Busy All Week, and Not Much Done

It's been another one of those weeks that felt full of hectic activity: with very little actually accomplished. On the other hand, I did get Spiral Light Candle's Find a Retailer page updated. Here's how it looked on Wednesday:


Spiral Light Candle's Store Locator map, reduced to fit this blog's format.
November 28, 2012.

Those candles that burn in a circle are in over 200 stores as of the middle of last week. Spiral Light Candle has a pretty good online store, too.

My son-in-law and #2 daughter have been doing the heavy lifting, taking Spiral Light Candle from a good idea into a factory in North Dakota: but my wife and I own a piece of the company, too; and our son was 'on loan' this week, helping with the Christmas rush.

We picked him up this weekend, spending all Saturday with #2 daughter and son-in-law. I'll be astonished if we see them again before next year: but maybe they'll come to a family get-together here in Sauk Centre. Then again maybe not.

Either way, I'm glad we went to see them this weekend: and I'm glad to be back home.


Spiral Light Candle factory, south section: production floor and offices.
March-April, 2012.

Finally, my wife received her black belt in Soo Bahk Do this evening. This is the realization of a decades-old dream for her. #3 daughter has her black belt, too. Actually, the belts are midnight blue, and that's another topic.

Related posts:

• "Candles, a Store Locator, and Online Shopping"
  Starting a Small Business Without Losing My Mind (November 28, 2012)
• "A Busy Week, or, Christmas Season's Started"
  Sauk Centre Journal Blog (December 2, 2012)
• "Family, Candles, and an Online Store"
  (November 28, 2012)
• "Another Month, Another Unexpected Drive"
  (September 16, 2012)
• "Good Candles and Good Neighbors in North Dakota"
  Includes excerpts from the news
  Starting a Small Business Without Losing My Mind
  (June 16, 2012)

Almost Spring: Soo Bahk Do, and Pets

My wife and #3 daughter were at a Soo Bahk Do clinic most of yesterday: leaving about 6:00 a.m. and getting home late in the evening. The clinic/learning session didn't take that long - but it was in Minnesota's Twin Cities area, which involves about two hours on the road, each way.

I gather that it was quite an active day, mentally and physically. (Soo Bahk Do is sort of like Karate.)

Spring, Minnesota style, is here: it rained last night, and the snow drifts are lower than they were a few days ago. They're also starting to show the dust and dirt that's been hidden inside. This isn't the most 'picture postcard' season here.

Friday night #1 daughter noticed that Eek the mouse died. She'd collected the little critter in her apartment - and made a pet of it. We've no idea how old Eek was. He'd made a daring escape several days earlier, and been recaptured in one of a number of 'live' traps #1 daughter had set up.

Twitches, #1 daughter's cat, on the other hand, is doing fine: and at this moment scampering around the house.

Which isn't all that's happened lately - but that would make a very long post.

Living in a Construction Site

There are much worse things than having a water pipe burst in the house. But that's been enough to disrupt things for this household.

We've been in the rebuilding stage for a while here. And, since my desk and computer are in the north room, just off the kitchen, I have a sort of front-row seat.

As I wrote in another blog, earlier today:

"It's quiet at the moment, but pretty soon this area will be suffused with the rhythms of a staple gun, the shrill sonority of a rotary saw, anon hammerings and scrapings.

"Tranquil it ain't."
(Apathetic Lemming of the North (October 8, 2010))

I took some photos on Wednesday, while the floor was mostly taken apart in three (or four, depending on how you count them) rooms:


Tearing the floors up uncovered a few things that needed fixing. (October 6, 2010)

I'm not going to say that having an indoor water feature in the house was a good thing - but taking up flooring, and what the flooring was sitting on, showed a few spots that needed attention - and made it possible to get the fixing done.


Here's the floor at the foot of the stairs going from the ground to the second floor: or, rather, the floor joists and old subfloor. (October 6, 2010)

If you look closely, the gaps between the old subfloor planks aren't very dark. There's a reason for that. You're looking straight down into the basement, where a light's on.


I'm going to miss being able to see into the basement from the first floor. But not much. (October 6, 2010)

There's smooth flooring in the rooms that needed work now, for the first time in - quite a while. There's going to be a finished surface that goes over that - but I'm glad not to be walking on rough planks and the occasional screw or nail any more.

