally Grinder drew his pistol, and threatened to shoot. Then, he chose a direction, and started for the beach- he hoped.

*Bing Gananda may also be found in the sidebar, at the right.

The View Improved (cont.)

2011-09-06T11:55:00.000-04:00

Just an update on the Sliding Glass Door Project.
The Fuzz and His Sweetie picked up a few boards at the Home Improvement Store, and took them over to the Old Place. There they were able to rip them into the proper size for some interior trim.
He had already taken care of some of the wiring issues while he was out of work.
Check out our new Porch Light. This was something Our Fuzz had found years ago on the job and stashed. Before things got so automated a lot more stuff used to make it home. I think His Sweetie had mixed feelings about that. But this was one of those times when it paid off.

Bing Gananda 14

2011-09-06T00:00:00.001-04:00

9 In the Jungle

Pandurina crept though the jungle with Bing Gananda on her back. Bing was angry. She knew that Gala Gania didn't like her, but this was too much. Now she was banished from her Holt !
"Come with me to my den, Bing." Pandurina said comforting her, as they moved silently among the trees.
Bing Gananda could see a slight hint of the coming dawn in the east. Then Pan stopped. Someone stood in their path. It was the eldest of the Eld again.
"Where are you going, Bing Gananda?"
She could not be angry with him. He had had no part in her banishment. And she was a little in awe of him. He seemed to know her. She wondered how he had found her.
"I will go with Pandurina," she answered.
"Ah, a loyal friend." But now he was speaking to the Shadocatch.
Bing was amazed when Pan replied to him. They were not Blood, were they?
"Bing Gananda is my friend!"
"And, a good friend is worth keeping, Pandurina. Keep her safe."
Now he spoke again to Bing Gananda.
"I too, have been to the mountain, and I too am Blood with Kurura the Terrible. You are a brave one, Bing Gananda. Beware of these men and their ship. They are not all evil, but this is not their world."
Then, he was gone. Only a slight glow remained.

Tindor had brought the Bos'n back into the jungle with him. Jackson was starting to recover his strength.
"What happened out there?"
"It was Grinder and Roper. They came at us with cutlasses. The captain's pistol misfired, and they killed him, and Billy too. Me, I went over the side."
Tindor was quiet for a time. Finally he said,
"Then... they have the ship."
"Aye."
"It's Martin. They killed Spitzer, I saw it."
They were silent for a while. Finally Tindor asked,
"Who's left, Jack?"
"Just you, and me."
"What do we do now?"
"I don't know, Sam."
Tindor thought for a while. It was beginning to get light.
"We need to get away from this beach," he said. "I don't like this jungle much, but we need to get away from here. And we'll need to find some water."
They got up, and began to push their way warily though the thick foliage, back into the jungle.

As it grew light, Grinder and Roper set out for the beach in the Jolly Boat. Martin and Hull met them at the shore.
"How'd it go?' Martin asked. "Who's left?"
"We got Daniels, Billy, and the Captain. The cook's with us."
"What about Jackson?"
They hesitated before answering. Then Roper told him,
"He went over the side."
"Then he got away."
"I don't know what happened to him."
Martin was angry.
"He got away!"
"Maybe he drowned."
Then Hull said,
"It doesn't matter anyway. We have the ship, and the crew."
Grinder asked,
"What about Mr. Tindor?"
"We don't know. He went off by himself last night and nobody's seen him since."
"He's harmless, don't worry about him. He may already be dead."
Then Martin said,
"To hell with them both. Get the boys together. Let's get this ship back in shape."
"Aye, Captain."
Martin smiled. He had his ship, and the world was waiting.

After a time of struggling though the thick vegetation, Tindor and Jackson finally found a small stream and lay down to rest. They had no idea where they were. Jackson's thoughts went back to the time on board the brig, just before the mutiny.
"Sam," he asked, "did you see anything strange before all the trouble started?"
He was thinking of those weird lights they had seen on the island.
"What do you mean, strange?"
"From the ship, we saw some kind of lights, moving around on the island. They looked a lot like moonlight, or... (spirits came to mind) ...I don't know what."
"Where? I didn't see anything here."
"Back in the jungle, near the mountain.
When Tindor didn't answer, he said,
"The Captain was right about this place."

*Bing Gananda may also be found in the sidebar, at the right.

