Once when I was little...

I remember once when I was little, it was a ritual in the morning to give my dad a kiss and a hug and say "I love you!" as he was leaving for the day to go work at the farm. I remember sitting on the couch and saying (stupidly) that I was too big for that stuff. I remember the look on his face. It's not a good memory. At least not for me.

Well, life teaches you things. Usually the hard way. As I watch California burn, as I remember my TWO house fires, as memories of people in my life that have passed before me, as I think of people I still have in my life, as I think of those I will still meet....

I know now.......... You are never too little or too big to say "I love you!" or to hear "I love you!".

Say it. It makes a difference. Even when you don't realize it.

CNC's, Guitar Builders, and Beast Masters, OH MY!

The Humble Guitar Builder and The Tale of the CNC. *smirk*

Once upon a time there was a humble guitar builder who desired to change his stars. Every night he contemplated a way to change his method of building to make it faster, better, bigger.

He tried many many things, including selling clothing and things to make his dream come true. Alas, it didn't work out.

So he tried again.

He got a different shop to build in, and this made the Mrs very very happy. You see, she now has a place to paint while he builds. A very nice situation, indeed.

But still, how was he to make his business bigger, faster, better?

They talked and talked about it. They fought and fought about it. And then they fought some more, as was the custom in their kingdom. After the dust settled they had come to an agreement. And so they decided to move up the ladder in the world of builders. They would go automated.

How does one go automated you might ask? Well you see, they decided to forego all the old ways and purchase a very nice machine called a CNC Router.

The humble builder spent many long days and night finding just the right machine for his shop. He slogged through swampy internet sites and had covert conversations with seedy salesman searching for perfection. At last he had an answer.

{listen carefully for the trumpet fanfare}

Yes! All the citizens of the kingdom cheered! There was rejoicing far and wide with many beers and drinks of Mead. This was the answer to leaving the dark ages behind and moving up to the East Side! A MultiCam 1000 CNC Router... and it was going to come to their shop! Hooray!!!!

The builder worked and worked to make this machine his. He made the money miser give up his hoard of gold coins to buy it.

He arranged with the traveling caravan to load it in the wagon and deliver it to his shop.

He stressed. He fretted. He drank.

But at last, the big day arrived!

At daybreak he mounted his trusty Honda Odessey and rode bravely to the shop. Would it be there? Would it be late? Would it be in good condition? All these questions and more plagued the poor builder. His wife took pity on him and made sure he had coffee for his tankard, and as they pulled into the grounds, alas what did they find?????

The wagon had arrived early! In fact, the wagonmaster was sleeping in the seat as the builder pulled in the grounds. The builder was so relieved to see it there, and seemingly in good shape as well.

Now," worried the builder, "where is the worker-man who said he would help with his winch-wagon to remove my lovely machine from this beast?"

And so he waited with a new space cleared for his machine.

And he waited.

And he waited some more.

And the builder was not happy. Not happy at all.

After many hours he gave up on the winch-wagon fellow and put out the call for help. After many tries another purveyor of machinery came forward (after extracting many pieces of gold from the builder) (which he was NOT happy about) and brought forth a great beast of burden to remove the machine from the back of the wagon.

At first, this beast looked as though it was going to be the answer. But the citizens may have thought too quick. The beast was cantankerous. The beast was mischievious. Finally the beast lay down next to the wagon.

The builder and the wagon driver were perplexed. Now what? Both called upon the Mrs to inquire about a different beast. So the Mrs sent a message to the beast-master requesting a different beast. Couldn't they just send a different beast?

The beast-master sent a stable boy back with a whip and chain to force the beast to work. They tried. They tried so hard the beast threw a fit in the yard and threw gravel all over the new machine (which again pissed off the builder and the Mrs). The stable boy said it was no good. The beast was dead. It had died in the fight. They would have to get a new beast.

"A new beast?" thought the Mrs. "How can this be?"

"And what of the weather?" the Mrs asked. She was truly worried as the clouds loomed every closer. Rain. A bad bad thing.

But it was true! The beast-master DID send a new beast! And the beast was a sleek animal with power and desire. It was a beautiful thing indeed!

It's first job was to move the old beast away from the wagon. It was not an easy job.

It pushed.

It pulled.

It made the dead beast go away at last. The builder and the Mrs were so relieved!

So the new sleek beast went to work with the wagon driver at the reins. It pushed, it forked, it moved all the parts of the machine with grace and ease. The builder rejoiced at last!!

<------- Notice yonder peasant quarters. No, they are not occupied.

And at long last the machine is at home. It has a warm place in the builder's new shop and all is well in the kingdom.

The builder rests as the next journey is about to begin......... sooooo boys and girls, keep checking your mail for the continuing saga of the CNC machine and the humble builder.

Thank you and good night.

Mrs.

Yeah! I'm back!!

I finally got blogger to give back my account. wow... what a relief.

Lot's to catch up with. Stay tuned!