Just to keep things interesting: as of - early today, I think it was - the refrigerator is in the north room, behind me and to my left as I sit at the desk. It's plugged in, so our food supply is okay. The stove? It's somewhere else. And not plugged in.

I'm going to be glad when the various repair/reconstruction jobs are over.

For the season.

There's quite a lot of work that needs to be done on the east wall of the house - but happily that can wait until spring.

One more thing: My wife and #3 daughter have been off with the Soo Bahk Do class, down in the Twin Cities (Minneapolis-St. Paul to non-Minnesotans). Some sort of test. I expect them back in an hour or so.

Kimchi: Like Sauerkraut, But Spicy

I have now sampled kimchi: Korea's version of sauerkraut. I rather like sauerkraut: Germany's version of kimchi. Kimchi is spicier. And redder.

My wife and #3 daughter brought some kimchi home with them from Soo Bahk Do class tonight. My daughter was - impressed? - that I took a look at it, and ate the entire sample: maybe two or three tablespoons-worth.

My eyes started watering about the same time that she was explaining that she'd just touched some to her tongue.

I think my method allows me to experience it more completely.

And, my sinuses seem to be more open now.

A Rabbit, a Haircut, Soo Bahk Do, and Phone Calls

It's been a a good day. My wife gave me a haircut this afternoon: no more 'ancient wizard' look for me. I haven't measured, but my hair's maybe a quarter-inch long now. Probably less. Tomorrow, I trim the beard to match.

There's plenty of time for it to get long and curly for the 'Santa Claus' look next Christmas.

I ate an apple today - not entirely so that I could give the core to Giol, #1 daughter's pet rabbit. But that was a factor. This time Giol hopped a couple feet away from me before starting to eat the apple core. He does that, sometimes: more often when I make it a little harder to get the thing. I think he may be protecting 'his' treat.

My wife and #3 daughter went to Soo Bahk Do class this evening. They're preparing for a test. My son stayed home this time. The rationale was that he wasn't going to be taking the test - and prep for the test was all that'd be happening in class.

I didn't get out for a walk today - but I did go through some of the Wii Fit routines. I'm rather serious about undoing the effects several years (decades) of comparative immobility.

And, I'm catching up, more or less, from the break I took to write about lint. Earth Day and all that, you know.

Feeling Under the Weather, & a Video Camera

My wife and #3 daughter came home early, from minding the shop. They've got one more day of filling in for my father-in-law - and my wife tells me she plans to take it very easy tomorrow. Good idea. She wasn't feeling too well this afternoon. And she's skipping Soo Bahk Do tonight.

When she does that: I know my wife isn't feeling well.

Oh, well: we've been through this thing before, quite a lot over the years. We both take that 'in sickness or in health' thing seriously. And she's had me to put up with: so I'm glad to be able to turn around and be helpful for her.

My son's been talking about a video camera he's interested in. I know how it is to be enthusiastic about a gadget - and the importance of due diligence. I think this will be another learning experience for him.

Apart from that, it's been raining; the snow is melting; and I'm looking forward to warmer, dryer weather.

Sunday: It's been a Good Day

It's been a good Sunday. The family and I went to Mass, I grilled burgers while #1 daughter enjoyed time with #3 daughter and my son, goofed off much of the afternoon, and got a bit of meditation in, too.

That sounds highfalutin, doesn't it? I looked it up, and to meditate is to "study: think intently and at length".

It's Lent, and I'm taking that as an opportunity to think back and have another go at sorting out what I've done, and what I should do now. Part of today's dredging resulted in a few posts in other blogs (I'll link to one of them at the end of this post, and a related post from last week).

#1 daughter left after supper - with longer days, she can stick around for the evening meal now, and still drive in daylight. She should be back in Alex now, getting ready for classes tomorrow.

#3 daughter, my wife and my son went to Soo Bahk Do class this evening, as usual. And, again as usual, came back a bit pooped and with more knowledge.

I've wrapped up the tasks I do Sunday evening. It's time to call it a day.

Next week will be a little off-routine. My father-in-law is spending time with one of my brothers-in-law, so my wive and #3 daughter will be minding the shop quite a bit.