2011-09-05T11:03:00.002-04:00

One of the results of The Fuzz's recent misfortune was this broken key. It was in his pocket as he slid along the pavement, and probably contributed to the extensive bruising on his hip. (Which is still a bit sore)
Modern technology is wonderful, in it's way, but expensive. This little item runs well over $100. But not to worry.
The Fuzz has ways to handle these things.
It was time to break out that trusty Epoxy Stuff*. So The Fuzz mixed up a bit of this handy stickum, and carefully applied it, trying to keep it away from the stuff that shouldn't get stuck.
And it worked!
Good as new! (almost)

*Here's yet another great Techno-Tip from The Fuzz for saving $$$ on High-Tech Keys!

Bing Gananda 13

2011-09-02T00:00:00.000-04:00

8 Exiles

Samuel Tindor was walking back to the fire when he saw Martin, Spitzer and Hull silhouetted against the horizon. He stayed in the shadows and listened to the argument in horror. Then came the shot, and he saw Spitzer fall.
He stayed still, afraid to move lest they see him. Then, in a moment they all heard the shot from the Mary Anne, followed by a splash.
"Sounds like Roper and Grinder are busy."
"What do you think about Daniels and Billy?" asked Hull.
"Daniels is dead, I don't know about Billy."
"I wonder how it went."
Martin was watching the ship.
"We'll know in a minute," the Mate said.
As they watched, another lantern appeared onboard. This one was swung back and forth for a moment.
"Well, that's that," said Hull. "What about Spitzer here?"
He kicked sand at the body.
"Let the birds have him," Martin said as they turned away.
"Aye, Captain."
Martin smiled.

Tindor watched the men walk back to the group at the fire. He heard the sailors grow quiet. Then there was a cheer. His heart sank.
It was mutiny. He suspected that he would be unwelcome at the fire. He wondered how Jackson had fared. He couldn't imagine the Bos'm as a mutineer. He stood a long time in the dark, watching the ship at anchor in the cove.

At the council, the other Eld grew uneasy at the mention of Kurura. The murmuring from the crowd grew louder. To actually seek out the dragon was unheard of. A voice was heard above the rest.
"Bing Gananda is a danger to us all! Send her away!"
It was Gala Gania. But now the others began as well. Bing Gananda was hurt at the outcry against her. She could see that even the Eld were turning against her. All but the eldest, the one who had spoken to her. She was sure he knew.
But there was no stopping it now. Bing Gananda was banished. The council agreed, all but the one, the eldest, who remained silent.
Gala Gania smiled. She had finally had her revenge.
Anger rose up in Bing Gananda at the injustice of it. She stood defiant, glaring at them all in the moonlight. Then she called to Pandurina. The crowd parted as the Shadocatch strode forth.
Then, with a last defiant glare, Bing leaped onto the cat, and they shot away into the night.

Tindor was unsure what to do. He sat down at the edge of the trees, and looked out over the water to the ship. It was no good going there either.
After a time he noticed something in the water. It seemed to be moving toward the shore. As he watched he could see that it was a man swimming quietly, but not toward the fire. Someone had escaped from the ship.

When Grinder and Roper had attacked, Jackson had realized that he had no chance against both of them. All he could do was attempt to escape. And the only escape was over the side.
But now he was tiring. His soaked clothing was pulling him down. He had already pulled off his shoes. He was no great swimmer, and the beach was still far off. He had no plan other than to reach solid ground.
He was sure the crew on the beach were part of the mutiny. If he made it to the island, he would have to find a place to hide.
He was surprised when his feet found the bottom. He crawled up onto the sand with relief and lay still. He knew he couldn't stay there. But he was exhausted. He had to rest.
Jackson lay there for a time in the dark not thinking of anything other than how good the wet sand felt. Slowly, he became aware that someone was standing next to him.
"Jack?"
"Sam?"
Tindor helped him to his feet.
"Come on, Jack, come back here in the woods. We don't want to be seen."

*Bing Gananda may also be found in the sidebar, at the right.

Bing Gananda 12

2011-08-31T00:00:00.000-04:00

7 Shots in the night

Tindor had wandered off by himself. He was so absorbed in his discoveries that he lost track of the time. He found himself on an isolated stretch of beach. He could see the sailor's fire across the cove. The sounds of their revelry were faint in the distance.
The sun had gone down behind the mountain some time ago. There was a lantern burning on the Mary Anne, anchored in the cove. He could just see the glow of the mountain's crater over the trees.
Tindor was happy to spend some time off the ship. But he did not want to join the sailors yet. The moon had risen and he was enjoying the peace.

Back at the fire, the men had started on the rum.
"Martin's alright."
"The captain wouldn't have give us the rum."
"What's he gonna say about this?" asked a worried man.
"Who cares, what can he do?"
"Where is Martin, anyway?"

