Snapshots from Texas; or, Candles at a Trade Show

My son-in-law called last night, and we talked until it was early this morning. He's in Texas, at a trade show to let more folks know about Spiral Light Candles.

He sent two snapshots:


Bright lights, and folks looking at Spiral Light Candle products in Texas. June 2012.


Aaron McWilliams and candles. Lots of candles. The Spiral Light kind. June 2012.

With Aaron in Texas, and the factory not needing her attention over the weekend, #2 daughter spent some time Saturday with us: mostly with my wife and #3 daughter.

About those candles: they're unique, the McWilliams invented them, and you might find them in a store in your area. If not, they launched the Spiral Light Candle online store recently. You can check for retailers in your area on the website, too:

• Spiral Light Candle
  (SpiralLightCandle.com)
  • Find a Retailer
    (SpiralLightCandle.com/find-a-retailer)
  • Spiral Light Candle Store
    (shop.SpiralLightCandle.com)

Related posts:

• "Good Candles and Good Neighbors in North Dakota"
  Starting a Small Business Without Losing My Mind (June 16, 2012)
• "Candles in a Box, and an Online Video"
  Starting a Small Business Without Losing My Mind (June 15, 2012)
• "Spiral Light Candle's Online Store - Open"
  Starting a Small Business Without Losing My Mind (June 15, 2012)
• "A Quick Trip, a Factory, Candles: and Home at Last!"
  (May 25, 2012)
• "January 11, 2012 Spiral Light Candle Factory Construction: Photos"
  Starting a Small Business Without Losing My Mind (January 11, 2012)

A Quick Trip, a Factory, Candles: and Home at Last!

Yesterday afternoon I drove up to Hillsboro, North Dakota, with my wife, son, and #3 daughter. Then I slept 12 hours, took photos as my son-in-law and #2 daughter did a ribbon-cutting at Spiral Light Candle's factory, and drove back home.

I know that wife, son, and #3 daughter were with me: I haven't checked to see if we forgot anything up in North Dakota. I don't plan to check until tomorrow morning. Right now I'm thoroughly enjoying being back home again.

Don't get me wrong: I enjoyed seeing everybody up in Hillsboro, but I also enjoy being back home.

Allegedly-related posts:

• "Home Schooling, a Garage, a Desk, and Business"
  (March 26, 2012)
• " 'Confidence' and a T-Shirt"
  Starting a Small Business Without Losing My Mind (January 19, 2012)
• "Spiral Light Candle Factory Construction: More Photos"
  Starting a Small Business Without Losing My Mind (January 18, 2012)
• "Candles, a Spreadsheet, and a Really Long Week"
  (December 5, 2011)
• "Candles: Analysis, News, and Very Odd Questions"
  Starting a Small Business Without Losing My Mind (December 3, 2011)

Home Schooling, a Garage, a Desk, and Business

My wife has another job, helping a family home school their kids. Today was her first day with the new folks. She and #3 daughter spent some time with lessons, some with the mother, working out how they'll schedule everything. My son will be pitching in, since this family wants to include computer skills.

We home schooled our kids, from grade 7 up. Their choice. This household could do everything except band, for my son, in-house. It helped that my wife's a computer science major with pretty close to a math minor; and I've got background in history, English, art, art history, and about half of a computer major. Not everybody comes with that big a grab-bag of experience. Which is why home schooling families share (pool?) their skills.

And that's getting a bit off-topic.

My son has been moving into his office today. It's a sort of oversize enclosed breezeway between the house and the new garage. My wife will have her big-enough garage later this week, when the concrete finishes curing. She's waited well over two decades for this, so I'm delighted that she'll finally have room to work with.

I still have my desk near a window in the north room. Which suits my needs quite well. I'll be moving back into the attic, maybe, starting this summer: but that'll be more of a library/archive and den. I like working here on the ground floor, where I can see what's happening in the kitchen and outside at the corner of South Ash and 9th.

Meanwhile, up in North Dakota, my son-in-law has moved Spiral Light Candle Corporation's factory and offices into their new building. Actually, the building has been around for decades: as a potato warehouse. It took a month or two to clean it out, install massive amounts of insulation, and set it up as a factory. With offices at one end.

I've seen what the place looked like when the walls were mostly up around the factory floor. It's changed since then, so I'm looking forward to getting up there and seeing the finished project.

Vaguely-related posts:

• "My Son: First Paying Job"
  (March 5, 2012)
• "Candles, a Spreadsheet, and a Really Long Week"
  (December 5, 2011)
• "My Son, the Techie"
  (October 9, 2010)
• "Saturday: About a Rabbit, a Leash, and School"
  (January 9, 2010)
• "Monday: Wedding on Saturday, But No Worries"
  (August 31, 2009)

'It was Only a Small Fire'

First, the good news: Nobody got hurt.