Related posts:

• "Valley Forge Village in Sauk Centre: Why Was I So Intense?"
  Sauk Centre Journal Blog (March 7, 2010)
• "Prayer, Medicine and Trusting God"
  A Catholic Citizen in America (March 4, 2010)

A Pulled Muscle, a Bulletin, and Insomnia

I was up until about 3:00 this morning: Can's say that I recommend the practice. Oh, well. I've read that occasional insomnia isn't anything to worry about, so I won't. Sleeping until almost noon gave me enough sleep - although at the 'wrong' time.

However, I'm less out-of-focus today, so something's going right. And, I'm determined to have a shot at a saner sleep-wake cycle tonight.

I've gotten a bit done today: including cleaning over a half-gigabyte of excess files off my hard drive.

My wife, son, and #3 daughter went to Soo Bahk Do class this evening, which gave me a quiet house to work in. I got the Knights of Columbus bulletin counted and the postal forms filled out. It's good to drop at the Post Office tomorrow, right on schedule. My wife, as usual, attached the labels we got from the printer's.

#3 daughter managed to pull a muscle at Soo Bahk Do, but I think she'll be okay. "Doctor Mom" knows how to deal with that sort of thing.

My son and I read Garfield and sang, as usual, again this evening. And I have only two posts left to write: then I can call it a day and turn in.

Thursday: Routine, Which is Fine By Me

I'm caught up now, from Tuesday's malware situation.

And, thanks to a big of sitting with pencil and paper (pen, actually), I've gotten some work done part of the setting for a story or three. Which is another topic, for another blog.

It's Thursday, so my wife and #3 daughter went to Soo Bahk Do this evening. My son stayed home: he's been under the weather. Nothing serious, but why take chances? Besides, there's a Soo Bahk Do clinic this weekend, and I'm hoping he'll be able to go.

Apart from that, and talking briefly with my son-in-law about some family business, the day's been quite routine. Right down to the Garfield-and-song with my son about an hour and a half ago.

It may get better than this: but I'm glad with what I have.

Goodnight, and may God bless.

Thursday: One More Day and It's the Weekend

Another day's done.

My wife, #3 daughter and son went to Soo Bahk Do class tonight and got a thorough workout. Someday I ought to get involved in that again.

My day was mostly writing posts - including one for Narcissus-X that's more the result of desperation than inspiration on my part: "Narcissus-X Contemplates the Viscous Chartreuse Torrent." My schedule says that there's a Narcissus-X post due today - and there's some small virtue to sticking to a schedule.

If nothing else, I figure it's keeping my creative muscles limber. Although, judging from today's results, a re-evaluation of that assumption may be called for.

It's getting late, I'm tired.

Goodnight, and may God bless.

No Soo Bahk Do Today

I just got word: My wife, #3 daughter and son won't be going to Soo Bahk Do class today. The weather's okay now, but it looks like a little weather's headed this way:

• Light freezing rain
• Sleet
• Snow and patchy light freezing drizzle in the evening
• "...then patchy light freezing drizzle after midnight. Areas of fog in the evening. Widespread freezing fog after midnight...."

Fairly routine stuff for central Minnesota, this time of year: but people tend to live longer if they maintain situational awareness.

Disappointing for them - my wife sent my son to this end of the house, so that I wouldn't be surprised, a few minutes from now, if I noticed they were still here. Good for her.

So, for them it's some unscheduled free time. For me, an opportunity to hang out with them. Provided I get the day's tasks done.

Being self-employed is okay: but a downside is that no employer in his right mind would work someone the way I do with myself.

Locking the Family Out: Or, the Knock

My wife, #3 daughter, and son were at Soo Bahk Do this evening. I wrapped up (most) of the day's tasks while they were out. And, fiddled around a bit on the keyboard.

Fiddled? Keyboard? Uf da: not the best metaphor. Let it pass.

I checked the garage while I was over there: the light was on, which I decided must have been intentional, so they wouldn't be in the dark on their return.

Then I (quite automatically, without thinking or even being aware of it) locked the inside door of the garage, and settled in, two rooms away, to get a little further along on a fiction project.

After a time, I realized that someone was knocking at a door.

The garage door! I'd locked it.

Oh, well: they didn't have to wait more than - maybe a minute?

It's late, and I'm determined to get a reasonable night's sleep.