Martin was farther down the beach with Spitzer and Hull.
"Are you with us or not?" Hull demanded.
"Are you crazy? Piracy?" Spitzer was appalled.
"This island is the perfect place for a base. No one even knows it's here."
"The ship's barely armed!"
"She's fast, and she'll do for coasters and these island traders. We'll pick up a few more guns as we go."
"What about the Captain?"
"Damn the Captain! And you too. Are you with us, or not?"
Hull grabbed hold of Spitzer's arm. Spitzer spun and hit him hard in the jaw, braking free. He sprinted away. There was a blast of fire and smoke, and he sprawled in the sand. Martin was holding the still smoking pistol.
"That's one down."

The shot was easily heard onboard the ship in the cove. The Captain and Mr. Jackson both came on deck.
"It came from over there," said the man on watch. He pointed to a dark area of the shoreline. "I saw the flash."
Captain Pearce turned to the Bos'n.
"Who's still onboard?"
He sounded serious.
"Just the watch, Grinder, Daniels, Roper, and Billy here," Jackson answered. "And the cook, of course," he added.
Pearce lowered his voice.
"Are you armed?"
"What?"
"Damn you, are you armed!"
"Well, no, sir."
The Captain spoke quickly.
"Billy, Jackson, come with..."
He was interrupted as two men came on deck. It was Grinder and Roper. They both carried cutlasses.
"Where's Daniels?" Pearce asked in a cold voice.
"He's not coming." Daniels was below with his throat slit.
Billy slowly drew a knife from his belt.
"What'll it be, Billy?" asked Roper. "You with us?"
"Damn you!"
The Captain pulled a pistol from his waist as Grinder lunged at him. There was a small flash and fizzle as the gun misfired. Grinder ran him though. And then, the gun went off, blowing a hole into the deck.
Billy had thrown up his arm to block Roper's slash. He was cut to the bone, blood spurting. He slashed at Roper with the knife barely missing his throat. It was no good. Roper brought the cutlas down on him, nearly severing his head.
Now both men turned on Jackson, but he went over the rail and dove into the water below.

The shots were heard by the gathered Lithorians. They murmured nervously.
"That's the same thing we heard this morning."
"Where is Bing Gananda?"
"Why is she not here?"
Finally, someone led Bing Gananda forth. The rest grew quiet. The most ancient of the Eld gestured for her to approach.
"Where have you been tonight, Bing Gananda?" he asked.
"I have just returned from the mountain, High One." she answered.
There were more voices from the crowd.
"She rode on that beast!"
"The Shadocatch!"
"She is Blood with the Shadocatch!"
The Eld motioned her closer, and asked quietly.
"Is this true?"
"Yes, we are Blood, High One."
The Eld's expression softened just a little. Bing was the only one who noticed. He spoke again.
"And what does Kurura say?"
Somehow, she was not surprised that he knew.
"Kurura!"
There was an uproar from the crowd. Kurura was widely feared by the Lithorians. The other Eld watched in shock as he asked again, this time so as only the closest could hear.
"Tell me, Bing Gananda." Then he added just for her, "You are a brave one."
Her courage rose as she looked into his face.
"Kurura said that there are other worlds."
"And?"
"These creatures are men..."
"And?"
"They bring evil with them." she added in a whisper.

*Bing Gananda may also be found in the sidebar, at the right.

More Troubles, Resolved (more or less)

2011-08-29T21:19:00.000-04:00

You may remember Our Fuzz has been having Motorcycle Troubles lately. He finally did get that troublesome screw out. That required removing the headlight, and cutting a new slot in the offending screw with his trusty Dremel Tool. Much to his chagrin, he found that this was not actually the fuse box. When he actually found the fuses, there was nothing wrong with them.
It was time to enlist the expert. The Fuzz called on that Mechanical Minded Daughter, a recent graduate of that Prestigious NASCAR Mechanic School! Her extensive knowledge of auto electrical systems, carried over into Motorcycle Electrical situations as well. It turns out that the culprit was this Starter Button. The Fuzz remembers when there used to be a "Kick Starter" on these things. But those days seem to be gone. The switch was temporarily "fixed", and The Fuzz is back on the road. And a new switch will be procured as soon as possible.
The Fuzz used to fix her cars. Now things are going the other way. That's a good thing.