My son-in-law had gone into the garage to get some chicken feed out of their Buick. Since the car hadn't been driven in a while, and he & #2 daughter were planning to use it later in the evening, he tried starting the engine.

He heard a "POP," and saw smoke coming out from under the hood. It's a wood frame garage, attached to their house - with a propane tank on the other side of one of the walls.

My son-in-law called #2 daughter to come and help, hooked a logging chain to that burning car, and pulled it out of the garage- - -



- - - before it got to this point. Then he told #2 daughter to call the fire department.



It only took them about five minutes to get out there - which is pretty good response, considering they're on the other side of an Interstate from the town. I'm told the fire fighters commended the young couple on quick thinking and cool heads. When they got the call, for a garage fire, they figured there wouldn't be much left of the house by the time they were through.

#2 daughter and son-in-law had a fire extinguisher out there - but they decided the priority was getting the vehicle away from flammable materials. I haven't heard of a logging chain and towing hookups being standard home emergency equipment - but it sure came in handy this evening.

I spoke with my son-in-law an hour or so ago. He figures the most likely explanation for the fire is a critter getting under the car's hood and chewing on wires. When power was applied, a short circuit could have ignited plastic, melting more insulation away.

I'm just glad he and #2 daughter are okay.

Photos by Aaron McWilliams.

Late last month, #3 daughter got promoted to 1st gup in Soo Bahk Do. Which is a pretty big deal - it's the last step before black belt. Except it's more of a midnight blue belt. Soo Bahk Do is a sort of karate, except it's from Korea. Which is why my wife and #3 daughter are learning Korean.

Also, in my wife's case, Latin - and that's another topic. She's teaching for another home-schooling family we know. So, for that matter, is #3 daughter.

Me? I spend most of my time writing posts, and nosing around the Internet to find something to post about.

Easter Sunday 2010

Happy Easter!

My son and son-in-law have spent much (most?) of the day playing/working with Lego Mindstorm - and having a great time. They showed me video they're going to edit and put on YouTube.

It's been a beautiful Easter Sunday. I grilled burgers, relaxed and spent some time with my family, walked to the grocery and back to get coffee, and did I mention that I relaxed?

Now, I'm taking a break from work: getting things set up for Monday's tasks.

Tuesday: Well, We Needed the Rain

We got a phone call from the Red River Valley of the North. It was a good news/bad news sort of call.

First, the bad news: As of this morning, my father can no longer swallow. So, no more food or water can go in. We've had some false alarms before, but I think there's a good chance that sometime soon - in the next hours, days, or - maybe - weeks, my father's life will end.

I don't like the idea. At all.

But I don't have to like it: Reality being what it is, death comes at the end of life. That's the way it is. What we make of that fact is what makes a difference. More of that in another blog's post.

I was shaky for an hour or so after hearing the news: needing to pay more attention to how I walked. Even my hands weren't as steady as they normally are, and I started a credible Elmer Fudd impression once.

Now, the good news.

My son-in-law is feeling a lot better. He'd come down with something, seen a doctor, and missed a radio appearance: but that's in the past, and it looks like he's very much on the mend.

Back here in Sauk Centre, I've noticed that I'm sometimes going up the stairs without gripping the rail - and once realized that I was only touching it at intervals. It's not many fifty-something guys who are experience a fairly rapid improvement in their physical abilities.

Those artificial hip joints are great: I'm back in the habit of walking places - withing about three or four blocks, anyway.

This afternoon I walked down to the Coborn's / Ace Hardware block. Since the hummingbirds have left for the season, I picked up a little "tray" - it actually looks more like a cage - that holds blocks of birdseed. And, a block to go in it. The seeds are picked with finches in mind: My guess is that the sparrows and chickadees will dig in, too.

The birdseed block is a clever product: the thistle seed, sunflower seed chips, red millet, flax seed and the rest is held together with a bit of gelatin, honey, and dextrose. My guess is that I could make something like it at home. Maybe next year.

I got the birdseed set out, a few feet from my webcam, so folks should have something to watch over the winter. The webcam looks out the window by my computer, so I'll be able to watch directly now and again.

We got roughly an eighth of an inch yesterday: which was welcome. I'd been hoping for more rain today. But, there's still time before winter to dampen the soil.

Related posts:

• "Death, Dying, Dignity, Intravenous Tubes and Catholic Teachings"
  A Catholic Citizen in America(September 22, 2009)
• "My Father's Life: Another Milestone Passed"
  (May 21, 2009)