Soo Bahk Do, My Daughter's Rabbit, and Funeral Arrangements

We went to Mass this morning, I grilled burgers for lunch - not incinerating them for the second time this weekend - and I enjoyed the company of #1 daughter and her rabbit Giol while grilling. The rain held off until after I was inside, for which I'm duly grateful.

My wife was surprised that I didn't ache after this afternoon's nap - I'd been sitting on the couch. When #1 daughter called her in - I'll get to 'why' shortly - I was still sitting, from the waist down. The upper part of me was lying down on the couch, at quite an angle.

I think my trick hips may have encouraged me to retain an unusual suppleness everywhere else. When I think about it, a guy in his upper fifties generally doesn't get away with stunts like that.

Anyway:

#1 daughter My Wife had called my wife #1 daughter in to report a bag-chewing in progress. Giol had found, and broken open, a bag of corn chips. He'd eaten at least one by the time the ladies stopped him. That's an enterprising rabbit. My wife says he's too cute to get mad at: I see her point.

The ladies and my son went to Soo Bahk Do class tonight. My wife helped one of the other students prepare for an upcoming test. The exercises include defenses against a (simulated) knife attack.

Since the attack is supposed to be a 'surprise,' my wife used several different techniques - at least one of which involved holding the (simulated) knife so that the blade would get in the way of conventional defenses. The student was, indeed, surprised, and thanked her - the fellows he usually practiced with weren't anywhere near as imaginative. Or is it innovative?

As I've said before about this family: It's a good thing we're honest.

Funeral arrangements for my father and mother are progressing about as smoothly as I could expect. I've been in touch with a relative down in the west-of-Chicago area, who's handling the bulk of arrangements there.

He told me a bit more about my father - I'll be trying to get all of the information organized.

My father is a very high act to follow - quite a man.

Thursday: Walking the Dog

My wife, son, and #3 daughter got back from Soo Bahk Do about a half hour ago, and I'm wrapping up my tasks here at the computer.

Coborn's grocery, a few blocks south, is having a 'kid's week' promotion - today's events included a sort of parade at 10:00 a.m. I got down there with a camera and may have gotten some decent photos. The parade consisted of a couple dozen children - some with a wagon or something similar - following someone in a purple cow costume around the parking lot.

It looked like they were having fun.

#1 daughter picked a bucket-full of cherries today. This year we're getting to them before the birds do. I had one: delicious. They're rather tart, but that's fine with me.

This evening, while the others were at Soo Bahk Do, I decided to try going on a walk with Sprocket, my son-in-law-to-be's dog. #1 daughter knew where the leash was, so she got it connected.

The walk went quite well. Sprocket definitely wanted to walk faster than I could - but he apparently figured out that I was at top speed, and adjusted his pace accordingly.

Walking a dog is not like walking a cat. Sprocket was quite willing to go left, right, straight ahead, or stop, in response to light pressure on the leash.

He would have been very willing to keep heading south when we reached the Lake Wobegon Trail, but willingly turned around after we stood there a few minutes. He wasn't straining at the leash so much on the way back, though.

And, now, it's time to read Garfield with my son.

Where Did the Last Week Go?

It's been over a week since I posted anything here. Quite a bit has gone on, but it's hard to pin down details in my memory. #2 daughter's upcoming wedding might have something to do with it.

My son had a friend over on a few successive days, after which he went up to the Red River Valley of the North, to spend more time with my son-in-law-to-be.

He nearly wound up in Montana.

#1 daughter drove him and her rabbit Giol up to the Valley, and was unaware that she needed to get on Interstate Highway 29, northbound, after passing Fargo. As some point, as she and my son past across the vast expanses of North Dakota, she realized that they hadn't reached their destination - and that things weren't all that familiar.

Prudently, she called home. (Cell phones: ain't technology great?!)

I calmly (for me) explained exactly what she needed to do, and had her repeat the instructions. Slowly. I had visions of the next call being from the vicinity of Brandon, Manitoba, or Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Or maybe Billings, Montana.

As she put it, "there's a lot of 'not much' out there - it took a while to notice that things weren't looking familiar."

They got to their destination without further incident. Then, the next morning, the rabbit Giol escaped. #1 daughter woke to my son informing her that the rabbit had escaped, and that he and my son-in-law-to-be thought he might be outside.