Bing Gananda 11

2011-08-28T00:10:00.001-04:00

As the night closed in, the sailors heaped wood on the fire. The flames leaped and sparks rose into the sky. The Captain and Bos'n watched from the ship. The island was dark except for the glow at the top of the mountain.
"Captain," Jackson said, "Did you see that?"
They both stared as several points at the base of the mountain began to glow. It was a soft, cool light, not unlike the moon, now high in the sky over the mountain. As they watched, the glowing lights seemed to be moving, flickering, gathering together.
The sailor on watch had seen them now.
"Cap'n, sir," he said in a shaky voice. "Do you see that?"
"Yes, Billy, we do."
"What do you reckon it is, sir?"
There was silence for a moment.
"I don't know, Billy."

The Lithorians were gathering as they did in times of need. They were mostly a nocturnal race, sleeping though the heat of the day. Tonight, they had been summoned for a High Council.
They had come from the various Holten, each Holt with their Moon Stone, glowing in the night. They would meet at the Great Vale at the foot of the mountain.
Each Holt had it's Eld, usually the most ancient of the Lithorians of that Holt. The Eld made up the Council of the High Ones. They spoke quietly, yet were heard by all.
By now, all were aware of the strangers' presence. But no one knew what to do. The discussions lasted far into the night. Gala Gania was brought forth. She accused Bing Gananda of causing the trouble.
"And how would Bing Gananda be responsible for this?"
"She goes to the sea every morning!" Gala replied.
There was a murmur from the assembly.
"She goes everywhere!" came a voce from the crowd.
"Where is she now!"
"She's gone up the mountain!"
"With that Beast!"
Finally the Council called for silence.
"Find her, and bring her before all."

*Bing Gananda may also be found in the sidebar, at the right.

Bing Gananda 10

2011-08-24T00:00:00.003-04:00

6 Kurura

The Shadocatch burst from the jungle and began the climb in great bounds. Bing Gananda grasped tighter with her fingers and toes as Pandurina leapt from rock to rock. As she looked over her shoulder, she could see the sun sinking toward the sea. Over her other shoulder, the moon had already risen from the waters.
Kurura would be found at the summit, in a cave near the crater of fire. If he wished to be found. By the time they neared the great crater, the stars shown brightly above the mountain. Pandurina slowed. She was uneasy. Even a Shadocatch was not safe from Kurura.
For the most part, the Lithorians preferred to stay under the lush foliage of the jungle. Bing Gananda was the exception. But although she and Pandurina had been on the mountain of fire, she had never dared to approach Kurura, until now.
There were legends of those who had spoken with Kurura. It was said that those ones, were always held in awe, yet regarded with some suspicion. Bing Gananda had once seen him in flight from afar. It had terrified her, and thrilled her.
Bing Gananda felt exhilarated as she neared the glow of the crater with it's liquid fire below. The wind blew though her hair and it floated around her now, as she stood before the cave of Kurura. Pandurina slunk away as they heard the heavy breathing of Kurura's approach.
But, Bing Gananda stood her ground at the entrance of the cave. She knew she must show no fear. Even when the head of the great lizard appeared, she never flinched.
Kurura stood at the entrance to his lair. He was so close that Bing Gananda could feel his hot breath. Steam rose from his nostrils as he stared at her with unblinking eyes. His forked tongue flicked from his mouth to within a hairbreadth of her face. Still she stood her ground, head held high, and met his eyes.
She bowed low before him, and drew a blade from her waist. With it, she pricked her hand drawing a large drop of her blood. When Kurura's tongue flicked again, and she quickly placed the blood on it.
"Kurura of the Mountain, speak with me," she sang.
As Pandurina watched from a safe distance, Kurura's expression seemed to soften, if that were possible, and he held out one of his powerful forelegs with it's terrible claws. And then, Bing Gananda took her knife and made a small prick, on the soft underside. She touched his blood with her finger and placed it onto her own tongue.
"What is your wish, O Bing Gananda of the Holt?" The sound was not words, yet she now understood them in her mind.
"O Kurura, you are very old and wise. Strange creatures have come to us from the sea. Yet, they seem to be of the world, or of a world. Tell me, are there other worlds?"
"In my youth, I flew far from this mountain, high above the waves. There are indeed, other places like this world of yours."
His words sent a thrill though her.
"I have seen these men and their ship. Bing Gananda, beware. There is evil there among them." He turned his cold eyes toward the cowering Shadocatch. "Bing Gananda, You are a brave one, unlike some creatures." And then he blew a great stream of fire straight at Pandurina. She fled into the darkness.

It took some time for Bing to find Pan shivering in a crevasse of the mountain. She stroked Pandurina and spoke softly.
"Don't feel badly, Pan. A Shadocatch was never meant to stand up to such a one as Kurura."
"But you can."
"I am Lithorian," she replied.

*Bing Gananda may also be found in the sidebar, at the right.