They were right. By the time #1 daughter was dressed and downstairs, Giol was found - in the vicinity of 'the hill,' a mound about seven feet high near the northwest corner of the homestead.

Sprocket, my son-in-law-to-be's dog, found him. That was not a serene rabbit.

Giol was also a bit damp. Sprocket had licked him.

Sprocket likes Giol: but the rabbit doesn't seem to appreciate the affection.

Before #1 daughter returned, the three of them had rigged a rope to an old cottonwood tree - and my son had swung upside-down from a rather elevated portion of the rope.

#1 daughter had a ride on the rope (it's a sort of zipline affair, I understand) - but probably didn't enjoy it as much as my son did. She tells me that she took a minute or so to release the rope and unbend after being lowered to the ground. My son, at one point after she'd been deposited on the grass, said "she blinked!"

My wife and assorted daughters helped the Soo Bahk Do class at a fund-raiser at a horse show's food concession over the weekend, I've been to a Knights of Columbus meeting, and #1 daughter and my wife finished building a rabbit run for Giol. It's a wood frame and chicken wire affair sitting in the garage: Giol seems to like it. He can see out now, and has a bit more floor space to work with.

Thursday: One More Day, and I Get to Grill Burgers

My son called, a little before noon, so I had a chance to talk with him a bit. He wanted to talk with my wife and #3 sister, but the ladies were out at the time. I understand he called later, and caught them. He reports that #2 daughter may drive back tomorrow - but we'll see how that works out.

He's having a fine time, I gather. Besides helping with chores, he's working with a new laptop computer: it's his 'junior high/high school' computer, which he's been paying for. We speeded up delivery of the laptop a bit, since he has this opportunity to spend time with my son-in-law-to-be, who has some experience with such things. Good experience: for both, I think.

I drove to St. Cloud around noon, to have my CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure - the thing helps keep my airway clear when I sleep) put through its annual pressure test. The device is working normally, which is good news. Driving for an hour down to St. Cloud, and an hour back, may not have been the ideal way to spend time, but it was a beautiful day.

While in St. Cloud, I stopped by the Crossroads mall and took some reference photos. They've expanded the place substantially since I was there last. It seems to me there's more emphasis on letting sunlight in for illumination, and less exclusive reliance on lighting fixtures, than when malls started being built.

#1 daughter made another sales call today - at least one. She's still upbeat about that job - and looking for another way to earn money.

#1 daughter also planted a bleeding heart bush she bought for my wife. She remembered that my wife had liked a bleeding heart bush at our previous house. (That's my girl!) #1 daughter reports that it felt good, digging a spot for the bush - and clearing out some concrete rubble she found in the process.

I didn't go to Soo Bahk Do class with my wife and #3 daughter this evening: there was an entry for the Sauk Centre Journal to do, and I'm determined to get to sleep at a reasonable hour. Which, God willing, I will: I finished the entry a few hours ago.

Hummingbird Feeder, Unexpected Service Call, and Transitions

Yesterday's big evening drove it out of my mind, but I also cleaned and re-filled the hummingbird feeder yesterday. I bend the hook that attaches it to the shepherds-crook-shaped holder outside, so I only spilled a drop or so while putting it back outside.

A technician from our cable/telephone/internet provider came. It took a while to figure out why he was here. Catherine realized the visit probably happened because of a call my son made earlier. He pushed a lot of buttons, she explained, and resolved some sort of internet connection problem. The technician got an 'aha!' look on his face, when he learned that my son was thirteen.

#2 daughter and my son-in-law-to-be loaded furniture and one of my mother's china sets into a rental trailer this morning. Some of what we hauled down from the homestead is going back. If we'd known at the time that those two would be moving in after they got married this September, we could have left it there. But, memory only works in one direction.

I'm told that giving furniture a 250+ mile round trip was a good idea, in a way: my son-in-law-to-be will feel more as if it's 'his' place, and not someone else's home that he's borrowing.

The two of them - and his dog, Sprocket - headed out for the Red River Valley a little after mid-afternoon.

My wife, #3 daughter and my son are at Soo Bahk Do class tonight. I decided to stay home - I've got a few tasks to wrap up, and I'm feeling very tired. A good night's sleep will help, I suspect.

#1 daughter is, I understand, in St. Cloud at the moment, attending what may be the last training session for her Cutco sales job. As I've written before, we'll see how this job works out. Either way, it's good experience.

Memorial Day Weekend, 2009

It's a bit past the halfway point of Memorial Day weekend now. The sun has set, twilight's faded into night, and I'm wrapping things up for the day.

#1 daughter's here for the weekend - with her rabbit, Giol. She's been here most of the week, off an on, using this household as a sort of base for a sales job she's trying out for the summer. So far, it involves more travel than she'd anticipated. Still, I think she's found another useful skill. She's quite good, I think, at giving demonstrations.

She's selling CUTCO products: someone in town bought another piece, adding to a fifty-year-old set. (And yes: I know that some people are convinced that CUTCO is a scam. Sales isn't for everybody, and I'll leave it at that.)

#3 daughter, my wife and son and I went to Soo Bahk Do class this evening. That was a distinctly strenuous two and a half hours. Among other things, we practiced hyungs (a set of prescribed movements - it's actually a bit like dance). What was different this time was that at one point we broke boards as part of the hyungs.

The boards were reusable plastic. They come in a variety of strengths, simulating pine boards of different thicknesses. My son was pleased when he broke his board. So was I.

I've broken boards before, but this was the first time I'd tried this sort of thing. I was a bit surprised: I managed to break a simulated inch-and-a-quarter board, several times. Granted, it was an much-used practice board, and probably is easier to break now.

On the way home, I saw neighbors sitting around an outdoor grill. The sun had set by then, although it was still twilight. The flames in the grill were clearly visible, but the family were silhouettes. Quite a nice scene.

I grilled burgers for lunch yesterday and today: and am looking forward to doing the same tomorrow.

Tuesday Night: It's Been a Good Day

We watched "Night at the Museum" this evening - my son borrowed the DVD from the library. It's the second time around for my wife and me - and I think #3 daughter, too - but the first viewing for him. He thought it was great, and I agree. It's a fun movie. javascript:void(0)

Apart from that, I'm still writing blog posts: and getting a local Knights of Columbus bulletin out 11 times a year. And, I'm still re-learning the first parts of Soo Bahk Do.

My son's been feeling better - I think spring allergies bother him.

And, at this moment, my wife's talking with #2 daughter on the phone. She's still down in Louisiana - but will be coming up in the near future. Exactly when, I don't know. I'm expecting to see my son-in-law-to-be in the area in a couple weeks.

My son and I read Garfield, sang the song we sing, and that's as good a place to stop writing as any.

Sunday: This Has Been a Pretty Good Week

My wife, #3 daughter, and my son are playing Cue Me in the living room, and I've been trying to get my webcam and the Internet back on speaking terms.

In no particular order, here are some highlights from the week:

A nail clipper wasn't where it's supposed to be. Of course, I immediately assumed that my son had borrowed it and laid down somewhere else. I've learned to be dubious about assumptions. For good reason. The nail clipper was in plain sight, on the left side of my work area, instead of in a cup on the right. When I saw it, my memory informed me that I'd used it earlier: and left it there.

We've had a day with a high in the eighties, with bright sun; another about forty degrees below that; one with lowering clouds and drizzle; and a small thunderstorm. In other words, a fairly normal springtime week in central Minnesota.

My wife's started growing sprouts again: for which I'm duly grateful. She's got a sort of plastic box that's designed for growing sprouts - and it seems to work better than the glass-jar-water-and-hope system she used before.

Some of those sprouts went on burgers that I grilled yesterday and today. I'm very glad to back in the habit of grilling burgers on weekend.

I've started taking Soo Bahk Do classes, and as expected I've forgotten a great deal. On the other hand, I remember more than I thought I would. And, I'm not quite as badly out of shape as I'd feared. Practicing every day between classes helps.

The only negative consequence of getting back into the process of learning Soo Bahk Do is that I have quite a few hours a week now that aren't available for writing or other work. That's more than balanced by what I expect will be improved physical condition and mental focus. In short: I'm feeling better. Aside from sore muscles, that is - but that will pass.

My wife had one of my brothers-in-law take a look at her car. It's had battery problems. He found faulty connections, fixed them, and fixed the situation. Aside from being a great bunch, the family I married into has quite a wide range of abilities.